Find it, Get it, Keep it
The Pastor’s Update:#6
Fr. Nareg Terterian
May 17, 2024
I don’t mind driving but get impatient when stuck in traffic. New York traffic can be notorious, but I detest traffic caused by road construction. Construction is unavoidable in the NY Metro area, with many bridges and tunnels. Like many people, I have also wondered why those repairs never seem to end.
Last Saturday evening, I had the privilege of attending the NY HOMENETMEN reunion at our church's main hall. The organizers kindly invited me to offer the opening prayer and share a brief message with the attendees. I took this opportunity to quote something that one of my professors in St. John's University's counseling program once said to our class when I was a student. The context was career counseling, and the remark was, “Find it, get it, and keep it.” He explained that these are the three phases in most careers: you have to find a job and get the job, but the most crucial part is that you have to keep the job. This statement has always resonated with me, as I've realized it’s not only applicable to our careers but to almost everything in life, including our hobbies and skills, relationships and marriages, and our involvement in organizations and institutes.
I am attending the Eastern Prelacy’s annual National Representative’s Assembly. This assembly is the highest legislative body in our church. During this convention, we usually examine the vitality of our churches in our Armenian communities in the Eastern United States. I find it inspiring to look back at the history of the Armenian parishes in this country where Armenians came over a hundred years ago, and they made it their priority to build their churches to receive spiritual nourishment and maintain their Armenian-Christian identity. The birth of every Armenian Church in the Armenian communities resulted from hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and deep conviction. A century later, we are still enjoying the fruit of the labor of love of our faithful ancestors. If I try to apply my professor’s philosophy of “Find it, get it, and keep it,” I see that our past generations have successfully used the first two steps, and it is our role to apply the third: Keep it. I would like to explore the “keep it” notion in the context of our mission in our parishes using Christ’s Parable of the Talents recorded in the Gospel of St. Matthew (25:14–30) that tells the story of a rich man who gives his property to his servants before traveling. The man gives each servant an amount based on their ability, with five talents to one servant, two talents to another, and one talent to the third. The first two servants double their money through trading, while the third hides his money. After a long time, the master returns and settles accounts with the servants. The master is furious with the servant who hid his money, saying, "I gave you an amount of property. I knew you could manage, but you did nothing with it. At least you could have put it in the bank to earn a small amount of interest. Now you will lose your talent to the servant who gained five with that". The master then takes the servant's talent and casts him out of his household forever. According to Christ’s teaching, “keeping it” is a proactive way of being, not a passive task.
When considering our churches and how to maintain their vitality, we must not treat the church as a historical monument to be admired occasionally. The Church is a living reality that requires our spiritual, emotional, and contemplative investment to remain relevant in our lives. During his pontifical visit last year, His Holiness Aram I underscored the importance of rebuilding our parishes. In his recent audio message addressing the Assembly, the Pontiff reiterated four crucial points for our mission's growth. These points revolve around reorganizing our parishes, redefining the relationships between the pastor, parishioners, and sister organizations, and building a faith community. Vehapar’s directives require that those in leadership positions find new and effective ways of ministering to the spiritual needs of our parishioners and members of our communities on the one hand and the active participation of the parishioners on the other hand. We must stop the blame game of leadership not doing enough and of parishioners being apathetic. Both parties must engage responsibly in the sacred task of “keeping it” to guarantee our survival and reemergence in our deep Armenian Christian ethos.
When stuck in traffic due to construction near the NY bridges or tunnels, I am reminded that these structures, built many years ago, facilitate transportation and connect the Metro Area. Constant maintenance is necessary to ensure these engineering marvels' ongoing functionality. Similarly, our churches serve as bridges connecting us together and to the Divine, guiding us from this life to eternal life. Like bridges and tunnels, our churches also require deliberate maintenance through engagement, reimagination, and faithful commitment to keep them vital and compelling.
I pray that during this season of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit will renew our minds and souls, guiding us to cherish the Church as the representation of God’s Kingdom on earth.
Keep it.
Last Saturday evening, I had the privilege of attending the NY HOMENETMEN reunion at our church's main hall. The organizers kindly invited me to offer the opening prayer and share a brief message with the attendees. I took this opportunity to quote something that one of my professors in St. John's University's counseling program once said to our class when I was a student. The context was career counseling, and the remark was, “Find it, get it, and keep it.” He explained that these are the three phases in most careers: you have to find a job and get the job, but the most crucial part is that you have to keep the job. This statement has always resonated with me, as I've realized it’s not only applicable to our careers but to almost everything in life, including our hobbies and skills, relationships and marriages, and our involvement in organizations and institutes.
I am attending the Eastern Prelacy’s annual National Representative’s Assembly. This assembly is the highest legislative body in our church. During this convention, we usually examine the vitality of our churches in our Armenian communities in the Eastern United States. I find it inspiring to look back at the history of the Armenian parishes in this country where Armenians came over a hundred years ago, and they made it their priority to build their churches to receive spiritual nourishment and maintain their Armenian-Christian identity. The birth of every Armenian Church in the Armenian communities resulted from hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and deep conviction. A century later, we are still enjoying the fruit of the labor of love of our faithful ancestors. If I try to apply my professor’s philosophy of “Find it, get it, and keep it,” I see that our past generations have successfully used the first two steps, and it is our role to apply the third: Keep it. I would like to explore the “keep it” notion in the context of our mission in our parishes using Christ’s Parable of the Talents recorded in the Gospel of St. Matthew (25:14–30) that tells the story of a rich man who gives his property to his servants before traveling. The man gives each servant an amount based on their ability, with five talents to one servant, two talents to another, and one talent to the third. The first two servants double their money through trading, while the third hides his money. After a long time, the master returns and settles accounts with the servants. The master is furious with the servant who hid his money, saying, "I gave you an amount of property. I knew you could manage, but you did nothing with it. At least you could have put it in the bank to earn a small amount of interest. Now you will lose your talent to the servant who gained five with that". The master then takes the servant's talent and casts him out of his household forever. According to Christ’s teaching, “keeping it” is a proactive way of being, not a passive task.
When considering our churches and how to maintain their vitality, we must not treat the church as a historical monument to be admired occasionally. The Church is a living reality that requires our spiritual, emotional, and contemplative investment to remain relevant in our lives. During his pontifical visit last year, His Holiness Aram I underscored the importance of rebuilding our parishes. In his recent audio message addressing the Assembly, the Pontiff reiterated four crucial points for our mission's growth. These points revolve around reorganizing our parishes, redefining the relationships between the pastor, parishioners, and sister organizations, and building a faith community. Vehapar’s directives require that those in leadership positions find new and effective ways of ministering to the spiritual needs of our parishioners and members of our communities on the one hand and the active participation of the parishioners on the other hand. We must stop the blame game of leadership not doing enough and of parishioners being apathetic. Both parties must engage responsibly in the sacred task of “keeping it” to guarantee our survival and reemergence in our deep Armenian Christian ethos.
When stuck in traffic due to construction near the NY bridges or tunnels, I am reminded that these structures, built many years ago, facilitate transportation and connect the Metro Area. Constant maintenance is necessary to ensure these engineering marvels' ongoing functionality. Similarly, our churches serve as bridges connecting us together and to the Divine, guiding us from this life to eternal life. Like bridges and tunnels, our churches also require deliberate maintenance through engagement, reimagination, and faithful commitment to keep them vital and compelling.
I pray that during this season of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit will renew our minds and souls, guiding us to cherish the Church as the representation of God’s Kingdom on earth.
Keep it.
The Word Of God
The Gospel reading for this upcoming Sunday is from the Gospel according to John. Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit to His followers and says, “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:25-26). According to the Orthodox Study Bible, the title "Advocate" also means "Comforter," "Counselor," and "Helper." This Sunday, we pray for the Holy Spirit to renew and reanimate our churches, continuing to teach us and remind us of everything that Jesus told us.
"Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love."
The Gospel reading for this upcoming Sunday is from the Gospel according to John. Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit to His followers and says, “All this I have spoken while still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:25-26). According to the Orthodox Study Bible, the title "Advocate" also means "Comforter," "Counselor," and "Helper." This Sunday, we pray for the Holy Spirit to renew and reanimate our churches, continuing to teach us and remind us of everything that Jesus told us.
"Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love."
Prayerfully,
