On Friday, March 17, our ACYOA Juniors gathered for their annual overnight Lenten Lock-In, centered on the Matthew 18:20 Bible verse and theme “Who is My Community?”
The program focused on identifying the many communities we are each a part of, including our families, friends, church, and ACYOA, as well as the many sports, extra-curricular, and even online communities that occupy so much of our teens’ daily lives.
Lock-in leaders Der Vasken and Yn. Arpi shared the practical and Biblical significance of living in community. Participants then worked in small groups to study the first church as referenced in Acts 2 and compared this passage to our present-day Holy Trinity Church and ACYOA community.
Throughout the evening, participants enjoyed time in fellowship with their peers during each of the sessions, as well as during the worship services, meals, team building activities, free time, and of course, the late, late, late-night conversations!
Friday evening ended with worship and the much-anticipated candle-lighting ceremony, and the program came to a close on Saturday morning with worship, breakfast, and some tired but heartfelt farewell hugs.
We are thankful to our ACYOA Senior chaperones: Oscar Derderian, III, Arsen Gulbankian and Lulu Teager, as well as our meal crew: Lusine Baghsarian, Armine Gulbankian, Cathy Minassian, and Garen Oganezov.
May we all remember Christ’s message that we are part of a greater community, “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, there I am in the midst of them.”