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Directory
PARISH COUNCIL OFFICERS
John "Frenchie" Ekmalian, Chairman 
Arthur Mahserjian, Co Vice Chairman
Garo Derian, Co Vice Chairman
Ronald P. Kaiser, Secretary
R. Paul Moroukian, Jr., Treasurer
TRUSTEES
Gilbert Chorbajian
Leon Kaiser
Yervant Kutchukian
George Mahserjian
DIOCESAN DELEGATES
Edward A. Belemjian
Robert Meeson, Jr.
CHURCH ORGANIZATION CONTACTS
ACYOA Jrs. - Yervant Kutchukian
Armenian College Students & Young Professionals Network - Jonathan Dadekian
Armenian School - Zareh & Anahid Altounian
Adult Bible Study - Elsie Vozzy
Choir Director - Rafi Topalian
Interim Organist - Ralph Enokian
Loosaper - Lori Payette
Adult Fellowship - Philip Natcharian
Sunday School - Chuck Tutunjian
Women's Guild - Virginia Mahserjian
OTHER CHURCH CONTACTS
Church Secretary - Lori Payette
Sexton - Thomas Manning
CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS
Armenian College Students & Young Professionals Network: Are you an Armenian college student or young professional? Do you know someone who is?
This network group meets informally now and then to allow Armenian college students and young professionals to meet other Armenians to grow in Christian fellowship and to share in the Armenian heritage.
We would love new college students and young professionals to join us.
Armenian School: Parents are asked to encourage their children to attend Armenian School by explaining to them the importance of learning to speak and write Armenian and keep their faith so that they can continue to defend and preserve our Armenian values forever, as our ancestors have done for centuries.
School is held Friday evenings from 6:30 to 8:15 p.m. We have classes for both Armenian- and English-speaking students. The school consists of grades one through seven.
The school has a very capable and dedicated teaching staff. Together with the help of the parish priest and the Parish Council, the principal and teachers are committed to doing their best to keep alive our Armenian heritage through our language and faith.
Adult Bible Study Class: St. Peter Armenian Church is very proud to say that we are in our fourteenth year of Bible Study. We are a growing group with vision for the future. Our main goal is Christ-centered teaching that reveals God's love for mankind. Second, to learn and understand what God is looking for in each one of us. Third, to provide a comfortable setting for people to come and ask questions, share thoughts or just listen.
Parish Council: Our Bylaws state that the Parish Assembly shall elect from among the dues-paying members, a Parish Council of nine members who shall be custodians of the properties of the church and shall, together with the Parish Priest, be in charge of the conduct of the affairs of the Parish.
The Parish Council shall elect its own officers, carry out decisions of the Parish Assembly, prepare and submit the annual budget, collect the income and pay expenses, ensure the proper and regular performance of church services, support the schools, encourage all educational, benevolent and cultural organizations in the community, and do what is proper to coordinate with the Diocese and make timely payments to it.
Any interested member of St. Peter Armenian Church, who feels the desire to volunteer his or her time for the betterment of our church and to uphold the Gospel of Jesus Christ, please make yourself known to a member of the Parish Council.
Parish Council meetings are held the first Monday of each month in the St. Peter Church confernece room at 7:00 p.m.
Diocesan Delegates: St. Peter Armenian Church is part of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America. Two Diocesan Delegates are elected for four-year terms at our Parish Assembly. These delegates, together with our Parish Priest and Parish Council Chairman, represent our church at the Annual Diocesan Assemblies. At these meetings, the delegates receive and discuss reports on Diocesan operations from the Primate, Diocesan Council and various departments of the Diocese, vote on proposals and resolutions and review and act on the Diocesan budget. In preparation for the Annual Assemblies, the delegates attend all St. Peter Church Parish Council monthly meetings to keep abreast of all church activities and deliberations. The assemblies are held each spring at different churches within the Diocese.
Prayer of the ACYOA Juniors: "O Lord our Savior Jesus Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life, give us, the youth of the Church of Armenia, we beseech You, the wisdom to know, to love, and to serve You in our personal lives severally, and in the corporate life of our organization. You who lead all people in the way, lead us, Your children, that we may be able to serve the Church through our people, with courage and vision, and in the faith of our illustrious forefathers. Inspire us, O Lord, and open our eyes to Your light, that we may cherish and profit by the heritage which our forefathers have left to us, and that we may be aware of our responsibilities.
"Fill us, O Christ our God, with Your Holy Spirit, that we may be the obedient and unselfish servants of the Will of our Heavenly Father, to whom, together with You and the Holy Spirit, is befitting glory, dominion and honor, now and always and unto the ages of ages. AMEN."
The Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA) has been an important part of the Armenian Church for more than 50 years, bringing together youth from parish communities and the Diocese as a whole to serve the Armenian Church, partake in community events, and socialize with one another in a Christian environment.
In the past, we have had a successful and active ACYOA Junior chapter at our parish. Many of our members and leaders from the past years have since moved on to college and beyond. It is now time to reorganize ourselves with the new generation of youth within our community.
Participants who are ages 13-18 are eligible to participate in this worthwhile, fun organization.
We will begin our reorganization through informal, social gatherings. We will not collect dues or even elect officers until next year at which time all potential members shall have had a chance to gather as one cohesive group.Parents are always encouraged to participate in all youth activities as well. We believe the inductive study method is the best and most accurate way to study Scripture ~ to find out all the Bible has to say about a subject, then talk about practical ways to apply it to our lives.
We pray that this Bible Study has brought spiritual growth to our beloved Armenian community. We must keep in mind that it was faith in Jesus Christ that gave birth to the Armenian Church. It was enduring faith that kept our Church alive through the Genocide. And it will be strong ongoing faith that holds promise for the future of the Armenian Church.
"Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." (Rom. 10:17).
Resuming in September, classes will be held every other Friday morning in the Church Hall from 10:15 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
Church Choir: What better way to glorify God than to praise Him through the glorious music of our Holy Badarak? Have you ever thought of this? We essentially sing the same hymns every week, yet we never get tired of it! Could it be that Jesus Christ Himself, through the Holy Spirit, inspired Yegmalian to compose such beautiful music? And those of you who think our service is "too long," why not try singing with us, either by joining the Choir or in the congregation? You'll be amazed at how quickly the time flies by! Participation is the key. God doesn't care whether or not you have a beautiful voice and neither do we. All we ask is that you not be tone deaf! So come and join us as we lift our voices in the timeless music of our Holy Badarak. You'll be glad you did! New singers are always welcome. Questions and comments about the choir are always welcome and appreciated and can be directed to Rafi at (518) 272-2000 or (518) 810-5018 or by e-mail at rafitop@aol.com. Please take a few moments to visit the website of the Association of Armenian Church Choirs of America (AACCA) at www.sograd.com/aacca for lots of information.
Loosaper, the Church publication, constitutes a vital and historical record of the St. Peter Church community. It is issued every month except July and August and a combined issue for January/February during the calendar year. Approximately 655 copies of each issue are printed and mailed free of charge locally and elsewhere.
In addition to articles on cultural and community events, Diocesan news and Armenian international news, it chronicles the life of our Church and its members.
Loosaper is prepared by Lori Payette, our Church Secretary, with the help of a volunteer staff of proofreaders and editor. Volunteers are always welcome to join the staff.
The Loosaper also offers advertising space for businesses. Contact the Church office for more information on placing your ad in the Loosaper.
Contact the Church office if you would like to be added to the mailing list to receive the Loosaper.
St. Peter Adult Fellowship: The club was organized in September 1994 under the name of St. Peter Armenian Seniors. While we do not have a long history, we have had a dynamic past based on our growth and the goodwill generated. Our future is equally bright (unless someone discovers a way to reverse the aging process). We cannot change the aging process, but we can have a lot of fun going through it. The club is dedicated to having a good time and promoting interesting activities. Our major objective is as follows:
The club meets for lunch the first Wednesday of every month (except July and August). Sometimes January luncheons may be postponed due to inclement weather, but we always try to celebrate Valentine's Day in February. Generally, the luncheon meetings are held at the church in the Gdanian Auditorium with members preparing and serving the meals or sometimes having the meal catered. Each luncheon date has a guest speaker or a planned program or activity on a theme related to the calendar date. Special activities are planned to fill in the calendar year such as boat trips, a summer picnic, retreats, and/or attending theatre shows and stage performances. In September, we celebrate out "birthday" with a special luncheon and program at an area restaurant.
While we are a social group and committed to having a good time, we have not forsaken our Christian values to serve and be useful to others. Each Christmas we visit and bring a seasonal gift to our homebound parishioners and those in nursing homes. We support the church financially as well as provide refreshments for the Fellowship Hour and donating goodies for the Annual Church Festival. We remember our deceased members by providing new Divine Liturgy books in their memory. We invite adults of any age to join our club. The dues are only $5 per year, and we guarantee a fulfilling experience, or at least good food.
Sunday School: The Sunday School staff is a group of concerned parishioners who volunteer their time to teach our children about their Christian faith and Armenian heritage. While the children are learning about their faith and heritage, we also want them to learn about how we worship and express our faith. We have a rich Christian tradition. The students are taught the Church hymns/prayers in English and Armenian, Bible stories and Christian values. By understanding the hymns and prayers in the Church Service and how they are based upon Christian teachings, the children gain an appreciation of our traditions and style of worship.
Any person wishing to bring their child to Sunday School would be welcomed into our community at any time during the year.
Sunday School begins at 10:00 a.m. and concludes at 12:00 every Sunday morning. New students are welcome any time.
Women's Guild: The Women's Guild of St. Peter Armenian Church as a whole meets twice a year at a membership luncheon. The executive council, this year consisting of nine members, meets whenever it is deemed necessary.
The bylaws of the Women's Guild state that it is our aim or purpose to encourage, assist and teach our members to preserve and to live the Christian faith according to the teachings of the Bible and the doctrines, traditions and heritage of the Armenian Church. We participate in the annual Women's Guild Assembly as well as the regional Women Saints Day gatherings. This offers us an opportunity to create and exchange ideas with each other. An annual Women's Guild Day is celebrated one Sunday each November. We are involved with the following activities: preparing requiem dinners (hokejashes); the Mid-Lenten Dinner; the Communion Breakfast during Holy Week; the Martyrs Day Dinner; the Mother's Day Dinner; the Annual Church Picnic; and the occasional presentation of food or handwork within our community.
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