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Dates to Remember! May 8 - Manhattan ACYOA meeting 11am Brunch at Moonstruck East restaurant, 449 3rd Ave (between 30th St & 31st St). If interested, email Macrina Aivazian at macrina.aivazian@gmail.com May 22 - The 14th Annual Spring Fling Dance St. George Armenian Church, Hartford, CT May 27-31 - 64th Annual General Assembly & Sports Weekend. St. James Armenian Church, Watertown, MA. June 29-July 20 - Armenia Service Program We welcome three new chapters to the ACYOA family: St. Garabed, Baton Rouge, LA, chaired by Kareen Kaltakdjian; Holy Martyrs Church, Bayside, NY, chaired by Dan Antreasyan; and St. Mary, Hollywood, FL, chaired by Arie Zakaryan. Congratulations! We look forward to seeing you at the ACYOA General Assembly & Sports Weekend this month. Chapter Spotlight: Sts. Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church, Providence, RI
The plan was to recognize the 95th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide by creating 1,500 white crosses, each representing 1,000 martyrs of the genocide, and to display them on the church's lawn. The group met with their parish council and explained exactly what they wanted to accomplish with the project. With the approval of Hayr Simeon and the parish council, the ACYOA began creating this blessed project. With the help of a local Armenian-owned construction company, as well as numerous donors and contributors, the ACYOA constructed the 1,500 crosses. More than 75 parish volunteers came forth throughout a 3-week period to help paint the crosses and stake them in the church lawn. After completing this task, another Armenian owned company stepped up in a time of need. The ACYOA wanted to hang a banner to explain the project. Eramian Signs, a local sign company, donated a large banner for the ACYOA to hang on a fence overlooking a busy Providence main road. After the project was completed, the Armenian Community in Providence held a ceremony on April 10th that brought together all three Armenian Churches in the area. Four Rhode Island politicians were also in attendance, as well as the Providence Journal and a local television station. The Sts. Sahag and Mesrob ACYOA would like to thank all those who contributed to this project, especially the St. John ACYOA, for their continued support and guidance throughout the cause. They look forward to continuing this in the coming years. Thirsting for Faith: the Armenian Church World Youth Movement
The Armenian Church World Youth Movement As a member of the brotherhood of Holy Etchmiadzin I spent most of 2009 on sabbatical living and working at the Mother See. Besides participating in the daily worship in the Cathedral, my chief responsibility was researching and writing about the various programs of the Mother See. My last interview was with Father Setrak Aznavourian, who had been appointed by the Catholicos of All Armenians to be the international coordinator of the Armenian Apostolic Church’s world youth movement in September 2009. Continue reading on our website... The members of the St. Gregory ACYOA of White Plains, NY may not be the world's greatest chefs. But with a little help and a lot of love, the chapter prepared a meal for a nearby soup kitchen so delicious even Rachael Ray (or your medz-mayrig) would be proud. On the morning of Saturday, March 20, members of the chapter gathered at church and started the day with a powerful bible study on God's calling, led by St. Nersess seminarian Justin Ajamian. Following the bible study, chapter members and seminarians got to work in the kitchen, making baked ziti that was later delivered to the Grace Church Community Center, which provides shelter and support for needy and at-risk residents of Westchester County. The Manhattan ACYOA chapter will be getting together for an informal meeting to gauge interest and talk about possible future events on Saturday, May 8 at 11 AM. Join us for brunch at the Moonstruck East restaurant at 449 3rd Ave (between 30th St & 31st St). Come if you're interested - it doesn't matter if you used to be super involved in your hometown, attended a few sports weekend, or just want to see what it's all about. And if you have friends you think might be interested, bring them along! Email Macrina Aivazian at macrina.aivazian@gmail.com or Lydia Kurkjian at LKurkjian@gmail.com to RSVP or if you'd like to be added to the mailing list. |
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Over the past two months, the Sts. Sahag and Mesrob ACYOA of Providence, R.I. has been hard at work. In March, they decided to undertake the “White Cross Project,” which originated with the St. John ACYOA in Detroit, Mich. two years ago.
A youth movement in Armenia breathes new life into our ancient church. Very Rev. Fr. Simeon Odabashian, pastor of Saints Sahag and Mesrob Armenian Church of Providence, RI, returned recently from Armenia and writes: