WASHINGTON, D.C. – The St. Thomas the Apostle Young Adult Community (STAY) hosted its annual barbecue on the lawn at St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church in Woodley Park this past Sunday. The event attracted over 60 young adults in the D.C. metro area for hot dogs, hamburgers, and fun.
Cassandra Brown, Chairperson of the STAY Executive Board said of the barbecue, “Usually we do it just to kick off the summer, and as like a welcome to new parishioners. A lot of new people move here for internships or jobs or move back after being away from school.” Brown also said, “This year we also used it as a way to raise funds for the St. Thomas Capital Campaign…to raise money to make much needed repairs to the church and its roof and its infrastructure like heating and air conditioning and other services like that.”
With an active young adults community, STAY has a deep commitment to spiritual and community service events. “On a weekly basis we have between 150 and 250 parishioners who come to our STAY young adult mass,” said Brown. STAY hosts a young adult mass every Sunday at 7:30 p.m. A weekly young adults bible study is held every Tuesday in the parish library at 7:30 p.m. with a monthly bible study dinner each first Tuesday of the month. Some of STAY’s volunteer opportunities include working with SOME (So Others Might Eat) every third week of the month by providing food services to the needy and working with Iona on the fourth and fifth week of June to prepare and deliver meals to homebound residents.
With many young adult ministries in the D.C. area, STAY will partner with the St. Matthew’s Cathedral Young Adults to have a happy hour on June 15 at the Madhatter from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and also host a joint outing to Nationals Park on June 20. In an attempt to keep the temperature down, STAY will host its annual summer tubing event on July 14.
For more information about STAY events, send email to STAYdc@gmail.com.
