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PASTOR GETS TRIP OF DREAMS
Bronislaus B. Kush TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
06-12-2011
On a recent Sunday, Linda Bogosian and her husband, the Rev. Gary
Shahinian, the pastor of Park Congregational Church, were looking
through the newspaper when they came upon a column about "bucket
lists," wish lists of things that people would like to do before
"kicking the bucket."
"I asked him (Rev. Shahinian) what he would put on a list and he said
that he'd like to travel some day to Armenia, where our families are
originally from," said Ms. Bogosian. "But as much as he wanted to go
there, he said his dream was to visit Jerusalem."
Yesterday, during the Sunday worship service at Park Congregational,
a very surprised Rev. Shahinian learned that he would very shortly
be visiting the holy city.
And he had the children who attend the church's Sunday School and
members of the Youth Group to thank for the trip.
Over the past two years, the children and teens had been squirreling
money from bake sales and other fundraising events to send their
pastor to the Middle East.
Besides the kids, only a small circle of folks, including the three
Sunday School teachers, Holly Proulx, Lisa Lindquist and Aldea Dorsey,
knew that the money was being collected.
Ms. Bogosian learned of the secret only recently.
"This is really something. It's amazing because this congregation is
made up of families of modest means," Ms. Bogosian said.
Park Congregational's roots go back to the 1880s when the City
Missionary Society recommended that a Congregational church be built
to serve people living near Park Avenue and neighborhoods to the west.
However, the church fell upon hard financial times over the past couple
of decades as its membership aged and as its resources began to dry up.
In the summer of 2007, the congregation voted to sell its church
property on Russell Street, near Elm Park.
Over the past three years, it has been worshipping at Davis Chapel
at First Baptist Church, which is at Park Avenue and Salisbury Street.
Members credit Rev. Shahinian, who was born in New York City and
who was raised in New Jersey, with keeping the congregation together
through tough times.
They believe the church will grow under his continuing tutelage and,
some say, will once again have its own house of worship.
About 50 people now attend the 10 a.m. Sunday services.
"Gary has done so much for the church and its youth," said
Ms. Proulx. "Many ministers just get up on the pulpit and talk at
you. They're unapproachable. Gary's different. He listens to you and
cracks jokes. The kids, especially, love him."
Ms. Dorsey, the Sunday school teacher, came up with the idea for
the trip.
The congregation had sent its former pastor to Jerusalem as a gift
in recognition of his 10 years of service to the church.
Yesterday, like every other second Sunday in June, was Children's
Day at Park Congregational, with the kids offering the readings and
invocation, passing the collection baskets, and serving as acolytes.
During the service, they presented Rev. Shahinian, who has served at
Park Congregational for about 11 years and who previously ministered
at the Armenian Church of the Martyrs, with a $2,500 check, along
with a wallet-like cover to store his passport.
They even chipped in another $150 to cover the cost of the passport.
© 2011 The Associated Press.
Bronislaus B. Kush TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
06-12-2011
On a recent Sunday, Linda Bogosian and her husband, the Rev. Gary
Shahinian, the pastor of Park Congregational Church, were looking
through the newspaper when they came upon a column about "bucket
lists," wish lists of things that people would like to do before
"kicking the bucket."
"I asked him (Rev. Shahinian) what he would put on a list and he said
that he'd like to travel some day to Armenia, where our families are
originally from," said Ms. Bogosian. "But as much as he wanted to go
there, he said his dream was to visit Jerusalem."
Yesterday, during the Sunday worship service at Park Congregational,
a very surprised Rev. Shahinian learned that he would very shortly
be visiting the holy city.
And he had the children who attend the church's Sunday School and
members of the Youth Group to thank for the trip.
Over the past two years, the children and teens had been squirreling
money from bake sales and other fundraising events to send their
pastor to the Middle East.
Besides the kids, only a small circle of folks, including the three
Sunday School teachers, Holly Proulx, Lisa Lindquist and Aldea Dorsey,
knew that the money was being collected.
Ms. Bogosian learned of the secret only recently.
"This is really something. It's amazing because this congregation is
made up of families of modest means," Ms. Bogosian said.
Park Congregational's roots go back to the 1880s when the City
Missionary Society recommended that a Congregational church be built
to serve people living near Park Avenue and neighborhoods to the west.
However, the church fell upon hard financial times over the past couple
of decades as its membership aged and as its resources began to dry up.
In the summer of 2007, the congregation voted to sell its church
property on Russell Street, near Elm Park.
Over the past three years, it has been worshipping at Davis Chapel
at First Baptist Church, which is at Park Avenue and Salisbury Street.
Members credit Rev. Shahinian, who was born in New York City and
who was raised in New Jersey, with keeping the congregation together
through tough times.
They believe the church will grow under his continuing tutelage and,
some say, will once again have its own house of worship.
About 50 people now attend the 10 a.m. Sunday services.
"Gary has done so much for the church and its youth," said
Ms. Proulx. "Many ministers just get up on the pulpit and talk at
you. They're unapproachable. Gary's different. He listens to you and
cracks jokes. The kids, especially, love him."
Ms. Dorsey, the Sunday school teacher, came up with the idea for
the trip.
The congregation had sent its former pastor to Jerusalem as a gift
in recognition of his 10 years of service to the church.
Yesterday, like every other second Sunday in June, was Children's
Day at Park Congregational, with the kids offering the readings and
invocation, passing the collection baskets, and serving as acolytes.
During the service, they presented Rev. Shahinian, who has served at
Park Congregational for about 11 years and who previously ministered
at the Armenian Church of the Martyrs, with a $2,500 check, along
with a wallet-like cover to store his passport.
They even chipped in another $150 to cover the cost of the passport.
© 2011 The Associated Press.