PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apost. Church of America and Canada
H.E. Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan
Prelate, Easter Prelacy and Canada
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
Web:
May 13, 2010
NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE ASSEMBLY CONVENES
The Eastern Prelacys National Representative Assembly (NRA) convened
in New York City today and will continue through Saturday, May 15. The
clergy conference began one day earlier. The NRA is being hosted by
the two New York parishes: St. Illuminators Cathedral and St. Sarkis
Church. It is the first time the NRA is being hosted jointly by two
parishes and it is the first time since 1962 that the NRA is taking
place in New York City.
Archbishop Oshagan delivered the keynote address this
afternoon. His Eminence focused his comments on Faith and Service
noting service is a calling and the success of our service is our
happiness. When we make service the purpose of our lives, then we
bring our nations children together. We do everything with sacrifice,
with the hope of continuity, just like the self-sacrifice of
Vartanank, with their motto For the sake of our faith and for the sake
of our fatherland, secured our nations victory over all of the evil of
the time and history. Our motto today remains the same: For the sake
of our faith and for the sake of our fatherland.
The Assemblys banquet will take place tomorrow evening, Friday,
May 14, at the Crowne Plaza at LaGuardia Airport.
Taking place concurrent with the NRA are two conferences: The
National Association of Ladies Guilds and the Yeretzgins.
Full details and photographs will be given next week and also
posted on our web site.
FEAST OF THE ASCENSION WILL BE CELEBRATED THIS EVENING
This evening delegates to the NRA as well as the faithful from the New
York metropolitan area will celebrate the Feast of the Ascension of
Our Lord Jesus Christ, at St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York. The
Divine Liturgy will begin at 6:30 pm with dinner at 8 pm. After dinner
entertainment will be provided by the Yeraz Dance Group and the
students of St. Illuminators Armenian School. For dinner reservations
($25) or more information contact the St. Sarkis Church office,
718-224-2275.
PLG MOTHERS DAY LUNCHEON BIG SUCCESS;
GRACE KESHGEGIAN HONORED
The Prelacy Ladies Guilds Mothers Day luncheon was a resounding
success. Grace Keshgegian from Philadelphia was honored as the Mother
of the Year. Full details of the luncheon along with photographs will
be in next weeks Crossroads as well as on the Prelacys web page.
DATEV SUMMER PROGRAM: MARK YOUR CALENDAR
The 24th annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer Program, for
youth ages 13-18, is scheduled to take place at the St. Mary of
Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania, from June 25-July 4,
2010. The program is sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education
Council (AREC). For more information click here (
4882/goto: /departments/arec/datev-institute
).
BIBLE READING
Bible readings for today, Thursday, May 13, Ascension of our Lord
Jesus Christ, are: Luke 18:1-14; Acts 1:1-14; Matthew 28:16-20;
Matthew 19:1-15; Mark 10:13-27.
In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did
and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to
heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the
apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself
alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during
forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with
them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for
the promise of the Father. This, he said, is what you have heard from
me for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the
Holy Spirit not many days from now.
So when they had come together, they asked him, Lord, is this
the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel? He replied, It
is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by
his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has
come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea
and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. When he had said this, as
they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of
their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven,
suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, Men of
Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who
has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as
you saw him go into heaven.
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Oliver,
which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath days journey away. When they had
entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were
staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas,
Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot,
and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves
to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of
Jesus, as well as his brothers. (Acts 1:1-14)
For a listing of the coming weeks Bible readings click here (
4882/goto: elacy/PDF/2010dbr-5.pdf
).
SUNDAY IS SECOND PALM SUNDAY
This Sunday, May 16, is Second Palm Sunday (Yerkirort Tzaghkazard).
The seventh Sunday of Easter is called Second Palm Sunday, based on
the readings for that day. Beginning with New Sunday, the Armenian
Church reads from the four Gospels every day in their proper order;
Luke in the morning; John at midday; Matthew at the beginning of the
evening hour; and Mark at the end of the evening hour. The sections
relating to Christs entry into Jerusalem coincides with the seventh
Sunday of Easter, hence the designation, Second Palm Sunday.
We bless you today, Creator of creatures who in marvelously wonderful
fashion adorned the Church, God of our fathers. We bless you today
living One from all eternity who raised to heaven with glory our
nature deadened by sin. We bless you today who by your resurrection
raised us up with yourself to the Fathers throne higher than original
glory, alienated as the result of our transgressions. Bless the Lord,
O all the works of the Lord, bless and exalt him forever. You nations
of the gentiles who has ascended with the angels and acquired glory
word cannot describe; bless the Lord and exalt him forever. You
priests and ministers, numbered with the cherubim, with one accord
with them bless the Lord and exalt Him forever.
(From the Canon for the First Sunday after Christs Ascension, Second
Palm Sunday, according to the Liturgical Canons of the Armenian
Apostolic Church).
ARMENIAN CHURCH ATTENDS WCC ECUMENICAL OFFICERS MEETING
The two Ecumenical Officers of the Armenian Orthodox Church, Bishop
Hovaguim Manoukian of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin, and Bishop Nareg
Alemezian of the Holy See of Cilicia, attended a meeting of ecumenical
officers which took place at the Ecumenical Institute, Bossey,
Switzerland, last week.
The meeting of the ecumenical officers of member churches of
the World Council of
Churches provided the opportunity for the staff member churches to
meet, share their experiences and concerns, and discuss WCC programs
and priorities.
PAN-DIASPORAN CONFERENCE PLANNED
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, has
formed a committee to plan the third consultation on the theme of
Western Armenian Languages and Armenian Studies Today, which will take
place in Antelias, Lebanon, September 14-16, 2010. These series of
consultations have been organized in cooperation with the Armenian
Affairs Department of the Gulbenkian Foundation. The first conference
took place in 2004 and the second in 2008.
The purpose of the upcoming conference is to analyze the usage
of Western Armenian in the Diaspora today and its mutation by foreign
languages. Like many other languages, Armenian is being influenced by
the local languages and by the need to create new vocabulary to keep
pace with science and technology.
A large number of linguists, professors of Armenian language
and literature, and representatives of educational institutions are
being invited to attend.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
May 13 to 16National Representative Assembly hosted by
St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York City, and St. Sarkis Church,
Douglaston, New York.
May 13-14NALG Annual Conference in conjunction with the NRA, Crowne
Plaza, LaGuardia Airport Hotel. For information Mary Derderian,
781-762-4253, [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]).
May 19Fourth of five Bible studies on Women in the Bible at
St. Illuminators Cathedral, New York City, 7:15 pm. Sponsored by the
Prelacys Armenian Religious Education Council and St. Illuminators
Church.
May 22Divine Liturgy and 93rd anniversary, St. Asdvadzadzin Church,
Whitinsville, Massachusetts. Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian will
celebrate the Divine Liturgy, deliver the sermon, and preside over the
anniversary banquet.
May 2375th Anniversary celebration of Holy Trinity Church, Worcester,
Massachusetts, under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan,
at Crowne Plaza Hotel, Worcester. For information: 508-852-2414.
May 26Fifth and final Bible study on Women in the Bible at
St. Illuminators Cathedral, 221 E. 27th Street, New York City, 7:15
pm. Sponsored by the Prelacys Armenian Religious Education Council and
St. Illuminators Cathedral.
June 12Food Festival sponsored by Ladies Guild of St. Gregory Church,
Jaffarian Hall, 158 Main Street, North Andover, Massachusetts.
June 25-July 424th annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer
Program for youth ages 13 to 18, at St. Mary of Providence Center,
Elverson, Pennsylvania.
June 27St. Hagop (Racine) annual Madagh and Church Picnic at Johnsons
Park (Hwy 38) Racine, Wisconsin.
July 17A Hye Summer Night V, dance hosted by Ladies Guild of
Sts. Vartanantz Church and ARS Ani Chapter, Providence, Rhode Island,
at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Cranston, Rhode Island. For
tickets and information: Joyce Bagdasarian (401-434-4467) or Joyce
Yeremian. (401-354-8770).
August 15Annual picnic of St. Stephen Church, Watertown,
Massachusetts, at Camp Haiastan, Franklin, Massachusetts (12 noon to 5
pm). For information: 617-924-7562.
August 22Annual picnic of St. Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville,
Massachusetts.
October 8-10The Eastern Prelacys Linked In workshop weekend for young
adults at Holy Virgin Marys Spiritual Vineyard, Charlton,
Massachusetts.
Web pages of the parishes can be accessed through the Prelacys web
site.
To ensure the timely arrival of Crossroads in your electronic mailbox,
add [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) to
your address book.
Items in Crossroads can be reproduced without permission. Please
credit Crossroads as the source.
Parishes of the Eastern Prelacy are invited to send information about
their major events to be included in the calendar. Send to:
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected])