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On Sunday, April 2nd, we celebrated Palm Sunday and ACYOA Day at St. Gregory’s. It was wonderful to see the sanctuary pews full of parishioners and our church youth present to hear a special children’s Easter sermon given by Fr. Mesrob. After service, parishioners congregated in Tutak Hall, which was beautifully decorated, for a sit-down lunch served by St. Gregory’s ACYOA Juniors. This was the first sit-down Palm Sunday Luncheon at the church since Easter 2019, and it was a joyful day for all who attended!
The luncheon started with the singing of the American and Armenian national anthems lead by Isabella and Sofia Ortiz and a prayer delivered by Fr. Mesrob. A delicious luleh kebab lunch prepared by Ann and Tom Daw, Lauren and Robert Kayaian, and Greg Sahagian was then served to approximately 100 parishioners by ACYOA Junior members. Thank you to all for the amazing food and service!
The afternoon included musical performances by several talented ACYOA Juniors. David Forte, Nareh Hovsepyan, Sevak Hovsepyan and Levon Keshishian played works for piano by composers ranging from Kanye West to Felix Mendelssohn, and Sofia and Isabella Ortiz, accompanied by their mother Betty Sagatelian Ortiz on piano, delivered beautiful vocal performances of contemporary American classics. A video message recorded by ACYOA Juniors Co-Chair Ani Costa sharing her experience as an ACYOA member since she was 12 years old and paying homage to her fellow Juniors was shown on the hall screen.
To raise funds for ACYOA programming, the Juniors sold plants and flower centerpieces at the luncheon that were graciously donated by the Keleshian-Bonomo Family. In addition, the Juniors raffled off a number of lovely gift baskets generously provided by the Costa and Postian Families.
Thank you to all who attended the luncheon in support of the ACYOA Juniors and to the ACYOA Juniors, themselves, who worked so hard to make ACYOA Day a success! Finally, special thanks to Chris Pahigian LeFevre, advisor to the Juniors and Master of Ceremonies for the day, for all her support and encouragement of our parish youth throughout the year.
This Sunday, please visit the ACYOA Juniors’ table in the atrium after Easter service, where they will be holding a bake sale.
