Communiqué of the 22^nd Annual National Assyrian Church of the East Youth Association Conference

The 22^nd Annual Conference of the Youth Association of the Assyrian Church of the East in North America was held from July 3^rd to 6^th, 2008, at Phoenix, Arizona (USA) under the auspices of the St. Peter Parish in Phoenix, Diocese of Western United States. There were over 400 youth participants in this year’s conference from all over the four dioceses in North America (Diocese of Eastern USA, Western USA, Canada and Western California). The various parish youth ministries which participated from our North American parishes were as follows: 1) Mar Gewargis Parish, Chicago; 2) St. Mary’s Parish, Roselle; 3) St. Andrew’s Parish, Des Plaines; 4) St. Mary’s Parish, Detroit; 5) Mar Mari Parish, Hamilton (Canada); 6) St. Peter Parish, Phoenix; 7) Mar Narsai Parish, San Francisco; 8) Mar Yosip Khnanisho Parish, San Jose; 9) Mar Addai Parish, Turlock; 10) Mar Zaia Parish, Modesto; 11) Mar Gewargis Parish, Ceres; 12) St. Mary’s Parish, Los Angeles; 13) Rabban Hermizd Parish, San Diego. There was also one representative from the Diocese of Australia and New Zealand. The parish priests who participated in the Conference were: 1) Cor-bishop David Royel, San Jose; 2) Cor-bishop Gewargis Toma, Des Plaines; 3) Cor-bishop Fredrick Hermiz, Phoenix; 4) Rev. Auchana Kanoun, Ceres; 5) Rev. Kando Kando, Mar Yosip Parish, Chandler; 6) Rev. Gewargis Bet-Rasho, Los Angeles; 7) Rev. William Toma, Roselle; 8) Rev. Polos Benjamin, Chicago; 9) Rev. Lawrence Namato, Detroit. The theme of this year’s conference was,  “My Church: the Pillar of Truth,” based on I Timothy 3:15: “…the Church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth…” the youth of the Assyrian Church of the East learned about the great theological, historical and faith heritage of their spiritual mother, the Church of the East. The conference was solemnly convoked on Thursday with the celebration of the Holy Qurbana by His Grace Bishop Mar Aprim Khamis, Bishop of the Diocese of Western USA..