1+ week, 1+ day ago (351+ words) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. " Fellowship Baptist Church will host its annual "Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner" event, serving a hot meal and distributing food baskets to members of the community on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 12 to 4 p.m. The church is located at 3036 Richmond Terrace. The event marks the second year of a partnership between the church and the Staten Island Chapter of Jack & Jill of America Inc., a mothers" organization focused on leadership development and community service. Nikki Rosado, president of the Staten Island chapter, said last year"s event drew strong participation from families and volunteers. "I personally remember last year, a family coming over to me and saying how thankful they were. It just touched my heart," she said. The partnership aligns with Jack & Jill of America"s mission to support African American children through leadership development and community service. "We also really emphasize in…...

2+ week, 3+ day ago (431+ words) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. " The 42nd annual "Red Mass," a spiritual event that asks for guidance and strength during the coming term of the courts, was celebrated in Blessed Sacrament R.C. Church recently. It's a day that originated in Europe during Medieval times and it marks the opening of the judicial year. A tradition within the Roman Catholic Church that dates back to the 13th century, it was upheld mainly in France, Italy and England. The religious commemorative, in the form of a Mass, requests guidance from the Holy Spirit for all those who seek justice, and offers the legal community with an opportunity to reflect on the power and responsibility of all in the legal profession. During medieval times, government officials, lawyers and judges proceeded into church clothed in red vestments or red garments signifying the fire of the Holy Spirit's guidance to all…...

3+ week, 5+ day ago (345+ words) Some Catholic parishes in four northern New Jersey counties may be consolidated as soon as 2027, church officials said. The discussion in the Archdiocese of Newark is the latest challenge facing Catholic leaders in New Jersey. While the state still has one of the highest percentages of Catholic residents in the nation, church attendance has been falling and more than 30 Catholic schools have closed in the past five years due to declining enrollment. The possible parish consolidations stem from an ongoing review launched in June by Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin with the aim of strengthening the Catholic faith "amid a changing Church landscape," a spokesperson said. The review, called "We Are His Witnesses," includes considering new partnerships between parishes. "As the initiative progresses, viable parishes may choose to merge beginning in 2027, based on readiness," Maria Margiotta, executive director of communications for the…...

2+ week, 1+ day ago (533+ words) STATEN ISLAND, NY-- A local church recently marked its golden anniversary with a two-day celebration featuring traditional masses and a community procession. Mar Gregorios Orthodox Syrian Church of India, located at 175 Brielle Ave. in Sea View, has a past worthy of a long celebration. According to the written history, the story began in 1968 when Syrian Christian families from Kerala, India settled on Staten Island and faced the challenge of establishing a place to worship. By 1974, 13 people gathered in an apartment and decided to begin services in a chapel of a Roman Catholic Church in Tompkinsville. The group held its first worship service on Aug. 11, 1974, naming itself St. Thomas Orthodox Syrian Congregation. The following February, the congregation incorporated under the title of Mar Gregorios Orthodox Syrian Church of India. In 1977, the church brought a priest from Kerala to serve the growing…...

6+ day, 11+ hour ago (323+ words) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. " Fellowship Baptist Church hosted its annual "Pre-Thanksgiving Dinner" event, serving the community freshly cooked meals and distributing food baskets on Saturday, Nov. 22, from 12 to 4 p.m. It was located in Mariners Harbor at 3036 Richmond Terrace. In partnership with the Staten Island Chapter of Jack & Jill of America Inc. for a second year, organizers focused on supporting those who continue to face food insecurity and rising grocery costs. Maytee Thomas, a member of the Staten Island Chapter emphasized the importance of the event. "It"s to help families in the community, now that this is a season of Thanksgiving, to give every family an opportunity to come together and have a meal and a basket filled with goods that they can go back to share with their families," said Thomas. Several community leaders were present to offer support, including Councilmember Kamillah…...

1+ week, 23+ hour ago (624+ words) St. Philips Baptist Church Night of Serving 2025 STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. " The oldest African American Baptist church on Staten Island, St. Philips Baptist Church, a cornerstone of the Port Richmond community for 155 years, opened its doors on the Saturday before Thanksgiving to provide an early holiday dinner to Staten Islanders in need during the church's annual Night of Serving. The church's community fellowship event attracted more than 150 visitors who enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal complete with all the traditional dishes. The feast featured a variety of foods, much of which was donated and prepared by church members. The menu included turkey, ham, corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, mac and cheese, cornbread, and a wide assortment of desserts. The day focused on partnership, with church parishioners volunteering to serve, clean and prepare meals for the event. "Today exemplifies what ministry is…...

4+ day, 17+ hour ago (434+ words) STATEN ISLAND, NY -- Religious leaders from across Staten Island gathered in Willowbrook on Tuesday to condemn hate and celebrate religious freedom. The interfaith leaders were joined by Borough President Vito Fossella, District Attorney Michael McMahon and Assemblymember Sam Pirozzolo, a Republican who represents Mid-Island, on the steps of Young Israel of Staten Island to express their support for protecting the rights of people to practice their faith freely. Fossella tied the gathering to the celebration of Thanksgiving, and how the Pilgrims left England in search of religious freedoms. This event followed a large protest outside the Park East Synagogue in Manhattan on Nov. 19. According to amNewYork, there were videos of the event where anti-Israel protestors could be heard saying "Globalize the intifada," "Death to the IDF" and "Resistance " take another settler out." It was reported that the demonstration ended with…...

6+ day, 13+ hour ago (645+ words) TULSA, Okla. " Former New York Mets great Darryl Strawberry praised Jesus and thanked President Donald Trump for pardoning his past tax evasion and drug charges as he preached Sunday at a Tulsa church. Jackson Lahmeyer, founder of Pastors for Trump, welcomed the eight-time All-Star to the pulpit of Sheridan Church, where more than 400 worshippers cheered when Strawberry mentioned Trump's decision earlier this month to issue the pardon. "God just completely set me free when he gave me a pardon from President Donald J. Trump," said the 1983 National League Rookie of the Year. "Other presidents had opportunities, but they didn't do it." Strawberry hit 335 homers and had 1,000 RBIs and 221 stolen bases in 17 seasons with the Mets, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees. For years, the four-time World Series champion battled legal, health and personal problems. He served 11 months…...

3+ day, 18+ hour ago (395+ words) The poet Rumi once said, "Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life." I like that image because it suggests gratitude isn't something we express once a year; it's something we live in. It keeps us warm when life feels cold, and it reminds us that grace often shows up in small, unremarkable ways. Marcus Aurelius wrote, "When you arise in the morning, think of what a privilege it is to be alive " to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love." He wasn't talking about grand success or perfect days. He was talking about ordinary mornings " the kind most of us rush through without a thought. Gratitude, at its core, is simply paying attention. I know that not every Thanksgiving table feels easy. Some of you are carrying grief or sitting across from someone…...