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THE E-BULLETIN OF ST. JAMES ARMENIAN CHURCH (EVANSTON, IL)

 

April 6 - 12, 2014
SUNDAY, April 6, 2014

Sunday of the Advent                                                            

Morning Service            9:15 AM

Sunrise Service:            10:00 AM        

Divine Liturgy:              10:30 AM
Parish Council Dedication Service

Scripture readings:

Isaiah 66:1-24              

Colossians 2:8-3:7

Matthew 22:34-23:39

Sunday of the Advent

The Sunday of the Advent, the Last Sunday of the Lent, reminds us of the end of the present order of the world, next coming of the Christ, the resurrection of the dead, the last Judgment and the creation of a new earth and a new heaven.
 

The Gospel for Matins according to St. Mark articulates Jesus' prophecy about the future end times. Jesus gave His followers a prophetic picture of the end times, including events leading up to it. He also talked about future events connected with His return to earth to judge all people. Jesus predicted both near and distant events without putting them in chronological order. Jesus warns His followers about the future to provide them with a guide to live by glorifying God in the present age to prepare for the future fulfillment of the Kingdom. Many predictions Jesus made in this passage have not yet been fulfilled, but they were made to help the faithful remain spiritually alert and prepared at all times as the Church eagerly waits for His Second Coming.

 

The Midday Gospel reading according to St. Matthew further demonstrates Jesus' disdain and adherence for the religious leaders when He exposed their hypocritical attitudes through a pronouncement of judgment. 


Prayers for Kessab
Primate's Directive

The Armenian town of Kessab, in Syria, has been invaded by armed rebels affiliated with international terrorist organizations. The attacks-which began on Friday, March 21-are reported to originate from across the border in Turkey (Kessab lies in Syria's northwestern corner, near the Turkish border).


An estimated 670 Armenian Christian families-the majority of Kessab's population-have been evacuated by the local Armenian community, and have taken refuge in the nearby towns of Basit and Latakia.  But a number of Kessabtsi Armenian families have remained in their homes, to care for elderly members too old to move.

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of America, issued a Directive that calls on parishioners to pray for and support the Armenians of Kessab. 

Click here to read the Directive.

Eastern Diocese continues to accept donations on behalf of Syrian relief, which are distributed to our people through the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. There will be special plate collections for this purpose on Sundays March 30, April 6, and April 13 (Palm Sunday)-with proceeds to be sent to the Diocese for the Aid and Relief of Armenians displaced from Kessab. Individuals may also make secure online contributions on the Diocesan website (please select the "Syrian Relief" item in the relevant drop-down menu).

Annunciation to the Virgin Mary

On April 7, the Armenian Church celebrates one of her greatest feasts - the Annunciation to St. Mary. In the Gospel of Luke we learn that the Angel Gabriel brings the good news to the Virgin about the birth of the Savior (Lk 1:26-38).

 

According to Holy Tradition and the Evangelist, the Angel Gabriel appears to St. Mary while reading a passage from the prophecy of Isaiah, in which it is written about the birth of the Emmanuel from a Virgin. The Angel greets Mary, telling her, "Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God. And behold, you shall conceive in your womb, and bring forth a son, and shall call His Name JESUS."

 

The Angel Gabriel further explains to Mary, "The Holy Sprit shall come upon you, and the Power of the Highest shall overshadow you, therefore also that which is Holy which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God." St. Mary could foresee the torments and sufferings that she would endure. However, by giving mankind an excellent example of obedience to the Divine Will, she said, "I am the Lord's servant. May it happen to me as you have said." Beginning from the moment when the Holy Virgin expressed these words, she was with child.

 

This Gospel story is one expression of why the Armenian Church accords high honor to motherhood, and appreciates the role of women in family life, and the lives of mankind.

 

Upon the Pontifical order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, the Feast of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary is proclaimed as a day of "Blessing of Motherhood and Beauty". On that day, a special blessing service is conducted in the Armenian Churches.


Commemoration of Raising of Lazarus 

On the 41st day of the period of Great Lent, the Armenian Church commemorates Lazarus being raised from the dead. 

The Gospel according to St. John (Jn 11:11-46) relates the story. Lazarus was from a family loved by Jesus Christ. He was the brother of Mary and Martha, who often received Jesus. Lazarus dies after succumbing to an illness. Upon hearing that His friend has died, Christ goes to visit the family, and says to Martha, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me will live, even though he dies..." Christ asks Martha if she believes this, to which she replies, "Yes, Lord.  I do believe that you are the Messiah, who was to come into the world." Christ, standing before the grave, commands Lazarus to come forth, and he appears, being restored to life. By doing so, Christ proves that He is, in fact "Life and Resurrection".

The Gospel story telling about the raising of Lazarus contains the passage: "Jesus wept." The Jews, seeing Jesus expressing grief, said: "See how much he loved him!" 

The raising of Lazarus is an example of the coming resurrection of all those who have fallen asleep in Christ. The weeping of Jesus demonstrates His great love towards mankind.


Arevakal: the Sunrise Service (cont.)
By Fr. Zaven Arzumanian

Arevakal

Theology being the science of Christian religion and particularly the dealing with the knowledge of God as gained from his works through the Scriptures, the Sunrise Service is substantiated by the Theology of the Holy Trinity and by the intercession of the saints. Basically these two theological elements permeates the Sunrise Service. Let us outline each very briefly.

 

The Holy Trinity: the unity of deity in three persons as its three different ways of manifestation comprise the theology of the Trinity. At the scene of our Lord's baptism in Jordan all three were present at the same time: Jesus was being baptized, the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove, and the Father witnessed His Son's baptism.

 

In this specific service the three persons are individually mentioned and worshipped without however losing sight of the unity of the deity; in both cases, individually and in unison, the most Holy Trinity is identified as the source of the intelligible light for mankind.

 

The Father is addressed as the Creator of light and the primal light. The Son, born of the light, is identified as the righteous sun, whose name is praised with the Father before the sun. Hence, we have essential theological notion of Christ's pre-existence before the times. The Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, is confessed as proceeded from the Father. And finally the one and indivisible Trinity is glorified by those born of earth.

 

The doctrines of the Incarnation, the coming of God in the human flesh, is mentioned in passing in the second half of the first prayer, where the infinite God is referred to who came into finitude for our sake.

 

A greater emphasis is put on the doctrine of the intercession of the Saints. Sainthood has a special significance in the ancient churches and consequently is an integral part of their Theology. In the Sunrise Service hermits of God, champions of faith, martyrs of the Christian churches are grouped as saints and are repeatedly praised as the ones baptized in their blood together with Christ into the death of the Cross.

 

Historically sainthood was the birth of the earliest persecutions of Christianity and of the subsequent defense of it, which resulted often in martyrdom. Although saints as such came out of the experience of the early church, as a historical and liturgical phenomenon, its roots can be found in the Holy Scriptures.

 

The following terms have to be considered first: The title itself: Saint, which is properly given to those human members recognized by the Church by canonization.

 

To honor a saint, is important to specify, not to worship a saint, since worship and adoration are offered to God alone. Saints are worthy of the glory of God for their faith and for their pious life. There is an explicit distinction made by the Church between worshipping, which belongs to God alone, and the honoring which belongs to the saints. Thirdly, saints are the intercessors, the mediators, between God and men, both for the living and for the departed. Through the intercession of the saints Christians benefit from God through Christ, the sole Redeemer. Intercession is limited to mediation, nothing else.


Easter Bake Sale
The Women's Guild is pleased to announce the sale of hot boreg, 
choreg and other delicious delicacies just in time for Easter

Choregs
Please join us on Sunday April 20 as we celebrate the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ! The Women's Guild will be selling hot boreg  to eat right after church, smaller trays of boreg  you can take home and  bake and other delicious pastries AFTER BADARAK. 
 

 

Anyone wishing to donate items for the bake sale please try to drop them off at church on Saturday packaged and ready to sell. Absolutely no items will be sold before the end of Badarak.

 

We appreciate all the support our parishioners give us throughout the year. We look forward to seeing you on Easter Sunday in the Nishan Hall.


Photo of the Week
 
Datev Monastery

Altar Guild's Wish List

1.  Two jajanch radiances (ostensorium). $300-600 each . Pledged.

2.  Painting for the main altar. $5,400. Pledged.

3. Painting of St. James of Nisibis. $1000. Not pledged.

5.  Painting of St. Stephen the Protodeacon. $1000. Not pledged.

6. Priest's 'half-vestments'. $500. Not pledged.

8.  Censer stand- $400, not pledged

  

Sunday School's Wish List

1.   Cabinet for storage of books and supplies. Not pledged.

2.   Room furniture for students and teachers. Not pledged.

CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS AND WORSHIP SERVICES

April 4-6

April 5

April 6

April 9

April 13

April 20
April 24
April 27
May 4
May 16

ACYOA Jr. Lenten Retreat at Camp Hickory

Women's Retreat (Racine, WI)

Youth Choir Rehearsal (12:30 PM) 

Lenten Vigil (Wednesday) 

Palm Sunday. ACYOA Day

Easter Sunday

Martyr's Day Commemoration  (Sts. Joachim & Anne) 

Commemorative Concert hosted by ACYOA of St. James

Instructional Divine Liturgy

10th Anniversary of passing of Very Rev. Fr. Varoujan Kabarajian. Memorial Service and Luncheon



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FEASTS

 

April 7 - Annunciation to the Virgin Mary

April 12 - Commemoration of Raising of Lazarus

99th COMMEMORATION of the ARMENIAN GENOCIDE 

Film screening
organized by Parev Monthly Newspaper

MUSIC TO MADNESS- THE STORY OF GOMIDAS


with special guest speaker
Writer and Director 
David Deranian

Saturday, April 12, 2014
7:00 PM
AGBU Onnig Norehad Center
7248 N. Harlem Ave
Chicago, IL 

Click here to watch the trailer

The ACYOA of St. James Armenian Church

cordially invites you and your families to our annual

ACYOA PALM SUNDAY LUNCHEON

 

April 13, 2014

immediately following church services

Nishan Hall

 

Guest Speaker: Shant Paklaian

ACYOA Central Council

 

 

Click here for the flyer.

 

Thank you for supporting our youth.

St. James Sunday School

Saturday, MARCH 30, 2013

 

3:00 PM

 

Easter Eggs  


 

Traditional Armenian egg-coloring

and games (havgetakhagh), 

movies and fun with friends 

before evening services.

 

Join us for coloring and fun!


HOLY WEEK AND EASTER SCHEDULE
Click here to see the flyer 
in English and Armenian.

IN COMMEMORATION OF MARTYRS OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE &

IN CELEBRATION OF THE SPIRIT OF SURVIVAL AND VICTORY WITH THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD

 

THE ACYOA JR. OF ST. JAMES

 

proudly presents

 

YOUNG TALENTS

Commemorative Concert

 

Featuring: Talented artists of our community

 

SUNDAY, APRIL 27, 2014

at 12:30 PM

at St. James Armenian Church

 

*******

INVITATION

 

We invite all young adults and young talented artists to participate in this annual event.

 

Please submit your name by calling the church office at 847-864-6263

or by e-mail:office@stjamesevanston.org

 

We encourage all to respond 

by April 15, 2014

 

99th ARMENIAN MARTYR'S DAY COMMEMORATION
VIGIL SERVICE
April 24, 2014
7:30 PM
 
Saints Joachim and Anne 
Armenian Apostolic Church
12600 S. Ridgeland Avenue
 Palos Heights, IL 

Click here for the flyer.
YOUTH ISSUE OF E-BULLETIN

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 Click here to access our special E-Bulletin featuring numerous programs (camps, retreats, training, scholarships, etc) made available to you by our parish, the Diocese, St. Nersess Armenian Seminary, AGBU, Armenian Assembly of America and the RA Ministry of Diaspora. 
SUNDAY BULLETIN
(pdf)

E-BULLETIN ARCHIVE IS NOW AVAILABLE

Missed or accidentally deleted any of the previous E-Bulletins? 
You can read all our previous issues in the archive here.
PLEASE SIGN UP FOR A COFFEE HOUR
 

Coffee hour tables can be simple or complex.  Sometimes when people do a coffee hour table they put out coffee cakes and doughnuts; sometimes they put out some fruits. Others put out entire lunch. We encourage you to sign up for coffee hour a couple of times each year. It can be simple or an entire meal - either is fine. The sign-up sheet is in the church hall.



ST. JAMES ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH
Rev. Fr. Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan, Pastor
816 Clark Street, Evanston, IL 60201