Shoghig Choir performance in Toronto
Mothers’ Day Brunch at Torossian School
In uncertain days, with God’s blessing, our Torossian held its Mothers’ Day Brunch on Tuesday May 6th 2008. This year was a little different since the brunch was not held in Torossian campus; we enjoyed it in George Farah Restaurant, Fanar. We were blessed with the presence of 110 ladies, and a joyful program. The opening statement was made by Mrs. Seta Karageozian followed by a prayer lifted up by Mrs. Vera Sevadjian. The guest speaker was Mrs. Yester Kilaghbian and her topic was a grace to the listeners’ ears. She shed a light on the Mother-child relationship. Two poems were recited in Armenian by a Torossian graduate, Mrs. Silva Zobian, and there was the food, lottery and a game. All in all, the mood was fun and jolly. We thank our Lord in Heavens for caring so much for us as to bless us with such times of joy and sharing.
Torossian School
Torossian School
Der Melkonian Theatre in Bourj Hammoud
Leadership Insight: Volunteerism
By Eddy Ekmekji
http://www.servingbread.net/
LA, USA
An element of doing leadership in ministry is that we are often leading people who are volunteering. People are giving their time and energy beyond their other responsibilities. In my case, I am leading people and calling people into leadership who also have to contend with academics, family, and jobs.
Most of the resources and books on leadership tend to focus on the business world, with metrics that measure success along business lines. In business, a supervisor can give financial incentives for people to perform at a higher level. We can’t (or don’t/shouldn’t) do that in ministry.
Leading “volunteers” is difficult because they have less incentive to stay. If someone did not like our vision or my leadership, she could leave and join another campus ministry or perhaps leave the faith altogether. I have had several experiences in the last ten years where someone in my leadership influence walked away. Some organizations and churches may employ pressure tactics and manipulation to make it more difficult for people to leave, but not only does that violate basic Biblical principles, it rarely works in the long run.
As the church, we do have a rich history of the power of volunteerism. The Church is built on the back of “volunteers.” And though the model of church congregations and leadership shortly after World War 2 tended to focus on a pastor doing all the work while the congregation consumed the product that the pastor produced, the tide is turning with more focus on the congregation doing the ministry of God.
For example, at the church I grew up in, the bulletin cites the various leaders of the church. It begins with “Ministers: The entire church”. I think what’s helpful of the emerging church movement is that (at it’s best) it focuses on a community of people doing the work of God rather than focusing on a paid pastor to do that work.
What I am learning about leading volunteers is that there still needs to be an incentive for a volunteer to lead. And that incentive is not monetary or anything that I can offer, but it is God and the goodness of God. In my leadership, I have to create space for people to hear from God and to be excited for the things of God. The best accountability then comes in their desire to know God deeper rather than in anything I can offer them to do their best.
Second, I am learning to listen to people. It is easier for me to set forth my agenda of how I want people to “step up” than to hear how they want to minister. When I create space to hear what moves people and how they want their lives to matter, it allows me to come alongside them and help them articulate and discern God’s calling on their life.
Third, I am learning to learn more about leadership from the organization that knows how to empower volunteers–the church. A couple years ago, Bill Hybels wrote The Volunteer Revolution. But the revolution has been happening for the last 2000 years. One of my historical mentors has been John Wesley. His ministry is but one example of the ways someone empowered volunteers to ministry and bring transformation to their society.
Praise God for the disciples of past, present and future who love Jesus and the mission of God far more than any incentive that could be offered to them!
http://www.servingbread.net/
LA, USA
An element of doing leadership in ministry is that we are often leading people who are volunteering. People are giving their time and energy beyond their other responsibilities. In my case, I am leading people and calling people into leadership who also have to contend with academics, family, and jobs.Most of the resources and books on leadership tend to focus on the business world, with metrics that measure success along business lines. In business, a supervisor can give financial incentives for people to perform at a higher level. We can’t (or don’t/shouldn’t) do that in ministry.
Leading “volunteers” is difficult because they have less incentive to stay. If someone did not like our vision or my leadership, she could leave and join another campus ministry or perhaps leave the faith altogether. I have had several experiences in the last ten years where someone in my leadership influence walked away. Some organizations and churches may employ pressure tactics and manipulation to make it more difficult for people to leave, but not only does that violate basic Biblical principles, it rarely works in the long run.
As the church, we do have a rich history of the power of volunteerism. The Church is built on the back of “volunteers.” And though the model of church congregations and leadership shortly after World War 2 tended to focus on a pastor doing all the work while the congregation consumed the product that the pastor produced, the tide is turning with more focus on the congregation doing the ministry of God.
For example, at the church I grew up in, the bulletin cites the various leaders of the church. It begins with “Ministers: The entire church”. I think what’s helpful of the emerging church movement is that (at it’s best) it focuses on a community of people doing the work of God rather than focusing on a paid pastor to do that work.
What I am learning about leading volunteers is that there still needs to be an incentive for a volunteer to lead. And that incentive is not monetary or anything that I can offer, but it is God and the goodness of God. In my leadership, I have to create space for people to hear from God and to be excited for the things of God. The best accountability then comes in their desire to know God deeper rather than in anything I can offer them to do their best.
Second, I am learning to listen to people. It is easier for me to set forth my agenda of how I want people to “step up” than to hear how they want to minister. When I create space to hear what moves people and how they want their lives to matter, it allows me to come alongside them and help them articulate and discern God’s calling on their life.
Third, I am learning to learn more about leadership from the organization that knows how to empower volunteers–the church. A couple years ago, Bill Hybels wrote The Volunteer Revolution. But the revolution has been happening for the last 2000 years. One of my historical mentors has been John Wesley. His ministry is but one example of the ways someone empowered volunteers to ministry and bring transformation to their society.
Praise God for the disciples of past, present and future who love Jesus and the mission of God far more than any incentive that could be offered to them!
Our Chanitz Riddle Winner
You can find the riddle here: http://www.chanitz.com/2008/04/riddle-me-this.html
7 people participated out of which 6 people had answered correctly. 3 were from outside Lebanon and 3 from Lebanon.
We had to pick a winner and we had a ballot just yesterday during mother's father's day event. We asked Mrs. Pauline Aynilian to pick a name out of the closed ballot and Mrs. Sevan Balabanian (USA) came out as the winner.
Congratulations and we hope many would participate and will become winners.
The prize is from Sulahian Super Store. For 20$ the winner will be able to buy anything from the store.
7 people participated out of which 6 people had answered correctly. 3 were from outside Lebanon and 3 from Lebanon.
We had to pick a winner and we had a ballot just yesterday during mother's father's day event. We asked Mrs. Pauline Aynilian to pick a name out of the closed ballot and Mrs. Sevan Balabanian (USA) came out as the winner.
Congratulations and we hope many would participate and will become winners.
The prize is from Sulahian Super Store. For 20$ the winner will be able to buy anything from the store.
General Knowledge Contest on the Book of Acts
The General Knowledge Contest event, that has become an annual event, took place on Saturday 10 May, 2008. Despite the alarming situation, almost everyone came to church, where the contest among 5 groups were to take place.
They were:
Junior Youth (M. Hagopian, J. Kozman-Ohanian, M. Ibitian, H. Gojigian, R. Chilingirian), Youth (S. Ohanian, S. Demirjian, A. Kazezian, M. Jertidian),
Sunday School (A. Kazezian, M. Chilingirian, A. Torkomian, A. Tahazian),
Ladies (digin Ani, digin Sossy, oriort Shake, digin Bakalian),
HokaKhnam (Mr. S. Svajian, Mr. A. Churukian, Mrs. A. Mazmanian, Mr. G. Aroyan),
and this year the new thing was the coming together of a new group to form the Free Group (Ms. M. Markarian, Ms. A. Markarian, Ms. S. Boyajian, Ms. V. Kalousdian, Mr. H. Avedanian).
The pastor Rev. H. Svajian opened the contest and after presenting the jury (Ms. V. Balkjian and Ms. A. Baboghlanian) and the host (Ms. Sh. Geocherian), the clock started ticking and the questions starting pouring, and the teams started to feel the adrenalin. It was a heated and very close competition, specially between the Youth and Ladies teams for the 1st and 2nd place, and between the Junior Youth and Free Group for the 3rd and 4th place. In the end, the Chanitz Youth team snatched the first place, and they deserved the victory, since they were able to answer almost all the questions.
They were:
Junior Youth (M. Hagopian, J. Kozman-Ohanian, M. Ibitian, H. Gojigian, R. Chilingirian), Youth (S. Ohanian, S. Demirjian, A. Kazezian, M. Jertidian),
Sunday School (A. Kazezian, M. Chilingirian, A. Torkomian, A. Tahazian),
Ladies (digin Ani, digin Sossy, oriort Shake, digin Bakalian),
HokaKhnam (Mr. S. Svajian, Mr. A. Churukian, Mrs. A. Mazmanian, Mr. G. Aroyan),
and this year the new thing was the coming together of a new group to form the Free Group (Ms. M. Markarian, Ms. A. Markarian, Ms. S. Boyajian, Ms. V. Kalousdian, Mr. H. Avedanian).
The pastor Rev. H. Svajian opened the contest and after presenting the jury (Ms. V. Balkjian and Ms. A. Baboghlanian) and the host (Ms. Sh. Geocherian), the clock started ticking and the questions starting pouring, and the teams started to feel the adrenalin. It was a heated and very close competition, specially between the Youth and Ladies teams for the 1st and 2nd place, and between the Junior Youth and Free Group for the 3rd and 4th place. In the end, the Chanitz Youth team snatched the first place, and they deserved the victory, since they were able to answer almost all the questions.
Emails and Messages...
Mr. Mihran Jizmejian (Canada): "Dear Friends: I was greatly impressed that quite a few of Armenian Evangelical Youth leaders had taken part in the leadership program provided. May I suggest that those leaders are provided with a copy of my recently published book, from the office of the M.E. Union, titled Արթնցուր Ներսիդիդ Գտնուող Առաջնորդը "Artenxour nersitit kednevogh arachnorte" Awaken the leader within."
Bob Shackelford (USA): writing about Rev. Varkes Kassouni, "Greetings to a wonderful fellow I first met in college in the 1950s."
Len Titizian (Kessab, Syria): "Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, thank you for adding me as a reader to your important news. May God thourougly bless your mission."
Houry Dora Apartian-Friedli (Switzerland): "I have missed alot being around you, and i am glad you always keep me updated ... thank you and God Bless You All."... "I am glad you found this way of keeping us all in the family from near and far."
Philip Tavlian (USA): wrote to us about their event and Rev. AghabalOghlu's visit to First Armenian Presbyterian Church.
Anahid Artinian Jamgotchian (Saudi Arabia): "Thank you for the Blog. Thank you for including the April 24. Միացեալ Պաշտամունք՝ Հայոց Ցեղասպանութեան 93-Ամեակին. The message was very profound. It was almost like being there in person.
Keep up the good work."
Dr. Gevork Kherlopian (USA): "Dear Editors: I read you paper with great satisfaction.It carries me back to my childhood and youth. It also nourishes me with religious and intellectual values. I pay special attention to articles dealing with the issues our churches are facing today. I think we need to be more cautious and with more understanding of the contemporary problems all Churches and Christianity is forced to face all over the world."
Haig Darakjian, commenting on the article title "The Role of the Layperson in the Armenian Evangelical Church": I definitely agree with God's sovereignty and his power. But I think Rev. Bakalian is discussing something else. He is pointing out the problem that the "clergy" does all the work of ministry when the Bible clearly says that the ministry is for every single Christian to do. We just went over this in one of my classes! Ephesians 4:11-12 says, "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ." The job of the pastors is to "equip" the saints so that the Saints can all participate in ministry. Thank God for that...or else pastors would be completely burnt out. What a great system God has created. Thank you for this article, Rev. Bakalian.
Sevan Balabanian (USA): "I check the blog about 2-3 times per week. I feel part of your ministry. God bless you, you are brave Chanitzagans. God bless you."
Bob Shackelford (USA): writing about Rev. Varkes Kassouni, "Greetings to a wonderful fellow I first met in college in the 1950s."
Len Titizian (Kessab, Syria): "Dear sisters and brothers in Christ, thank you for adding me as a reader to your important news. May God thourougly bless your mission."
Houry Dora Apartian-Friedli (Switzerland): "I have missed alot being around you, and i am glad you always keep me updated ... thank you and God Bless You All."... "I am glad you found this way of keeping us all in the family from near and far."
Philip Tavlian (USA): wrote to us about their event and Rev. AghabalOghlu's visit to First Armenian Presbyterian Church.
Anahid Artinian Jamgotchian (Saudi Arabia): "Thank you for the Blog. Thank you for including the April 24. Միացեալ Պաշտամունք՝ Հայոց Ցեղասպանութեան 93-Ամեակին. The message was very profound. It was almost like being there in person.
Keep up the good work."
Dr. Gevork Kherlopian (USA): "Dear Editors: I read you paper with great satisfaction.It carries me back to my childhood and youth. It also nourishes me with religious and intellectual values. I pay special attention to articles dealing with the issues our churches are facing today. I think we need to be more cautious and with more understanding of the contemporary problems all Churches and Christianity is forced to face all over the world."
Haig Darakjian, commenting on the article title "The Role of the Layperson in the Armenian Evangelical Church": I definitely agree with God's sovereignty and his power. But I think Rev. Bakalian is discussing something else. He is pointing out the problem that the "clergy" does all the work of ministry when the Bible clearly says that the ministry is for every single Christian to do. We just went over this in one of my classes! Ephesians 4:11-12 says, "And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ." The job of the pastors is to "equip" the saints so that the Saints can all participate in ministry. Thank God for that...or else pastors would be completely burnt out. What a great system God has created. Thank you for this article, Rev. Bakalian.
Sevan Balabanian (USA): "I check the blog about 2-3 times per week. I feel part of your ministry. God bless you, you are brave Chanitzagans. God bless you."
Bourj Hammoud Municipality Square
Sunday School teachers participate in World Vision Training
On 2, 3 and 4 May, Mr. M. Chilingirian and Mr. A. Torkomian, who serve in the Sunday School as teachers, participated in the 3-day seminar in Adma, that was organized by World Vision, YFC and Grain de Blé. Also, Ms. N. Shanlian and Mr. S. Kelougian (from Armenian Evangelical Ashrafieh Church), and Mr. Vazken and Ms. Tunberian (from Armenian Evangelical Anjar Church).
We remember from the teachers, Ms. K. Chennozian and Mr. J. Sagherian who gave lectures.
We remember from the teachers, Ms. K. Chennozian and Mr. J. Sagherian who gave lectures.
Armenian Evangelical Shamlian Tatikian Secondary School comes out victorious
The football team of Shamlian Tatikian left many open-mounted when they won the LEVAM cup, among the rest of the Armenian schools in Lebanon.
For more info: http://shamlian-tatikian.blogspot.com/
For more info: http://shamlian-tatikian.blogspot.com/