SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 9, 2001

Dear Faithful,

What profound and unspeakable joy I have for the great privilege and awesome responsibility for being called by God to serve as the pastor at St. Mary Armenian Church. I am convinced that my appointment as the spiritual father and leader of this congregation is of a divine origin and plan.

We see the opening of a new chapter in the life of our parish with the dual celebrations of the 1700^th Anniversary of the proclamation of Christianity in Armenia and the 75^th Anniversary of St. Mary Armenian Church in Livingston New Jersey. This is a blessing both for her people and for me as the new pastor. I know that I am following in the footsteps of giants among men, who have faithfully ministered this congregation with affection, dignity and love. I am filled with the joy of serving a people who have a proud heritage as not only the children of the children who built this church, but as a community who has met the challenge of 75 years without assimilation but ever vigilant in preserving, nurturing and promulgating our Armenian orthodox Christian teachings, confessions and faith.

What a miracle that we can boast in these things, not that it was us, but that God led us to persevere in the blessed task of continuing the ancient and apostolic commission of the Armenian Church in America.

In Christ’s love

Der Shnork †