EVERY STEP WITH GOD

After my accident, once I was back on my feet, I felt a fire in my spirit. A strong desire. A calling from the Lord to get out there—to be with the people, to walk beside our communities, to hear their stories and share in their journey.

And I made a commitment: to visit every corner of this Diocese, every church, every mission parish, every emerging community. And by God’s grace, I can now say that this very weekend, I reached that goal, visiting every outpost of our Diocese at least once as Diocesan Primate. 60 parishes. 60 beautiful, vibrant communities of faith.

The final stop on this journey was the historic Holy Cross Church in Union City, NJ. I was there last Sunday, May 4th, and I can’t think of a more perfect way to bring it full circle. Over the past two years, I’ve traveled north to south, east to west. I’ve crisscrossed this Diocese with Badaraks. And last weekend, I said “Amen” at Holy Cross, a church rich in faith and history, one that represents the deep roots of our Diocese.

Now, there were days when I had to catch my breath. Days when the road felt long and the schedule felt heavy. But every visit, every handshake, every prayer renewed my strength. Every story, every smile, every tear reminded me: This is why I do what I do. This is the mission. This is the calling.

Isaiah 40:31 says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” That’s been my story. When I felt weak, God stepped in with new strength. When I felt tired, He gave me new hope.

And here’s what I’ve learned: You don’t build a church just by laying bricks. You build it by laying love. By showing up. By being present. And friends, you have done that. You’ve opened your doors. But more importantly, you’ve opened your hearts. You’ve welcomed me not just as your Bishop, but as your brother, your friend, your fellow traveler on this road of faith.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you! Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your unwavering commitment to Christ and to His Church.

Let’s keep walking together. Let’s keep building together. And let’s keep growing in faith together. God bless you always!

Bishop Mesrop Parsamyan
May 7, 2025