As we begin to plan for the holidays and reflect on the past year, I am happy to report to you that our Diocese has been able to accomplish many important works toward fulfilling both our mission of preaching the Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ and proclaiming its message of salvation as well as our strategic intent of making the Armenian Church significant in the lives of every Armenian and his or her family.

Some of the highlights of 2008 to date have been:

Reaching into homes to enable the teaching of basic Christian values and the faith, culture and tradition of the Armenian Church through the release of the Church and Home Resource CD. This interactive software exposes the faithful to a wide range of topics, from the beauties of Armenian liturgical music and the wisdom of the Bible to the treasures of the Armenian language and wealth of our history. The enthusiastic response to our Church and Home Resource CD in our camp programs and from our parishes has been overwhelming. Seeing that we are on the right path, we are trying to ensure that this essential software reaches every single Armenian home in our Diocese by producing 10,000 copies of the CD to distribute to our parishes. However, through the Internet, anyone can access the beautiful teachings of our Church and bring our faith home, increasing the power of our outreach exponentially. To download this software onto your own computer today, please visit www.armenianchurch.net.

Education for youth, teens and young professionals continues to be an area of great strength in our Diocese. Attendance at St. Vartan Camp and Hye Camp over the past several years has increased by over 20 percent. St. Nersess Summer Conferences continue to engage older youth. These immersion programs are a highly effective way to develop a young person’s sense of belonging, love of culture, and socialization in the Armenian Church and community. We continue to engage youth through the ACYOA, the Armenian Service Program, College Ministry, alternative Spring Breaks for college students, and pilgrimages to Jerusalem and Armenia. Educational materials developed in the Department of Youth and Education, as well as training for parish school instructors, continue to strengthen Christian and Armenian language education on the parish level.

Communications is an important part of our ministry.

This year, we have heard from many that the improvements in our website, e-newsletter and Armenian Church magazine have been noticed and appreciated. In the coming weeks you can expect the latest edition of Armenian Church Magazine to arrive at your home and the all-new 2009 Armenian Church Calendar. These are all prime examples of how the Diocese is keeping you informed with events and religious celebrations.

The Fortieth Anniversary of St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral was celebrated this year with several events; in June, an art exhibition and concert drew capacity crowds and great acclaim. Highlighting the collection of the Diocese, the exhibit featured Arshile Gorky’s masterpiece “The Artist and His Mother,” loaned by the Whitney Museum of American Art. World-renowned singer Lucine Amara, pianist Sahan Arzruni, and cellist Ani Aznavoorian thrilled the standing room only crowd in the Cathedral. The summer saw programs for young professionals on the grand plaza of the Cathedral. On October 12, a capacity crowd witnessed the distribution of Holy Muron from the Mother See and the honoring of godfathers and committee members of the Cathedral building project.

Your Personal Gift makes all of this, and so much more, possible. None of our important Diocesan ministries can take place without the generous support of the stewards of our Church. For this reason, I am asking you to make Diocesan ministry possible by making a gift to the 2008 Archbishop’s Annual Appeal.

At the Diocesan Center, we appreciate your commitment to preserving our rich heritage and making it possible for us to share our faith and culture with new generations of Armenians. Through our many programs, we reach out to those in need, educate our youth and find new ways to rejuvenate the Armenian spirit in the hearts of the Armenian faithful.

May God bless you and your loved ones.

With prayers,

Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate