Lay Ministry Program Of The Western Diocese

With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, Diocesan Primate, the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America, has initiated a special educational program aimed at developing apologists, defenders of the Apostolic Orthodox Faith and catechists, educators of the Christian foundational principles of the Armenian Apostolic Church. Equipped with the proper teaching and knowledge, the group of lay ministers will testify their Christian Faith, disseminate the teachings of the Armenian Apostolic Church, and address issues and topics that are of interest to the community from the standpoint of the Armenian Apostolic Church.
 
The aforementioned Lay Ministry program is rooted in the "Christian Study Courses" (CSC) program of the Western Diocese. Established in 2013, the mission of the CSC has been to provide fundamental knowledge about our Christian faith and to pave the way for educated and knowledgeable Orthodox Christians. In this regard, throughout the 11-year-period, close to 1000 various lectures have been held at the Western Diocese, including professionally-instructed yet highly accessible Bible Studies based on the rich traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church and an emphasis on Patristics.
 
The growth of select long-time Christian Study Courses participants became evident over time in their educational preparedness and maturity. Furthermore, these few students demonstrated a keen hunger for spiritual nourishment. As the CSC program constantly welcomes novice students, the further development of accomplished students within its framework became more challenging and proved to be nearly impossible. Consequently, the CSC will be categorized into three educational levels - beginner, intermediate and advanced.
 
Therefore, the newly-established "Lay Ministry Program" of the Western Diocese is intended for an intermediate/advanced group of catechists, who, upon completion of the program, will be appropriately trained to instruct beginner level students in different parishes of the Western Diocese, thus contributing to the development and progress of the Diocese’s Christian Education mission.
 
Program Schedule
The program will consist of five subjects, with each subject being comprised of 10-12 lectures.
The Holy Bible (May-July 2024)
Church – Church Knowledge (August-September 2024)
Teachings of the Armenian Church / Theology (October – November 2024)
Apologetics (December 2024 – January 2025)
Practical Christianity / Moral Theology (February – March 2025)
 
Program Details:
The inaugural session of the Lay Ministry program was held on May 6. Classes are held on Monday evenings from 5:30 p.m. – 7p.m. and will conclude in March 2025. The completion of each course will be followed by a weeklong break. The trainings will take place in the Western Diocese but will also be available via Zoom to accommodate residents of remote areas. Class participation is mandatory and reading homework will be assigned. Midterm examinations will be administered and practical learning experience will be required. Classes are held in Eastern Armenian.
 
The instructor of the "Christian Study Courses" and the "Lay Ministry Program" is Mr. Hayk Madoyan, ecumenical officer of the Western Diocese, librarian of the Aga-Sargissian Library and chairman of the Zorayan Museum Committee, whose service at the Western Diocese spans over 20 years.
 
For more information, call the Office of the Western Diocese at 818-558-7474 or email Hayk Madoyan madoyanh1@gmail.com
 
Chancellery of the Western Diocese