Armenian Evangelical Churches in the United States

United States Church Records  Armenian Evangelical Church Records

History in the United States
In the 19th century there was intellectual and spiritual awakening in Constantinople. This awakening and enlightenment pushed the reformists to study the Bible. The result of this awakening was the formation of a society called the "Pietistical Union". The members held meetings for the study of the Bible. During these meetings and Bible studies, questions were raised regarding the practices and traditions of the church, which to them seemed to conflict with biblical truths. Eventually, after Patriarch Matteos Chouhajian excommunicated the reformists, they were forced to organize themselves into a separate religious community, the Protestant Millet. This separation led to the formation of the Armenian Evangelical Church in 1846. Source: Wikipedia

The Armenian Evangelical Union of North America resulted from the merger of the Armenian Evangelical Union of Eastern States and Canada (founded in 1901) and the Armenian Evangelical Union of California (founded in 1908). The merger took place at a Constitutional Assembly held in Detroit, Michigan, in October 1971. It traces its history to the reform movement within the Armenian Apostolic Church resulting in the founding, on July 1, 1846, of the first Armenian Evangelical Church by 37 men and 3 women in Pera (near Constantinople), Turkey. Source:Wikipedia

Today, there are approximately 100 Armenian Evangelical churches in the following countries: Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cyprus, Egypt, England, France, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Uruguay, and the United States of America. Source: Wikipedia

Correspond with or visit the actual churches.
Some records are still held in the local churches. Contact the current minister to find out what records are still available.
 * Make an appointment to look at the records. Or ask the minister of the church to make a copy of the record for you.
 * To find church staff available, you might have to visit on Sunday.
 * Ask for small searches at a time, such as one birth record or a specific marriage. Never ask for "everything on a family or surname".
 * A donation ($25-$40) for their time and effort to help you would be appropriate.
 * If the church has a website, you may be able to e-mail a message.
 * See the Letter Writing Guide for Genealogy for help with composing letters.

Addresses:
 * Armenian Evangelical Union of North America Church Directory

Armenian Evangelical Union of North America
Armenian Evangelical Union of North America 411 E. Acacia St., Ste 200 Glendale CA  91205

Phone:818-500-8839 E-mail: aeuna@aeuna.org
 * Website

Carefully compare any record you find to known facts about the ancestor
You will possibly find many different people with the same name as your ancestor, especially when a family stayed in a locality for several generations, and several children were named after the grandparents or aunts and uncles. Be prepared to find the correct church records by organizing in advance as many of these exact details about the ancestor as possible:
 * name, including middle name and maiden name
 * names of all spouses, including middle and maiden name
 * exact or closely estimated dates of birth, marriage, and death
 * names and approximate birthdates of children
 * all known places of residence
 * occupations
 * military service details

Carefully evaluate the church records you find to make sure you have really found records for your ancestor and not just a "near match". If one or more of the details do not line up, be careful about accepting the entry as your ancestor. There are guiding principles for deciding how to resolve discrepancies between records that are seemingly close. For more instruction in evaluating evidence, read the Wiki article, Evaluate the Evidence.