[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 147 (Thursday, October 15, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2186]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO REV. BERNARD GUEKGUEZIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. GEORGE P. RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 15, 1998

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Reverend 
Bernard Guekguezian. Reverend Guekguezian will be honored by the 
members of the First Armenian Presbyterian Church at a Harvest Banquet 
commemorating their 100th Anniversary. First Armenian Presbyterian is 
the oldest Armenian Church in California.
  Reverend Guekguezian has literally lived and ministered around the 
world. Born in Antioch, Turkey, the reverend emigrated to the Middle 
East in 1939. In 1952 he completed a combined course of study at the 
American University of Beruit and Near East School of Theology. He 
became a licensed pastor and served for two years in Alexandria Egypt 
before coming to the United States. He studied at the Fuller 
Theological Seminary in Pasadena California and went on to earn a 
Master of Arts degree in Christian Education from the New York 
Theological Seminary.
  Reverend Guekguezian was ordained a Minister of the Word in 1959, by 
the Congregational Conference of Massachusetts. He went on to assume 
the pulpit of Americas oldest Armenian Church, the Armenian 
Congregational Church of the Martyrs in Worcest. Reverend Guekguezian 
engaged in doctoral studies at Clark University and in 1966 he accepted 
a call to the Armenian Presbyterian Chruch of Paramus, New Jersey where 
he served for 12 years. Guekguezian has served at the First Armenian 
Presbyterian Church of Fresno for 20 years, the longest of any pastor 
at the Golden States oldest Armenian religious institution. Reverend 
Guekguezian's tenure has been marked by outreach to native Californians 
as well as to Armenian immigrants from the Middle East and the Republic 
of Armenia.
  Reverend Guekguezian has officiated at 163 weddings, 212 baptisms, 
and more than 200 funerals during his time in Fresno. In addition to 
his pastoral duties Guekguezian has served as a Moderator of the 
Armenian Evangelical Union of North America, Vice-President of the 
Armenian Evangelical World Council, Vice-President of the Armenian 
Theological Students' Aid Inc., and member of the Presbytery of the San 
Joaquin New Church Development Committee.
  Reverend Guekguezian is married to the former Knar Kazanjian of 
Aleppo, Syria and they have two sons, Reverend Ara Guekguezian of Las 
Vegas, Nevada and Asbed Guekguezian Esq., of Boston Massachusetts, as 
well as three grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Reverend Bernard 
Guekguezian as honoree for the First Armenian Presbyterian Church, 
100th Anniversary Harvest Banquet. Reverend Guekguezian has served the 
community well in his time in Fresno and I urge all of my colleagues to 
join me in wishing him many years of continued success and happiness.

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