General Membership Meeting Convenes at St. Gregory

On Sunday, March 5, 2017, the members of Saint Gregory Armenian Apostolic Church of Merrimack Valley came together for our annual General Membership Meeting, which was held after Sunday service in Jaffarian Hall, on the Second Sunday of Great Lent.
This meeting, convened annually, is mandated by the By-Laws of our Prelacy and usually takes place in February or early March. It's purpose is to review the pastoral and administrative activities of the parish for the previous year, hear reports of the activities and finances of the church's organizations, review the annual operating budget and adopt a new proposed budget for the current fiscal year (2017). In addition, elections are held for positions on the Board of Trustees and delegates to the National Representative Assembly of the Prelacy. It also affords our members the opportunity to ask questions, make suggestions or express concerns about certain aspects of the church's life and ministry for consideration by the pastor, membership and Board of Trustees.

We are pleased to announce that this year's meeting went smoothly and many concerns were addressed, such as a lag in attendance at church services and Sunday School. By the grace of God, the 2016 fiscal year ended "in the black," and the number of members went up. We look forward to another successful year of faith and ministry.
Congratulations are also in order for the following individuals who were elected to the Board of Trustees: Chairman Greg Afarian (re-elected), Kelly Janian, Sylvia Mahlebjian, Susan Parigian and Nancy Vartabedian, who was elected as alternate. Representing our parish as our newest National Representative (Yerespokhan) will be Sharke' Der Apkarian. Approval of the precedings of our General Membership Meeting by the Prelacy's Executive Council is pending, after which time we will be able to seat the new Board of Trustees and elect an Executive for the next year.

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