Armenian Martyrs' Congregational Church
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The Armenian Martyrs' Congregational Church is located in Havertown, Pennsylvania. Founded in 1907, it is one of the oldest surviving Armenian Evangelical Churches in the United States and the only such church in Pennsylvania. It is a member of the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America.
The earliest families of the church included the Keuhnelians, Diradourians, Mukhalians, and Hovsepians, and the first search committee was composed of Mihran Kassabian, Dr. Dicran Kabakjian, Aghavni Kabakjian, Roupen Mahjoubian, and Armenag Mahjoubian. The first pastor, Marsovan native Rev. Haig Yardumian, came to the church from the Armenian Evangelical Church in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.[1]
At the church's centennial celebration on December 2, 2007, several previous pastors were honored, including Rev. Hovhannes Karjian, Rev. Jirair Sogomian, Rev. Dr. Peter Doghramji, and Rev. Gary Schongalla-Bowman. Rev. Dr. Soghomon Nuyujukian was named Pastor Emeritus on that occasion.[1]
Today, the pastor is the Rev. L. Nishan Bakalian, who prior to his ministries in Lebanon was married in (1980) and ordained at (1984) AMCC. He began serving in 2007.
Pastors
- Rev. Haig Yardumian (1907–1925)
- Rev. Puzant Levonian (1920–1930)
- Rev. Hagop M. Depoyan (1930–1935)
- Rev. Haig Adadourian (1936–1937; interim 1948)
- Rev. Samuel Rejebian (1937–1948)
- Rev. Dr. Dicran Kassouny (1949–1953)
- Rev. Puzant Rubyan (1953–1955)
- Rev. Dr. Giragos Chopourian (1958–1968)
- Rev. Dr. Peter Doghramji (1968–1979)
- Rev. Dr. Soghomon Nuyujukian (1980–1988)
- Rev. Dr. Eugene Grau (1989–1990)
- Rev. Jirair Sogomian (1990–2001)
- Rev. Gary Schongalla-Bowman (2001–2007)
- Rev. Hovhannes Karjian (2001–2007)
- Rev. L. Nishan Bakalian (2007-...)