
St. Nersess Armenian Seminary will take its popular youth conferences and its commitment to faith, learning and prayer on the road this fall to Philadelphia. The sister churches of Philadelphia--Holy Trinity Armenian Church (Cheltenham, PA) and Sts. Sahag and Mesrob (Wynnewood, PA)--will host the weekend.
On October 15-17, 2004 the seminarians, accompanied by the Dean, Fr. Daniel Findikyan, and by the Director of the Seminary's Youth Conferences, Rev. Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian, will offer a full weekend of spiritual and educational activities for all ages. Friday night Fr. Daniel will give an illustrated presentation on "The Divine Liturgy in a Changing World: Traditional Worship, New Insights" at Holy Trinity Armenian Church in Cheltenham.
Saturday the venue shifts to Wynnewood, where a mini St. Nersess conference for High School and College students will be poured into an all-day event at Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church. Frs. Daniel and Stepanos, joined by the seminarians, will lead a full day of discussions, activities and Bible Study on the topic: "The Armenian Church: Security for your Inner Homeland."
On Sunday the Seminary's forces will be divided among the two Philadelphia-area sister churches for the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.
The respective pastors of the two parishes, Rev. Fr. Tateos Abdalian and V. Rev. Fr. Haigazoun Najarian, will participate in the weekend's events, as well as St. Nersess alumni from the greater Philadephia. Representatives of the Diocesan Council (Eastern) and the Seminary's Board of Directors are also expected to be on hand.
Last Spring the Seminary conducted a hugely successful "St. Nersess Weekend" at St. John's Armenian Church in Southfield, Michigan. "People in Detroit are still talking about that weekend," said the pastor, Fr. Garabed Kochakian. "The weekend of activities generated so much enthusiasm that our parish council has decided to make this an annual event." Next year's "St. Nersess Weekend" in Detroit is scheduled for April 8-10, 2005.
Registration information and further details of the St. Nersess Weekend in Philadlphia will appear shortly in the parish publications of the Holy Trinity and Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Churches and on the St. Nersess website.
To schedule a "St. Nersess Weekend" in your parish or region, or two invite a speaker to visit from St. Nersess, contact the Seminary.