Saint Hagop Armenian Church

My son Narek’s birthday was on Friday and when asked what he wants for his birthday, he prizes one gift above all others. I want a yes day.  If you aren’t aware, a yes day is when anything you ask for- you get.  Narek’s yes day started with asking to go to a fancy restaurant.… The post Yes Day first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

In the final Session of the Lenten Nicene Creed Sermon Series, Fr. Hovnan discusses the final end of God’s amazing relationship with humankind, to raise up a church that is one and is holy, that raises up its members and the entire world to its highest calling in Christ. The post Orthodox, evangelical, apostolic & catholic! first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

And so that’s the Holy Spirit as presented in the words of the Creed. It is like the air we breathe, so hard to notice because we have been in it, but more than air, it is air from God, breath of God that changes and inspires us from inside.  Jesus gives a very clear,… The post Filled & Fulfilled by God’s Spirit first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

Last week we saw that the Creed gives us only 18 words to describe God the Father last week, because though words like Father and Creator point to His nature, God is beyond all words. We have a different problem when we try to describe Jesus the Son in our Creed.  Words aren’t enough to… The post God Enters HisStory first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

In the second session of our Lenten Sermon series on the Nicene Creed, we talk about God the Father, a God so great that we must choose our words very, very carefully! The post Love Beyond Words first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

Though fallen out of use and focus for various reasons, the Nicene Creed is a crucial roadmap that points us in the direction of a deeper relationship with God. It asks and points us to answers of the greatest question for any Christian believer, Jesus’ question to disciples of all ages, ‘who do you say… The post Why We Need the Nicene Creed first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

Some of the most compelling novels and films ever made are about characters who live double lives. A high school chemistry teacher who is actually a drug kingpin or a sweet suburban couple who are actually spies for the KGB.  The reason these stories are so compelling is because, though less dramatic, we all tend… The post My Double Life first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

That’s the promise highlighted in today’s reading and Holy Scriptures as a whole. Scripture is nothing less than thousands of years of God’s promises, the Old Promise and the New Promise that God, if we only ask, will right the wrongs of evil in this world and gives us abundant life. Paul says this in… The post Learning to Fly first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

Yes, Jesus’ kingdom is not of this earth, but at the same time, God made this all for us, and Jesus has left us in charge until his return.  Several times on Sundays and hopefully every day, we pray as Jesus taught us; ‘Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth as it is… The post Politicked Part II first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

What both sides must realize is that if you weaken healthy religion, it just manifests as unhealthy religion. When people stop believing in anything, they believe in everything. People worship minority identities and rights, canceling and exiling those who blaspheme again their gods.  People worship a false savior who alone can save us from the… The post Politicked first appeared on St....

Proverbs perhaps best sums up the Biblical wisdom that is so applicable to us today on the day of our Diocesan Assembly, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.” (Pr 16:3) As I have told you so often, I am always preaching to myself as well as to you… The post So Why is the Light On? first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

You know today’s reading. We probably should know it by heart, that’s likely why our ancient lectionary assign it two times a year. Most people would say it is the most quoted lines in all the Gospels, what Martin Luther called the Gospel in miniature, summarizing salvation history.  ‘For God so loved the world that… The post Lost and Found in Translation first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian...

We have now gotten up to Chapter 15 in our Bible study on the Gospel of John, and everyone including me are amazed at how rich and profound this book is in theology, writing and understanding of the human condition.  How strange then that John’s first recorded miracle of Jesus-also today’s assigned reading, is when… The post Red, Red, Wine … Strange First Sign! first appeared on St. Hag...

On the night before the British census of April 1, 1911, a woman named Emily Davison spent the night locked in a broom closet in Westminster Palace.  Why? Because Davison was a leader in the campaign for the right of women to vote and be elected to office-which was illegal at the time. So she… The post But Who’s Counting? first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

We all hear something different when we hear the word Christmas and all we hear are small parts of the soundscape of Christmas.  But with so many voices and a fair amount of noise flooding the air in the Christmas season, we must be careful to hear what was originally said-the Avedis-the good news of… The post Do You Hear What I Hear? first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

Sunday Sermon by Dn. Alex Calikyan. The post Armenian Church New Year first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

Church is not just something we do on Sunday, it is something that by doing we become-we become participants, members of the Spiritual body of Christ.  Yes our membership must first and foremost be local-here and now in this church with these people-but it is also meant to extend into the entire world, encompass our… The post Orhnetsek! first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

There are many reasons, some good and some less good, of why people come to church.  I want to offer thanks to God and give myself to the upbuilding of his church, that’s a great reason. I come to church to see Santa or I come to church for the great food, those are less… The post Like a Tree in the Sea first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

Sunday Reflection by Ms. Sarah Stites Director of ‘AYO,’ a program of Fund for Armenian Relief 12-08-24 The post ‘They will know us by our love,” Reflection of Sarah Stites first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

That’s why we not only have one day of Thanksgiving in our church, every single week, every single Sunday is Thanksgiving day in our church. We say thanks to God in a bunch of ways in our Sunday worship.  In our prayers right before we go up to the altar we say ‘Enter God’s gates… The post Thankfulness Training first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

The Gospel reading for today’s first Sunday of Advent is our seasonal realignment to get our priorities right; warning against the addictive nature of worldly wealth and what true riches actually are. Today’s parable is the story of a man who amassed greater and greater wealth, only to have has life taken away before he… The post How Much Land Does a Man Need? first appeared on St. Hagop Arm...

Imagine that you are the coach of a four-person championship track and field relay team.  How do you arrange your runners so that you are most competitive?  Does the fastest guy or girl go first, last, or in the middle? Well ask any track coach-high school, college or Olympic-and they will say let the second… The post Start Strong, Finish Stronger! first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church...

Just two weeks ago the newest church in our Diocese was consecrated the Church of the Holy Archangels, Sts. Michael & Gabriel, whose feast day just happens to be this weekend.  What better time than now then, to reflect on what angels are and aren’t, throw out popular misconceptions, recover their original meaning and see… The post God’s Secret Service first appeared on St. Hagop Armenia...

If a book was to be written about how not to be elected and how not to be popular, Jesus would probably be the main character. In today’s Gospel reading, we see that Jesus is becoming popular and electable, and he does what he can to ruin that.  He insults his potential donors and powerbrokers… The post Unelectable first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian Church .

As those of you know who have travelled through the seasons with me a few years, I struggle with holidays like Halloween, Valentines Day and even Christmas, which seem to have lost much of their original meaning and function mainly as consumer holidays.  That struggle was real yesterday as Narek, Nora & I wandered through… The post Halloween Baptized first appeared on St. Hagop Armenian...