Thanksgiving

11/27/23 - offered by Maria Hamparian

Dear loving Father,

Thank you for bringing this precious Bible Study group together with Der Vazken’s guidance to study the life of our divine savior, Jesus Christ.

Here in the U.S, we just celebrated Thanksgiving with families. This is a time to give thanks, pray and count our blessings, even when going through hard times, missing loved ones, and the many struggles we face. As Armenians, we are hurting very much after losing Artsakh recently, and hearing the horrible situations Artsakhtis are in now. We are so grateful for everyone and every organization who are helping them. We pray for love and compassion from lots of the locals who are lacking it now; and we pray for hope for all the forcefully displaced families.

Dear God, thank you for your amazing power and work in our lives. Thank you for your goodness and for your blessings over us. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your sacrifice so that we might have freedom and life.

Forgive us when we don't thank you enough, for who you are, for all you do, and for all you've given. Help us to set our eyes and our hearts on you afresh. Renew our spirits, fill us with your peace and joy. We love you and we need you, this day and every day. We give you praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy! In Jesus' Name, Amen.

For those who have had failed relationships

11/20/23 - offered by Gail Cheleblian

Dear Jesus,
Please be with us during our times of need. Increase our faith. Help us to believe that you are always close to our broken hearts and with us during our pain. Bless and bring close those burden-bearing family and friends who walk lovingly with us through our difficult times. Help us trust that you have good things in store for us, and that you will deliver us despite all that we may have lost. We count on you to help us find new joy and hope for today and tomorrow.

Jesus, you are mighty but gentle. You have compassion for the weak and oppressed. Hold us up in your strength. Please fight for us. Help us to trust that you will make things right with your wisdom at the right time. We know that you love us. You gave your life for us. We surrender and trust our lives to you.

Amen.

Pain in the World

11/14/23 - Offered by Siran Kassabian

Father God, we know there is pain in this fallen world. We ask for your healing over every part of our lives - physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually .We are battling fear and worry at every turn. We don’t know what the future holds ,but we believe you’re holding us and won’t let go . We humble ourselves before you aware of our need for you and believing in your great power.
Father God, give us the courage to face the day and through our own struggle and pain ,help us to be your vessel to offer comfort and strength to others who are hurting.

Fill our hearts and mind with hope and may we understand that the power of your love will bring. Joy and peace into our souls.

We ask in the precious name of Jesus. AMEN!

For Silva, Waiting Parole

11/6/2023

Silva's parole board hearing is tomorrow morning. She has been in prison since 2008

Heavenly Father, Lord our God, we come to You tonight humbly to ask for strength and deliverance of our friend, sister and Your precious daughter Silva.

She has paid her debt and now she asks to be freed, to live out her days in peace with her children and grandchildren, to breathe freely and to walk with the dignity of a child of God. 

You are our refuge. When we put our trust in men, they fail us and let us down. But Your Will is justice. You seek justice for us. You tend to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, and You have assured us that You will take care of us. Let Your justice come today to Silva.

She has cried out for years. Her life has become a model of patience and hope. Her heart is clear this evening, having no malice or contempt for anyone. Give her the strength and wisdom to stand before the parole board. May she radiate the love that You have placed in her heart. Allow her to open her mouth so that Your words flow. May those who suffer hardness of heart melt before Your goodness. May the power of light over darkness, of good over evil and of love over hate be demonstrated, and after this hardship and long suffering may she be released to live in peace and harmony with love and faith. 

We ask in the name of the One who endured the pain and suffering of the world and broke the bonds of Hell, in His name, the name that freed and changes hate to love, in His Holy Name, Jesus Christ, we ask and we pray. Amen.

Prayer for our deceased Loved Ones

11/6/23 - Offered by Annie Kanjian

Dear God, with faith and hope we pray for the eternal wellbeing of the souls of our deceased loved ones.

May Christ shepherd them safely home to your heavenly realm where they may be happily reunited with family and friends who have preceded them.

Through your grace and mercy, may they enjoy everlasting rest and peace in your presence.

We also pray that you may grant comfort, strength and consolation to all who mourn as we await our eternal reward, to return to our heavenly home to live in communion with You and with our departed loved ones.

In Jesus’ name, we pray,

Amen

For World Peace

10/30/23 - offered by Kathy Markarian

A Prayer for World Peace (a prayer poem for peace on earth and world unity)

Dear Father of all, 

Help us to see the world through your eyes, without dividing lines, 

To see just land and water, mountains, trees and skies. 

Help us to lay aside our class and skin, our background and race, 

To know our shared humanity, to see a brother or sister in every face. 

Help us to wear forgiveness, to lay down our pride and pain, 

To seek first to understand, Lord may peace and reconciliation reign. 

Help us to feel your compassion so we can freely forgive. 

May we weave new threads of grace and cause seeds of hope to live. 

Help us to play our own small part, with acts of kindness and of care. 

May we arise as your children and seek out what is just and fair. 

Cause us to make new bonds of trust with neighbours near and far, 

And so to fashion a world where peace comes to Earth in this hour.

Amen

For Artsakh and Armenia

10/23/23 - Offered by Suzie Shatarevyan

The Armenian Law Students Association organized a vigil at the Loyola Law School in Los Angeles to honor the lives lost during the Artsakh Genocide. An open invitation was sent to the student body as well as the entire community. They assembled, with candles they prayed. They offered the following prayer and it was shared with the gathering by one of the priests at Loyola Law School:

Blessed are you, O Lord we come to you in a supremely difficult time for the Armenian people. With broken hearts and tears filling our eyes, we are united in grief over the loss of the ancestral holy lands of Artsakh. The Armenian people are forced to leave behind their sacred temples of worship and silence their joyful prayers within their glorious churches. In this state of unbearable pain, we appeal to you, O Lord, to hasten to their aid in your divine mercy and love. 

Dispel their deep sorrow; heal their wounded spirits; pull them back from the error of hopelessness and despair. Help them to find strength and refuge in your loving arms, and to unite the Armenian nation under the warm and caring wings of your Holy Church. Grant us the humility and wisdom to accept the things we can no longer change; and give us courage to effect needful change where we still can.

 In a time of unrest and turmoil in Armenia, give the people the peace you granted to all your followers: breathe into them, too, your life-giving Holy Spirit, so that they too may find peace from worldly commotion, worry, and fear. Help them to work together in love, directing their sincere efforts toward the recovery of our society. Guide them in rebuilding their broken homes, and heal their wounded families who lost loved ones during these bitter days of war.  

Remember with love, Lord, as our Creator, the souls of the heroic soldiers and brave civilians who sacrificed their lives in your name. For those who have now lost their lifelong homes and must flee to safety. Remember them, bless them, and receive them into your Kingdom. Comfort their loved ones by the grace of your Holy Spirit. 

Lord, today we are overwhelmed by the sense of loss and tragedy that has come upon the Armenian people. But we know that you are always near to the brokenhearted, and you rescue those who are crushed in spirit [cf. Psl. 34:18 2]. We trust that all things are possible through you [cf. Philip. 4:13 3]. Help us realize that even when matters lie beyond our understanding, you still know the plans you have for us—plans to help us prosper and not come to harm; plans to give us hope for the future [cf. Jer. 29:11]. We cast our anxiety to you, lean not on our mortal understanding, and trust in you with all our heart [cf. Prov. 3:5]. For we have faith that in all things, you work for the good of all who love and honor you [cf. Rom. 8:28].  

We are humble, Lord, and you are our glory; your very name is wondrous, triumphant, and holy. Surrounded by the great cloud of our newly martyred witnesses to you, we praise you along with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages and ages. Amen.

Adapted from a prayer written for Armenia and Artsakh in the Eastern Diocese, November 13, 2020,