By 1891, Armenian immigrants built a community in Worcester, MA, that had grown strong enough to form the first Armenian Church in America, the Church of Our Saviour. Fifty years ago, after the community grew, the Church of Our Saviour achieved another first.

When the community built its new church building 50 years ago, it decided not to just buy an existing sanctuary from another denomination but to make a statement about their Armenian heritage. So the Church of Our Saviour became the first Armenian-style church built in America.

"Fifty years ago, the people of this community were faced with a choice," Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), said during a banquet on Saturday, October 19, 2002, marking the 50th anniversary of Worcester's "new" church building. "They were growing. Expanding. Changing in important ways. The choice facing them was this: Would they remain in that original church building, and preserve it as a piece of history? Or would they move with the momentum of growth and change, and establish a new sanctuary?

"It was a difficult choice, and it took great courage and foresight to make a final decision. But in the end, you decided that as important as preservation is, our mission as the Armenian Church in America must be to pursue growth. " MARKING HISTORY In October, the parish held a weeklong celebration of the milestone. From historical panels and guest speakers to musical performances and a night just for children, the events were designed to get the whole family energized by the building they come to for worship.

The highlight of the celebration was a black-tie gala on Saturday, October 19, at Worcester's newly renovated Union Station. About 300 guests -- including Congressman Jim McGovern, Worcester Mayor Timothy Murray, and Bishop Patrick Reilly, Roman Catholic Bishop of Worcester -- turned out for the gala, which featured a multimedia presentation of 3,000 photographs taken over the past 50 years of church members and events.

Harry Soghigian, the only surviving member of the church building committee of 50 years ago, received an honor from His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians: the St. Nersess Shnorhali Medal, awarded for his courage, vision, and faith. "With full dedication and love you have devoted all of your spiritual and intellectual talents to the prosperity and edification of our national life, and to the preservation of sacred values; thus you have truly become worthy of the sincere love and respect of the Armenian people," the Catholicos wrote in an encyclical presented to Mr. Soghigian by Archbishop Barsamian.

Capping the week of celebrations, the Divine Liturgy was held on Sunday, October 20. Celebrated by the Primate, it also included several former pastors, deacons, and assistants of the church. The Primate is also one of those former pastors: his first parish assignment in America was in Worcester.

"Armenians in Worcester have always lived a close communal life," the Primate told the parish. "Generations of the same families have grown up together, and formed a tight-knit group -- almost an extended family. "

FAMILY AFFAIR

To make the anniversary celebration even more special, the Primate ordained several new young acolytes during the Divine Liturgy. They were Daniel Bullock, Michael Mazmanian, Steven Y. Migridichian, Jimmy Sarkisian, and Matthew Sivazlian.

"God has given us gifts. He gives us what He knows we can handle, but He also expects us to use those gifts," the Primate said during his sermon. "The worst thing we can do, from God's viewpoint, is to hide our gifts away, burry them in the ground, so to speak, where they will never do any good at all."

The acolytes come from families that use their gifts to help Worcester's Armenian community. Michael Mazmanian's father, Greg, is the parish council chairman. Two other acolytes have fathers who serve as deacons: Dn. Mark Sivazlian and Dn. Steven M. Migridichian. "That's the highest honor we can be given: to serve on the altar, to give up your time and not be compensated for it," said Dn. Migridichian, who was ordained 30 years ago as an acolyte and later as a sub-deacon and a deacon by the Primate, who was then serving as the Worcester parish priest.

"That's all you can pass on to your kids: basic fundamentals of our heritage, our church, and Christ. When I'm gone it will be up to my son and the kids of the next generation to carry the torch. But you have to make sure, when you hand off the torch, that it is lit."

ONE FOOT IN THE FUTURE While the Worcester parish was busy marking its past successes, it also stepped into the future by launching a yearlong fund-raising effort to improve and expand the church facilities in order to boost programs in the community.

The physical condition of the church is good, but there are cosmetic issues that need addressing and some spaces are slated to be used differently. The community is working to raise $250,000 to pay for a host of projects, from the renovation of the church hall and Sunday School classes to updating its computer systems and creating a nursing ministry for shut-ins and seniors.

"We are trying to prepare for the future of the church by doing all that," said Fr. Aved Terzian, pastor of the Church of Our Saviour. "If you don't have a well structured church, people won't come to places that aren't attractive. Also if your church is not an active church with programs, they will not come either, because they won't see the presence of God there."