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.

Luke Rest Service (Hankusdyan) often held during Lent Fast Bishop (Yebisgobos) 406 A.D. Bearer of God

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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

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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.

March 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 be no Requiem Service after Badarak.

Sixth Sunday of Great Lent: Sunday of Advent Զ ÏÇõñ³ÏÇ ø³é³ëÝáñ¹³Ï³Ý ä³Ñáó. (¶³ÉëﻳÝ)

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

Which gospel contains the Magnificat? During which worship service are the 24 prayers of St. Nersess recited? What does the Church do for one week before a major feast day? Who can ordain a priest? In what year was the Armenian alphabet created? What does the word Asdvadzadzin mean?

¶³Éëï»³Ý ÎÇñ³ÏÇ Sunday of Advent

The Sixth Sunday of Great Lent is called the Sunday of Advent. This Sunday teaches us about the first Advent of Christ – His Incarnation: His Holy Birth when God became Man. This proved the Truth found in the Scriptures that by the coming of the Savior, a second chance was given to mankind to be guided on the path leading towards salvation.

This Sunday also symbolizes the Second Advent. In the Gospels and Ap-ostolic Letters there are many references dedicated to the Second Advent, where our Lord warns us about His return. In the Gospel of St. Matthew, Christ says, “…Watch out and do not let anyone fool you. Many men, claiming to speak for me, will come and say, “I am the Messiah!” and they will fool many people. You are going to hear the noise of battles close by and the news of battles far away… Countries will fight each other; kingdoms will attack one another. There will be famines and earth-quakes everywhere… And you will be hated by all nations for my Name’s sake… Many false prophets will appear and fool many people. Such will be the spread of evil that many people’s love will grow cold. But whoever holds out to the end will be saved” (Mt 24:4-13). The message of this Sunday is a call for endurance, piety and modesty. Through these we can patiently wait for the Glorious Resurrection of Christ, the purification of our souls and the triumph of the True Faith. All Christian Churches celebrate the feast of the Sunday of Advent. This was the last Sunday of Lent. Our forty-day journey will soon end. Next week is Palm Sunday, the day we remember Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, a triumph that will lead us through Holy Week, the recol-lection of His suffering and death and then to Easter, the victory of His resurrection.

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. Great Lent.

March 21, Thursday

AVAK Luncheon, 11:30am

March 22, Friday

Lenten Friday Short video presentation “Mer Doon” - “Our Home”

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

March 24, Sunday

Palm Sunday. Luncheon will be served following the service.

March 25-30 Holy Week / Ավագ Շաբաթ The schedule of the Holy Week is inside.

March 31, Sunday

Easter Sunday

April 14, Sunday

Orphans of Genocide movie screening, Holocaust Museum, 3:00pm.

April 18, Thursday

AVAK Grocery Bingo Luncheon

Today’s Scripture Readings

Isaiah 66:1-24 , Colossians 2:8-3:17, Matthew 22:34-39

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 22:34‑23:22 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they came to-gether. And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, to test him. “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the law and the prophets.”

Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question, say-ing, “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “The son of David.” He said to them, “How is it then that David, inspired by the Spirit, calls him Lord, saying, `The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I put your enemies under your feet'? If David thus calls him Lord, How is he his son?” And no one was able to answer him a word, nor from that day did any one dare to ask him any more questions.

Then said Jesus to the crowds and to his disciples, “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat; so practice and observe whatever they tell you, but not what they do; for they preach, but do not practice. They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by men; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long, and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues, and salutations in the market places, and being called rabbi by men. But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all breth-ren. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called masters, for you have one master, the Christ. He who is greatest among you shall be your servant; whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, Hypocrites! because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in. Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you traverse sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

“Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred? And you say, `If any one swears by the altar, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gift that is on the altar, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by him who dwells in it; and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by him who sits upon it.