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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: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch.org
August 29, 2005
___________________
NEW YOUTH OUTREACH COORDINATOR JUMPS RIGHT INTO WORK
She was only in the office for a week before heading off to St. Vartan
Camp for seven days; then it was on to Midwest Hye Camp for a week; and
then another week at the St. Nersess Seminary summer sessions.
And soon she'll be coming to a parish near you. Jennifer Morris, past
chair of the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA),
began as the full-time youth outreach coordinator at the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern) this July.
A native of Michigan, she received her bachelor's degree in psychology
and elementary education and a master's degree in curriculum and
teaching from Michigan State University. For the past seven years she
has taught second grade in the Rochester, MI, Community Schools.
She is a life-long member of the St. John Church of Southfield, MI, a
graduate of its Sunday School, and a former Hye Camp and St. Nersess
counselor.
"Coming to work at the Diocese was an opportunity that came upon me that
I couldn't say no to," said Morris. "Initially I was so hesitant,
because I am so comfortable in Michigan. But I realized this was an
opportunity that, if I didn't take it, later I would regret it."
She sees working at the Diocesan Center in New York as a way to be an
active, witnessing Armenian Christian.
"Being a Christian is who I am, it's at the very center of everything I
do," she said. "To be able to make that a part of my everyday work is
very powerful. Being able to bring children to Christ is very powerful."
Morris will begin her position by spending time at both St. Vartan and
Hye Camps to look at how the newly devised curriculum is working. She
will provide feedback to improve it even further next year.
As youth outreach coordinator, one of her main focuses will be on
providing leadership training to parish youth directors and identifying
parishioners who should be tapped to serve as local youth directors. She
will also be working with parish ACYOA Jrs., which target 13- to
18-year-olds, to provide national cohesiveness to the purely local
program.
"I'm most excited to get into the life of the parishes, to understand
what is going on and how we can improve it," she said. "We need to work
with parishes and youth leaders locally and regionally. We need to work
together because everyone has ideas but we're not sharing those ideas,
so I want to be a springboard for youth directors, to help them with
planning things beneficial for our kids."
Though she'll have a wide variety of responsibilities, Morris sees her
job very simply. "Through my work I hope to bring children closer to the
Armenian Church. I hope to bring them Christ-centered programming that
is effective and meets their needs, that makes them want to be a part of
the church and make them feel special and important and loved by the
church," she said.
Morris will be taking over the youth outreach coordinator
responsibilities from Yn. Arpi Kouzouian, who had been splitting her
energies between that position and director of St. Vartan Camp. Yn.
Kouzouian will now focus entirely on the camp program.
"We are excited that such a dedicated young person as Jennifer Morris
has chosen to serve the Armenian Church and share her love of Christ and
of the Armenian people. She is definitely an asset to our community,"
said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese. "It is
also exciting to learn that this year our St. Vartan Camp is reaching
more children then ever. I am certain that with the full focus of Yn.
Arpi our summer camp efforts will be one of the best ways we bring the
next generation into the life of the church."
-- 8/29/05
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese's website,
www.armenianchurch.org.
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Jennifer Morris, a life-time member of the St. John
Church of Southfield, MI, spent her first few weeks as the Diocese's new
coordinator of youth outreach at the Diocesan summer camps and at St.
Nersess Seminary's summer sessions.
# # #
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: [email protected]
Website: www.armenianchurch.org
August 29, 2005
___________________
NEW YOUTH OUTREACH COORDINATOR JUMPS RIGHT INTO WORK
She was only in the office for a week before heading off to St. Vartan
Camp for seven days; then it was on to Midwest Hye Camp for a week; and
then another week at the St. Nersess Seminary summer sessions.
And soon she'll be coming to a parish near you. Jennifer Morris, past
chair of the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA),
began as the full-time youth outreach coordinator at the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern) this July.
A native of Michigan, she received her bachelor's degree in psychology
and elementary education and a master's degree in curriculum and
teaching from Michigan State University. For the past seven years she
has taught second grade in the Rochester, MI, Community Schools.
She is a life-long member of the St. John Church of Southfield, MI, a
graduate of its Sunday School, and a former Hye Camp and St. Nersess
counselor.
"Coming to work at the Diocese was an opportunity that came upon me that
I couldn't say no to," said Morris. "Initially I was so hesitant,
because I am so comfortable in Michigan. But I realized this was an
opportunity that, if I didn't take it, later I would regret it."
She sees working at the Diocesan Center in New York as a way to be an
active, witnessing Armenian Christian.
"Being a Christian is who I am, it's at the very center of everything I
do," she said. "To be able to make that a part of my everyday work is
very powerful. Being able to bring children to Christ is very powerful."
Morris will begin her position by spending time at both St. Vartan and
Hye Camps to look at how the newly devised curriculum is working. She
will provide feedback to improve it even further next year.
As youth outreach coordinator, one of her main focuses will be on
providing leadership training to parish youth directors and identifying
parishioners who should be tapped to serve as local youth directors. She
will also be working with parish ACYOA Jrs., which target 13- to
18-year-olds, to provide national cohesiveness to the purely local
program.
"I'm most excited to get into the life of the parishes, to understand
what is going on and how we can improve it," she said. "We need to work
with parishes and youth leaders locally and regionally. We need to work
together because everyone has ideas but we're not sharing those ideas,
so I want to be a springboard for youth directors, to help them with
planning things beneficial for our kids."
Though she'll have a wide variety of responsibilities, Morris sees her
job very simply. "Through my work I hope to bring children closer to the
Armenian Church. I hope to bring them Christ-centered programming that
is effective and meets their needs, that makes them want to be a part of
the church and make them feel special and important and loved by the
church," she said.
Morris will be taking over the youth outreach coordinator
responsibilities from Yn. Arpi Kouzouian, who had been splitting her
energies between that position and director of St. Vartan Camp. Yn.
Kouzouian will now focus entirely on the camp program.
"We are excited that such a dedicated young person as Jennifer Morris
has chosen to serve the Armenian Church and share her love of Christ and
of the Armenian people. She is definitely an asset to our community,"
said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern Diocese. "It is
also exciting to learn that this year our St. Vartan Camp is reaching
more children then ever. I am certain that with the full focus of Yn.
Arpi our summer camp efforts will be one of the best ways we bring the
next generation into the life of the church."
-- 8/29/05
E-mail photos available on request. Photos also viewable in the News
and Events section of the Eastern Diocese's website,
www.armenianchurch.org.
PHOTO CAPTION (1): Jennifer Morris, a life-time member of the St. John
Church of Southfield, MI, spent her first few weeks as the Diocese's new
coordinator of youth outreach at the Diocesan summer camps and at St.
Nersess Seminary's summer sessions.
# # #