St. Nersess Armenian Seminary
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • History of the Seminary
    • Prayer for the Seminary
    • Board of Directors
    • Fast Facts
    • Alumni/Recent Ordinations
    • Water Quality Report
  • Academics/Admissions
    • Global Classroom >
      • Seminary Lectures (audio)
      • Seminary Lectures (video)
      • St. Nersess Theological Review >
        • SNTR Volume 1-1
        • SNTR Volume 1-2
        • SNTR Volume 2
        • SNTR Volume 3
        • SNTR Volume 4
        • SNTR Volume 5 & 6
        • SNTR Volume 7
        • SNTR Volume 8
        • SNTR Volume 9
        • SNTR Volume 10
        • SNTR Volume 11
        • SNTR Volume 12
        • SNTR Volume 13
      • St. Nersess Armenian Spirituality Series
      • AVANT
    • Programs of Study
    • Is God Calling You?
    • Faculty & Staff >
      • Dr. Roberta Ervine
      • Bishop Daniel Findikyan
    • Course Offerings >
      • Classical Armenian
      • Church History
      • Armenian Patristics
      • Liturgy
      • Liturgical Music
      • Practicum
      • Biblical Studies
      • Church & Society
      • General Studies
    • Admissions & Application
    • St. Nersess Library
  • Liturgical
    • Sacred Music Lab >
      • Daily Services >
        • Night Hour >
          • Hymns of the Night Hour
          • Deacon's Chants of the Night Hour
          • Ganonaklookh/Head of the Canon
          • Requiem Hymn (Hangstyan Sharagan)
          • Avak Orhnutyun
          • Orhnootyoon Sharagan (Penitential)
          • Orhnootyoon Hymns (Martyrs)
          • Takavor Haveedyan (Penitential)
          • Takavor Haveedyan (Martyrs)
          • Alleluia (Resurrection)
          • Alleluia (Nativity)
          • Alleluia (Cross)
        • Morning Hour >
          • Hymns of the Morning Hour
          • Deacon's Chants of the Morning Hour
          • Service of the Oil-Bearing Women
        • Sunrise Hour
        • Evening Hour >
          • Hymns of the Evening Service
          • Deacons' Chants
          • Martyrs Hymns of Psalm 120
          • Penitential Hymns of Psalm 120 (Tones 1-8)
          • Resurrection Hymns of Psalm 120
        • Peace Hour
      • Divine Liturgy >
        • Midday Hymns (Jashoo Sharagans)
        • Gospel Alleluia
        • Processional Hymns
        • Introit (Zhamamood)
        • Deacon's Chants
      • Sacraments >
        • Baptism
        • Marriage
        • Ordinations
        • Funeral
      • Holy Week >
        • Lazarus Saturday
        • Palm Sunday >
          • Palm Sunday - Night/Morning Services
          • Palm Sunday - Ceremony of Opening the Doors
        • Holy Monday
        • Holy Tuesday
        • Holy Wednesday
        • Holy Thursday >
          • Holy Thursday: Night Service
          • Holy Thursday: Morning Service
          • Holy Thursday: Absolution of the Penitents
          • Holy Thursday: Washing of the Feet
          • Holy Thursday: Divine Liturgy
          • Holy Thursday: Great Vigil (Khavaroom)
        • Holy Friday >
          • Holy Friday: Morning Service
          • Holy Friday: Service of the Crucifixion
          • Holy Friday: Service of Burial
        • Holy Saturday >
          • Holy Saturday: Night/Morning Services
          • Holy Saturday: Easter Vigil (Jrakalooyts) & Divine Liturgy
        • Easter Sunday
      • Festal Hymns >
        • Saints' Hymns (Սրբոց Շարականնե)
        • Theophany (Ծնունդ)
        • Mother of God (Ս. Աստուածածին)
        • Presentation of the Lord to the Temple (Տեառնդառաջ)
        • Great Carnival (Բուն Բարեկենդան)
        • New Sunday (Նոր Կիրակի)
        • Ascension (Համբարձում)
        • Holy Cross (Խաչի)
        • Holy Church (Եկեղեցւոյ)
      • Other Services >
        • Blessing of Water
    • Armenian Hymnal
    • Liturgical Services >
      • Services of Blessing
      • Special Services
      • Holy Week
      • Divine Liturgy
  • Conferences/Lectures
    • Deacons' Training Program
    • High School Summer Conference
    • Young Adult Winter Conference
    • Adult Conferences & Retreats
    • Online Lectures
  • News
    • Churches of Artsakh
  • Photos
    • Photo Galleries
    • Consecration Photos
    • Construction Photos, Armonk, NY
  • SUPPORT
    • Donate Now
    • Leadership Giving Circle
    • The Path Forward
    • Planned Giving Society
    • Legacy Donors, New Campus
    • Parish Patrons
  • St. Nersess Theological Review
  • SNTR Volume 7

St. Nersess Team Visits St. James Armenian Church, Evanston, IL

11/9/2004

0 Comments

 
Picture
November 9, 2004

St. James Armenian Church of Evanston, IL opened the doors of its parish and the doors of its heart to a delegation from St. Nersess Seminary on Saturday and Sunday, November 6-7. Representing the Seminary for a weekend of spiritual and education events were V. Rev. Fr. Daniel Findikyan, Dean; Rev. Fr. Stepanos Doudoukjian, Pastor of St. Peter Armenian Church (Watervliet, NY) and the Seminary's Director of Youth Programs; and Mr. Jason Demerjian, St. Nersess Seminarian and College Ministry Facilitator for the Eastern Diocese. St. Nersess alumnus, V. Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian, Pastor of St. Gregory the Illuminator Armenian Church (Chicago, IL) also participated.

A Talk and Discussion on the Divine Liturgy
The weekend began on Saturday afternoon with an illustrated presentation by Fr. Daniel Findikyan entitled, The Divine Liturgy in a Changing World: Traditional Worship, New Insights. Presenting three prayers from the Divine Liturgy, Fr. Daniel demonstrated how they are truly relevant to our modern lives and contemporary concerns. 

"The Divine Liturgy is not for your listening pleasure," Fr. Daniel insisted. "Once we scratch the surface of the prayers and hymns of our Badarak we see that they are a compelling call to action." 

Fr. Daniel's talk provoked animated discussion among the several dozen people in attendance. "I realize now that our Badarak is really a life-long vocation," said a member of the St. James Parish Council. "God draws us close to himself through the Liturgy and especially through Holy Communion," she added.


Picture
During the course of the fellowship following Fr. Daniel's talk, people milled in and out of the church hall. By 6:00 PM the median age of the congregants had shifted downward noticeably as the hall filled with high school and college-age young people arriving to take part in a special evening program for them.

For weeks before, the parish council, coached by the Eastern Diocese's dynamic College Minister, Jason Demerjian, scoured the rolls of area colleges for Armenian students, especially Northwestern University, located literally across the street from St. James. Wooed with promises of a home-cooked Armenian dinner, friendship and a stimulating evening, more than two dozen young people found their way to St. James, several of them for the first time.

With assistance from Fr. Aren, Fr. Daniel and Jason, Fr. Stepanos led a series of thought-provoking and interactive sessions on the theme: The Armenian Church: Security for your Inner Homeland. With insights from the Bible and the Divine Liturgy, the St. Nersess delegation showed the students how stability, inner security and peace are fruits to be harvested by a commitment to God in the life of the Armenian Church.


Picture
"In college young people can at times feel terrorized by the competitive pace of life, by concerns for the future, by the stresses of adjusting to life away from home, and by new challenges to faith," said Fr. Stepanos, who has years of experience ministering to youth of all ages. "At times like this, maintaining a connection to God and to our ethnic roots within the Armenian Church can keep young people rooted and centered," he added. 

"Thank you so much for reaching out to us college students," said a student from the University of Chicago, who participated in the evening program.

The Saturday evening program concluded with a brief prayer service in the historic sanctuary of St. James.


Picture
Sunday Divine Liturgy
Crowning the St. Nersess weekend was the Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning, celebrated by Fr. Daniel Findikyan. In his Armenian sermon, Fr. Daniel noted that he had just returned from Holy Etchmiadzin, where, last week the Kevorkian Seminary of Holy Etchmiadzin commemorated the 130th anniversary of its establishment. 

"The Kevorkian Seminary, the oldest and largest seminary of the Armenian Church, has graduated hundreds of clergy and lay leaders," said Fr. Daniel. "Here in North America, St. Nersess Seminary is the youngest and smallest of the Armenian Church's seminaries, but its mission is no less than that of the Kevorkian," he added, describing the work and mission of St. Nersess Seminary for the Armenian Church in America.

Fr. Stepanos spoke about his own vocation to the priesthood of the Armenian Church, which began when he was a restless teenager. He spoke poignantly about how as a priest, "all of the pieces of the puzzle of my life have come together." Recalling his parishioner Setrak Nalbandian, who recently received a life-giving multiple organ transplant after hovering for months on the brink of life and death, Fr. Stepanos said, "There is no greater reward in life than to be called by God to serve Him and our people as a priest."


0 Comments

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    March 2012
    January 2012
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    February 2010
    January 2010
    December 2009
    November 2009
    October 2009
    September 2009
    August 2009
    May 2009
    April 2009
    March 2009
    February 2009
    November 2008
    October 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008
    June 2008
    May 2008
    April 2008
    March 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008
    December 2007
    November 2007
    October 2007
    September 2007
    August 2007
    July 2007
    May 2007
    March 2007
    February 2007
    January 2007
    December 2006
    November 2006
    October 2006
    September 2006
    August 2006
    July 2006
    June 2006
    May 2006
    April 2006
    March 2006
    February 2006
    January 2006
    December 2005
    November 2005
    October 2005
    September 2005
    August 2005
    July 2005
    June 2005
    May 2005
    April 2005
    March 2005
    February 2005
    January 2005
    December 2004
    November 2004
    October 2004
    September 2004
    August 2004
    July 2004
    June 2004
    May 2004
    April 2004
    March 2004
    February 2004
    December 2003
    November 2003
    October 2003
    September 2003
    March 2003
    November 2002
    March 2002
    February 2002
    January 2002
    December 1999
    November 1999
    October 1999
    September 1999
    January 1999
    July 1998
    June 1998

    Categories

    All
    Acculturation Program
    Adult Conference
    Alumni
    Annual Appeal
    Board Of Directors
    Christmas Conference
    Clergy
    Clergy Support
    Deacons' Training
    Distance Learning
    Divine Liturgy
    Donations
    Etchmiadzin
    Fundraising
    Graduation
    History
    Leadership
    Lectures
    Library
    Liturgical Music
    Music
    New Armonk Campus
    Ordination
    Pandemic
    PhD Students
    Picnic
    Prayers & Blessings
    Retreat
    Seminarians
    Seminary
    Seminary Events
    Seminary Faculty
    Sermons
    Studying In Armenia
    St. Vladimir's
    Summer Conferences
    Young Adult Winter Conference
    Youth Programs

    RSS Feed

Picture
Preparing leaders for service in the
Armenian Church since 1961
.

Directions to the Seminary

St. Nersess Armenian Seminary
​486 Bedford Road
Armonk, NY 10504

​(**PLEASE** input "St. Nersess Armenian Seminary" into Google Maps for correct location!)

Subscribe to the eNewsletter
Instagram

Contact Us

Phone: (914) 273-0200
Email: info@stnersess.edu

Office Hours:
Monday - Friday, 9:30am-5:30pm


  • Website by Filament Designs