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
September 8, 2005
NEW INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AIMS TO STRENGTHEN YOUTH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS
This fall the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) began
a new internship program designed to give both real-world pastoral
experience to graduates of St. Nersess Seminary, and to strengthen the
Diocese's youth ministry and education programs.
The goal of the program is to increase the number of experienced youth
ministry lay workers, to provide more resources for parishes throughout
the Diocese. The first intern, Daron Bolat, began work at the Diocesan
Center in New York City this August.
A 2005 graduate of St. Nersess, Bolat received a master's degree with a
focus in youth ministry. A member of the St. Mary Church in Washington,
D.C., he has been an active member in the local and national leadership
of the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA).
"The ACYOA is where my spiritual growth happened," Bolat said. "The
more I became involved in the ACYOA, the more I became involved in other
aspects of the church and my faith. I began taking leadership roles,
not out of a sense of ambition, but out of a sense of service. It gave
me a sense of being part of something bigger. More and more I felt
called to serve the church fully, rather than trying to juggle serving
the church with having another full-time job."
While working at the Diocesan Center, Bolat will be serving all the
areas of the Diocesan Department of Youth and Education -- Armenian
studies, Christian education, youth outreach, and music ministry. His
focus, however, will be on college ministry and the ACYOA.
"My goal is just to preach the Gospel during my internship here," he
said. "The amazing thing about our church is that through everything
the Armenian people have experienced, we have continued to preach the
same Gospel; From St. Gregory the Illuminator to St. Gregory of Datev.
I hope that I can contribute to, assist in, and learn from the wonderful
staff here."
Hopefully, after spending a year at the Diocesan Center the interns in
this new effort will find full-time work either with individual parishes
or in regional settings.
"There are many young people today who want to serve the church, who
have the passion to carry the flame of St. Gregory into the next
century," said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern
Diocese. "Daron is one of those fine young people who want to be
involved and want to take responsibility for continuing our faith. This
new effort gives him not just a chance to work with our skilled and
dedicated staff, to learn from them, but also a chance for him to share
his passion and love for our unique Armenian Christianity."
-- 9/8/05
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): Daron Bolat began working at the Diocesan Center in
August as the first intern in the new program designed to strengthen the
Diocese's Department of Youth and Education.
# # #
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
September 8, 2005
NEW INTERNSHIP PROGRAM AIMS TO STRENGTHEN YOUTH AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS
This fall the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) began
a new internship program designed to give both real-world pastoral
experience to graduates of St. Nersess Seminary, and to strengthen the
Diocese's youth ministry and education programs.
The goal of the program is to increase the number of experienced youth
ministry lay workers, to provide more resources for parishes throughout
the Diocese. The first intern, Daron Bolat, began work at the Diocesan
Center in New York City this August.
A 2005 graduate of St. Nersess, Bolat received a master's degree with a
focus in youth ministry. A member of the St. Mary Church in Washington,
D.C., he has been an active member in the local and national leadership
of the Armenian Church Youth Organization of America (ACYOA).
"The ACYOA is where my spiritual growth happened," Bolat said. "The
more I became involved in the ACYOA, the more I became involved in other
aspects of the church and my faith. I began taking leadership roles,
not out of a sense of ambition, but out of a sense of service. It gave
me a sense of being part of something bigger. More and more I felt
called to serve the church fully, rather than trying to juggle serving
the church with having another full-time job."
While working at the Diocesan Center, Bolat will be serving all the
areas of the Diocesan Department of Youth and Education -- Armenian
studies, Christian education, youth outreach, and music ministry. His
focus, however, will be on college ministry and the ACYOA.
"My goal is just to preach the Gospel during my internship here," he
said. "The amazing thing about our church is that through everything
the Armenian people have experienced, we have continued to preach the
same Gospel; From St. Gregory the Illuminator to St. Gregory of Datev.
I hope that I can contribute to, assist in, and learn from the wonderful
staff here."
Hopefully, after spending a year at the Diocesan Center the interns in
this new effort will find full-time work either with individual parishes
or in regional settings.
"There are many young people today who want to serve the church, who
have the passion to carry the flame of St. Gregory into the next
century," said Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of the Eastern
Diocese. "Daron is one of those fine young people who want to be
involved and want to take responsibility for continuing our faith. This
new effort gives him not just a chance to work with our skilled and
dedicated staff, to learn from them, but also a chance for him to share
his passion and love for our unique Armenian Christianity."
-- 9/8/05
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): Daron Bolat began working at the Diocesan Center in
August as the first intern in the new program designed to strengthen the
Diocese's Department of Youth and Education.
# # #