Crossroads E-Newsletter:3/22/07

March 22, 2007

PRELATE ISSUES EASTER MESSAGE
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, issued his Easter message this week. Entitled “My Lord and My God,” His Eminence speaks about faith—a total faith, without doubt: “The Resurrection of Christ is the foundation of Christian faith. ‘If Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.’ (I Corinthians 15:14). In this powerful form, the proclaimed words gave life to all who believed in Christ and in their faith to be like the Apostle Thomas. On the contrary, without seeing Christ, we have had faith in Him and worshipped Him as our Lord and God, as the source of life and the way to eternal life.”
To read the entire message in Armenian click here.
To read the entire message in English click here.

DIALOGUE WITH THE YOUTH
His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, yesterday issued the 8th in his series of dialogues with the youth. The latest dialogue is entitled, “For a World in Search of Humanization.”
His Holiness writes, “Recently, I received an e-mail from an old friend of mine from Boston, who, referring to my lecture at Notre Dame University, wrote: ‘to achieve an all-encompassing spirituality as you described in your lecture, there must be a complete transformation of humanity; man must become true man.’
“Indeed, one of the complex problems facing humanity today is the way human beings perceive and fulfill themselves. Man distorted the image of God at the very moment when he questioned his imperfection and failed to respond to God’s call for responsible stewardship and accountability. According to biblical teaching, every human being bears the burden of original sin. In the course of time, original sin has acquired new dimensions and manifestations.”
To read the entire message click here.

WCC PREPARES FOR FINALE OF DECADE TO OVERCOME VIOLENCE;
COORDINATOR VISITS PRELACY
Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General, welcomed Rev. Dr. Geiko Muller-Fahrenholz to the Prelacy yesterday afternoon, on behalf of the Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan, who is in Antelias, Lebanon.
Dr. Muller-Fahrenholz, who is coordinating the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation to end the Decade to Overcome Violence in 2011, was accompanied by Jim Stokes-Buckles, Office Administrator and Program Assistant of the World Council of Churches and Rev. Chris Ferguson, WCC representative to the United Nations Commission of the Churches for International Affairs.
The WCC representatives met with area clergy and lay leaders. Dr. Muller-Fahrenholz presented a detailed description of the Ecumenical Peace Convocation and other projects related to the WCC’s Decade to Overcome Violence.
Dr. Muller-Fahrenholz is the author of America’s Battle for God: A European Christian Looks at Civil Religion, published recently by Eerdman’s Publishing.

PRELACY LENTEN MEDITATIONS CONTINUE
The fifth of the six Prelacy Lenten meditations took place yesterday evening, Wednesday, March 21. The 2007 Prelacy Lenten program focuses on the seven vices and seven virtues. Last evening, Archdeacon Shant Kazanjian, Director of the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) spoke about “Greed and Charity.” Dn. Shant briefly highlighted the background of these two biblical words and concepts, as well as their use in the New Testament. He showed that in the NT Greek, the words “to have mercy” and “almsgiving” come from the same root. This relationship is easily seen in Armenian (voghormel and voghormootyoon). Dn. Shant stated that almsgiving (charity) is one of three acts of piety taught by Christ according to the Gospel of St. Matthew, the other two being fasting and prayer, (Mt. 6:1-8). “One of the ways to overcome the vice of greed (which in the Bible is equated with idolatry), is to do acts of mercy, to compassionately give alms to the poor and to the needy,” said Dn. Shant.
The final meditation will take place next Wednesday, March 28, with Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, pastor of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, speaking about “Glutonny and Self Restraint.”
The annual Lenten series is sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies Guild, the St. Illuminator’s Ladies Guild, and the Prelacy’s Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC). All of the programs take place at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New York City, with the following general schedule: Lenten Service at 7:30 pm; Lecture at 8 pm, followed by a light Lenten meal and fellowship.

MUSICAL ARMENIA
The 2007 Musical Armenia concert will take place this Sunday, March 25, 2 pm, at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City. Tickets are $25.
Featured artists are bass Serge Barseghyan (accompanied by Evan Solomon) and the Ararat Trio, comprised of Patil Harboyan, piano; Van Armenian, violin; and Hrant Parsamian, cello.
For tickets contact the Prelacy at 212-689-7810 or by e-mail at sophie@armenianprelacy.org.
For more information about the program click here.

2007 DATEV INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAM
The 21st annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Christian summer studies program will take place July 1 to 8 in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For details click here.

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORDINATION OF
ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN
The 40th anniversary of the ordination of our Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, will take place in three different regions as follows:
On Saturday, May 5, the first of the three celebrations will take place at The Marriott in Providence, Rhode Island, with the participation of all of the parishes in New England, Connecticut, and Troy, New York.
On Saturday, May 12, the second celebration will take place at the The Marriott at Glenpointe, in Teaneck, New Jersey, with the participation of all of the parishes in the Mid Atlantic, which includes New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC.
The final celebration will take place during the National Representative Assembly (NRA) which is being hosted by St. Sarkis Church in Dearborn, Michigan. This will take place on Friday, May 18, at Double Tree Hotel in Dearborn, with the participation of the parishes in the Mid-West, as well as the NRA delegates and guests.

AREC DIRECTOR WILL LEAD SEMINAR IN NEW JERSEY
This Sunday, March 25, Dn. Shant Kazanjian, director of the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) will conduct a seminar for Sunday School teachers at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey. The four-hour seminar, following Badarak, will focus on the origins and the development of the creed, as well as explore various concepts related to the notion of faith in the Bible, including trust, faithfulness, belief, faith and works, faith and eternal life.

SUNDAY OF ADVENT
Our journey through Great Lent continues. This Sunday, March 25, the sixth and final Sunday of Lent, is the “Sunday of Advent” (Galstyan Kiraki). On Advent Sunday we are asked to ponder on the mystery of the first coming of Christ and especially His second coming, which is mentioned in the prayers read this Sunday. Christ came to the world for the salvation of humankind. He will come again for the judgment of sinners, and when the righteous will become worthy of entering the Kingdom of God. Advent Sunday has its own special hymn, which proclaims that the apostles knew the mystery of the advent of Christ. The story of the expulsion from paradise is repeated and an appeal is made to Christ to ask the Heavenly Father to establish peace on earth.

ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR
COMMITMENT TO THE PIT
This Saturday, March 24, the Armenian Church commemorates one of three days in the Armenian liturgical calendar in memory of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the founder of the Armenian Church. The three days of remembrance are: Entrance into the Pit; Emergence from the Pit; and Discovery of his remains. This Saturday we commemorate his commitment into the pit.
Gregory stood fast to his faith and refused to renounce Christ. He endured many tortures and his final punishment was banishment into a deep pit (Khor Virab) where he remained for a period of thirteen or more years. Miraculously he survived the ordeal, thanks in large part to a woman (identity unknown) who secretly lowered food into the pit.
The Monastery of Khor Virab is a major destination for tourists and pilgrims who visit Armenia. The church complex was built on the exact location where St. Gregory was imprisoned. The pit is intact and it is possible for visitors to climb down the ladder (27 steep steps!) into the pit. The church, named Soorp Astvatsatzin dates to the 17th century. The area is one of the most beautiful in Armenia, with a breathtaking view of Ararat.

PILGRIMAGE DAY IN ANTELIAS
Consecrated relics of St. Gregory are preserved in Holy Etchmiadzin in Armenia and the Holy See of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon. This Saturday, which as noted above commemorates the beginning of St. Gregory’s entrance into the pit, is a day of pilgrimage in Antelias. Thousands of pilgrims come to the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator for the service and procession and for an opportunity to see the sacred relic of the saint. It is brought out each year on this occasion. It is also used every seven years during the consecration of the Holy Chrism (Muron).

IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE…
The original alphabet as produced by Mesrob Mashtots had 36 letters. Two letters, the 37th and 38th, were added in the 12th century. Since that time the Armenian alphabet has remained the same. Not only has it been the tool for the creation of great works of literature, the Armenian alphabet has also inspired artists, beginning with the scribes. Medieval manuscript artists developed a style known as terchnakir (literally, bird writing), in which birds or other creatures were shaped into Armenian letters. In more modern times graphic artists created new alphabet styles, as works of art. In particular we fondly remember Minas Minasian whose creations—preserved in his book Alphabet Art—continues to inspire new generations. In more recent times, the widespread use of computers has produced a multitude of new typestyles (for better or worse).

The Pontifical Message issued by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, proclaiming 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language is on the Prelacy’s web page. To read the message in Armenian click here. To read the message in English click here.

DAILY BIBLE READINGS
Bible readings for today, March 22, are Isaiah 53:1-54:5; I Corinthians 15:1-13.
“Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. (I Corinthians 15:1-13).
For listing of the entire week’s Bible readings click here.

SNOW AND ST. PATRICK
Last week we ended Crossroads with the good news of the coming spring and noted that traditionally the peas should be planted on St. Patrick’s Day. After a few days of balmy weather during the week, last Saturday (St. Patrick’s Day), New Jersey was covered with 8 to 10 inches of snow, reminding us again that, “Man (or woman in this case) plans, but God decides.”

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

February 21 to March 28—2007 Prelacy Lenten Program, to be held at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City, Wednesday evenings during Great Lent. Lenten service at 7:30 pm; Lecture and Q/A at 8 pm; Lenten meal and fellowship at 8:45 pm. Theme: Seven Vices and Seven Virtues. For further information click here.

March 25—Musical Armenia 2007, Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 2 pm. Sponsored by Prelacy Ladies Guild. Featured performers are: vocalist Serge Barseghyan (bass); and Ararat Trio (Van Armenian, violin; Paul Harboyan, piano; Hrant Parsamian, cello).

April 1—Ladies Guild Annual Palm Sunday Bake Sale, St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts.

April 14—Ladies Guild Comedy Night featuring Mel Gibson, Meze and dessert will be served, St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. For information, 617-924-7562.

May 5—40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in the New England area will take place in Providence, Rhode Island.

May 6—30th anniversary of St. Illuminator’s Armenian Day School, Terrace on the Park, Corona, New York, at 5 pm.

May 7—Prelacy Ladies Guild Mothers’ Day Luncheon, St. Regis Hotel, New York City.

May 12—40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in Mid Atlantic area will take place at the Marriott at Glenpointe, Teaneck, New Jersey.

May 12—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, 50th anniversary concert featuring Onnik Dinkjian and John Berberian.

May 12—Armenian Dance party, St. Gregory Church, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts.

May 18—40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in Midwest will take place at the National Representative Assembly.

May 20—“Hello Ellis Island” and Reception, St. Stephen’s Church Hall, Watertown, Massachusetts. $20 per person. Information, 617-924-7562.

July 1-8—St. Gregory of Datev Institute, 21st annual summer Christian studies program for junior and senior high school students, at St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For information click here.

July 21—Sts. Vartanantz Church Ladies Guild, Providence, Rhode Island, and ARS Ani Chapter present “A Hye Summer Night 2.” For information 401-286-8107.

August 7—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual golf tournament at Blackstone Country Club.

August 19—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual church picnic.

September 29—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley.

December 1—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual church bazaar.

December 9—St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562.

If you wish to receive future issues of the Crossroads E-Newsletter in your E-mail Inbox, send an e-mail message with your name and your full e-mail address to email@armenianprelacy.org and write "subscribe" in the subject line.

March 22, 2007
PRELATE ISSUES EASTER MESSAGE Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Eastern Prelacy, issued his Easter message this week. Entitled “My Lord and My God,” His Eminence speaks about faith—a total faith, without doubt: “The Resurrection of Christ is the foundation of Christian faith. ‘If Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain.’ (I Corinthians 15:14). In this powerful form, the proclaimed words gave life to all who believed in Christ and in their faith to be like the Apostle Thomas. On the contrary, without seeing Christ, we have had faith in Him and worshipped Him as our Lord and God, as the source of life and the way to eternal life.” To read the entire message in Armenian click here. To read the entire message in English click here. DIALOGUE WITH THE YOUTH His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, yesterday issued the 8th in his series of dialogues with the youth. The latest dialogue is entitled, “For a World in Search of Humanization.” His Holiness writes, “Recently, I received an e-mail from an old friend of mine from Boston, who, referring to my lecture at Notre Dame University, wrote: ‘to achieve an all-encompassing spirituality as you described in your lecture, there must be a complete transformation of humanity; man must become true man.’ “Indeed, one of the complex problems facing humanity today is the way human beings perceive and fulfill themselves. Man distorted the image of God at the very moment when he questioned his imperfection and failed to respond to God’s call for responsible stewardship and accountability. According to biblical teaching, every human being bears the burden of original sin. In the course of time, original sin has acquired new dimensions and manifestations.” To read the entire message click here.
	WCC PREPARES FOR FINALE OF DECADE TO OVERCOME VIOLENCE; COORDINATOR VISITS PRELACY Bishop Anoushavan Tanielian, Vicar General, welcomed Rev. Dr. Geiko Muller-Fahrenholz to the Prelacy yesterday afternoon, on behalf of the Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan, who is in Antelias, Lebanon. Dr. Muller-Fahrenholz, who is coordinating the International Ecumenical Peace Convocation to end the Decade to Overcome Violence in 2011, was accompanied by Jim Stokes-Buckles, Office Administrator and Program Assistant of the World Council of Churches and Rev. Chris Ferguson, WCC representative to the United Nations Commission of the Churches for International Affairs. The WCC representatives met with area clergy and lay leaders. Dr. Muller-Fahrenholz presented a detailed description of the Ecumenical Peace Convocation and other projects related to the WCC’s Decade to Overcome Violence. Dr. Muller-Fahrenholz is the author of America’s Battle for God: A European Christian Looks at Civil Religion, published recently by Eerdman’s Publishing.
	PRELACY LENTEN MEDITATIONS CONTINUE The fifth of the six Prelacy Lenten meditations took place yesterday evening, Wednesday, March 21. The 2007 Prelacy Lenten program focuses on the seven vices and seven virtues. Last evening, Archdeacon Shant Kazanjian, Director of the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) spoke about “Greed and Charity.” Dn. Shant briefly highlighted the background of these two biblical words and concepts, as well as their use in the New Testament. He showed that in the NT Greek, the words “to have mercy” and “almsgiving” come from the same root. This relationship is easily seen in Armenian (voghormel and voghormootyoon). Dn. Shant stated that almsgiving (charity) is one of three acts of piety taught by Christ according to the Gospel of St. Matthew, the other two being fasting and prayer, (Mt. 6:1-8). “One of the ways to overcome the vice of greed (which in the Bible is equated with idolatry), is to do acts of mercy, to compassionately give alms to the poor and to the needy,” said Dn. Shant. The final meditation will take place next Wednesday, March 28, with Rev. Fr. Nareg Terterian, pastor of St. Sarkis Church, Douglaston, New York, speaking about “Glutonny and Self Restraint.” The annual Lenten series is sponsored by the Prelacy Ladies Guild, the St. Illuminator’s Ladies Guild, and the Prelacy’s Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC). All of the programs take place at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, 221 East 27th Street, New York City, with the following general schedule: Lenten Service at 7:30 pm; Lecture at 8 pm, followed by a light Lenten meal and fellowship.
MUSICAL ARMENIA The 2007 Musical Armenia concert will take place this Sunday, March 25, 2 pm, at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, New York City. Tickets are $25. Featured artists are bass Serge Barseghyan (accompanied by Evan Solomon) and the Ararat Trio, comprised of Patil Harboyan, piano; Van Armenian, violin; and Hrant Parsamian, cello. For tickets contact the Prelacy at 212-689-7810 or by e-mail at sophie@armenianprelacy.org. For more information about the program click here. 2007 DATEV INSTITUTE SUMMER PROGRAM The 21st annual St. Gregory of Datev Institute Christian summer studies program will take place July 1 to 8 in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For details click here. 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ORDINATION OF ARCHBISHOP OSHAGAN CHOLOYAN The 40th anniversary of the ordination of our Prelate, Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, will take place in three different regions as follows: On Saturday, May 5, the first of the three celebrations will take place at The Marriott in Providence, Rhode Island, with the participation of all of the parishes in New England, Connecticut, and Troy, New York. On Saturday, May 12, the second celebration will take place at the The Marriott at Glenpointe, in Teaneck, New Jersey, with the participation of all of the parishes in the Mid Atlantic, which includes New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Washington, DC. The final celebration will take place during the National Representative Assembly (NRA) which is being hosted by St. Sarkis Church in Dearborn, Michigan. This will take place on Friday, May 18, at Double Tree Hotel in Dearborn, with the participation of the parishes in the Mid-West, as well as the NRA delegates and guests. AREC DIRECTOR WILL LEAD SEMINAR IN NEW JERSEY This Sunday, March 25, Dn. Shant Kazanjian, director of the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) will conduct a seminar for Sunday School teachers at Sts. Vartanantz Church in Ridgefield, New Jersey. The four-hour seminar, following Badarak, will focus on the origins and the development of the creed, as well as explore various concepts related to the notion of faith in the Bible, including trust, faithfulness, belief, faith and works, faith and eternal life. SUNDAY OF ADVENT Our journey through Great Lent continues. This Sunday, March 25, the sixth and final Sunday of Lent, is the “Sunday of Advent” (Galstyan Kiraki). On Advent Sunday we are asked to ponder on the mystery of the first coming of Christ and especially His second coming, which is mentioned in the prayers read this Sunday. Christ came to the world for the salvation of humankind. He will come again for the judgment of sinners, and when the righteous will become worthy of entering the Kingdom of God. Advent Sunday has its own special hymn, which proclaims that the apostles knew the mystery of the advent of Christ. The story of the expulsion from paradise is repeated and an appeal is made to Christ to ask the Heavenly Father to establish peace on earth. ST. GREGORY THE ILLUMINATOR COMMITMENT TO THE PIT This Saturday, March 24, the Armenian Church commemorates one of three days in the Armenian liturgical calendar in memory of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the founder of the Armenian Church. The three days of remembrance are: Entrance into the Pit; Emergence from the Pit; and Discovery of his remains. This Saturday we commemorate his commitment into the pit. Gregory stood fast to his faith and refused to renounce Christ. He endured many tortures and his final punishment was banishment into a deep pit (Khor Virab) where he remained for a period of thirteen or more years. Miraculously he survived the ordeal, thanks in large part to a woman (identity unknown) who secretly lowered food into the pit. The Monastery of Khor Virab is a major destination for tourists and pilgrims who visit Armenia. The church complex was built on the exact location where St. Gregory was imprisoned. The pit is intact and it is possible for visitors to climb down the ladder (27 steep steps!) into the pit. The church, named Soorp Astvatsatzin dates to the 17th century. The area is one of the most beautiful in Armenia, with a breathtaking view of Ararat. PILGRIMAGE DAY IN ANTELIAS Consecrated relics of St. Gregory are preserved in Holy Etchmiadzin in Armenia and the Holy See of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon. This Saturday, which as noted above commemorates the beginning of St. Gregory’s entrance into the pit, is a day of pilgrimage in Antelias. Thousands of pilgrims come to the Cathedral of St. Gregory the Illuminator for the service and procession and for an opportunity to see the sacred relic of the saint. It is brought out each year on this occasion. It is also used every seven years during the consecration of the Holy Chrism (Muron). IN CELEBRATION OF THE YEAR OF THE ARMENIAN LANGUAGE… The original alphabet as produced by Mesrob Mashtots had 36 letters. Two letters, the 37th and 38th, were added in the 12th century. Since that time the Armenian alphabet has remained the same. Not only has it been the tool for the creation of great works of literature, the Armenian alphabet has also inspired artists, beginning with the scribes. Medieval manuscript artists developed a style known as terchnakir (literally, bird writing), in which birds or other creatures were shaped into Armenian letters. In more modern times graphic artists created new alphabet styles, as works of art. In particular we fondly remember Minas Minasian whose creations—preserved in his book Alphabet Art—continues to inspire new generations. In more recent times, the widespread use of computers has produced a multitude of new typestyles (for better or worse). The Pontifical Message issued by His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, proclaiming 2007 as the Year of the Armenian Language is on the Prelacy’s web page. To read the message in Armenian click here. To read the message in English click here. DAILY BIBLE READINGS Bible readings for today, March 22, are Isaiah 53:1-54:5; I Corinthians 15:1-13. “Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by which you are saved, if you hold it fast—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed. Now if Christ is preached as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. (I Corinthians 15:1-13). For listing of the entire week’s Bible readings click here. SNOW AND ST. PATRICK Last week we ended Crossroads with the good news of the coming spring and noted that traditionally the peas should be planted on St. Patrick’s Day. After a few days of balmy weather during the week, last Saturday (St. Patrick’s Day), New Jersey was covered with 8 to 10 inches of snow, reminding us again that, “Man (or woman in this case) plans, but God decides.”

CALENDAR OF EVENTS February 21 to March 28—2007 Prelacy Lenten Program, to be held at St. Illuminator’s Cathedral, New York City, Wednesday evenings during Great Lent. Lenten service at 7:30 pm; Lecture and Q/A at 8 pm; Lenten meal and fellowship at 8:45 pm. Theme: Seven Vices and Seven Virtues. For further information click here. March 25—Musical Armenia 2007, Weill Recital Hall, Carnegie Hall, 2 pm. Sponsored by Prelacy Ladies Guild. Featured performers are: vocalist Serge Barseghyan (bass); and Ararat Trio (Van Armenian, violin; Paul Harboyan, piano; Hrant Parsamian, cello). April 1—Ladies Guild Annual Palm Sunday Bake Sale, St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. April 14—Ladies Guild Comedy Night featuring Mel Gibson, Meze and dessert will be served, St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts. For information, 617-924-7562. May 5—40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in the New England area will take place in Providence, Rhode Island. May 6—30th anniversary of St. Illuminator’s Armenian Day School, Terrace on the Park, Corona, New York, at 5 pm. May 7—Prelacy Ladies Guild Mothers’ Day Luncheon, St. Regis Hotel, New York City. May 12—40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in Mid Atlantic area will take place at the Marriott at Glenpointe, Teaneck, New Jersey. May 12—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, 50th anniversary concert featuring Onnik Dinkjian and John Berberian. May 12—Armenian Dance party, St. Gregory Church, Indian Orchard, Massachusetts. May 18—40th anniversary of ordination of Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan in Midwest will take place at the National Representative Assembly. May 20—“Hello Ellis Island” and Reception, St. Stephen’s Church Hall, Watertown, Massachusetts. $20 per person. Information, 617-924-7562. July 1-8—St. Gregory of Datev Institute, 21st annual summer Christian studies program for junior and senior high school students, at St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania. For information click here. July 21—Sts. Vartanantz Church Ladies Guild, Providence, Rhode Island, and ARS Ani Chapter present “A Hye Summer Night 2.” For information 401-286-8107. August 7—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual golf tournament at Blackstone Country Club. August 19—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual church picnic. September 29—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary banquet at Pleasant Valley. December 1—Soorp Asdvadzadzin Church, Whitinsville, Massachusetts, annual church bazaar. December 9—St. Stephen’s Church, Watertown, Massachusetts, 50th anniversary celebration. For information, (617) 924-7562.

If you wish to receive future issues of the Crossroads E-Newsletter in your E-mail Inbox, send an e-mail message with your name and your full e-mail address to email@armenianprelacy.org and write "subscribe" in the subject line.