Anoushavan Archbishop, Prelate and Rev. Fr. Garabed Telfeyan, Pastor, surrounded by choir members, deacons, Board of Trustees and NRA delegates, and visiting members of the Executive Council.
On Sunday, October 3, St. Stephen’s Church of New Britain was blessed with a visit from Archbishop Anoushavan. Accompanying the Prelate were Mr. Hagop Khatchadourian, Executive Council Chairman and Archdeacon from Sts. Vartanantz Church of Providence, Dr. Raffi Manjikian, EC Vice Chairman and NRA Delegate from St. Stephen’s Church of Watertown, and Dr. Mark Dilsizian, Reader from St. Illuminator’s Cathedral of New York
Also serving at the Holy Altar were Archdeacon Edward Varjabedian and Subdeacon Kit Kaolian, and singing in the choir were Susan Shabazian, Alice Gulesserian, Anahid Telfeyan, Daniel Zaborowski, and Danielle Dahbour.
Anoushavan Srpazan’s sermon expounded the day’s Bible readings, proclaiming the values of unity and self-evaluation. “Just like an author who not only writes his book but also reads it and rewrites it, we profit when we take time to re-evaluate ourselves and grow in faith, love, and unity,” the Prelate said. “It profits us to go into our room and close the door and pray, but it profits us even more when we join our voices together as one unity and lift our hymns and prayers to God.”
The Prelate explained some of the difficulties that our brothers and sisters in Lebanon are enduring. Armenian families are living with only a couple hours per day of energy, electricity, gas. Food is scarce and most families, including people who are highly educated professionals, are no longer able to get basic food and clothing and supplies that we take for granted. Money has become devalued by many orders of magnitude. Their life savings have been made worthless. Their only means to put food on the table are relatives from overseas. That is: us. Please visit the Prelacy’s Lebanon fundraising page (https://armenianprelacy.org/donate/lebanon-relief/) to make a regular donation, which will go directly to provide basic sustenance for our brothers and sisters and their children.