July 26, 2026
Unidentified (likely parish priest of St. John Armenian Church)
The preacher shares his experience as chaplain at the Western Diocese summer camp, where children asked direct and challenging questions about homosexuality, evolution, sin, and abortion. He explains that the church's teachings must be grounded in love and community support rather than worldly laws, using the abortion discussion as an example. He then connects this to the day's Gospel reading about Christ's teaching on divorce, emphasizing that Christ calls believers to view commitments through the lens of sacrificial love rather than legal loopholes, while acknowledging that the church must be a supportive community for couples facing marital difficulties.
John 1:1-14; Matthew 19:3-9 (implied, Pharisees questioning Jesus about divorce); Jeremiah 31:33 (I will write my law upon your heart)
July 12, 2026
Fr. Mesrop Ash
On the Feast of the Transfiguration (Vartavar), the preacher delivers an interactive children's sermon to the culminating group of St. John's first-ever summer camp. He teaches about Jesus taking Peter, James, and John up Mount Tabor, revealing his divine glory, the appearance of Moses and Elijah, and God's voice declaring 'This is my beloved son, listen to him.' The preacher draws parallels between the disciples' experience of seeing Christ's fullness and the campers' week-long journey of growing in faith. He emphasizes that although things returned to normal after the Transfiguration, the disciples were forever changed by confessing Jesus as Savior — just as the campers will carry what they learned back into ordinary life.
Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-10; Luke 9:28-36; Matthew 3:17; John 1:1-14
May 17, 2026
Unidentified priest
The preacher explains the feast of Second Palm Sunday, unique to the Armenian Church, which falls on the Sunday after the Ascension. Drawing on the tradition of St. Gregory the Illuminator's angelic visitation in Khor Virap, the sermon connects Christ's entrance into the earthly Jerusalem (the first Palm Sunday) with his entrance into the heavenly Jerusalem (the second Palm Sunday). Using Hebrews 9 and Psalm 24, and the commentary of St. Gregory of Datev, the preacher shows how the Greater Entrance in the Divine Liturgy reenacts Christ's triumphant return to heaven, uniting heaven and earth in worship.
Hebrews 9:24-28; Psalm 24:7-10; John 1:1-14; Matthew 28:19-20 (Great Commission, referenced)
May 3, 2026
Unidentified priest (likely parish priest of St. John Armenian Church)
On the Feast of the Appearance of the Holy Cross, the preacher delivers a children's sermon recounting St. Cyril of Jerusalem's letter to the emperor about a miraculous shining cross that appeared over Jerusalem around 1700 years ago. The sermon explains the historical context of theological disputes about the Holy Trinity, describes the miraculous event, and connects it to the meaning of the cross today: that God loves us. Announcements are also made about an upcoming Pan-Oriental Orthodox Divine Liturgy and a Mother's Day brunch.
John 1:1-14
April 2, 2026
Father Garabed Telfayan
On Holy Thursday, the preacher reflects on the Last Supper, the washing of the feet, and the institution of Holy Communion. He explains how Christ, the creator of the universe, humbled himself to wash his disciples' feet, and how believers are called to partake of Christ not only through the sacrament of communion but also through the mind (hearing the Word) and the heart (love and compassion). He connects Christ's "unless" statements to the foundations of church sacraments and urges self-examination against betrayal.
John 1:1-14; John 13:1-17; John 6:35; John 14:6; Matthew 6:9-13
November 30, 2025
Unidentified parish priest (St. John Armenian Church, San Francisco)
On the Thanksgiving weekend, the preacher reflects on God as a God of second chances, using the parable of the barren fig tree from Luke 13. He shares a personal family story about disciplining children to illustrate how love requires eventual consequences, then connects this to God's patience with humanity. Christ, the merciful gardener, offers His own body and blood as nourishment (compost) so that we — the fig tree — can bear the fruit of repentance. The preacher warns that God's chances, while many, are finite, and encourages the faithful to use the gift of confession to change before time runs out.
Luke 13:1-9; John 1:1-14
September 14, 2025
Der Mesrop
On the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Khachverats), Der Mesrop delivers an Armenian homily recounting Saint Helena's discovery of the True Cross in Jerusalem and calling the faithful to find the cross in their daily lives through mercy, love, and sacrifice. He then gives an interactive English address to Sunday school children, explaining what 'exaltation' means, retelling the story of Saint Helena finding the cross in a field of wild basil, and inviting the children to find the cross in their homes, church, and acts of love and sacrifice.
John 1:1-14; Matthew 16:24; Matthew 13:45-46; Matthew 7:7
April 17, 2025
Der Karapet Telfayan
On Maundy Thursday, guest celebrant Der Karapet Telfayan delivers a homily on the institution of the Holy Eucharist, tracing how Jesus transformed the Passover meal—commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egypt—into the sacrament of Holy Badarak, delivering all humanity from sin and death through His body and blood. He explains the symbolism of the Passover lamb, the unleavened bread, and the blood on the doorposts, showing how Christ changed these into His own body and blood. He emphasizes that God is not a distant authoritarian figure but a loving Father who gives Himself to us, and calls the congregation to love one another and cherish their church community.
John 1:1-14; Exodus (Passover narrative, deliverance from Egypt)
February 16, 2025
Unknown preacher
The preacher addresses the question from John's Gospel: "What must we do to do the work of God?" Christ's answer is simple—believe in him. The sermon explores the relationship between faith and action, emphasizing that belief must be continuous and must flow into works, while works without belief are empty. The preacher reviews the recent liturgical week (Fast of the Catechumens, Diarantarad, St. Sarkis) and calls the congregation to renew their faith through fasting and active participation, culminating in the call to come to Christ as the bread of life.
John 6:28-29; John 6:35; John 6:1-14; John 6:16-21; John 1:1-14; Exodus 16 (manna in the wilderness)
January 19, 2025
Unidentified priest (Saint John Armenian Church)
The preacher delivers a bilingual homily on the Wedding at Cana (Christ's first miracle). In Armenian, he warns against using Jesus' presence at social gatherings as justification for excessive drinking, emphasizes that what belongs to God must be the best, and illustrates this with the communion bread (nshkar) as an example of offering our best to God. In English, he explores why Jesus initially said "no" to Saint Mary's request, drawing three lessons: Christ is not bound by prophecy or time (per Saint Cyril), Christ works through intercession (establishing Mary's role as intercessor), and Mary's instruction to the servants—"Do whatever he asks"—teaches that our participation is required for God's miracles.
John 2:1-11; John 1:1-14
July 7, 2024
Unknown preacher
A bilingual homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration (Vardavar). The preacher recounts the events on Mount Tabor where Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John, appearing in dazzling light alongside Moses (representing the Law) and Elijah (representing prophecy). The sermon explores the divine light as spiritual perception (citing St. John Chrysostom), the clothing of light as representing the Church which must be worn by Christ (citing St. Augustine), and the importance of encountering God in community, reflecting the perfect community of the Holy Trinity.
Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-10; Luke 9:28-36; John 1:1-14; Genesis 1:3