THE SUNDAY MESSENGER
June 13, 2021

Third Sunday After Pentecost

Paree Kaloust to our Diocesan Legate, His Eminence Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, who will be our guest Celebrant on Sunday and deliver the homily.  Vicken Srpazan is a good friend to our parish and we look forward to worshipping with him and hearing his uplifting message.

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

Matthew 12:1-8 When the Pharisees chastise Jesus for allowing his disciples to pick grain on the Sabbath, he cites many instances from their own history (King David) and tradition (practices of priests at the Jerusalem temple) to counter their accusations. Alluding to the prophet Hosea’s words, he declares human need (hunger in this case) more important than rules. Discuss/reflect: Prayerfully contemplate this lovely NLT version of Hosea 6:6 (to which Jesus refers): “I want you to show love, not offer sacrifices. I want you to know me more than I want burnt offerings.” What changes in your ‘habits of faith’ might these words prompt you to make?

Romans 6:12-23 St. Paul exhorts his listeners to reject sin as their master, since they now live under grace rather than the Law. God has freed us from enslavement to sin; obedience leads to righteousnessness. “The wages of sin are death;” but holiness leads to eternal life with Christ Jesus. Discuss/reflect: If St. Paul were here today, what sins would he say enslave our society?

 Isaiah 1:1-15 God despairs of a rebellious people who continue to turn from his ways. Since their hearts are not open to God, their worship and prayers are meaningless. “Your incense is detestable to me…I cannot bear your assemblies!”(v.13) Discuss/reflect: Worship of God needs to spring from genuine faith and reverence to have meaning. How would you rate your worship?

Tuesday, June 15, honors Sts. Constantine the Emperor & his mother Helena

Constantine was the first Roman Emperor to convert to the Christian faith, most probably under the influence of his mother Helena, a convert herself, and a woman known for her deep faith and service to the poor. He is credited for the Edict of Milan in 313 which mandated tolerance for Christianity in the Empire. He convened the first Ecumenical Council (Nicaea) in 325 to address church controversies. And in his quest for the true cross of Christ, he dispatched his revered mother Helena to Jerusalem, where, in 326, she discovered three crosses at an excavation site. In order to determine which was the Cross of Christ, one source reports that St. Macarius, the Bishop of Jerusalem, alternately touched a corpse to each; the deceased came to life at the one deemed the True Cross. (The Discovery of the True Cross is an important feast in the Armenian Church, Kiud Khach, celebrated in October.) The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, over which the Armenian Church shares authority to this day, was then built at the site of the discovery, by order of Helena and Constantine. Discuss/reflect: Just as Helena was for her son, women in the history of the Armenian Church have been important influencers. Without Sts Santookht, Hripsime, Gayane, Ashkhen and Khosrovitookht, our conversion as a nation might have taken quite a detour.  Who are the women who have inspired your faith?       

     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, Theodora Mirakian, Leslie Movsesian, Larry Grocott and Doris Alahverde.

ALTAR FLOWERS today are donated by Jeanette Der Hagopian in thanksgiving.

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. 

Adult Christian Education (ACE) Upcoming Programs

June 24 – Book Club: “Just Mercy” by Bryan Stevenson, Dn. Armen Terjimanian, Facilitator
We invite you to join us by contacting nancybasmajian@verizon.net for further information or to sign up and receive the link for any or all of these programs.

FAR UPDATE:  Ayo!’s Stronger Every Day is Funded is Just Over a Month

Ayo!’s Stronger Every Day project is not only fully funded, but nearly twice the amount of the original goal was raised in just over 35 days. It is all thanks to Ayo!’s wonderful supporters. Typically, Ayo! closes a project once it’s been fully funded but there was such a great interest in this one that it was kept open just a little longer.

Stronger Every Day will provide professional funding to the Emili Aregak Center so it can provide professional physical rehabilitation services to more than 40 wounded veterans from local communities in Armenia’s Shirak Region. Extra funds we will be able to help even more veterans with the purchase of additional and higher-quality equipment. To learn more about Ayo!’s Stronger Every Day project, go to: https://weareayo.org/home

DIVINE LITURGY IN YOUR HOME

Since we do not stream services at our church every week, we invite you to click on one of the following links to partake of Badarak at any of the following:

https://www.facebook.com/SSSMAAC/live/ (St. Sahag & St. Mesrob Armenian Church)
http://www.stleon.org (St Leon Live Stream)
https://www.facebook.com/stvartancathedral (St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral)
http://www.holy-martyrs.org (Holy Martyrs Live Stream)

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