ORGANIZATIONS REPORT

Three leaders from Diocesan-affiliated organizations -- the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA), the Association of Armenian Church Choirs of America (AACCA), and the Women's Guild Central Council -- spoke to the delegates.

It was during the 2002 Assembly that the ACYOA asked for funding for a full-time executive secretary. With that support, the organization has had many successes this year, including: the hosting of four regional conferences which brought 100 youth, timely publications that reach out to all young Armenians, and the full compliment of volunteers taking part in this year's Armenian Service Project.

However, Diran Jebejian, ACYOA Central Council chairman, said more parishes need to send young parishioners to the National Young Adult Leadership Conference, hosted by the Diocese and ACYOA each year. Last year only 48 young adults from 22 parishes attended the free conference.

"This is the most important program the Diocese puts together every year," he told the delegates. "And only 22 parishes out of 60, approximately one-third, sent someone to this free conference. To me that is unacceptable. The most important activity of our Diocese of the ACYOA, sustaining the future of our church, and only 48 young adults came."

Dn. Gregory Krikorian, chairman of the choir association, told the delegates the Diocese needs to get younger singers involved in the parish choirs.

"If we don't supplement our choirs with the young kids, we're going to have serious troubles with our churches," he said, explaining that the association is hosting a junior choir training conference this year to energize young singers. "This is a vital program. We're going to develop future choir leaders for our churches through this program."

In her report, Elizabeth Sahagian, the outgoing chair of the Women's Guild Central Council, spoke of the importance of Saintly Women's Day, during which local parishes hold events honoring women who have shaped our faith. The money collected during those services is used for a variety of projects at the St. Vartan Cathedral.

She also outlined a plan to hold regional seminars in parishes throughout the Diocese and detailed the growth in the Children of Armenia Sponsorship Program (CASP), through which sponsors aid needy children in Armenia.

"We don't just make pilaf, we like to learn about academic subjects too," she said. "We do many things that are worthwhile."

Posted by Jake at April 30, 2004 09:17 PM