Called to Witness: 180 years of Armenian Evangelical Faith, Servant Leadership, and Hope

On January 25, approximately eighty people gathered at UACC for the first in a series of events commemorating the 180th Anniversary of the Armenian Evangelical Church.

The guest speaker for the evening was Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of Haigazian University, who was in Los Angeles for the celebrations marking the 70th Anniversary of Haigazian University. His lecture, titled “Called to Witness: 180 Years of Armenian Evangelical Faith, Servant Leadership, and Hope,” set a thoughtful and inspiring tone for the anniversary series.

The evening began with words of welcome and prayer offered by Rev. Hendrik Shanazarian, AEUNA Minister to the Union. Miss Doris Melkonian, Chair of the Armenian Christian Heritage Committee of AEUNA, introduced the speaker and briefly reflected on the significance of the occasion, the historical journey of the Armenian Evangelical Church, and the upcoming commemorative events.

In his address, Dr. Haidostian shared meaningful stories and examples from the lives and ministries of past Armenian Evangelical leaders who have personally inspired him. Before naming these leaders, he highlighted a key concept from the 1846 declaration of the founders of the Armenian Evangelical Church in Constantinople: “freedom of conscience,” which they considered “more precious than anything else.” He noted how bold and forward-thinking such a declaration was for its time, reflecting the courage and conviction of those early pioneers.

Dr. Haidostian then presented inspiring insights from the lives and ministries of Rev. Stepan Utujian (1823–1911), Rev. Hamparzum Ashjian (1863–1938), Rev. Dr. Armenag Haigazian (1870–1921), Rev. Hagop Yeranian (1856–1922), and Rev. Yenovk Hadidian (1883–1962). Through their examples of faith, leadership, sacrifice, and hope, he underscored the enduring legacy of the Armenian Evangelical witness.

In concluding, Dr. Haidostian expressed his hope that the stories of these leaders would inspire those present, just as they have inspired him. A brief question-and-answer session followed the lecture and continued informally during the reception.

The event was warmly received and highly appreciated by attendees. Sincere thanks are extended to Dr. Haidostian for his informative and thought-provoking presentation. A summary of his lecture will be published in the special July issue of Forum dedicated to the 180th anniversary.