Holy Name of Jesus National Catholic Church

Our parish has invested in new kitchen flooring and a new dishwasher to better enable us to carry out our Soup on Sunday program. Soup on Sunday provides free meals on the last Sunday of every month. We thank Bob, Stephanie, and Pete for making all the arrangements and handling installation.

I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers (Ephesians 1:16)

On Sunday, April 7th we held our annual Basket Social. It was a wonderful day filled with the blessings of fellowship, generosity, support, great Polish food, excitement as well as 93 baskets, 7 door prizes, 3 grand raffle prizes, and a beautiful quilt and afghan taken home by lucky winners. Over 170 friends filled our hearts with joy through their presence.

We extend our thanks to all attendees. We so appreciate your support and hope that your day was great fun. A special thank you to the members of the Red Hat Society who attended.

Our appreciation and thanksgiving is extended to all who worked so hard to make the day a success, especially those individuals and businesses who donated remarkable and extremely inventive, beautiful, useful, and fun baskets. We were blessed by, and are so appreciate of, the commitment and work of our volunteers — those who prepared beforehand, the ticket table workers, drivers, cooks, servers, runners, and the Social’s stalwart and dedicated leadership; all who made our guests welcome and made the day a great success!

Each and every one of you are in our prayers. My our Lord bless you as you have blessed us.

Thank you to all who supported our ministry – reaching out to those in need in our local community. All funds were donated to Schenectady Inner City Ministry. God bless your generosity that continues in our directed Lenten giving.

Holy Name of Jesus Parish in #Schenectady is continuing its “Soup on Sunday” ministry on Sunday, February 24th and on the last Sunday of every month from 11:30am until 1:30pm. This ministry is free and open to all who would like to partake of a hot meal in a safe location on these Sundays. Food is also available to take home.

Soup on Sunday will be held in our parish hall at 1040 Pearl Street in Schenectady, located between Crane and Chrisler Avenues near the CDTA Route 354 Pearl Street stop.

All are welcome to come and join in our Lenten observances at Holy Name of Jesus in Schenectady, your small church on a small street with a big and welcoming heart.

Ash Wednesday

We begin Lent this Wednesday, February 13th with a Service of Worship and Holy Communion along with the blessing and imposition of Ashes at 7:30pm.

Stations of the Cross

Journey along with Jesus as we pray through the Stations of the Cross every Friday, February 15th through March 22nd at 7:30pm.

Weekly Worship

Come join in weekly worship every Sunday at 9:30am. Jesus’ community gathers each week to learn about His life and mission, His teachings, and to show Him proper worship. We also have weekly School of Christian Living classes for children and youth. Investigate the claims of Jesus with us as we strive to know and serve him better. Whether you are working, studying or living in the Schenectady area or throughout New York’s Capital Region, we look forward to welcoming you.

Lenten Charity

The practice of Lent motivates us to expand our charity towards our brothers and sisters. Holy Name is participating in a Directed Giving program for Lent. Food and gathered items are delivered to Schenectady area food programs:

Our Directed Giving Program suggested offerings:

• Ash Wednesday Week, Feb. 13-16, LET’S DO LUNCH Tuna and Mayonnaise, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Soup and Crackers.
• 1st Week of Lent, Feb. 17-23, FEELING FRUITY Canned Peaches, Pears, Fruit Cocktail, Pineapple or Applesauce, 100% Juice in Cans.
• 2nd Week of Lent, Feb. 24 – Mar. 2, VEGGIE MANIA Canned Corn, Canned Peas, Canned Beans, Canned Potatoes, Canned Sweet Potatoes.
• 3rd Week of Lent, Mar. 3-9, DINNER IS SERVED Canned Beef Stew, Canned Pork and Beans, Instant Potatoes/Stuffing Mix, Macaroni and Cheese, Spaghetti or other Pasta, Canned Spaghetti Sauce.
• 4th Week of Lent, Mar. 10-16, SCHOOL NEEDS Pencils and Pens, Folders and Notebooks, Crayons,
  Tape and Elmer’s Glue.
• Passion Week, Mar. 17-23, BABY MAKES THREE Disposable Diapers, Baby Wipes, Liquid Formula, Jars of Baby Food.
• Holy Week, Mar. 24-30, SPECIAL NEEDS DIET Low Sodium Soups, Canned Fruit in Juices (not syrup), Canned Tuna in Water, Low Sodium Crackers, Natural Applesauce.

Fast and Abstinence

During Lent we also abstain from meat on Wednesdays and Fridays. This small practice of denial helps us in regulating our minds and bodies. We need to practice for all endeavors, whether sports or hobbies. So too spiritually. If we practice small denials we are better prepared to reject things that are truly damaging to our lives.

It is February 1st and lo and behold – a newsletter is here on-time! Our February 2013 newsletter and calendar is complete and now available. Tons of events, Soup on Sunday, everything you’d ever want to know for your Lenten journey, and a few surprises too. You may view and download a copy right from this website.

February 2013 Newsletter.

For the 12th year in a row, our parish is participating in the Souper Bowl of Caring. We are providing food help for those in need through the Souper Bowl of Caring and YouGiveGoods. Thank you for your support of our efforts.

Your monetary donations in church will support the work of Schenectady Inner City Ministry. You can donate food online through our YouGiveGoods donation page. Food donations will be provided to Concerned For The Hungry.

Scripture asks us to be attentive to the needs of others.

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, Matthew 25:35

John answered, “The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.” Luke 3:11

If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 1 John 3:17

• The Souper Bowl collections go to many charities and so helps many organizations. (Matthew 25:35-36).
• It follows God’s commands to care of the poor by leaving some of what we have and opening our hearts to them (Leviticus 19:9-10, Deuteronomy 15:7-8).
• Only asking for a dollar means everyone can participate (2 Corinthians 8:1-4).
• By doing this in our church, we are setting an example of caring for those in need (1 Timothy 4:12).
• It is a way we can remember the poor on a day when we are thinking about other things (Galatians 2:10).
• Since the Souper Bowl does not tell people where to send their collection, it does not exclude anyone (James 2:1-4).
• It also gives us a chance to trust God when we serve and to see how He blesses us as we do (Phillipians 4:19, Deuteronomy 15:10).

More than 20 years ago, the Souper Bowl of Caring began with a simple prayer from a single youth group:

“Lord, even as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us be mindful of those without a bowl of soup to eat.”

Since that day, more than $90 million has been raised for local charities across the country through Souper Bowl of Caring. It has become a powerful movement that is transforming the time around Super Bowl weekend into the nation’s largest celebration of giving and serving.

Be part of this movement that is sharing God’s love with those in need. Please give generously on Super Bowl Sunday.

Our first Soup on Sunday event was featured in the Schenectady Gazette and the Albany Times Union. Our thanks to the reporters and photographers that joined us. We look forward to next month’s event on Sunday, January 27th. Hot soup, sandwiches, and good company every last Sunday of the month from 11:30am till 1:30pm.

Victoria Konicki, 11, stirs the pot of soup at the Holy Name of Jesus National Catholic Church during their first Soup on Sunday event on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2012 in Schenectady, NY. Konicki’s father is the Deacon of the church. Deacon Jim Konicki said that “the congregation wanted to offer a place for anyone to come for free nourishment, a safe place where people can gather for fellowship and support for one another”. The church will hold the free Soup on Sunday event the last Sunday of every month from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. The Golub Corporation and Hannaford both gave donations that aid in the running of the program. Deacon Konicki said that for the congregation charity and outreach are very important. (Photo credit: Paul Buckowski / Times Union)

Our first ever Soup on Sunday event was wonderful. Thank you to Bob and Stephanie for coordinating, for all who came to work, for the support of Golub Corporation and Hannaford Markets, and to our guests. We look forward to our second Soup on Sunday to be held Sunday, January 27th. Tell everyone you know to join us for a warm meal – always FREE!

Rather than lamenting the trends of society, and complaining about the secularization of Jesus’ birth, let’s resolve to do something positive.

Let our preparation focus first on prayer – a prayer of hope and anticipation for God’s coming among us. Pray for reconciliation and an end to greed.

Let us then also sacrifice for those in need.

This Advent we will put out a donation basket. Our contributions will be used toward the purchase of a well for people in need of fresh water through Operation Christmas Child/Samaritan’s Purse. Women and children in developing countries usually walk miles to reach the nearest water source—which might be a stagnant pond or polluted stream. Samaritan’s Purse is working to solve this problem by building and repairing hundreds of wells, along with providing pumps and other equipment, across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Costs range from $400 for a hand-dug well serving a few families to $10,000 for a deep-drilled well serving an entire community.

We will also be collecting food, gloves, and hats for those in need in our immediate community. Canned, dried, and non-perishable foods, as well mittens, gloves, and hats are all needed. The latest U.S. census figures show an alarming statistic — 50.8 percent of Schenectady’s children live below the poverty line. For a family of four, that means a yearly income of less than $22,350. That number, provided as part of the 2011 American Community Survey, puts Schenectady 13th in the nation for highest childhood poverty rate among cities over 65,000 in population.

God bless you for your generosity and sacrifice in preparation for Jesus’ coming.