All Saints Church Kicks Off ‘Invest In Future’ Campaign with $460,000 Raised

Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan Celebrates 68^th Anniversary of the Church at Fundraising Banquet

GLENVIEW, Ill.—On Sat., Nov. 5, more than 200 people joined His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Archpriest Father Zareh Sahakian, the All Saints Armenian Apostolic Church Board of Trustees, and the Fundraising Committee to kick off “Invest in the Future: Our Children, Our Church, Our Community” and to celebrate the 68^thanniversary of the church. The event took place in Shahnasarian Hall and culminated in $460,000 in donations and pledges. Also in attendance at the Banquet was Rev. Father Hovhan Khoja-Eynatyan of the St. James Armenian Church in Evanston.

Master of Ceremonies Ari Killian, a member of the Fundraising Committee and of the ARF Eastern USA Central Committee, opened the evening with reference to another extraordinary community event: the All Saints’ first fundraising endeavor in 1943, when the community raised $12,500 to purchase its first church and community center. Today “Invest in the Future: Our Children, Our Church, Our Community” focuses on the long-term strategic plan for the recently acquired two acres of land adjacent to the current property. “As many communities, even here in the Chicagoland area, are consolidating, and facing financial hardships and membership challenges, we, members of the All Saints community, dream of expansion that will ensure our success for generations to come,” Killian said.

Mike Demirjian, the chairman of the Board of Trustees since 2009, addressed the crowd and connected the church as the central artery for community life, supporting its spiritual growth and the development of sister organizations. Referring to Catholicos Aram I’s Pontifical Message declaring this year “The Year of the Armenian Child,” Demirjian urged, “If we wish to make our church flourish, guarantee our community’s future, we must turn to our children, and following Christ’s commandment, give utmost importance to them, within the family, the school, the church, and community life.” He continued, “Most importantly, this campaign is security for our children’s future.”

Besides the “big tell” of the final fundraising tally, the highlight of the evening came with special guest and keynote speaker Mourad Topalian’s passionate appeal to the All Saints community. As only Topalian can incite his listeners, he conjured the strength of the genocide survivor generation as the ultimate example of community support and development. As these remarkable people came from hardships only they understood, they built churches, centers, families—they rebuilt Armenia across the globe. Topalian beseeched the crowd to put forth an effort like that of the genocide survivors, with heart and soul, to give to the campaign for the children, the church, and the community.

Following Topalian’s inspiring remarks, Artin Dermenjian and the Honorable David A. Erickson further enlivened the evening with their presentation of fundraising and pledges. The gentlemen’s banter among themselves and crowd served to heighten the excitement as the total funds raised continued to increase. In good fun and great spirits, the “hosts” challenged the crowd to matching gifts and fostered competition among friends. Judge Erickson put forth the biggest challenge of the night—to match $10,000 in new pledges that evening. In a heartfelt moment, Erickson called his wife Susan to the podium; the two share the chairmanship of the Fundraising Committee. Struggling to keep her composure, Mrs. Erickson announced their personal pledge in memory of her father, the late Nerses Chitjian—a gift of $100,000, for a total of $110,000 from the Ericksons to the All Saints campaign.

As more gifts and pledges were read, another donation exemplary of the generous heart of this community was announced: $42,500 from Dr. and Mrs. Aram and Seta Semerdjian. Further, an “Anonymous” donor pledged $25,000. Ultimately, $460,000 was committed by the community to roaring applause.

The entire evening was filled with special moments including the presentation of a certificate of appreciation from the Prelacy by Archibishop Choloyan to Hrand Madroosian, who is retiring from service to the Board of Trustees and for his lifelong commitment to All Saints Church. Father Sahakian also offered his thanks and congratulations.

His Eminence concluded the evening by imparting the wisdom from Haggai 1:4: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?” He offered his blessings to the All Saints community as they look to the future, making sure their House of God is in order and poised for growth and development. Earlier, the MC thanked His Eminence for his continued support of, and guidance and leadership to, this community, specifically noting his unfailing attendance at the annual church anniversary event.

The “Invest in the Future” Fundraising Committee is comprised of Judge Erickson and Susan Erickson, co-chairs; and Janet Chitjian, Mike Demirjian, Artin Dermenjian, Ari Killian, Garo Kholamian, Susie Mkrdichian, and Maro Stathapoulos.