213 Virginia Ave
New Milford, NJ 07646

Tel. (201) 220 -4234

Our History

Early History
As the Armenian Evangelical Church was born out of the Mother Church (the Armenian Orthodox Apostolic Church), likewise the Armenian Brotherhood Church was born out of the Armenian Evangelical Church.

In the beginning of the twentieth century, some of the suburbs of Cilicia as Harpert, Marash, Hasan Bay, Aintab, and Adana, had seen strong spiritual awakenings, where numerous persons repented and committed themselves to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Having the desire for a warm spiritual environment, they joined the group that sprang out of the Evangelical Church, which was having unofficial meetings and which had similar concerns. This group was being known as Brotherhood fellowship.

The Genocide did not permit this group to prosper in Cilicia. After the massacres, the remnant of the Armenian people migrated to the Middle East and settled in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. Those who migrated to Europe, mainly settled in Greece and France.

Among those who settled in these countries, there were initiator spiritual brothers who, with the help of God, began similar meetings first at homes and later in rented halls, and finally, when the number of the constituency increased, and the monetary means allowed, they began to move into church buildings.

Among those who migrated to Aleppo, Syria, were Brothers Abraham Seferian, Minas Bozoklian and Mihran Kasardjian. They gathered people together and began to have unofficial home Bible studies. There were a mixed group of people who were born again, from the three denominations (i.e., Orthodox, Catholic and Evangelical). In time this group became larger and took more official status, and finally it was named as the Spiritual Brotherhood Church. Due this course movement spread into other countries, although in different names as Armenian Evangelical Brotherhood Church, Armenian Brotherhood Bible Church, etc.

Numerous Brotherhood Churches were established in the Middle East: Beirut, Damascus, Baghdad, Tehran, Cairo, Alexandria. In Europe: Valance, Paris, Athens. And in South America: Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Sao Paulo, and Montevideo.

The brothers who migrated to North America, established churches in New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Fresno, Los Angeles, and Pasadena.

New York Metro Area
The history of the Armenian Brotherhood Bible Church of New Jersey dates as far back as 1921, when the earliest stirrings of a more "Biblical and Scriptural life in Christianity" became the awakening call among some members of the immigrant Armenian community of the Grammercy Park area of New York city. Families and small gatherings met at homes for some time.

Then, in 1923, a sizeable group of Armenian Apostolic and Armenian Evangelical congregants were spiritually led to establish a stronger congregation of firmer adherents of clear and finite Biblical teaching and preaching: free of all symbolic mysticism and traditional ritualism. Within 6 months, this body of congregants grew large enough to secure a room at the Madison Square Church House, at 432 Third Avenue (since torn down), where fellowship and revival services were held up to three times per week, under the name of Armenian United Brethren.

In 1926, a milestone was sat when similar Armenian congregants in Boston and Philadelphia became host cities for annual inter-city Bible Conferences, where more than a dozen congregations from various cities participated with their delegates and attendees, under the organizational name of Armenian United Brethren Church. Consequently, The Armenian Brotherhood Bible Church (a.k.a. Armenian Brethren Church) was organizationally established as a viably functioning and burgeoning church community in New York City, with its first ordained minister, Rev. Sanadroug Shanlian, and many others throughout the ensuing years.

On June 12, 1931, The Armenian Brotherhood Bible Church was legally founded under the laws of the State of New York, under the original name of "Armenian United Brethren Church" of New York. It grew and served the spiritual needs of its congregants and their generations. the congregation held its services and functions at the Madison Square Church House Sanctuary till 1966, at which time it was sold, and the congregation met at Christ Church on West 36 St. N.Y.C., and then at the McBurney YMCA building on West 23 St. N.Y.C.

New Jersey
Another major milestone and a turning point came into the life of the congregation when some dedicated servants of the church persevered and searched for a church building to own. Their relentless search ended in 1973. The Holy Spirit led them to Weehawken New Jersey, right across the Hudson, at a stone's throw from N.Y.C. Thus, on August 19, 1973, The Armenian Brotherhood Bible Church congregation purchased the Saint Olaf Lutheran Church building and property at 88 Liberty Place, Weehawken New Jersey, and the church was already incorporated in the State of New Jersey, on July 10, 1973, under the name of "Armenian Brethren Church". Since then, the church has maintained viable services, Biblical teaching and preaching through Sunday Schools, revival services, baptisms, family Bible Conferences, youth group functions and retreats, choral and dramatic presentations and commemorative events.

Currently
After a brief stay in Hackensack New Jersey, today, the church vigorously continues its vital mission of preaching salvation and eternal life through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, under the energetic leadership of faithful and dedicated Committee of Elders and Deacons, and with the sacrificial and voluntary teachers, servers and assistants in all areas of need. The church is currently functioning in the Church Sanctuary and premises of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church at 213 Virginia Ave, , New Jersey, in close proximity of the larger Armenian Communities of Northern New Jersey.