Celebrating 107 years of the Armenian Missionary Association of America
The Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) is the missionary arm of the Armenian Evangelical Church. It was born on June 7, 1918, during the Annual Convention of the Armenian Evangelical Union of Eastern States, held at the Armenian Church of the Martyrs in Worcester, Massachusetts.
The origins of the AMAA can be traced back to the Missionary Committee of the Armenian Evangelical Union of Eastern States, formed in 1907. The outbreak of World War I and the ensuing calamity that befell Armenians deeply concerned the Armenian Evangelical leadership. However, it wasn’t until 1917 that practical steps were taken. The newly elected Executive Committee of the Armenian Evangelical Union of Eastern States was authorized to explore the creation of a missionary association.
In turn, the Executive Committee selected 15 Armenian Evangelical clergymen and laymen, led by Rev. Mihran T. Kalaidjian, to formulate the constitution and by-laws of tåhe proposed association. Rev. Kalaidjian submitted the committee’s report to the Board of the Armenian Evangelical Union for review.
In 1918, at the Union’s 17th annual convention, the Executive Committee presented its report, and a motion to establish the Armenian Missionary Association of America was unanimously adopted.
The association’s first public statement declared its purpose as follows: “To strengthen the spiritual life of our churches and to rebuild the ruined churches of the fatherland.”
The years when the AMAA was conceived and eventually born were not “the best of times,” but sometimes, the best things are done in the worst times. Those 15 men who founded the AMAA “did the best thing in the worst times” when, with a divine vision and unparalleled courage, they decided to rescue and support Armenian survivors in the wake of the Armenian Genocide.
Founded in the aftermath of World War I, on June 7, 1918, chartered in New York on July 18, 1919, and subsequently incorporated in the State of New York on October 21, 1920, the AMAA was not only a compassionate response to tragedy, but also a prophetic voice—perhaps more than any other influence in the postwar years, it kept the embers alive. In those critical years, when uncertainty and confusion prevailed, the AMAA provided hope and guidance.
The birth of the AMAA was not the result of an accident or chance. It was a natural response to the urgent need for an Armenian organization dedicated to the care and survival of the Armenian Evangelical community. God’s providential hand blessed our people with the birth of a missionary and philanthropic organization—one committed to meeting the material, educational and spiritual needs of our people.
Since its founding, the AMAA has come a long way. It has been God’s gift to our nation, extending its spiritual, educational, cultural, social and philanthropic services to the Armenian nation and beyond.
As we look back on more than 107 years of accomplishments, we cannot but praise God for this wonderful instrument to spread His blessings all over the world. The AMAA has touched, inspired and uplifted numerous lives through its financial and moral support of churches, schools, camps, clinics, centers, and educational and cultural programs. Thousands of Armenians and non-Armenians, generation after generation, have been blessed by its benefactions and found their way to a better life! It has been the “Good Samaritan” to the orphaned, the widowed, the homebound, the impoverished, the sick and the sorrowful.
The AMAA has also been a benefactor and mentor for tens of thousands of Armenian students. Through financial, spiritual and moral support, it has instilled dignity, Christian values and pride in being Armenian Christians.
The AMAA stands as one of the unshakable rocks of the Armenian nation! Its history is one of continued growth in the midst of an ever-expanding Armenian-American community. With 107 years of tremendous success and an untarnished record of service to the Armenian people, the AMAA stands today as one of the most vital, dynamic and substantial Armenian organizations in the diaspora. It continues to play a key role in strengthening and sustaining a secure community in this country.
We salute the AMAA on its 107th anniversary! May it live long, serving God, the Armenian nation and mankind.
Rev. Dr. Vahan Tootikian
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