ARMENIAN CHURCH REACHES OUT VIA THE WORLDWIDE WEB

Archbishop's Annual Appeal Supports New Ways to Communicate Lord's Message

When the Armenian Church was established in America more than 100 years ago, there was only one priest in Worcester to reach out to the entire Armenian Community.

As the Armenian Community grew, churches sprang up in new Armenian centers such as Detroit, New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, where Armenians had already settled. Thus most Armenians were within the reach of the church.

But today, even with more than 40 established parishes and two dozen mission parishes serving emerging Armenian communities, it would be impossible to have a church near every Armenian family in America because everyone is simply too dispersed.

But it is not impossible to reach them, thanks to efforts funded by the Archbishop's Annual Appeal. The Eastern Diocese is using new communication vehicles--especially e-mail and the Diocese's website www.armenianchurch.net --to reach out to all Armenians, especially those too far from a sanctuary to attend worship services.

REACHING EACH ARMENIAN

Waco, Texas, is a small city of about 100,000 people. There are just a few Armenians there. One of them is Richard Aslanian. Since Waco is about two hours south of the nearest Armenian Church in Dallas and four hours north of the one in Houston, Mr. Aslanian doesn't get to church often.

But he does stay in touch with his Armenian faith, thanks to an effort by the Eastern Diocese to reach out using e-mail. Each week Mr. Aslanian is one of more than 6,000--a number that keeps increasing--Armenians who receive our weekly e-mail of news and updates on Diocesan programs. (If you would like to add your e-mail to that list, e-mail info@armenianchurch.net.)

"I appreciate the information you send me now via e-mail," Mr. Aslanian wrote in an e-mail. "It is so good to have the Armenian connection here in Waco. We have a few Armenian families here and are really removed from the great Armenian communities of the larger American cities."

PROVIDING TOOLS TO CELEBRATE OUR FAITH

The Diocese reaches out through our weekly e-mail newsletter, a more cost-effective way to communicate than correspondence via the U.S. Postal Service. The Diocese also draws people closer to the Armenian heritage through its website, www.armenianchurch.net, redesigned in 2002. The new organization and look has proved extremely successful. An earlier version of the website received only about 40 visitors a day. The new, user-friendly site attracts an average of 230 different visitors each day and that number is growing. Some days bringing in more than 600 visitors!

The website provides daily updated news and information, the full text of The Armenian Church magazine and other Diocesan publications, daily Bible readings, prayers in Armenian and English, and materials for children that parents can use to teach them about a number of special feast days.

Many of the materials have been developed by the Diocesan education and ministry staff over the years, and the website has given them a platform to reach countless people around the world, all with a point and a click.

"How wonderful that I was able to download and print Easter stories in Armenian and activities for my children," wrote Nvair Beylerian of New Jersey, in an email to the website. " Keep up the great work!"

BUILDING REAL-LIFE COMMUNITIES

Though the website is the Diocese's presence in cyberspace, the efforts help build stronger real world Armenian communities. One simple way is the website's searchable calendar of events, listing not only events hosted by the Diocese, but activities in every local parish.

Recently, Sona Boghosian Diorio of Chicago, Ill., traveled to Massachusetts with her son. While in New England, they hoped to hook up with the Armenian community. Thanks to the calendar listing on the website, they visited the Armenian Church of "Hye Point" in Lawrence and Haverhill, Mass.

"We went to the Diocese website and found the Hye Point Picnic was going to be on the Sunday of our arrival. We went to the picnic, thoroughly enjoyed the food and the lovely, warm and friendly people of the Armenian Church of 'Hye Pointe'," wrote Ms. Diorio in an e-mail to the website. "We are now getting ready to go on (the pilgrimage to Etchmiadzin) and once again, thanks to the Diocese website, I am able to get much needed information."

The website can also strengthen an individual's knowledge of the Armenian faith, heritage, and customs, both by providing information on a variety of topics and serving as a point of contact for people with more specific questions. Nurhan Ecityan, for example, wrote to find out about the Armenian tradition involving wedding bands switching from right to left hands. He was giving a speech during his brother's engagement celebration and wanted to make his remarks more Armenian.

"The information proved to be very informative and interesting," he wrote in an e-mail. "I incorporated the info into a speech I made at my brother's engagement ceremony, and it was very well received. Thank you."

NEW WAYS TO REACH OUT

With the support to the Archbishop's Annual Appeal, the Diocese plans to use the website in new and exciting ways, all designed to bring the Armenian faith to life for Armenians across the Diocese and across the globe.

The Diocese's St. Vartan Bookstore recently went online with a secure Internet site that can take Internet credit card orders day or night: www.stvartanbookstore.com   And supported by the Archbishop's Annual Appeal, the Diocese will also continue to build on the success of its main website with new multi-media outreach efforts.

One of the most successful web-based projects the Diocese undertook in 2003 was the daily posting of pictures and stories from both St. Vartan and Hye Camp. Through the web, parents were able to see their kids playing, celebrating badarak, and learning about their culture.

"I love the news and pictures from Hye Camp. The articles and pictures are wonderful," wrote Marianne Dardarian of West Bloomfield, Mich., in an e-mail after seeing her son, daughter, niece, nephew, and many family friends online. "This electronic age is wonderful!! Thank you so much for setting up this website.

For information on the Archbishop's Annual Appeal, to learn more about the successes of the Diocesan programs, or to answer the call of the Archbishop's Annual Appeal, contact George Kassis at the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) by calling (212) 686-0710 ext. 54; e-mail georgek@armeniandiocese.org.