sart~a~ sb~t~a~~r ANNUAL REPORT 1968 U. 80-t.Zil\ l.tU UlerSt-! Zl188. bleb'Lb81t ~btru~nst st-~rns~~t ST. JOHN'S ARMENIAN CHURCH OF GREATER DETROIT ANNUAL REPORT sartlill" Sb'l.b'-u.«t-Jtr 1968 U. Bn-t.Zill.t~U trltrS~! ZU88. bteb'Lb81- ~btrU~na~ s~~rna~~ ST. JOHN'S ARMENIAN CHURCH OF GREATER DETROIT 22001 Northwestern Highway Southfield, Michigan 4807 5 U.'ltru q,nrur .QtfVuU.rljtt~• U.(}U.Q ~WJbW Stp r ~wnWJU ~n, CL r qnp~u 4bnwg ~ng, CL wnw2'11np~bw np'}Lng 'llngw. t~pgp tnJU Sbwnu u.u ~ nL~nJ r ~bpwJ ubp: Qqnp~u ~bnwg ubpng nL~p~ wpw r ubq Stp. CL qqnp~u ~bnwg ubpng JW2nrJ.bw ubq: ciJw n ,P ~ 0 (I b L n(I~ L n J bL ~ n q l n J U I.J (I p n J • U.JcfU bL up2111 bL JWL pU1bw'l/u JWL pU1bup g, I.J.U'~'lJ: )luwuU'InL~pL'II ~op Bpun1.u, Sn1.p pu~ puwuU'In L ~pLu' Qpwppu funp(pl, be. fuoubt, b1. qnrabt, U.nw2r ~n JwubuwJu dwu. r ~wp funp(p~ng, r pwupg OL r qnp~ng' ¢p4bw qpu, CL n~npubw ~n wpwpw~n g, t~. pu~ pwquwut'l}u: ('Utru~ u c'Unr~u.t.,- l, U. 0 u. sn~ rvnusn~u.'U.,tr) 2 ANNUAL PARISH ASSEMBLY ST. JOHN'S ARMENIAN CHURCH OF GREATER DETROIT Southfield, Michigan Friday February 28, 1969 8:00P.M. ARMENIAN CULTURAL BUILDING 22001 Northwestern Highway, Southfield Michigan AGENDA 1. Opening Prayer 2. Verification of Eligible Voters 3. Election of Parish Assembly Officers (Chairman and Secretary) 4. Minutes of the 1968 Annual Parish Assembly 5. Election: a. Partial election of Parish Council ( 6) b. Partial election of Auditors (2) 6. Pastors' Annual Report 7. Parish Council's Annual Report 8. Budget Committee Report 9. Armenian Cultural Building Report 10. Cemetery Committee Report (Armenian Memorial at Woodlawn) 11. Pledge Committee Report 12. In Lieu-of-Flowers Donations Report 13. Apostolic Society Report 14. Statistical Reports and Financial Statements of Church Auxiliaries (Oral reports by chairmen of respective Auxiliary Organizations) 15. Auditors' Report 16. Diocesan Delegates Report i 7. Proposals to the Diocesan_ Assembly (by the Parish Assembly) 18. New Business 19. Election Results 20. Adjournment and Benediction PARISH COUNCIL VERY REV. YEGHISHE V. GIZIRIAN REV. FR. DIRAN PAPAZIAN Senior Pastor Pastor PRESIDENT MARTIN P. APKARIAN GARBIS OHANIAN Chairman Secretary 3 PATRIARCHAL VISIT OF HIS HOLINESS St. John's Armenian Church of Greater Detroit and the Armenian Community were honored by a pontifical visit of His Holiness, Lord Lord Vasken I, Catholicos and Supreme Patriarch of All Armenians, to our city for the second time in a decade. The Vehapar visited the Detroit community from Friday, May 10, through Monday, May 13 , 1968 following His consecration of the new St. Vartan's Armenian Cathedral in New York City. His Holiness' entourage included Archbishop Torkom Manoogian, Primate of our Diocese; Bishop Komitas Der Stepanian, Primate of the Diocese of Georgia, Gerogian S.S.R.; The Very Rev. Nerses Bozabalian, Staff-bearer and the Rector of the Etchrniadzin Theological Seminary; Mr. Artoon Hadidian, Editor of the Etchmiadzin monthly; and Bishop Karekin Kazanjian, Primate of Australia. His Holiness took this occasion to consecrate the Altar of our new Church with a pontifical Divine Liturgy, on Sunday, May 12. A solemn banquet was held in honor of His Holiness on Sunday evening in the Armenian Cultural Buil'ding. Vehapar left Detroit on Monday, May 13, leaving the Detroit community with rich and fond memories of a historic and memorable weekend with the Supreme Patriarch and head of their Church. 4 PASTORA L REPORT For The Year of 1968 Dear Parishi oners, With the grace and mercy of God another year has elapsed in the life of our church. The year of our Lord 1968 was a significant year and will rema.in ever memorable in the annal s of our community life with th e pontifical visit of His Holiness , L. L. Vas kcn I Catholicos of AU Armenian s. His Holiness made his seco nd historic vi sit to the United States to consecrate our Mother Cathedral in New York on ApriJ 28, 1968, and on this occasion His Holin ess graced his fl ock in Detroit du rin g th e da ys of May ll-13 and consecrated our Main Altar on Sun day, May 12, offi ciating at a pontifical Divine Liturgy. His Holiness' visit was an occasion of in spirati on for our community and rededicati on -for greater achievemen ts in th e vineyard of our Lord. It is indeed gratify ing to re vi ew the harvest of a year's end eavors and welco me th e chall enge of the year al1 ea d of us. The Pas tors brought their share in the spi ritual, re ligious and cultura l efforts of our large community in admini strative ca pacity. We, herewi th, submit to our Pari sh Assembl y for revi ew a brief account of some phases of our pasto ral ove rall activiti es and accomplishments du ring the yea r of our Lord 1968. WORSHIP The Pastors cond ucted Divin e Liturgy every Sunday. Sermons were given in both Arm eni an and English, without exce ption, during all the Sundays of the yea r. Divin e Liturgy and oth er church ceremonies were also conducted on spec ial occasions throughout th e yea r as foll ows: TH EOPH ANY EVE (Fri. , January 5) Badarak was ce lebra ted on Friday evening prior to Holy Theophany. ARM ENIAN CHRISTMAS OR COMM EMORATION OF THE FEAST OF TH EOPH ANY (Sat. , January 6) Badarak was offere d with the participation of members of the Cultural Soc iety of Armenians from Istanbul singing the Gornidasian version of th e Badarak under the direc ti on of Vartkes Yeghiayan from Chi cago , Illin ois. Also on this occasion Chri stmas Holy Communion was administered to th e pupiJ s of our Armenian and Church Schools. BL ESSIN G OF WATERS, "CHURORHNEK" (Sun., January 7) This ceremony was perform ed in commemoration of Christ's Baptism on Armenia n Christmas. FEAST OF ST . VARTANANTZ (Thurs., February 22) Badarak was celebrated on Thursday morning on the day of the feas t. SUNRI SE SERVI CES (Mar. 3-M ar. 31) These se rvices were performed during the Sundays of Lent following close d Lenten Badarak. 5 LENTEN VIGIL SERVICES "Peace and Rest Hours" (Feb. 28-Apr. 3) These services were held every Wednesday during the Len ten period. TRUNPATZEK CEREMONY "Opening the Curtains of the Altar" (Sun., Apr. 7) This special ceremony was conducted on Palm Sunday following Divine Liturgy. HOLY WEEK was observed with the following services and ceremonies: MAUNDY THURSDAY (Thurs., Apr. 11) Badarak was celebrated in the morning in commemoration of the Last Supper and Institution of Holy Communion. FEET-WASHING CEREMONY "VODNALUVA" (Thurs., Apr. 11) This special ceremony was conducted on the evening of Great Thursday. BETRAYAL OF CHRIST "KHA VAROOM" (Th~rs., Apr. 11) This ceremony, with the service of "Tencbrae," was conducted on Thursday evening. CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST "TRE-ORE" SERVICES ON GOOD FRIDAY (Fri., Apr. 12) The Good Friday Services were conducted on Good Friday noon, in English, for the benefit of our younger generation. BURIAL OF CHRIST "TAGHOOM" (Fri., Apr. 1 2) The ceremonies of the Burial of Christ were conducted on Good Friday evening. EASTER HOLY COMMUNION SERVICES (Sat., Apr. 13) Special Badarak was performed and Easter Holy Communion was administered to the Armenian and Church School pupils on Saturday morning prior to Easter. EASTER EVE "JURAKALOUYTZ" (Sat., Apr. 13) Badarak was offered as Easter Eve Celebration on Saturday evening. A DEMONSTRATED BADARAK (Sun., Apr. 21) A Demonstrated Badarak, with commentary, was presented in our Church as part of Interfaith Youth Seminar to the youth groups of Redeemer Lutheran Church, Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Roman Catholic Church and Shaarey Zedek Synagogue on Sunday evening. BLESSING OF "MADAGH" (Sun., Apr. 21) Following Badarak madagh was blessed in memory of the martyrs of the great massacre. GRAPE BLESSING CEREMONY "KHAGHOGHORHNEK"(Sun., Aug. 18) The ceremony of Grape Blessing was conducted on the Feast of the Assumption of the Holy Mother of God. ANTASDAN"Blessing of Four Corners of the World" This ceremony was performed on major Feast Days during the morning hour preceding the Solemn High Mass. 6 FESTIVE ANT AS DAN (Sun., Sept. 15) This processional Antasdan was conducted on the Feast of Exalta­ ti on of the Holy Cross following Badarak. PONTIFICAL PRAY ER SERVICE "HAYRABEDAGAN MAGHTANK" These se rvi ces were conducted on various occasions according to our chu rch ca lendar including the Name Day of the Catholicos, (Sun., Feb. 25) ;' Feast of Holy Etchmiadzin (Sun., May 23); The Twelfth Anniversary of the Consecration of His Holiness, the Catholicos (Sun. , Oct. 6) CHRlSTMAS EVE SERVI CES (Tues., Dec. 24) Ca ndlelight ceremony was conducted on Christmas Eve (Tues. , Dec. 24 midnight) in English for our young people sponsored by the ACYOA . HOKEHANKJST, "REQUIEM SERVICE" Hokehank.is t was conducted almost every Sunday as requested by parishioners and also special Hokehankist was conducted on special occas ions as directed by the Diocese or our Church calendar. SACRAMENTS AND RJTES The following services have been duly recorded in our Parish Registry for 1968: BAPTISMS AND CONFIRMATIONS, 70. In addition to this number, 17 adult baptisms and confirmations were separately administered ·as a result of conversion cases from non-Armenian faiths to the Armenian Apostolic faith in connection with inter.marriages.