Message of Fr. Vazken Movsesian, parish priest of St. Andrew Armenian Church, Cupertino, from the Nakhagoch Newsletter. Electronic version archived on: SAIN-- St. Andrew Information Network -------------------------------------- c. 1988 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Address comments to: dervaz@sain.org -------------------------------------- Ladies Society names Nadine Amerian 1988 WOMAN OF THE YEAR The St. Andrew Ladies Society held celebrated it's 25th Anniversary with a Luncheon at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Aram Amerian on August 20, 1988. The days hostess, Nadine Amerian was completely surprized as her name was read as the recipient of the 1988 Woman of the Year Award. The following is the text of Fr. Vazken's presentation speech that day: It is truly a pleasure to be here with our Ladies Society to celebrate our anniversary. This is our 25th year of service and support to the Armenian Church in the Santa Clara Valley. It is a celebration in fact because all the hard work and dedication that you have put into our Church over the past quarter-of-a-century has paid off. We are building our new Church and soon, we will have the much needed space to better serve our community and God. We are all anxious to find out who is our Woman of the Year for 1988. However, before I reveal her name, allow me to say a few words about the award. I do feel the award, as the lady who receives it, is special and unique. The value of this award is found in the fact that the entire membership of the Ladies Society is asked to voted for the recipient. It is given by a group of her peers. This award accords us an opportunity to extend our love and appreciation to a special lady who has really worked hard and done an outstanding job in aiding her Ladies Society and Church over the year. So many of you are deserving of this award; however, this year it was an overwhelming vote. This year over 85% of the membership voted for the Woman of the Year which shows a healthy interest in the award. When we say we belong to The Church or the Church's Ladies Society we are making a statement that many may not understand at first. The Church is not merely another organization. And in particular, she is not another Armenian organization. The Church has a very important, sacred and serious mission. She is commissioned by Christ to do His work, spreading His Gospel here in this world. St. Paul refers to the Church as "The Body of Christ." It is hard to think of Christ's Body, (or anything having to do with the Son of God, the creator of the universe) as anything but sacred and serious. In fact the Church is the bridge between this life and the life to come. It is really impossible therefore, to dismiss her as just another organization. Nevertheless, she is an organization and she has her own structure. St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans makes the following statement: For as in one body we have many members, and all the members do not have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; he who teaches, in his teaching; he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who contributes, in liberality; he who gives aid, with zeal; he who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:4f) It is clear that each of us is needed for the work of the Church no matter how great or small our function. As great as the work and mission of the Church is, there is no such thing as an insignificant nor a less-important member of the body. Each of us has unique and special talents that we bring for the service of the Church. The recipient of the Woman of the Year Award is a dedicated and conscientious lady that we have known for many years. She has throughout the years functioned as part of that Body and because of her outstanding service throughout the past year she has been recognized by you, her peers. She has brought her ideas to the Ladies Society as an Executive Board member and has shared her talents with the entire Church as a member of the St. Andrew Parish Council. She is one of the early members of the Church and a member of the Ladies Society since 1975. Along with her family she has been one of the early pioneers of the Armenian community in San Jose. Before going any further it is my pleasure to introduce to you the recipient of the 1988 Woman of the Year Award, our dear friend, NADINE AMERIAN. Nadine, born Nadine Garabedian, from Sanger came to the San Jose area in 1940 when she married Aram Amerian. At that time they were among a handful of Armenians in the Santa Clara Valley. She has been a source of the strength to her husband in their business, Amerian Brothers Produce. They have been blessed with three children, Robert, Alan and Carolyn along with four grand children. Nadine, as we know, is a worker. In the six years that I have known Nadine, on various committees, it always amazes me as to how much energy she has to get jobs done. She brings many new ideas to our group, yet she is not scared to implement them. She is always ready to volunteer and do yet another project. I don't think I can think of an occasion when Nadine has refused to take on a job or task she has been asked to do. On the Parish Council she was respected by all the members for her zeal and determination. In our Ladies Society, it's hard to imagine any project that does not involve Nadine. She's not a talker, but a doer. Once Nadine has taken on a project it is as good as done. It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of the membership of the Ladies Society, to name Nadine as the 1988 Woman of the Year. We pray that the Lord bless Nadine, and her family always with strength and good health. May we all be inspired by Nadine's service as a doer for her Church. -------------------------------------- c. 1988 Fr. Vazken Movsesian Address comments to: dervaz@sain.org --------------------------------------