Below are several items that a Mission Parish would want to undertake in its first year.

Set Goals

The goals of a mission parish are two-fold:

1)      Evangelism of the Christian faith

2)      Outreach to the faithful

The primary mission of the Church is to tend to the religious and spiritual needs of the faithful community as expressed in the Armenian Christian tradition.  The local mission parish council should arrange, whenever and however necessary, for the proper and canonical administration of the holy sacraments and services for the community and its individual members.  This will assure and enhance the development of faith and the spiritual growth and illumination of the mission parish. 

Home visitation and blessing services to the community members and visits to the elderly, confined, infirm, and hospitalized with a visiting priest and by a lay group in the name of the Armenian Church parish should take place.  Such occasions of interaction forge and bridge relationships.

Educational programs, such as Bible studies and cultural gatherings, should also be apart of the community's educational endeavors.  There are several resources that the Diocese can provide.

Along with providing this Armenian Christian environment, thought should be given to cultivating a viable, well-designed, and committed stewardship program.  Financial support is essential for the community to do its work, and all persons in the community must be encouraged to participate in this tithing act of faith -- for indeed, giving of one's material resources is as much an act of faith as the giving of time, talent, and moral support.  The Diocese can help organize fund-raisers in order to bring the community together to work in fellowship for a common goal.  The building of the community will eventually spawn the building of a Church structure.

Create a Community of Worshipers

Get started forming a Mission Parish by building a contact list of others in your community.

The most obvious approach in establishing a contact list is to use a telephone directory.  Two to three persons can help put together such a list, depending upon the size of the community.  Divide the alphabet into sections and list the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of all surnames ending in "ian".  This is only a first step.  In addition to this approach, verbal inquiry is necessary because not all persons may be listed in a telephone directory and not all Armenian names end in "ian".

As you develop your mailing list, it should be updated regularly and a copy should be sent to the Diocese.  The names of these individuals will then be placed on a general mailing list of the Diocese and assure your community members will directly receive important information from the Diocese.

Plan an Organizational Meeting

After a list of potential members has been established, a meeting should be planned to discuss the formation of a parish of the Armenian Church.  This will take some voluntary financing and the investment will be well worth it.

Before designating an initial meeting date and announcing the intentions through a community mailing, contact the Primate and inform him of your intentions, giving the date, time, and location of the planned meeting and the name of a local contact person.  He will contact the Diocesan coordinator of mission parishes and ask him to preside at the first meeting to explain what and who constitutes the Church and the local parish and to assist the community in the forming their mission parish.

Since mission parishes usually have no church building, it is recommended to hold meetings at any local Orthodox, Catholic, or Protestant Church.  You should contact potential churches and inform them of the intentions of your community and the temporary need for a meeting room.  If auxiliary groups -- such as the Women's Guild or Choir -- also need meeting space these arrangements should be made as well.  Often the clergymen or lay councils will be more than willing to accommodate such a request.

For religious services, the community should investigate the local religious sanctuaries in their area that are most accessible and central for the majority of the faithful.  An Orthodox Church sanctuary of one of our sister churches -- Coptic, Syrian, Ethiopian, or Malabar -- would be the first choice for periodic Armenian Divine Liturgies.  These churches are in full Eucharist communion with the Armenian Church; that is, the sacrament of Holy Communion may be received mutually.

If no such sister sanctuary exists, then a Greek, Russian, or Antiochian Orthodox Church should be next considered.  If these options or possibilities do not exist, then a local Roman Catholic, Episcopal, or Lutheran sanctuary may be considered.

Most often the pastor or lay councils of these churches may require an official letter stating that you are a bona fide mission parish of the Diocese.  The Primate's office will issue such a statement if a request is made.  Please indicate to whom the letter of verification must be sent and what must be stated to satisfy the questions of the particular religious community.

Once these arrangements have been established and the location for the celebration of the Armenian Divine Liturgy are agreed upon, the mission parish council should request from the Primate that an anointed vemkar, or stone tablet, be issued.  This square anointed stone should always be placed on the altar of any non-Armenian sanctuary whenever the Badarak is to be offered.  It is the official imprimatur or authorization by the Diocesan Primate for the Divine Liturgy to be celebrated.  Later, at the time of the construction of an Armenian Church building, this same vemkar is placed permanently into the top of the consecrated altar.

Track Statistics

When you hold a worship service, it will be useful to keep a record of those who attend the Divine Liturgy.  Note the types of categories of people who attend the worship service -- gender, age, families, singles, and couples.  This will help in formulating the complexion of the parish.  You may consider having a "Parishioners' Registry Book" available at the entrance of the sanctuary, so those who attend may offer their names, some comments, and helpful information that would facilitate the parish council's ministry to them.

In addition, recording financial donations in specific categories will be extremely helpful for year-end recapping of monetary gifts.  The major categories are: In lieu of flowers, Altar Flowers, Requiems, Weekly Offerings, Pledges, etc.  The Church is not a secular corporation or business; however, it is necessary that the financial matters be effectively administered in a similar way in order to keep track of checks and balances, profits, losses and budgets.

Parish council members should wear a name badge or some identifying garb so that should parishioners have any questions, they may easily approach them at worship services.

Apply for Tax-Exemption

As a mission parish of the Diocese, it is preferable that you apply for incorporation under the laws of your state.  Some states do not incorporate religious organizations but cover them under a statutory provision.  The incorporation or statutory provision will insulate parishioners from personal liability in the event of a lawsuit.  Any attorney familiar with the laws and state ordinances can assist in such an application process.  Parishes are generally exempt from tax on their own income.  However, every parish should apply for recognition as a 501 (c) (3) organization under the regulations of the Internal Revenue Service.  The 501 (c) (3) classification carries with it certain incidental benefits such as public recognition of the parish's tax-exempt status; exemption from certain state taxes; advance assurance to donors of deductibility of contributions; exemption from certain Federal excise taxes and non-profit mailing privileges.

To facilitate the application process, the Diocese has secured a 501 (c) (3) group ruling from the IRS.  The group ruling enables the Diocese to include all the parishes within the Diocesan family under its umbrella.  This eliminates the necessity for individual parish filings.  The group ruling continues from year-to-year provided the Diocese certifies to the IRS that it remains in compliance with the IRS regulations.  At annual renewal time, usually in September, the Diocesan officers will notify the IRS of any changes in its constituency.  Parishes are added or deleted as the case dictates.  The IRS responds with a letter renewing the group exemption for another year.

Each parish is responsible for securing its 501 (c) (3) application by notifying the Diocesan finance staff that it wants to participate in the group ruling process.  To accomplish this the parish is required to send a letter, on official parish stationery, to the Primate who will authorize the inclusion of the parish when applying for Group Exemption.  It must be signed by the pastor of the parish or the parish council chairman (where there is no pastor).  The letter should also include the parish's (EIN) Employer Identification Number.  If the parish does not have an EIN, then it should get form 55-4 Application for Employer Identification Number, which is available from the IRS.

An accountant can assist you in its completion.  Be sure to check off the box on the form designating the parish as a church or church controlled organization.  This form should accompany the parish letter to the Diocese.  The 55-4 will be included with material sent to the IRS during the Diocesan annual update.  The IRS will issue the EIN and notify the parish.

The parish must also have its accounting period must correspond to that of the Diocese, which is January 1 through December 31.  This is an IRS requirement.  If you have any questions or need assistance about the process, please contact the Diocesan finance staff.

In addition to the federal tax exemption there are state and local tax exemptions; and each parish is required to secure on its own.  If your state has a sales or use or similar tax on purchases, the parish should make application for an exemption certificate in its own name.  On a local level, the parish should apply for exemption from property taxes by making application with the appropriate agency responsible for assessing property taxes.

Churches are not generally required to file information returns with the Federal Government.  The same is true for most of the states.  However, we suggest you consult an accountant who is knowledgeable of the requirements in your state.

Set an Annual Calendar of Activity

In order to chart a series of worship services and community gatherings for Christian and cultural education, it is best to start in January with the Feast of Holy Theophany.  A Divine Liturgy should be scheduled at least once a month, with planned worship services by a community worship leader on designated Sundays when no Divine Liturgy is to be held.  Sunday School classes for children may also be considered and eventually be arranged.

A series of regularly scheduled programs may be planned to sustain the continuity of nurturing and building a parish.  During each month, a theme gathering may take place apart from the worship gathering.  The parish council should decide how many such events to hold during the year and what precisely the nature of each function should be.  Some may even coincide with a specific religious observance.  We recommend the following month themes:

January -- Theophany and Armenian Christmas

February -- The Feast of the Holy Vartanantz

March -- Great Lent, a time for spiritual renewal

April --Easter and Armenian Martyrs Day

May -- Mother's Day

June -- Father's Day

July -- Vartavar, The Transfiguration of Christ

August -- Asdvadzadzin, The Blessing of Grapes

September -- Khachveratz, The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

October -- Cultural Month

November -- Thanksgiving/Madagh

December -- The Feast of Saint Stephen

Undertake Long and Short-Range Planning for the Mission Parish

The long and short-range goals of the mission community should always be kept in mind when planning events.  The long-range goal of the mission parish is to become a full parish in the Diocese, governed by the bylaws of the Diocese under the authority of the Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of All Armenians in Holy Etchmiadzin.

The Primate will appoint a parish council to govern and lead the community as it develops.  This body will be responsible for arranging for worship, the celebration of the sacraments and sacramentals -- baptisms, weddings and funerals -- as well as the celebration of the Divine Liturgy.  This appointed council should meet monthly to review the life and activity of the community as it grows, assess its needs to develop into a stronger group.

During the monthly gatherings of the community, efforts should be made by the parish council to establish a treasury and thereafter boost and make healthier the community and parish financial resources that will eventually be used to subsidize programs and local events.  Perhaps the mission parish council might ask for nominal annual dues from the members of the community in addition to any donations and/or offerings requested for religious programs and social events.

The need to become self-sufficient and self-sustaining will become more obvious as the mission parish carries out its work of outreach to the local Armenian Church community.  It will be necessary for the parish council to obtain a copy of the Diocesan bylaws that are available from the Primate's office.

Under the guidance of the Diocese and its mission parish director, the parish council shall acquire the necessary vessels and vestments that will be needed by a visiting clergyman for the celebration of the rituals of worship.  These sacred vessels will be used by the parish in the ensuing years.  To purchase these vessels, donors may be approached to underwrite the costs