July/August 2021 Newsletter – Trees and Cornerstones

May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace.

As this newsletter is being written we are preparing for summer youth events throughout our Church. Our church has always had a focus on the success of our children. Scripture tells us to take the time and to make the effort to instruct our children in the knowledge of the Lord such that our work in building the kingdom might continue to its success. In Psalm 144 we find David writing after his taking the throne. Even though victorious, it did not mean problems were over. In this psalm, David acknowledges triumph and thankfulness brought about by the great goodness of God. We must acknowledge that we have no victory apart from Him. David then prays for God’s help against current enemies. We must be ever watchful and turn to God for His constant protection. David then rejoices because he acknowledges God’s assurance of victory. We must not be people of fear, but rather of trust in victory. David then prays for the prosperity of his own kingdom and celebrates in the youth coming up in faith. So we must work for the future of the Kingdom and for our children’s faith. God’s blessings works wonders for us. So too for our children if we take the time and raise them in the Church. David prays as we should; that our sons be like strong, well rooted, young trees, which promise leadership toward great things. David prays that daughters be as corner stones, polished as a palace. Daughters unite us as corner stones join walls together. They do the work of knitting us together in our actions for God, in being leaders toward the kingdom of God. When we develop young men and women in holiness we will have joy in them and winners for God. Supported in their knowledge of the Lord we can be assured our children will achieve victory for the kingdom.

Welcome to our Summer 2021 Newsletter. We have tons of events going on this summer for youth and adults, for the sports minded and the musically inclined. These include the annual Kurs Youth Encampment, the National United Choirs Convention and Workshop, our Annual Parish Community Picnic (August 22nd on the parish grounds), and the YMSofR Golf Outing. We are engaged in prayer prior to this November’s Diocesan Synod as well as prayer for our country and for our youth. We have an update on our painting and refurbishment project (we are done – and your help in underwriting the costs would be really appreciated), our Centennial Raffle is in full swing (get your tickets soon), and we reflect on the danger of faithless shepherds and pray for clergy who have gone astray.

All that and more in our July/August 2021 Newsletter.

Schenectady Juneteenth Events

The Hamilton Hill Arts Center Proudly Invites Your Participation in the 15th Annual Celebration of Juneteenth from June 19th to 20th at the Central Park & Vale Cemetery, Schenectady.

All events are free and open to the public!

  • Friday Evening: Honoring Our Ancestors At Vale Cemetery’s Historic Ancestral Burial Ground
  • Saturday All Day: Food, Vendors, Health Fair, Youth Talent Show Performances By Local Talent, Non-Profit Expo, Kids’ Activities Historic Displays, Hair Braiding Competition & More!

The Hamilton Hill Arts Center is proud to bring our annual Juneteenth celebration to the Capital Region, in commemoration of the end of slavery and the beginning of freedom for ALL Americans. Juneteenth is now celebrated in thirty states, the District of Columbia, and is an officially recognized New York State holiday. Please join us at Schenectady’s historic Vale Cemetery- a recognized stop on the underground railroad- on the evening of June 19, and in beautiful Central Park, on June 20. There will be something for everyone!

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers led by Major General Gordon Granger landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. This was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation had become official (January 1, 1863). It had little impact on the Texans due to a lack of Union troops available to enforce the new Executive order. With the surrender of General Lee in April, 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’ s regiment, the forces were strong enough to overcome the resistance.

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Reflection for the 13th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2014

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Jesus is our
hope and way of life

If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him. We know that Christ, raised from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God.

This past Friday, at 1am, police were called to our neighborhood. 28-year old Angel Carrion was dead. Killed by a gunshot wound to the chest.

If you read the various news stories you will see different views of what happened. Time Warner News talks about loud parties at the residence, all night partying, mysterious middle-aged figures in black cars, children in the midst of adults doing adult things. Police there all the time. They paint a picture of broken families, broken lives.

WTEN shows a different side of the story. Angel was a father of three, a friend, someone who was brother to those who weren’t even his family. Angel’s childhood friend Jorge said, “He was a good friend. He was a good father. He helped out the community. Nobody is perfect in this world, but he didn’t deserve this.” Other neighbors noted their worry for the children who live here. One neighbor said: “For the kids, it’s going to be scary for them, too, knowing there’s a shooting right up the road.”

We began this year dedicating it to the theme of family. In my annual report I said: “…we do not just come to church to have our needs met. No family exists just to serve one or a few members. The same for the Church – our family of faith is about all its members and our relationship with the head of the family – Jesus. We belong to His family. Our family of faith does not exist to just meet individual needs. We exist to meet the needs of our fellow family members and a world that badly needs to know Jesus.”

Angel and his family, this neighborhood, its children are part of that world that needs to know Jesus. They know Him through us. In us they should see faith in Jesus’ saving power. In us they should see the joy that comes from a life that takes all the good we, and men like Angel do, to the next level through unity with Jesus. Jesus died for all. To free all from sin. As Angel’s friend Jorge said, “Nobody is perfect in this world.” In all of our imperfection the world has to know that Jesus is there for us, to save us, to raise us up. He is in this neighborhood, calling us to reject sin and grab His promises – life without end even in tragedy.

In Jesus we are bound together – parishioners, Angel, his family, this neighborhood – a bond so strong that no sin, even murder, even tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword can harm us. In this bond, in the life we have in Jesus, let us offer hope to our neighborhood and all who so need Him Who is our hope and new way of life.

February 2014 Newsletter is here

This month we leave the Christmas season and begin our walk toward Lent, yet this is not a time to be somber because as the family of faith we attain a glimpse of heaven. Check out the latest parish newsletter to see how you can get that glimpse of heaven. Plus, our newsletter is chock full of announcements, good reading, community events, the Souper Bowl, and other worthy information. You may view and download a copy right here — February 2014 Newsletter.

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Employment opportunities in Schenectady

From the Times Union and State Department of labor: 5,000 jobs for the taking

Opportunities abound in region, but gap is wide in location, skills, pay

While the state Labor Department reported last week that the five-county Capital Region’s unemployment rate hit an all-time high for December of 7.4 percent, it also wants job seekers to know that nearly 5,000 local openings are listed at its Jobs Express website.

The positions range from groundskeepers to engineers, and TV anchors to pharmacists.

But opportunities aren’t equally distributed. The Albany/Colonie area had nearly half the total, 2,226 openings, while Clifton Park had 142 and the city of Troy just 113.

And the 5,000 openings listed in the eight-county area — Albany, Columbia, Greene, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady, Warren and Washington — equal less than an eighth of the more than 41,000 people who were unemployed and looking for work in those counties during December, according to Labor Department figures.

The job bank doesn’t include every opening in the region, however.

This map shows which communities have at least 50 job openings. Niskayuna jobs are included with Schenectady, and Malta jobs with Ballston Spa. Because the East Greenbush-based Regeneron Pharmaceuticals plant has a Rensselaer mailing address, those jobs show up as Rensselaer-based.

Some of the best-paying positions are in Ballston Spa/Malta, Rensselaer and Schenectady… The Rensselaer figure was boosted by the relatively large number of management, engineering and life sciences job openings, while engineering job openings boosted the Ballston Spa/Malta figure.

GlobalFoundries has been expanding in Malta, while Regeneron is undertaking an expansion of its manufacturing plant on the East Greenbush/Rensselaer line.

In Schenectady, meanwhile, engineering, management and computer and mathematical job openings are heavily represented. General Electric Co. opened a new battery plant last year and has been adding jobs at its turbine and generator plant downtown. Its Global Research Center is headquartered in Niskayuna.

Meanwhile, Bolton Landing had by far the lowest average median salary figure among the dozen communities listed.

Openings in the Adirondack resort community were in just two job classifications: food preparation and serving (median annual earnings are $19,140) and building grounds/maintenance (median earnings are $23,720).

The Labor Department’s Jobs Express site has been operating since 2011 and is designed to help job-seekers more quickly locate openings near their home.

Labor Department spokesman Leo Rosales said 65,000 people have found jobs through the service since its debut.

The department is working with University at Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering on a job fair Saturday, Feb. 2, at which the nanocollege hopes to fill as many as 300 job openings. That event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the school on Fuller Road in Albany. Other job fairs are listed at the Department’s website.

The Times Union, meanwhile, also has a Jobs site in conjunction with monster.com that offers more than 1,000 area jobs.

Job openings by area

Most local opportunities are clustered near larger cities, and more rural areas pay less.

City/town Openings salary*
Albany 2,226 $46,196
Ballston Spa 88 $56,171
Bolton Landing 63 $20,958
Clifton Park 142 $40,174
Glens Falls 203 $38,791
Hudson 266 $40,815
Latham 237 $43,192
Queensbury 134 $37,785
Rensselaer 115 $53,239
Saratoga Springs 203 $41,018
Schenectady 400 $51,683
Troy 113 $43,031

* Median salaries for each job category were used to calculate an overall average based on the number of vacancies. Source: New York State Department of Labor

Downtown Schenectady Merchant Mashup

The New York Folklore Society presents a very special event and you’re invited! Join the Society on Friday, April 20th at the Gallery of New York Folk Art, 129 Jay Street as our guest at Downtown Schenectady’s Merchant Mash-Up!

The Society is hosting Tara Kitchen, a new Schenectady Restaurant which features the cuisine of Morocco. Come join as the New York Folklore Society and Tara Kitchen “Mash Up” to offer you a night of the “taste of Morocco” with chicken kebabs and roasted eggplant and garlic dip. There will be entertainment from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. with music by classical Indian musicians Veena and Devesh Chandra.

Downtown Schenectady’s Merchant Mash-Up pairs a downtown retail establishment with an area restaurant to provide a “taste” of what Downtown Schenectady offers. Last year’s Mash-Up was a great success and this year’s will be just as delicious! Besides food tastings from world cuisines, merchants will be offering specials and entertainment throughout the evening. Come Celebrate!

The performance by Veena and Devesh Chandra is supported by funds from the Schenectady County Initiative Program. The New York Folklore Society is supported by you, our members, as well as grants from the New York State Council on the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the William Gundry Broughton Charitable Foundation.