Coffee, college, Church bringing youths together

The event will follow 7:30 p.m. Mass at St. John the Evangelist Church, located across the street from Union's campus and will take place in the old chapel on campus. It is being sponsored by the youth and young adult ministries of St. John's, St. Mary's and Holy Cross parishes, and the Catholic campus ministry at Union.

There will be coffee, beverages and baked goods for students, all for no cover charge; a special raffle will be held to help offset costs.

The Coffee House is the latest of several events designed to bring together students who belong to St. John's or attend Mass there because they attend Union College, according to Rev. George Fleming, associate pastor. St. John's offers a 7:30 p.m. Sunday Mass that draws many students from the campus.

"We get a large amount of people [from Union College] that come to our 7:30 Mass, and it's nice to have a social occasion for them," Father Fleming told The Evangelist.

Since many college students from St. John's are home for Christmas break and the second trimester at Union College has begun, this Sunday seemed to be a good time for students in the parish to hang out with those from the college across the street.

Not only do St. John's students get to meet Union College students during such events, Union students who may not know each other that well also have a chance to socialize, Father Fleming pointed out.

Previous Coffee Houses have drawn between 100 and 150 students; with students from St. John's still in town on Christmas break, Father Fleming hopes for a decent turnout.

Food and drink won't be all that's offered to students at the Coffee House; there also will be information on upcoming winter and spring activities at St. John's, including a ski club, retreats and service projects.

Jon Sozek is no stranger to the Coffee House scene. A teenage parishioner of St. John's who has been involved in youth ministry at the parish for several years, he played guitar and sang at a previous event. He displayed his musical talents at Union's baccalaureate Mass last year. There have been Open Mike Nights for college students, as well, and Jon plans on going to this Sunday's Coffee House.

Meeting college students from the parish and Union College is fun, he said, and the events sponsored by the youth and young adult ministries also help to show younger church-goers that getting involved is rewarding and a great way to know more students who attend Mass at St. John's.

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