Youth and Young Adult Conference 2014

Save the Date Flyer

The conference will be held from July 17-20th.  This is unique conference in that although this is ONE conference, there are THREE separate nodes/venues going on at the same time.  The midwest location will be held at Judson University in Elgin, IL. (Other nodes will be in the Northeast(NJ) and the West(LA).  To find out more about the other nodes, please see the national MGSOYA page.) 

About the Theme

The theme is “Old Things have Passed Away, Behold I Make All Things New.” (2 Cor 5:17). Programs are being geared toward Youth and Young Adults throughout the Archdiocese.

Registration (Midwest)

You can register online for the Midwest conference here: Chicago/Toronto/Midwestern Node

  • Please use PayPal to securely reserve your place via credit or debit card or electronic check.
  • Accommodation plans are different in each region, so kindly note the details.
  • Early Registration ends June 15th - please register soon! 

To make this conference a smash hit, we will need the continued support of concerned parents and clergy -- Consider serving as chaperones!

Speaker

The main speaker for the Midwest node will be Very Rev. Raban Fady Abdul Ahad. 

Very Rev. Raban Fady Abdul Ahad
Fr. Fady is a well known speaker in the Syriac Orthodox Church and is currently the priest at St. Aphraim's Syriac Church of Washington, D.C.  He did his initial studies at St. Aphraim's Monastery in Damascus.  His post-graduate studies were done in Ireland, where he received a BA in Theology and Anthropology and a Masters in Christian Spirituality.  He taught for 2 years at St. Aphraim's Theological Seminary in Syria, before being called to serve at St. Aphraim's church in Washington, DC.  You can view some of his writings here.    Or check out an interview about the Church with the BBC here.

 

Vision

The Archdiocesan Youth and Young Adults Conference 2014 was born from the desire for our active Youth and Young Adults to gather, pray, and fellowship with one another. From the moment our Archbishop, H.E. Mor Theethose Yeldho, our Archdiocesan Council, and our Youth organizations MGSOSA and MGSOYA all agreed in tandem, we have been looking forward to July.

This year, we want to enthusiastically tackle two perennial challenges: developing an appealing conference while encouraging fresh turnout. We saw that many regions were already planning to meet in the summer timeframe and that many would have difficulty arranging travel to the Northeast location.

A common curriculum will be developed and deployed by a common leadership team. Meaningful interaction between centralized “nodes” will knit more people together than ever before. Archdiocesan leaders alongside regional and parish leaders, with the support of the clergy, are working to implement a common strategy Archdiocesan- wide. Nodes are to be connected via video conferencing technology. Thirumeni, for example, could give a presidential address across the entire continent. Top notch speakers and seminars may be experienced on a large scale.

Across the Archdiocese the advantages are numerous. Total costs are much lower per person. Focus may be placed upon bringing in fresh faces. For the first time, meaningful participation is anticipated in the Western area of the Archdiocese. Members from Canada are again excited about joining. The South, Southeast, Midwest and Northeast all express a new level of interest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out the FAQ put together by the MGSOYA national team.

Join us in making these plans successful for the glory of God and the betterment of the Church.

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