As we prepare ourselves for the long haul of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are keenly aware that we are going to need support in new areas in order to continue our ministry and outreach to the community. At this time St. John is very much in need of volunteers in the following positions.
We are happy to announce that St. John’s church office is now reopening and will continue to serve the community. In late March, when the shelter-in-place order took effect, as all non-essential workplaces, the office was closed, and the church staff quickly reorganized so that everyone could continue their functions while working remotely. During that time parish staff and volunteers continued to serve the community through outreach efforts. However, with the phased reopening of the county, St.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, St. John Armenian Church of San Francisco has and will continue to have an important role to play by continuing its God-pleasing mission to best serve our community. During these past two months, the Parish Council of St. John, volunteers, and the staff have implemented outreach programs for seniors and vulnerable parishioners. Weekly phone calls were made to ensure everyone's safety and health.
During these uncertain times, volunteerism and feeling responsible to unite the community is very important, learning and helping one another will help the community to grow and become stronger.
Last week The Bay Area Armenian COVID-19 Task Force donated face masks and gloves to all the Bay area Armenian Churches, and organizations. Thanks to the volunteers we were able to distribute them to our parishioners. Over forty households received masks and gloves.
As Armenians the idea of not gathering together, whether in prayer, fellowship, or celebration, just doesn't feel right! So, we have developed several programs that we hope will bring us together spiritually, if not physically. Please consider joining us for some of the online programs listed below.
Saturday, January 18, 2020, a concert in celebration of the 150th anniversary of Gomidas Vartabed was held at St. John Armenian Church, featuring Grammy® nominated, world-renowned soprano Isabel Bayrakdarian and friends. This sold-out concert was dedicated to one of the giants of the Armenian music and one of the most prominent ethnomusicologists, compose, conductor of all time Gomidas Vartabed (nee Soghomon Soghomonian). The pre-concert lecture and Champaign reception were held at the small hall. Dr.
One of the most important missions of our church is to educate our youth about our faith and share the meaning and significance of our Armenian Christian service. As our community continues to expand, we have an opportunity to ensure our children deeply understand the Divine Liturgy and feel connected to it and the roots of our faith.
To meet this growing need, and to be responsive to requests from parents, we are launching an altar servers training program in early 2020, with encouragement and support from our Primate, Abp. Hovnan Derderian!
We are excited to announce that once again St. John has organized a number of volunteer opportunities in cooperation with the SF Interfaith Winter Shelter program. For the past three years we've organized small groups to make and serve a meal for over 60 of San Francisco's homeless.
With a vision to realize the fullness of the mission of the Armenian Apostolic Church, St. John Armenian Church of San Francisco mobilized teams of volunteers to prepare and serve meals to the homeless as part of the SF Interfaith Winter Shelter program. On three occasions from December to March, under the leadership of Dn. Kirk Hourdajian, and with the support of Dr. Emma Abramyan and many others, volunteers served lovingly prepared food to the more than 60 homeless men of the city's Winter Shelter, and also delivered 20 meals to a nearby women's rehabilitation center.
Over the summer, ACYO had many fun events that brought the group closer together. We made memories that we will cherish forever. We continued our Friday Night hangouts where we have dinner, discussions, and hangout time. Our discussions range from faith to everyday topics that relate to us. This event helps us unwind from a stressful week of school. We hope to continue these Friday nights throughout the rest of the year.
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