For the past 68 years, the young leaders of Armenian Churches throughout the West Coast have gathered together on Thanksgiving Weekend for the Annual Convention of the Armenian Church Youth Organization. This year's convention was hosted at St. Apkar Armenian Church in Scottsdale, Arizona.
We are proud that this year five youth from our own parish joined the dozens of other youth for the two-day assembly. They were joined by Parish Council Chair, Dr. John Boghossian, and Parish Priest, Fr. Mesrop Ash. During these meetings, they reviewed last year's important events from within our own community and throughout the Diocese. They also heard uplifting spiritual messages from clergy and other youth, and His Eminence Abp. Hovnan Derderian who presided over the events. Much time was devoted to planning activities taking place in 2017, such as the "Reclaim" youth rally, planned for March. In the evening there was ample time to socialize at the various events that were well organized by the host parish.
The next convention will be hosted by St. John San Diego in 2018 on Martin Luther King Day weekend, in accordance with a decision that was made by the assembly to change the weekend of the annual event.
