St. Vartan Armenian Church of
Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan,
Pastor
Telephone (905) 549-2711
stvartan@cogeco.ca
(905) 617-7888
Second Palm Sunday
Yergrort Dzaghgazart
Christ remained on earth for 40 days after His Resurrection
(Acts 1:3). He spent this time giving
final instructions to his 11 disciples and telling them to go out into the
world and share his teachings and God’s promise of eternal life. This past Thursday (May 17), we observed the
Feast of the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ (Hampartzoom
Dyarn). This
feast celebrates the Ascension of Christ with His resurrected and glorified
body to heaven.
The weekdays after the Ascension until the Saturday before
Pentecost (inclusive) are a preparation for the coming of the Holy Spirit; the
Holy Spirit is the gift promised by Jesus to his apostles. It is a time when we celebrate Christ’s
Resurrection and Ascension. Pentecost Sunday commemorates the giving of the
Holy Spirit, the beginning of the Church founded by Jesus Christ, and its
mission to every people and nation.
Acts
Today, we celebrate the Second Palm Sunday, called thus
because the gospel readings of Sunday recall Christ’s triumphant entry into
There has been assigned to that day also a national
commemoration, based on a tradition which states that an angel who had been
making daily visits to St. Gregory in Khor Virap, having failed to come on Ascension day, explained to
the Illuminator that each one of the angelic ranks held a celebration in honour of Christ's Ascension; therefore as a member of the
fourth rank, he had not wanted to be absent from the observance. This martyrophile tradition has become commingled with the hymns
of the day.
The Second Palm Sunday is movable within an interval of 35
days from May 3 to June 6. The two Fridays following Ascension and one
Wednesday became days of abstinence from foods, leaving the dominical feast
unchanged in the Church. See Blessing of
the
May 28 is Independence Day of Armenia
On
Divine Liturgy @
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the
Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. This is the confidence we have in approaching
God: that if we ask anything according
to his will, he hears us. And if we know
that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of
him. 1 John 5:13-15
Welcome to St. Vartan Armenian Church
If you are a newcomer to St. Vartan,
it is a pleasure to welcome you to our Soorp Badarak
this afternoon. Thank you for making
time in your busy schedule to be with us. We believe that you will sense God’s
Spirit among us as we worship together today.
Requiem services (hokehankist) can
be requested for the next church service by calling Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan. A requiem may be requested following the
death of a loved one, 40 days after their death (karasoonk),the yearly anniversary, name day, birthday or Mother’s Day.
Requiem services have been requested for today by:
† The Vartanian family for the
loving memory of their mother and grandmother Aznive Vartanian (40 days).
May God bless her soul.
† Mr. Jamal Babayan, and Mr. and
Mrs. Hayk and Erica Babayan
and children Natalie, Christina, Cathy, and Mr. and Mrs. Armond
and Elizabeth Arzoomanian and children Robert and
Eric, and Mr. Hamlet Hartunian and Mrs. Rita Barseghian and children Alex and Anna for the loving memory
of their wife, mother and grandmother Haykanoush Babayan (Alya Mama) (40
days). May God bless her soul.
Blessing High School, University, and College Graduates
Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan would like to bless our graduating students on
Sunday, June 17 as they prepare to take the next step in their life journey.
Please let us know about graduates in our community. Call Fr. Hayrik at
905-617-7888 or email anijan2@gmail.com.
Thank you.
Church Envelopes
St. Vartan has offering envelopes
that you can pick up in the church’s entrance foyer, by the candles. Please help yourself. We thank God for your support and the
blessing of your presence.
Are You New to St. Vartan Armenian Church?
At St. Vartan, we understand how
being a newcomer can be a bit intimidating.
It is our goal to make your time with us comfortable and enjoyable. Immediately following the service today
please join us in the church hall for refreshments. We’re glad you’re here and we hope to see you
again! Our next service is at
A PRAYER FOR OUR TIMES
The Lord is my pace-setter, I shall not rush.
He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals.
He provides me with images of stillness, which restore my serenity.
He leads me in ways of efficiency through calmness of
mind. And his guidance is peace.
Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each
day, I will not fret, for His Presence is here. His timeliness, his
all-importance, will keep me in balance.
He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of my
activity, by anointing my mind with His oils of tranquility.
My cup of joyous energy overflows.
Surely harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruit of my
hours, and I shall walk in the Place of my Lord and dwell in His house forever.
- 23rd
Psalm paraphrase by All Saints Convent in
Schedule for May-June
2007
DIVINE LITURGY & Activities
Soorp Badarak
May
25, 26, 27
Soorp Badarak
Soorp Badarak
Blessing of
Graduates
Father’s
Day Luncheon
You are Dearly Loved
I’ll never leave or abandon you. You can count on My
goodness and My mercy every day of your life.
I love you and will always keep My life-giving
promises to you. When you are faithful
under trial, you’ll receive a crown of life from Me. Anticipating the day when you’ll dwell with Me forever!
Eternally,
Your God and Friend
From Hebrews 13:5; James
Space for Rent
If you would like to advertise in our Sunday service
booklets, please call Ani Shalvardjian
(905) 826-6319 or Heranush Hamblin (905) 820-1329 or email
us at anijan2@gmail.com. Advertisers receive
a church donation receipt.
Ani Cathedral (989-1989)
Written on the occasion of the
millinery of construction of this masterpiece.
The Ani Cathedral is the work of
the illustrious and famous Armenian architect, Trdat. Trdat was commissioned
by King Sembat II (977-989) to erect this
architectural monument shortly before the King’s death in 989 A.D.
Rectangular in shape, its outer walls are of delicate rosepink stone on which there are simple, harmonious and
beautiful decorations. Inside, the
Cathedral has high columns; the altar and arcades are breathtakingly
superb. Although its dome is missing due
to an earthquake in 1319, the building still amazes, fascinates and impresses
the onlooker.
A legacy of the
Returning to
It is one of the many sacred buildings in the City of
Today the City of
Gerard Pederian, Collected Essays on The Armenian Apostolic Church, p. 3.
Some people say we should pray not because God needs it, but
because we need it. When we praise him,
we remind ourselves of what is fundamentally important. When we thank him, we humbly remember our
utter dependence on his care. When we
pray for people, we are encouraged to then go out and do something to help
them. From this perspective, prayer is a
self-help exercise.
Tim Stafford, Knowing the Face of
God.
Armenia Pavilion needs you May 25, 26, 27!
May 25, 26, 27, 2007
Friday, May
25
Saturday, May
26
Sunday, May 27
Frank McKechnie Community Centre
Have you got your passport?
For months now, volunteers have been planning for the fourth
annual Armenia Pavilion at Carassauga. The multicultural festival takes place in
This year, the festival features: DJ Hovik
from
The festival also features an Armenian cultural table with artefacts and experts to share their knowledge and love of
Armenia and its culture, Armenian food demonstrations and samples, an Armenian
slide show, Armenian vendors, and of course, lots of Armenian favourites to satisfy your appetite—sjookh,
kebab, beoreg, red bean pate, salads, paklava, kunafa, nazoog and more!
Passports, allowing entrance to all 23 pavilions of Carassauga, are $8 in advance and $10 at the door. Children 12 and under are admitted free.
For passports or to volunteer, please call Christine Ermarkaryan 905- 825-5299 Katie Shahinian
905-785-7626 or email anijan2@gmail.com.
Please leave a message and we will get back to you.
The Armenia Pavilion is at the Frank McKechnie
Community Centre,
BRING SOMEONE WHO NEEDS A RIDE TO CHURCH.
Are You On Our Mailing List?
Please fill out the forms you can find on clipboards at the
doors of the church today. The Parish
Council needs your help to keep its mailing list up-to-date. Sign up to receive church news by email.
Charles Williams, a colleague and close friend of C.S.
Lewis, suggests in Outlines of Romantic Theology, that romantic love gives us a
new vision of another human being, an insight into their “eternal
identity.”
This “love is blind” vision of the beloved, where we only
see the best in the other, ignore or forgive flaws, and are endlessly
fascinated by them, this romantic love, is a foretaste of how we will one day
view every resurrected person and how God now views us.
Isn't this a beautiful way to look at God's love for us? If
only we could see everyone with these eyes, what miracles we could accomplish.
The eyes of a lover make the beloved feel good and beautiful and
oh-so-cherished, and how very much each of us want to
feel that way. If we could see our brothers and sisters with God's eyes, what
evil we could remove from this world.
We all yearn for God and to feel the warmth of his generous
romantic love that only sees us as good and beautiful and cherished. It makes
us try harder to be good so as not to disappoint him and alter his vision of us
as the beloved. This beautiful explanation helps us understand better the idea
of God as a lover.
Remember to Turn Off Your Cell Phone
. Please turn off your cell phone when you are at church,
out of courtesy for your fellow faithful and respect for the holiness of the Soorp Badarak.
Waiting is the Oxygen of Love
If you’re called to love, you’re called to wait. There is no love without patience, no love
without waiting, no love without hope…Waiting is the oxygen of love; it is the
virtue that gives love its sustaining power.
Learning how to wait produces character.
Faith, hope and love are all built on the foundation of patient
waiting. Over time, God works a mighty
change—steadily over the years, God brings gentle healing. God is not merely concerned with results, but
with character—and few things produce character like learning how to wait.
Gary L. Thomas, Authentic Faith, p. 50.
Calling all Armenian Children to St.Vartan's
5th Annual Summer Day Camp
Spots still available for
Campers ages 4+ and Counsellors ages 12+
The camp runs from
TUESDAY, JULY 3 to FRIDAY, JULY 6
at Fogolar's
Country Club in Milton, Ont.
Cost is $135 per camper –payment can
be mailed, faxed or emailed with credit card information.
No cost for volunteer counsellors.
For more details, please contact
Christine Ermarkaryan
at 905-825-5299.
Hope you can join us for a
super week of Armenian fun!
Always Say a Prayer
Ever wonder about the abbreviation A.S.A.P.? Generally we
think of it in terms of even more hurry and stress in our lives. Maybe if we
think of this abbreviation in a different manner, we will begin to find a new
way to deal with those rough days along the way.
There's work to do, deadlines to
meet;
You've got no time to spare,
But as you hurry and scurry-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER
In the midst of family chaos,
"Quality time" is rare.
Do your best; let God do the rest-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.
It may seem like your worries
Are more than you can bear.
Slow down and take a breather-
ASAP - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER
God knows how stressful life is;
He wants to ease our cares,
And He'll respond to all your needs
A.S.A.P. - ALWAYS SAY A PRAYER.
Blessing the Four Corners of the Earth
Today, Very Rev. Fr. Hayr Hayrik will bless the four corners of the world, symbolized
by the central part (adyan) of the church. First he will bless the East (which represents
The ceremony of blessing the four corners of the earth is conducted
on the following feasts: Palm Sunday (in
the morning and in the evening); Easter; Second Palm Sunday; Apparition of the
Holy Cross; Universal Church of Holy Etchmiadzin;
Transfiguration; Assumption of the Holy Mother of God; Exaltation of the Cross;
Octave of Easter (New Sunday); Red Sunday; Presentation of the Lord to the
Temple (in the evening); Sunday of the World Church (Green Sunday); and on the
morning of Pentecost.
Our next Soorp Badarak will be
celebrated by Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan on Sunday, June 3, at