Armenian Evangelical World Council meets in LA

by Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian

LOS ANGELES - The Executive Committee of the Armenian Evangelical World Council (AEWC) held its annual meeting on October 14 at the United Armenian Congregational Church in Los Angeles, California.

Back (L to R): Mr. Levon Filian; Rev. Dr. Rene Leonian; Rev. Joel Mikaelian; Rev. Joseph Matossian; Rev. Megrditch Karagoezian; Rev. Harout Selimian; Dr. H. Steven Aharonian. Front (L to R): Rev. Mgrdich Melkonian; Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian; Mrs. Joyce Philibosian Stein. Absent from picture: Mr. Albert Momjian, Esq.

The following representatives of the member organizations of AEWC were in attendance: Rev. Mgrdich Melkonian-President; Rev. Dr. Vahan H. Tootikian-Executive Director; Rev. Dr. René Leonian-Vice President; Rev. Megrditch Karagoezian-Secretary; Mrs. Joyce Philibosian Stein,Mr. Levon Filian, Dr. H. Steven Aharonian, Rev. Joseph Matossian, and Rev. Haroutune Selimian.

The Executive Committee received the reports of the seven constituent member organizations of the AEWC, as well as those of its President, Executive Director, and the Treasurer. The Executive Committee acknowledged, reviewed, and evaluated the reports of those AEWC members, who participated in the following activities in Armenia:

The Pastors' Seminar for the ministers and religious workers in Armenia on September 11-15, 2011.

Genocide Centennial Pan-Armenian Committee on September 16, 2011.

Twentieth Anniversary celebrations of AMAA ministries in Armenia, September 16 and 20, 2011.

The Armenia-Diaspora Conference, September 19 and 20, 2011.

The Executive Committee registered its appreciation for the 165th anniversary celebrations of the founding of the Armenian Evangelical Church by the AE churches worldwide.

It also registered its appreciation on the compilation of the archival materials of AEWC for the past 32 years (1978-2011), which are professionally bound in book-form and are presently housed in the AEWC archives at the AMAA headquarters in New Jersey.

Furthermore, the Executive Committee resolved the following:

1. At the conclusion of Rev. Dr. Rene Leonian's tenure as representative of AEWC and AMAA in Armenia, it resolved to extend AEWC's profound appreciation and gratitude to him, and his wife Sylvie, for their dedicated services of 17 years to our fatherland Armenia in general, and to the Evangelical Church of Armenia in particular. It also resolved to appoint Rev. Rene Leonian as the AEWC's and AMAA's representative to the Armenian Evangelical Union of Eurasia.

2. To appoint a Planning Committee for the All Armenian Evangelical Pastors' Retreat, to be held at La Source, France, from April 8 to 12, 2013.

3. To thank the United Armenian Congregational Church of Los Angeles for playing host to its annual meeting.

4. To hold the next AEWC's biennial meeting on Friday October 19, 2012 at the Headquarters of the AMAA, 31 West Century Road, Paramus New Jersey.

Source: The Armenian Reporter