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1700 Celebration-Additional Activities

Here are additional activities that your parish may want to undertake to celebrate the 1700 Anniversary in your community.

The suggestions below are meant to be consonant with the vision of St. Gregory the Illuminator, the mission of the Armenian Church, and our Diocesan statement of intent.

Donate 17 books about the Armenian Church's history and culture to your local schools, colleges, and town libraries.
Adopt 17 orphans through the Women's Guild Central Council's Children of Armenia Sponsorship Program (CASP).
Offer 17 scholarships to your children/teens/youth to attend St. Vartan Camp, Hye Camp, St. Nersess Summer Conferences, ACYOA's Armenia Service Program (ASP), the Jerusalem Youth Pilgrimage, etc.
Encourage 17 parishioners to join the Diocesan Pilgrimage to historic and modern Armenia scheduled for June 2001.
Encourage 17 parishioners to go to Jerusalem as pilgrims.
Ask 17 of your parish's children to become pen pals with 17 children in Armenia.
Adopt a sister parish in Armenia. If you can't contribute $3,000 a year for this program, try to raise $1,700.
Plan for your pastor to visit St. Vartan Cathedral with 17 or more parishioners-who have never been at the Diocesan Center before-in order to meet the Primate. (An advance appointment with the Dean of St. Vartan Cathedral and the Primate's office is required. Email info@armeniandiocese.org)
Plan for your parish council to visit 17 new/non-active families.
Have 17 ACYOA Junior-age teens go Christmas caroling to 17 families and/or nursing homes.
Make a Bible available to every home.
Bring 17 new or non-active families into the life of the parish.
Increase your parish's membership by enrolling 17 or more new, dues-paying members.
Encourage 17 parishioners to donate blood through the Red Cross.
Bring joy to 17 needy and/or sick children. Visit them with toys, treats and the like.
Bring joy to 17 elderly senior citizens, shut-ins, and/or lonely individuals. Visit them and send them flowers or cards during major feast days (Christmas, Easter, etc.).
Encourage your Armenian and Sunday Schools to send 17 school bags to children in Armenia.
Increase the membership in each of your local parish organizations (e.g. ACYOA Jrs., ACYOA Srs., Women's Guild, choir) by at least 17 new members.
Increase the number of your Armenian and Sunday schools by 17 additional students each.
Hold a "Vocations Sunday" to emphasize the importance of the priesthood. The goal would be to encourage young men to consider taking up the priestly calling.
Honor any parishioners are named after St. Gregory. Give each individual a lit candle after church services on Sunday.
Recruit 17 new altar servers, acolytes, and readers.
Start a Junior Choir with 17 teenagers.
Teach 17 new hymns (sharagans) to your choir and congregation.
Select 17 prayers from the Armenian Church's prayer books, and recite one of these either after the Divine Liturgy or prior to the blessing of the coffee hour table in the church hall, on 17 different Sundays.
Hold an ecumenical service dedicated to the 1700 Celebration. You may have this in a non-Armenian church, to share our milestone with the surrounding community. (Uniform ecumenical service prepared by Fr. Daniel Findikyan.) Have a 17-hour parish retreat focusing on St. Gregory's vision and his commitment to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (Contact the Diocesan Department of Religious Education for details and ideas.)
Start a "Parish Mission Outreach Program" within your local parish. (Contact the Diocesan Department of Mission Parishes for details.)
Start a 17-week series of Bible study sessions, revolving around the Diocese's five focus areas: Worship, Youth, Stewardship, Communication and Leadership. (Contact the Diocesan Department of Religious Education for details and ideas.)
Hold a series of 17 lectures on Armenian Church history, faith and culture.
Assist one of our Diocesan mission parishes in any way you can.
Teach the Armenian alphabet to 17 or more youth who do not attend your parish's local Armenian language school.
Hold an essay contest for youth ages 12 to 17 on the theme: "How the Armenian Church Has Influenced My Life."
Assign 17 or more new/inactive parishioners to act as ushers during Sunday worship services, instructing them on the proper way to receive and deliver the Kiss of Peace, pass the collection plate, distribute candles, etc.