“Movses Khorenatsi” Award

March 27 is International Theatre Day. Each year on this date the president of Armenia recognizes the worthy and grants them awards.
On March 27, 2009 the director of Armenian Evangelical Torosian School’s “Yeraz” Drama Group was granted the “Movses Khorenarsi” award.
Congratulations to the worthy director Mr. Robert Arakeian.

Rev. Krikor Aghabaloghlu: "The comfort brings heaviness upon the man. It brings sleep."

USA Armenian Life: Courageous Reverend of the Armenians, during your sermons, you empower and encourage Christianity, courageous Christianity, active Christianity to which the Armenian people have been attached. What message would you like to relay to the Armenian Americans and, for that matter, to the entire Diaspora Armenians?

Rev. Krikor Aghabaloghlu: Brother, now, in a foreign country, the people are comfortable. The comfort brings heaviness upon the man. It brings sleep. Now we are over there, in a Muslim country. There is always a watcher. They keep you awake.

And you exert effort to stay awake. Here, (in the Diaspora) there is no problem. They come here and they go to sleep. They indulge in European traditions. They submerge into the lifestyle and they get lost!

I do not want the Armenian people to be assimilated in Europe. I do not want to go into oblivion. They should flourish even more. They should be awakened even more. Here, everything is in your hands. You should grab it and use it so that you can introduce and promote the Armenian nation among other nations. This is necessary. That is why I come, and speak courageously with God's grace. I want to encourage people, to awaken them, and to promote unity. That is the most difficult thing, because for many years, there hasn't been a strong organization that could bring us closer, you know.

There is only the Genocide issue. But besides that, we need to know more that we're Armenians.

USA Armenian Life: Meaning that we need to be guided by national awareness.

Rev. Krikor Aghabaloghlu: Aha! Yes! A leader is needed. A strong leader is needed. A Governor is needed. Oh! There is no government. Now, Armenia’s is something new at 16 years of age. Before that, we've been living under other countries’ rules. We should tell them that we would like to become a nation. Yes! Let's earn it!

Now look! The people of Turkey are intelligent. They go to Europe, send money to Turkey. They learn everything and they start working in Turkey. We also must acquire, earn and make Armenia stronger. There is a lone Armenia and there is a lone flag. There is nothing else.

On the other hand, the other objective is to strengthen Christianity, because, our Armenian people are chosen from among other people. We're the first nation that embraced Christ. We feel proud. But if you ask "who's Christ?" the Armenian child does not know. The Armenian family does not know. It's painful for me. How could it be that in a free country, the churches are empty? How could it be that all he churches are empty? You cannot be an Armenian only on April 24 or during a holiday. Our Armenian people have been sacrificed for just being Armenian, for just being Christian. Yet, they have preserved Christianity. They have not said: "Yes, when give up Christ I will win." They haven't! Had they said it, they would have been cursed.

From USA Armenian Life Magazine, an interview by Appo Jabarian

They are called to reach their generation for Christ

As I heard the stories and tried to add value in the area of leadership development I was reminded of this leadership principle: The next great idea to reach people with the Gospel will not come from my generation or the current generation. Oh I can, and so can you, remember way too many meetings and conversations on “that will not work.” My generation introduced the guitar and drums to the platform in the church. Remember those conversations? As I listened to the dreams and ideas of the next generation, I was reminded they are called to reach their generation for Christ. Not my generation or the next generation. So what is the privilege of my or the current generation?

We are to encourage them to try “it.” Whatever “it” means, let them try it in a safe environment that will encourage them whether it is a success or not. They will fail more times than you or I like, but that is how they will learn what will work in the end to reach their generation.

Second, we are to fund their mistakes and that which does work, and fund it well. YES, even in this economy, fund the next generation. Who knows what your support of this generation will accomplish. I do know that the next generation has great ideas and God will use them to reach their generation. By the way, this will give the next generation the example that they can pass on to the next generation. Be a Moses. Pass it on!

Tom Atema

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Torosian School’s YERAZ Drama Group

For the tenth year, one more time Torosian School’s Drama group-“Yeraz”, performed and presented its new play, “Hayreni Doun”

The play was presented on Friday, March 13th 2009 at 11:00 a.m. to students of Armenian Evangelical schools and at 8:00 p.m. to another audience on the Der Melkonian stage, Bourj Hammoud, hosting 900 people in all.

It was a beautiful work of art which embraced songs by the Torosian choir, and different dances by the dance group members, together with the main theme of the play.

An Armenian boy called, Naghash, wishes to leave his home to go out to the world to find a better home. With the help of a clown, he visits Russia, China, New York, Paris and Lebanon. He meets Armenians, attends singing children, dancing groups and gets the advice of leaving that country.
Now, Naghash, comparing all these with his own, prefers to return to his home.

The students were amazingly good in their performance and they enchanted the audience after hard work of 4 months with their director, Mr. Robert Arakelian, the conductor Ms. Negdar Palazian, and the choreographer Mr. Harout Karadjian.

The group is invited to perform in Damascus too.







Sipan School Receives Award from Minister of Science and Education

PARAMUS, N.J.—On March 15, at the annual fundraising event of Sipan Armenian School, Louisa Janbazian, president of the School Board, announced that the school received an Honorary Award from Spitak Seyranyan, the Minister of Science and Education of the Republic of Armenia, “for its legacy of educating and nurturing the young Armenian generation with the Armenian spirit,” and in honor of its 30th anniversary.

The school, Janbazian said, earned this award because of the hard work and dedication of the teachers and principal, Arpi Kevorkian, who teach the students to learn and love the Armenian language and our rich cultural heritage. Janbazian also thanked the Board members, guests and donors for their continued support, and praised the founding members—from the Armenian Evangelical College Students Association of Beirut, Lebanon—some of whom are still on the School Board. Thirty years ago, as new immigrants from Lebanon in New Jersey, this group had the vision to create an environment, outside of the home, where Armenian children could come together to learn their language and history.

Some of the teachers and Board members of the school

Finally, Janbazian thanked James and Maral Sahagian, who graciously hosted the fundraising event at their home in Airmont, N.Y., where the guests spent a lovely afternoon and enjoyed a delicious Lenten luncheon. The proceeds from the event, as well as the generous donations from friends and supporters, will help the school continue with its mission.

The Sipan Armenian School, which meets on Friday evenings at the Armenian Presbyterian Church of Paramus, has pre-nursery to seventh grades. For more information call Principal Kevorkian at (201) 497-5096 or visit the school on Friday evenings between 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. at 140 Forest Ave. in Paramus.

Source: Hayrenik.com

Mission lies at the heart of the church

World Council of Churches