Eurasia Region

Armenia

The work of the Church of the Nazarene in Armenia was established officially in 2002. Armenia is a landlocked, highland nation bordering Turkey, and surrounding the biblical mountains of Ararat. Famous for its rich ancient history and seemingly endless wars for its territories that continue today, Armenia was the first nation to adopt Christianity as a state religion in the year 301 A.D. In 1988, a devastating earthquake left the majority of the population without homes or possessions, and much of the Armenian economy was crippled in the aftermath of the quake. It could be argued that Armenia is still trying to recover from that catastrophic event. In addition, Armenia has been striving to improve its economy and regain territories after its separation from the Soviet Union in 1991. Despite the challenging economic situation, the Church of the Nazarene in Armenia has been successfully encouraging people to give to others, and to serve other churches and nations in need. There is a deep desire to grow strong Nazarene leaders, engaging children and youth through intergenerational ministries. 

The Yerevan Church of the Nazarene in Armenia, hosted its Saturday Kids Club with a special theme ‘Trip to Italy!’ where the children made the flags, pizza, special treats, and even learned some Italian words and phrases. Kids Club leader Rev. Anna Jara shares that the event was part of a larger program planned months in advance. “Our team had the idea to create an imaginary trip for the children to Italy," she shared.

The volunteer team, primarily teens and young adults who grew up in the Kids Club themselves, went all out to make the day memorable for the children. They prepared passports, boarding passes, stamps, and various stations. At each station, the kids learned about famous Italian landmarks, crafted Italian flags, picked up a few Italian words, made their own pizzas, and even enjoyed Italian treats. "It was an amazing experience for the children, and we plan to continue with this creative idea in the future,” said Jara. 

The church is incredibly proud of the team’s dedication to creating an unforgettable day for the children. Beyond the fun activities, the true impact of the day came through the love and commitment shown by these volunteers, who genuinely embody Christ’s love.

The church in Armenia is praying for these young volunteers and for the next generation they are helping to shape. May God continue to open doors for those who wish to join in this work, discipling and empowering young leaders in his kingdom. 

Other special events led by the youth and Kids Club occur at Christmas and Easter, where they visit a home for the elderly, sharing treats that they’ve collected as gifts for residents of the home. They sponsor a food court of favorite treats, perform special presentations during VBS, which occurs in the Christmas Season, and perform an enactment of the Last Supper at Easter. Proceeds from these special events go to World Evangelism Fund (WEF).