Stewardship

Get Involved: The Wisconsin Three

Honoring the past stewards who built up the St. John the Baptist Church of Greenfield, WI, three men were presented with the St. Nersess Shnorhali Medal and a pontifical encyclical from His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, in 2003.

They were: Arthur Kashian, Khachig Chobanian, and Sarkis “Sam” Avakian. “These men and their entire families are deeply devoted to the Armenian Church and to their parish in particular,”

Archbishop Barsamian said. “Their tireless, continual efforts have kept St. John the Baptist Church successful all these years. They, along with their equally devoted wives and children, form a strong backbone for this parish.”

The three men have been supporting the community since it was formed in 1940 as a mission parish to serve Armenians geographically isolated from parishes in South Milwaukee and Racine. The first church was consecrated in 1942. The trio have served the parish in a variety of capacities: on the building committee, as a Sunday School founder, and as a choir conductor.