Philadelphia “Walks Thru” The Bible

On Saturday, March 29, over 80 people gathered at Holy Trinity Church in Cheltenham, PA, to attend the second part of a journey begun a year ago when "Walk Thru the Old Testament" attracted a similarly large crowd. Back by popular demand, last month's program invited participants to explore the New Testament with the help of mime, memory words, spiritual reflection, group reviews, and—despite the grandeur and beauty of the subject—just plain fun.

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PRESS OFFICE

Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)

630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016

Contact: Chris Zakian 

Tel: (212) 686-0710   

E-mail: chrisz@armeniandiocese.org

Website: www.armenianchurch-ed.net

April 11, 2014

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Philadelphia “Walks Thru” The Bible

On Saturday, March 29, over 80 people gathered at Holy Trinity Church in Cheltenham, PA, to attend the second part of a journey begun a year ago when "Walk Thru the Old Testament" attracted a similarly large crowd.

Back by popular demand, last month's program invited participants to explore the New Testament with the help of mime, memory words, spiritual reflection, group reviews, and—despite the grandeur and beauty of the subject—just plain fun.

"Walk Thru the New Testament" was co-sponsored by the Diocesan Department of Christian Education and Holy Trinity Church. Thanks to the visionary leadership of Holy Trinity's pastor, Rev. Fr. Hakob Gevorgyan; the parish council; parish council vice chair Jeanette Der Hagopian; and Adult Christian Education director Nancy Basmajian, the parish helped plan and promote the event, hosted breakfast and lunch, and financially underwrote more than half the costs.

"This was such a beautiful and gratifying partnership of parish and Diocese working together," noted Diocesan Christian Education director Elise Antreassian.

Parishioners arrived full of energy and anticipation and were checked in, handed their name tags and textbooks, and guided to a breakfast buffet. Fr. Gevorgyan opened the program with a prayer for "Christ's enlightening guidance and empowering spirit... help us not only be listeners and hearers of the Word, but enthusiastic doers as we go home from the joy and learning of this one single day to live the Gospel each day, day after day."

Instructor Roger Petersen, a professor at Cairn University in Langhorne, PA, for over 30 years and a teacher for the Walk Thru the Bible organization for 35, mesmerized the audience from the first moment. Between brief explanations of content, he led participants through gestures and catch phrases to help them learn and remember the major events in Jesus' life as told in the four Gospels and in the early church drawn from the Book of Acts. The epistles and Book of Revelation were woven more briefly into the general narrative of the entire New Testament.

Dr. Petersen called on a host of talents, assuming different voices, and even masterfully employing ventriloquism. It was a wondrous exercise in imagination: at one point he had one of the youngest participants Jonah Manoukian, 11, designated as the city of Capernaum as others were assigned the job of impersonating the Sea of Galilee, the towns of Nazareth and Bethlehem, the twisting Jordan River, and the Dead Sea (actors were appropriately deadpan).

Dr. Petersen would pause at times in prayerful reflection and apply biblical lessons to daily life. As a result, many people discovered connections between the Gospel and life that were instructive, comforting, and inspiring.

Participants departed for home with much praise and gratitude for the day. "What a wonderful, creative way to learn about the Bible. What a blessing!" noted one. A number of attendees were so inspired, they gave donations to the adult Christian education ministry at Holy Trinity.

The seminar drew the participation of a truly ecumenical group: parishioners from four Armenian congregations, visitors from local Catholic and Protestant churches, parish council members, Sunday School staffers, and pastors from the region.

The enthusiasm of the audience, their glowing evaluations and pledges of spiritual commitment at day's end, affirmed not only the Diocesan vision of Christian education as a never-ending, life-long process, but Holy Trinity's.

Fr. Gevorgyan is already preparing for a special parish retreat scheduled for May 17, the last of several programs he has organized with Adult Christian Education director Nancy Basmajian on "Living the Gospel of Christ." The Diocese is planning four more "Walk Thru" seminars in regions throughout the Diocese.

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Photos attached.

Photo 1: Seminar participants pose for a group photo.

Photo 2: The seminar allowed parishioners to explore the New Testament through mime and gesture.

PublicRelations [publicrelations@armeniandiocese.org]