Over the summer of 2018, St. Peter Armenian Church in Watervliet embarked on a major expansion and renovation of the Church’s kitchen. The project resulted in new ovens, flooring, ceiling, lighting, cabinets, and additional surface prep areas. A campaign to repay the project loan is currently underway.
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The St. Peter Women’s Guild identified the need to replace the Church's aging stove and oven several years ago. After further considering the growing demands of the
St. Peter’s annual Armenian Festival and other events, it became apparent that more extensive renovations would be needed to modernize the nearly 50-year-old kitchen. A kitchen fire in December 2017 accelerated the timeline for the project, which received approval from the Parish Assembly in March 2018.
“Whether it is a church or a home, the kitchen is often the center of Armenian life,” said Rev. Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian, parish priest. "Our kitchen has served us well for many years, but as our needs have grown, the kitchen has struggled to keep pace. With this project, we will be able to provide for our parish and the surrounding communities for many years to come."
The Women’s Guild Executive Committee, in conjunction with members of the Parish Council, engaged an engineer about the proposed project in the spring and subsequently solicited quotes from licensed commercial contractors. Upon the approval of the Parish Assembly, the Parish Council took out an advance from the St. Peter's endowment fund, selected a contractor, and work began on June 11, 2018.
A fundraising committee is working to raise the money needed to replenish the church endowment. The goal of the fundraising committee is to have all contributions and pledges secured by year's end 2019 with all payments due by July 2019.
Please consider making a contribution or pledge... no donation is too small and every penny counts. We appreciate your support of our "Family Church on the Hill."
