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

 

May 4 - 10, 2014
SUNDAY, May 4, 2014

Sunday of the World Church - Green Sunday                                                     

Morning Service: 9:15 AM                     

Divine Liturgy: 10:00 AM

Bible Readings: Acts 9:23-31;    1 Peter 2:1-10;       John 2:23-3:12

  

HOKEHANKISD- REQUIEM SERVICE 

For the souls of:

Requested by:

Beyatris Dorter (first year)

All deceased of Dorter and Panosyan families

Panosyan Family

Armineh Simon 
Apcar & Margaret Simon 
Hovaness & Verkine' Kafafian
Arshag Dadourian
Raffi Dadourian
Yervant Kafafian

 

 

Mr. Simon Simon
Dadourian Family
Mrs. Violet Youna

Ms. Surpik Simon

Mr. & Mrs. Robert Simon & Family

Mr. & Mrs. Edward Simon & Family

 

INSTRUCTIONAL DIVINE LITURGY - IN ARMENIAN

This Sunday - May 4, 2014

 

During the celebration of the Divine Liturgy we will stop to offer explanations of what is going on. This program is ideal for those who shy away from the Soorp Badarak because of lack of understanding.

 

 To receive the full teaching it's essential that you are present from the beginning at 10:00 AM, when we explain the vestments worn by the celebrant priest.

Sunday of the World - Green Sunday
 

The second Sunday following the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ is the Sunday of the World Church. It commemorates the first Church of Jerusalem established by Christ Himself.

On the first day of the Jewish festival of Passover, Jesus instructed two of the Apostles, Peter and John, to go into Jerusalem and meet a man who would direct them to a house where He and His Apostles could celebrate the Passover Feast. Peter and John were led to the "Upper Room" of the house where they made the necessary preparations for the meal. Later that evening, Christ and the Twelve Apostles sat together to eat supper.

Christ spoke to them and said, "I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come." And he took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave unto them, saying, "This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." Likewise the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you" (Luke 22:15-20).

This "Last Supper" was the event where Jesus Christ established the Sacrament of Holy Communion, which we celebrate every Sunday during Divine Liturgy in Armenian Churches throughout the world. The Upper Room in Jerusalem is considered to be the first Church as founded by Christ.

The Sunday of the World Church is also called "Green" Sunday, which according to Archbishop Malachia Ormanian, is the popular name of the feast as it is linked to the re-awakening of nature in springtime. 

 


Frequently-Asked Questions on the Badarak: The Divine Liturgy of the Armenian Church By Fr. Daniel Findikyan

 

TWO PARTS OF THE BADARAK

The principal liturgical service of the Armenian Church is the Divine Liturgy or Badarak. Badarak is not merely one of many rituals of the Church. It is the most important expression of the Church's faith and identity.

In all of the ancient Churches, the Divine Liturgy consists of two large blocks: the Synaxis (Jashou Zham) and the Eucharist (Kohapanoutyoun). In the Armenian Badarak, these two parts are preceded by a preparatory introduction and followed with a brief conclusion, both later additions to the ancient two-part structure.

The Synaxis, which means "Assembly" or "Gathering together," is often called the "Liturgy of the Word," because this part of the Divine Liturgy centers on the reading of passages from the Bible, especially the Holy Gospel. Armenian Church fathers have always emphasized that in reading the Gospel, Jesus Christ himself is revealed. Around the turn of the eighth century, the Armenian theologian Stepanos of Siunik (735) wrote, "It is not a delegate who pronounces the Gospel, or even an angel, but the Lord of heaven and earth Himself, saying, 'I came from the Father and have come into the world'" (John 16:28). So Christ is revealed in Gospel readings and then again through His body and blood in Holy Communion.

The second block of the Badarak is called the "Eucharist," a Greek word meaning "thanksgiving." We give thanks to the Lord because he has saved us and cares for us. The heart of the Eucharist in all ancient Christian traditions is called the Anaphora or Eucharistic Prayer (Khorhrtamadooyts or Kohoutyan Aghotk). This long prayer is recited by the priest on behalf of the people.

In the Armenian Divine Liturgy, the celebrant takes unleavened bread and wine and offers them to God. He then asks God to sanctify them through his Holy Spirit and change them into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ as a means for our communion with Him. The Armenian Church believes that when we receive Holy Communion, we are not eating mere bread and wine. By the miraculous power of God, we are receiving Christ himself in a manner that we accept is beyond our comprehension.

We participate most fully in the Divine Liturgy when we receive Holy Communion. It is the greatest Christian privilege, and ideally, baptized members of the Armenian Church should receive communion each time they are present at the celebration of Badarak.

 

HOW OLD IS OUR BADARAK?

The heart of the Badarak, the Eucharist or Lord's Supper, goes back to Jesus' Last Supper in the Upper Room. The earliest reference to the Eucharist in the New Testament is found in St. Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians, which was probably written in the mid-50s of the first century. St. Paul discusses the Eucharist not as a novelty but as an established practice. So the Eucharist pre-dates even the New Testament.

Even the earliest writings in the Armenian language, which date back to the period right after the creation of the alphabet in the early fifth century, make references to the Badarak as an established church practice. Thus, there is no reason to doubt that the Badarak was being celebrated by scattered communities of Armenian Christians as soon as the Gospel was brought to Armenia by the apostles Thaddeus and Bartholomew.

Of course the exact shape of the Divine Liturgy ceremony has evolved over the centuries. The Badarak celebrated by St. Nersess the Graceful in the twelfth century was surely quite different from the liturgy know to St. Gregory the Illuminator in the fourth century. However, the fundamental structure of the service has remained basically the same. Holy Communion has always been the heart of the Badarak, and a number of hymns and prayers sung in today's Badarak go back centuries, some of them to the fifth century or earlier.


Altar Guild's Wish List

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

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

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

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

5.  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.

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10th ANNIVERSARY OF PASSING OF 

VERY REVEREND FATHER VAROUJAN KABARAJIAN 

(1928 - 2004)

 

Saturday, May 10, 2014

 

4:15 PM - Prayer at the graveside

5:00 PM - Vespers and Memorial Service (Hokehankisd) at St. James

Followed by Memorial Dinner in the Nishan Hall.

 

RSVP by May 4, 2014

by calling (847) 864-6263 or by e-mail office@stjamesevanston.org

 

Click here for more details.

ARMENIAN DANCE COMPANY OF CHICAGO JUNIORS

Present

Armenian Dance Co of Chicago

 

"NOR SEROUNT"

"NEW GENERATION"

Saturday, May 3 at 6:00PM

 

performance followed by dinner

$20 adults and children (dinner included)

For tickets call Annie Kerkonian: 847.830.3881

 

AGBU Center 7248 N. Harlem Ave. Chicago

 

The ST. JAMES CHAPTER OF f ACYOA

invites you to a special presentation 

 

by Tatevik Khoja-Eynatyan

 on Fund for Armenia Relief (FAR's) Ayo! 

Stewardship Training Program

 
May 18 after Divine Liturgy.

EASTER HOME BLESSING

 

 

Easter  season is the time when homes are blessed by the Pastor. All parishioners who wish to have their homes blessed on the occasion of Easter should call Der Hovhan (847) 644-7389 to make arrangements.

 

Have a piece of bread, dish of salt and glass of water available for the blessing.

 

On June 1st members of the  AGBU Chicago Young Professionals organization are again running a 3-mile race to raise money for scholarships to send deserving kids to Hye Camp.

If you prefer to donate by check, please contact Chicago YP at
 for details on how to do so.  
 
The YP group would appreciate your support and any donation you are able to give to this great cause!
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