Diocesan Council takes the floor

DIOCESAN COUNCIL

At the end of the day on Thursday, Council Chairman Haig Dadourian addressed the delegates, welcoming their questions about the report of the Council and Diocesan staff.

The delegates asked about the recent incorporation of the Armenian Church Endowment Fund (ACEF), and asked that they be provided with more information on that change in structure.

"We have created a separate corporation for ACEF to safeguard the assets," said Dadourian, who said he believed parishes were informed. Even though it was incorporated separately, the Diocesan Council maintains jurisdiction over ACEF and members of the ACEF board must be approved by the Council.

The Council also was questioned about creating and enforcing policies regarding parishes which are in arrears with their dues.

"The Council feels the Assembly should have some sort of voice in the governance of assessments. We feel like we should leave it up to you to decide how you want to treat parishes that are significantly delinquent," Dadourian said. "We have our own thoughts, but feel it should be left up to you. So perhaps at the next Assembly, the delegates can either form a committee to come up with a draft policy or you can leave it up to the Council. But I really feel this is something the entire Assembly should address."

Delegates also questioned the Council members to discuss the details of a transfer of drawings by Arshille Gorky -- which were left to the Diocese and are now on display in a museum in Portugal -- to Armenia at the request of the Catholicos and as a stipulation of the will, in which Gorky's relative wished that the art eventually find a home in Armenia. The Council has hired professional experts to provide advice and draw up legal arrangements regarding future ownership of the pieces and to assure the art would be properly displayed.

"All those diligence issues will be looked at comprehensively before any action is taken," said Council member Oscar Tatosian.

The Council was also asked if the Diocese could sell these pieces of art and use the income to set up endowments. "It is up to the Assembly. We can do whatever we want because we own it. That's a decision of the Assembly," Dadourian said.

Delegates questioned the Diocese about the standing of the St. Sarkis Church of Niagara Falls, NY, which is considering becoming a mission parish.

"There's no question St. Sarkis Church of Niagara Falls should stay open, absolutely must stay open," said Council member Fr. Mardiros Chevian, who recently went to visit with the parish leaders with Dr. Sam Mikaelian, executive director of the Diocese. "The church serves the spiritual needs of that Armenian community in the area. The question is how can it best serve those needs and how can the Diocese best help them."

In discussing a proposed and then dropped needs assessment, delegates wanted to know, in general, what level of funding the Council can approve during the year without it being part of the budget approved by the Assembly.

"There are no written guidelines. You tell me, you're the Assembly. You're the people who pass the budget. To some degree that is a policy decision that the Assembly should address," Dadourian said, as delegates agreed it is something they might want to explore in the future.

The Council was asked about that study -- which was proposed at last year's Assembly to study what members are looking for in the church so the Diocese can better fulfill the mission of making the church significant in the lives of Armenians and how the Armenian-language Divine Liturgy affects membership -- and why the study wasn't conducted as authorized.

"Everyone in this Assembly has a right to express your thoughts and opinions. And there are certain things in the hands of this Assembly that you can take action on, and there are things that belong to the Supreme Spiritual Council in Etchmiadzin. There are certain rules and regulations," the Primate said.

The Primate added that after the survey was approved in last year's Assembly, the Council sat down, took requests, and approached experts to conduct a survey.

"It was a struggle for the Council members, because there was money related to this study. The Council came to the point that, before spending any money they said we should check with His Holiness," the Primate said. "His Holiness's stance was very clear: That there was a decision by the Supreme Religious Council and all the churches around the world were to follow that decision. It was very clear. The council did not leave this issue on one side."

Delegates urged the Council to go forward with the professional sociological survey of needs and desires of the Armenians in America anyways, to see how membership can be increased and more Armenians reached spiritually, even if the language of the badarak is not addressed in the study. Delegates even offered to provide the funding for the study, which they said would help strengthen the future of the church.

Delegates agreed to revisit the issue later in the Assembly.

ARARAT CENTER

Stephen Hovnanian, chair of the Ararat Center Advisory Committee, outlined the success the center has had in its first year and credited the hundreds of volunteers who have worked to make that a reality.

The center has been used by camps, avaks, parish councils, choir members, and St. Nersess seminarians.

"This is just the beginning of where this particular center can evolve to," he said. "If we are successful we will find that this center is in a very positive cash flow in three years. We see this facility growing beyond even what our current imagination is. We hope we will continue to be supported by everyone."

The Assembly begins at 7 a.m. on Friday morning.

Posted by Jake at April 28, 2005 10:48 PM