St. Mary Armenian Church Hosts 3rd Annual Food & Music Festival
St. Mary Armenian Church Hosts 3rd Annual Food & Music Festival
“Overcast with thunderstorms and rain showers. Breezy; Chance of rain 90%.”
By Robyn & Doug Kalajian
FLArmenians Cuisine Contributors
That was the weather forecast for Saturday, April 21, 2012, the first day of St. Mary Armenian Church Food and Music Festival in Cooper City, Florida.
Did the threat of miserable weather keep the faithful and hungry from attending? Not in the least! It did, unfortunately, affect the children’s outdoor activities – sorry kids!
The church’s fellowship hall was buzzing with activity – live music was provided by ‘The Mediterraneans’, and a DJ filled in during their breaks; fortunes were being read in Armenian coffee cups in the ‘café’, guests purchased trinkets, food to-go, and a sundry of other products. (Yes, I bought another cookbook; couldn’t help myself!)
Doug and I went with two of our ‘odar’ (non-Armenian) buddies, Bonnie and David, who love Armenian food. We dined on lule kebab, pilaf, cheese boregs, lahmajoun, yalanchi, kufteh, hummus, babaganoush, eech, Armenian coffee, and assorted desserts. We rolled out of the hall with huge smiles on our faces!
I understand that Father Vartan Joulfayan, pastor of St. Mary Armenian Church, used his special blend of herbs and spices to season the kebab in preparation for the feast. As guests arrived he greeted them with a warm welcome, and as the pace picked up in the hall, he pitched right in and bussed tables. As we were leaving, Father Vartan was taking photos of the hard-working women who took a moment to link arms and dance behind the food service counter. (Talk about an uplifting atmosphere!)
We’re so glad we didn’t let an ominous weather forecast prevent us from attending another delicious Armenian Food and Music Festival in south Florida!
St. David Armenian Church Honors Archdeacon Nick Potookian
St. David Armenian Church Honors Archdeacon Nick Potookian
Boca Raton, FL – On Sunday, April 22, St. David Armenian Apostolic Church hosted parishioners for a special award ceremony and luncheon to honor Archdeacon Nick Potookian for his fervent dedication & outstanding commitment to the service of our Church. Very Reverend Fr. Nareg Berberian, Pastor of St. David Armenian Church, presented the award on behalf of the Parish Council. He expressed his heartfelt gratitude to Potookian for his faithful service on the Holy Altar every Sunday, noting that he was one of the best deacons we have had at St. David during his pastorate.
Potookian’s daughter, Doreen A. McCord, spoke very highly of her father, expressing how wonderful he is and always diligently focused on providing for his family since he came to America from Jerusalem where he was born in 1932. After working at the United Nations in New York City, he moved to Florida in 1994 where he started serving in St. David Armenian Church. He was ordained a Deacon by His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian. Mrs. Anna Damirjian, a long-time close friend, also extolled her praises emphasizing his humility and good nature. Sub-Deacons Brian Adamian and Gregory Merjian gave their testimonies of how Mr. Potookian is so helpful on the altar and makes them feel very comfortable. In addition to serving in the church, Potookian is a past master of a Masonic Lodge, Belleville Lodge No. 108, F. & A.M., in Belleville, New Jersey. While in Florida, he received the Hyram Award, the highest award in Masonic Lodge. He is a past Commander of the Knights of Vartan. He is also the Captain of the Citizens Observer Patrol in the community where he lives.
South Florida Armenian Community Gathers at St. David Armenian Church for Easter Celebration
SOUTH FLORIDA ARMENIAN COMMUNITY GATHERS AT ST. DAVID ARMENIAN CHURCH FOR EASTER CELEBRATION
Boca Raton, FL – On Sunday, April 8, the South Florida Armenian-American community gathered at St. David Armenian Church to celebrate Easter Sunday, reported Florida Armenians (FLArmenians). The sanctuary was filled to capacity and the adjoining Church hall accommodated 500 people so that all could participate in the day’s service, festivities and celebration. Led by Very Reverend Fr. Nareg Berberian, Pastor of St. David Armenian Church, parishioners came with their families and friends to celebrate the most important feast day in the Armenian Christian faith.
“I am pleased to see almost 700 people gather together in our Sanctuary to celebrate the Feast of the Glorious Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. With Christ, our souls are resurrected and in Christ our hearts are created anew. I encourage all our congregants to become more active in sharing their God-given talents and gifts with our Church community, especially since this year has been designated as the year of the ‘Lay Ministry.'”
Holy Week is the most important week of the Church calendar and St. David Armenian Church held religious activities in the days leading up to Easter Sunday. As is tradition in the Armenian church, the greeting “Krisdos haryav ee merelotz” (Christ is risen from the dead) is used on the joyous day of Easter, followed by the response “Orhnyal eh harouteunn Krisdosi” (blessed is the resurrection of Christ).
“It was wonderful to see so many of our community come out to celebrate this day,” stated Parish Council member Carol Norigian. “As our parish continues to grow, the St. David Armenian Church Parish Council is pleased to continue serving our vibrant south Florida community,” stated Norigian.
Florida Armenians 