The Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE) granted ordination and the title of "Verabadveli" to one of its pastors, Jirair Ghazarian, on Sunday evening, 26 February 2023, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church, Beirut. Rev. Mgrdich Karagoezian presided over the ordination, held at the church where Rev. Ghazarian serves. Upon the recommendation of the UAECNE's Ordination Committee and the approval of the Union's General Assembly, the candidate took his pastoral oath, before which he presented his testimony of faith before the congregation. Noteworthy was the presence of ecumenical partners: the representative bishop of the Armenian Catholic Church, Lebanese Arab evangelical representatives, the General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches, the General Secretary of the Fellowship of Middle East Evangelical Churches, the President of the Near East School of Theology, the Director of the seminary of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Cilicia, and the representative of Lebanese parliamentarian Edgar Traboulsi. Notes of congratulations were received from the Executive Director of the Armenian Missionary Association of America, Mr. Zaven Khanjian, and the Head of the Supreme Council of the Evangelical Community of Syria and Lebanon Rev. Joseph Kassab. The church's instrumental quintet beautifully accompanied the congregational singing, and at the conclusion of this uplifting service the congregants continued their fellowship at a reception in the church hall
