THE SUNDAY MESSENGER
December 2, 2018

Second Sunday of Advent

Pastor’s Points of Light

The eyes of all wait upon you, O Lord, and you give their food in due season. you open your hand and fill all things living with your bounty.
(Armenian Prayer Before Meals)

In this ancient Armenian prayer of Thanksgiving, said before meals, we see the glorious and creative hand of God providing everything necessary for the good and welfare of mankind.

The implication is that God provides everything necessary for the welfare of all mankind and that we ought to be wanting for nothing more, as the gifts of the divine bounty are sufficient for all. The question we must pose however is: “why is their famine, why is their starvation and why is there poverty in our world?” If the problem is not with the amazing realization that our benevolent God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, is the lover of humankind, then the problem must be with us!

Mankind, that is Adam and Eve, at the Fall, had their eyes wide open and fell into the world of sin out of their pride, envy, anger, laziness, covetousness, gluttony, and lust. Pride, and Envy, because they wanted to be like God and knowing God was in charge and they didn’t feel ready to obey Him, Anger, blaming each other rather than sacrificing and offering themselves for each other, Gluttony and Laziness because they wanted to eat from the” Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil” rather than, the “Tree of Life” because they felt what received wasn’t enough and Covetousness because they wanted what did not belong to them – in fact was forbidden them and finally Lust because when they had committed every transgression of the Deadly Sins, where previously they were innocent and saw each other as an extension of each other, they realized that they were naked!

The brokenness of this world, the starvation, famine, poverty, is the selfish greed, pride and every other sin, of a humanity that is out of touch, eyes wide shut with God and His mandate for mankind to be the good stewards of his God-given stewardship over the planet and her ever decreasing resources. We need to return to God, in repentance this Thanksgiving and Advent season. We need to stop and offer back ourselves in humility. We can stop the madness, be kind, be charitable, “take what we need and leave what we don’t.” What will our children’s children say about us if we leave them a desolate, barren planet, polluted, infertile, poisoned and raped of every resource?

Repenting from our “consumerist” behavior, we can by God’s grace, return to a wholesome calling, to make life simpler, live within our means, not burdening ourselves nor our children and their children, but causing no harm to them nor to the environment nor to his entire creation that was given to us and for them. Giving thanks “We offer back all that comes from Him, from all and on behalf of all, Amen.” (From the Divine Liturgy-St. John Chrysostom)
This Thanksgiving, let us give thanks to the Lord for His gracious bounty and realize that if we become the Good Stewards, then there will be plenty for all, and recognizing our Christian spirit of love and stewardship, for our lives, families, church, talents, gifts, resources, and responsibility to future generations.

“Let us give thanks and glory to the Nourisher of the universe who nourished and filled us.”

By Fr. Shnork Souin

TODAY’S BIBLE READINGS:

1Thessalonians 4: 1-11 (pages 185-186) New Testament
Luke 13: 1-9 (page 69) New Testament – (Please follow the Armenian Reading in your Bible)
Isaiah 36: 22-37: 11 (pages 712-713) Old Testament

REQUIEM SERVICES: Hokehankist today will be for:

– ALLA TER SAAKOVA requested by the Petrosyan Family.

“Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing” (1Tim 2:8). Please pray for Rev. Fr. Shnork Souin, Anto Vartanian, 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 so that peace and kindness will prevail; for our children in their schools – that they may continue their education in a safe environment. Pray also especially for the families of the more than fifty people who have lost their lives, as well as their homes, in the deadliest of fires in California history. Include in your prayers those firefighters who have been risking their lives to help contain the fires. “Spread your protection over them, that those who love Your name may rejoice in You.” (Ps 5:11)

Coffee Hour: is sponsored today by the Petrosyan Family in loving memory of ALLA TER SAAKOVA. All are welcome.

A SPECIAL PROGRAM TODAY will take place during Fellowship when Mariam Vardanyan, Ph.D., will present “The Treasures of the Armenian Church.” Dr. Vardanyan is an expert in Armenian Art History, has written numerous articles on the subject for publication and is a frequent international lecturer. She has been the Chair of Armenian Art History at Yerevan State University for over fifteen years. Come, see and learn about the artifacts of our faith and history.

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.

We Need Your Help! Imagine children and teens sitting in a classroom wearing coats and scarves because they have NO HEAT. That’s the reality for the 130 children and teens who attend the Sunday school of Soorp Asdvadzadzin in Vardenis, Armenia. The school, which serves an impoverished region, may need to close its doors in the coming months. For $6800, a permanent heating system can be installed. The Fund for Armenian Relief (FAR) has asked Sunday schools across the Diocese for help. During this holy Advent and Christmas season, please think of those who are struggling and give generously! (Checks, payable to Holy Trinity Church School, can be given to Merle Santerian or Nancy Basmajian. Please write “Vardenis” on the memo line. We thank you for your kindness and your open heart!

REMINDER: According to the Diocesan Bylaws, membership dues are to be paid no later than December 31st each year in order to be a member in “good standing” and to be eligible to vote at the annual assembly. Any monies received after that date will be applied to the new year. For any questions regarding your status, please call the church office.

2018 Attendance: Plate/Candle Collection:

October
7 – 76 people $384.00
14 – 92 people $446.00
21 – 96 people $642.00
28 – 95 people $510.00
November
4 – 123 people $660.00
11- 80 people $392.00
Weekly Expenses: $6,000.00

CHURCH CALENDAR (please mark your calendars)

December
Sunday Dec 16 Lunch with Santa
Sunday Dec 30 Pomegranate Sunday
January
Saturday Jan 5 Theophany Eve and Fellowship
Sunday Jan 6 Feast of Theophany / Blessing of Water / Christmas Pageant
Sunday Jan 13 Simultaneous Translation of Selected Hymns Day of Remembrance
Sunday Jan 20 Tour of Sanctuary with Fr. Hakob
Sunday Jan 27 Instructed Liturgy

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.