NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LADIES’ GUILDS MEETS IN WATERTOWN
On Thursday and Friday, May 29 and 30, ladies representing ten parishes of the Eastern Prelacy met in Watertown, Massachusetts, for the conference of the National Association of Ladies’ Guilds, which annually coincides with the National Representative Assembly.
The conference began jointly with the first session of the Assembly and was opened by a prayer service followed by the message from His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia. Following this message, NALG representatives retired to a separate meeting room to discuss issues specifically focused on providing guidance to help strengthen the commitment and service of each Ladies Guild within their local parishes.
During the two-day conference, a representative of each parish presented an overview of activities held in their local churches during the year, as well as shared ideas and offered suggestions to their sister guilds.
His Eminence Archbishop Anoushavan, Prelate, addressed the group expressing his support and encouragement to continue its efforts in works for the Prelacy and local parishes.
Becky Megerdichian, President of the St. Stephen’s (Watertown) Ladies Guild graciously welcomed the participants to the community.
Also, Sarineh Cunningham, a graduate of the St. Gregory of Datev Institute, spoke of her experiences while attending the program. She enthusiastically shared stories of learning about our Armenian faith, religious practices, and traditions while meeting and bonding with youth from different parishes.
The NALG annually holds a raffle which provides for financial support to the Datev Institute and the Prelacy Orphan Support Fund. This year, the attendees voted to become annual Pillars of the Prelacy. The raffle winners were Cynthia Bently (Philadelphia), $1,000, and the St. Illuminator’s Cathedral Ladies Guild (New York), $500.
