THE SUNDAY MESSENGER
September 30, 2018

Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak

Days to Remember

I am surely not the only person who has a tough time remembering birthdays, my case is a bit extreme. I admit that once I even forgot Yn. Anna’s birthday. It was just once though-because as the saying goes-the best way to remember your wife’s birthday is to forget it once. That is unless, of course, you live in in the Pacific Island of Samoa, where the police will help you remember. On this amazing island, I read that it is actually illegal to forget your wife’s birthday. All this to say, that remembering special days of your loved ones is very important.

Well, Sunday is really just like that. It’s the birthday of the church. Each Sunday is the anniversary of Christ’s resurrection from the dead. It’s not just a holiday–it’s a holy day. It’s the Lord’s Day, կիրակի. It’s a day God has set aside for us just to be with him – to ask, “Lord, are you really first in my life? Lord, is there anything between you and me? When I’m lonely, busy, bored, stressed, feeling empty, are you the one I seek? Do I love you less today then I did a week ago – or a year ago?” This includes Badarak and worship on Sunday, first and foremost, but goes beyond that to our restfulness, prayerfulness, thankfulness the whole day. All care that pile up with so much weight on us throughout the week are to be shifted onto God; “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden,” says Our Lord, “and I will give you rest.” (Mt 11:28) All the illusions we hold of life revolving around us and our work should melt before the reality that all life revolves around God. What we are aiming for, in short, is captured in the words of Isaiah in this season’s lectionary readings: “If you call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the Lord honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, serving your own interests, or pursuing your own affairs; then you shall take delight in the Lord.” (Is 58:13)

Our life comes from God and is renewed in Christ. Not keeping the Sabbath is like a kind of spiritual homicide, it is choking out the breath of God, the Holy Spirit from inspiring our lives. Yes, it matters to God that we worship on Sundays because God wants time with us and a committed relationship. But it matters more to us. God doesn’t need us at church; God needs nothing. It is we who need to be there. Keeping the Sabbath, in the end, is not a duty to give to God so much as an essential element to live this life we are given in happiness and health. It reaffirms Augustine’s great insight into the relationship between God and man, “God you have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” May we all learn to rest in God; to delight in Him at the end of each week and at the end of each day. For truly, remembering the special days of our loved ones, and our God who is love is of the utmost importance.

By Fr. Hovnan Demerjian

TODAY’S BIBLE READINGS:

Galatians 6: 14-18 (page 174) New Testament
Matthew 24: 30-36 (page 25) New Testament – (Please follow the Armenian Reading in your Bible)
Isaiah 65: 22-25 (page 741) Old Testament

REQUIEM SERVICES: Hokehankist today will be for:

– HAROUTYOUN AZNAVURYAN (10th Anniversary of his eternal life) requested by his wife Armenoui, son Carlo , Polina and his family, daughter Lolita Babikian and her family, grandchildren: Aram, Shant & Sara, Raffi, Armineh Babikian and Arthur & Benthley Aznavuryan.

– ONNIG BABIKIAN (15th Anniversary of his eternal life) requested by Lolita Babikian and her family and the Aznavuryan Family.

– JOHN & ELIZABETH ARSLANIAN requested by Lucille, Gregory and John Arslanian Jr.

“Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing” (1Tim 2:8). Please pray for Doris Alahverde, Anto Vartanian, Butch Kumkumian, Annabelle Alexanian, Alice Charles, Armenoui Aznavuryan and Pearl Jamgochian for a return to better health and to feel the presence of God in their lives. Pray for our country and her leaders; and also for our children who have returned to school – that they may continue their education in a peaceful and safe environment. Continue praying for our sister churches in Kerala, India, and for those affected by Hurricane Florence.

ALTAR FLOWERS: are donated today by Lucille, Gregory and John Arslanian Jr. in loving memory of JOHN & ELIZABETH ARSLANIAN.

SAVE THE DATE: A Banquet honoring The Deacons and Choir of Holy Trinity Armenian Church Sunday, November 18, 2018 immediately following Badarak Stay tuned for more information Contact Holy Trinity Office 215-663-1600or office@holytrinity-pa.org with questions.

Coffee Hour. This year we are looking for individuals or families, to run a Coffee Hour each Sunday. (Those who have been running it, are overloaded with doing more than one job on Sundays.) There are sign-up sheets for the next 4 month of Sundays. Anyone wishing to sponsor a special Coffee Hour (Birthday, Anniversary, 40 Days or more, etc.) other than the normal Coffee Hour must contact Merle Santerian 215-205-1507, to make arrangements 2 weeks ahead of time. Under the new scheduling, if a Sunday has no one signed up on the Board, to run the Coffee Hour, there will be no Coffee Hour that Sunday. So, please volunteer and let’s fill all the Sundays in on the Schedule. It is not that involved, and Merle will explain what you have to do to run one. Any questions just see her on any Sunday or call her at the above phone number. Thanks, for your cooperation! We know how much everyone enjoys the Fellowship Hour and we would like to keep it going.

FAR UPDATE: Varsine Mkrtchyan, 9, dreams of becoming an artist like her dad who had a talent for painting. “Every painting that I do reminds me of my father. This way, I always feel him around me,” said Varsine, whose father, Ara, died in a car accident. Varsine’s mother, Varya, works as a stylist and weaves rugs. The family’s meager monthly income is $250. Since being accepted into FAR’s Children of Armenia Sponsorship Program (CASP), which provides her family with an annual stipend, Varsine has been able to take a vacation with her mother and buy new drawing supplies. “We can make a living, however without this support, I would have never been able to provide my kid with a vacation. During our trip, I really saw that Varsine felt freer and more able to socialize with other children her age. Thank you so much for the support,” said Varya. To learn more, go to: http://farusa.org/2018/09/14/casp-casp-helps-to-support-a-young-girls-budding-interest-in-art/ To support programs like CASP, go to: https://secure.qgiv.com/for/armenianrelief/

GIFT AUCTION: We are in need of donations for the Harvest Bazaar Gift Auction and are asking for your help. We will again feature our Raffle ticket items valued at over $100 and our silent auction for special items. Our goal is to obtain new gifts each in value of $100 or more but we are happy to accept gifts of various values that we can combine in our baskets. Gifts can be geared toward younger children like Star Wars, Spiderman, Pokemon, or other trending items for kids. For teenagers (movie theater basket) or adults (golf, tennis, restaurants, massage/beauty or home). Gift baskets and gift certificates are most appreciated. We also will have letters you can take to various businesses to see if they would provide a $20 to $30 gift certificate for free. If you own a business and are willing to donate, please let us know. Wine or liquor are popular items that we can combine with other items. For the special items we would look for large value items (over $200), liquor, jewelry, oriental rugs for home, car (new or used) and vacation houses. In addition, if anyone could lend us their beach house for a weekend or week, that would help to generate funds. Cash will also be appreciated to purchase desirable items. Please call or email Cece Garibian at 215-884-9292 or cecelia714@gmail.com OR Tanya Paretchan at 215-947-4394 or tparetchan@hotmail.com, for more details. Thank you in advance for all your generosity and support.

Men’s Club “200 Club” Ticket Information
The 2018 – 19 tickets have been mailed or are being distributed at church. Please submit your payments before the end of September. Note: We have six (6) tickets available for purchase. The first drawing of the season is scheduled for early November. Thank you & Good Luck!

2018 Attendance: Plate/Candle Collection:

August
5 – 74 people $450.00
12 – 128 people $845.00
19 – 92 people $437.00
26 – 75 people

September
2 – 57 people $231.00
9 – 113 people $616.00
16 – 97 people $528.00

Weekly Expenses: $6,000.00

CHURCH CALENDAR (please mark your calendars)

October
Sunday, Oct 7: 2 pm Intercommunal at St. Gregory Illumimator
Friday, Saturday & Sunday 26, 27 & 28: Harvest Bazaar

November
Sunday November 18: Banquet

ATTIC TREASURES will return again to the Harvest Bazaar this fall. With limited storage space available at church, we are more focused on items we can accept to be sold at the Attic Treasures table. Gently Used Items must be CLEAN & UNDAMAGED. Desired items are jewelry, women’s accessories, housewares, and small furnishings. Toys, clothing, books straw baskets & florist vases will not be accepted this year . Attic Treasures should be placed on the left side inside the coat room located in the lobby. This is a new location. Please, DO NOT LEAVE in the Sunday School area.
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.

Using the Pew Book: In order to enrich understanding of the Divine Liturgy, we encourage our faithful to follow along in the large two-part Pew Book. Part One includes the classical Armenian used in the Liturgy; the facing page is the translation in modern Western Armenian. Part Two contains the transliteration of the classical Armenian; the right-hand page has the English translation. This Pew Book includes the prayers of the celebrant usually offered inaudibly. The prayers offered aloud are indicated in boldface type.

PARKING REMINDER –
> Non-Disabled Persons parking spaces are designated with white lines.
> Disabled Persons Parking spaces are designated with blue lines and are reserved for vehicles with a State-authorized disability placard or license plate.
> No parking is allowed in the driveway nearest to the kitchen door.
THANK YOU for your cooperation!

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.

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.