Women’s Guild Central Council

The purpose of the Women’s Guild Central Council is to encourage and assist the Women’s Guilds of The Armenian Church of Canada to support the parish and the church to  encourage its members to preserve and live the Christian Faith according to the teachings of the Bible and the doctrines, traditions, and the heritage of the Armenian Church, by urging its members to attend church regularly and by sponsoring workshops, panel discussions, religious study groups, and other programs for the tutoring and spiritual development of its members, parishioners and community.

Brief summary of the history on the formation and responsibilities of the Women’s Guild Central Council:

In 1985, a few years after the establishment of the Canadian Diocese, the late Primate, Arch. V. Keshishian, in order to reorganize the Women’s Guild, formed an Advisory Committee by appointing the following ladies:  Mrs. L. Kerim, Mrs. V. Misakyan, Mrs. A. Karan, and Mrs. N. Baltayan.

This Committee prepared the by-laws which was read and discussed at the first Annual Women’s Guild Meeting in Hamilton in May 1987.

In August 1990, His Eminence, Arch. Hovnan Derderian, Primate of the Canadian Diocese formed the first Women’s Guild Central Council and presented them with the guidelines of their duties.  These duties are:

–       Conduct a minimum of four meetings per year under the auspices of the Primate.

–       Prepare the Agenda of the Women’s Guild Annual Assembly and guide the host chapter.

–       Prepare a schedule of events for the coming year.

–       Visit each Woman’s Guild Chapter.

–       Help organize the executive committee of each chapter and guide their activities.

–       Assure the observance of the by-laws by each chapter.

–       Publish a newsletter once or twice a year.

–       Organize the Armenian Saints Day which is observed around mid-lent.  Prepare the program of the day and advise the Host Church to invite the regional churches.

–       Organize religious retreats with appropriate lectures.

From 2003 to 2013, Women’s Guild Central Council continued their duties as communicating body for the Women’s Guilds of all apostolic churches of the diocese, under His Eminence, Bishop Bagrat Galstanian, then Primate of the Armenian Church of Canada.