St. John Armenian Apostolic Church Community Study
Organization and Implementation
Established in 1931, St. John Armenian Apostolic Church of Greater Detroit (hereafter the Church), has served the local Armenian-American community for almost a century. Currently based in Southfield, Michigan, the Church has significantly expanded since the 1960s as the local Armenian community expanded with new waves of Armenian immigration from the Middle East, Europe, and the former Soviet republics, including Armenia. Today, the Church community represents a mosaic of Armenian backgrounds, shaped by places of origin, cultural specificities, and spoken languages, which include English, Armenian, Russian, and Arabic.
The "St. John Armenian Apostolic Church Community Study" was conducted by the Armenian Research Center in partnership with St. John Armenian Apostolic Church.
Purpose
The study aimed to gather insights into parishioners experiences and satisfaction with church services, as well as to identify areas for improvement.
Phases
The study was conducted in two phases: a survey in September-October 2023 and four focus groups in February-March 2024.
Presentation of the Findings
The study's main findings were presented to the St. John Armenian Apostolic Church Parish Assembly on March 2, 2025.
Executive Summary
Factors Influencing Affiliation and Engagement with the Church
Two groups of factors were identified as influencing affiliation and engagement with the Church:
- The external factors, over which the Church has no or limited control, include the context of increasing secularization and declining religiosity among young adults across the United States, the geographic distance of community members from the Church, and the duration of affiliation with it. Community members who live closer to the Church are more likely to become actively involved. Similarly, those with longer affiliations are more inclined to contribute as volunteers, donors, stewards, or in other capacities.
- The internal factors, over which the Church has significantly more control, relate to its multiple facets. The Church is perceived by the community as a complex institution, encompassing religious/spiritual, ethnic/cultural, social/communal, emotional/personal, and organizational/administrative aspects.
- Sunday Service/Badarak is the most appealing service provided by the Church. The sermons, the Church choir, Sunday School, and the Pastor were listed among other appealing factors of the Church as a place of worship. Shortening the Sunday Service/Badarak was recommended as a possible way to increase attendance.
- Christian educational discussions, Bible study, and Monthly catechism are among the least attended religious/spiritual services. Making them more relevant to contemporary issues and everyday experiences, in addition to providing remote opportunities via Zoom or other online platforms, may increase participation.
- Armenian language/culture is the second most appealing aspect of the Church. The service, conducted in Classical Armenian, helps community members feel connected to Armenian churches worldwide and to a centuries-old tradition, regardless of their Armenian language skills. There is an expectation for the Church as an important Armenian cultural center to offer more ethnic and cultural programming, such as performances, art classes, and public lectures on Armenian topics.
- While the spiritual/religious and ethnic/cultural aspects of the Church are mutually reinforcing strengths, they may also become a source of tension. Overemphasizing the religious/spiritual aspects may alienate those who are more drawn to the Churchs ethnic and cultural aspects. Conversely, placing too much emphasis on the ethnic and cultural aspects may alienate those who feel stronger spiritual connection to the Church.
- Another source of tension exists between the expectations of Armenian-speaking and English-speaking members of the community. Fluent and native Armenian speakers anticipate a greater use of the Armenian language in the Church. The English-speaking members of the Church fear that increased use of the Armenian language may create an exclusive environment for them. Meeting the expectations of the Armenian-, Russian- and English-speaking members of the community requires careful planning and balancing, to foster inclusivity, ensuring that all members, regardless of their ability to speak Armenian or English, feel included and connected to the Church.
- Community/social events, such as the annual Church bazaar, and after-church socializing activities, as well as various cultural, youth, and family events, are the third most appealing aspect of the Church. The Church serves as a critical hub for socializing and networking. For long-time members, it is a place to regularly meet friends and extended family. For newer members it is a place to make friends and establish new connections.
- Unwelcoming atmosphere is the most repelling aspect of the Church. Contributing factors include the diversity of members countries of origin, cultural backgrounds, and languages; cliquey networks of some long-established families; unfriendliness and judgmental attitudes; and an increased unbalanced focus on youth programs.
- The traditional structures of the Churchs Mens Society and the Womens Guild are among other less attractive aspects. Their names and missions are perceived to be reinforcing gender stereotypes, making their events less appealing to many community members. Both societies need modern, inclusive, and gender-neutral names that will reflect their activities rather than gender.
- Expanding the Churchs role as a community center by organizing more social events, providing social services to community members in need, creating professional networks for early-career and mid-career individuals, and encouraging the formation of interest-based clubs for all age groups will help foster a more welcoming and inclusive environment.
- Families have been instrumental in connecting the younger generations with the Church. For members with long-standing family ties, the Church is part of their family history, a place of personal memories and home, as well as a link connecting to both personal and collective heritage.
- Moving to Southeast Michigan is the second most common reason for joining the Church. Unlike the long-standing members, newcomers need support to feel welcomed and at home in the Church. The perceived cliquishness of established families can at times contribute to an unwelcoming atmosphere. Implementing a system to identify and actively reach out to newly relocated individuals and families may help them feel welcomed and included and subsequently become more involved.
- The Church operates in many ways as a non-profit organization. Its organizational/administrative aspects include communications and marketing, community outreach, educational programming, fundraising and donations, volunteer recruitment and coordination, as well as facilities management.
- The Church has an excellent record in communication via emails and the Church bulletin. The website needs a major revamp and regular updates to provide comprehensive information about the services, events, and volunteer engagement opportunities. It should cover the Churchs various facets簫簫as a place of worship, an Armenian cultural center, a community center, and a charitable non-profit organization. Additionally, the younger generations prefer receiving regular updates on social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook.
- Marketing the Church beyond the Armenian communitythrough addressing universal issues and engaging with the broader community in Metro Detroit and Southeast Michiganwas also suggested as another area for improvement.
- The Church benefits from a dedicated group of volunteers, donors, and stewards who make regular contributions. To expand this group, the Church needs to enhance its outreach efforts through careful planning, strong support from Church leadership, especially in the implementation of plans, and tailored initiatives for people from diverse age groups and backgrounds. Recommendations include creating a database of professionals, and personally reaching out to potential volunteers, considering their knowledge, skills, experiences, and availability.
- The Church facilities are largely underutilized by community members. The younger generations are uncertain about access or costs. Recommendations include providing clear guidelines for facility use and offering spaces for informal gatherings. It is believed that these steps will improve accessibility and help the Church become a more inviting and informal community space.
- Technology in the sanctuary needs an upgrade to improve the sound and visibility during major Church events. Modernizing the sound systems and installing screens for better visibility throughout the sanctuary would address these issues. Additionally, adopting virtual or hybrid formats for the conduct of these services could enhance participation by those unable to attend in person.
Limitations
The survey results are not representative and cannot be generalized for the entire Church community. Both the survey and focus groups were conducted exclusively in English, and the ratio of community members unable to complete the survey due to a lack of English proficiency was not measured.
This report highlights community needs and areas for improvement, offering insights for both short-term and long-term planning. While addressing all recommendations may be impractical, forming task forces from within the community and the Church administration, and prioritizing key areas can lead to focused and manageable improvements.