THE SUNDAY MESSENGER
August 21, 2016

Second Sunday of Assumption 

Sts. Joachim & Anna, Parents of the Holy Mother-of-God

The names of St. Joachim (Jehoiakim) and Anna are closely related to Jesus, as they are the parents of the Holy Mother of God.

According to the tradition, wealthy Joachim was a descendant of King David, and Anna was the daughter of a priest. One day, when performing a service in the cathedral, the priest tells Joachim to stand in the end, as he had no son. Becoming upset, Joachim comes out of the Cathedral and immediately climbs up the mountains, vowing not to descend the mountain until the visit of God. Following his example, Anna, staying at home, devotes herself to prayer and repentance. And once, when Anna sees in the garden the birds playing with their nestlings, becomes sad and cries, as she wasn’t granted the grace of being a mother. Just at that moment the Angel of God visits Anna, telling her that God will be granting her a child who will be the mother of the Savior of the world. Joachim also has the same vision and becoming very happy, gives alms to the poor. The parents decide to devote the baby to the Church. The baby is named Mary, which means “Illuminated”.

The oil-bringing women are the witnesses of Christ’s torments. They are the first to give the good tidings of the Resurrection of our Lord. The Oil-Bringing women followed Christ during all the time of realizing His earthly mission. The church calls them “Oil-Bringing Women” as on Sunday, in the morning, they hurried to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus by the aromatic oils prepared by themselves.

Thanks to their devoutness they were first to see the Rosen God and told about it the Apostles. They were in the upstairs during Pentecost and together with the Apostles received the graces of the Holy Spirit.

The Armenian Apostolic Church commemorates the memory of St. Joachim and Anna together with the oil-Bringing Women.

TODAY’S BIBLE READINGS:

• 2Corinthians 6: 16-7:1 (page 166) New Testament
• Luke 1: 39-56 (pages 51-52) New Testament – (Please follow the Armenian Reading in your Bible)

REQUIEM SERVICES: Hokehankist today will be for:

• Tigran Mikaelyan, Lolita Mikaelyan, Rosa Grigoryan, Rafael Mikaelyan & Mariam Adamova requested by Anzhela Davtyan.

“The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective” (James 5:16b). Please remember in your prayers: the St. Garabed parishioners in your prayers and pray for all the victims of the flooding in Baton Rouge, healing for Penny Hajatian, Mickey Sherian and Anita Mirijanian; law enforcement officers who have been killed or injured in the line of duty; those killed in the many terrorist attacks in gatherings here and abroad and their families who are suffering their loss; comfort for the bereaved among us; for the current unrest in Armenia; all those affected by the ongoing conflict in Artsakh – families whose loved ones were killed and the injured as they try to recover; and all who are persecuted for their faith and forced from their homes during these perilous times.

SPECIAL COLLECTION: to help the general relief effort in Louisiana. All proceeds from the collection will go to a responsible relief agency through the Fund for Armenian Relief. Funds collected should be sent to the Diocesan Center no later than Friday, August 26. If donating by check make check out to Holy Trinity with memo for Louisiana.

Coffee hour is sponsored today by Anzhela Davtyan in loving memory of Tigran Mikaelyan, Lolita Mikaelyan, Rosa Grigoryan, Rafael Mikaelyan & Mariam Adamova.
All are welcome.

Save The Date! The 50th anniversary of the consecration of our Church Building will be celebrated with a banquet on Sunday, September 18. Please contact Tom Torcomian at (610) 662-7879 if you would like to be a banquet sponsor.

MEN’S CLUB RAFFLE – Tickets are now available – and selling fast – for the 200 Club Raffle. A one-time donation of $100 will entitle you to eight months of drawings, with five tickets drawn each month. The first drawing will take place in November and the last in June; the prizes in those two months will be $1000 / $400 / $200 / $200 / $ 200 !! And your chances are better than the lottery! Contact Larry Der Hagopian (215-672-4188) or Mickey Paretchan (215-947-4394) if you haven’t already purchased your ticket! The Men’s Club provides financial support for our church through this endeavor, and has been sponsoring two orphaned children via CASP for many years.

ATTENTION GRADUATES – The September issue of the Looys will feature information about all graduates. Write-up should include: full name, parents’ names, name of institution, grade level or degree achieved, activity involvement, and future plans (further education/work). Please include a picture (in high resolution color), if desired. Everything should be sent to looys@holytrinity-pa.org no later than August 28th.

ATTIC TREASURES: If you’re cleaning out your closets, we would greatly appreciate donations of your CLEAN & UNDAMAGED gently used items to be sold at the Attic Treasures table during the Harvest Bazaar. No toys, clothing or books (except cookbooks). Desired items are jewelry, women’s accessories, housewares, small furnishings, and more, more, more. Attic treasures can be left in the 1st room on the right down the Sunday School hall. Call Ayshe Chakmaklian for more info. at 610-828-2411. If you need a New Jersey pick up call Grace Meranshian at 856-217-9333.

THE NICENE CREED/ HAVADAMK – This is the Profession of our Faith which is recited every Sunday moments after the Gospel is read from the altar. Sometimes it is sung, but more often it is recited by the Deacons and/or the Choir. We invite you to affirm your own “Profession of Faith” by reciting along with us. God longs for all of us to express our faith and devotion to Him.

CHURCH CALENDAR (please mark your calendars)
September

• Sunday September 11th: FEAST OF EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS & Church School Opening
• Sunday September 18th: 50th Consecration Anniversary

The Bookstore: The Bookstore is open every Sunday after Liturgy. Please stop in and browse.

COUNTRY STORE: The Country Store is open every Sunday after church services in the kitchen. All are welcome.

If you know of anyone who is a shut-in, or ill and would like a visit from Der Hayr, please call the office and give their name to Maggie our church secretary.

CHURCH ETIQUETTE: We wish to remind you, our faithful, to please maintain a quiet and contemplative manner as you approach the chancel for communion. We especially ask that you refrain from conversation while waiting your turn for communion as well as afterwards as you return to your pew. Thank you.

THE KISS OF PEACE: After the gifts of the Eucharist are brought to the Altar Table, the deacon proclaims, “Greet one another with a holy kiss.” The person giving the greetings says, Kristos ee mech mer Haydnetsav – Christ is revealed amongst us. The recipient would respond, Orhnial eh Haydnootiunun Kristosee – Blessed is the revelation of Christ.

Anyone who wishes to request any Requiem Services MUST inform the office by 1:30pm Wednesday the week before. If you also want to sponsor the Fellowship Hour you MUST call Merle Santerian at 215-947-3777.

Would you like to:

• receive this Bulletin on Friday via email?
• request a Hokehankist, house blessing or hall rental information?
• find in-depth information on our faith, our parish and our activities?
• sign up for an event online?
• If the answer to any of these questions is YES, please visit our parish website at www.holytrinity-pa.org

WE ASK THAT EVERYONE KINDLY TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES and all other such electronic devices prior to entering the sanctuary out of respect for the sanctity of our services.