135TH ANNIVERSARY
MEETING UPDATE
Thank you to everyone who attended our first Anniversary planning meeting last week or volunteered to help celebrate the 135th Anniversary of our church.
We are grateful for your enthusiasm and willingness to serve as we begin preparing for this important milestone in the life of our parish.
Several key ideas and action items were discussed as we plan a year-long commemoration in 2026:
1. A Formal Anniversary Banquet with Srpazan on Saturday, November 21 (Ed Atamian will lead this effort).
2. Save the Date announcement to be prepared by Der Hayr and the Parish Council.
3. Confirmation of the event venue, with the Cultural Center as the preferred location.
4. Invitations to pastors who previously served at our parish and outreach to clergy across the Diocese.
5. Outreach to prominent individuals connected to Worcester.
6. A reenactment honoring the first settlers and founders of our parish.
7. Divine Liturgy with Srpazan on Sunday, November 22, including the ordination of Deacons and Acolytes, followed by a brunch (committee needed).
8. Outreach to living descendants of founding families, led by Steve Migridichian.
9. Incorporating the 135th Anniversary theme into all major church events in 2026.
10. Rescheduling the historical walk from Laurel Street.
We also discussed a number of historical and commemorative projects, including:
. Forming a Historical Collection Committee.
. Contacting the Worcester Historical Society, Project SAVE, Virginia Deranian, and Melikian descendant June Paske.
. Publishing short historical features such as “Did You Know?” stories.
. Sharing personal family stories about growing up at the church during fellowship gatherings.
. Collecting historical photos and artifacts from parish families.
. Developing a marketing committee to produce short videos and promotional materials.
. Preparing a commemorative book (Ed Kachajian).
. Creating a commemorative keepsake (possibly an ornament).
. Publishing a church family cookbook with traditional recipes.
. Producing a master video with historical photos (Dan Krikorian).
Our next planning meeting will take place on
Thursday, March 26 at 6:00 PM in the Church Hall.
If you would like to serve on or lead any of these committees or projects, please contact Der Hayr, the Church Office, or Jay Kapur.
We look forward to working together on this exciting year-long celebration of our church’s history and faith.
Thank you for your support and participation.
