Clergy Corner
Who?
By Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan

While reflecting upon his life, the founder of the ACYOA, Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan, of blessed memory, said, "I have not always succeeded with what I have intended to do, but nevertheless the struggle itself is a credit to a person if that struggle is carried out for a higher purpose."  In his poem "Who..." he asks who will be there for the future of our church and community.
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Words to Live By
Did you know young people are very important to our faith? Pick up your Bible and read for yourself. Here are some Bible passages to help you get started.
   1 Timothy 4:12
   Mark 9:37

In Your Words
The following anonymous comments came from evaluations of my recent visits to Cleveland and Fair Lawn.

“I really enjoyed all of this retreat, because all of the topics held our interest.”

“I liked the 'One Body, Many Parts' Bible passage and activity, because it was interesting to see what talents each person thought they had.”

In regards to the Armenian Christian Teen Survey, “It’s good to know that you are interested in our lifestyles and what we are dealing with. In future programs you should talk about suicide, eating disorders, drugs, and other things that we are dealing with.”

“The highlight of the day was talking with Der Mardiros and asking him questions, especially since we don’t have a priest here.”

“It was a great day. We need more programs like this!”

Do you have something to say? Are you willing to share your thoughts and ideas with your peers? I would love to hear your thoughts and ideas. I am looking for short reflections, stories, vignettes, etc. to be published in next month’s Hye-mail. E-mail me if you are interested jenniferm@armeniandiocese.org.

You're Kidding
The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Cups of Coffee
When life seems too much to handle, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an unanimous "yes."

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

"Now," said the professor as the laughter subsided, "I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things -- your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions -- and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full."

"The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else -- the small stuff."

 "If you put the sand into the jar first," he continued, "there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you."

"Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Praying and asking God to help, Play and enjoy life. There will always be time to clean your room. Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. "I'm glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend."

Upcoming Events
February 1, Art contest deadline
February 6 - 8, Detroit ACYOA Srs. Ski Weekend at Schuss Mountain
February 17 -20, DC Hye Times, hosted by the DC ACYOA Jrs
February 25, Poon Paregentan Dance in Greenfield, WI
March 17 - 19, ACYOA Jrs. New England Regional Retreat
March 24 -26,  ACYOA Jrs. Retreat, Watervliet, NY
May 26–29, Hye M’rtsoom Watertown, MA

St. Vartan Camp
June 27-July 1, Staff training
July 2-15, Session A
July 16-29, Session B
July 30-August 12, Session C

Hye Camp
July 30-August 5 (Tentative date)

St. Nersess Summer Conferences
June 13-17, Post-high school A
June 25–July 3, Deacon’s training
July 6–14, High school A
July 17–25, High school B
July 28–August 5, High school C
August 7–11, Junior high school
August 14–20, Post high school B

If you have an upcoming event you want posted in HYE-mail, e-mail me at: jenniferm@armeniandiocese.org.

Links
www.armenianchurch.net
Our Diocesan website, find information on upcoming events, details on feasts and saints, and Christian and Armenian education resources.

www.acyoa.org
The national website of the ACYOA. Learn about the history of the organization, find out about upcoming events, read press releases, view photos, and much more.

www.college301.org
A website for college kids to keep them connected to the church while away from home.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE ACYOA!

Happy New Year and welcome to the second HYE-mail for ACYOA Jrs. This monthly e-mail will be sent out to young Armenian Orthodox Christian teens throughout the Eastern Diocese to keep you connected to the Armenian Church. We began with just over 100 e-mail addresses and now have close to 400! We need your help to continue growing.  If you know of anyone that might want to receive HYE-mail, let me know.

Please e-mail me and share your thoughts and ideas for upcoming topics. I hope that through this issue you can learn more about the ACYOA and its founder, Archbishop Tiran Nersoyan, of blessed memory.

With love and Prayers,
Jenni Morris
Coordinator, Youth Outreach

JENNI'S JOURNEYS

Just as you were reading the first HYE-mail, I was traveling to Cleveland, OH, to meet with the ACYOA Jrs. of the St. Gregory of Narek Church for an all-day retreat and lock-in at their parish house. Our time together began Saturday morning and concluded with the celebration of badarak on Sunday morning, celebrated by visiting pastor Fr. Mardiros Chevian.

You may be wondering, what did we do together for more than 24 hours? Everything from Bible studies to late-night discussions and even adventures outdoors. We managed to stay quite busy while having a lot of fun! I enjoyed working with the 10 ACYOA Jrs. They are a great ACYOA Jrs. group with strong leadership. Keep up the good work!

Later in the month, I traveled just an hour outside of NYC to Fair Lawn, NJ, to spend the day with seven of the ACYOA Jrs. from the St. Leon Church, along with their youth adviser and parish priest.

We spent the day discussing the mission of the ACYOA, what each of their roles were in accomplishing that mission, and how to strengthen their ACYOA chapter and develop well-balanced programming. This well-established chapter has a busy calendar filled with fellowship, service, and fun, but wants to add more activities that focus on worship, witness, and education. I know that they will be successful in accomplishing this goal. We concluded the day with a Q & A session with Der Diran, in which the teens had a chance to seek the advice and knowledge of their beloved pastor. I am sure this is only the beginning of a lot of open dialogue.

DID YOU KNOW?

Did you know that the ACYOA just turned 60? Find out how and why it was first formed?

The Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA) is the national youth program of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America and was created on January 12, 1946, in Providence, RI. The Diocesan-wide national organization emerged from the foundation of many existing local Junior Leagues and clubs that were formed for the young people of the parishes of the Armenian Church.

World War II interrupted the activities of these local groups, many of which were simply inactive during those difficult years. With the end of the war, a reorganizing local parish yough groups took on a renewed necessity. Bishop Tiran Nersoyan, the newly-elected Diocesan Primate, took on the challenge of a problem which was causing the elders of the communities to question the future of the Armenian Church in America. This challenge was carried by Bishop Tiran to the American-Armenian youth. In all our communities, he carried a spark of youth ministry. The culmination of all this activity and work took place at the "Constitutive Assembly" of Armenian Church youth, held in Providence on January 12, 1946.

The Assembly gathered young Armenian adults from as far west as Wisconsin and as far south as Virginia. The delegates at this Assembly elected the first ACYOA Central Council from among their members to carry out the administrative functions of the ACYOA on the national level. These first Council members included: Zaven Hovsepian, John Soursourian, Arthur Yagjian, Matthew Matteosian, Grayce Yeramian, Jack Kazanjian, and Mary Shalakian.

In what seemed a short time, the ACYOA had a strong parish base through the chapters, as well as a strong administration embodied in the Central Council. Throughout the Diocese, ACYOA events and activities took place with growing success. In parishes across the Diocese, an excitement filled the air as young people were coming to Church, participating in programs and sponsoring events season after season.

For more information visit www.acyoa.org.

ENTER OUR ART CONTEST TODAY!

Do you have an eye for design? A passion for paint? A flair for collage? Enter our art contest today and win a scholarship that can be used for any Diocesan or other educational program.

The contest will help us celebrates the 1,600th anniversary of the creation of the Armenian alphabet. All you have to do is create an artistic image based on the Armenian letters "eh" or "keh."

“Eh” refers to God’s revelation of Himself to Moses, “I am who I am” (Exodus 3:14). “Keh” is the first letter of the Armenian spelling of Krisdos (Christ).

The design should illustrate the alphabet’s rich history and importance to the Armenian people and their Christian heritage. Entries will be judged in two age groups, youth ages 13 -17 and young adults ages 18-30. Entries are due February 1, 2006.

Winning artists will receive a $250 scholarship. Click here for a PDF file with more details.

To learn more, contact jenniferm@armeniandiocese.org.

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