News from The BOT

Dear Brothers and Sisters In Christ,

Over the past several months we’ve been very busy at St. Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church! Our Sunday School put on a terrific Christmas Pageant which was followed by a wonderful Christmas Party sponsored by the families of the Sunday School. Santa also dropped by to give all the good boys and girls presents! We brought in the New Year with a glorious Christmas Celebration on Friday January 6th, with the Blessing of the Holy Water Service and a fabulous Luncheon sponsored by the Board of Trustees.

This feast is the commemoration of the birth and the baptism (Nativity & Theophany) of Jesus Christ. He was born in a stable in Bethlehem, near Jerusalem City, but He was baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. The Armenian Church celebrates both the birth and the baptism of Jesus Christ on the same day, the 6th day of January. Even though Jesus was baptized when He was almost thirty years old (Luke 3:23), His baptism is celebrated on the same day as His birthday, according to Church Tradition, because both reveal him to be the Son of God. For this reason this feast is called Nativity and Theophany, which means "revelation as God."  When Jesus was baptized, He prayed to His Father, and as He came out of the water Heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit of God descended upon Him like a dove. And a voice came from Heaven which said, “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). By these words, the divinity of Jesus Christ was revealed to the world. In the beginning all Christian Churches celebrated both Christmas and the baptism of Christ on the same day, the 6th day of January, as the Armenian Church still does today, while the other churches have adopted different practices.

We have a very busy schedule over the next few weeks and I expect to see everyone make a “good” effort to attend! 

Friday Febuary 11, 2017 @ 6pm Dyaruntarach Service / Bon Fire
Sunday Febuary 12, 2017 St. Gregory Armenian Church 47thAnniversary - POSTPONED until May 21, 2017 (see calendar)
Tuesday Febuary 14, 2017 6pm Men’s Club Dinner
Sunday Febuary 19, 2017 Presentation by Knights of Vartan
(On St. Vartan & the Vartanants Battles)
Saturday Febuary 25, 2017 @ 6pm Poon Pare’g’entan Dance - CANCELLED
 Sunday Febuary 26, 2017 ARS Memorial Coffee Hour


Friday March 3, 2017 6pm Lental Dinners & Service Begins
(Weekly on Friday’s until April 7th)
Saturday March 4, 2017 @ 6pm 121th ANNIVERSARYCELEBRATION LOWELL ARF AHARONIAN GOMIDEH (Tribute to Tom Vartabedian)
Sunday March 5, 2017 Annual General Meeting(Luncheon provided by the BOT) 
Sunday April 9, 2017 ARS Arax Chapter Palm SundayDinner 

The beginning of 2017 represents that our dues need to be paid. As you know, our Church depends on membership dues in order to maintain our church’s financial stability.  Dues paid on time help the Church budget and pay its bills on time and manage the unforeseen events that impact our finances. For our non-member friends, please consider joining and be part of a vibrant, spiritual and growing community.

As you may have heard, we also have an online system in place that enables our parishioners to donate regularly via our website during the course of the year even when they are unable to attend church. More and more members of the congregation are taking advantage of easy payment options as a result of the implementation of the Vanco Program. www.saintgregory.org/giving

For those of you who have already paid their yearly dues and have pledged, we thank you. We encourage all others to make their 2016 dues payment to our church community and to either pay in full or begin making payments on your 2017 dues. Please know that we are asking you for a commitment to our Lord as well as to His Church. We suggest that you would prayerfully consider this dues and pledge request as soon as possible. As always, let's not forget what Saint Paul the Apostle of Christ reminds us on giving:
"Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Corinthians 9:6-7)
Greg Afarian
​Chairmain, Board of Trustees