S t. M a r y ' s C h u r c h 8 6 C h u r c h H i l l R o a d W a t e r f o r d, N Y 1 2 1 8 8 We want to connect with you! Check out our website stmaryscrescent.com V o l u m e 2, I s s u e 1 S e p t e m b e r 8, 2 0 1 5 F e a s t o f t h e N a t i v i t y o f t h e B l e s s e d V i r g i n M a r y Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ StMarysCrescent Connect with us on our Parish App!! Go to myparishapp.com and download it today or search myparish in your smartphone s app store. Parish Office: 371-9632 smcsec@nycap.rr.com Faith Formation Office: 371-9521 smcsecff@nycap.rr.com I n s i d e t h i s i s s u e : Parish Events 2 myparish App 2 Parish Website 2 Vocations 2 A Message from Richard Putorti - Music Director I Don't Sing At Church Because I m Not Good Enough. Has anyone ever said that to you? Have you said that to anyone else? I know that I have heard this a time or two over my many years in music ministry. Let me reassure you that our God does not ask his faithful congregations to be in perfect pitch but rather to be in prayerful praise. The Bible has many references that remind us of God s invitation to sing: Come, let us sing joyfully to the LORD; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. (Psalm 95:1) Sing praise to the LORD with the lyre and melodious song. With trumpets and the sound of the horn shout with joy to the King, the LORD. ( Psalm 98: 5,6) Be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another [in] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts ( Eph 5: 18,19). Each week our cantors invite the congregation to join in the psalm of the day, the proclamation of God s word in song, as prescribed by the Roman Missal. The invitation to sing comes from our music leaders, and the song numbers on the board are a constant reminder to join in the song. You certainly have never heard an invitation to sing such as our communion song for those of you who can really sing is #456. (If you have, someone s been keeping that from me.) God does, however, invite those who have been blessed with musical gifts into greater service to his people. Music ministry is one way that ministers - directors of music, choir members, cantors, pianists, organists, and instrumentalists - answer their baptismal call to serve Christ and to lead His people. According to the U.S. bishops in Sing to the Lord: Music in Divine Worship, Choirs may also enrich congregational singing by adding harmonies and descants, and the many voices of the organ and of instrumental ensembles, with their great range of expression, add varied and colorful dimensions to the song of the assembly, especially with the addition of harmonization. Speak with Richard or Katie after mass, or contact Richard (smcmusic@nycap.rr.com) to find out about a variety of opportunities to use your musical talents in service to our parish. Music Ministry at St. Mary s is always open. David Haas, well-known Catholic composer, has written and from the very beginning, God had a plan, that his son Jesus, a young Jewish man, would sing the songs of his people. And so Jesus sang all his life long, and he sang with his disciples on the night before he died, when he became God's greatest song for us. And the generations of those who believed in Jesus kept on singing; how could they not?! You see, music was - and is - God's idea. From the very beginning, God has always encouraged us and even commanded us to sing I pray that any reluctant voices in our parish hear the call to join in the heavenly sound of our congregational singing. Fear not that your voices be tuned for sound, but ask that your hearts be tuned for praise. Richard Putorti, Director of Music Ministry Renewal Form Opportunities in Ministry Sister Parish Update 5 Year of Mercy 5 3 4 Welcome New Staff 6 Faith Formation Information If you haven t already signed your children up for Faith Formation, please be sure to do that by September 15 th. There are a variety of class times available to you. If you have questions about registration for classes or for sacramental preparation, please be sure to reach out to our Faith Formation office at 371-9521 or smcsecff@nycap.rr.com. Our first Family Liturgy will be September 27, 2015 at the 10:30 am Mass. This is our kick-off for the Faith Formation year and we hope to see all of our families at Mass! We will have 7 Family Liturgies throughout the year, keep an eye on the calendar for dates. In addition to our first Family Liturgy of the year, we will be having a social after the 10:30 am Mass on September 27 th to say thank you to Mary Anne Cureau, our former Faith Formation Director. Mary Anne left her position with St. Mary s at the end of July and will continue as an active parishioner within the Parish community. We are always looking for additional catechists in the parish as well. What is a catechist? A catechist is an adult or older youth who is interested in teaching or assisting with teaching a grade level or helping with a retreat. It s a great way to get service hours for those older youth who need them for school. Keep up to date by looking at our website at www.stmaryscrescent.com and be sure to stay connected by downloading our myparish App!
P a g e 2 Parish Happenings Sunday, September 27, 2015 - An Appreciation Social for Mary Anne Cureau Social will be in the Parish Hall directly following the Family Liturgy at the 10:30 am Mass Monday, September 21 OR Wednesday, September 30, 2015 - Ministry Renewal Sessions 6:30 pm in the church, all Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Hospitality Ministers and Music Ministers are asked to attend one of these 90 minute sessions. Saturday, October 10, 2015 - Family Pasta Dinner 5:30 pm at St. Mary s, Crescent Parish Hall, join us for an evening of fellowship and food! Friday, November 6, 2015 - Wine Tasting FunRaising Event 7:00 pm in the Parish Hall - Great wines and delicious food! Saturday, November 7, 2015 - Bishop Scharfenberger to preside at 4:30 pm Mass followed by concert 4:30 pm Mass followed by Tuned for Praise Youth Concert in the church Please send us your email address at smcsec@nycap.rr.com In an effort to stay in touch we may be starting an electronic newsletter in the future! Parish App In January, 2015, St. Mary s, Crescent was the first Parish in the Albany Diocese to launch their own myparish App for smart phones. The purpose of the app is to make sure we are reaching people in the fastest, most effective way possible at all times. This is just one more way to spread the Good News of the Gospel! What is the app for? With the app, you are alerted if the church is closing due to weather, you can learn about upcoming events, read the bulletin, get the daily readings, check mass times and more! If you have not yet joined the 521 parishioners who have already downloaded the app, what are you waiting for? Search myparish in your app store or visit myparishapp.com from your smart device. Vocations A message from the Vocation Team of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany: Website www.stmaryscrescent.com Our website is continuously updated with the events of the parish and information that our parishioners need to know! The news and announcements on the homepage are a great place to look for the latest news and happenings going on around the parish. Does your committee or parish group have news that they d like to share with others? Please let Stephanie know so that she can get that info out on the website! Contact her at 371-9632 or smcsec@nycap.rr.com. We seek to help others discover their Call and vocation from God. Sometimes the simple question What is a priest? or What is a Sister? begins the internal process of questioning more and this leads to a further invitation to Come and See. Our religion and faith as Catholics encourage us to prayerfully consider the purpose of our lives. Along this path will be an ongoing pursuit of the richness of Catholic Theology as well as growth in prayer, growth in understanding the dynamics of community living as well as a deepening involvement in the ministries of the Roman Catholic Church. Personal growth is also necessary along the road of vocation discernment. We are here to guide those who want to know What is my Calling? " Bishop Scharfenberger has asked that every Parish of the Albany Diocese have a Vocation Team. He shared that if the only thing the committee did was pray for Vocations, once a week or once a month, that this would be a great start. Of course the Vocation Team could do more, but our first step is forming our team. If you re interested, please let Stephanie know at 371-9632 or smcsec@nycap.rr.com. S t. M a r y s C h u r c h, C r e s c e n t
V o l u m e 2, I s s u e 1 P a g e 3 GOD S INVITATION to SHARE HIS GIFTS with OTHERS Our Annual Renewal of Ministry at St. Mary s, Crescent It has been said that generosity is at the heart of the Christian Life, just as it is at the heart of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is through our generosity that we are able to bring the Love of God to life for others in very real and tangible ways. The call to share our time and talent within our St. Mary s Parish and in other areas of daily life is with us always. Often the person that can do the job, is not someone else, but us. God is calling us to reach out in service, in ministry to our Brothers and Sisters. Our Brothers and Sisters in the Lord await our response to God s Call. Please note the list of Ministry Opportunities listed on the reverse side of this page Please complete the information below and kindly return to the Parish: St. Mary s Church, Crescent 86 Church Hill Road Waterford, NY 12188 Thanks for your Ministry past, present and future! Area(s) of Parish Ministry that I am interested in are: In the space below please list the area(s) of Parish Ministry and Life that you are interested in: (See next page for listing of present Parish Ministry opportunities) Also, please share the following information: Your Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Home Phone: Cell Phone: E-Mail Address: Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much. St. Mary s Church, Crescent 86 Church Hill Road Waterford, NY 12188 PLEASE VISIT our INFORMATION KIOSK in the GATHERING AREA of CHURCH for MORE INFORMATION in the next few weeks.
Altar Care Eucharistic Minister at Weekend Mass Greeters/Hospitality at Weekend Mass Lector/Reader at Weekend Mass Server at Weekend Mass (Youth) Server (Adult for Funerals) Lector/Reader at Daily Mass Eucharistic Minister at Daily Mass Alzheimer s Care Team Bereavement Support Group Building Bridges Committee (Sister Parish) Communion to Homebound Prayer Chain Visit Homebound Visit Hospitals & Nursing Homes Finance Committee Member Pastoral Council Member Liturgy Committee Member Bishop Appeal Committee Member Vocation Committee Member Capital Improvements & Projects Bulk Mailing Preparation Computer Assistance Money Counter (Sunday AM) Office Assistance Office Receptionist (Occasional) Photography Short Term Projects Social Media Assistance Telephoning Building & Grounds Committee Church Cleaning (Thursday AM) Church Decorating Flower Bed Care (Monday AM) Landscaping & Grounds Work Painting Small Repairs/Light Maintenance Snow Removal Assistance (Sidewalks) Faith Formation Teacher (K through 5) Faith Formation Aide (K through 5) Faith Formation Substitute Jr./Sr. High Teacher (6 through 10) Jr./Sr. High Aide (6 through 10) Jr./Sr. High Substitute Sacramental Preparation Youth Ministry Activities/Events Youth Ministry Retreats Assist w/youth Ministry Activities RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) Adult Education Cantor at Mass Choir Member for Weekend Mass Instrumentalist Social Committee Member Coffee Hour (After Masses) Food Pantry Human Concerns Committee Knitting & Crocheting Group St. Mary s Church, Crescent Opportunities for Ministry in our Parish Please consider responding to God s Call by completing and returning to the parish ASAP. Thank you! WORSHIP: OUTREACH: ADMINISTRATION: Please mark the area or areas of Parish Ministry you are considering and you will be contacted soon regarding your participation! OFFICE: MAINTENANCE: EDUCATION: MUSIC: SOCIAL CONCERNS:
V o l u m e 2, I s s u e 1 P a g e 5 Sister Parish Update Welcome Fr. Tomás Racancoj Batz pastor of San Gaspar Chajul Guatemala! In late February, Padre Tomás was appointed pastor of San Gaspar Chajul, our sister parish. As we learned of this change in leadership, we prayed that the new pastor would have an interest in promoting the solidarity of our sister parish relationship. Correspondence then began via email; we are quite pleased that Padre Tomás is very willing to continue with this parish relationship. In our most recent email he shared his goals for the future of San Gaspar along with 20 new photos. In addition, he has informed us that in the near future San Gaspar will have a Facebook page! Year of Mercy Fr. Tomás We know that Padre Tomás is a native Mayan. His past assignments in the Department of Quiche were city parishes located in Santa Cruz and Chichicastenango. San Gaspar in contrast is located in a somewhat remote area; it is comprised of many small prayer communities many of which are inaccessible by car. We have heard that Padre Tomás is in his middle to late 30's and very interested in the youth of the parish. The San Gaspar parish district has a very large population of young people; we hope that we will be able to initiate correspondence with these young people in the upcoming year. Padre Tomás goals center around providing opportunities for all members of his parish community to participate in sharing their faith and spreading the good news, it appears that he would whole-heartedly join Fr. Joe in saying, "alone we can do so little, together we can do so much." We encourage you to view our page on the St. Mary s, Crescent website to see the faces of the people of Chajul, ultimately they are just like us, people of faith who want the best for their family and loved ones. We also invite you to join our Building Bridges committee; check the bulletin for meeting dates; bring your ideas and passion for building a global faith community, all are welcome to attend! Musicians Needed!! Liturgical Music Ensemble: 10:30 am Sunday Mass Looking for instruments and voices, High School age parishioners and above Youth Choir: (for younger voices) to sing the prelude before Mass on Family Liturgy Sundays Cantors for all masses! Contact Richard Putorti at smcmusic@nycap.rr.com December 8, 2015 through November 20, 2016 Corporal Works Spiritual Works of Mercy of Mercy Feed the hungry Admonish the sinner Give drink to the thirsty Instruct the ignorant Clothe the naked Counsel the doubtful Shelter the homeless Comfort the sorrowful Visit the sick Bear wrongs patiently Visit the imprisoned Forgive all injuries Bury the dead Pray for the living and the dead " T h e c h u r c h i s t h e h o u s e t h a t w e l c o m e s a l l a n d r e f u s e s n o o n e. I t s d o o r s r e m a i n w i d e o p e n, s o t h a t t h o s e t o u c h e d b y g r a c e c a n fi n d t h e c e r t a i n t y o f f o r g i v e n e s s. N o o n e c a n b e e x c l u d e d f r o m t h e m e r c y o f G o d! ~ P o p e F r a n c i s A WORD FROM OUR PASTORAL CARE ASSOCIATE If you or a family member are homebound, ill, in a hospital/rehab center/ nursing home, in need of having Communion brought to you, or in need of a friendly visit, please let us know. It is important to us that we stay connected as the worshipping community of St. Mary s, Crescent. Contact Jeanne Gracon, Pastoral Care Associate at 371-9632 ext. 11 or at smcare@nycap.rr.com
Welcome! Meet our new Director of Faith Formation and our Permanent Deacon St. Mary s Church is happy to welcome Deacon Andy Grebe as our new Director of Faith Formation and our new Permanent Deacon! Many know Deacon Andy and his wife Mary from their many years as Parishioners of the Parish. Deacon Grebe was ordained a permanent deacon just over two years ago. During the past two years Deacon Grebe has served as Deacon at St. Clare s Church in Colonie. We welcome Deacon Andy, his wife Mary and their family back home. Our new Music Leader at our 4:30 pm Saturday & 8:00 am Sunday Masses St. Mary s Church, Crescent is happy to welcome Katie Dill as our new leader of music and song at the 4:30 pm Saturday Vigil Mass and the 8:00 am Sunday Morning Mass. Katie is a musician as well as a follower of Christ. She started accompanying choirs and soloists when she was 12, and joined the Empire State Youth Orchestra in high school. She began serving her community by providing music for masses at Holy Names where she learned she had a love for music ministry. She graduated last May and is beginning to pursue the opportunities God has provided for her in the Church. Music and God are Katie s biggest passions. St. Mary s Church, Crescent 86 Church Hill Road Waterford, NY 12188 NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 20 WATERFORD, NY Weekend Mass Schedule: Saturday Vigil Mass 4:30 pm Sunday Masses 8:00 am & 10:30 am Contact Us Phone : 371-9632 Email: smcsec@nycap.rr.com www.stmaryscrescent.org A Roman Catholic Faith Community committed to prayer, presence, witness, and support.