Seminarians Serving Our Youth and Growing in Ministry This Summer
For St. Nersess seminarians, summer is not simply a break from the classroom. It is an opportunity to put their formation into practice through hands-on ministry at camps, conferences, parishes, and clinical settings. This summer, our seminarians traveled across the United States, Canada, and Armenia, sharing their faith, teaching Armenian language and culture, leading worship and Bible studies, and gaining valuable pastoral experience.
Subdeacon Serge Demirbacak served at St. Vartan Camp and Hye Camp, teaching religion and offering reflections during daily worship. For him, the greatest blessing was seeing young people grow in their faith and heritage. “I love being with children and seeing them grow in our beautiful Christian faith and their connection with each other in our Armenian culture,” he shared.
Dn. Sargis Ginosyan served at St. Vartan Camp and Hye Camp, where he assisted the clergy, taught religion and Armenian language classes, preached during worship services, and helped lead campers in prayer. These were his first experiences serving at Armenian summer camps. “They allowed me to grow spiritually and pastorally, and gave me the opportunity to build meaningful friendships,” he reflected.
Dn. Karo Boyadzhyan spent the summer serving as assistant to Fr. Sasoon Zumrukhdian, the parish priest at St. Geragos Armenian Church in Las Vegas. His ministry centered on prayer, Bible studies, and building relationships. “My summer was filled with prayer, Bible studies, and meeting wonderful new friends,” he shared.
Dn. Armen Bandikian served at St. Vartan Camp and Camp Nubar, experiences that strengthened his desire to minister to the next generation. “The experience was enlightening and deepened my call to plant spiritual seeds for our youth to grow together in faith through the Church,” he said.
Dn. Thomas Toghramadjian served in a variety of youth ministry settings, including St. Sargis Armenian Church in Stepanavan, Armenia, St. Nersess High School Summer Conference, and St. Vartan Camp. He led Bible studies, taught religion and Armenian language, preached, and assisted with worship. Reflecting on his summer, he said, “This summer spent with the youth of our Church inspired me with hope for our future, reinforced my sense of calling, and provided irreplaceable experience for a future of pastoral ministry.”
Subdeacon Vrej Pilavdjian had an especially full summer of youth ministry, serving at the St. Nersess Post High School and High School Conferences, St. Vartan Camp, Camp Nubar, and Camp Ararat in Toronto, Canada. This year marked the first time a St. Nersess Seminarian served in the Canadian Diocese’s summer program. He taught religion, Armenian language and culture, led Bible studies and worship, and served as a counselor. Reflecting on his experiences, he said, “Each camp and conference offered a different experience, but all of them shared the same purpose: to serve our youth and help them encounter Christ while strengthening their connection to the Armenian Church and its rich spiritual and cultural heritage.”
Dn. Shane Janian spent his summer in a different kind of pastoral setting, completing his Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles from June 1 through August 14. Working alongside experienced educators and healthcare professionals, he encountered the challenges and rewards of ministry in a hospital environment. “The beginning of the program was tough and emotional,” he shared, “but it was the familiar feeling of growth in Christ.” His experience challenged him to look more deeply at compassion, service, and Christ’s call to care for others. His prayer at the conclusion of the experience reflects that spirit: “Show me the mercy I failed to show others, Lord. Pull my mind towards holy things so that I am blinded by your unending Love.”
For these seminarians, summer ministry provided far more than valuable experience. It was an opportunity to live out their vocation, deepen their own faith, and serve others in the name of Christ. Through their service, they are planting seeds of faith, friendship, compassion, and love for the Armenian Church — seeds that, with God’s grace, will continue to grow for years to come.
