Faith in the Public Square

The annual John U. Miller CROP Hunger Walk, sponsored by the Capital Area Council of Churches, will take place at St. Vincent’s Roman Catholic Church, 900 Madison Avenue in Albany this Sunday, May 4.    Registration begins at 1:30 p.m. with the walk starting at 2:30 p.m.   According to the Council’s website, CROP stands for “Communities Respond to Overcome Poverty”. People of all ages collect pledges and walk in one of the CROP Walks that take place in the greater Capital District. The John U. Miller CROP Hunger Walk occurs each year on the first Sunday in May. Congregations throughout Albany County join together to end hunger, one step at a time.   To learn more, or to register on-line for the event, click here .

The annual ecumenical Good Friday Service of the Capital Area Council of Churches will be at noon on April 18 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Albany. It also will be live-streamed.   Based on the last seven words of Christ on the cross, the service will feature clergy and laity from a variety of denominations . The year’s speakers are:   The Rt. Rev. Jeremiah Williamson (Episcopal Diocese of Albany) The Rev. Dr. Amaury Tañón-Santos (Sycamore Collaborative) The Rev. Heather Kirk-Davidoff (Westminster Presbyterian Church) The Rev. Elizabeth Moses (Bethany Reformed Church) The Rev. David Moore (Presbyterian, retired) Fr. James Kane (Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany) The Rev. Glendora Battle (Welcome Chapel, Missionary Baptist Church) To register for the livestream, click  https://www.capareacc.org/programs/good-friday-ecumenical-service/

Graduating high school seniors who live, worship, or attend school in Albany or southern Rensselaer County have until March 31 to apply for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship offered by the Capital Area Council of Churches. Applicants must be active in their school and faith community and accepted at an accredited college or university for the fall semester. They must submit a 500-word essay regarding their understanding about the teachings of Rev. King and how they might promote his ideals in their life. An on-line form and additional information are available here .

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Interfaith Celebration will be held this Wednesday (January 15) at 7 p.m. at Congregation Beth Emeth, 100 Academy Road in Albany.    The Capital Area Council of Churches provides the following information.   This year’s speaker is Rabbi Greg Weitzman Senior Rabbi of Congregation Beth Emeth. Music will be provided by the Interfaith Choir, Community Voices, The Festival Celebration Choir, and Cantor Emily Short. Faiths participating include Christian, Jewish, Islam, and Buddhism.   This interfaith memorial service is held each year on January 15, Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and brings community members together to reflect on Dr. King’s legacy. It also includes a time to collect donations for the Capital Area Council of Churches’ Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Awards for high school seniors.   Now Accepting Applications – Deadline March 31, 2025   The MLK scholarship is available to graduating ...

Peter Crasto-Donnelly has been selected as the new Executive Director of the Capital Area Council of Churches . Peter has served on the board for five years and as Board President for the last two years. He is a member of the Shrine Church of Our Lady of the Americas in Albany.     In making the announcement, the board expressed its thanks to Bruce France for his five years of service as Executive Director and thanked him for his ongoing help to ensure a smooth transition.   A video message from Peter is available here .

The Annual Fall Dinner and Awards Celebration of the Capital Area Council of Churches in September will recognize “five individuals whom with their collaborative spirit and willingness to go the extra mile have made a significant impact on our community.” Those individuals are:   Rev. Antonio Booth - Rev. Booth was Co-Pastor at Riverview Missionary Baptist Church for many years and is currently an Associate Pastor at Macedonia Baptist Church.   Rev. Dr. Roxanne Jones-Booth – Dr. Booth was Co-Pastor at Riverview Missionary Baptist Church and is currently an Associate Pastor at Macedonia Baptist Church.   Rob Kovach - Rob is the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Northeastern New York.   Natasha Pernicka - Natasha is the Executive Director of The Alliance for a Hunger Free New York and the Food Pantries for the Capital District.   Rev. James Kane - Father Kane is the longtime Director of the Commission on Ecumenic...

In 1973, the Capital Area Council of Churches established a scholarship to honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is described as “a positive way of encouraging young people to keep striving for the fulfillment of Dr. King’s dream.”   The scholarship is available to graduating high school seniors who live, worship, or attend school in Albany or southern Rensselaer County. Awards are given without regard to race, creed, or gender. The deadline to apply for this year’s award is March 31.   According to the Council website, “Applicants must be active in their school and faith community and accepted at an accredited college or university for the fall semester. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and for the ideals of peace and equality for which he devoted his entire life, recipients will be asked to explore in an essay how they exhibit an understanding of and a desire to implement the goals of Dr. King.”   For more information or to obtain an application...

The Capital Area Council of Churches reports that the 2022 John U. Miller Memorial CROP Hunger Walk in Albany ended up raising a record amount of money -- $111,380.   First United Methodist Church of Delmar raised $17,803, once again earning top spot among the various teams. Westminster Presbyterian Church was second place with $9,342, followed by Bethany Reformed with $8,885.    Teams were encouraged to walk as they pleased, either the traditional walk in Albany or at another time or place of their choosing. There were 36 teams and 167 individuals who registered.   Applications for allocations from the 25% local share of the funds raised [$27,845 by my calculation] are being sent to Albany County food pantries and soup kitchens.    Next year's in-person event, which will take place on May 7, 2023, with virtual/ satellite walks throughout the month.   For several years, I have been fortunate to serve on the allocations committee tha...

The Capital Area Council of Churches will have a Good Friday Ecumenical Service at noon on April 15.  The service will be at First Lutheran Church, 181 Western Avenue in Albany. People can participate in person, via Zoom or on Facebook Live.   The service is being prepared by the following clergy:  - Rev. William Hinrichs – St. John’s Episcopal Church, Cohoes;  - Pastor Rebecca Richards – Trinity United Methodist Church, Albany;  - Rev. D. Lowell Chilton – First Lutheran Church, Albany;  - Rev. Charles Anthony Rogers, Sr. – First Congregational Church, Albany;  - Rev. James Kane – Director, Commission for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany.   Links to Zoom and Facebook are here .

The Capital Area Council of Churches and the League of Women Voters are looking to reduce polarization in our nation by hosting a virtual documentary screening of “Braver Angels: Reuniting America” on March 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:15 p.m. The film follows the actual workshop of a group of “reds” and “blues” who were able to come together to find common ground and to even forge friendships despite initial tensions, apprehensions, and differing views. Following the 50-minute film, there will be breakout rooms "to facilitate discussions on the issue and potential ways to implement the principles of constructive communication in order to forge positive actions both politically and socially." To register, go here .