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"How Armenians Read the Bible" See/Hear Professor Ervine's Lecture NOW

12/18/2009

December 18, 2009

Last Monday evening, Dr Roberta Ervine gave a captivating lecture about how Armenians read the Bible. Using illustrations from the Armenian liturgy and sacred architecture, as well as surprising images from the teachings of the Church's greatvardapets, she challenged Armenian Christians to go deeper into their own tradition of mystical encounter with the divine Scriptures.

The lecture reached a live audience from Boston to Fresno, Minnesota to Florida. We are delighted by the enthusiastic response and look forward to producing more online lectures like this one, making St. Nersess' learning and teaching available to Armenians across the country—perhaps even across the world!

Our ability to continue these programs depends upon friends like you. As we approach the New Year, we are indeed grateful for our ongoing blessings, and we look to the next 50 years of St. Nersess' mission with renewed hope and vigor. This Christmas and New Year season, give us your prayers and your support.

M ake a donation to St. Nersess now, for the Global Classroom. Help us make it happen.

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Streaming Live: "How Armenians Read the Bible" Public Lecture by Professor Roberta Ervine

12/11/2009

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December 11, 2009

Professor Roberta ErvineFor the first time St. Nersess Seminary will broadcast a lecture via live streaming video this Monday, December 14, 2009 at 7:30PM. Dr. Roberta Ervine, Professor of Armenian Studies at the Seminary, will present a lecture entitled, "How Armenians Read the Bible." Those unable to be present for the lecture will be able to view it live via the Seminary's website. The lecture will be broadcast live on USTREAM and will be available at 7:25pm by clicking www.ustream.tv/channel/snaslecture.

Professor Roberta Ervine

Outstanding Learning Opportunities
"Here at St. Nersess we have truly outstanding opportunities for learning and we have long wished to make them available to a wider audience," said Fr. Daniel Findikyan, Dean of the Seminary. "Broadcasting this Monday's lecture will achieve that while serving as a test case for fully interactive internet-based remote learning in the near future."

Our History Comes Alive
Professor Ervine, a specialist in the theological writers of the Armenian Church's great saints and teachers, will explore how Armenians traditionally understood and interpreted sacred Scripture. Ervine is admired for her gripping style of teaching. "When Dr. Ervine teaches about the people and events of Armenian Church history, she draws her audience in," said Archbishop Yeghishe Gizirian, who lives part of the year at the Seminary and serves as the community's spiritual father. "I always feel like our history comes alive," he said.

The Armenian Church Speaks to the World
Monday night's lecture will be the third in the Seminary's 2009-2010 Public Lecture Series, whose theme is The Armenian Church: A Distinctive Christian Voice. Armenian and non-Armenian speakers have been invited to reflect on the Armenian Church's particular experience and view of the Christian faith and its meaning for Armenians and the world at large today. Upcoming speakers will include His Holiness Metropolitan Jonah of the Orthodox Church in America; His Eminence Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim, Patriarchal Vicar of the Syrian Orthodox Church of the Eastern United States; and Fr. Findikyan. The lecture series has been subsidized by the Edward and Anita Essayan Educational Fund of St. Nersess Armenian Seminary.

In a fascinating and spirited presentation three weeks ago, Dr. Maxwell Johnson, Professor of Liturgical Studies at the University of Notre Dame, delivered a lecture at St. Nersess Seminary entitled, The Gift of Armenian Sacramental Theology and Liturgy to the Wider Church. The lecture can be viewed on the Seminary's website.

Those attending Dr. Ervine's lecture will enjoy a reception and fellowship following the talk. Others who choose to participate remotely should go to the Seminary's website, www.stnersess.edu and follow the links there. For further information contact the Seminary at info@stnersess.edu or phone the Seminary office at (914) 636-2003.

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St. Nersess Launches Annual Appeal

12/4/2009

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December 4, 2009

Seminary seeking funds to support ongoing programs as four more students prepare to graduate

New Rochelle, NY – St. Nersess Armenian Seminary has launched its second annual direct appeal campaign reaching out to friends and supporters of the Seminary.

In 1961, Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan had the foresight to open an Armenian Seminary in North America with the intent of educating young men to serve the Armenian Church on these shores. Nearly fifty years later, St. Nersess Armenian Seminary has realized and exceeded this vision.

The Seminary has graduated dozens of priests and lay leaders that serve the Armenian Church today. In fact, four more seminarians are graduating this coming spring. And the largest parishes in the United States are pastored by alumni from St. Nersess. Additionally, this prestigious institution has produced numerous scholarly publications, hosts an extensive global classroom on its website, and supports the largest faculty devoted to Armenian Studies in America.

The Seminary, however, may be the most known for its ever-popular summer and winter youth conferences. Throughout the decades, it is estimated that more than 5,000 youth have participated in these conferences, many of whom are serving our parishes today as Parish Council members, Diocesan delegates, Sunday School and Armenian School teachers, youth advisors and more.

“It is these alumni that we now seek to support this institution which impacted their lives as teenagers through these programs,” said the Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, a summer conference alumnus himself who now serves as the Dean and Professor of Liturgical Studies at St. Nersess. “These conferences and other programs the Seminary conducts are invaluable to the Armenian community helping to preserve and pass on our faith, culture and history in a way that relates to a variety of generations.”

Steve Mekenian, also a conference alumnus who now serves as the treasurer of the Seminary Board of Directors, encourages financial assistance: “It is our duty and also our honor to give back to St. Nersess.” He explains that the costs of operating an Armenian Seminary are substantial, and while expenses have been dramatically reduced in the coming year, it is still not enough. “It is hard to imagine the Armenian community in America without St. Nersess, although that is a real possibility,” said Mekenian. “A majority of our funding comes directly from donations, so I urge you to consider making a generous contribution today or even joining the Guardians or Shepherds of St. Nersess Annual Gifts Program.”

Last year’s appeal brought in $50,000. It is hoped to match and even surpass that figure this year through direct mailings as well as a corresponding online appeal.

To help the Seminary reach this goal, make a secure online donation at www.stnersess.edu/support, call 914-636-2003, or simply mail your tax-deductible donation to St. Nersess Armenian Seminary at 150 Stratton Road, New Rochelle, NY 10804. Please mark in the memo “2009 Annual Appeal.”

Your generous contribution will help to sustain the operations of the Seminary, including many of its successful programs and of course the education of future priests and lay leaders to serve the Armenian Church in North America.

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"How Armenians Read the Bible" See/Hear Professor Ervine's Lecture NOW

Streaming Live: "How Armenians Read the Bible" Public Lecture by Professor Roberta Ervine

St. Nersess Launches Annual Appeal

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Directions to the Seminary

486 Bedford Road
Armonk, NY 10504

(simply input "St. Nersess Armenian Seminary" into Google Maps!)

Contact Us

"How Armenians Read the Bible" See/Hear Professor Ervine's Lecture NOW

Streaming Live: "How Armenians Read the Bible" Public Lecture by Professor Roberta Ervine

St. Nersess Launches Annual Appeal

Archives

Categories

Directions to the Seminary

486 Bedford RoadArmonk, NY 10504​(simply input "St. Nersess Armenian Seminary" into Google Maps!)

Contact Us

486 Bedford Road
Armonk, NY 10504

(simply input "St. Nersess Armenian Seminary" into Google Maps!)