Western Diocese

The first session of the 82^nd Diocesan Assembly commenced at 9:00 AM, May 1, 2009, at St. James Armenian Church in Los Angeles, California, beginning at 10:10 AM with the invocation offered by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Bible readings in English and Armenian by Rev. Archpriest Fr. Shnork Demerjian and Rev. Fr. Khajag Shahbazyan, and a requiem service for the repose of the souls of late Diocesan Clergy, especially Rev. Archpriest Fr. Mesrob Sarafian and Mr. John Yaldezian, who passed away recently.

Chairlady Adrienne Krikorian in her remarks welcomed the delegates to the 82^nd Diocesan Assembly and thanked the Organizing Committee for their efforts.

Guest Clergy & Catholicos's Message

The Primate introduced the guest clergy from the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, the Very Rev. Fr. Bartev Barseghyan and Rev. Fr. Aram Mirzoyan, to the 82^nd Diocesan Assembly. The Very Rev. Fr. Bartev Barseghyan then proceeded to read the letter of blessing and commendation of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians, to the 82^nd Diocesan Assembly in Los Angeles, followed by the reading of the English translation of the same letter by Rev. Archpriest Fr. Moushegh Tashjian:

"On the occasion of the 82^nd Diocesan Assembly, we convey our Pontifical love and blessing from the Altar of Light - the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin, to His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate, and the esteemed delegates to the 82^nd Diocesan Assembly.

"Our beloved sons and daughters,

"Our Holy Apostolic Church is the testament to the steadfast faith of our people throughout the history. In our historical fatherland or elsewhere, our Holy Church has cared for and guided our people in the face of adversity and challenges and remained faithful to the message of the Lord.

"The legacy of our faith has been manifested in the western region of the United States through the establishment of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, beginning in the second half of the 19^th century continuing thereafter, by the survivors of the Armenian Genocide. With the Grace of God, in its more than a century old existence, the Western Diocese has served the mission of the Church through evangelism, and preserving the faith and Armenian life in the region.

"Today we are faced with a new set of challenges.

"In lieu of the global financial crisis and its negative effects on governments and societies across the world, we call upon our beloved Church-loving faithful to be more forthcoming in assisting and contributing to our people's educational, cultural and charitable organizations in the Untied States to assure a smooth transition through this difficult period.

"We commend His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Primate, and the Diocesan Clergy for their leadership and wish them continuing success in serving the Lord, His people and the Armenian Holy Apostolic Church. We convey our Pontifical love and blessing to the members of the Diocesan Council as well as the members of the Parish Councils, auxiliary organizations, Ladies Societies, ACYOs and all faithful of the many parishes who stand fast in their faith and support the Diocesan Clergy in their service and become partners in God-pleasing mission of the churches and cultural organizations. 

We pray to the Lord to grant peace, abundance and prosperity upon the United States. It is our Pontifical prayer that the Almighty may keep you under His Benevolent protection and continue to bless you all gifted faithful with good health, longevity and prosperity.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope" (Rom. 15:13)."

First Business Session

Rev. Fr. Mikael Kyureghian delivered the spiritual message of the day. Various reports in the special volume of the 82^nd Diocesan Assembly were considered and discussed during the meeting. The Primate's Annual Report was also distributed among the delegates during the same meeting.

Names of several new candidates were added during the meeting to the initial list of open Diocesan Offices submitted earlier by Elections Committee Member Dn. Rod Jorjorian.

Mr. Armen Hampar, Chair of Cathedral Building Committee, presented an update on the ongoing construction of the Cathedral in Burbank, California. Additional information in this regard was provided by Mr. Antranik Zorayan, Chair of the Cathedral Fundraising Committee.

Treasurer of the Diocesan Council George Ouzounian During the second meeting starting at 1:30 PM, following the brief remarks of Mrs. Lily Balian regarding the recent renovation projects at St. James, Mr. George Ouzounian, Treasurer of the Diocesan Council, presented a detailed financial report to the assembly.

Diocesan Council Chair Joseph Kanimian Joseph Kanimian, Esq., Chair of the Diocesan Council, in his remarks stressed the importance of faith, Christian love and tranquility in the life of the Diocese as guarantors of success, under the supremacy of the Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin. According to the Chair of the Diocesan Council the remarkable success of the Western Diocese in the past several years would not have been possible without the leadership of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian. Therefore, he urged the delegates to reelect the Primate for another seven-year term - beginning May 2010.

Chair of the Diocesan Council also thanked the outgoing members of the Diocesan Council, namely, Rev. Archpriest Fr. Manoog Markarian, Dr. Vahram Biricik, Dn. Carl Bardakian, the St. James Parish Council, Delegates for their service and contribution to the life of the Diocese. Several reports were presented during the meeting following Mr. Kanimian's remarks.

Reconfirmation of the Primate

Prior to the vote for the reelection of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian to a second seven-year term Primacy of the Western Diocese, Rev. Archpriest Fr. Arshag Khatchadourian, Pastor of St. James, Los Angeles, read a special resolution passed by the Diocesan Clergy Assembly two days earlier wherein the Diocesan Clergy urge the delegates to the 82^nd Diocesan Assembly to cast their vote of confidentiality for His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian and His Eminence's Primacy in the next period. 

According to the Chapter III, 93(b) article of the Bylaws of the Western Diocese:

Upon the expiration of his sixth (6^th) year in office of his current term, the Diocesan Assembly at its annual meeting, shall decide by two-thirds (2/3) vote of the delegates present and voting either to keep the incumbent for an additional term of (7) years or have a new election.

The Clergy of the Western Diocese begin their procession into the church to celebrate the reconfirmation of the His Eminence Abp. Hovnan Derderian. The delegates cast their ballots during the vote of confidentiality and reinstatement to the Primacy of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian as the Primate of the Western Diocese for a second seven-year term - beginning May 2010. Out of 106 votes cast during the election, 88 delegates cast their votes in favor of reinstatement of the Primacy of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian in the Western Diocese for the next term. According to the Bylaws of the Western Diocese, the decision of the 82^nd Diocesan Assembly will be reported to His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians.

Please see below for the entire text of the speech delivered by His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian at the 82^nd Diocesan Assembly at St. James Armenian Church in Los Angeles:

"Do you not know that you are God's temple
and that God's Spirit dwells in you?"
 (1 CORINTHIAN 3:16)

Beloved delegates of the 82^nd annual Diocesan Assembly, Dearest pastors of the Western Diocese and representatives of our parishes. 

We give thanks to God Almighty for granting us the strength and the guidance of the Holy Spirit to serve the Armenian Apostolic Church throughout the past three decades.

His Eminence Abp. Hovnan Derderian addresses the Assembly following his reconfirmation as Primate.During the past six years, we had the priviledge to serve the faithful of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church.  Throughout the past decades, this Diocese was blessed by the service of seven primates, clergymen and thousands of faithful who have firmly upheld the holy traditions of our church and our forefathers. We are humbled beyond measure and grateful for their unyielding service and commitment to this Diocese.

We also take this opportunity to pray for the departed souls of our deceased primates, clergymen and lay servants of Christ. We would also like to raise our prayers for all of our current volunteers and members who continue to serve this Diocese and support its many programs and projects. The time and effort you all provide is immeasurable and for that we are extremely grateful.

Today as we start a new era of service, our souls are filled with one of the messages of St. Paul to the Corinthians whereby we pledge to serve this holy mission entrusted to us with more zeal and a strengthened faith in praise of our Lord.

Throughout the past six years, we were able to serve with the blessing of God Almighty and your collective dedication. Together we have accomplished a great number of projects and have enriched the Diocese with many new programs. In the following section, we would like to lay out some of these key achievements.

Major achievements during the period 2003-2009:

1. Preparation of 14 new clergy candidates, of which 4 were ordained as married priests
2. A new group of clergymen now serving at the Diocese with various assignments.
3. Establishment of new parishes and appointment of new priests.
4. The publication of more than 130 different periodicals and books
5. The purchase of new properties in the various cities and regions These properties are already being remodeled to serve as churches for many of our communities
6. The construction of new sanctuaries has and will continue to be an integral part of the expansion of this Diocese. The construction of the Mother Cathedral, the church building of St. Gregory in Pasadena, the church building in Portland, St. Abkar in Arizona and St. Garabet in the Desert mark the beginning of an era of new Armenian Churches that will enrich our Diocese and create houses of worship to our large and disbursed community throughout the Western United States.
7. We have also been actively engaged and participate in ecumenical fellowships and interfaith gatherings in Southern California, as well as in other areas of the Diocese.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every member of the staff of the Western Diocese all of whom serve their entrusted duties with utmost dedication and commitment.

We would also like to highlight and acknowledge the important work being done by all of the subcommittees of the Diocese whose members take on the responsibility to advance the mission of their respective programs.

We are aware that all of our endeavors are short of perfection, as perfection can only be attributed to God Almighty. On the contrary, we will continue to serve with the recognition that much needs to be achieved as we embark on this new era of service. My dear faithful, the past six years were just the beginning, as we spent time to learn about the Diocese,and the spiritual needs of the community. Our mission at the Western Diocese requires us to meet the needs a very large community. Therefore, we would like to lay out a number of steps we have to take as we prepare to bring our Diocese to a new level of service to meet the growing needs of our communities. 

Step 1: In Search of God:

The search of God in our spiritual life should be one of the essential elements of the individual and community life. As Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King said: " So I say to you, seek God and discover Him and make Him a power in your life Without Him, all of our efforts turn into ashes and our sunrises into darkest nights. Without Him, life is a meaningless drama with the decisive scenes missing. But with Him we are able to rise from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of joy. St. Augustine was right - we were made for God and we will be restless until we find rest in Him".

Saturday and Sunday Armenian schools as well as the ACYO are the most fertile grounds in which we can cultivate the minds and souls of our precious youth, which is primary in our spiritual mission.

Step 2: The training of new priests:

The Stewardship program has been a great success and has devoted its time and effort in preparing young candidates for the priesthood. Last year we witnessed the fruits of this program with the ordination of four married priests. This committee meets regularly and follows an agenda to secure the necessary funding and guidance to the candidates and newly ordained priests.

We call on you our beloved parishioners to become shareholders in this critically important mission to secure continuity and smooth transition throughout our parish network.

In addition to the training of the priests, we will be establishing a special curriculum for the continued education for all practicing priests to refresh their training as well as introduce them to methods to better execute their pastoral duties.

We will also be establishing in-house training for potential candidates. These classes will serve as a transition before joining St. Nersess Seminary.

Step 3: Reorganization of Parishes and Dues Paying Memberships

We need to acknowledge the fact that the structure of our parishes and the participation of our faithful in the membership drive require much attention and renewed focus. In the coming months and years this issue will be addressed properly and measures will be taken to formalize the concept of membership and the structure of a parish. We will also work with the parishes to clarify and redefine the geographic boundaries of our present parishes and the communities which they serve.

Importantly, the most critical element in the life of the community will continue to be the praising and love of God Almighty.

Martin Luther King as he speaks about love, his definitions inspires us tremendously.

"Love is the most durable power in the world. This creative force, so beautifully exemplified in the life of our Christ, is the most potent instrument available in mankind's quest for peace and security".

Step 4: The reorganization of the Diocesan Administration:

In response to the increased volume of creativity within the mission of the Western Diocese these past six years, there will be a reorganization of the Diocesan administration beginning on May 4^th, 2009. All positions and titles will be reviewed in the course of the coming six months to better meet the evolving needs of the diocese and the community, and a number of departments will be relocated to the new offices in the Cathedral structure.

Step 5: The Mother Cathedral and the construction of new churches:

While the construction of the Mother Cathedral will be completed next year, the development of new churches within the Diocese will continue with the purchase of new properties. We anticipate the completion of the Mother Cathedral by April-May 2010. The consecration of the Mother Cathedral will take place, God willing, in September 2010 by His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of all Armenians.

Step 6: Establishment of Mission Parishes Desk:

It is our goal to establish a new department that will be in charge of following up and managing the affairs of the so-called Mission Parishes of the Diocese. The responsibilities of the Mission Parishes Desk will be to work with the communities of these mission parishes to help them become fully established parishes with a permanent priest and church building of their own.

Step 7: The Reorganization of Diocesan Subcommittees:

Around 30 subcommittees currently serve to execute the many projects of the Diocese. As we had mentioned before, we are planning to reorganize these subcommittees and redefine their scope to make them more efficient in meeting the expanding needs of the Diocese.

We will also work on enhancing the communication network of the Diocese and making more use of audio-visual tools to facilitate the communication between the Diocese and the subcommittees in the various regions. These communication systems would also be used in linking the Diocese with the parishes, and the Diocese with various universities and schools.

Step 8: Strengthening of the Financial Position of the Diocese:

It is a fact that in the past few years, the Diocese has expanded on many levels. This also implies that the expenses have increased and the budget has almost tripled. Therefore, we have to seriously plan to search for new resources to fund the projects and secure their continuity and success.

Step 9: Expanding the Endowment Fund:

The Western Diocese endowment Fund has been able to attract a number of new contributions throughout the past few years. However, due to our focus on the Mother Cathedral project, we were not able to expand the Endowment Fund's resources to the degree that we had wanted. Starting in 2010, we will refocus our efforts to raise awareness and encourage our faithful to make both large and small contributions to the Endowment Fund to benefit our Diocesan projects.

Step 10: Reorganize the Discipline of Ritualistic Life:

In the past few years, we have made many attempts to introduce discipline in our ritualistic life. However, due to our work overload we could not give it the attention we would have liked to. In 2009 and 2010 we will revisit this goal.