News - December 2022 RSS Feed

The thirty-fifth annual Community Christmas Dinner, for Town residents and Bethlehem community church members, will be hosted by the First United Methodist Church, 428 Kenwood Avenue, Delmar on Christmas Day in Fellowship Hall. Hospitality begins 1:30 p.m. followed by a 2:00 p.m. turkey and ham dinner with all of the trimmings. This festive occasion is made possible through the help, coordination and gracious donations from town churches, civic organizations, Bethlehem Senior Projects, Inc. individuals and the Town of Bethlehem Senior Services Department. Bethlehem Senior Transportation will provide transportation for Town residents over 60 years of age. To make dinner reservations or arrange for transportation, please contact the Senior Services office at 518-439-4955, extension 1176. There is no charge for the dinner, but a good will offering will be accepted. Those who wish to make a monetary donation for the occasion can do so by contacting Bruce McShane, Christmas Day Committee Chairman at 518-928-3035. If Covid numbers rise we may change to delivery only.

A Blue Christmas Celebration is a service to attend if, despite all the decorations, the cards, the music playing in the shops, the concerts and parties and the advertisers who want you to believe that you can buy wonderful, you don’t really feel very much like celebrating. Somewhere to come if the idea that a Merry Little Christmas is all you need for your troubles to be miles away has a decidedly hollow ring to it. Join us on December 20th at 7 pm at Christ the King Church.

The Diocese of Albany is coordinating a series of Hope and Healing Masses, one each month in each of our seven Vicariates. The purpose of these Masses is to acknowledge that each person experiences trauma, abuse, or grief at different points in their life. Many people suffer in silence. It is the goal of the Diocese to assist all who struggle, to offer them Christ’s healing presence in the Mass, and to provide mental health support and resources for those who may need them. Please join us for the Hope and Healing Mass in the Beverwyck Vicariate: Sunday, December 18, 2022, 10:00am Mass St. Pius X Church 23 Crumitie Rd. Loudonville, NY 12211 Bishop Edward Scharfenberger, Celebrant and Homilist Afterwards, members of the Diocesan Hope and Healing Team will be available to talk, as well as local counselors and mental health professionals. For more information and local resources click here.

Thank you to Julie Buhr, our December Agape Latte presenter and host Sarah Bernasconi. Click here for pictures

You are invited to An Advent Retreat: Is This Who We've Waited For? Saturday, December 17 from 9-11:30 am at the Joshua House in Altamont. Accept the gift of this Advent Season, take time for yourself and God. Consider why we prepare ourselves for this child to be born in Bethlehem. Click here to sign-up for the retreat.

Special thanks to all those who in solidarity with our sister parish in Mexico, prayed the Rosary for the last 46 days in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Special thanks and blessings to our Pueblo to People Committee, Fr. Rick, Fr. Dan, Deacon Ramon Bonifacio and Fr. Tom Hayes and all who joined in honoring our Mother Mary in the celebration of the Mass and Rosary. We thank Bruce McShane and George Harder for assisting with hospitality. Our Lady our Mother continue to hold us close in your mantle of love! Click here for more photos

Thursday, December 15th at 6 pm at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church is the third installment of the Furthering Your Faith series. Fr. Stephen Yusko will be delivering a talk entitled, "Come, Let Us Adore Him: Adoring the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist." The talk will begin at 6 pm followed by an opportunity for questions. Following the presentation, Eucharistic Adoration will be held from 7-8pm, with Priests available to hear confessions during this time. “Furthering Your Faith” is a collaboration between parish networks in the Capital Region, offering monthly lectures on a variety of topics germane to Catholic life. Each one-hour talk will be followed by a period of prayer, featuring an hour of Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction. These events are free of charge and open to all ages. We look forward to seeing you there.