Welcome Բարի Եկաք
We welcome everyone to join in worship at St. Hagop. Worship is the center of Christian life and everything we do as a community of faith – learning and formation, parish activities and Armenian heritage- all grow from our corporate worship. Here are 7 other reasons to join us at St. Hagop:
1. Visit God– To attend Sunday Divine Liturgy is literally to visit God in his house. In the first part of Badarak he greets us with His Word, in the second part by his presence in Communion. There is no substitute for attending church. For shut-ins, our worship livestream may be their only possible spiritual nourishment. But not so for those who don’t attend merely because of other priorities. If we don’t make time to be with God, how can we expect him to be with us? “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:8).
2. Find Family- Many people seek a sense of belonging and roots, especially in the spread-out and transient state of FL. The St. Hagop community is like an extended family, which comes together to worship, to celebrate the joys of weddings and baptisms and mourn losses in funerals, to serve and provide support for each other. The St. Hagop family includes your own family, but extends beyond it, for as Jesus said “my mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it” (Luke 8:21)
3. Build Character– In today’s society, children and adults can easily find themselves on the wrong path. In our Sunday school and ACYOA Jrs., children gain a moral foundation and carry on their Armenian heritage. Our ACYOA Srs. and Young Professionals reinforce this Armenian Christian foundation, upon which they will build their families and careers. In our adult faith seminars and Bible studies we continue our life-long education! “Train children in the right way, and when old, they will not stray” (Prov. 22:6).
4. Have Fun– Armenians love to share who they are and celebrate with their family and friends. St. Hagop has over a dozen events a year such as dances, picnics, bake sales, programs and seminars to keep the Armenian spirit alive and share it with our neighbors and friends.
5. Help Others– There are lots of opportunities to volunteer outside of church. But volunteering at St. Hagop is more than just a “feel good” activity. In reaching out to others, here and in Armenia, parishioners become instruments of God’s love. And when St. Hagop serves those in our FL community, we demonstrate that we aren’t just a beautiful building–but also beautiful people! “And like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5).
6. Remember Who You Are– We all have keepsakes from our past, a picture or a book, that helps us remember who we are. Our church is full of keepsakes, and each week we remind ourselves where we came from and what God calls us to be. We remember our language–an ancient branch of the Indo-European language family. We remember our ancestors–a small people amidst super-powers who never should have survived genocide. We remember Thaddeus & Bartholomew’s Apostolic teaching in Armenia and St. Gregory’s call in 301 AD– which still beckon us to live our best life as dedicated followers of Christ.
7. Forgive And Be Forgiven– How can we stop hurting others we love, and find relief from the pain inflicted on us by others? Only by confession and forgiveness. By participating in Holy Communion you have assurance of God’s forgiveness and are reconciled with the members of the Church, the Body of Christ. You can start over with a clean slate, but only by the grace of God on a humble heart. –If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).