PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Chris Zakian
Tel: (212) 686-0710 or (973) 943-8697
E-mail: [email protected]
Web:
** TOP STORY December 24, 2014
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St. David
An angel announces the birth of Christ (detail from a Nativity mural
at Holy Etchmiadzin).
** What It’s All About
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There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping
watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came
upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they
were sore afraid.
But the angel said unto them, `Fear not! For, behold-I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is
born this day, in the city of David, a savior, which is Christ the
Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger.’
And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly
host, praising God, and saying: `Glory to God in the highest! And on
earth, peace; good will toward men.’
As a very wise person once said, having quoted this passage from the
gospel of Luke: `That’s what Christmas is all about.’
Today, in these hours before so much of the world celebrates the birth
of Jesus, we wish our readers all the blessings of Christmas.
Some 12 days from now, faithful souls in Armenian sanctuaries across
the world will be raising their voices in grateful praise of our
Lord’s birth-and we encourage you to be a part of that joyous
celebration in your local church.
And throughout the coming days, keep hold of what Christmas is all
about: God’s love for mankind; His gifts of peace and good
will=80’embodied in the birth of His precious son.
To read the Primate’s Christmas message for this year, click here
()
.
New Website for Summer Camps
** Visit the New Summer Camps Website
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The Diocese’s Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries is
pleased to announce the launch of the new summer camps website:
The new site offers online registration and credit card payment
options for both Hye Camp and St. Vartan Camp, simplifying the
registration process for families across the Diocese. In addition, all
CIT, staff, and volunteer applications are available for
download. Other features include a blog, photo galleries, resources
for parents, and an alumni corner.
Click on the following links to visit the new site
()
and to download this year’s camps flyer
()
and brochure
()
. To be added to the camp e-mail list, send your contact information
to Jennifer Morris, the Diocese’s Director of Youth and Young Adult
Ministries, at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .
** Scripture of the Week
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Is 41:4-14
Heb 7:11-25
Lk 19:12-28
** Prayer of the Week
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Guard us, O Christ our God, in peace under the shadow of your holy and
venerable Cross. Deliver us from the visible and invisible enemy. Make
us worthy to give you thanks and to glorify you together with the
Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always. Amen.
** Upcoming Saints & Feasts
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25 December: St. Stephen the Protodeacon and First Martyr
27 December: Holy Apostles Peter and Paul
29 December: Holy Apostles James and John, “Sons of Thunder”
3 January: Sts. Basil, Gregory of Nissa, Sylvester of Rome, and Ephrem
the Syrian
5 January: Eve of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ
6 January: Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus
Christ
** CHURCH NEWS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE
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Youth Center Opens in Gyumri
His Holiness Karekin II tours the new youth center.
** Armenian Church Youth Center Opens in Gyumri
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The Armenian Church Youth Center (
Hayortyats Tnner) program opened a new branch in Gyumri earlier this
month. His Holiness Karekin II, the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos
of All Armenians, presided over the opening ceremony on December 4.
The Gyumri Youth Center offers sports, singing, dancing, music, and
painting classes to local children. Construction of the new center was
made possible through the generosity of Sandra Shahinian Leitner, a
parishioner of the Eastern Diocese and a longtime servant of the
Armenian Church. Located at the site of a Soviet military edifice
erected in 1930, the original structure was largely destroyed by the
1988 earthquake.
Click here
()
to read more.
** DIOCESAN NEWS
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Armenian Christmas Schedule at St. Vartan Cathedral
** Christmas Services at St. Vartan Cathedral
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The Feast of the Nativity and Baptism of Jesus Christ will be observed
at New York’s St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral on Monday and Tuesday,
January 5 and 6, 2015. Click here
()
to view the special liturgical schedule for these “Armenian Christmas”
services.
The Blessing of Water service will follow the Divine Liturgy on
January 6. Dr. Vicken Pamoukian will serve as “godfather” of the
Blessing of Water service.
A Home Blessing service and Christmas reception will be held in Haik
and Alice Kavookjian Auditorium following services on January 6. The
Akh’tamar Armenian Dance Ensemble, under the direction of Sylva
Assadourian, will perform during the reception, which is open to all.
Most local parishes will celebrate Christmas on January 6, but the
Primate has also directed that they may observe the occasion on
Sunday, January 11. For information on services in your area, contact
your local parish
()
to ascertain the date and time of its Armenian Christmas celebration.
Submit Your Photo
** Christmas Photo Album: A Call for Submissions
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How do you celebrate Armenian Christmas in your hometown? Send us
digital photos from your local Christmas church services and other
celebrations, and we will feature them in our online album the week
after Christmas.
Please e-mail photos (with your name, parish, city, and country) to
[email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) by Wednesday, January 14.
We look forward to receiving submissions from the parishes of the
Eastern Diocese, as well as from our readers in Armenian communities
across the globe.
Diocesan Council
Council members gathered for their monthly meeting on December 16.
** Diocesan Council Continues Work on Strategic Plan
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Meeting at the Diocesan Center in New York on Tuesday, December 16,
members of the Diocesan Council heard reports from Archbishop Khajag
Barsamian, Diocesan Primate; the Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian,
Diocesan Vicar; and Jacob H. Yahiayan, the Diocese’s Director of
Administration.
The council discussed three areas of the Diocesan Strategic Plan:
outreach, clergy education, and subject oriented topics. (The
Strategic Plan was introduced at the 112th Diocesan Assembly.) They
also discussed the Diocese’s Annual Appeal, other development efforts,
and ideas for enriching parish visits by the Primate and Diocesan
Council liaisons.
On the subject of the 100th year of remembrance of the Armenian
Genocide, the council spoke about the national commemoration (see the
item below) and ways to disseminate information regarding upcoming
events.
Armenian Genocide Cintennial
** The Armenian Genocide: 100th Year of Remembrance
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The coming year will mark 100 years since the start of the Armenian
Genocide of 1915. At the time, it was the greatest calamity to ever
befall our nation. But the subsequent century also tells an
extraordinary tale of our people`s resilience, strength, and faith.
Armenian-Americans will commemorate this milestone year with a
national observance in Washington, D.C. in May 2015. Special events
are scheduled for May 7 to 9. The weekend will include an ecumenical
prayer service at the National Cathedral, a Pontifical Divine Liturgy,
a memorial concert, and an awards banquet honoring organizations and
individuals who helped the survivors. His Holiness Karekin II, the
Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, and His Holiness
Aram I, the Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, will both
journey to the United States to lead the Washington
commemoration. They will be joined by Armenians from across the U.S.,
under the auspices of the Eastern and Western Dioceses, and the
Eastern and Western Prelacies. Click here
()
to learn more about the May events in the nation’s capital.
The Eastern Diocese’s Annual Diocesan Assembly and Clergy Conference
will convene in Washington that same week; details on the 2015
Assembly will be forthcoming.
People in the New York metro region should also reserve the dates of
April 24, 25, and 26 for commemoration events in New York City. These
will include liturgical celebrations and the annual Times Square
program sponsored by the Mid-Atlantic Knights and Daughters of Vartan.
We encourage our parishes to let us know as early as possible about
their local observances. Resources are available on the Diocesan
website to assist parishes in raising awareness in their surrounding
communities. Click here
()
to access these materials.
2015 Diocesan Calendar
** “We Are Few”: The 2015 Diocesan Calendar
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The 2015 Diocesan Calendar is a meditation on the 100th year of
remembrance of the Armenian Genocide, titled
We Are Few: The Persistence of a People.
Featuring powerful words by the great Armenian poet Barouyr Sevag,
alongside images from photographer Scout Tufankjian’s odyssey through
Armenian communities around the world, the 2015 calendar is a glimpse
into Armenian life, a century after the Genocide.
The result is a beautiful, spiritually uplifting testimony to our
persistence as a people-which we hope will be a source of inspiration
throughout the coming milestone year.
If you have not received your free copy of the calendar, click here to
subscribe
()
to our mailing list.
Art Class Students Visit St. Vartan Cathedral
Dr. Helen Evans speaks about the architectural plan of St. Vartan
Cathedral during a tour of the sanctuary.
** Learning About Armenian Art at St. Vartan Cathedral
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Columbia University students taking a class on Armenian art visited
the Diocesan Center on Friday, December 19, with their professor
Dr. Helen Evans, curator for Byzantine art at the Metropolitan
Museum. The students toured St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral, visited the
Diocese’s Krikor and Clara Zohrab Information Center, and viewed
manuscripts in the Diocese’s collection.
Dr. Evans described the architectural plan of St. Vartan Cathedral,
which is patterned on the medieval St. Hripsime Church in Armenia. The
Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, Diocesan Vicar, accompanied the group
on the tour of the sanctuary and answered questions. The Very
Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, director of the Zohrab Center, spoke to the
students about the Diocese’s collection of manuscripts and art.
Dr. Evans, a preeminent scholar of Byzantine and Armenian art, is
teaching a fall semester course titled `Origins of Armenian Art:
Creating an Identity’ as part of the Armenian Center visiting
professorship at Columbia University.
Click here
()
to view photos from last week’s visit.
Anna Turcotte
Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte reads from her book, Nowhere: A Story of
Exile.
** Author Speaks of Family’s Escape from Baku
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Anna Astvatsaturian Turcotte presented her book,
Nowhere: A Story of Exile, at the Diocese’s Krikor and Clara Zohrab
Information Center on Thursday, November 13. The book tells of her
family’s experiences during the anti-Armenian pogroms in Baku,
Azerbaijan, in the late 1980s and early `90s.
Ms. Astvatsaturian Turcotte was 10 when the brutalities began in Baku,
and kept a diary from ages 14 to 16 of her family’s struggles in
Azerbaijan, Armenia, and America. More than two decades after settling
in the United States, she decided to publish her recollections in what
became Nowhere: A Story of Exile.
Click on the following links to read more
()
and to view a video of the presentation
()
.
FAR
Children welcome FAR representatives to their school in Berd.
** Improving Educational Facilities in Tavush
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Hundreds of young people living in Armenia’s Tavush region now have
improved educational and recreational facilities, thanks to the Fund
for Armenian Relief’s `Breaking the Cycle of Poverty’ program. These
facilities include outdoor playgrounds, a gymnasium, and a special
cooking classroom.
The `Breaking the Cycle of Poverty” program was established by the
Mardigian Family Foundation through the largest-ever contribution made
to FAR. The five-year project addresses malnutrition, unemployment,
poverty, and infrastructure weaknesses in Armenia’s northeastern
Tavush province.
Click here
()
to read more on FAR’s blog.
advent
** Read our Advent Blog
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Throughout the Advent season, Eric Vozzy of the Diocese’s Department
of Christian Education has been posting weekly Advent reflections on
the Diocese’s blog. Click here
()
to visit our blog for this week’s entry.
Advent is a season of preparation for one of the greatest feasts of
the church, the Nativity of Jesus Christ. In the Armenian Church,
Advent is a period of 50 days called Heesnag (from the Armenian word
for 50, heesoon). It is a time for prayer, reflection, devotion to
Scripture, fasting, and service.
Annual Appeal
** Support the Diocese’s 2014 Annual Appeal
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With only weeks remaining, the Eastern Diocese is making an urgent
plea for support of the 2014 Annual Appeal. Follow this link to donate
now
()
to the 2014 Annual Appeal-the only Diocesan-wide fundraiser conducted
each year to help the Diocese undertake the many ministries, programs,
and resources that enrich life in our parishes.
Your thoughtful gift brings light to our local churches. It supports
Christian education, Armenian language instruction, summer camps,
youth programs, mission parish outreach, and the use of new
communication technologies.
To our past and prospective donors, we are deeply grateful for your
support of the creative, educational, and inspirational programs that
lift up Armenian communities throughout the Eastern Diocese.
Please accept this invitation to strengthen our efforts. Your generous
contribution to the 2014 Annual Appeal will help spread the good work
of the Armenian Church across our local communities-and across the
generations.
Follow this link to donate now
()
to the 2014 Annual Appeal.
Donate Stocks
** Now is the Time for Tax-Smart Giving
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With a little planning, you can do more for the Armenian Church than
you might have thought possible. Here are two end-of-the-year
opportunities for you to consider.
1. Give stock. Stock gains on Wall Street have set record highs in
2014. You may wish to consider a charitable gift of appreciated
securities before 2014 closes. There is no federal income tax on your
gain, and you may be able to take a tax deduction. Please consult with
your financial advisor to see how the rules apply to your specific tax
situation.
2. Give from your IRA. Congress has just reinstated the IRA charitable
rollover. This means that if you are age 70½ or more, you can make a
tax-free charitable gift of up to $100,000 directly from your
IRA. This significant tax break expires on December 31. Ask your
financial advisor to show you how easy it is.
Gifts to the Diocese are payable to:
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
EIN: 13-1628202
630 Second Avenue
New York, NY 10016
Then please contact Angela Kazarian at (212) 686-0710 so that we can
thank you! With planned giving, you can take care of yourself, your
loved ones, and your church.
** PARISH NEWS
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St. James Church, Watertown, MA
ACYOA members hold up gifts they collected for a local charity.
** Watertown ACYOA Completes Outreach Project
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Last week, ACYOA members of St. James Church of Watertown, MA, took
part in a Christmas outreach project by volunteering at a local
Christian charity called My Brother’s Keeper. The project began
earlier this winter when the ACYOA organized a `Giving Tree’ toy drive
at St. James Church, asking parishioners to select and fulfill wish
lists attached to a Christmas tree at the church.
On December 16, a group of ACYOA members, led by youth minister Maria
Derderian, traveled to Easton, MA, to deliver the presents they
collected to My Brother’s Keeper. Volunteering in the organization’s
`Santa’s Workshop,’ ACYOA members spent time wrapping the gifts and
writing Christmas messages to families in the Boston area.
Click here
()
to view photos.
St. Stepanos Church, Elberon, NJ
Purchasing baked goods at the St. Stepanos Church bake sale.
** Bake Sale in Elberon
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The Women’s Guild of St. Stepanos Church of Elberon, NJ, organized its
annual bake sale on December 20 and 21.
New this year was a gift auction table, which was well received by the
many parishioners and members of the larger community who stopped by
the two-day event. Other highlights included a lahmajun lunch and
Armenian baked goods, such as choreg, tahin hatz, pakhlava, khadayif,
and cheese boreg.
Click here
()
to view photos.
St. Mesrob Church, Racine, WI
ACYOA members with Fr. Yeprem Kelegian.
** Christmas Caroling in Racine
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This Christmas season, the ACYOA Seniors and Juniors of St. Mesrob
Church of Racine, WI, under the leadership of their pastor, the
Rev. Fr. Yeprem Kelegian, reached out to parishioners in nursing homes
and to those who recently lost loved ones. The young people split up
into two groups and visited 13 places to sing Christmas carols, pray,
and spend time in fellowship with others.
Upcoming events
** Upcoming Parish Events
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Hye Pointe Church | Haverhill, MA
The ACYOA of Hye Pointe Church of Haverhill, MA, will host a
`Chocolate and Cookie Christmas Social’ on Saturday, December
27. Enjoy an interactive chocolate and cookie decorating demo with
guest chef and ACYOA member Nathan Kibarian. Gift baskets and packaged
sweets will be available for sale after the program. Click here
()
to view a flyer for ticket information.
St. Garabed Church | Baton Rouge, LA
St. Garabed Church of Baton Rouge, LA, will host a `New Year Holiday
Dance Party’ on Saturday, December 27. The evening will feature live
music by Kevork Artinian and George Tebrejian. The event will be held
at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge. Click here
()
to view a flyer for ticket information.
St. Thomas Church | Tenafly, NJ
St. Thomas Church of Tenafly, NJ, will host a New Year’s eve
celebration on Wednesday, December 31, beginning at 8 p.m. Enjoy music
by DJ Alan, a full-course dinner, champagne, and special activities
for children. Click here
()
to view a flyer for reservation information, or contact the church at
(201) 567-5446.
The Kirikian Armenian School of St. Thomas Church will host an
Armenian Christmas dinner on January 6 at 1 p.m. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information. To RSVP, contact Talar Sarafian at
(201) 240-8541 or [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) ;
Tanya Vartanyan at (201) 941-6764 or [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) ; or call the church office at (201)
567-5446.
Armenian Church of Jacksonville | Jacksonville, FL
The Armenian Church of Jacksonville will host a New Year’s eve
gathering on Wednesday, December 31, beginning at 10 p.m. Enjoy
dinner, music, dancing, and raffles. Reservations must be made in
advance. Click here
()
to view a flyer for information.
Armenian Church of Southwest Florida | Naples, FL
The Rev. Fr. Karekin Kasparian will celebrate the Divine Liturgy and
perform the Blessing of Water service at the Armenian Church of
Southwest Florida on Sunday, January 11, at 1:30 p.m. The service will
be held at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church (3901 Davis Blvd., Naples,
FL). Leon Nigohosian will serve as “godfather” of the Blessing of
Water service. A Christmas dinner (reservations required) will follow.
Services and activities are also scheduled for the following dates:
February 8 (Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan; bake sale to follow);
February 17 (Ladies and Men’s Luncheon at M. Waterfront Grille); March
1 (Very Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian; Lenten luncheon to follow); and March
10 (picnic at Longshore Lakes in Naples).
For information, or to make reservations, e-mail Carole Meghreblian at
[email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) .
** YOUTH NEWS
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ACYOA Chapter Workshop
** Register for ACYOA Chapter Workshop
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The ACYOA Central Council is looking forward to the annual ACYOA
Seniors Chapter Workshop at the St. Hagop Church of Pinellas Park, FL,
from January 9 to 11, 2015.
All young adults 18 and older are invited to gather for a weekend
filled with learning through interactive discussions, Bible study, and
worship. In addition, participants will take part in a `Faith in
Action’ service project to benefit a local Florida charity. The plans
for the weekend express the spirit of the ACYOA through worship,
witness, service, education, and fellowship.
The Chapter Workshop is organized by the ACYOA Central Council and
hosted by the parish community of St. Hagop Church.
Click on the following links to view a flyer
()
and register online
()
. For information, contact Lorie Odabashian at (212) 686-0710, or via
e-mail at [email protected]
(mailto:[email protected]) .
** A NOTE TO OUR READERS
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The Diocese’s e-Newsletter will not be published on New Year’s Day,
Thursday, January 1. We wish our readers a blessed Christmas season,
and we look forward to resuming e-Newsletter publication on Thursday,
January 8.