Annual Report 2019/2020
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ANNUAL REPORT 2019/2020 ARMENIAN MISSIONARY ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA Ամերիկայի Հայ Աւետարանչական Ընկերակցութիւն A G E N D A 101st Annual Meeting of AMAA October 24, 2020 8:00 am PT - 11:00 am ET ...................................DEVOTION - CALL TO ORDER & GREETINGS Page 22 MINUTES OF THE 100TH ANNUAL MEETING A. MESSAGES AND REPORTS OF OFFICERS/ADMINISTRATORS 3 a. President’s Message............................................................................... Nazareth Darakjian, M.D. 26 b. Armenian Evangelical Fellowship-Europe, President ..................................... Rev. Gilbert Léonian 27 c. Armenian Evangelical Union-North America, Minister to the Union ............ Rev. Berdj Djambazian 28 d. Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in Eurasia, President ................ Rev. Dr. René Léonian 29 e. Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches of France, President ..........................Rev. Jöel Mikaélian 30 f. Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, President ..... Rev. Megrditch Karagoezian 31 g. Union of Evangelical Churches of Armenia, Pastor to Pastors ................. Rev. Mgrdich Melkonian 32 h. Co-Recording Secretaries ....................................Mark Kassabian, Esq./Thomas J. Momjian, Esq. 32 i. Treasurer .................................................................................................Nurhan Helvacian, Ph.D. 5 j. Executive Director/CEO ..........................................................................................Zaven Khanjian 33 k. AMAA Representative in Armenia ......................................................................Harout Nercessian B. REPORTS OF COMMITTEES 38 a. Armenia Committee ........................................................................ Ann Karagozian Sarafian, Ph.D. 39 b. Audit Committee .................................................................................................Gary Phillips, Esq. 39 c. Budget and Finance Committee ...............................................................Nurhan Helvacian, Ph.D. 40 d. Christian Life Committee ...................................................................Heather C. Ohaneson, Ph.D. 40 e. Constitution and Bylaws Committee .............................................................Mark Kassabian, Esq. 40 f. Cooperative Committee on Armenian Missions ................................................ Dr. Peter E. Makari 41 g. Development Committee ...................................................................................LindaKay Abdulian 41 h. Europe Committee ................................................................................H. Steven Aharonian, M.D. 42 i. Foreign Real Estate Committee .................................................... Hratch Sarkis and Joseph Stein 42 j. Investment Committee ............................................................................. Michael Voskian, D.M.D. 43 k. James Jameson Essay Contest Committee ............................................... Douglas Kurjian, Ph.D. 43 l. Managers of Real Estate Committee ................................................................. Gary Phillips, Esq. 43 m. Near East Committee ...............................................................................................Louis Kurkjian 44 n. Nominating Committee ...........................................................................Nurhan Helvacian, Ph.D. 44 o. Orphan and Child Care Committee ............................................................Joyce Philibosian Stein 45 p. Personnel Committee .................... Thomas J. Momjian, Esq./Eileen Chopourian Stephey, Ed.D. 45 q. Planned Giving Committee .............................Thomas J. Momjian, Esq./George Phillips, Jr., Esq. 45 r. Scholarship Committee ............................................................................Nurhan Helvacian, Ph.D. AMAA Annual Report 2019-20 1 Page C. REPORTS OF AFFILIATED BOARDS 46 a. Armenian Evangelical World Council ...................................................Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian 47 b. Haigazian University .................................................................................Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian 48 c. Stephen Philibosian Foundation .................................................................Joyce Philibosian Stein D. REPORTS OF AFFILIATED ORGANIZATIONS 49 a. Armenian American Museum .....................Nazareth Darakjian, M.D./Levon Filian/Zaven Khanjian 49 b. "Armenian Education" Educational Foundation ......................................H. Steven Aharonian, M.D. 49 c. C&E Merdinian Armenian Evangelical School ......................................... Vahe Nalbandian, Ph.D. 50 d. "Hayastan" All-Armenian Fund .............................................................................. Zaven Khanjian 50 e. Hope For Armenia - Espoir Pour L’Armenie ...........................................................Serge Kurkdjian 51 f. Joint Home Missions - AEUNA and AMAA ......... Rev. Berdj Djambazian/Rev. Jeremy Tovmassian E. REPORTS OF DISTRICT CHAPTERS/COMMITTEES/CHURCHES 52 a. AMA-Australia ................................................................................. Rev. Dr. Krikor Youmshajekian 53 b. AMA-Canada ........................................................................................................Mihran Jizmejian 54 c. Armenian Evangelical Church of São Paulo, Brazil ................................ Rev. Dr. Roy Abrahamian 54 d. Armenian Evangelical Churches of Bulgaria .......................... Rev. Bedros Altunian/Local Pastors 58 e. First Armenian Evangelical Church of Uruguay ..... Rev. Dr. Obed Boyadjian/Dr. Jorge Moumdjian 58-62 F. Church Missions Committees/AMAA Chapters of North American Churches 63-81 G. FINANCIAL REPORTS 82-96 H. ENDOWMENT FUNDS I. ELECTIONS a. Eight Members to the Board of Directors – Class of 2023 b. Four Members to the Nominating Committee – Class of 2022 c. Auditor for Fiscal 2020-2021 J. OTHER BUSINESS K. CONCLUDING REMARKS L. ADJOURNMENT & PRAYER OF DISMISSAL Note: Following the Annual Meeting, the Board of Directors will have a brief meeting. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cover Photo: AMAA Janbazian KG in Martakert, Arstakh Back Cover Photo: Youth from various Armenian Evangelical Churches in Beirut, Lebanon volunteer to distribute food and other provisions to the needy on behalf of the AMAA at the Trad Social Service Center of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East 2 AMAA Annual Report 2019-20 THE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE he AMAA’s 2019-2020 fiscal year started on August 1, 2019, just like any other “normal” year that we had come to expect. By early March of 2020, however, the pandemic called COVID-19 had taken hold, creating an entirely new landscape for Talmost every human being living on this earth, and nothing has been “normal” since then. Going back to October 2019, the AMAA held its 100th Annual Meeting in Watertown, MA not far from Worcester where the AMAA was born 101 years ago. The traditional Banquet Saturday night was very well organized and very well attended. Our sincere thanks to John and Michele Simourian and the energetic Committee. We also want to express our thanks to Rev. Avedis Boynerian and the members of the Armenian Memorial Church of Watertown, MA for making us feel very much at home and for providing us a warm atmosphere of Christian fellowship. The AMAA Centennial Campaign officially ended in December 2019. The Campaign that ran for three years was able to raise 75% of the $20 million goal that was set at the beginning. Our last “face to face” Board meeting took place in early March, and since then all meetings have been held on Zoom. Also, in mid-March the AMAA office was closed but the staff was able to continue to work from home and fulfill the essential functions of the organization. The Armenia Orphan and Child Care fundraiser, planned for April in CA, was canceled but many donors sent in their contributions anyway for which we are very grateful. The Medical Mission Trip to Armenia in June, the Annual Internship Trip to Armenia in July, and the planned Tour to Armenia and Artsakh in September were all canceled. We were looking forward to holding our 101st Annual Meeting and Banquet in Fresno, CA this year but they were also canceled with the hope that perhaps we can hold our 102nd Annual Meeting there next year. Our annual trip to Beirut was canceled too and instead the Haigazian University Board of Trustees meeting and the AMAA-UAECNE joint meetings took place by Zoom. Even before the pandemic hit, trouble started brewing in Lebanon in the fall of 2019 with unrelenting anti- government demonstrations. The financial meltdown that followed caused massive devaluation of the local money and inability of bank account holders to access their funds. This made life very difficult for individuals and institutions and complicated our efforts to send the budgeted as well as the additional assistance designated for our Union there. As if these problems were not enough, a massive explosion rocked Beirut on August 4, 2020, causing damage to almost every building in the city including our churches, schools and any piece of real estate that belonged to the AMAA or our Near East Union of churches. In spite of all these disasters, the AMAA continues its worldwide mission with particular emphasis on Lebanon where the need is greatest at this point in time. Additional funds have been channeled to the Social Action Committee of the Union