St. John Cares Night Brings Faithful Together in Service and Fellowship

On Friday evening, June 27, over 40 dedicated parishioners gathered at St. John Armenian Church hall for a heartfelt event known as St. John Cares Night. United in the spirit of compassion and community, volunteers came together to prepare care packages for those experiencing homelessness—demonstrating the living mission of the Church in action.

Thanks to the generosity and initiative of the St. John Parish Council, over 700 pairs of socks and McDonald’s gift cards were purchased for the event. The faithful volunteers lovingly wrapped each pair of socks with a gift card and a custom strap bearing uplifting Bible verses and the powerful message: “You are loved.” The joyful and industrious atmosphere in the church hall was a true reflection of the community’s warmth, with laughter, fellowship, and meaningful conversations filling the room.

By the end of the evening, more than 400 care packages had been prepared—each one a small gesture of kindness packed with love and hope. Volunteers were encouraged to take at least 10 packages each to personally distribute to those in need within their neighborhoods or communities, helping ensure that the outreach extended far beyond the church walls.

Following the packaging effort, Fr. Mesrop Ash blessed the evening with words of gratitude and inspiration. He thanked everyone for their service, emphasizing that acts like these are at the heart of the Church’s mission: to serve, uplift, and love those around us. After a prayer and blessing of the table, all attendees were invited to enjoy a delicious dinner graciously hosted by the Parish Council—a time to relax, share stories, and celebrate a night well spent.

St. John Parish Council extends heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed their time, energy, and love to this successful initiative. The hope is to continue holding similar events in the future, creating more opportunities to serve our community and live out the Gospel message together.