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St. Nersess Armenian Seminary
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150 Stratton Road,  New Rochelle, New York 10804

St. Nersess Weekend at St. John's Detroit

April 2, 2005
High School and College Students from St. John Armenian Church, Southfield, MI pose during an all-day mini St. Nersess Conference last year. St. John Armenian Church, Southfield, MI, will host a "St. Nersess Weekend" on April 8-10, 2005. This is the second straight year that the parish is dedicating a week of activities to support St. Nersess Seminary and its ever popular summer conferences for youth.

Armenian Dance to Benefit St. Nersess Scholarship Fund

Hundreds are expected at an Armenian dance which will take place on Saturday, April 9 at 8:00 PM in the church's cultural hall. Proceeds from the dance will go toward a fund intended to provide complete scholarships for St. John's youth to attend the St. Nersess summer conferences.

"Five years ago just two girls attended the summer conferences from St. John's," said Rev. Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian, Director of the Summer Conferences. "They had a wonderful time and when they returned home, they really spread the message. Each year we have had increasing numbers of participants from Detroit," he said. "Last summer, young people from St. John's made up over 10% of the St. Nersess summer conference participants."

The Nigosian Band and a DJ will perform at the dance. The price is $25.00 per person.

All-Day Mini St. Nersess Conference

Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian with youth from Evanston, IL On Saturday, St. Nersess staff and alumni will direct an daylong program for youth entitled, "The Armenian Church: Security for Your Inner Homeland." The program will be conducted by Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian, and the dean, Fr. Daniel Findikyan. Also participating will be Fr. Sarkis Petoyan, a seminary alumnus and pastor of St. John Armenian Church, San Francisco, CA; Jason Demerjian, a seminarians and Director of College Ministry for the Eastern Diocese; as well as the pastor of St. John's, Fr. Garabed Kochakian and his Yeretzgin, Roberta.

Jason Demerjian, Director of College Ministry The Saturday program, which will include discussions, fellowship and fun (and lunch!) is open to high school and college students. Contact hpk619@hotmail.com for further information and reservations.

An Evening for Deacons and Altar Servers

The weekend will begin Friday evening at 6:00 PM with a workshop for deacons and altar servers conducted by thevisiting priests. The workshop will focus on Antasdan, the unique service of Blessing the Four Corners of the World.

Seminary dean Fr. Daniel Findikyan. "This service is conducted several times throughout the year and is unique to the Armenian Church," said Fr. Daniel, who teaches liturgy at the seminary and directs a Deacons' Training Program at St. Nersess each summer. "On Friday evening we will discuss the meaning of this service: where it came from and why we conduct it. We will also review some of the primary chants and practice the processional movements that make up the ceremony." Assisting in the musical portion of the one-hour workshop will be Deacon Rubik Mailian, a St. Nersess graduate who serves as Director of Music at St. John's.

After the workshop, the St. John's altar servers and deacons will be dinner guests of St. Nersess. "At St. Nersess we appreciate the dedication of those who serve at the holy altar and we would like to honor them in this small way," said Fr. Daniel.

In the past year the seminary has sponsored "St. Nersess Weekends" in Southfield, MI, Evanston, IL and Philadelphia, PA. To arrange a seminary visit to your parish write to info@stnersess.edu.