Did you ever notice how quickly things get old or outdated?

Did you ever notice how quickly things get old or outdated?

I thought about this the other day as I taught my class at a Christian college. They’re on the cutting edge by providing a laptop computer for each student. It wasn’t too long ago when it was innovative for a college to have computers for students in the library. Then it was cutting edge to provide them for dorm rooms. But someday even personal laptops will become obsolete as well.

Everything man creates will eventually go out of date. Everything gets old. Everything, that is, but the gospel. The gospel is over 2,000 years old. And though there have been a lot of updated Bible translations, the gospel is still as relevant today as it was when it was written.

The gospel is this: Jesus Christ came to earth, lived a perfect life, gave up His life by being sacrificed on a cross, was buried in a borrowed tomb, and was raised from the dead 3 days later (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Because He took our punishment for sin on Himself, He can forgive our sins and make us children of God if we put our faith and trust in Him (Acts 13:38-39).

Let the greatest story ever told make you brand-new—forever. It’s the story that never grows old. —Dave Branon

O cleansing Word, O precious Word, Thy promises are true; They are the “Amen” in my life; Thy truths are ever new. —Anon.

The gospel never grows old.

http://www.rbc.org/odb/odb-12-26-07.shtml

CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS

Merry Christmas to all…

Let us place a challenge this year on bringing the true spirit of Christmas and deliver it to all our friends and relatives.

Christmas is about JESUS CHRIST… it is the celebration of JESUS CHRIST’S birthday… so let us remember Him and greet each other accordingly!

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

PS: One more thing to have in mind this year, is NOT to use X-Mass instead of Christmas… that is how u put an X over the word Christ… come on… a few more clicks on the keyboard will not hurt your fingers!!!

Shahe Demirjian


A nun who lived her faith by example


Sister Emmanuelle with Jacques Chirak, President of France

Sister Emmanuelle left her comfortable life in France and went to Cairo, Egypt, and lived for two decades with the poor and the needy, among the zabbaleen (which means garbage collectors in Arabic).

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40

Special Christmas Gift!

"Are you planning to buy children's stories as Christmas Gifts for children? Look no more. . .!"
We found the book for you; it is an ebook! Your child can read the story on his/her computer, on Power Point with sound effects and few animations! If interested call 03-052337 (Ms. Maggie)

This offer is only available in Lebanon. The CDs are available in Armenian, Arabic and English languages.

The Turkish Apology Petition in Various Languages

Arabic
إن ضميري لا يتقبّل أن نظل غير مبالين بالكارثة الكبرى التي حلّت بالأرمن في الإمبراطورية العثمانية عام 1915، وأن ننكرها. إني أرفض هذا الظلم غير العادل وشخصيا أشاطر أخواتي وأخوتي الأرمن أحزانهم ومشاعرهم وأطلب منهم العفو.

Armenian
Իմ խիղճս չ՛ընդունիր 1915-ին Օսմանեան Հայերուն ենթարկուած Մեծ Եղեռնին հանդէպ անտարբերութիւնն ու ուրացումը: Կը մերժեմ այդ անարդարութիւնը, իմ հաշւոյս կը բաժնեմ Հայ եղբայրներուս եւ քոյրերուս զգացումներն ու վիշտը եւ ներողութիւն կը խնդրեմ իրենցմէ:

English
My conscience does not accept the insensitivity showed to and the denial of the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected to in 1915. I reject this injustice and for my share, I empathize with the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers and sisters. I apologize to them.

French
Ma conscience ne peut accepter que l’on reste indifférent à la Grande Catastrophe que les Arméniens ottomans ont subie en 1915, et qu’on la nie. Je rejette cette injustice et, pour ma part, je partage les sentiments et les peines de mes sœurs et frères arméniens et je leur demande pardon.

German
Ich kann es mit meinem Gewissen nicht vereinbaren, dass die Katastrophe, welche die Armenier des Osmanischen Reiches 1915 ereilte, verleugnet und ihr teilnahmslos begegnet wird. Ich lehne dieses Unrecht ab und teile die Gefühle und den Schmerz meiner armenischen Brüder und Schwestern und entschuldige mich bei ihnen.

Greek


Italian
Il mio cuore non accetta il fatto che la gente stia insensibile alla grande tragedia che gli armeni ottomani hanno vissuto nel 1915. Respingo questa ingiustizia e condividendo il loro dolore e sentimento chiedo scusa ai miei fratelli armeni.

Kurdish
Nikarim bédeng û béhistyar bim li hemberî 'Karesata Mezin' ya di sala 1915é di dema Osmaniyan de bi seré Ermeniyén hatî. Û wîjdané min mendelkirina vé bûyeré ranagire, û ez jî napejirînim. Vé bédadiyé ez red dikim, , li tevî êş û kula wan dibim, û bi navé xwe ji birayén xwe yén Ermenî bexşîn û léborîné dixwazim.

Portuguese
A minha consciencia não aceita ficar invisível verso a negação da grande catástrofe que é entendida pelos Armenios do Império Otomano Respingo essa injustiça por minha parte compactuo os sentimentos e do dos meus irmãos e irmãs Armenios. Peço desculpa por eles.

Spanish
Mi conciencia no acepta permanecer impasible ante la negación de la Gran Catastrofe que padecieron los armenos durante el Imperio Otomano. Personalmente denuncio esta injusticia y comparto los sentimientos y sufrimentos de mis hermanos y hermanas armenos a los cuáles les pido perdón.

Turkish academics and newspaper columnists initiate a petition for Apology

ISTANBUL (Combined Sources)--Some 2424 Turks Monday signed a petition apologizing to the Armenian people for what they call the “the great catastrophe” of 1915 on the first day of its launch.

"My conscience does not accept that [we] remain insensitive toward and deny the Great Catastrophe that the Ottoman Armenians were subjected in 1915," read the apology. "I reject this injustice, share in the feelings and pain of my Armenian brothers, and apologize to them."

The petition--the first of its kind--was initiated by some 200 prominent Turkish academics and newspaper columnists.

They say they want to challenge the official denial and provoke discussion in Turkish society about what happened.

The petition is entitled "I apologize", and a short statement at the top rejects what it calls the ignorance and denial in Turkey of what the Ottoman Armenians suffered in 1915.

It is a bold and original step in a country where writer Hrant Dink was killed just last year for openly saying that the events of 1915 were genocide.

Nationalist politicians have condemned the move as an insult to the Turkish nation, and the organizers have received abusive emails.

The petition does not call on the state to apologize for what happened and it deliberately avoids the use of the word “genocide” to describe the events.

But the Turkish academic who dreamed up the idea says he hopes it will spark a proper discussion of what happened and promote empathy for what the Armenians suffered.

Cengiz Aktar called it the responsibility of all Turks to think and talk openly about how, and why, the Armenian people disappeared from a land they inhabited for 4,000 years.

The petition's authors say they have received many encouraging comments.

Istanbul-based Marmara newspaper reported that prominent writer Ferhat Kentil told the Vatan newspaper that an apology to Armenians should come from the government, before any academician or writer.

Turkish nationalists were in a frenzy ever since the plan for the online petition was announced last week.

Former Turkish diplomats, headed by former Turkish Ambassador to the US Sukru Elekdag spearheaded a statement denouncing the move, characterizing it as an insult to Turkey's history.

Christmas Message 2008 from the World Council of Churches

"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory,
the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth."
(John 1:14)

"Glory" is a word, a shout, a song used to express human wonder at the majesty of God. When Jesus was born, angels ascribed "glory to God in the highest heaven" (Luke 2:14), and in the witness of Christ's life on earth "we have seen his glory … full of grace and truth" (John 1:14).

In celebrating Christmas, we recognize the coming of Jesus as the meeting-point of heaven and earth, the means of healing our broken relations with God, overcoming our hostility towards one another and re-kindling our determination to seek peace in this world. "That is," the apostle Paul explained, "in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting the message of reconciliation to us" (2 Corinthians 5:1

Reconciliation is a glorious message. It offers the promise that some wrongs of the past may be set right, the truth may be discovered in all cases, forgiveness may be sought and even ancient enemies may come to live together in mutual respect. It is a message of mercy and hope that reflects the great gift of God’s love in Jesus Christ.

The United Nations has declared 2009 to be the International Year of Reconciliation and has called on societies that have been divided by conflict to adopt reconciliation processes in order to establish firm and lasting peace. Christian churches everywhere, and the World Council of Churches, are supporting this effort through projects and ministries consistent with the ecumenical Decade for Overcoming Violence; Churches Seeking Reconciliation and Peace (2001-2010).

We commit ourselves as Christians, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to this great purpose. And we give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for the opportunity to work for reconciliation with men and women of good will throughout the world, in the spirit of the angels' blessing: "Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth, peace among those whom God favours!"

Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia
General Secretary
World Council of Churches