MISSION PARISH DISCUSSION

In a discussion of the Diocese's Department of Worship, delegates asked what the Diocese was doing to address the needs of mission parishes, saying sending a visiting priest is not enough.

"The only restraining factor we have is the lack of adequate manpower," Dadourian said. "What it is going to take is enough on-hand visitations to be able to gather enough density and critical mass within a region to get things organized and form a permanent parish council. We do need enough personnel to do that, but at this point in time we're spread thin."

The Primate said that the Diocese is concerned about reaching out to mission parishes. Currently mission parishes receive visiting priests for three-day visits, who then return and log their actions with the Diocese.

"I am not satisfied. We are trying to improve ourselves," said the Primate, who welcomed further comments from the mission parish leaders who were in attendance. "We are trying to organize, based on that information received at the Diocesan Center. We try to find ways to address needs in the mission parishes."

Armen Karapetian, the chairman of the Armenian Church of Atlanta, told the delegates that the Diocese has helped get the new parish organized to the point where they are working on building a sanctuary.

"As far as the Diocese is concerned, they have been fantastic in terms of support," he said. "Of course we are few and running 100 miles per hour and cannot expect things to happen overnight. But the Diocese has been fantastic in supporting us and we're grateful to everyone who has helped us. And we're looking forward to becoming full-fledged delegates one day."