Our Future Home

Since 1964, Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church has served as the heart and home for much of the Armenian community in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area.  We share countless memories from church services, Sunday school, Armenian events, weddings, bazaars, and much more.
However, we outgrew our current space a long time ago. Not to mention, the structure itself is rapidly aging, there are several accessibility issues, noise complaints and other issues with neighbors, as well as limited parking.

For these reasons, after 55 years, the Board of Trustees, with the support of our community, made the decision to purchase the property at 9490 River Road in Potomac, MD to build our future home.  In addition to a 86 to 2 vote by our membership in favor of this project, the Prelacy Executive Council also voted unanimously in support of this critical endeavor.

Our future home will be anchored by a new church inspired by Ani Cathedral, a playground and classrooms dedicated to educating our children, a banquet hall, central plaza for picnics and outdoor gatherings, offices, storage, meeting spaces for community organizations, 150 parking spaces, basketball courts, an athletic field, and eventually a gym.

Like our property, the Ani Cathedral included multiple structures to meet the needs of its citizens. In a short period of time it attracted nearly 100,000 Armenians, leading to a “golden age” for Armenia. Similarly, we are not just developing this for our current Soorp Khatch members, but also to grow our community and ensure it flourishes for generations to come.

The architecture for Ani Cathedral was also centuries ahead of its time, and serves as a source of pride.  By building our modern version and creating this center, we are telling the world that no matter where Armenians go, we will not only survive – we will thrive.

Since 1964, Soorp Khatch Armenian Apostolic Church has served as the heart and home for much of the Armenian community in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Area.  We share countless memories from church services, Sunday school, Armenian events, weddings, bazaars, and much more.
However, we outgrew our current space a long time ago. Not to mention, the structure itself is rapidly aging, there are several accessibility issues, noise complaints and other issues with neighbors, as well as limited parking.

For these reasons, after 55 years, the Board of Trustees, with the support of our community, made the decision to purchase the property at 9490 River Road in Potomac, MD to build our future home.  In addition to a 86 to 2 vote by our membership in favor of this project, the Prelacy Executive Council also voted unanimously in support of this critical endeavor.

Our future home will be anchored by a new church inspired by Ani Cathedral, a playground and classrooms dedicated to educating our children, a banquet hall, central plaza for picnics and outdoor gatherings, offices, storage, meeting spaces for community organizations, 150 parking spaces, basketball courts, an athletic field, and eventually a gym.

Like our property, the Ani Cathedral included multiple structures to meet the needs of its citizens. In a short period of time it attracted nearly 100,000 Armenians, leading to a “golden age” for Armenia. Similarly, we are not just developing this for our current Soorp Khatch members, but also to grow our community and ensure it flourishes for generations to come.

The architecture for Ani Cathedral was also centuries ahead of its time, and serves as a source of pride.  By building our modern version and creating this center, we are telling the world that no matter where Armenians go, we will not only survive – we will thrive.

Donate

Donations to the Church Building Fund can be in forms other than cash. Many individuals who own stock or shares in mutual funds have seen the value of their investments increase over the years. And these gains are subject to taxes. One solution to avoid paying taxes on these gains is to donate the investment. For example, suppose you purchased stock five years ago for $5,000 and the value of the stock is now $10,000. If you donate the stock instead of selling it, you get a deduction on the stock’s full market value and you avoid paying long-term capital gains tax on the $5,000 your investment earned. As a non-profit, the Church Building Fund enjoys the full $10,000 value of your donation.

The safest and most efficient way to donate stocks or mutual funds is via electronic transfer. Your broker is used to this type of transaction and just needs the Church Building Fund’s brokerage information.

You may also donate property you own. The property may be residential, commercial, or investment property. The Soorp Khatch Building Committee will handle the sale of the property and as with stocks and mutual funds, you don’t pay capital gains tax and neither does Soorp Khatch. Please contact Soorp Khatch if you would like to donate property and arrangements for the transfer will be made.

Contributions of stock, mutual funds, and property are deductible to the full extent of the law. If you are interested in donating stocks, mutual funds, or property, we encourage you to consult your accountant to ensure you qualify for the tax savings and that this gift option is best for you. There are conditions and limitations on donations of appreciated property, such as you must have held the investments for more than one year and your charitable deduction is limited to a percentage of your adjusted gross income.

[donate form goes here]