On Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, the St. Sarkis Church of Dallas Fort Worth unveiled the newly created Mark Aram Kechejian Award to recognize the accomplishments of an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding dedication, devotion and generosity to the children of the church.  Mark Kechejian was a young church member, who donated electronic equipment to the school and was asked by the School Board to create a playground for the children.  He helped channel the community’s generosity into a spectacular playground for the children of St. Sarkis before he was tragically taken from us too soon.  After many years of service, the playground had to be torn down for safety reasons, and stayed empty waiting for the right people to resurrect it. 
The time was now. Maral Aznavourian explained that the community needed not only a generous donor in the form of Dr. Sarkis Kechejian, uncle of Mark, and the Godfather of St. Sarkis Church, who stepped in to fund the refurbishment of the now dilapidated playground, but also the heartfelt donations of community members who covered additional expenses. There was still a need for a special individual who had the “guts, tenacity, perseverance and the heart to take this project on.”  
Andrea Titoyan was that person, the first recipient of the Mark Aram Kechejian Award for 2018. Ms. Titoyan was chosen for this honor because “she put together a team, negotiated, purchased, dug, tilled and put down sod” to complete the project in record time. 
Ms. Titoyan was “overwhelmed” with this honor, and thanked the many volunteers on her team especially Shant Aghyarian who selflessly devoted their time and talent to bringing back the vision of Mark Kechejian for the children.  Ms. Titoyan gave a shout out to Mark Kechejian calling him “my friend in heaven.”  The thunderous applause expressed the happiness of the community with the playground and Ms. Titoyan. 
In gratitude to Dr. Kechejian, the children of St. Sarkis created a unique book as a “Thank You” for his generosity and for upholding the dream of Mark.
This presentation was made during an outstanding Easter luncheon lovingly prepared and served by the St. Sarkis Women’s Guild who outdid themselves as usual. The gourmet meal was the creation of the talented women who are the backbone of the church, and enlivened the Easter celebrations.
The St. Sarkis community enjoyed another luncheon the previous week on Palm Sunday, when the ACYOA youth cooked and served a wonderful meal as a fundraiser for their activities. 
During the luncheon, the ACYOA honored Mrs. Aznif Altunian as the 2018 Person of the Year.  Sevag Koulian explained that the ACYOA recognized Mrs. Altunian because of her guidance to the ACYOA, her support for their activities and her help in food preparation, but mostly for her “being there for us always.”  Mrs. Altunian was not only delighted with this honor, but she vowed to continue helping our youth in whatever projects they wanted to undertake.
The St. Sarkis Church has been blessed with many individuals who have improved the lives of many, and ensured that the Church will continue to enlighten the future.

By Mary Mukhtarian

The St. Sarkis Church of Dallas Fort Worth hosted a sold out presentation of the “Women of 1915”, the documentary film of Bared Maronian, on Saturday April 14, 2018.  The whole community was there to see the “epic journey of women survivors of the Armenian Genocide and the odyssey of the relentless human rights advocates who empowered them.”
This documentary differed from other Armenian Genocide films in that it showed the heroic measures some Armenian women had taken to survive and help others survive the heinous acts around them. These remarkable women, some of whom were highlighted in the documentary in older interviews, had spoken of their courage and perseverance and inspired their children and grandchildren to pursue excellence in their lives.  Many examples were presented of these grandchildren, who had gained worldwide recognition in many fields including technology (like Steve Jobs), music, business and art. 
The St. Sarkis community was familiar with “Women of 1915” and its documentary filmmaker Bared Maronian, because it had hosted the “Orphans of the Genocide” in Dallas previously.  Both documentaries have helped publicize the Genocide to Armenians and non-Armenians alike, and have strengthened our resolve to achieve recognition of the Genocide worldwide.
Bared Maronian was grateful to all who had helped bring his documentaries to life, including Dr. Sarkis Kechejian, the Godfather of the St. Sarkis church.  Mr. Maronian indicated that he came to realize that there were many women who had selflessly fought to save a child’s life at great peril to theirs.  The plight and heroism of the Armenian women during the Genocide was matched by the courage of non-Armenian women represented in the documentary, who helped save many women and children during the Genocide. It is estimated that at least 150,000 women and children were able to come to the United States, making this country one of the most hospitable and humane countries for the Armenians.  It was the hope of Mr. Maronian that highlighting the sacrifices and heroism demonstrated by many non-Armenian women will inspire their grandchildren to follow in the footsteps of their grandmothers in demanding justice for the Armenian Genocide victims.
 
The St. Sarkis Church Parish Council organized the screening of the "Women of 1915" with Lusine Meeks and Shevan Basmadjian leading the effort. Hamlet and Marla Sarokhanian graciously hosted Bared Maronian, and Annie Graham and Maral Aznavourian promoted ticket sales.  Invitations were extended to many non-Armenian friends of the community to attend the event, eventually making it a sold-out performance.  
The St. Sarkis community is no stranger to the ravages of the Genocide, but the documentary shed light on previously little known facts, including the untraditional display of heroism of many women by taking arms and fighting alongside men.  These were women who had lost all their family members, and against all odds, had resolved to fight to prevent further annihilation of other families.  There are inspirational examples of all their achievements detailed in the documentary.
St. Sarkis of DFW is grateful for Mr. Maronian’s vision and the dedication of the whole community to supporting all projects that inform and educate everyone about the Armenian Genocide.

​Written by Mary Mukhtarian

On Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, the St. Sarkis Church of Dallas Fort Worth unveiled the newly created Mark Aram Kechejian Award to recognize the accomplishments of an individual who has demonstrated an outstanding dedication, devotion and generosity to the children of the church.  Mark Kechejian was a young church member, who donated electronic equipment to the school and was asked by the School Board to create a playground for the children.  He helped channel the community’s generosity into a spectacular playground for the children of St. Sarkis before he was tragically taken from us too soon.  After many years of service, the playground had to be torn down for safety reasons, and stayed empty waiting for the right people to resurrect it. 

The time was now. Maral Aznavourian explained that the community needed not only a generous donor in the form of Dr. Sarkis Kechejian, uncle of Mark, and the Godfather of St. Sarkis Church, who stepped in to fund the refurbishment of the now dilapidated playground, but also the heartfelt donations of community members who covered additional expenses. There was still a need for a special individual who had the “guts, tenacity, perseverance and the heart to take this project on.”  

Andrea Titoyan was that person, the first recipient of the Mark Aram Kechejian Award for 2018. Ms. Titoyan was chosen for this honor because “she put together a team, negotiated, purchased, dug, tilled and put down sod” to complete the project in record time. 

Ms. Titoyan was “overwhelmed” with this honor, and thanked the many volunteers on her team especially Shant Aghyarian who selflessly devoted their time and talent to bringing back the vision of Mark Kechejian for the children.  Ms. Titoyan gave a shout out to Mark Kechejian calling him “my friend in heaven.”  The thunderous applause expressed the happiness of the community with the playground and Ms. Titoyan. 

In gratitude to Dr. Kechejian, the children of St. Sarkis created a unique book as a “Thank You” for his generosity and for upholding the dream of Mark.

This presentation was made during an outstanding Easter luncheon lovingly prepared and served by the St. Sarkis Women’s Guild who outdid themselves as usual. The gourmet meal was the creation of the talented women who are the backbone of the church, and enlivened the Easter celebrations.

The St. Sarkis community enjoyed another luncheon the previous week on Palm Sunday, when the ACYOA youth cooked and served a wonderful meal as a fundraiser for their activities. 

During the luncheon, the ACYOA honored Mrs. Aznif Altunian as the 2018 Person of the Year.  Sevag Koulian explained that the ACYOA recognized Mrs. Altunian because of her guidance to the ACYOA, her support for their activities and her help in food preparation, but mostly for her “being there for us always.”  Mrs. Altunian was not only delighted with this honor, but she vowed to continue helping our youth in whatever projects they wanted to undertake.
​
The St. Sarkis Church has been blessed with many individuals who have improved the lives of many, and ensured that the Church will continue to enlighten the future.
 
 Written by Mary Mukhtarian

      St. Sarkis celebrated Fathers’ Day in style on Sunday June 21, 2015 in the Kechejian Hall.  Father Ghevond Ajamian congratulated all fathers on their special day, and thanked them for their importance to their families and for being pillars of the community.  Then he invited all to stay after the Divine Liturgy and attend the sumptuous brunch prepared by the Women’s Guild.  An enticing flyer had been prepared and circulated beforehand, promising a delicious brunch.  The Women’s Guild outdid itself preparing dishes of eggs and sujuk, foul with tomatoes, scallions, parsley, cumin, lemon and olive oil, and a variety of other appetizers and vegetables.  The Women’s Guild also prepared delectable treats, with a piece de resistance being a cake prepared especially to honor all the fathers of the community.
     Although everyone at St. Sarkis is accustomed to the top notch meals prepared and served by the Women’s Guild, this brunch was unusual, because it was prepared especially to make fathers feel at home.  Everyone loved the change of pace, and the Kechejian Hall was buzzing with approval. 
In addition to the fabulous brunch, everyone took part in the games that had been planned to entertain and amuse the community members.  Naturally, the most favorite of the games was the backgammon, which is popular at St. Sarkis because of the experts who play it among our parishioners. 
      The Women’s Guild worked very hard to plan and serve this welcome brunch.  Chairman of the Women’s Guild Hermine Aghyarian thanked all for coming to the event, and acknowledged the hard work of the members of the Women’s Guild, saying: “We were happy to celebrate Fathers’ Day with our St. Sarkis family, and we are glad that everyone had a great time.”  The Women’s Guild is the oldest organization at St. Sarkis, and it is the backbone of all the events that take place during the year. 

                                                                                                                                                       By Mary Mukhtarian

The students of the St. Sarkis School thrilled the whole community on Sunday May 17th when they had their year-end Hantess program at the Kechejian Hall.   A zillion children wearing the commemorative Genocide purple shirts were everywhere, much to the delight of their families.  

After the opening prayer offered by Father Ghevond Ajamian, all the children of the Armenian school were on stage to sing the Armenian National Anthem and to recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States.  The Principal of the school, Maral Aznavourian, thanked all for coming to attend the pride of our community, and reminded all that we had honored our lost ones, but that now was our greatest moment in history, and that our future was one of great possibilities enhanced by the new generations that were carrying the mantle after us.

The opening remarks were followed by the graduation of the Ararat class.  These students had studied at the St. Sarkis Armenian School since they were 6 or 7, and they were well versed in the language, history, religion and culture of the Armenians.  They received the diplomas prepared by the Diocese and the Armenian Genocide Centennial “Forget Me Not” commemorative pins. Most of the St Sarkis graduates are planning to be 2015-2016 enrollees in the AGBU program of AVC, the Armenian Virtual College hybrid program, to continue their Armenian education.

After the graduation ceremony, the young students of the Yerevan class took the stage to sing the “Sourp Asdvadz” soulful hymn, with the audience joining in.  The young students then, recited the colors, days of the week and counted in Armenian, then followed a hilarious episode of each one of them outdoing the others in writing their names on the board.  The most touching segment was the reading by Paul Kantzabedian and Amassia Dayian of the famous William Saroyan quote:

“I should like to see any power of the world destroy this race, this small tribe of unimportant people, whose wars have all been fought and lost, whose structures have crumbled, literature is unread, music is unheard, and prayers are no more answered. Go ahead, destroy Armenia. See if you can do it. Send them into the desert without bread or water. Burn their homes and churches. Then see if they will not laugh, sing and pray again. For when two of them meet anywhere in the world, see if they will not create a New Armenia.”

The Sevan class joined together for a group recitation of Mesrob Mashdotz, followed by the Ayp Pen Kim song in Armenian.  What a delight it was, when upon completing it, they hooked little fingers and began dancing the Tamzara on stage.  They were a multi-talented group, those students of the Sevan class.

The Karni class took to the stage next to tell personal family stories, most of which were narratives on the effect of the Genocide on their families.  We all got to learn a lot more about these children and their families, and appreciated their effort to ask their parents for these highly painful stories.

The talent that the Ararat class demonstrated was not in singing or dancing, but was in interviewing past St. Sarkis Stewards and sharing their history of our community.  The students had a PowerPoint presentation of history and photos that told the story of our community as attendees enjoyed a trip down memory lane. This was followed by recognizing the stewards of St. Sarkis who have kept this church going over time. Every single steward starting with Dr. Kechejian, the Godfather of our Church, was interviewed and the result was a 14 minute long video clip. We got to hear the encouragement of many Stewards to this church to move forward and build the new church complex and of their pride in our youth, and their advice for them to continue to be beacons of hope for our community.  The group recitation of “We Are Few, But We Are Called Armenians” in both Armenian and English brought tears to everyone’s eyes, because we were a small community that was keeping the Armenian passion alive in our corner of the world.

The closing remarks were made by the Chairwoman of the St. Sarkis School, Armineh Kajoian, who recognized the unequalled service of all the teachers and board members, and singled the Principal Maral Aznavourian for praise as an inspiration to all. 

Parents, grandparents and the rest of the community were both delighted and touched with the passion of the youth who had filled them with pride.   Father Ghevond offered the closing prayer and invited all to enjoy the delicious luncheon prepared and served by the St. Sarkis School Board. 
                                                                                                                                                      By Mary Mukhtarian   

2014-2015 St. Sarkis School Year End Program started with the Graduation Ceremony. All students who have been part of the Ararat classroom for at least 3 years and have successfully completed the Final Exam received their diplomas. 

 Ararat classroom is very near and dear to my heart and I consider each and every one of them my own. I have been their Oryort Maral, Digin Aznaviourian and always their Auntie Maral… Most of the students receiving their diplomas have been in Ararat classroom since the age of six or seven.  We have learned our language and history together, we have rejoiced in the accomplishment of our people and have shared our pride in our culture and heritage. We have mourned our hundred year pain and loss together but have stood triumphant in our resolve to keep what is ours holy and sacred.

 As the students of Ararat classroom receive their diplomas and complete their paper and pencil chapter of learning our language, history and culture, they stand tall with the promise of resuming their studies in a different setting. For the 20214-2015 school year, most of the Ararat Classroom students will join AGBU’s hybrid program of Armenian Virtual College and continue learning our language and culture in the virtual world and hopefully becoming the liaisons of AVC and the Dallas community.

 Congratulations to all Ararat Classroom Graduates! We could not be any prouder. 

Meeshd seerov,
Maral Aznavourian

Staff writer Ashley Rose reports:

A candlelight vigil will be held Friday night at Dallas City Hall to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

Armenian Americans and others will gather from 5:30 to 8 p.m. on the lawn of City Hall Plaza for the peace vigil to raise awareness about the massacre of some 1.5 million people during World War I.

“As we gather together for this candlelight vigil, it is our hope and desire to raise awareness about genocide in general and hold hands with others in an effort to abolish genocide as a global evil,” said Hamlet Sarokhanian, chairman of the Armenian Genocide Centennial Committee of DFW.

In what is known as the first genocide of the 20th century, the Turkish government arrested and executed over 200 Armenian community leaders in Constantinople on April 24, 1915, accusing them of being traitors.

In the following years, thousands of Christian Armenian men, women and children living in the Ottoman Empire were sent on death marches, placed in concentration camps and massacred by death squads.

To this day, the government in Turkey disputes Armenian accounts of the genocide. To this day, discussing the atrocities is taboo in the country.

The vigil will feature guest speakers including Rick Halperin, director of SMU’s Embrey Human Rights Program. Representatives of Rwandan, Ukrainian, Jewish, Russian, Darfurian, Syrian, Assyrian and other ethnic communities touched by genocide will also attend. Some local businesses will also close to mark the occasion.

“Genocide has become a global phenomenon and by promoting understanding, we hope history will not repeat itself,” Sarokhanian said.

Source: http://thescoopblog.dallasnews.com