Greater Washington Soorp Khatch Church community backs church–organization agreement

2026-03-28 - 12:41

During the annual membership meeting of Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church of Greater Washington, D.C., the community passed a resolution expressing support for an agreement between the church and community organizations — represented by the Armenian Youth Center of Greater Washington (AYC) — regarding the development of a future community center on church-owned land. The resolution delivers a clear mandate from the membership, affirming that the community stands firmly behind the agreement and expects its advancement without delay. It reflects a shared commitment to a project widely recognized as essential to the long-term vitality of Armenian life in the Greater Washington area. This milestone follows several months of sustained and constructive dialogue between representatives of the church and affiliated organizations. Since September, a three-member committee from the church and a three-member committee representing the organizations have met repeatedly to carefully negotiate and shape a land lease agreement that would enable the construction of a community center adjacent to the church. These discussions have been conducted in good faith, with mutual respect and a clear sense of responsibility to the community. The resulting framework is not the product of haste, but of deliberate, thoughtful collaboration and compromise — reflecting both diligence and a unified vision for the future. The resolution adopted at the annual meeting serves not only as an endorsement, but as a direct expression of the community’s will. It reinforces that this initiative is no longer abstract or exploratory; it is supported, expected and ready to move forward. The exact wording of the resolution is provided below: Resolution: As a community, the Soorp Khatch Church membership supports, in principle, a draft agreement being worked out in good faith between the BoT and organizations (Armenian Youth Center of Greater Washington) and the Soorp Khatch Church. The passage of this resolution underscores the spirit of unity that has defined the relationship between Soorp Khatch Church and its community organizations over the past year. Through joint initiatives, shared events and collaborative efforts — including the record-breaking $100,000 raised during the New Year’s Eve celebration for the River Road project — the community has demonstrated both its commitment and its readiness to act. At this stage, the process has moved beyond discussion to expectation. The agreement that will be sent to the Prelacy represents months of serious work, broad community backing and a rare alignment between church leadership and community organizations. The community now looks to the Prelacy to act decisively and responsibly — to recognize the strength of this unified position, to respect the good-faith efforts undertaken by all parties and to approve the agreement in a timely manner so that this long-envisioned project can finally move forward. As the process advances, the community remains united and resolute in its expectation that this partnership will be realized — culminating in the development of a church-adjacent, vibrant community center that will serve the spiritual, educational, cultural and social needs of generations to come.