Youth And The Armenian Church

Among the greatest challenges for the Church today is to find the language and the means to convey Her message to the next generation in a manner that is fresh, inspiring and relevant. That next generation is commonly referred to as “youth” which captures a wide range of ages.

In a speech at Harvard, Robert F. Kennedy stated, ““This world demands the qualities of youth: not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure of the life of ease.” Kennedy describes the youthful spirit, one which isn’t bound by temporal age, but at the same time, it is one which is more often than not expressed by chronologically young people. 

Jesus Christ spoke to the spiritually young, so much so that He attracted them to not only follow Him but to become witnesses to His life, resurrection and message within their own communities and long after His ascension to Heaven.  Jesus Christ attracted so many, especially the youth, because His message was pure and genuine. He believed it and was willing to sacrifice even Himself for that message.

Before his ascension Jesus Christ established His Church – His Holy Body – the entity that would continue His Mission and Ministry. That Body, St. Paul tells us, has Christ as its head. Therefore, Christ calls the shots. Christ decides the manner in which the Body will travel and work. Herein the issue of relevance is resolved. When the Church allows Christ to lead it, the Church is fine-tuned in the work of Christ. It can’t help but be relevant. In fact (and only naturally) through the 2,000 year history of the Armenian Church, the Church’s greatest moments of moving and leading the people have been when the Body was in sync with the Head. Christ as the Head cannot and will not let the Body suffer nor be damaged.

Young people, like people of all ages, have some very simple spiritual wants and needs. When Archbishop Hovnan Derderian first became Primate of the Western Diocese, he met with young people in various settings, including in classrooms, retreats and sporting events. He spoke with them about a wide range of topics from politics, to personal faith, to rituals of the church. Underneath the surface he identified these basic needs and concerns of the youth: faith, service, love, trust, honesty and living a moral and ethical. In fact, these concerns are not unique to children of the current age, but transcend the centuries. The Armenian Church, through Her teachings, adherence to the Holy Gospel, Sacraments and Holy Tradition has been the single force which has defined life for the Armenian people in terms of faith, service, love, trust, honesty and ethics. And so, as the leader of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church, Archbishop Derderian has found opportunities to bring the Faith of the Armenian Church to youth.

Today, the Armenian Church in the Western Diocese with its wide variety of programs serves more young people than any other institution in the community. A quick glance at the list of programs shows that the focus of the Western Diocese is the youth. ACYO, Armenian Schools, Saturday Schools, Sunday Schools, Christian Education Council, Christian Youth Mission to Armenia, Reclaim Christian Conference, Deacons, Altar Servers, Choir, Endowment Fund (seminarians), House of Hope – Mer Hooys, Junior Godfathers, Little Angels, Nerouj, Scholarships, the Abp. Hovsepian Summer Camp and the St. Nersess Seminary are all programs that reach out to the youth in various sectors, employing a variety of means and methods, to bring the fullness of the Armenian Church to their lives. Simply, the Head – Jesus Christ – is delivered to youth.

Years ago, at a youth retreat, Abp. Derderian promised, “to keep you all in my prayers and to be bonded with you spiritually.” It is a promise which he has kept by virtue of his commitment to the youth of the Armenian Church. Jesus Christ plainly says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matt 6:21) Certainly it is evident that the Armenian Church in general and the Western Diocese in particular is committed to its youth and their Christian upbringing.