On Sunday, February 15, following the Divine Liturgy, under the leadership of Fr. Mesrop Ash and Youth Advisor Edward Barber Jr. twelve members participated in the Armenian Church Youth Organization meeting. During the meeting they discussed the upcoming ACYO Jr. Retreat, Hye Camp registration and upcoming activities including April 24 events.
If anyone is interested in joining St. John ACYO please contact Fr. Mesrop Ash.
St. John Armenian Church are happy to announce that as of January 2015 there will be special discounted membership dues for students aged 18-25. Students will be asked to support the church in the amount of $50 annually, a discount from the $125 that is asked of standard members.
Each year, on the first day of the Fast of the Holy Catechumens (First Lent), the Armenian Apostolic Holy Church celebrates the Feast of St. Sarkis the Captain, his son Martiros and his 14 soldiers-companions. By the order of His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians; the feast is proclaimed as a day of blessing of the youth. Saint Sarkis the Warrior is one of the most venerated Armenian saints. He is considered the patron saint of love and youth. His feast day is celebrated in late January or early February.
On January 29, Fr. Hovel Ohanyan, parish priest of St. Vartan Oakland, and Fr. Mesrop Ash of St. John San Francisco participated in meeting and prayer service of the Eastern Churches of the Bay Area (ECoBA), hosted by Our Lady of Lebanon Catholic Church in Millbrae. Ten clergy from different denominations joined in the Vesper Service and enjoyed a meal. In the spirit of brotherly love and respect they discussed issues effecting the Christian communities Near and Middle East, and how our parishes can help support them. Fr. Hovel and Fr.
On January 27, Fr. Hovel Ohanyan, Parish Priest of St. Vartan Oakland, and Fr. Mesrop Ash, Parish Priest of St. John San Francisco, enjoyed a spiritually uplifting meeting with His Eminence Bishop Marc Andrus, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of California.
Sunday, January 11, 2015 was a family day at St. John Church, it means the congregation participates in singing along with the choir, and Sunday School children some serve on the altar and some sing with the choir. Following the solemn Divine Liturgy, Fr. Mesrop Ash explained why the Armenian Church performs the Blessing of the Water, which is a symbolic commemoration of the Baptism of Christ. It is customary to have a Godfather during the Water Blessing service, however, this year because Hovnan Surpazan declared the year 2015 the “Year of the Youth”, Fr.
Sunday, December 25, was the Feast of St. Stephen, the Protomartyr, who was one of the seven deacons ordained by the Apostles according to the New Testament books of Acts. As December 28 was the following Sunday, following Divine Liturgy, Fr. Mesrop gave a brief introduction of why we celebrate the feast of St. Stephen, and then invited the deacons that were present to express how and why they were inspired to become deacons.
"This evening is not Christmas Eve in the Armenian Church, but it is a blessed occasion nontheless for us to gather together and celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ," said Fr. Mesrop Ash as he welcomed the more than 200 faithful who gathered for the annual Candlelight Christmas Pagaent on December 24, 2014.
The annual St. John Church toy drive for the UCSF Pediatric Ward was another success. Many thanks for the generous monetary donations and toys of our faithful. We raised over $1300 in toys this year. Your generous donations were greatly appreciated by the children in the pediatric ward. We thank you for your support.
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