Armenian Church of the Martyrs, Worcester, MA, began Holy Week with a joyful invitation. "The church is fully open! May your heart remember what a great honor and responsibility it is to have the gift of this Armenian Church of The Martyrs, which celebrates the freedom of having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
"This Palm Sunday will be very special. Marilyn Aprahamian will be sharing 'The Old Rugged Cross.' Jonathan and Lisa Papazian will be leading us in praise with a meaningful rendition of 'Man of Sorrow.' Our Director of Music, G. Paul Naeger will accompany us."
Rev. Stephen Carlyle writes: Highlights of 2021 include welcoming faithful missionaries from around the world. Persecuted Christian journalist/pastor Bereket Bairu came and shared how God has took him from the container prison in his homeland of Eritria to where he met Carol Carlyle while she was ministering in prisons in South Sudan in 2015. Never losing hope despite his beatings and false imprisonment, he was released and attended a Bible school founded by the Carlyles in Uganda. Bereket now teaches mathematics in Portland, Maine and is on the path to American citizenship.
Rev. Samuel Knapp was celebrating 70 years of missionary work. It was an honor to share the pulpit with him and his wife Karen. They just returned from Mexico where they have a powerful ministry serving children and doing evangelism. Also serving in Africa, they continue their work with many children’s schools and pastor training.
World class tenor Yeghishe Manucharyan sang on a Sunday morning, the first time he had been able to sing in public since the pandemic began.
Board members Crystal Avakian, Greg Papazian, Michael Soojian, Rev. Stephen Carlyle, and G.Paul Naeger are pictured with Brendan Zubricki, who came to share how God’s healing touch is for us today. He gave his testimony of being healed from stage 4 cancer. All gathered to pray and lay hands on Matthew Naeger as he prepared to attend Eastman School of Music.
Marilyn Aprahamian joyously collected goods and aid for over a month for the veterans in our area. It was truly a blessing to her each week as the congregation came together to honor the veterans and her efforts. May we always honor those who have served our nations to give us freedom.
Lisa and Jonathan Papazian have not only grown in their skills and presentation as part of our worship team, they have drawn closer to God and others as a mother/son worship team and they present beautiful music for our church. Jonathan would like to do a monthly “Jamming for Jesus” monthly gathering.
Our Armenian Church of the Martyrs Worship Team bring the talents of Lisa Papazian on flute, Jonathan Papazian on guitar and singing, Rev. Stephen Carlyle singing, drums and guitar, Matthew Naeger on brass, Michael Naeger on cello, G. Paul Naeger our Director of Music with singing, organ and piano, and his wife Diane Naeger joins us with her beautiful voice.
G. Paul Naeger, Armenian Church of the Martyrs new Director of Music, provides amazing gifting in composing and conducting our services and special programs. Hi original works have been performed in concert halls across the United States and Europe, including New York’s Carnegie Recital Hall and Boston’s famed Jordan Hall. In September 2021, he was named occupant of the B. Aline Blanchard Composer in Residence Chair of the Orchestra on the Hill of Ipswich, MA. Naeger's catalog includes orchestral, chamber, and choral works as well as works for solo voice and solo instruments. He has also written several original works and arrangements at varying levels of difficulty for handbell choir.
As we look forward to this coming year, let us walk not in fear or anxiety, but rather draw from the lessons we have learned from Joshua 1:8-9 ESV.
This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
Come and know that the Lord is good! You can receive Holy Communion in your home or on the first Sunday of the month with Rev. Stephen Carlyle at Armenian Church of the Martyrs.
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