A Plea to Save the Armenian Church of the Martyrs

In the almost 112 years since its first worship service, Armenians from various walks of life have entered through the doors of the Armenian Church of the Martyrs in Worcester, Mass. The building has served our people well throughout the years, whether during the Armenian Genocide, the Great Depression, the civil war in Lebanon, or the collapse of the Soviet Union. The Armenian Church of the Martyrs has been, and continues to be, a place of joy, family, fellowship, and faith. We desire to move forward with our ministry so that we can continue to serve the future. This desire will be difficult to achieve, however, with the daunting challenge that we currently face.

In the almost 112 years since its first worship service, Armenians from various walks of life have entered through the doors of the Armenian Church of the Martyrs in Worcester, Mass.
In the almost 112 years since its first worship service, Armenians from various walks of life have entered through the doors of the Armenian Church of the Martyrs in Worcester, Mass.

Naturally, as years pass, and as people come and go, a building will show its age. At this point in its history, the Armenian Church of the Martyrs is in dire need of repair. The windows, outside façade, and foundation must all be replaced to prevent continued decay and the loss of this small yet strong church on Ormond Street that introduced so many to their Armenian Christian heritage. The cost of the restoration will exceed $200,000. We are asking you to help us preserve this historical landmark for all Armenians.

This humble church has been the gateway to Christ for generations of Armenians all over the country. As the first Armenian Evangelical church in North America (founded in 1881), it has introduced many to Christ and His church. It gave birth to both the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) and the Armenian Evangelical Union of North America (AEUNA). The building, while not quite as old as the church itself, is the oldest Armenian church building still in use on this continent, having celebrated its first service on Dec. 1, 1901.

We are asking you to help us preserve this historical landmark for all Armenians.
We are asking you to help us preserve this historical landmark for all Armenians.

With your generous help, this historic church will not slip into the past. Please help us meet this challenge.

Towatch a 4-minute video about the church, click here.

Checks for donations should be made payable to the Armenian Church of the Martyrs and sent to our Treasurer: Margaret Papazian, 55 Lamplighter Drive, Shrewsbury, MA 01545-5456. For more information, e-mail ArmenianChurchoftheMartyrs@gmail.com.

You can also visit our Indiegogo page for more information and to donate online.

Guest Contributor

Guest Contributor

Guest contributions to the Armenian Weekly are informative articles or press releases written and submitted by members of the community.

3 Comments

  1. I’m curious – was the church built new specifically to be used as an Armenian Evangelical church or was it a previously existing church building that was later obtained by Armenians?

  2. This may be the first Protestant church in the United States but the first Armenian Church in the United States is on Laurel Street. The Ormond Street Church is not the first Armenian parish in the US.

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