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Las Vegas Community Gathers for St. Garabed Church Cultural Center and
Koujakian Hall Opening
Friday, October 24th, 2014
The Prelate leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony
LAS VEGAS--The weekend of October 18 and 19 was a momentous one for
members of St. Garabed Church of Las Vegas who celebrated the grand
opening of the Cultural Center and Koujakian Hall, signifying the
successful completion of the project which had begun in 2009. The
weekend's festivities commenced on Saturday, October 18 with a
celebratory banquet held at Cili Restaurant of Bali Hai Golf Course.
The official opening of the new complex was conducted by Western
Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian on Sunday, following Divine
Liturgy. Executive Council members participated in the events.
On Sunday morning the Prelate celebrated Divine Liturgy and delivered
the sermon at St. Garabed Church, assisted at the altar by Parish
Pastor Rev. Fr. Arsen Kassabian. His Eminence began his address by
congratulating and commending the parish members on their latest
achievement, in particular Mr. Larry Barnes, the Dream Fund at UCLA,
and the Fattal, Yemendijian, and Koujakian families whose generosity
was vital to the project. His Eminence reminded the parish that though
they have completed the final phase of their project, their mission is
not over, stating "The mission of maintaining this church and cultural
center, of fostering our faith and heritage, is an ongoing one".
He turned their attention to the day's Gospel reading to hear what is
expected of all of us as faithful and active Christians. The passage
is of Jesus reading a Scripture by Isaiah proclaiming Him as the
Savior, with the spirit of the Lord upon Him, sent to proclaim "The
Good News of Salvation". The Prelate went over the mission of our Lord
found in the passage; to preach the good news of God's love and mercy,
to heal the brokenhearted and bring comfort and hope to others, to
free those bound by sin, to open the eyes of the spiritually blind, to
free the weak and oppressed, and to proclaim the day of judgment. His
Eminence noted that the day before was the feast of the Holy
Evangelists, the four Gospel writers who faithfully fulfilled the
commission entrusted to them by Christ and in doing so taught us how
we too can and must do the same. "The spirit of the Lord is with us
today in this sacred house of worship. As children of God and devotees
of Christ, His mission, detailed above, is one that is required of us
each and every one of us. In our unique capacities, we are all
commissioned to continue the work our Savior, in the example He set
forth during His earthly ministry", exhorted the Prelate.
The Prelate stated that the progress achieved by the community is
proof of their commitment to carrying out the mission entrusted to
them. However, he urged for continuous work to maintain both the
church and the cultural center; to preach the Gospel of Christ and
draw new faithful to the church, and to preach the beauty and value of
our language and culture and bequeath our heritage to generations.
At the conclusion of the service, guests gathered in the courtyard for
the grand opening ceremony, which began with the ribbon-cutting.
Inside the complex, sponsors were in attendance for the unveiling of
plaques. The newly renovated Koujakian Hall, sponsored by the Fattal,
Yemenidjian, Koujakian families, was unveiled by the grandchildren of
Apraham and Verjine Koujakian in whose memory the hall is dedicated.
The grandchildren of Dr. and Mrs. Raffi and Shoghag Hovanessian
unveiled the three paintings by artist Sarkis Hamalbashian donated by
the sponsors. Also unveiled were the kitchen by Mr. and Mrs. Raffi and
Siran Nersessian, the Boardroom by Mr. and Mrs. Adroushan and Nora
Armenian, two classrooms by Alex Karabajakian and Mari Rose Simon, and
the Game Room by Oshin Harootoonian. The ceremony culminated with the
unveiling of the St. Garabed Church and Cultural Center dedication
plaque of main benefactor Larry Banes, in memory of his wife Seda Der
Garabedian Barnes, and the Courtyard sponsor plaque of Mr. and Mrs.
Adroushan and Nora Armenian.
Guests enjoyed a reception hosted by the Fattal, Yemendijian, and
Koujakian families in memory of their parents. A cultural program
followed in the newly remodeled courtyard where students of the ARS
Verjine Koujakian Saturday School recited poems and sang Armenian
songs, and students from the Armenian Dance School of Las Vegas
performed dances.
The Prelate once again congratulated and commended the parish members,
benefactors, and faithful on their great accomplishment and wished
them continued successes in the years to come.
Lighting of candles by the sponsors was a highlight of the banquet
Banquet
On Saturday evening the Prelate presided over the celebratory banquet.
The program began with welcoming remarks by Master of Ceremonies Mrs.
Houry Darakjian, followed by the invocation by Parish Pastor Rev. Fr.
Arsen Kassabian and congratulatory remarks by Congresswoman Dina
Titus. Guests then enjoyed dinner accompanied by a musical
performance. On behalf of the Parish Council, Adroushan Armenian gave
an overview of the three phases of the construction process, beginning
from 2009. He thanked the donors and supporters for their generosity
and encouragement, owing to which he said the parish has made great
strides in the last five years. Keynote Speaker Arda Yemenidjan
expressed gratitude to all those who made the dream of a Church and
Cultural Center a reality. She thanked the Prelate for his leadership,
benefactor Larry Barnes and Dream Fund at UCLA for their generosity,
Parish Pastor, Parish Council, and Building Committee members for
their tireless work, and the Armenian Relief Society for planting the
seeds of education in the community. Consul General of Armenia Sergey
Sarkisov addressed the gathering, conveying his congratulations to the
community.
The Prelate was then invited for the presentation of plaques, which
were awarded to Building Committee members Levon Gulbenkian and Koko
Darakjian in appreciation for their dedicated service to the project
since its inception, and to Mr. and Mrs. Greg and Annie Gevorkian for
completing the construction in a timely and efficient manner. In honor
of the Year of the Elder, Parish Council Chair Mr. Garabed Bedirian
and his wife Zaruhi received special recognition for their service to
the parish and community.
The Prelate began his message by thanking God for the occasion and
praying for His blessings upon the parish as they begin a new phase of
their mission. "The Western Prelacy family rejoices with you today,
evidenced by the number of Executive Council members here tonight, the
presence of the honorable Consul General Sergey Sarkisov, and the
guests who have come from near and far to share in this joy with you.
You are a wonderful example that with faith and trust in God, nothing
is impossible", stated His Eminence. He applauded the unity and
collaboration of the community, which he said has led to the
successful completion of the complex where faithful of all ages can
safely gather in a warm family atmosphere to celebrate our language
and culture and pass down our heritage to the younger generations. The
Prelate expressed joy especially for the upcoming launch of the Sunday
School and programs for the elderly. Thus, he commended all those who
had a hand in this latest accomplishment, the Parish Pastor, Parish
Council, Building Committee, generous sponsors, most notably Mr. Larry
Barnes and the Dream Fund at UCLA, donors, and faithful friends. He
commended also the Fattal, Yemenidjian, and Koujakian families for
their generosity in sponsoring the hall memorializing their parents.
The Prelate concluded his message by urging the parish to continue
their service with faith, humility, brotherly love, enthusiasm, and
harmony.
The cutting of the cake and candle-lighting ceremony followed. The
official program came to a close with the benediction, Cilicia and the
Armenian national anthem.
http://asbarez.com/128258/las-vegas-community-gathers-for-st-garabed-church-cultural-center-and-koujakian-hall-opening/
Koujakian Hall Opening
Friday, October 24th, 2014
The Prelate leads the ribbon-cutting ceremony
LAS VEGAS--The weekend of October 18 and 19 was a momentous one for
members of St. Garabed Church of Las Vegas who celebrated the grand
opening of the Cultural Center and Koujakian Hall, signifying the
successful completion of the project which had begun in 2009. The
weekend's festivities commenced on Saturday, October 18 with a
celebratory banquet held at Cili Restaurant of Bali Hai Golf Course.
The official opening of the new complex was conducted by Western
Prelate Archbishop Moushegh Mardirossian on Sunday, following Divine
Liturgy. Executive Council members participated in the events.
On Sunday morning the Prelate celebrated Divine Liturgy and delivered
the sermon at St. Garabed Church, assisted at the altar by Parish
Pastor Rev. Fr. Arsen Kassabian. His Eminence began his address by
congratulating and commending the parish members on their latest
achievement, in particular Mr. Larry Barnes, the Dream Fund at UCLA,
and the Fattal, Yemendijian, and Koujakian families whose generosity
was vital to the project. His Eminence reminded the parish that though
they have completed the final phase of their project, their mission is
not over, stating "The mission of maintaining this church and cultural
center, of fostering our faith and heritage, is an ongoing one".
He turned their attention to the day's Gospel reading to hear what is
expected of all of us as faithful and active Christians. The passage
is of Jesus reading a Scripture by Isaiah proclaiming Him as the
Savior, with the spirit of the Lord upon Him, sent to proclaim "The
Good News of Salvation". The Prelate went over the mission of our Lord
found in the passage; to preach the good news of God's love and mercy,
to heal the brokenhearted and bring comfort and hope to others, to
free those bound by sin, to open the eyes of the spiritually blind, to
free the weak and oppressed, and to proclaim the day of judgment. His
Eminence noted that the day before was the feast of the Holy
Evangelists, the four Gospel writers who faithfully fulfilled the
commission entrusted to them by Christ and in doing so taught us how
we too can and must do the same. "The spirit of the Lord is with us
today in this sacred house of worship. As children of God and devotees
of Christ, His mission, detailed above, is one that is required of us
each and every one of us. In our unique capacities, we are all
commissioned to continue the work our Savior, in the example He set
forth during His earthly ministry", exhorted the Prelate.
The Prelate stated that the progress achieved by the community is
proof of their commitment to carrying out the mission entrusted to
them. However, he urged for continuous work to maintain both the
church and the cultural center; to preach the Gospel of Christ and
draw new faithful to the church, and to preach the beauty and value of
our language and culture and bequeath our heritage to generations.
At the conclusion of the service, guests gathered in the courtyard for
the grand opening ceremony, which began with the ribbon-cutting.
Inside the complex, sponsors were in attendance for the unveiling of
plaques. The newly renovated Koujakian Hall, sponsored by the Fattal,
Yemenidjian, Koujakian families, was unveiled by the grandchildren of
Apraham and Verjine Koujakian in whose memory the hall is dedicated.
The grandchildren of Dr. and Mrs. Raffi and Shoghag Hovanessian
unveiled the three paintings by artist Sarkis Hamalbashian donated by
the sponsors. Also unveiled were the kitchen by Mr. and Mrs. Raffi and
Siran Nersessian, the Boardroom by Mr. and Mrs. Adroushan and Nora
Armenian, two classrooms by Alex Karabajakian and Mari Rose Simon, and
the Game Room by Oshin Harootoonian. The ceremony culminated with the
unveiling of the St. Garabed Church and Cultural Center dedication
plaque of main benefactor Larry Banes, in memory of his wife Seda Der
Garabedian Barnes, and the Courtyard sponsor plaque of Mr. and Mrs.
Adroushan and Nora Armenian.
Guests enjoyed a reception hosted by the Fattal, Yemendijian, and
Koujakian families in memory of their parents. A cultural program
followed in the newly remodeled courtyard where students of the ARS
Verjine Koujakian Saturday School recited poems and sang Armenian
songs, and students from the Armenian Dance School of Las Vegas
performed dances.
The Prelate once again congratulated and commended the parish members,
benefactors, and faithful on their great accomplishment and wished
them continued successes in the years to come.
Lighting of candles by the sponsors was a highlight of the banquet
Banquet
On Saturday evening the Prelate presided over the celebratory banquet.
The program began with welcoming remarks by Master of Ceremonies Mrs.
Houry Darakjian, followed by the invocation by Parish Pastor Rev. Fr.
Arsen Kassabian and congratulatory remarks by Congresswoman Dina
Titus. Guests then enjoyed dinner accompanied by a musical
performance. On behalf of the Parish Council, Adroushan Armenian gave
an overview of the three phases of the construction process, beginning
from 2009. He thanked the donors and supporters for their generosity
and encouragement, owing to which he said the parish has made great
strides in the last five years. Keynote Speaker Arda Yemenidjan
expressed gratitude to all those who made the dream of a Church and
Cultural Center a reality. She thanked the Prelate for his leadership,
benefactor Larry Barnes and Dream Fund at UCLA for their generosity,
Parish Pastor, Parish Council, and Building Committee members for
their tireless work, and the Armenian Relief Society for planting the
seeds of education in the community. Consul General of Armenia Sergey
Sarkisov addressed the gathering, conveying his congratulations to the
community.
The Prelate was then invited for the presentation of plaques, which
were awarded to Building Committee members Levon Gulbenkian and Koko
Darakjian in appreciation for their dedicated service to the project
since its inception, and to Mr. and Mrs. Greg and Annie Gevorkian for
completing the construction in a timely and efficient manner. In honor
of the Year of the Elder, Parish Council Chair Mr. Garabed Bedirian
and his wife Zaruhi received special recognition for their service to
the parish and community.
The Prelate began his message by thanking God for the occasion and
praying for His blessings upon the parish as they begin a new phase of
their mission. "The Western Prelacy family rejoices with you today,
evidenced by the number of Executive Council members here tonight, the
presence of the honorable Consul General Sergey Sarkisov, and the
guests who have come from near and far to share in this joy with you.
You are a wonderful example that with faith and trust in God, nothing
is impossible", stated His Eminence. He applauded the unity and
collaboration of the community, which he said has led to the
successful completion of the complex where faithful of all ages can
safely gather in a warm family atmosphere to celebrate our language
and culture and pass down our heritage to the younger generations. The
Prelate expressed joy especially for the upcoming launch of the Sunday
School and programs for the elderly. Thus, he commended all those who
had a hand in this latest accomplishment, the Parish Pastor, Parish
Council, Building Committee, generous sponsors, most notably Mr. Larry
Barnes and the Dream Fund at UCLA, donors, and faithful friends. He
commended also the Fattal, Yemenidjian, and Koujakian families for
their generosity in sponsoring the hall memorializing their parents.
The Prelate concluded his message by urging the parish to continue
their service with faith, humility, brotherly love, enthusiasm, and
harmony.
The cutting of the cake and candle-lighting ceremony followed. The
official program came to a close with the benediction, Cilicia and the
Armenian national anthem.
http://asbarez.com/128258/las-vegas-community-gathers-for-st-garabed-church-cultural-center-and-koujakian-hall-opening/