Mission Statement of St. James Armenian Church

St. James of Richmond brings together the faithful of Central Virginia in the tradition of the Armenian Apostolic church to glorify Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and to proclaim His Gospel. This mission is fulfilled by welcoming God’s people with warm hospitality; by em-bracing our diverse backgrounds; by sowing seeds for continued growth and ever-increasing faith; and by participating actively in wor-ship, education, service, cultural enrichment, and fellowship.

ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE Our annual food drive is coordinated by the Women’s Guild. Your contributions of non-perishable food items will once again be forwarded to the Central Virginia Food Bank in the name of our parish. The collection boxes are located in the social hall. Please remember our friends and neighbors in need as we give thanks for our many blessings. Your contributions are greatly appreciated.

On December 28th a total of 259 pounds of food items were donated to the Food Bank.

Tax collector Twenty-four The Naming of Jesus Baptism itself Georgia Deeds, the things they did

PW

Armenian Church Hye-Q

A game of questions and answers to hone your knowledge in:

Bible Prayer & Worship Church Year Sacraments History and Saints In Other Words

B

CY S HS OW

Fellowship Hour If you would like to sponsor a fellowship hour after the Divine Liturgy, please see or contact Roxie Kricorian (804-282-3818) to sign up for a particular Sunday.

February 17, 2013

Welcome to St. James Armenian Church! Witnessing through faith, heritage, and hospitality.

The morning service starts at 10:00 a.m. on Sundays and is followed by Badarak (Divine Liturgy) at 10:30 a.m.

ê. Ú³Ïᵠг۳ëï³Ý»³Ûó ²é³ù»É³Ï³Ý ºÏ»Õ»óÇ St. James Armenian Church

834 Pepper Avenue, Richmond, VA 23226 Rev. Fr. Mesrob Hovsepyan, pastor

Office Hours: closed on Monday. Tuesday-Friday 8:30-11:30, 1:00-3:00 Office: 804-282-3818 Direct: 804-405-9399

Email: frmesrob@stjamesva.org Web: www.stjamesva.org

Today there will no Requiem Service after Badarak.

Second Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of Expulsion ´ ÏÇõñ³ÏÇ ø³é³ëÝáñ¹³Ï³Ý ä³Ñáó.

²ñï³ùëÙ³Ý ÎÇñ³ÏÇ

The answers can be found on the last page of the bulletin.

What was Zacchaeus’ occupation? St. Nersess’ prayer “I confess with faith” consists oof how many verses? Eight days after Christmas, what event in Jesus’ life is marked with a feast day? According to Catholicos John of Otzoon, the permanent structure of the baptis-mal font is a symbol of the permanence of what?

What neighboring country did the Armenian Saint Nooneh convert to Christi-anity in the 4th century?

In the title of the Biblical book “The Acts of the Apostles,” often simpy re-ferred to as “Acts,” what does “Act” mean?

²ñï³ùëÙ³Ý ÎÇñ³ÏÇ / Sunday of Expulsion The church Fathers have given the Sundays of the Period of Great Lent such names and mysteries which symbolize the mankind’s way of life – birth, sinning, regret and repentance. This should serve for the human being as an occasion for thinking of himself/herself and his/her life so that the period of Great Lent should be fruitful and productive. On the Sunday of the Expulsion from the Garden we encounter our own great sin: pride. Mankind (Adam and Eve) had all they needed in the Garden; their lives with God were complete. God asked only that they love Him, and obey Him as all sensi-ble creatures would obey a loving Creator, since the Creator knows His creatures and their needs better than they themselves do. But in His love God made us free, and the tree from which Adam and Eve ate represents the free choice all of us must make. We can love God and acknowledge Him as the Creator on whom we depend. Or in pride we can say, "I don't need God. I am my own lord!" And Satan (the serpent) tempts us by appealing to our pride. "Eat and by eating become like God," he says. So we turn from God's Lordship and instead set ourselves up as gods. But then we find out: man by himself is weak, and without God can find only sin, shame, and death. So man, having chosen not to be with God, is sent from the gar-den into the hard world where pride reigns. It is a world where other hungers, like Adam's hunger for lordship. Yet God's love never deserts us, and even in our pride His promise is made, His plan of salvation begun. During Lent we fast with Christ, not to punish ourselves but restore ourselves to dependence on God and not on bread alone. God Himself, becoming man in the per-son of Christ, shows us the way to this restoration. The hunger our pride creates is truly devilish, for it can, never be satisfied. But the hunger for God which we experience with Christ during Lent will be filled to over-flowing: that is the promise that carries on from the garden to the cross to the empty tomb to our lives this minute.

say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply `Yes' or `No'; anything more than this comes from evil.

“You have heard that it was said, `An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist one who is evil. But if any one strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any one would sue you and take your coat, let him have your cloak as well; and if any one forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to him who begs from you, and do not refuse him who would borrow from you.

“You have heard that it was said, `You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you salute only your brethren, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You, therefore, must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

CLOSING OF ALTAR CURTAINS: The Altar curtain were closed last Sunday on Poon Paregentan right after Badarak. It will remain closed throughout the Forty Days of Great Lent until they are reopened on Palm Sunday. The closing of the cur-tain symbolizes the Expulsion of Adam and Eve from Paradise. The entire church is in repentance during this time. • • During Lent the Divine Liturgy (Badarak) is celebrated with the Main Altar

curtain closed. • • The Kiss of Peace is not given. • • Holy Communion is not given. In special circumstances, Holy Communion

may be received by making arrangements with Der Hayr after the service. • • The Gospel is not kissed at the end of Divine Liturgy. • • Mas is distributed during Lent.

Today, please take a moment to remember in your prayers Avalon Wellers, Mary Battle, Taline Dadian Infante, Pam Little, Margaret Butler, Kachi & Sue Dedian, Isabel Varta-nian, Isabelle Vranian, Paris Dedeian, Annie Bickers, Ka-

tie Ralcewicz (for healing and continued improvement), as well as all the sick and recovering members

of our community. May God touch his faithful servants with His healing hand,

and grant them a good health & recovery.

Today Divine Liturgy. Sunday/Armenian School is in session. Period of Great Lent.

Annual Parish Assembly following the service

February 22, Friday

Lenten Friday Prayer Service - 6:00 pm; Lenten Dinner - 6:30 pm

February 23, Saturday

Spring Clean-up. Join and help us to clean-up the social halls from unnecessary items.

March 1, Friday

Lenten Friday Prayer Service - 6:00 pm; Lenten Dinner - 6:30 pm

March 8, Friday

Lenten Friday Prayer Service - 6:00 pm; Lenten Dinner - 6:30 pm

March 15, Friday

Lenten Friday Prayer Service - 6:00 pm; Lenten Dinner - 6:30 pm

March 22, Friday

Lenten Friday Prayer Service - 6:00 pm; Lenten Dinner - 6:30 pm

March 31, Sunday

Easter Sunday

Today’s Scripture Readings

Isaiah 33:2‑22, Romans 12:1‑13:10, Matthew 5:17‑48

WHEN TO MAKE THE SIGN OF THE CROSS: The sign of the cross is made when entering the Church and these occasions during the Divine Li-turgy: (1) after each instance of bowing; (2) when doxology (Park Hor…), that is to say, “Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit” is being said or sung; (3) when the Sacred name of our Lord is being solemnly in-voked (Heessos Krisdos); (4) at the beginning of the reading of the Gospel; (5) when peace or blessing is being offered by the priest with the words “Peace unto all” (Khaghaghootune Amenetsoon); (6) when the priest or deacon swing the censor toward your direction; (7) when the sacred and the central words of the Divine Liturgy are being spoken (“Take, eat, this is My Body…” and “Drink you all, this is My Blood.”); (8) when receiving Holy communion; and (9) when kissing the Gospel and leaving the Church.

PARTICIPATING IN THE DIVINE LITURGY

Response when Kissing the Cross (during the procession): The faithful say: Hee-shes-cheer yev zeez a-rra-chee an-mah Karinn As-doo-dzo. Remember me before the immortal Lamb of God. The priest says: Hee-shyal lee-cheer a-rra-chee an-mah ka-rinn As-doo-dzo. You shall be remembered before the immortal Lamb of God. Response for the Kiss of Peace: The Giver says: Christ is revealed amongst us. / Kreesdos ee mech mer haydnetsav. The Receiver says: Blessed is the revelation of Christ. / Orhnyal eh haydootyoonun Kreesdosee. Response when kissing the Holy Gospel (end of the Divine Liturgy): The faithful say: Heeshestzeh Der zamenaym Badarakus koh. May the Lord remember all your offerings. The Priest answers: Datseh kez Der usd srdee koom yev zamenayn khorhoortus koh ee parees na gadarsestseh. May the Lord grant you according to your own heart, and fulfill all your counsel in goodness. (Psalm 20:4) When taking Mahs, the Giver says: Mahs yev pazheen yegheet-see kez ee Soorp Badarakes. Մաս եւ բաժին եղիցի քեզ ի Սուրբ Պատարագէս: May this be to you a share and portion of the Holy Sacrifice. The Receiver says: Pahjeen eem Asdvadz haveedyan. / God is my portion forever.

Today’s Gospel Reading - Matthew 5:17‑48

“Think not that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets; I have come not to abolish them but to fulfil them. For truly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Whoever then relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but he who does them and teaches them shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

“You have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not kill; and whoever kills shall be liable to judgment.' But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother shall be liable to the council, and whoever says, `You fool!' shall be liable to hell of fire. So if you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Make friends quickly with your accuser, while you are going with him to court, or your accuser may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the guard, and you be put in prison; truly, I say to you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny.

“You have heard that it was said, `You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that every one who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better that you lose one of your members than that your hole body go into hell.

“It was also said, `Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certifi-cate of divorce.' But I say to you that every one who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, makes her an adulteress; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

“Again you have heard that it was said to the men of old, `You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.' But I