St. Vartan
Armenian Apostolic
Vol. 1 No. 20 July 27, 2008
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St. Athanasius of
Born 296 AD; Died 373 AD
St. Athanasius of
The Oriental
Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Eastern Catholic churches all
revere St. Athanasius as a saint. He was banished and
persecuted by Emperor Constantine I and his son, as well as Emperor Julian.
During this time, he wrote several works challenging the then popular doctrines
of Arianism, which stated that the Son was a lesser
entity than the Father. St. Athanasius believed that
he held onto the “tradition, teaching and faith proclaimed by the apostles and
guarded by the fathers.” He reaffirmed the terms of the Nicene Creed.
During his
exiles, he spent time with the Desert Fathers—monks and hermits who lived in
remote areas of
From the
writings of Athanasius: We were made “in the likeness
of God.” But in course of time that image has become obscured, like a face on a
very old portrait, dimmed with dust and dirt. When a portrait is spoiled the
only way to renew it is for the Subject to come back to the studio and sit for
the artist all over again. That is why Christ came - to make it possible for
the divine image in man to be recreated. We were made in God’s likeness; we are
remade in the likeness of his Son. To bring about this re-creation, Christ
still comes to men and lives among them. In a special way he comes to his
church, his “body,” to show us what the “image of God” is really like. What a
responsibility the Church has, to be Christ’s “body,” showing him to those who
are unwilling or unable to see him in providence, or in creation! Through the
Word of God lived out in the Body of Christ they can come to the Father, and
themselves be made again “in the likeness of God.”
Welcome to St. Vartan
Armenian Church
Welcome to our Soorp Badarak this afternoon. Thank you for taking the time
to pray and worship with us. We believe
that you will feel God’s love and spirit among us today, as we come together as
a community to give him glory.
Divine Liturgy @
Summer 2008 Schedule:
Meet our pastor
Very Rev. Fr. Hayrik Hovhannisyan
905-916-1886
stvartan@hotmail.com
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 Father’s/Mother’s Day.
Let the peace
of this place surround you as you sit or kneel quietly. Let the hurry and worry
of your life fall away. You are God’s child. He loves you and cares for you,
and he is here with you now and always. Speak to him thoughtfully; give
yourself time for him to bring things to mind.
A New Song, Jan
Karon, 1999, p. 93.
After six days
Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up
a high mountain by them-selves. There he was transfigured before
them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the
light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking
with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus,“Lord, it is good for us to
be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses
and one for Elijah.” While he was still
speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This
is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” When the disciples heard this, they fell
facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” Matthew 17:2
Are You On Our Mailing List?
Have you moved
or are you planning a move? The Parish
Council needs your help to keep its mailing list up-to-date. Sign up to receive church news by email. Clipboards are at the church entrance doors.
Did You Know?
St. Vartan has its own website with news and worship
information. Check it out!
www.stvartan.ca
Websites to Visit
News Stories
and Photos on
Holy Etchmiadzin Website: www.armenian
church.org
Canadian
Diocese Website: www.armenianchurch.ca
Thank you,
Lord, for the blessings and the challen-ges you have
for me. Give me patience, Father, for
all that lies ahead. Amen.
Gifts to the Church in Lieu of
Flowers
In Memory of ROSE AZADIAN
Mr. and Mrs. Dikran and Anahid
Cicek
Mr. and Mrs. Dikran and Rosa Ohanyan
Mr. Stepan Keuleyan
Dr & Mrs. Benohanian & family
Sonia Kondakjian
Takouhi Keuleyan
Haiganoush Durgerian
Mr. Edward Duffy, Colormark Ltd
Mr. Khatcho Yazedjian
Hratch Bedrossian
Mr. Harry Sakarya
Mr. and Mrs. Berdj Talielian
Mr. and Mrs. Berge Shalvardjian
Mr. and Mrs. Berj Zafirian
& Rita Dupuis
Mr. Zaven Zafirian
Mrs. And Mrs. Garbis Cicerian
Beatrice Hagopian
Mr. and Mrs. Arman and Silva Kavafyan
Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel and Karin Zakarian
A. Hagopian
Mrs. Silvia Alexanian
Mr. and Mrs. George & Knarig Zada
Ms. Mona Siu
Dr. and Mrs. Berdj Artinian
Azad Engraving and
Duplicating Limited
The Church gratefully acknowledges these gifts in memory of Rose Azadian. May God enlighten her soul and comfort her loved
ones.
Gifts to the Church in Lieu of
Flowers
In Memory of KOHAR BAGHDASARIAN
Mr. Nerzig Yelegen
Mr & Mrs. G. Arslanian
Mr & Mrs. Serop Waswassarian
Mr & Mrs.
Greg Chitilian
Mrs. Seta MacLennan
Mr & Mrs. Kevork Tutundjian
Mr. & Mrs. N. Proudian
Mr. & Mrs. Yussef Matossian
Mr. & Mrs. H. Matossian
Mr. & Mrs. V. Proudian
Mr. & Mrs. G. Dorna
Dr. & Mrs. Berdj Artinian
Mrs. Zovig Kheir
Mr. Andre Mirzayan
Mrs. Anjel Bagh
Mr. and Mrs. Roger and Nadia Elgner
The Church gratefully acknowledges these gifts in memory of Kohar Baghdasarian. May God
enlighten her soul and comfort her loved ones.
Light a candle in celebration of God’s love for you.
What Are You Focused On Right Now?
A good shoe is
a shoe you don’t notice. The perfect church service would be one we were almost
unaware of; our attention would have been totally on God. Thinking about
worship is a different thing from worshipping.
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
Our Father, we
thank you mightily for the beauty of the sky and for the awe and wonder in all
the gifts of your creation. We ask your generous blessings upon every person in
this sanctuary, and we pray that each of us be made able by your grace to know
your guidance, your love and your mercy today and every day. For those who are ill, we pray for your
healing care, giving wisdom to those attending to them, and for strength and
encouragement through this difficult period. Dear Lord, thank you for hearing
our heartfelt prayers. In the name of Jesus Christ, our
blessed Saviour. Amen.
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.
Lord, I only want to listen. Amen.
Not Rain Again?!
A Tremendous Show of Support for St.
Vartan’s Annual Summertime Picnic
Thank you to
everyone who contributed to the success of our picnic last Sunday at Fologolar’s Country Club in
More than 100
faithful came to eat barbecued luleh kebab, chicken
breast and veggie kebabs, perfectly grilled by our own Super Chefs Sahag Seropian and Loris Dumanian. These two hardy souls could be seen under a
dripping golf umbrella, engulfed by the smoke of the barbecue, yet undeterred
from their duties.
Bravo also to
all the volunteers under the outdoor patio tarp, who endured the constant cool
deluge of rain racing down the blue tarp onto their backs, as they served our
faithful generous portions of delicious homemade Armenian foods. God bless you
for your sense of humour, and your wonderful spirit
despite the undeniably uncomfortable circumstances.
We thank our
talented Gadar Petizian for
entertaining our children in the busy clubhouse, our Past Parish Council Chair
Julia Dumanian for looking after the lottery, and our
Choir Director Sarkis Hamboyan
for coordinating the highly competitive Tavloo
Tournament. The luck-loaded winner was Aramik Moosakhanian of
Enjoy the rest
of your summer, especially those cherished sunny days. Hopefully, we’ll have
one of them at next year’s summertime picnic!
Are You God’s Wife?
The following
is an eye-witness account from
A lady
approached the young boy and said, “My, but you're in such deep thought staring
in that window!”
“I was asking
God to give me a pair of shoes,” was the boy's reply.
The lady took
him by the hand, went into the store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen
pairs of socks for the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of
water, and a towel. He quickly brought them to her.
She took the
little fellow to the back part of the store, and, removing her gloves, knelt
down, washed his little feet, and dried them with the towel. By this time, the
clerk had returned with the socks. Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she
purchased him a pair of shoes.
She tied up the
remaining pairs of socks and gave them to him. She patted him on the head and
said, “No doubt, you will be more comfortable now.”
As she turned
to go, the astonished child caught her by the hand, and looking up into her
face, with tears in his eyes, asked her,
“Are you God's wife?”
~~~~~~~~~~
Christian
heroes have demonstrated strong faith, and have been the visible love of the
invisible God in the world. In this issue, and coming issues, we will look at
some of the saints of the Armenian Church who overcame obstacles and served
God, often sacrificing their lives.
St. Santookht (1st Century) Daughter of the Armenian King Sanadroog, Santookht became a
follower of the charismatic preacher Thaddeus.
She converted to Christianity—along with other family members—and when
her father discovered what he considered her treachery,
he threw her into prison, where her faithfulness inspired many guards to
convert as well. Exasperated, the King
is said to have offered his daughter the choice between a crown and a sword--
life as a royal princess, or death by public execution. She chose death at the tender age of 18,
perhaps younger, and became the first Christian martyr of the Armenian Church.
Outstanding
qualities: Powerful faith, courage,
determination, willingness to take a stand for her faith.
The Armenian
Church remembers Saints Thaddeus and Santookht in
early summer, along with the other saints who founded our church.
Visions of Heaven on Eart
We look for
visions of heaven, and we never dream that, all the time, God is in the
commonplace things and people around us.
Oswald Chambers
There will be
many times when we are afraid. We can never be overwhelmed, if we greet these
times with prayer.
Remember the Armenian Church and its
servants in your prayers.
Dear Heavenly
Father,
Surround us
with your loving care. Protect us from
all danger and bring us safely to our journey’s end. We pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
A Prayer of the Celebrant During Divine Liturgy
Lord our God,
save your people and bless your inheritance, and preserve the fullness of your
Church. Sanctify those who have come to greet in love the beauty of your house.
Glorify us by your divine power and forsake not us who have put our trust in
you. You who have taught us all to pray in common and with one accord and have
promised to grant the requests of two or three agreeing together in your
name, fulfill now the petitions of your
servants as may be expedient for them, granting us in this world knowledge of
your truth, and in the world to come life everlasting. For you are God
beneficent and you love mankind, and to you is befitting glory, dominion and
honor, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Hierarchical Sees of the Armenian
Church
The Armenian
Church has four hierarchical sees. In
order of supremacy, they are:
·
Holy
Etchmiadzin was founded in
301 A.D., and is the Mother See and seat of the Catholicos
of All Armenians who is elected by a conclave of clergy and laity from the
dioceses under its jurisdiction. During successive centuries, the Catholicosate moved to wherever the central secular
authority was located at the time - to cities such as Tvin,
Ani, Van, Hromgla, and Sis.
In 1441, the seat of the Catholicosate of All
Armenians returned back to its original place in Holy Etchmiadzin.
·
Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia began in 1446 as a separate entity, with its jurisdiction being mainly
in
·
Patriarchate
of Jerusalem was founded in 638 A.D. It is subordinate to
Holy Etchmiadzin.
The Patriarch is elected by the brotherhood of Sts. James (named for the
disciples James and the brother of Our Lord, first Bishop of
·
Patriarchate
of Constantinople was founded in 1461, and is
subordinate to Holy Etchmiadzin. The Patriarch is
elected by the brotherhood of the Patriarchate, and has jurisdiction over the
Armenian faithful, churches, schools, monasteries and holy places in
The Holy Cross
is venerated and honored by the Armenian Church and its life-giving power is
remembered on holy days.
Thank you,
Lord, for the gift of peace in our lives, and for the abundant blessings which
you have given us, in numbers too great to count or even to recognize. Amen.
Next Service
We hope to see
you at our next Soorp Badarak at
Immediately
after Soorp Badarak today, everyone is invited to the
Church Hall for refreshments.