The Catholic Community of Northern Columbia County

Tri-Parish Outreach
(518) 929-4369

Catholic Charities—Volunteers Needed! Bring warmth and companionship to seniors in your community. A simple phone call or friendly visit can make the world of a difference! Lend the Catholic Charities' Aging Life Program a helping hand and help brighten someone's day. Email emartin@cathcharcg.org or call (518) 860-5806 for more details!

Red Cross Blood Drive at St. Joseph's St. Joseph’s is hosting their annual Red Cross Blood Drive on Tuesday, March 10th from 12:30 to 6:30 pm. Please visit redcrossblood.org to book an appointment.

Volunteers Needed - Baptism Team: An important Ministry that is overlooked are those who help with the Sacrament of Baptism. We have a team in the Spanish
Community, an individual at St. Joseph, St. James, and up until recently, St. John’s. After ten years, Donna Bertrand, has decided it is time to retire" from this ministry. While Donna is willing to stay on to help an individual or a team of people to learn what the Baptism Ministry is all about, she is no longer available to do this important ministry every month. This ministry includes meeting with the parents, Godparents, and being present at the Baptism. It is a holy and fun time meeting children of all sorts of
ages, primarily those under the age of 6 years (mostly babies). If you’d like more information, please contact the office-number of the cover and we can provide more information. After the initial training period, it does not require a large time commitment, only a dedication to spreading the faith. Thank you for your prayerful consideration.

Caring Ministries
If you or someone you know could benefit from the love shared in our work (Home Visitation, Caring Cards, Prayer Shawls) or would like to help in our ministries, please inquire at any of our Welcome Tables after Mass or through Kimberly Layton at our Main Office at (518) 758-9401. We know the winter can be a difficult time for many, so please get in touch if you or someone you know could use some extra care or you can assist us.

St. John’s Caring Card Ministry: The St. John’s Caring Card ministry sends a monthly card reaching those in the parish and community with a heartfelt greeting. These cards are created, printed and signed on behalf of the parish and distributed. We hope you will consider someone you know who is homebound, alone, grieving, in long term care, are ill—chronic condition or seriously ill (ie. cancer), on active duty in Military Service, a retired or disabled Veteran at home or in a hospital/care facility, college student away from home (sent during school semester). We know this simple form of contact will show them they are not forgotten and brighten their day. There are request cards in the church that you can fill out and return via collection basket or mail.

 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

CLYNK IT! The Church of St. Joseph has joined the CLYNK program at Hannaford Supermarkets. To participate, pick up a GREEN CLYNK BAG in the gathering space, and fill (to the line) with rinsed cans/ bottles eligible for a 5-cent deposit refund. Return your filled bag to a Hannaford Supermarket CLYNK area, scan the bag tag (provided on the bag), and drop off your bag.  Proceeds will be credited to St. Joe’s account. This helps our Church AND helps the environment. THANK YOU! 

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.

As Sidewalk Warriors Troy approaches its fifth year, we remain incredibly proud of what weíve accomplished with the help of our generous community. Each Thursday evening, rain or shine, we serve more than 300 individuals, offering meals, essential supplies, and a moment of connection to those facing hardship.

Recently, we've been met with a challenge we cannot face alone. Due to cuts in federal funding that once supported vital safety net programs - including those that fight food insecurity - we are experiencing a significant increase in both the need for our services and pressure on our resources. In just the past few months, the number of individuals turning to us for help has continued to grow, while some of our most reliable sources of support have decreased.

The truth is simple: without our community behind us, we cannot do this work. Your assistance will not only help us navigate this difficult time, but allow us to continue growing to meet the evolving needs of those we serve. To learn more about Sidewalk Warriors Troy, please visit us on Facebook at facebook.com/sidewalkwarriorstroy or explore our website at sidewalkwarriorstroy.com

Good Works Calendar:

Friday, March 13th

Food Pantry: at the Church of St. Joseph/Stuyvesant Falls Friday, March 13, 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 13 de marzo de 1:30-3:30 PM. Continúe remitiendo a los necesitados a nuestra despensa.

Donations Sought for Our Ministries:
Winter Donation Drives:

Our Annual Bedding Project extends until March as a tri-parish effort. Please consider donating gently-used comforters, blankets, linens, and towels. We will distribute the donated items to our parishes, the local pantries, and Catholic Charities W.I.C. program.

Food Pantry:  Suggested food pantry donations during colder weather include store-bought pies, baked goods, and hot beverage mixes (cocoa, tea bags). Laundry detergent, dryer sheets, and paper goods are always needed.

Church of St. Joseph Canned Soup Drive: St. Joseph's food pantry is holding a canned soup drive for the month of February. Please note, the focus is on healthier choices.
Place donated items in the wagon in the gathering space. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

SJTB & Valatie Ecumenical Food Pantry: Every year, the parish of St. John the Baptist collects monetary donations for the Valatie Ecumenical Food Pantry during the
season of Lent. For those wishing to donate envelopes are available on the welcome table. 

The St. James Easter Food Drive is underway at St. James through Palm Sunday, held annually during Advent and Lent to benefit the Chatham and Ghent Food Pantries. Please write a check to the pantry of your choice and place it in the collection basket at Mass or mail it to St. James Church, 117 Hudson Ave., Chatham, NY 12037. We will be happy to forward the checks to the designated pantry. Thank you.

The Columbia/Greene Humane Society has a substantial amount of pet food on hand at the shelter. Folks who need food for their pets are welcome to visit the shelter to acquire cat and dog food at no cost.

Parishioners who knit: As mentioned in recent bulletins OutReach welcomes knitters to knit off-season hats, scarves, and mittens to be collected during cold weather months for use by school children and adults who patronize the local food pantries. If you would like to share your talents, please call the OutReach number at (518) 929-4369. Please note: We have yarn/wool to offer if that would be helpful.

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.

Fun Facts:

Did you know....