PRESS RELEASE
Eastern Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America
138 East 39th Street
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212-689-7810
Fax: 212-689-7168
e-mail: info@armenianprelacy.org
Website:
Contact: Iris Papazian
CROSSROADS E-NEWSLETTER – November 18, 2004
MID-ATLANTIC BOARD OF TRUSTEES SEMINAR
CONCLUDES SUCCESSFULLY IN PHILLY
The Mid-Atlantic Board of Trustees Seminar took place in Philadelphia
last Saturday, November 13.
Archbishop Oshagan and members of the Religious and Executive Councils
met in individual sessions with members of the Boards of Trustees from five
Mid-Atlantic parishes to reach out and discuss matters of importance to both
the parishes and the prelacy. Meetings such as these were also held in the
New England and Midwest regions to promote more frequent communications
among parishes in these regions.
During the mid-day general session all attendees participated in a Dale
Carnegie workshop about change and communication. The workshop explored
strengths, change, challenges and effects of the challenges related to
parish life. The group identified strengths that focused primarily on
Armenian value system, culture, work ethic and the caring, talent,
dedication and positive attitude of our parishioners. Some of the changes
included demographics, generational issues, language and educational level
of our young people. Challenges brought forth expanded upon these changes
and strengths were creativity required to attract and maintain membership
(especially young people), maintaining our language and culture, addressing
the broad geographic dispersion of our community and funds to accomplish our
goals. Some of the effects of the change and challenges could include using
a new approach to keeping our parishes strong and attracting young people or
frustration due to change. The final topic discussed in the groups dealt
with the “comfort zone” of individuals. Most of our strengths are within our
individual and collective comfort zone, however, the challenges reach
beyond. One attendee suggested using our strengths to reach beyond the
comfort zone and meet the challenges. In this way, the challenges too will
be blended into the range of comfort and more easily dealt with.
The Dale Carnegie program has been in existence since 1912 and is used
by organizations to train leaders and help organizations grow and prosper
through its people.
Reported by Karen Jehanian
ARKADY GHOUGASSIAN VISITS PRELACY OFFICE
Arkady Ghougassian, the President of the Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh,
visited the Prelacy office on Tuesday, November 16. The President was
accompanied by Armen Martirosyan, Permanent Representative of Armenia to the
United Nations, Vardan Barseghian, representative of Nagorno-Karabagh in
Washington, D.C., and Nayira Melkumyan, head of Armenia Fund International.
Joining the Prelate in welcoming the guests were about thirty Prelacy
friends and supporters from the New York metropolitan area.
President Ghougassian spoke about the current situation in Karabagh,
independence, and the urgent and immediate needs. A question and answer
period followed.
SOURP KHATCH CHURCH CELEBRATES 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Parishioners of the Sourp Khatch Church in Bethesda, Maryland,
celebrated the 40th anniversary of their church last Sunday, November 14.
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan officiated at the Divine Liturgy and presided
over the anniversary banquet. The pastor of the church, Rev. Fr. Sarkis
Aktavoukian, was granted the right to wear the Pectoral Cross by His
Holiness Aram I.
Archbishop Oshagan spoke about the year of the Armenian family and
described the community as a family guided by Armenian principles. His
Eminence presented Certificates of Merit to Thelma Kostegian and Dn. George
Zabounian.
THANKSGIVING TELETHON WILL BENEFIT PROGRAMS
The Thanksgiving Day Telethon by the Armenia Fund, Inc., will be
broadcast on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 25, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.,
Pacific Standard Time.
As reported last week Prelacy parishes will have special plate
collections on November 21 and 28 for the reconstruction of towns and
villages in Karabagh, as part of a program announced by the Holy See of
Cilicia.
UNITED COMMITTEE FOR 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF GENOCIDE
WILL MEET TONIGHT AT THE PRELACY
The United Committee for the commemoration of the 90th anniversary of
the Genocide next year will meet tonight at the Prelacy office in New York
City. Previous meetings have taken place at the offices of the Eastern
Diocese. The committee will issue a press release describing the preliminary
plans for the commemoration.
NOTED AUTHORS VISIT ST. STEPHENS SCHOOL;
WILL VISIT HOVNANIAN SCHOOL TOMORROW
St. Stephen Armenian Elementary School students spent an enjoyable
afternoon of exciting book reading with well-known husband and wife authors,
David Kherdian and Nonny Hogrogian.
David Kherdian, author of the Newberry Award winning book, The Road from
Home: The Story of An Armenian Girl, spent the afternoon with 4th and 5th
grade students. Nonny Hogrogian, a two-time Caldecott Medal winner, spent
the afternoon with 3rd grade students.
For our readers in the New York-New Jersey area, the authors will visit
the Hovnanian School tomorrow, Friday, November 19, where they will interact
with the students during the day. Tomorrow evening they will be featured in
an event open to the public at the Hovnanian School auditorium, 817 River
Road, New Milford, New Jersey. For information, 201-967-5940.
RICHARD AND TINA CAROLAN PUBLICATIONS FUND
MEETS TO ASSESS ENTRIES
The Richard and Tina Carolan Publications Fund, which is administered by
the Catholicosate of the Great House of Cilicia, recently met in Antelias,
Lebanon, to consider the submitted entries for possible publication.
The committee selected a work by Vartan Matiossian, a volume dedicated
to the history of the Armenian communities of South America, as worthy of
publication. The printing house of the Cilician See will publish it in the
near future.
The committee is under the presidency of His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos
of the Great House of Cilicia. Members include Archbishop Varoujan
Hergelian, V. Rev. Fr. Krikor Chifjian, Dr. Zaven Meserlian, Mr. Sarkis
Giragosian.
FEAST OF ALL SAINTS
This Saturday the Armenian Church commemorates the Feast of All Saints,
old and new, known and unknown. All Saints Day in the Western Church is
celebrated on November 1 (the day after Halloween). For the Armenian Church
the date is variable depending on the season of the Cross. It can be late
October or November. The commemoration is rooted in the belief that there
are many saints who are not known to us. Therefore, on this day, both known
and unknown saints are honored and remembered.
FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE HOLY
MOTHER OF GOD
This Sunday, November 21, the Armenian Church celebrates the
Presentation of the Holy Mother of God to the Temple. According to custom,
Jewish parents presented their child at the age of three to the temple. Mary’s
Presentation to the Temple is observed in the Armenian Church on November
21.
Sunday is also the Barekendan of the Fast of Advent. Next Sunday, November
28 is the First Sunday of Advent.
THANKSGIVING DAY
Next Thursday, November 25, is Thanksgiving Day, a holiday celebrated in
gratitude to God for the autumn harvest. The Pilgrims set a day for
thanksgiving at Plymouth, Massachusetts, following their first harvest in
1621. Thereafter, Thanksgiving was observed sporadically on various dates in
different places. President Abraham Lincoln set the holiday as a regular
yearly event for the last Thursday of November in 1863. In 1941 Congress
changed the holiday to the fourth Thursday of November, which could be the
last or next to the last Thursday.
Thanksgiving, of course, has become the official start of the Christmas
season. The day after Thanksgiving-known as Black Friday, presumably
because that is when the stores go into black rather than red, financially
speaking-used to be the biggest shopping day. It is now the second biggest
day with the biggest shopping day honor now held by the Saturday before
Christmas.
The Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest travel day for all modes of
travel, since it is a family-oriented holiday celebrated by everyone
regardless of religious affiliation. People travel great distances to be
with family members.
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever.
Psalm 136
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