Thirty teens from four Midwest parishes (All Saints’, St. Paul, St. Hagop, and St. Sarkis) gathered at the Techny Towers Conference and Retreat Center in Illinois, for the first Midwest mini-Datev Program, November 11-13, 2005. Sponsored by the Armenian Religious Education Council (AREC) of the Eastern Prelacy, the weekend Program aimed to offer youth in the Midwest a taste of the highly acclaimed St. Gregory of Datev Institute Christian Studies Program (popularly known as “Datev” and held annually in Pennsylvania during the first week of July).

The students participated in a typical daily schedule of the Datev Summer Program plus some more. Six to seven hours of interactive educational presentations, open discussion and Bible studies, morning and evening worship services, and afternoon social activities. The weekend program culminated with the celebration of the Soorp Badarak at All Saints’ Armenian Church in Glenview, Illinois.

The encouraging response to the program received excellent evaluations from the students as well as from their parents. You know the seed of the “Datev” Program has been planted when one of the participants asked, “can I register for the Summer Datev Program now?” Many others expressed similar enthusiasm to attend the weeklong “Datev” Summer Program in Pennsylvania.

Hayr Anoushavan, Vicar General, and Dn. Shant Kazanjian, AREC Director, conducted the weekend program. Their presentations focused on Armenian Christian essentials – from the emergence of Christianity in Armenian, to the Holy Scriptures, Bible studies, cycle of feasts and celebrations, to the Holy Mysteries. As guest lecturers, Dn. Dr. Levon Saryan from St. Hagop Church (Racine, WI) spoke about the distinctive Christian features of Armenian currency, Dn. Stepan Frounjian, a professional musician, presented liturgical musical instruction and entertainment enjoyed by all, and Dn. Dr. Arsen Mekaelian prepared and presented a short video about the “Datev” program, highlighting its three main objectives: Instruction and education, Prayer and worship, and friendship and fellowship.

Many thanks to our Pastors and Boards of Trustees for their support and encouragement of this program, particularly to Rev. Fr. Zareh Sahagian, Pastor of All Saints’ Church and its Board of Trustees for sponsoring 22 students from their parish. The Prelacy gratefully acknowledges that the Midwest Datev Program was generously supported in part by a grant from the Hamparian Family Foundation to St. Hagop Armenian Apostolic Church of Racine, WI. Gratitude is expressed to Martha Kouyoumdjian Mekaelian, Khoogas Mekaelian and Martha Mekaelian for their invaluable roles as chaperones and night angels. A special expression of thanks is due to Dr. Arsen Mekaelian of St. Paul Armenian Church in Waukegan, Illinois, the coordinator of the Midwest Datev Program.

The 20th St. Gregory of Datev Institute Summer Program is scheduled to take place at the St. Mary of Providence Center in Elverson, Pennsylvania, July 2-9, 2006. For details, go to the Prelacy web site www.armenianprelacy.org.