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

March 2 - 8, 2014

SUNDAY, March 2, 2014

Eve of Great Lent. Poon Paregentan.

Morning Service 9:15 AM

Divine Liturgy 10:00 AM

Scripture readings:

Isaiah 63:18-64:12; Titus 1:1-11; John 7:37-52

HOKEHANKISD- Memorial Service

For the soul of Monic Margosian (1961- 2013)

Requested by Mr. and Mrs. Ernie and Alice Gregorian

Monique is the daughter of John and Sara Margosian, the sister of Angelique Margosian (deceased), and the niece of Mrs. Alice Gregorian.

Eve of Great Lent. Poon Paregentan

Poon Paregentan is the last Sunday preceding the six-week, forty-day period of Great Lent. It falls seven weeks prior to the Resurrection (Easter Sunday) and, along with the Feast of the Resurrection (Easter), is a moveable feast within an interval of thirty-five days between February 1 and March 7. The theme of Poon Paregentan is recalling man's life of perfect harmony with God in the Garden of Eden before his fall from Grace. The hymns and odes of the day recall the story of God creating mankind in His image and likeness, placing man sinless in a bountiful garden paradise and allowing him to share in His divinity. The Lenten period of strict fasting, penance and reconciliation ultimately prepares us for Easter-the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the Armenian Church, all Lenten Sundays have a particular theme. The Church provides these themes for the purposes of communicating the teachings of Christian life and of preparing the penitents for communion with Jesus Christ.

First Sunday - Sunday of the Eve of Great Lent

Second Sunday - Sunday of the Expulsion

Third Sunday - Sunday of the Prodigal Son

Fourth Sunday - Sunday of the Steward

Fifth Sunday - Sunday of the Judge

Sixth Sunday - Sunday of the Advent

The Closed Alter - Pagyal Khoran

This Sunday,after Divine Liturgy, the altar curtain will be closed for the forty days of Great Lent and will not be reopened until Palm Sunday (April 13th). There will also be no offering of Holy Communion during Divine Liturgy until Palm Sunday. (Should anyone desire Holy Communion during Great Lent, please contact Father Hovhan for special dispensation.)

In addition to these two major changes, the following changes also occur to the celebration of Divine Liturgy during Great Lent:

There is no Kiss of Peace during the Divine Liturgy
The Holy Gospel Book is not venerated after worship
Hymns are sung in penitential manner
The organ is not played when you depart from the sanctuary
All should remain silent when exiting the sanctuary after worship in respect of those who remain for devotional prayers
Wedding are not celebrated

Armenian Lenten Services

The Peace Service, the Rest Service and the Sunrise Service are performed more often during Lent than at other times of the year. (Usually, Peace and Rest Services are performed only on Friday evenings.) These three services are part of the Church's cycle of seven daily worship services but are of particular significance during Lent because they are penitential in nature and remind us of the effort we are making to restore our pure and joyous relationship with God.

The Peace Service consists of prayers for peace to end each day. The prayers remind us that God is with us even in the face of trial and temptation.

The Rest Service, which comes just before retiring for the night, asks God's continuing care through the night. It includes the prayer of St. Nersess.

The Sunrise Service, performed first thing in the morning, reminds us that God is the giver of the light of morning and the light of salvation. Its beautiful prayers and hymns reflect the fresh and serene quality of the most beautiful time of day. This service is performed in our churches before or after Sunday morning liturgy.

Lenten Worship Schedule

The 2014 Lenten Series will begin on Wednesday, March 5, and continue through subsequent Wednesdays during Lent. Wednesday vigil will begin with a worship service following by a spiritual discussion. The theme of the discussions will be "I Confess with Faith", Nersess Shnorhali's prayer consisting of twenty-four verses. As always we will conclude the evening with our traditional potluck supper.

We encourage you to download the prayer on your iPhone, iPad, and a Kindle or to purchase for $5 a copy of the book from church's office.

In addition to Wednesday vigils prayers will be offered on Friday morning- Sunrise Service will begin at 10:00 AM. (Note: there will be no Sunrise Service on Friday, March 7th).

Sunday worship services will begin at 10:00 AM with Sunrise Service followed by "Veiled" Divine Liturgy.

Click here for the flyer.

Fall Food Bazaar

Saturday, October 18, 2014

As a follow-up to our annual Street Fair fundraiser, the Parish Council would like to organize an indoor food bazaar each October to raise additional income. Many who come to the Street Fair comment that they would love additional opportunities to experience Armenian cuisine from different parts of the diaspora.

A Fall Food Bazaar would be such an opportunity. For this first year, the theme is The Cuisine of Georgian Armenians. Varya

Anbarchian, a Georgian Armenian from the capital Tbilisi, is chairing this event and needs your help in pulling it off. If you would like to be part of the Fall Food Bazaar committee, please come to our first organizational meeting at

12:30

after Divine Liturgy on Sunday, March 2nd in the Der Hayr's office. We will need plenty of help with logistics, setup, food prep, cooking, serving and cleanup. RSVP Varya at [email protected] if you plan to attend.

All parishioners are welcome, but we would love to see new volunteers who are not already involved with our annual Street Fair.

Armenia Gets Its Own Tablet: Armtab

First Armenian Tablet Officially Unveiled

The first ever Armenian tablet computer, dubbed Armtab, was introduced to the public on Feb. 4 in Yerevan.

According to Armenpress, the founder of Technology and Science Dynamics, Inc. Vahan Zakaryan stated that the idea for Armtab was made public in 2013. Zakaryan noted, "Today we have come together to celebrate Armtab's birth for all of us, for our motherland, and society."

Vahan Zakaryan stated that he is hopeful that in the coming months the factory will start mass production of the tablets. "We received incredible support to get to work as soon as possible," Zakaryan noted.

Click here to read more.

Birthright Armenia holds an evening at St. James

Please join Birthright Armenia for an inspiring evening and presentation on volunteer opportunities in Armenia for students, working professionals, mid-career individuals, and retirees presented by Linda Yepoyan, Executive Director of Birthright Armenia, Friday, March 14th, 7:00 pm, at the St. James Armenian Apostolic Church of Evanston, 816 Clark Street, Evanston

Birthright Armenia sponsors young diasporans from around the world, 20-32 years old, on a life-changing journey to Armenia in exchange for community service. Participants get to experience every aspect of the Homeland's modernity and ancient treasures with hundreds of their peers from around the world, while gaining valuable work experience in their field of interest. Birthright Armenia sponsorship includes travel fellowships, homestay living, educational forums, weekly excursions and language instruction, all designed to provide a total immersion experience for the volunteers. To date, over 820 volunteers from 31 different countries have been sponsored by Birthright Armenia in Armenia. To learn more visit: www.birthrightarmenia.org. Armenian Volunteer Corps, a sister organization of Birthright Armenia, is a registered, non-profit foundation in Armenia that provides skilled volunteers, 21 years of age and over, with the opportunity to share their talents with Armenia for terms ranging from one month to one year. Volunteers need not be of Armenian heritage to serve. To learn more about AVC programs, visit: http://www.armenianvolunteer.org

Click here for the flyer.

Video of the Week

Is there Life after Birth ?

Photo of the Week

Priestly Ordination in the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

on February 27, 2014

Volunteers Needed

St. James Church is beginning a new undertaking and needs your help. We are in need of volunteers willing to give a few hours of assistance to elderly members of the Chicago Armenian community with household chores, minor home repairs, shopping, rides or just companionship.

We are in the process of putting together a directory of individuals interested in volunteering their time. This directory will be used by church staff to pair seniors in need of assistance with volunteers. (This is a great community service opportunity for students.) If you or someone you know wishes to help, please contact Der Hovhan at [email protected] or (847) 864-6263.

Altar Guild's Wish List

1. Two jajanch radiance (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- $300, 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

February 28

March 1

March 2

March 3

March 5

March 9

March 12

March 15

March 16

March 19

March 22

March 23

March 26

March 29

March 30

April 2

April 4-6

April 5

April 6

April 9

April 13

April 20

April 24

April 27

May 4

AGBU Young Professionals Pre-Poon Party

Vespers (Kirakamtits)

Poon Paregentan Dance

Poon Paregentan Sunday (Masquerade)