THE SUNDAY MESSENGER
August 8, 2021

Paregentan of the Fast of the Assumption

COVID UPDATE:  As the law in Montgomery County has evolved, people fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can resume indoor and outdoor activities without wearing a mask or socially distancing. Masks are still required for vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals in crowded indoor areas. Please exercise your best judgment and caring for everyone in our Church community.   

Scripture and Feast Day Notes

From Today’s Readings
Mark 2:1-12 Four friends of a paralyzed man, unable to get through the crowds in a home where Jesus is teaching, lower him from a hole in the roof so that he might be healed. By first forgiving the man’s sins, Jesus is boldly declaring His divinity since God alone can forgive sin; such forgiveness better reveals His identity as the Son of God than do the miracles He performs. This spiritual healing is immediately followed by a physical cure: the man rises up and walks. Discuss/reflect: Notable in this story is the determined action of four men to bring their friend to Jesus for healing. No obstacle deterred them. Has the strong faith of others ever helped you grow closer to God? How might your committed faith help someone else experience spiritual healing?

 1 Corinthians 13:11-14:5 St. Paul has already outlined the need for us to discern our spiritual gifts so that we might serve the common good and affirmed that without love none of these gifts are effective. Here he reminds us that we are like children until we mature spiritually: only then will we see that love outlasts even those things that seemingly endure forever such as faith and hope. In praising prophecy over the gift of tongues, he praises that gift which serves others rather than one’s self. Discuss/reflect: In what ways do you think you talk, think, and reason like a child (v.11) when it comes to God?

 Isaiah 7:1-9 Facing an impending attack from their enemies, the people of Judah were filled with fear (v.2). God instructs Isaiah to tell their king Ahaz to have courage and be firm in his faith for “Unless your faith is firm, you shall not be firm!” (v. 9) Discuss/reflect: What situation are you facing that frightens you now? What makes it difficult for you to trust God for strength and guidance?

 Saturday, August 14, is the Feast of Shoghagat
Shoghagat might best be translated in a phrase: “rays of light descending as droplets from heaven.” The term and the Feast Day derive from St. Gregory’s vision as recorded in the 5^th century history by Agathangelos. In that account, we read how King Drtad and the nobles fasted and repented, listening attentively to St. Gregory’s every word as he taught them the long history of God’s plan of salvation for humankind. He shared a momentous vision he had seen: of light flowing to the earth, of Jesus striking the ground with a golden hammer, angels, thunderous sounds as the firmaments opened and springs gushed forth, columns of cloud and fire. It was on that site that he understood he was to build a Cathedral (Etchmiadzin, lit. “where the Only-Begotten descended) and chapels to Sts. Hripsime, Gayane, and their sister nuns. Since the Mother Cathedral is dedicated to St. Mary, the feast is always observed on the Saturday preceding the Assumption.                                                                                                                       

    Department of Christian Education Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)/elisea@armeniandiocese.org

^“Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.” (1 Tim 2:8). Prayers are requested for the families of the soldiers killed in the 44-day Artsakh war, the soldiers who are struggling through catastrophic injuries suffered, and those who are still being held as prisoners of war all these months later; Ethel Terzian, Taron Poghosyan, Alice Charles, Leslie Movsesian, Larry Grocott, Doris Alahverde and Genevieve Miller.

REQUIEM SERVICES: Hokehankist today will be for:

– GEORGE MEDZIGIAN (1^st Anniversary of His eternal life) requested in loving memory by the Babaian Family.
– FRAN TORCOMIAN (3^rd Anniversary of Her eternal life) requested by her Family and everyone that loved Her.

ALTAR FLOWERS & CANDLES are donated today in loving memory by Gilbert DeMirjian Jr. & Family, Janice Owens & Family and Lynne Hoepfl & Family for SILVA DEMIRJIAN (20^th Anniversary of Her eternal life) and GILBERT DEMIRJIAN SR. (14^th Anniversary of His eternal life).   

Blessing of the Grapes: This year the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother-of-God will take place on Sunday, August 15.  Anyone wishing to make a donation toward grapes should contact the church office no later than Monday, August 9.

New Parish Directory
We are preparing an in-house Parish Directory, updating, correcting, adding many new names of those who consider themselves members, of Holy Trinity Armenian Church, Cheltenham, Pa.We plan to complete and distribute this directory by the end of 2021.  Therefore, we ask that you fill out the form online at https://holytrinity-pa.org/parish-directory-update.  Please do so no later than August 16, 2021. If a response is not received by the requested date, it is possible your listing will not be included in this new Directory.

CALLING ALL GRADUATES
The next issue of the LOOYS will feature information about our graduates and we invite graduates (all levels) to submit your own details for inclusion.  Write-up should include:  full name, parents’ names, name of institution, grade level or degree achieved, activity involvement, and future plans (further education/ work/other).   Please include a picture (in high resolution color), if possible.  Everything should be sent to choirboss@hotmail.com by an ABSOLUTE deadline of August 10, 2021

COUNTRY STORE IS OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS:  We are well stocked in our store and invite you to come in after church most Sundays or place an order for pickup with Lorraine Damerjian @ 215-572-8465. 

Opportunity for Part-Time Paid Position.   We need someone who is interested to work at some of our Hall Rental events: Open the Church Hall, Supervise the event, and Close-up after the event. These rental events, which usually take place on Friday evening, Saturday or Sunday, may run into the late evening.  

     If interested, please contact Barbara Harmon: cell # 609-605-0489, or email to babs731@comcast.net 

The Armenian Sisters Academy, Radnor PA. Has an immediate opening for a full-time toddler care teacher. If interested, please contact Doreen Yeremian. 6106134733

ASA OPEN HOUSE: Interested in finding out more about ASA for your child? We welcome the opportunity to meet with you, answer any questions and guide your family through the admissions process. Though our campus is open, due to safety concerns in light of COVID-19 we are unable to welcome visitors to campus during school hours. We have transitioned our spring open house and tours into virtual zoom/phone meetings as well as after-hours tours. Email Legna Santerian at lsanterian@asaphila.org to schedule a tour – just for your family!

We look forward to meeting you and introducing you to the Armenian Sisters Academy!
Check out our video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wevb1U3tAnI
– Legna