Your Divine Valentine

A Valentine may play a love song
for you, but God sings the sweetest
love song in the universe.

The Lord your God... will rejoice over you
with gladness, He will keep you quiet with
with love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
Zephaniah 3.17

A Valentine may give you flowers,
But God sent you the most beautiful
rose of all, Jesus.

I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily
of the valleys.
Song of Solomon 2.1

A Valentine may take you out to dinner,
but God has invited you to the most
amazing feast ever given.

Blessed are those who are called to the
marriage supper of the Lamb!
Revelation 19.9

A Valentine may bring you chocolate,
but God provides you with something
even sweeter, His Word.

How sweet are your words to my taste,
sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119.103

A Valentine may be far away,
but God is always with you.

I am with you always.
Matthew 28.20

A Valentine may give you something,
but God has given you everything.

God gives us richly all thing to enjoy.
1 Timothy 6.17

A Valentine may love you for a lifetime,
but God loved you before you were borne
and will love you for all eternity!

Yes, I have loved you with an
everlasting love... with loving-kindness
I have drawn you.
Jeremiah 31.3

Holley Gerth

For God So Loved....

Love was in God's eyes, when He looked upon you;
Love was in His voice, when He called you;
Love was in His hands, when He drew you;
Love was in His plans when He led you;
Love was in His heart when He made you His own.

-Roy Lessin, DaySpring Co-Founder

Students For Life...

Finally! After 4 years of dedication, discipline and commitment, we’ve finally arrived. We’ve completed the Leadership Training called EQUIP.

Though the training comprised 15 members at first, only 8 of us got to see the graduation day in the end. Through our intense discussions, different perspectives, sharing from our life stories and experiences, and even arguing against some ideas written by the author, each one of us grew deeper in our faith and understanding of the meaning of leadership.

John Maxwell, the visionary of this magnificent program, saw the need to train leaders based on solid Biblical truth and conviction. He realized that there was great decline in the number of world leaders whose life philosophy was founded upon the principles of the Scriptures.

There were many topics and issues raised within the six books. Some of these topics were the following:
• How to lead different personalities
• How leaders should pray
• How to identify your spiritual gifts
• Communication
• Leading in difficult times
• How to work in a group

This is the first class to graduate from the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church, Amanos. Oh, wait! Shakeh just informed us that there’s a 7th book on its way.

I guess the saying is true after all: “Leaders will always stay students for life.”

Manochil

Musical عرس السما‏

Warm greetings. As many of you know, the Bible Society has been partnering with Voice of Charity radio for the past two years to broadcast daily Bible readings and Bible stories. In that respect, the Bible Society has decided to support Voice of Charity radio by booking one evening of their musical عرس السما exclusively on February 28, 2008.

We are seeking to sell 800 tickets at the regular price (LBP 30,000 / LBP 20,000 / LBP 15,000 / LBP 10,000). By purchasing these tickets, you will be supporting both Voice of Charity and Bible Society equally. Tickets can be found in all our centers and with our staff and volunteers.

Please contact us so that we can send you the desired number of tickets.

Thank you for your support.

THE REV. VARTKES KASSOUNI HONORED FOR 50 YEARS OF ORDAINED MINISTRY

On January 20, 2008, the Rev. Dr. Vartkes Kassouni was honored by Morningside Presbyterian Church of Fullerton with a reception, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of his Ordination to the Christian Ministry. Around 200 people gathered for the occasion. Mr. John DeLoof was the Master of Ceremonies, and the presenter of a PowerPoint projection of the span of Rev. Kassouni’s life and ministry, covering all fifty years. Speakers on behalf of the Armenian community were Mr. Jack Loussararian, Executive Director of the Armenian Evangelical Social Service Center of Glendale, the Rev. Berdj Djambazian, Pastor of Holy Trinity Armenian Evangelical Church of Glendale, and Mr. Ronald Karabian, an Elder and community leader from the First Armenian Presbyterian Church of Fresno. The Rev. Dr. Steve Yamaguchi, Executive Presbyter of the Presbytery of Los Ranchos, spoke on behalf of the Presbyterian Church (USA). Others who shared their thoughts on the occasion were the Rev. Tom Cramer, Associate Pastor, Laguna Hills Presbyterian Church, Ms. Barbara Murphy, Associate Executive Presbyter, Los Ranchos Presbytery, Ms. Sara Caswell, and Mr. and Mrs. George Delanoy, on behalf of the host church. Presentations were also made by his daughter Linda Kassouni Walker, son Timothy Kassouni, and Mrs. Samira Kassouni, his wife, who has labored by his side in all these ministries for over twenty years.

The Rev. Kassouni was ordained on January 20, 1957, by the New York City Association of Congregational Churches in the Armenian Evangelical Church of New York City, which he served as his first parish in 1959. From there he went on to serve the First Armenian Presbyterian Church of Fresno in 1964, and the United Armenian Congregational Church of Los Angeles in 1977. In Fresno he rallied the congregation to go ahead with building plans for a new church complex, successfully building two of their three complexes while with them as pastor. During his years of ministry in these churches he helped bring the Eastern and Western branches of the Armenian Evangelical communities into one Union, along with their youth organizations. He also helped in the formation of Camp AREV and the Armenian Studies Program in Fuller Seminary, Pasadena.

While Moderator of the Union in the East, he helped raise funds for the purchase of a building in Toronto for the first Armenian Evangelical Church in Canada, and presided at the ordination of their pastor, the Rev. Dr. Solomon Nigosian. He was a key participant in the planning and successful opening of the Armenian Evangelical parochial school in America, the Charlotte and Elise Merdinian Armenian Evangelical School of Sherman Oaks, CA. His vision and efforts for a new church in Hollywood for the many new immigrants arriving from Armenia culminated in the formation of the Armenian Evangelical Church of Hollywood in 1982, with the Rev. Abraham Chaparian as pastor. In the early and formative years of the Armenian Assembly of America, Rev. Kassouni was a member of the Steering Committee which later evolved to be its Board of Directors. While in New York City, he served on the Board of Directors of the Armenian Missionary Association of America, of Paramus, N.J., and more recently he served on the Board of Trustees of Christian Aid Mission, centered in Charlottesville, VA.

(in the picture: Marie Chaparian, Jack & Arsha Loussararian, Phyllis and Sam Hamo, Louis Kurkjian at Morningside Presbyterian Church, January 20, 2008 for the celebration in honor of Rev. Vartkes Kassouni for his 50 years of ordained ministry.)
In 1983 Rev. Kassouni had a change in the direction of his ministry, moving on to pastor Presbyterian churches outside of the Armenian community. He served the Palmdale Presbyterian Church, Tustin Presbyterian Church, Christ Presbyterian Church, Huntington Beach, and then was called to the position of Associate Executive Presbyter, Los Ranchos Presbytery in Anaheim, with a constituency of 55 churches. In this capacity he helped organize four new churches including Laguna Niguel, Rancho Santa Margarita, Yorba Linda, and North Huntington Beach. He retired in 1996, but has continued to serve parishes ever since in the capacity of Interim Pastor. These have included First Presbyterian Church of Garden Grove, two years as Interim Executive Presbyter of San Fernando Presbytery, Geneva Presbyterian Church of Laguna Hills, Yorba Linda Presbyterian Church, and most recently, Morningside Presbyterian Church of Fullerton.

Attendees at this reception came from these many parishes and ministries, sharing their love, respect and expressions of congratulations. On this memorable occasion Rev. Kassouni was honored for fifty years of uninterrupted ministry, spanning both the East and West coasts among a score of churches, both Armenian and non-Armenian. His vision and passion is to continue serving where needed for as long as God gives him strength.

The Minister and the Bible

Kuwait, January 2008: The seminar “What the Bible says to the Minister” was recently held in Kuwait in line with the BSG Arabic Program. More than 100 clergy and lay church leaders from the different Arabic speaking congregations in Kuwait attended the seminar. It created an opportunity for the participants to experience the strong “footing” the Bible has in the life and ministry of the church leadership. In his introductory word, Father Yousef Fakhry of the Maronite Church in Kuwait highlighted the word “Minister” within the Biblical text and interpretation. Mr. Yousef Sabry, the Bible Society Arabic program coordinator, delivered two lectures: The understanding of Ministry from the Biblical perspective and The Life of the Minister.
Yousef defined the concepts of calling, purpose in mission, handling resources, the Great Commission, and the implication of the Message, including handling false teachings and interpretations. The seminar dealt with the relations and association of the Church leader to Christ, the Scripture and his/her prayer life.
Sylvia, who attended the seminar on behalf of the Armenian Orthodox church, said, “It was a very effective seminar. Its target was to equip the lay and clergy leadership to serve the church constituencies better. And I think it achieved these goals wonderfully”. Imad, a lay leader in the Catholic Church, said that the timing of the seminar was very good: “As church leadership, we were looking for and exploring new avenues in our ministries. The seminar helped us to be creative and look for new opportunities.”
Virginia, who was recently appointed on the leadership team of the Arabic Evangelical Church, found the seminar very effective: “I realized how important the role of the minister is in his/her church,” she said. Virginia thanked the Bible Society in the Gulf for conducting educational courses and training for enhancement of the church ministry.

We received this news from
Mr. Hrayr Jebejian,
General Secretary - The Bible Society in the Gulf