Frequently Asked Questions about Beginning a Mission Parish

Who is a member of the Armenian Church?
Any person who believes in the Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and is Baptized or Chrismated in accordance with the rites of the Armenian Church (Persons from other Christian denominations, such as the Roman Catholic and Protestant faiths, who embrace the Orthodox Faith of the Armenian Church must receive the sacrament of Chrismation as it is administered by the Armenian Church), and who accepts The Holy Councils, The Holy Tradition, doctrines and teachings of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church.

What is the faith of the Church?
The fundamentals of the Orthodox Faith are articulated in the Nicene Creed, which is the profession of the faith of the Armenian Church.  There are 12 points of faith which, of which the most fundamental are: the belief in God the Father, the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation and Divinity of Christ, His Resurrection, the Redemption of sins by Baptism, and the establishment of One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic Church by the Holy Spirit.

What is a parish?
With the confirmation by the Primate and Diocesan Council, a parish is a group or community of faithful who gather together in the name of Christ and who hold and share the same beliefs and agree to follow the teachings of Christ.

Who is the head of the parish?
The Diocesan Primate assigns a pastor to guide the faithful community of believers.  The pastor, who is an ordained priest, is the deputy or representative of the Bishop in the local congregation, leading the congregation in worship with full authority to preach and teach the Gospel.  Likewise, he is the president of the local parish council. In the absence of a parish priest, the parish council chairman assumes the position of highest authority.  The rules for parish administration are clearly defined in the Diocesan Bylaws, which are available from the Primate's office.

The pastor presides and conducts not only religious services but guides the administration and management of the parish community and its work that is based upon the Gospel and the moral and ethical teachings and traditions of the Armenian Church.

In accord with the local pastor, the parish assembly elects a council of laymen and women to cooperatively work with the pastor in carrying out the work of the Church.  In the case of mission parishes, the Diocesan Primate appoints the parish council members to serve and assigns a priest to be the visiting pastor who assists them until such time as the parish is received by the Diocesan Assembly as a fully-organized and established parish of the Diocese.