Choir Assoc., Women's Guild, ACYOA

On Thursday evening, delegates were addressed by and able to question the Diocesan Council, staff, and affiliated organizations – the Association of Armenian Church Choirs of America (AACCA), the Women's Guild, and the Armenian Church Youth Organization.

CHOIR ASSOCIATION

Last summer, the Association of Armenian Church Choirs of America (AACCA) held its first junior choir retreat at the Diocese's Ararat Center. It hosted 12 young people from Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Rhode Island. Leaders from the AACCA showed the delegates an informative video about that successful program.

The young choir members who attended studied not only singing skills, but also playing the organ, conducting a choir, and the role of the various participants in the Divine Liturgy and the relevance of the service as a whole. A similar program will be held again this year.

The AACCA also spoke about its junior choir program. In 1999 there were three junior choirs in the Diocese. Today there are 24 active junior choirs. The AACCA is also working on outreach to increase the numbers of participants in parish choirs and in the AACCA annual assembly.

"Our goal is to continue instituting these programs and increase our numbers but we need the support of our parishes," said Arpie Kouzouian, Chair of the AACCA.

WOMEN'S GUILD

Virginia Belemjian, the chairwoman of the Women's Guild Central Council (WGCC), stressed the inclusiveness of the group, introducing the WGCC members and noting they come from parishes throughout the Diocese.

"We do come from different areas, and represent different parishes," she said. "We're representative of the Diocese."

Each parish has a designated WGCC liaison, and she urged parish leaders to contact their Central Council liaison to get more information on Women's Guild programs such as the Children of Armenia Sponsorship Program (CASP), which allows donors to "adopt" an Armenian orphan; the Schoolbag Program, through which donors send school supplies to Armenia; and the organization's fund-raising efforts with its Christmas ornament.

Belemjian announced to the delegates that through the annual Saintly Women's Day, the WGCC has raised another $10,000. Every time the annual effort accumulates $10,000, the money is used on a project designated by the Primate. So XXX asked the Primate to think about what could be done with the check the WGCC is ready to write.

Belemjian applauded the St. Mary Church in Washington, D.C., for hosting the first Women's Guild symposium earlier this spring. "It was very successful. So, we're hoping other churches in their region will hold a forum," she said.

Though the WGCC made an effort this year to build a chapter in a mission parish, Belemjian was sad to report that so far that effort has not been successful.

ACYOA

Jennifer Morris, the chair of the Central Council of the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA), told the delegates local parishes need to take advantage of the leadership and resources of the ACYOA Central Council and to promote active ACYOA chapters in their home communities.

"As we embark upon the year of the youth and focus our energies on bringing the youth into Christ's holy church it is important we do not lose focus on the ACYOA and its mission," she said. "I have traveled to parishes throughout the Diocese and seen first-hand how ACYOA programs have changed the lives of young adults."

ACYOA has seen increasing interest in some programs, such as its Armenian Service Project, through which participants spend the summer working at a camp in Armenia. In years past they struggled to find interested young people. This year, however, will be the second in a row it has sold out with 26 participants.

Also gaining in interest is the Columbus Day Archbishop's Basketball Tournament, the Sports Weekend (to be held this year in Cleveland, OH), and the National Leadership Conference and regional conferences. Morris urged delegates to send young representatives from their parish to these events and to allow their pastors to also attend.

"We hope you will return to your parish and make sure you send delegates to Cleveland this year and please by all means make it possible for your pastor to be with us as well," she said. "Having the love and support of our spiritual leaders is what we crave and what we need."

She urged delegates to buy and promote in their home parishes the national fund-raising raffle being organized to help pay for ACYOA programs and communications efforts. ACYOA is selling 500 tickets, at $100 a piece, and the drawling will be held during the sports weekend.

Urging delegates to actively engage and build ACYOA chapters, Morris told them they should ask themselves if they're doing enough.

"What can I do and what will I do? To what do you commit yourself right now?," she said. "We're a council of seven volunteers, busy with demands of family, work, and school. In order for our mission to be successful it is essential we have your support -- each and every one of you."

Posted by Jake at April 28, 2005 10:37 PM