غð ºÎºÔºòÆÜ

Finally, all of you,

live in harmony with one another; be

sympathetic, love as brothers, be

compassionate and humble .

1 Peter 3:8

Lunch with God (A Compassion Lesson)

Inside this issue:

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin 2

St. Mesrop Masgtots 2

Carolon Nigosian Receives the

Archbishop’s Award

3

Ladies Society Brunch 3

ANNOUNCMENTS 4

CALENDAR 4

BUSINESS CORNER 5

UPCOMING 5

The Construction Committee and

Parish Council have made a final choice

of stone to cover the exterior of the

Church. The many months spent

searching for a suitable stone have led

June, 2010

MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF THE ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF THE DESERT

OUR CHURCH

ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF THE DESERT • 38-900 VISTA DUNES RD • RANCHO MIRAGE • CA 92270 • PHONE (760) 773-2155 • FAX (760) 773-2755 • E-MAIL: AACOD@LIVE.COM

Command them to

do good, to be rich in

good deeds, and to

be generous and

willing to share.

1 Timothy 6:18

DER (REV. FR.) KRIKOR ZAKARYAN, PARISH PRIEST

was delighted! They sat there all after-

noon eating and smiling, but they never

said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized

how tired he was and he got up to leave

but before he had gone more than a

few steps; he turned around, ran back

to the old woman, and gave her a hug.

She gave him her biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his

own house a short time later his

mother was surprised by the look of

joy on his face. She asked him, "What

did you do today that made you so

happy?" He replied, "I had lunch with

God." But before his mother could

respond, he added, "You know what?

She's got the most beautiful smile I've

ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the old woman, also radiant

with joy, returned to her home. Her son

was stunned by the look of peace on her

face and he asked, "Mother, what did you

do today that made you so happy?" She

replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with

God." But before her son responded, she

added, "You know, he's much younger than

I expected."

Too often we under estimate the power

of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening

ear, an honest compliment, or the small-

est act of caring, all of which have the

potential to turn a life around.

People come into our lives for

a reason, a season, or a lifetime.

Embrace all equally!

There once was a little boy who

wanted to meet God. He knew it was a

long trip to where God lived, so he

packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a

six-pack of root beer, and he started his

journey.

When he had gone about three blocks,

he met an old woman. She was sitting in

the park just staring at some pigeons.

The boy sat down next to her and opened

his suitcase. He was about to take a

drink from his root beer when he noticed

that the old lady looked hungry so he

offered her a Twinkie. She gratefully

accepted it and smiled at him. Her smile

was so pretty that the boy wanted to see

it again, so he offered her a root beer.

Once again, she smiled at him. The boy

Witness the Progress of Our Church us to, what we believe to be, the per-

fect choice. We are pleased to report

that the exterior of the new Armenian

Church of the Desert will be covered

with a traditional and authentic Arme-

nian travertine stone, quarried from

Garni, in Armenia.

Now that an exterior stone has been

selected and contracted for, work can

continue on finalizing the roof and

window installations. Drywall has been

installed on the majority of the interior

walls and is being prepared for finished

texture and paint. Final designs and

bids are still under review for the

Narthex doors, Altar curtain, and can-

dle niches.

Efforts continue towards raising

site additional funds to complete the

required work in order to obtain an

occupancy permit for use of the new

Church. A fundraising brochure is now in

the mail to help raise these funds and to

offer various donating opportunities

towards the completion of the sanctuary.

If the necessary funds are raised, we can

expect to start construction of the new

driveway entrance, additional parking,

perimeter wall and landscaping during the

summer months, with the anticipated

dedication of the Church being held in

early October.

Construction Committee

Page 2 غð ºÎºÔºòÆÜ OUR CHURCH

On the twenty-seventh day of the

seventh month, Noah's Ark came to rest

on Mount Ararat. When Noah emerged

from the Ark, he prepared a sacrifice in

the Araratian Valley and built an altar

for the sacrifice in the place where Holy

Etchmiadzin is now located.

The Mother Cathedral was created

and built by St. Gregory the Illuminator,

the patron Saint of the Armenian

Church. In the solitude of the night, given

to spiritual thoughts, St. Gregory had a

magnificent vision: The Son of God de-

scending from heaven with a golden

hammer in his hand strikes the vastness

of the ground, and reveals the place

where the Holy Cathedral of Etchmiadzin

will be erected.

"I saw an awe-filled human appear-

ance, great and wonderful, who was

leading all and from the highest to the

lowest, He was before them. He had a

great golden hammer in his hand, and all

were following Him. He was coming with

great speed, flying up like a swift eagle

and descending down to the firmament

of the earth, in the center of the city,

struck the vastness of the land, and an

awful wailing resounded up from the

chasms of hell."

St. Gregory and the family of the St.

Trdat the king, led the people to the

place of the Descent of the Only Begot-

ten, and built the Mother Cathedral.

Holy Etchmiadzin is also called

"illustrated by light", because it was not

designed by earthly architects, but

rather the Heavenly Architect, who

through a luminous illustration, showed

how the new church was to appear.

Construction on the Mother Cathedral

of Holy Etchmiadzin concluded in August

303. The consecration of the cathedral

occurred on the Saturday preceding the

Assumption of the Holy Mother of God,

and was named St. Mary Asdvatsatsin.

As a result, the commemoration day of

the Mother Cathedral occurs on the

Saturday preceding the Feast of the

Assumption of the Holy Mother of God.

As a symbol of the Armenian Church

and the faith of the Armenians, the

cathedral of Etchmiadzin, was pro-

claimed as such shortly after it was

built, and instead of being called by her

true name, was often simply referred to

as "V agharshapat’s un iversa l" ,

"Universal church", or merely "First

Church".

The Feast of the Consecration

"Shoghakat" of Holy Etchmiadzin will be

celebrated on June 6th, 2010.

Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

St. Mesrop Mashtots

Saint Mesrop Mashtots (361 or 362 -

February 17, 440) was an Armenian

monk, theologian and linguist. He is best

known for having invented the Armenian

alphabet, which was a fundamental step

in strengthening the Armenian Church,

the government of the Armenian King-

dom, and ultimately the bond between

the Armenian Kingdom and Armenians

living in the Byzantine Empire and the

Persian Empire.

Mesrop Mashtots was born in Taron

and died in Vagharshapat. Koryun, his

pupil and biographer, tells us that Mes-

rop received a liberal education, and

was versed in the Greek and Persian

languages. On account of his piety and learning Mesrop was appointed secre-

tary to King Chosroes III. His duty was to write in Greek and Persian charac-

ters the decrees and edicts of the

sovereign. But Mesrop felt called to a more perfect life. Leaving the court for

the service of God, he took holy orders,

and withdrew to a monastery with a few chosen companions. There, he

practiced great austerities, enduring hunger and thirst, cold and poverty. He

lived on vegetables, wore a hair shirt,

slept upon the ground, and often spent whole nights in prayer and the study of

the Holy Scriptures. This life he contin-

ued for a few years, preparing himself for the great work to which Providence

was soon to call him.

Indeed both Church and State needed his

services.

Mesrop, as noted, had spent some

time in a monastery preparing for a

missionary life. With the support of

Prince Shampith, he preached the Gos-

pel in the district of Golthn near the

river Araxes, converting many heretics

and pagans. However, he experienced

great difficulty in instructing the people,

for the Armenians had no alphabet of

their own, but used the Greek, Persian,

and Syriac scripts, none of which were

well suited for representing the many

complex sounds of their native tongue.

Again, the Holy Scriptures and the lit-

urgy, being written in Syriac, were, to a

large extent, unintelligible to the faithful.

Hence the constant need of translators

and interpreters to explain the Word of

God to the people.

Mesrop, desirous to remedy this

state of things, resolved to invent a

national alphabet, in which undertaking

Isaac and King Vramshapuh promised to

assist him. With their help and that of

Isaac and the king, he was able to give a

definite form to the alphabet. Mesrop's

alphabet consisted of thirty-six letters;

two more (long O and F) were added in

the twelfth century.

The Amaras Monastery in Nagorno

Karabakh where in the 5th century Saint

Mesrop Mashtots, the inventor of the

Armenian Alphabet, established the first

-ever Armenian school that used his

script.

The invention of the alphabet (406)

was the beginning of Armenian litera-

ture, and proved a powerful factor in the

upbuilding of the national spirit.

The first monument of this Armenian

literature is a version of the Holy Scrip-

tures.

Mesrop Mashtots is buried in Oshakan,

a village 8 km southwest from Ashtarak.

Don’t miss!

Sign up for Armenian Church

Summer Camp

A C Y O

Page 3 غð ºÎºÔºòÆÜ OUR CHURCH

EVENTS REVIEW

Carolon Nigosian Receives the Archbishop’s Award

The 83rd Annual Diocesan Assembly was held in

Burbank, California on April 28th thru May 1st. The

highlight of the weekend was the Gala Banquet, at which time the Primate, His Eminence Hovnan

Derderian, recognized individuals for their years of loyal and steadfast dedication to their Church and

parish. The Primate expressed his pride in the honorees, stating "giving is a Virtue". There were

12 Archbishop’s Awards given and we were truly blessed to have one of the recipients our very own

Parish Council Chairperson, Mrs. Carolon Nigosian. Attending the Gala were Der Hayr Krikor Za-

karyan, Yeretskin Anoush, Sonia Matosian, Chair-lady of the Ladies Society, delegate and member of

the Parish Council, also present was Alice Safoyan,

member of the Parish Council and delegate. All members of Carolon's family were in attendance

with hundred's of guest. The Primate acknowledged Carolon's many

years of commitment to the Church, serving in

different capacities throughout the years. Her organizational skills, her knowledge of computers

and her abilities in design graphics, and bookkeep-ing, have been valuable in her work for the Church.

As Chair of the Parish Council she has also taken on the responsibilities of acting Chair of the Build-

ing Committee. She has been the driving force in

efforts toward obtaining the required permits to

continue with the construction of the Church in the Desert. We wish her well and continuing success

for all future endeavors. “Congratulations Carolon, we are all truly proud

of you for being recognized by the Archbishop and bringing honor and recognition to our parish.”

Alice Safoyan

On June 18 & 19, 2010 the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Desert

will host an ACYO (Armenian Church Youth Organization) retreat.

Representatives from different ACYO chapters throughout the Western Diocese will take part at this event which is going to be not only fun,

but also spiritually renovating.

The retreat is a very good opportunity for the Armenian youth of the Desert to make new friends and establish new social

contacts. We encourage and invite all our youth to take part at this retreat, to get acquainted with your Church and have unforgettable moments.

Champagne Brunch

On May 15th, 2010 the Ladies Society hosted a won-

derful “Champagne Brunch” at the Kirkjan Family Hall.

About forty people were in attendance and enjoyed the

beautifully arranged and tasty food, which consisted of

salads, shrimp, various egg dishes, ham, roast beef

and pastries. Everyone also enjoyed the champagne

and mimosa cocktails.

Sonia Matossian and Mary Mkrtchian chaired the

event and also had the great support of Koko and Silva

Mazmanian, Tammy Kirkjan, Virginia Matossian and

Mary Vartanian.

The co-chairlady of the Ladies Society, Sonia Matos-

sian, invited Etchmiadzin Children's Fund Chairlady

Gayane Tatoulian, who also made a presentation of

their mission. Several parishioners were extremely

moved and generously donated towards their charita-

ble needs.

In the future the Ladies Society is going to host

similar social events, and we encourage all of you to

come and enjoy the hospitality of the Armenian Apos-

tolic Church of the Desert.

Page 4 غð ºÎºÔºòÆÜ OUR CHURCH

Church Calendar and Events

JUNE 2010

Sun Mo Tue We Thu Fri Sat

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12

13 14 15 16 17 18 19

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

27 28 29 30

DIVINE LITURGY

11:30 AM Feast of Mother

See of Holy

Etchmiadzin

LADIES

SOCIETY

MONTHLY

MEETING

6:30 PM

ANNOUNCEMENTS

OUR CHURCH’S E-MAIL IS ALWAYS OPEN FOR YOUR

QUESTIONS, IDEAS, CONCERNS, REQUESTS, GOOD/BAD NEWS, ETC.

If you would like Der (Rev. Fr.) Krikor to visit for a home

blessing or any other reason, contact the Church office

at 1 (760) 773-2155

THANK YOU

DIVINE

LITURGY

11:30 AM

DIVINE LITURGY

11:30 AM Primate’s

Pastoral Visit

DIVINE LITURGY

11:30 AM Commemoration of

St. Sahak &

St. Mesrop

The Armenian Apostolic Church of the Desert

thanks Mrs. Silva Segrist for the

donation of $1500 in memory of her parents.

This donation was made towards preparing new

liturgical vestments for Der Krikor.

May God Bless your family and you Silva and

grant peace to the souls of your parents.

The Armenian Apostolic Church of the Desert

thanks Mrs. Freda Berberian for

the donation of variety of liturgical utensils to our

Church.

May God Bless you Freda.

BIBLE

STUDY

6 PM

BIBLE

STUDY

6 PM

ACYO

RETREAT

Come and join

Fr. Krikor’s Bible study

Every second and fourth Thursday at 6 pm Kirkjan Familly Hall

EVERYBODY IS WELLCOME

Dear Friends, we invite you to become part of the history of the Armenian

Apostolic Church of the Desert by having a BRICK engraved with your

name or the name of a loved one. The Bricks will be laid in a pathway that will lead to the Church. The proceeds from the bricks will go toward the

construction and completion of the Church which promises to be an Architectural Landmark in the Desert, a Spiritual Home for the Faithful

and an accomplishment of tremendous Pride to all Armenians.

Thank you for your support and may God Bless you all.

Rev. Fr. Krikor Zakaryan & Parish Council

For more information talk to a PC member or call the Church office at 1 (760) 773 2155

Hosted by the

LADIES SOCIETY

BINGO + POKER $10/PERSON

$5 BUY IN FOR BINGO

$15 BUY IN FOR POKER

friday, june 11, 2010

Kirkjan family hall GAME NIGHT

On Sunday, June 20th, 2010

His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate will honor us by paying a pastoral visit to

the Armenian Apostolic Church of the Desert. Surpazan’s mission is to promote the very important “Stewardship Program” related with the muster of a new generation young clergy to serve throughout

the Churches of the Western Diocese.

BE WITH US, SUPPORT THE MISSION

LADIES

SOCIETY

EXECUTIVE

BOARD MEETING

6:30 PM

KIRKJAN HALL

GAME NIGHT

Page 5 غð ºÎºÔºòÆÜ OUR CHURCH

BUSINESS CORNER

Prestige Auto Design & Body Inc.

Prestige Motor Car •Auto Body & Paint

• The Collision Repair & Paint Specialists • Insurance Claims

401 Radio Rd. • C-16 • Palm Springs, CA 92262 Phone 1 (760) 325-1657, Koko Tutunjian

Special discounts for Church members !!!

UPCOMING

ARMENIAN APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF THE DESERT

38-900 VISTA DUNES ROAD

RANCHO MIRAGE, CA 92270

NON-PROFIT

ORGANIZATION

U. S. POSTAGE

PAID PERMIT No. 27

PALM DESERT, CA 92260

The “OUR CHURCH/غð ºÎºÔºòÆÜ” Newsletter is published once a month by the

Armenian Apostolic Church of the Desert 38-900 VISTA DUNES RD • RANCHO MIRAGE • CA 92270 • PHONE (760) 773-2155 • FAX (760) 773-2755 • E-MAIL: AACOD@LIVE.COM

Editor Der (Rev. Fr.) Krikor Zakaryan The deadline for all articles is fifteenth (15th) of each month

Parish Priest/President of all Church Organizations Der (Rev. Fr.) Krikor Zakaryan Parish Council Chairlady, Carolon Nigosian • Vice-Chairman, V. J. Mkrtchian • Treasurer, Alice Safoyan • Recording Secretary, Lillie Merigian • Membership, Armen Karimyan

Corresponding Secretary/ACYO Chairman, Chris Markarian • Fundraising, Rita Walden & Mary Vartanian • Ladies Society Co-Chairlady/PC Advisor, Sonia Matossian • LS Co-Chairlady Rosalie Kalamian

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