PRESS OFFICE
Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern)
630 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10016
Contact: Jake Goshert, Coordinator of Information Services
Tel: (212) 686-0710 Ext. 60; Fax: (212) 779-3558
E-mail: jakeg@armeniandiocese.org
Website:

October 25, 2006
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SPORTS WEEKEND STRENGTHENS CHURCH CONNECTIONS TO YOUTH

Start with some basketball and sports, mix thoroughly with friends and fun,
before adding a dash of Christian fellowship. That’s the winning recipe for
the ACYOA Jrs. Sports weekend.

Over Columbus Day weekend, October 6 to 8, 2006, 176 young participants from
18 parishes participated in the weekend, which was hosted this year by the
Holy Trinity Church of Cambridge, MA.

While the weekend was centered on sports, it also included ample Christian
ministry opportunities. The weekend began with an evening prayer service
before participants headed home to their host families.

Early Saturday morning the fun and games started with team sports and
individual games, followed by a dance in the evening. On Sunday morning,
the participants came together during Divine Liturgy and then headed
straight to the gym for the finals.

Trophies were awarded in red carpet style at the Sunday night "Hollywood
HYElights" banquet. The girls’ basketball trophy went to the 16-member team
from the St. James Church of Watertown, MA. The trophy for boys’ basketball
was earned by a team comprised of members from several parishes. The co-ed
volleyball trophy went to the St. Mary Church of Washington, D.C.

The ACYOA Jrs. from Washington, D.C., also took home the honor of earning
the most overall points from team and individual games. While the
participants from the Church of the Holy Translators in Framingham, MA, were
honored with the "Best Team Sportsmanship Award."

BUILDING CONNECTIONS

This was the first time in more than two decades that Holy Trinity hosted
the annual event. Yn. Arpi Kouzouian, the youth director of the Cambridge
ACYOA Jrs., attributes much of the weekend’s success to the enthusiasm
demonstrated by the entire parish.

Pastor of Holy Trinity, Fr. Vasken Kouzouian, agreed that the opportunity
not only brought together young people from throughout the Diocese, but
bonded the parishioners in Cambridge.

"From our parish perspective, hosting the Sports Weekend was a wonderful
opportunity to bring together the many skills and talents of our
parishioners," he said. "Our hope is that every teen who participated in
this Sports Weekend will leave Cambridge with stronger connections to their
own parish, with an appreciation for being together as young Armenians, and
with the realization that they are loved by God and His church. Our church
is blessed to have such young people."

For more information about upcoming events for ACYOA Juniors please contact
the Diocesan coordinator of youth outreach, Jennifer Morris, at
jenniferm@armeniandiocese.org.

— 10/25/06

E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News and
Events section of the Eastern Diocese’s website,

PHOTO CAPTION (1): Zachary Haydanek from the host parish, Holy Trinity
Church OF Cambridge, MA, reads the lections for the day during Divine
Liturgy as part of the ACYOA Jrs. Sports Weekend.

PHOTO CAPTION (2): ACYOA Jrs. members from the St. James Church of
Watertown, MA, hang out at the gym before their next big game during the
ACYOA Jrs. Sports Weekend October 6 to 8, 2006.

PHOTO CAPTION (3): ACYOA Jrs. from the Church of the Holy Translators in
Framingham, MA, pose with their chaperones after receiving the honor for
best sportsmanship at Sunday night’s dinner dance capping off the AYOCA Jrs.
Sports Weekend, October 6 to 8, 2006.