Clergy Corner
God's Constant Call to Become a Priest
By Rev. Fr. Garabed Kochakian

God’s voice comes to us through people in different ways and through experiences in different ways.

The voice of God’s call came to me when I was in High school, when I was becoming deeply involved in the Armenian Church community as an older teenager. I didn’t grow up in the Armenian Church. I was baptized in the Episcopal Church, attended a Unitarian Church and then wasn’t confirmed in the Armenian Church until I was 21.

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Words to Live By
Can you find a connection with this month’s suggested Bible passages?
Matthew 16:24
Mark 8:34
Luke 9:23
1 Corinthians 1:18

Something to Think About
In 1998, an anonymous donor contacted a Ft. Lauderdale advertising agency and wanted to launch a billboard campaign that would create a spiritual climate and get people to think about their daily relationship with God.

Originally, there were nine billboards, but that number quickly grew to more than 10,000 billboards with 17 different messages from God. In 2005, an additional nine messages were added to billboards around the country. Below are the original billboards from 1998. Enjoy!
 

1. Let's meet at my house Sunday before the game. - God

2. C'mon over and bring the kids. - God

3. What part of "Thou Shalt Not..." didn't you understand? - God

4. We need to talk. - God

5. Keep using my name in vain and I'll make rush hour longer! - God

6. Loved the wedding, invite me to the marriage. - God

7. That "Love Thy Neighbor" thing, I meant it. - God

8. I love you...I love you...I love you... - God

9. Will the road you're on get you to my place? - God

10. Follow me. - God

11. Big Bang Theory? You've got to be kidding. - God

12. My way is the highway. - God

13. Need directions? - God

14. You think it's hot here? - God

15. Tell the kids I love them. - God

16. Need a marriage counselor? I'm available. - God

17. Have you read my #1 best seller? There will be a test! - God

Have you seen these billboards? Have they stopped and made you think?

 If you could create a billboard from God, what would it say? Think about it.
Source: www.Godspeaks.com

Upcoming Events
September 30, Racine ACYOA: College Care Package Shopping and Lock-In

October 6 - 9, Cambridge ACYOA Juniors host the ACYOA Juniors Sports Weekend

October 6 - 8, Watertown ACYOA Seniors host the Archbishop’s Tournament

October 6 -11, Catskill Getaway at the Ararat Center

October 9, Racine ACYOA: Serving Hot Meals at Salvation Army

October 2 0 - 22, Father and Son Weekend at the Ararat Center

October 28, Racine ACYOA: Halloween party for the little kids

2007 St. Vartan Camp
Staff training: June 20 - June 24
Session A: June 24 - July 7
Session B: July 8 - 21
Session C: July 22 - August 4

2007 Hye Camp -- TBD

2007 St. Nersess Summer Conferences -– TBD

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

WELCOME BACK

Welcome back to HYE-mail, a monthly e-newsletter of the ACYOA Juniors sent out to young Armenian Orthodox Christian teens throughout the Eastern Diocese to help keep you all connected to the Armenian Church.

Thank you for helping us continue to grow. If you know of anyone that might want to receive HYE-mail, let me know. I welcome your thoughts and ideas for upcoming HYE-mails. Please feel free to contact me.
-- Jennifer E. Morris, Youth Outreach Coordinator

JENNI'S JOURNAL -- START OF A NEW SEASON

Summer has come and gone and the chill of autumn is in the air. It is hard to believe that three months have passed since the last HYE-mail.

You might have thought that I had forgotten about you, but I didn’t. Over the past three months I worked diligently in partnership with the Hye Camp Director, V. Rev. Fr. Aren Jebejian, and the St. Vartan Camp Director, Rev. Fr. Krikor A. Sabounjian, to prepare and deliver an exciting camp season. This summer I had the opportunity to work with more than 400 campers, 130 staff, and at least 50 volunteers from around the Diocese.

Now that the summer has come to an end I am looking forward to my upcoming visits to various parishes. I will work with your local ACYOA chapters and provide resources for youth advisors. So, if you see me around in your parish, please come on up and say "Hi!"

Click here to see my summer photos.

With Love and Prayers,
Jenni

DID YOU KNOW
The months of September and October feature important feasts of the cross, including one of the five major feast days, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This Sunday is the Feast of the Holy Cross of Varak.

Did You Know?
• Any cross used in church must be blessed and anointed at five
   points, the center and four “wings.”
• In Armenian, the center of the cross is called the “ag-un” or
   “eye.” The meaning of eye in this case has to do with it being
   the center of focus, but interestingly, the “eye” of a hurricane
   is the calm center of the storm - sort of like the cross, the calm
   center of life’s storms.
• The Armenian cross often features rays emanating from its
   center, like spokes of a wheel; this type of cross is called
   “se-rag-na-tzev.”(literally: in the form of spokes). The hymn sung
   on the Feast of the Cross of Varak refers to these spokes or
   rays…"the radiant four-winged holy cross which illumined the
   world with sun-like rays…"
• The cross perched atop a pole and carried at the head of a
   procession is called “ta-po-ree khach.”
• Armenian crosses do not feature the crucified body of our Lord,
   emphasizing His resurrection and the saving power of the cross.
• Crosses are placed on the altar, church walls, and the deacons’
   and priest’s vestments. Count how many crosses you see this Sunday in your sanctuary.

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IN YOUR WORDS
Last October, Ani Nalbandian participated in an art contest sponsored by the Department of Youth and Education honoring the 1600th anniversary of the Armenian Alphabet. Ani was one of the two recipients to be recognized for her work and received a small scholarship to be used for any educational opportunity of her choice.

I would like to thank the Diocese, for selecting my drawing in your contest for the 1600th anniversary of the invention of the Armenian alphabet. It gives me no greater pleasure than to explore my Armenian Christian faith with whatever gifts God has bestowed upon me, be them artistic, literary, musical, or simply the will to explore.

The gift I received on this occasion, I used for my trip to Armenia – a trip organized by the Diocesan AACCA as part of the Junior Choir Leadership Development Program. While in Armenia, we experienced both the wonderful sensation of making the connection with our motherland, both through all the touring we did of the land and its treasures, and also through our daily schedule of lessons about Armenian Sacred Music and preparing to be choir leaders in our church communities. I thoroughly enjoyed all the sightseeing we did, from Republic Square to the ancient churches nestled in the mountains like Haghartsin, carved out of rock like Geghard, situated among red rock like Noravank, or hidden behind a Language Institute like St. Gatoghike.

All that I saw in Armenia strengthened my passion and devotion to our Armenian Christian faith as I am sure that no other force could empower a people to erect such testaments of their faith. I do feel that my dedication to our church has heightened, for I am amazed by these enduring structures – structures which I do take to be a symbol of our enduring Armenian Christian identity, an identity which I feel proud and fortunate to have.

--Ani Nalbandian, Trumbull, CT

P.S. You can see her art and those of other winners on the free e-card section of our website, click here.

Do you have something to say? Are you willing to share your thoughts and ideas with your peers? I would love to have teens, like you, volunteer to share their 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 have an idea.

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