Holy Cross holds a variety of events and activities throughout the year aimed at supporting and enriching our spiritual lives while deepening our social connectedness with one another. Usually informal and low-key, these are times outside regular worship when we get to know our fellow parishioners better and enrich our relationships and caring for one another.

• Shrine Mont Weekend. In early June each year, members of the parish gather for a special weekend at Shrine Mont, the Diocese of Virginia retreat center in Orkney Springs, Virginia. The weekend includes time for fun, fellowship, worship, and rest, with community meals prepared and served by the Shrine Mont staff.
  
  

• Souper Supper. Each February we carry on a tradition started by former parishioners called the Souper Supper, in which we gather to sample and savor a meal of soups, with guests contributing appetizers and desserts.


• Baseball Game. For the past several years, the parish has attended a Washington Nationals baseball game together on a Friday night in late April, an event that regularly draws more than 75 parishioners and friends. Seated together, parishioners not only enjoy our national pastime, but also find an easy and relaxing way to get to know one another better.


• Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper. The Youth Group hosts our annual Shrove Tuesday pancake supper for the entire congregation, preparing and serving pancakes, bacon, and fresh fruit. The money raised from the dinner is used to stock Easter baskets for several local families in need.


• Easter Egg Hunt. Following Easter services, the Youth Group holds an Easter egg hunt on church grounds for young children of the parish.


• OWLS. A group of older Holy Cross parishioners formed Holy Cross OWLs (Older, Wiser, Laughing Souls) about four years ago to provide day-time activities for seniors who prefer not to drive at night. The OWLs meet every other month to share food, fun, and fellowship. After the meal, they usually have a speaker to provide thought and reflection.


• Progressive Dinner. The Holy Cross Progressive Dinner is a longstanding tradition in which we start the evening with all gathering for appetizers and beverages and then split into small groups and move on to homes of various parishioners for dinner and dessert.


• Newcomers’ Lunch or Dinner. Holy Cross hosts periodic newcomers’ lunches or dinners, where longtime parishioners share a meal and stories with those who have recently joined our congregation.


• Annual Parish Picnic. One Sunday each summer, we gather on the lawn behind the church for our annual picnic. All bring a dish to share, and the church cooks hamburgers, hot dogs, other picnic fare, and vegan dishes. The picnic is a relaxing time to socialize in an informal setting.

Although many of these events revolve around sharing food and “breaking bread” together, they are not simply social. Just as we share bread and wine at the altar during worship services, these events are integral to deepening relationships and encouraging spiritual growth and exploration. They give us opportunities to make real and practical Jesus’s admonition to “love one another.”