Tri-Parish Outreach
(518) 929-4369
Catholic Charities: Catholic Charities of Columbia and Greene Counties is looking to grow their team! Launch your career in the role of Fiscal- Manager ($20-$22), Outreach and application coordinator for SNAP benefits ($19-$19.50), or as a Home Visitor for families with newborns ($20-$21). Email info@cathcharcg.org for more information.—Theresa Lux, Executive Director of Catholic Charities of Columbia and Greene Counties
“Dining Out For Others" is the fundraiser sponsored by Catholic Charities of Columbia-Greene to benefit the Emergency Assistance Fund. Volunteers are needed to line up participating restaurants and other businesses that support them by advertising in the promotional brochures. If you can help, please call the Catholic Charities office in Hudson at (518) 828- 8660. All arrangements must be made by the beginning of September. Thank you for your consideration.
Bottle Redemption at St. John the Baptist St. John’s Knights of Columbus continues to accept returnable bottles for redemption. Please leave in the large blue containers near the parking lot entrance. ALL PROCEEDS go to St. John’s Building and repair fund, an easy way to support your parish
Lending Library at St. John the Baptist Attention Readers! St. John’s Elves have set up a lending library in the church hall. Please feel free to borrow a book and return it when you are finished reading it. At this time, we do not need any additional book donations.
Join the Flower People At St. James Church Over the years, parishioners at St. James have arranged flowers for our weekend liturgies. We start in May and end in October—about 20 weekends in all. Some of us work on our own, others prefer company. Volunteers usually arrange flowers for two or three weekends, and in scheduling we work with your vacation plans and other commitments. You do not have to provide your own flowers; we have
gardens where we can cut all we need. We would love some additional designers. We will hold your hand and provide basic instruction on your first (or second) outing. This is fun and artistic! To learn more, please email Rosemarie at rosemarie4241@gmail.com or sign up in the St. James Gathering Space.
Sidewalk Warriors of Troy: Thank you so much for your continued donations. They are much needed, as the number of people served continues to grow, from 120 in June of 2023, to over 300 now. The increase in people means an increase in needs. Along with toilet paper and boxes of cereal, we need children’s diapers and pull-ups. More helping hands are needed each Thursday at Christ Methodist Church at the corner of State and Fifth. Setup begins at 4:30 pm. Many CCNCC families have helped, and know first-hand the satisfaction of helping others. Contact: Sue Seymour.
Good Works Calendar:
Friday, July 19
Food Pantry: at the Church of St. Joseph/Stuyvesant Falls Friday, August 16, from 1:30-3:30 PM. Please continue to refer those in need to our pantry. The Church of St. Joseph food pantry is collecting the following items in March: canned soup; crackers; oatmeal; coffee; hot chocolate. Please place any donated items in the red wagon in the gathering space. Thank you for your assistance!
Despensa de alimentos: en la Iglesia de St. Joseph/ Stuyvesant Falls el viernes 16 de agusto de 1:30-3:30 PM. Continúe remitiendo a los necesitados a nuestra despensa.
Donations Sought for Our Ministries:
Spring Donation Drives:
Give-Away Program: We have transacted nearly every object found in a home. This week items were offered to OutReach from three donors willing to share household items such as bed sheets and other common items, including women's clothing. All items were transacted on the day on which they were offered. Please call OutReach at (518) 929-4369 to give away serviceable items. All items are exchanged confidentially at no cost in the Catholic Community of Northern Columbia County (CCNCC).
When contributing to the local food pantries during the summer months, please consider kid-friendly lunch suggestions such as peanut butter and jelly, macaroni and cheese, tuna, and healthy snacks such as raisins. Thank you.
Calling all Gardeners! As fruits and vegetables are harvested this summer, please consider donating extra produce to your favorite food pantry. Shoppers at the local farmers' markets may consider buying extra produce for donation to your local pantry. A great idea!
School Supply Collection! Ready? Set? Go! To accommodate early shoppers, our School Supply Collection will be extended over the month of August this summer. A receptacle will be placed in the Gathering Spaces at St. James and St. Joseph, and across from the kitchen at St. John’s for loose leaf paper, pens, pencils, binders, erasers. backpacks, spiral notebooks, etc. on the first Sunday in August. Our customary “School Supply Weekend" at St. James will
be held on Sunday, August 25 for those who wish to shop later in the month. All donated items will be distributed through the local food pantries. This is intended to satisfy early and later shoppers. Thank you for your support.
Collection of Non-Food Items: After the Collection of Non-Food Items was held jointly in May in the CCNCC, the OutReach coordinators of each of our three parishes all agreed that it was a fruitful project that benefited the
community. We were especially pleased to share some of the donations with local food pantries in a spirit of neighborliness. The Collection of Non-Food Items (e.g., paper goods, hygiene products, laundry detergent and dryer sheets, etc.) is the only OutReach project that is conducted twice a year (in May and September) because the need is so great and the items tend to be so expensive. Prompted by the success of the May, 2024 joint collection in our three parishes, we will initiate the joint collection of Non-Foods in May and September among our parishes. Many thanks to the continued support of all contributors.
The 2024 Calendar of Planned OutReach Events is posted on the bulletin board near the office at St. James. Please check the calendar periodically for news of coming events.
In addition to used prescription eyeglasses and sunglasses, the local Lions Club is happy to receive books on tape for their recipients. If you have any to share, please bring them to the Gathering Space at St James.
The Chatham Lions' Club is willing to accept books on tape or CD for those in need. If you these items to give away, please call the OutReach number at (518)929-4369 to arrange pickup. Thank you.
OutReach volunteers are needed to provide rides to local appointments (medical, etc.) on call. If you would like to join our team, please call OutReach at (518) 929-4369 to volunteer.
In the Community
The public libraries in Columbia County hold programs for all ages. From "Toddler Story time" to "Lego Club" to "Play Groups" for children to "Reading Book Clubs" to "Genealogy Roots" to "Yoga" and "Ukulele Jam for adults, there is something for everyone! Check with your local library for interesting pastimes.
Fun Facts:
Did you know....
Stained glass was a slowly developed force of decorative art having its beginnings in the 9th and 10th centuries Besides its beauty, it possessed an educative role for the illiterate masses, depicting scenes from the Old and New Testaments, as well as the lives of martyrs and Saints. Stained glass reached its peak during the era of the Gothic Cathedral with examples, among others, in Notre Dame and Chartres Cathedrals in France.