The Eastern Diocese sent six representatives to this year’s Orthodox Youth and Camp Workers Conference, sponsored by the Orthodox Youth Directors in North America. The annual conference, which took place this year at the Antiochian Village in Bolivar, PA, aimed to connect youth and camp workers from the Orthodox Christian traditions, providing them with inspirational and challenging ideas to support their work among the young souls of their respective churches.
The Diocese’s delegation of camp leaders representing Hye Camp and St. Vartan Camp included Fr. Aren Jebejian, Fr. Khatchatur Kesablyan, Fr. Vart Gyozalyan, Fr. Andreas Garabedian, Jennifer Morris, and Lerna Lacinian.
They were delighted to be joined by representatives from the Western Diocese from Hye Camp in California: Fr. Mesrop Ash, the camp Spiritual Director, and Lauren Diramerian, its Executive Director. Delegates from the two sister dioceses appreciated the chance to share time together, and benefit from each other’s knowledge and resources.
Conference sessions were presented to the whole group of attendees, with breakout sessions allowing for small group discussions.
Putting Learning into Action
The keynote speaker was Bishop John Abdalah, the Antiochian Orthodox Church’s Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Worcester, who also made himself available to confer with the participants each day of the conference.
Other speakers and their topics included Fr. Andrew Andrews, who spoke on “The Icon of the Perfect Camp Counselor”; Fr. John Parker, on “How Seminaries Can Better Train Youth Workers”; Fr. Jonathan Bannon, on “Who Do Our Icons Say Christ Is?”; and Pani Kathy Pehanich, on “Youth Crisis Intervention from an Orthodox Perspective.”
Also, the Eastern Diocese’s longtime Youth Ministry leader Jennifer Morris delivered a presentation titled “The Hidden Curriculum of Staff Training and Camp Culture.”
Each conference speaker offered listeners plenty of information to reflect upon, and worthwhile ideas to implement into their respective youth ministry efforts.
St. Vartan Camp Director Fr. Vart Gyozalyan observed that, “The conference as always was an uplifting experience for me. In one of the talks, we explored the profound role of religious icons in conveying the essence of Christ within the church tradition. We discussed spirituality, symbolism, and the theological depth behind these visual representations, aiming to deepen the connection between faith, youth work, and the impact of Christian symbols within the community. The conference prompted reflection on how youth workers can convey the essence of Christ to the younger generation at camp and in parish life.”
Fr. Mesrop Ash of the Western Diocese note that, “As a first-time participant, it was inspirational and energizing to be gathered with other clergy and lay leaders who are passionate about camp ministry.”
The Eastern Diocese’s Jennifer Morris, Program Administrator for its Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries, remarked: “I have been attending this annual conference for the past 15 years, and it’s truly my favorite professional development opportunity. This year, I was honored to be one of the presenters and share my insight as a former classroom teacher and camp professional for the past 17 years. Joining together with other Orthodox camping and youth ministry professionals from across the United States and Canada provides a solid network to share resources and experiences.”
Jennifer’s colleague Lerna Lacinian, who has just joined the Department of Youth and Young Adult Ministries as its Camp Ministries Coordinator, said: “As a first-timer at this conference, the experience was eye-opening. All of the sessions spoke to me in different ways. I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to attend, and I’m looking forward to putting the experience into action at camp this summer.”
Click here to view photos of the conference.
And please note that online registration for the Eastern Diocese’s Hye Camp and St. Vartan Camp will launch in mid-February. To learn more about our Diocesan Summer Camps visit www.diocesansummercamps.org.