NEW ARMENIAN COMMUNITIES CONTINUE TO REACH OUT, BRING IN, AND BUILD FOR THE FUTURE

BY PAULETTE K. DOUDOUKJIAN

Four Diocesan Mission Parishes Thrive

Boston. New York. Detroit. Chicago. Racine. Fresno. Los Angeles. Houston. These U.S. cities have been known among many as Mecca's for the Armenian people. Armenian history and culture abound in these cities and their surrounding areas, as do Armenian churches.

Now, what do Charlotte, Jacksonville, Baton Rouge and Nashville have in common with the cities mentioned above? Well, they may not be hubs, but they too are becoming the home of many Armenians who have either relocated because of employment, or emigrated from places such as Russia, Baku, Azerbaijan, and Romania. So of course, "For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20). While it seems to be something innate that draws Armenians together no matter where they may be in this world, it is the Lord Jesus Christ that centers them.

The Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) has recognized this fact by continuing to support the Armenian mission parish communities that have formed in these and other areas throughout

America.

According to the Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, Diocesan Mission Parish Project Coordinator, the church is called to serve her children no matter where they choose to reside. "Thanks to modern technology we are able to reach remote areas where Armenians have not lived in the past. Even with our limited supply of clergy, we are meeting the sacramental needs of the majority of our mission communities."

Armenians in "Deep South" Find One Another

"It is wonderful that even in the Deep South, we have an Armenian badarak on a regular basis and that we and our children are exposed to the Armenian religion, language and culture," shared Arnold Hahamyan, Parish Council Chairman of the Armenian Church of Nashville, Tenn., which was founded in 1996.

Hahamyan moved to Nashville from Northern New Jersey in 1989. He looked around for an Armenian community, but did not find one. Then one day, he received a call from Nancy Terzian Fox who asked him if he was Armenian. Like many of the 21 Armenian Mission Parish communities who are currently formed under the auspices of the Diocese, the white pages of the phone book proved to be the initial tool used to reach out and bring together a handful of ready, able and willing Armenian faithful. Fox, along with Helen Fakhoorian, had used the phone book to start calling anyone who had an Armenian sounding last name with the hopes of forming an Armenian network.

Through their efforts, as well as the dedication of people like Hahamyan, the Nashville community now has a membership base of more than 100 families who gather monthly in a rented Episcopal Church to conduct children's Bible study and badarak followed by a potluck dinner.

"The service is a night we all look forward to because we get to come together as Armenians," said Hahamyan. This even includes families from Kentucky and Alabama who drive more than two hours to attend the service. "We continue to find Armenians and they continue to find us." Hahamyan clarifies that the church is not only listed in the Greater Nashville yellow pages, but it also has a website: www.armenianchurchofnashville.org This website is like a virtual-church. In addition to upcoming events and locations, religious, language and cultural information, church links, guestbook, bulletins, and information to the community, the site also integrates murals and religious graphics with Armenian badarak chants. "The website has been one of the bigger vehicles by which people have found us," said Hahamyan.

Aside from monthly Sunday School and badarak, once a year the Nashville mission parish community hosts a summer picnic and participates in local cultural events to showcase the Armenian culture, customs, and food.

Carolina Armenians Begin Building Project Campaign

Another thriving Armenian community that has successfully reached out and integrated Armenians of various backgrounds into one worshipping Mission Parish family is the Armenian Church of Charlotte, North Carolina.

This Carolina community, which also began in the mid-1990s, is now, thanks to a generous donor, ready to build its own church and hall on 1.88 acres of land in a prime Charlotte location. With 70 families strong, and a mailing list of 550 potential members in both North and South Carolina (which was also compiled by using the phone book), this Armenian community forges ahead with monthly badaraks, Armenian language classes, dinners, picnics, holiday gatherings, and a youth dance group. Currently, the community is focusing attention on starting a youth group.

What makes this particular Mission Parish so successful? Lena Kupelian Neau, Parish Council Chairman and faithful "ian" phonebook researcher explains, "We as a Parish Council just don't give up despite all the hardships. And neither do the parishioners who continue coming despite the language barrier. They know that we are all in this together working toward a common cause. We don't treat people as a number and do everything in our power to reach out." This includes concentrating on the youth and consistent phone calling to help keep individuals in touch.

In addition, Neau credits the Diocese for providing them with clergy, namely the Very Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, who visits the community regularly to celebrate the badarak and provides them with spiritual and organizational growth. She is also appreciative of the guidance and direction of the Diocese staff, namely by the ALLARC Summer Teachers' College run by Sylva Der Stepanian for the training of Armenian school teachers, visits by Maestro Khoren Mekanejian for choir training, and fundraising advice from George Kassis, Executive Director of the Armenian Church Endowment Fund, along with organizational workshops conducted by Sam Mikaelian, Diocese Executive Director, and motivational visits by Archbishop Khajag Barsamian. Also of tremendous help are the liturgy books printed in the Russian language.

According to Neau, there are many joys and benefits in helping to start a parish community and helping the more newly arrived immigrants transition into the American way of life.

Her advice to other Mission Parish communities is simple: never give up! "You need to have the courage and faith to pursue the unknown end. If you have the strength to persevere, you will have the power to make it."

Fr. Simeon concurs, stating that the level of commitment of the local parish council and its willingness to offer "servant" leadership while volunteering time and energy for the growth of the community is one of the key ingredients to the success of a Mission Parish.

Baton Rouge, Jacksonville Armenians Persist

Two other prevailing Armenian communities that have shown they have the fortitude to form and sustain a parish include the St. Garabed Armenian Church of Louisiana and the Armenian Church of Jacksonville, Florida.

The Baton Rouge community, which is 20 years old and includes nearly 70 families, has recently purchased a building it will convert into a church and community center. This self-sufficient community hopes to hold events in the building by Spring 2004.

Jacksonville, like Charlotte, is a fast-growing community consisting of nearly 200 families with a significant number from Baku and Armenia. They too are looking to raise funds to have their own church.

Both communities are visited regularly by the Rev. Fr. Nersess Jebejian who is the parish priest for the St. Hagop Armenian Church in St. Petersburg, Fla., and oversees two other Mission Parishes in addition to Baton Rouge and Jacksonville. In fact, Fr. Nersess has been involved with Mission Parish work throughout his entire ministry and admits that Mission Parish work is his forte because he likes the organization, planning, communication and creativity behind bringing together and building a community. "That's what excites me," he says.

But Fr. Nersess also clarifies that it takes a group of dedicated, faithful individuals to work with in order to pull a community together. Both Baton Rouge and Jacksonville have those individuals. "These people really work hard and give all they can including their time, energy and money for their respective churches."

Fr. Nersess has also learned through his years of work with Mission Parishes that once a community has its own land and building, there is no stopping its members. While not all Mission Parishes have the resources to become full parishes supporting a fulltime priest, most of them remain active with social, cultural and spiritual activities held within their own facility.

So it seems as the Diocese concludes this "Year of Communication--Reaching Out and Bringing In," these four active Mission Parishes, as well as the other up-and-coming communities, will continue to embrace this motto in order to achieve their goal of bringing together a worshiping body of Armenian faithful in their remote, but no less important corners of the world.