THE SUNDAY MESSENGER
August 26, 2018

Third Sunday of Assumption

St. Gregory of Narek

St. Gregory of Narek (945-1003) is one the most revered saints of the Armenian Church. He has been widely influential due to his penitential flavor of prayerful expression, particularly through his renowned and deeply introspective Book of Prayers. He has also gained the popularity of those outside the Armenian tradition. On February 21, 2015 Pope Francis declared St. Gregory, Doctor of the Catholic Church, joining the company of thirty-five other important figures and saints such as St. Augustine, St. John Chrysostom, St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Athanasius, St. Ephrem, and St. Teresa of Ávila. More recently, at the Vatican on April 5, 2018, under the auspices of the Pope, in the presence of the president of Armenia and both Armenian Catholicoi, a statue of St. Gregory of Narek was unveiled and blessed.

Besides St. Gregory’s new status in the Catholic Church, his influence lives on in our own tradition. Thanks to Abraham Terian, Professor Emeritus of Armenian Theology and Patristics at St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, for the first time in English, the Armenian faithful have the chance to rediscover our beloved mystical poet, philosopher, and theologian through the newly published Festal Works of St. Gregory: Annotated Translation of the Odes, Litanies, and Encomia.

The poetical odes and litanies vary in length ranging from 10 to 165 lines, with headings such as Ode for the Blessing of Water, Ode for the Coming of the Holy Spirit, and Litany for St. Gregory the Illuminator. The assumption is they were composed for public and liturgical use, but how the festal works of St. Gregory were employed, if they were used at all, is unknown. Similarly, we do not know the setting of the encomia, lengthy prose texts dedicated to praising subjects such as the Holy Virgin, the Holy Cross, and the Holy Apostles.

Gregory’s poetry is replete with vivid imagery and descriptors, drawn from his panoramic view of Scripture. Additionally, each of the genres included embody a sense of the worshipping community’s joyful praise, serving as a perfect supplement to Gregory’s penitential Book of Prayers. Read, for example, these lines from his Ode for the Raising of Lazarus (p. 43):

The Gift able to transform the speechless, dead body,
The dead body wrapped in burial clothes, to be clothed
and sealed with breath again by the Caller to Life.
The seal of death was broken as were the torments of hell,
The torments by the (evil) one who cannot harm the
blessed assembly.
The great Hebrew assembly, a galaxy of thousands, praises
in song the glory,
The glory of the One who bestows light, now and eternally.
Amen.

TODAY’S BIBLE READINGS:

2Corinthians 1: 1-11 (pages 162-163) New Testament
Mark 4: 35-41 (page 35) New Testament – (Please follow the Armenian Reading in your Bible)
Isaiah 9: 8-19 (pages 689-690) Old Testament

REQUIEM SERVICES: Karasoonk (40th Day memorial Service) today will be for:

– REV. FR. DAJAD DAVIDIAN on the 40th Day of His eternal life requested by the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America.
– VICTORIA BABOUDJIAN on the 40th Day of Her eternal life requested by Alice and Karnig Torossian.

Hokehankist today will be for:

– HARRY (1st Anniversary of His eternal life) & ALICE ANDONIAN requested by David and Marta Brann.
– DER MGURDITCH & OVSANNA MINASSIAN, MISAK & NOEMZAR MAZMANIAN, DEACON SHAHAB & MARY MINASSIAN, DEACON SEBOUH MINASSIAN, GABRIEL
TATARIAN, JOHN ARSLANIAN, JACK, JOHN & SOOREN GOUSHIAN requested by the Peckjian and Sherenian Families.
– DIRAMAYR HRIPSIME & HAROUTIOUN AIVAZIAN, SHNORHIG & HOVHANNES DONIGIAN, YEZNIG & MAXIME TOROSSIAN and AZAD AIVAZIAN in loving memory requested by Alice and Karnig Torossian.

PRAYERS DESPERATELY NEEDED for one of our sister churches in the Oriental Orthodox community. As a result of the monsoon in Kerala, India, prayers are requested for all those who have lost family members (over 300 people to date) with a certainty for more to come, as well as those who have been displaced, with many of them currently homeless (over one million). This is a catastrophe of unimaginable scale.

“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, Pearl Jamgochian, & Albert Santerian 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 the children who will soon be returning to school that they may continue their education in a peaceful and safe environment.

ALTAR FLOWERS: are donated today by David and Marta Brann in loving memory of HARRY (1st Anniversary of His eternal life) & ALICE ANDONIAN.

ALTAR CANDLES: are donated today by Alice and Karnig Torossian in loving memory of
DIRAMAYR HRIPSIME & HAROUTIOUN AIVAZIAN, SHNORHIG & HOVHANNES DONIGIAN, YEZNIG & MAXIME TOROSSIAN and AZAD AIVAZIAN.

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.

HELP Coffee Hour: Parishioners help needed to run a Coffee Hour or we may not be having them in the future. Sign up sheets will be posted in the Lobby for the next 4 months from September thru December. For further information contact Merle, 215-205-1507 or speak to her at Coffee Hour this Sunday and she will be happy to tell you how it works. We would like to have different volunteers for each Sunday starting in September. Thank you!

FAR UPDATE: FAR is happy to announce that its crowdfunding platform Ayo! has launched #AdoptALibrary, its biggest project ever. The project aims to raise funds to rebuild and refurbish libraries at 17 rural Armenian schools. “Ayo! is very excited to be part of this initiative and to support each of the fellows who are living and teaching in these communities,” said Laura Gevoryan, Ayo! Program Director. “By providing them the resources they need most to rebuild their libraries, we are ultimately empowering them to better help their students gain an improved education.” Libraries will be created in the Lori, Tavush, Aragatsotn, Armavir and Shirak provinces of Armenia, as well as one in Artsakh. Each will receive the most valuable and necessary resources, including books, bookshelves, tables and chairs, etc. To learn more about AdoptALibrary, go to: https://weareayo.org/home

Men’s Club “200 Club” Ticket Information: The 2018 – 19 tickets will be distributed at the end of this month. Please submit your payments before the end of September. Thank you & Good Luck!

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). If desired, please include a picture (in high resolution color). Everything should be sent to looys@holytrinity-pa.org no later than August 28th

2018 Attendance: Plate Collection:

June
3 – 83 people $357.00
10 – 90 people $442.00
17 – 73 people $278.00
24 – 83 people $451.00

July
22- 53 people $321.00
29 – 73 people $451.00
Weekly Expenses: $6,000.00

CHURCH CALENDAR (please mark your calendars)

September
Sunday September 9th -Sunday School registration in church lobby from 10-11:30
Sunday September 16th: FEAST OF EXALTATION OF THE HOLY CROSS & Coffee Hour Program on “Opioid Addiction, Families in Crisis, and the Armenian Church”

October
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.