Western Diocese

Burbank, CA -Under the auspices of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Western Diocese, Armenian Church of North America, the 81^st Annual Diocesan Assembly Banquet will be held on the evening of Friday, May 2, 2008 in the Sima and Nazareth Kalaydjian Banquet Hall of the Arshag and Eleanor Dickranian Complex. At this significant event, the Primate is pleased to announce that the Archbishop’s Award will be presented to three dedicated and distinguished staff members of the Western Diocese.   The honorees and recipients of the award this year are  Archpriest Fr. Sipan Mekhsian, Chancellor and Editor of the Mother Church; Mari Gizlechyan, Executive Secretary and Diramayr Anna Movsesian, former Executive Secretary.

 

The Gala Banquet will be held during the Western Diocesan 81^st Annual Assembly,

April 30 to May 3^rd at the Diocesan Headquarters.   The Assembly will begin on Wednesday, April 30,, 2008 with the Clergy Conference,  followed by the Central Council Ladies Society meeting, headed by Silva Katchiguian, Chair of the Central Council Ladies Society, on Thursday, May 1^st.   The Delegates Sessions, under the Chairmanship of Adrienne Krikorian, will be held  on Friday, May 2^nd  and Saturday,  May 3^rd.

 

Under the direction and  leadership of Joseph Kanimian, Chair of the Diocesan Host Committee, sub-committees  have been formed and meetings have been held to organize and plan the daily sessions and events.  Clergy,  members of the Ladies Societies, delegates and Parish Council members  from  churches throughout the parishes in the Western Diocese, will be participating in the annual assembly.

 

The highlight of the Diocesan Assembly Banquet on the evening of May 2^nd will be the presentation of the Archbishop’s Awards by the Primate.  The Primate expressed his pride in the honorees, stating “Giving is a virtue.  All three recipients of the Archbishop’s Award  have truly given from their hearts with a firm commitment, with love and passion, for the strengthening of the mission of the Western Diocese.  Through the past years they have certainly inspired many with the same vision of serving the Diocese.  We wish them well and continuing success for their future endeavors.  God Bless them.”

 

Honoree Archpriest Fr. Sipan, born in Aleppo, Syria, began his Theological Studies at the age of 14 and at the age of 20  was ordained as a Celibate Priest of the Armenian Church.  In 1970 he participated in the Classical Armenian and English Literature exams at the London University, successfully passing and receiving a General Certificate of Education.   He  has served in the Western Diocese with dedication and devotion  since  his arrival in the United States in 1972, having been invited by the Primate, His Eminence Archbishop Vatche’ Hovsepian.    He has served as Pastor of St. John

 

                                               

 

 

 

Armenian Church in San Francisco (1972-1977) and  as  Parish Priest of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Santa Clara Valley (St. Andrew) in Cupertino (1978-1982).   In 1982 Fr. Sipan was transferred  to the Diocesan Headquarters to serve as the Primate’s Assistant and the Editor of  “The Mother Church” publication and as Chair of the Diocesan Calendar Preparation Committee.  For four years  Fr. Sipan served as the Visiting pastor of St. Vartan Armenian Church of Vancouver, B.C. Canada.  In 1987 he published a book “The Armenian Church Guardian of the Youth” both in Armenian and English..  In 2003 the Primate, His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, appointed him as the Chancellor of the Armenian Church Western Diocese.  Upon the request of the Primate, on December 12, 2003, His Holiness Karekin ll, Catholicos of All Armenians, granted him the title of “Archpriest.”  Although he had been elevated to the rank of Vartabed in 1972,  he received special dispensation from the Patriarch  in August of 1984 to marry  Sirvard Akopyan and they have one son, Vazken, born in 1986,  named in honor of His Holiness Vazken 1, Catholicos of All Armenians. 

                                   

Honoree Mari Gizlechyan has brought distinction and admiration to her position as

Executive Secretary at the Western Diocese.  Upon arrival at the Diocese, guests are

charmed by her gracious and warm personality. Born inYerevan she was raised by her loving parents with a true Armenian spirit.  She graduated from the No. 17 Grikov Middle School in 1966 and was accepted into the English Department of the Brusov Russian and Foreign Languages Institute in Yerevan.  Upon graduating in 1972, she began teaching English at the technical school in Ghapan, then transferred to the middle school of Arakugh in the region of Nayiri, where she taught English until 1977.  Following employment at the Erebuni Fashion firm of Yerevan, as Director of New Samples, in 1988 she relocated to the United States with her family.  That same year

she accepted the position of Secretary at the Western Diocese, and later as the Executive

Secretary in which she serves today.  She is an active member of St. John Garabed Armenian church, having served in leadership positions on the Ladies Society

and was elected to serve for many years as corresponding Secretary by the Diocesan Ladies Assembly.  Her love and compassion for the Motherland has compelled her to

permanently move to Armenia  in June of this year where she plans to impart upon the young generation her knowledge in computers and secretarial skills.

 

Diraymayr Anna Rose Movsesian served as Executive Secretary at the Western Diocese

through the  most challenging years of Diocesan life, including the move from Hollywood to Pasadena and the eventual acquisition and relocation to the present

Diocesan Headquarters. She is well remembered for her  twenty-five years (1978-2003)

of dedicated service which contributed significantly to the growth and development of the Western Diocese.   Upon arrival at the age of 13 from Boston, Massachusetts where she was born, she immediately joined  the choir  at St. James Armenian Church and captivated everyone with her presentation skills and youthful charm.  In the early 1960’s Archbishop Torkum Manoogian, then Primate, commissioned her to write and illustrate the first Armenian textbook which was used throughout  the North American Dioceses.

She taught Armenian language and dance at St. James Church for over 25 years;

served as Armenian School Superintendent; and was among the first group of teachers

at the Diocesan Summer Camp. She was appointed as Executive Secretary and Notary of the Western Diocese in 1978 by Archbishop Vatche’Hovsepian, then Primate.  Having

 

                                                              

 

 

received her education from LACC and CSULA, coupled with her engaging personality,

secretarial skills and love for the church , she was a natural for the job.  She was

instrumental in setting up the documentation and archive records; she proofed and edited the Mother Church, writing a column “Know your Clergy.”  On August 31, 2003, upon the request of the Primate, Anna was presented with the St. Nerses Shnorhali Medal of Honor from His Holiness Karekin ll.  Following retirement from the Western Diocese in  2003, she is pursuing her interests in art, reading, and writing.  She just completed her book of memories entitled “Anna’s Story – The Story of a First Generation Armenian Girl Growing up in the United States during the 40’s and 50’s.”  She spends time enjoying her four children and eight grandchildren.  Her son, Fr. Vasken Movsesian, is the Parish Priest at St. Peter Armenian Church and Youth Ministries’ Center in Glendale.

 

Chair of the Banquet Committee,  Belet Shahbazian,  anticipates a capacity crowd to pay tribute to the three honorees in recognition of their years of  service to the Western Diocose and to the Armenian community.  She promises an enjoyable and fun evening, with entertainment by the Memories Band, special raffle items and surprise gifts.   

 

Rooms  have been reserved for “Armenian Church, Western Diocese Convention,” at the special rate of $119.00 a night plus tax at the Burbank Airport Marriott Hotel and Convention Center, located at 2500 North Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505.

For hotel reservations call (818) 563-9182.  To receive the special rate, reservations must be made by Friday, April 22, 2008. 

 

For information regarding registration and attendance at the 81^st Diocesan Assembly,

please call the Western Diocese Offices (818) 558-7474.