Armenian Church Reports Attendance Gains as Khachkar Studios Expands Community Outreach

An Armenian Apostolic church in Ridgefield has reported a significant increase in Sunday attendance, attributed to a community outreach initiative led by Khachkar Studios. Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Apostolic Church recorded an average of 101 attendees over the past four weeks, up from a baseline of 66 — a 53% rise. This growth is part of a broader program supporting 26 religious communities globally, which combines financial assistance with weekly tracking of attendance, outreach, and engagement.

The initiative, highlighted in Khachkar Studios’ October 20 report, aims to address challenges faced by Armenian diaspora congregations. These communities often serve as vital hubs for faith, culture, and intergenerational connections. The program’s first group of 11 participants saw an average Sunday attendance of 1,643, up from 1,014 — a 62% increase. These figures represent the initial phase of the initiative, which includes 26 total participants.

A key objective of the program is to double non-holiday Sunday attendance. Another goal is to increase the participation of women aged 18 to 29 to over 15% of attendees. While the first group of participants reached 12% female attendance, the target remains unmet. The program encourages congregants to “Bring a friend. Bring a family. This Sunday and every Sunday,” fostering a sense of communal involvement.

Outreach efforts extend beyond Sunday services. Across all 26 participating communities, Khachkar Studios reported 1,546 outreach visits reaching 3,536 individuals in 2026. During the week of October 11–17, participants conducted 137 visits, engaging 336 people. The organization also noted nearly 1.2 million cumulative social media views from 568 invitation videos, though these figures reflect online engagement rather than actual attendance or membership growth.

As of September, Khachkar Studios had provided over $1 million in financial support to the 26 participants. The organization supports religious groups across denominations, using performance-based criteria. Weekly performance reports are published under its Transparency, Accountability and Performance initiative, detailing attendance gains and outreach totals as reported by the participating communities.

Source: Read the original report