Atlanta's Growing Armenian Community Paving the Way For Area's First Armenian Church

By Avo Hadjian

Under a gentle summer sun, the Armenians of Atlanta took another step towards building the area's first Armenian Church on August 11, when Archbishop Khajag Barsamian blessed the ground that will be home to a future church.

"This is a great day for the Armenian Church, for our Diocese, and specifically for the Armenian community in Atlanta. We are blessing this land, which will be the site of an Armenian Church," the Primate said to a crowd of about 120 Armenians who had assembled at the land in Roswell, a neighborhood north of Atlanta filled with tree-lined streets and charming Southern-style houses.

Growing in Faith and Community

The Atlanta mission parish owns the 2-acre site and its leaders have been trying to generate the momentum to build a church for more than a decade.

"I am confident that in the future, on this ground, an Armenian dome will rise up, which will be a house of God and worship. And I pray the people in Atlanta's Armenian community will gather here to come together," said the Primate. "I congratulate the leaders of this community, and I am confident that after this step, the other will follow."

During the land blessing and a celebration of the badarak, the Primate was assisted by Fr. Simeon Odabashian, the coordinator of the Diocesan Mission Parish Project, who makes regular visits to the Atlanta community to hold services and train altar servers.

Atlanta residents, out-of-town visitors, and members of other Armenian organizations were gathered at the wooded tract of land where leaders plan to build a new church with a capacity for over 200 worshipers and a community center. The Atlanta community is now working to raise $1 million for the project, and hopes to start construction in January.

Architect Ara Keyfer is heading the design effort of the church, and prototypes were on display. These designs were one more sign of concrete plans for the future, which moved a number of people to enroll in the stewardship program.

During the day's events, Atlanta's parish council recognized the contributions of all the stewards. For their support, the council presented silver crosses to Vachik Mirzoyan, Minas Karapetian, Manuk Torossian, Ara Dostourian, Albert Korikian, Alin Koseyan, Armen Grigorian, Talin Major, Armen Karapetian, Greg Avedissian, Vania Aghajanian, Aram Partizian, Murad Chorluyan, John Nercessian, Armen Tashchian, Avo Hadjian, and Vahan Kassabian.

"As a people, we have had many miracles in our history," Archbishop Barsamian said. "Many Armenian churches and monasteries and cities have been destroyed, but miraculously the Armenian people have rebuilt them. That faith is a profound miracle. Who could have imagined an Armenian Church would be built in Atlanta 10 or 15 years ago. But this is going to happen because of people taking steps and participating and having the faith needed to build a church."

People are the Heart

With the land blessed and symbolic first shovels of dirt dug by the Primate and other leaders, the day became even more meaningful during the Divine Liturgy, when the Primate ordained to the diaconate Francis Merzigian.

Originally from Worcester, MA, Dn. Francis was proud to share the moment with his adopted parish, which he has served alongside Fr. Simeon.

"We're growing together," he said. "It's fitting that we share these events. It is what's important in my life, and what's important in the life of the community."

The Primate also bestowed the order of acolyte on five young altar servers: Alex Avedissian, Chris Avedissian, George Chamesian, Baret Kilbacak, and Ara Major. Archbishop Barsamian also gave his blessing to young members of Atlanta's choir.

"I'm grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to come to Atlanta, especially on this special occasion where we have so many reasons to be grateful to God," the Primate said. "We blessed land to be used for a church and ordained a deacon who has grown up in the Armenian Church. And seeing the acolytes and the choir members blessed makes it a wonderful occasion, a reason to be grateful to God."

Young but Committed

Last year as plans to build the first Armenian Church in Atlanta were being discussed, there was a call for donations. Janet Mirzoyan, an 18-year-old whose family moved to Atlanta from Armenia a little more than 2 years ago, decided then and there to donate her first paycheck from her first American job.

"I was going to do something, I was going to donate some part of the money to the church," she said. "They said they needed money, so I decided to give them my paycheck."

It took her a week of working at K-Mart to earn the $80, but she said there was no hesitation in giving it to the church.

"My sister and I would just spend the money somewhere," said Janet, a member of the church choir who was honored by being asked to symbolically shovel some dirt during a land blessing ceremony on August 11, 2002. "It didn't do much for the church, it was only $80; but it meant a lot to me, and I hope I encouraged others to be more helpful and to pay more attention to the church and the community."