BECOME A MEMBER
God loves a cheerful giver.
He will cause the fruits of your righteousness to grow.
2 Cor. 9, 7-10.
The Diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany is part of the worldwide Holy Armenian Apostolic Church and is under the jurisdiction of the Catholicate of All Armenians, whose ancestral seat is St. Etchmiadzin in Armenia. It unites all Armenian churches and parishes active in the Federal Republic of Germany under one roof and coordinates their activities.
Membership fees are the primary source of income for the diocese. A small part of the financial resources of the diocese also comes from the contributions that non-members make to church official acts, such as e.g. B. baptism or marriage, to the diocese as well as from donations.
Do you belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church and are you resident in Germany? Then we ask you to become a member of the organization responsible for you Armenian parish to apply. You can do this with the Application released for download here do it by filling it out and sending it to the Diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany by post.
With your financial support, our diocese is able to finance pastoral care for more than 60,000 Armenians throughout Germany. With your solidarity you help us to witness and celebrate our faith in many different ways. Because you personally make your contribution, the diocese can fulfill its various tasks for the good of our communities and the Church and in honor of the Holy Trinity.
We say to you a heartfelt God bless you!
As a paying member of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany, you help us with your donations to finance our mission, the tasks and services that lie ahead of us. You help the Armenian congregations in Germany hire clergymen and ministers to finance the church services and the premises for congregation work (e.g. rent, ancillary costs, repairs, maintenance, etc.). You make it possible for Armenian art and culture to be preserved and nurtured, for young people to pass on our tradition and take charge of their lives, for old people not to be alone, for people in difficult situations, both in our communities and in Armenia, in Artsakh and in the diaspora.
The Diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany is part of the worldwide Holy Armenian Apostolic Church and is under the jurisdiction of the Catholicate of All Armenians, whose ancestral seat is St. Etchmiadzin in Armenia. It unites all Armenian churches and parishes active in the Federal Republic of Germany under one roof and coordinates their activities.
Membership fees are the primary source of income for the diocese. A small part of the financial resources of the diocese also comes from the contributions that non-members make to church official acts, such as e.g. B. baptism or marriage, to the diocese as well as from donations.
Do you belong to the Armenian Apostolic Church and are you resident in Germany? Then we ask you to become a member of the organization responsible for you Armenian parish to apply. You can do this with the Application released for download here do it by filling it out and sending it to the Diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany by post.
With your financial support, our diocese is able to finance pastoral care for more than 60,000 Armenians throughout Germany. With your solidarity you help us to witness and celebrate our faith in many different ways. Because you personally make your contribution, the diocese can fulfill its various tasks for the good of our communities and the Church and in honor of the Holy Trinity.
We say to you a heartfelt God bless you!
As a paying member of the Diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany, you help us with your donations to finance our mission, the tasks and services that lie ahead of us. You help the Armenian congregations in Germany hire clergymen and ministers to finance the church services and the premises for congregation work (e.g. rent, ancillary costs, repairs, maintenance, etc.). You make it possible for Armenian art and culture to be preserved and nurtured, for young people to pass on our tradition and take charge of their lives, for old people not to be alone, for people in difficult situations, both in our communities and in Armenia, in Artsakh and in the diaspora.
Do you have any questions or would you like detailed advice on membership? You are welcome to contact your parish priest, the responsible member of the board of your parish or the chancellery of our diocese. You are also welcome to send us your questions in writing. We try to help you.
APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP
Frequently Asked Questions
The diocesan contribution is the most important and fundamental source of income for the diocese. From these contributions, the diocese can cover the livelihood of the clergy, the employees, as well as the everyday costs and support the individual communities.
Anyone who has been baptized and confirmed and professes the doctrine, canonical legal system and rite of the Armenian Apostolic Church can become a member. The member must have reached the age of 18 and apply for membership by submitting an application for membership. The diocesan contribution is personal and applies only to the contributor.
A married couple pays €24.00/month if both spouses are employed. As a result, the couple and their underage children can use the church services free of charge. If only one spouse works, the couple can pay €18.00 per month.
If only one spouse is a member, half of the fees intended for non-members will be waived when using church services. If both spouses do not pay a fee, the fees must be paid in full.
Young people over the age of 18 who are not employed, are in training or studying can become a member for €6.00. After taking up professional activity, the contribution must be increased to €12.00.
The diocesan contribution is collected by direct debit (direct debit authorization) from the diocese. The minimum contribution rate is €12.00 per person per month. It can be paid quarterly, semi-annually or annually. In order to save unnecessary bank fees, it is advisable to pay the contributions every six months or annually.
With a contribution of €12.00/month, which is fully tax-deductible, the member can enjoy the advantages that membership offers:
- full membership with all membership rights in the local church and unrestricted opportunity to participate in church life;
- Exemption from fees for church services such as baptism, marriage, communion, funeral, etc.;
- free pastoral care by the clergy of the diocese
- regular information about the work of the diocese and about its diverse offers in the ecclesiastical and cultural area;
- free use of other services of the diocese such as translation work of a church nature into and from Armenian.
The most important: By paying the fee, the member supports our 1700-year-old Holy Armenian Apostolic Church.
There is a schedule of fees for those who do not pay a monthly contribution to the diocese. The following contributions are collected:
| Baptism | 450 euros |
| engagement | 250 euros |
| wedding | 550 euros |
| Burial | 450 euros |
| Hogehangist in the cemetery | 160 euros |
| Hogehangist in the church | 80 euros |
If the ceremonies take place on days and places where a church service is held in the congregation, both members and non-members are exempt from paying travel expenses. On other days, the minister's travel expenses must be reimbursed.
A fee of €30.00 is charged from non-members for issuing certificates.
The Diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany would be pleased if the faithful would apply for membership in the diocese and pay regular dues in order to then use the relevant services free of charge.
The scale of fees ensures a certain degree of fairness and offers those who do not want to have an obligation to contribute to the diocese the opportunity to support the work of the church at least in the use of church services.
During the service you usually have the opportunity to support the church work financially:
On the one hand, a collection is requested during the Surb Patarag. Donations that you put in here are always intended for the work of your own local church community.
On the other hand, there is a collection basket at the exit. The intended purpose is also to support your own church community. In special cases, the purpose will be announced.
As with all donations, the following also applies here: you have a great deal of personal freedom to decide when you don't want to or can't give anything - and when you would like to donate a larger amount.
Many people take the visit of the pastor or a member of the visiting service group as an opportunity to make a cash donation for the parish. Even after a wedding, baptism, funeral or on other occasions, many don't miss the opportunity to reimburse the parish for the costs incurred with a donation.
So that there are no misunderstandings: Such donations are of course voluntary and are not expected. But they can - among other things - be a nice sign to express the bond with the church community.
If, after your death, you wish to give to your diocese or parish some of the good things that came to you in life, consider including your diocese or parish in your will. You can be sure that your estate will be handled responsibly and that in this way you will make a lasting difference to the whole community. If you have questions, we gladly help you.