Primate Celebrant At St. Vartan Armenian Church Of Oakland Newly Renovated Church Hall And Kitchen Dedicated

The family of St. Vartan Armenian Church of Oakland received the episcopal blessings of the Diocesan Primate Archbishop Hovnan Derderian on Sunday, October 7, 2018, the day’s celebrant and homilist. Assisting His Eminence at the Holy Altar were the Parish Priest the Rev. Fr. Hovel Ohanyan and the deacons.

In his sermon, Archbishop Derderian stressed the importance of gratitude as an essential element of the Christian Faith. “In all of our life’s accomplishments, we should not forget that God is being praised and glorified. Our gratitude, coupled with humility, are essential elements of our ancestral Christian Faith. Hence, we owe a debt of gratitude to the founders of St. Vartan Armenian Church whose vision of preserving the Armenian Christian identity is alive in and shared by us all.” 

Prior to the conclusion of the service, Archbishop Derderian invited the Sunday School students to the nave. The Primate commended the students for their hard work in Sunday School and expressed his gratitude to the parents for their commitment to ensuring that their children the proper Christian upbringing and quality Christian education they deserve.

Following the service, Archbishop Derderian presided over the dedication ceremony of the newly renovated kitchen and hall of the church. In his remarks, Archbishop Derderian commended the pastoral leadership of the Rev. Fr. Hovel Ohanyan and encouraged the auxiliary bodies of the parish to continue to work hand in hand with the priest in becoming the light of the Gospel of Christ our Lord in their community.