[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 37 (Tuesday, March 9, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E375]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CONGRATULATING MATTHEW JENDIAN AND ARMEN DEVEJIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 9, 1999

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate Matthew Jendian 
and Armen Devejian upon their ordination to rank of deacon for St. Paul 
Armenian Apostolic Church. The rank of deacon requires much effort and 
discipline; the responsibility is heavy, and the standards are high. 
Both men have risen to those standards.
  Deacon Matthew and Deacon Armen were previously ordained together as 
sub-deacons in 1991, and have been serving at the Holy Altar for the 
past 15 years. They served on the executive committee of the St. Paul 
Armenian Christian Youth Organization (ACYO) Chapter, were co-editors 
of the ACYO California in 1987, and currently teach the high school 
Sunday school class.
  Deacon Matthew is married to Pamela Manoogian. He teaches at 
California State University, Fresno in the sociology department, and is 
campus director of the American Numanics Program. He is currently 
gathering data on Armenian-Americans in Central California for his 
Ph.D. dissertation through the University of Southern California. 
Deacon Matthew enrolled in his father's altar servers class at age 
nine, later graduated from the St. Nersess Deacons' Training Program, 
and has been serving at the Holy Altar for 20 years.
  Deacon Armen is married to Paula Der Matoian. He is vice president of 
a construction and development company in Fresno, and is project 
manager of the New Fresno Convention Center Exhibit Hall which is 
currently under construction. In 1996, at the age of 26, he became 
California's youngest licensed architect. During his tenure as ACYO 
Central Council chairman, from 1994-1996, he helped establish the ACYO 
Mission Fund, the ACYO Camp Fund, and the Summer Camp ACYO Scholarship 
Program. Deacon Armen has been serving at the Holy Altar since 1983.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Deacon Matthew and Deacon 
Armen on their fine accomplishment of spiritual leadership. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in wishing these men and their families a bright 
future and continued growth.

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