1 Year Anniversary of 9*11

Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others,"

Phillipians 2:3-4

While the events of the past year, at least for a while, disturbed the normal function of our everyday lives, they have, at the same time, been the reason for a spiritual revival among many people who have been reminded in a most grievous way of their utter dependence upon God and His mercy. The words of the spiritual song Der Voghormia have not resonated with such significance since the events of 1915 and more recently in December of 1986 when a tragic earthquake rocked the lands of Armenia.

I know that I would barely have been able to make it through this past year with both world events and my personal life changes including a 9-month separation from my family, if it weren't for the constant refreshment from the personal love that Christ continually showers upon me. It is this intimate communion with Him that allows me to lOok to Him for all that I have, all that I am and all that He would have me do. What we need to learn, often the hard way, is that sometimes only good things can come when God allows bad things to happen.

Just as one year ago we were in turmoil and some were asking where God was in the tragic events, this first anniversary of 911 has transformed us. Now is the time to thank God for preserving us and to ask that He use us as an in- strument both of His Peace and a sign of His ever present love in the world. Remember God did not do these bad things--men did. What God does is preserve and strengthen us reminding us of His immense love for us and His promise to vindicate US with christ's victory.

Before these events, our church very nobly asked, "How can we make the Church significant in the life of every Armenian." We saw, the hard way, how the church is significant. She is our Mother, the source of our life, we are born of Her and we receive the Nourishment of life from Her bosom in the Badarak.

What we ought to ask ourselves now is "How we can be significant in the life o.t our church and in the life of our communities."

St. Mary Armenian Church 200 West Mount Pleasant Avenue Livingston, New Jersey 07039	Phone: 973-533-9794 FAX: 973-992-0458 Email: info@myarmenianchurch.org