April 6, 2018 at 1:53 p.m.
YOUNG ADULTS
ROUNDUP: Faith and 18-to-40-year-olds
Corpus Christi Church in Round Lake is beginning a young adult ministry for the 18-to-40 age group.
"The kids have their faith formation, K through 12," said Matt Duclos, part-time music director at the parish and a member of the new ministry's core team. "There's a youth ministry. And then it kind of slips until you're an [older] adult."
Mr. Duclos, 22, recently earned a bachelor's degree in music education from SUNY Potsdam and is teaching choir and music at Scotia-Glenville School. He's on the younger end of the young adult demographic, but already feels left out.
"There's a void," he said. The group "is a great way for young people to connect."
Already, eight people have gathered to brainstorm ideas like collaborating with youth ministry members on service and offering events for returning college students. To start, they will invite adults between the ages of 18 and 40 to attend diocesan young adult events like retreats and "Theology on Tap" gatherings as a group.
"It's open to anyone who would like to come," Mr. Duclos said, emphasizing singles, couples and young families. He said the ministry could spread to nearby parishes and will be especially helpful for area transplants attracted by new technology jobs.
Mr. Duclos said the ministry is important because each Mass begins with the words, "Welcome to the Corpus Christi community."
"The word 'community,'" he said, "involves more than just going to Mass on a weekend."
VISTA VOLUNTEER
St. John's/St. Ann's Outreach Center in Albany recently welcomed Nathaniel Charbit as a year-long community outreach and program coordinator.
Mr. Charbit connected with the center, located at St. Francis of Assisi parish in Albany, through the national poverty-fighting VISTA program, which is operated by the federal AmeriCorps agency.
The 21-year-old native of Congers, N.Y., graduated from The University at Albany in May with a degree in public policy with a concentration in international relations. He's uncertain about his career aspirations, but felt attracted to working with non-profit organizations.
"I figured [VISTA] would be a great way to give back to the community instead of just going and getting a regular job," he explained.
A few weeks into his position at St. John's/St. Ann's, he already has an impressive list of goals to help the ministry, including:
• working with a Siena College professor and the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants to start an English as a Second Language program for refugees and immigrants in the Albany Diocese;
• helping to coordinate the volunteers from Siena College staffing the GED/college preparation program (see previous story at http://evangelist.org/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=23380&SectionID=16&SubSectionID=69&S=1);
• updating the center's website (www.sjsacenter.org) and publishing its newsletter more frequently;
• giving businesses the opportunity to sponsor a Welcome Table community meal at the center;
• networking with other agencies and organizations to find and write grants;
• coordinating annual fundraisers and dreaming up new ones, such as a concert and dinner at the center; and
• setting up a survey for clients "so people have a say in the services we're giving them."
Mr. Charbit said St. John's/St. Ann's "could use grants for anything," as many federal grants have been cut in recent years. This August, the center accommodated 759 individuals with its food pantry and served 2,005 meals.
The VISTA volunteer has asked a class of Siena College students to analyze long-term data to determine the depth of need in the community. His overall goal is to showcase the center: "It's an amazing non-profit and they do a lot of good work. The problem is that nobody hears about it. I'd like to get our name out there."[[In-content Ad]]
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