ACRY Blessing Program

 

It is the intent of our National ACRY to provide its members continued support and fresh new ideas, and above all, foster the ideals of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The ACRY Blessing was an idea conceived with all three in mind, with the latter being the most important. We wanted to find a way to serve others in a deeper way and have identified a specific target group. Now the group is not new for our organization, but the target within that group is! Children with severe illness and/or disabilities.

In an effort to keep thing simple, we have decided to stay focused, for now, on the children. As time goes on,  the ACRY Blessing could expand to hit all areas of need for our membership. But for now, the children have taken top billing.

Please find the following basics for meeting the criteria needed for the ACRY Blessing.

 1)       Must be between birth and 21 years of age.

2)       Must be a member of one of our Diocesan Churches, for 2 or more years.
          (Receipients and parents do not need to be ACRY Members)

3)       Child must have a severe illness and/or disability.

 If you find yourself in need we want to help. Although the monetary gift may help, it is just a small part of what we are trying to achieve. Your child is a precious gift from God. WE know that you will do whatever it takes for your child. So please reach out! We will never know “WHY” to all the questions we have but we do know that God loves us. WHY else would he give His only Son so that we may be saved!

Download Application Here  (PDF Format)

Adobe Acrobat Reader is Required to Open These Files

For More Information Please  The National ACRY President

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ACRY Ambassador Program

 

About The ACRY Ambassador

A leadership position known as the ACRY Ambassador has been created to generate a greater awareness of and interest in the ACRY within our diocese. This position also was created to provide recognition to an individual who has demonstrated a deep commitment to the Orthodox Faith through their unselfish philanthropic service to their Church, Community and Local /National ACRY.

The ACRY Ambassador is called upon to exemplify the ACRY'S commitment to service to others in the name of Christ through his/her participation in a charitable outreach and/or missionary projects on a local, national or global level, sponsored by the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (Real Break Program) the Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), Habitat for Humanity or other charitable agencies .

The Ambassador is also tasked with sharing the good news of the ACRY through speaking engagements at diocesan, parish and ACRY events, written reflections published in the Church Messenger and in the digital media and through personal contact with diocesan faithful of all ages.

Eligibility Requirements

• Male or Female Ages 18 through 30.
• Single or Married
• Per Diocesan Chancery Members of Minor Clergy, Readers, Subdeacons may apply
• Current dues-paying member of the National ACRY
• Possesses a deep commitment to the Orthodox Faith, our Diocese and the ACRY

Duties

Require participation in the following venues during year of service based on the ambassador's talents, abilities and life situation:

• ACRY – Assist with building up the ACRY by doing any or all of the following: Attend the Jr ACRY Encounter Weekend at Camp Nazareth and/or summer camping session to speak at and encourage the younger people to continue on in the SR ACRY; Visit local parishes and/or ACRY chapters to encourage establishing new/reinstating former chapters. Speak at Diocesan Camping SessionDiocesan - Attend his/her deanery's 3D Dinner (or dinner closest to where they are residing) to speak about the ACRY, Family Day, Pilgrimages or other diocesan events. Undertake or participate in a missionary/outreach project sponsored by an Diocesan/Orthodox Agency such as St. John the Compassionate Mission, the OCF Campus Ministry (Real Break Program) Orthodox Christian Mission Center OCMC (short term mission trips), or a national or local humanitarian agency, ie Habitat for Humanity etc.

• Submit short news articles to The Church Messenger and Diocesan & ACRY websites for publication on the activities/projects he/she takes on to exemplify the ACRY'S commitment to charitable outreach and mission work.
  
  
• Attend the ACRY Convention and give a presentation at Sr and Jr Business Sessions on the mission /charity work that he/she did. Arrange to have presentations video recorded and placed on ACRY website.

Term of office is two years . Ambassador may reapply and serve up to three consecutive terms.

Benefits:

• Waived from paying national dues during their term of service (classified as honorary member)

• Travel expenses would be reimbursed by the National ACRY for attendance at JR ACRY Encounter Weekend, chapter/parish visitations, Deanery 3D Dinner and other diocesan events.

 

• Allowances for travel expenses for mission trips/ charity work would be determined by the ACRY Executive Board, based on a review of estimated expenses submitted prior to event and availability of funds budgeted for this purpose.Sunday evening dinner ticket for the ACRY Convention and Bowling Tournament would be complimentary

Application/Selection Process

•  Those who meet the above stated eligibility requirements are invited to apply.

 

• Candidates must submit completed application form , which includes a short essay and sealed letters of recommendation from their parish priest and an officer or member of their local ACRY chapter to the ACRY Ambassador Committee Chairperson by no later than August 1

 

•  Incomplete applications, lacking letters of recommendation or other required documentation will not be accepted. If received well in advance of the deadline, every effort will be made to contact applicant to invite them to resubmit with all required documentation.

 

• Upon reaching the deadline, the three person ACRY Ambassador committee will review all applications and make a decision which will be announced at the National ACRY Convention.All applicants are expected to attend the National ACRY Convention during which the selection of the ACRY Ambassador will be announced.

Download ACRY Ambassador Application  (PDF Format)