The Church is the People of God sharing in Jesus’ ministry of preaching, teaching and healing.
T (212) 288-5082
Email: info@sjbny.org
Eglise St. Jean Baptist
Rectory Address: 184 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021
Dear Parishioners and friends,
Vacation time is over. Though Autumn doesn’t officially begin until September 23 rd , it always seems like the Summer ends on Labor Day when we re-adjust to school schedules. Welcome back to “normal” life.
Here at the church, we’ve been working quietly, but intensely, throughout July and August, right up to the Labor Day weekend. As you may know, our main source of income comes not from our collections, but from the rental of the community center and theater. Keeping that area in top notch shape is important. So, we made some important upgrades in the theater and the surrounding halls. We replaced all the original theatrical lights with LED’s. These computerized lights can change color with a twist of a knob, a great upgrade from the old lights that needed to have scrims placed over each light to change the color. These lights also give off very little heat, unlike the old ones. This will cut back on our rising electric bill. We also replaced the sound system connecting it to the computer system. This will be a big plus for our musical rentals. We also painted the floor beneath the seats and repaired broken seats.
In the halls surrounding the theater we’ve replaced the flooring, which was beginning to sag in places. The floors were rebuilt and covered with ceramic tiles that look like wood. They’re easy to clean and maintain. While we had the floors torn up we replaced the original steam return pipes beneath these floors. These hundred-year-old pipes served us well. Hopefully, their successors will be as resilient.
The subterranean work of re-setting the three sets of stairs on Lexington Avenue continues. We’ve called in engineers several times as the work proceeded. It’s a delicate and slow process. The work continues.
We’ve sprung three leaks above the windows of the dome. We’re making plans to scaffold the exterior of the dome to inspect it, and repair and point wherever it’s needed. We’re hoping that we can take advantage of the scaffold by linking it to the re-placement of the exterior lighting fixtures. This is an unplanned and serious job. The scaffold will cost $65,000. We’ll have a realistic proposal for the pointing after the dome has been inspected.
Speaking of leaks. In the early morning hours of August 30 th , a water pipe gave way in a lavatory in a rehearsal room adjacent to the main organ gallery. The water poured through the floor, into the lower gallery organ, then into the vestibule and finally, down into the elevator outside the theater. The organ sustained approximately $100,000 in damages. The vestibule ceiling and the balcony ceiling will be assessed after everything has dried out. The ceiling and one wall in the foyer outside the elevator near the theater have collapsed. It won’t be too difficult to replace the damaged dry wall. We were able to re-open the elevator for use in spite of the damage. (The show must go on.)
Looking down the road. We have just under a million dollars in investments that I haven’t touched the entire time I have been here, since 2013. We’ve had many financial challenges during those ten years. I’m so happy that we didn’t have to touch the investments, and I don’t want to touch them now. So I’m reaching out to you for help. We have the stair project to pay for when it’s completed. Thankfully, the contractor, BHA, isn’t pushing us for immediate payment but, it will probably cost close to $200,000. We have $100,000 towards the project now. The surprise leaks in the dome will be priced after the scaffold is erected. As I mentioned, the scaffold alone is $65,000.
I’m hoping that we can raise funds without an official campaign. We’re a small congregation, but a generous one. Please consider a donation to the repair fund. As a reminder of the need, and a way to reach out to you , we’re going to have a second collection the last Sunday of each month beginning September 24 th . If you would prefer to give a one-time donation that would be fine and deeply appreciated. If you would like to give regularly in the special second collection that would be deeply appreciated, too. A reasonable goal to complete all the necessary in-process projects is $250,000. Please consider joining the community to address this challenge. Thank you very much for your on-going commitment.
Fr. John Kamas, sss Pastor
SATURDAY, September 23
SAINT PIUS OF PIETRELCINA
12:00 Pascual Contreras
5:00 William J. Conroy
SUNDAY, September 24
TWENTY-FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
9:00 Socorro De La Peña
11:00 Joan Dierickx Bartos
4:00 Steven Mazzela
MONDAY, September 25
12:00 Rosemary Gelshenen
TUESDAY, September 26
12:00 For the Parishioners & For All Enrolled In The St. Anne’s Shrine
WEDNESDAY, September 27
SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL
12:00 Victor Hugo Martinez Villalba
THURSDAY, September 28
12:00 Ellen Hagan
FRIDAY, September 29
SAINTS MICHAEL, GRABRIEL AND RAPHAEL
12:00 Wikeine C. Narvasa
SATURDAY, September 30
SAINT JEROME
12:00 Helen Brady
5:00 Bridie & James McKeirnan
WEEKDAY SCHEDULE
Church opens at 7:00 AM
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament from 8:00 AM until 11:30 AM
Confessions from 11:30 AM until 11:50 AM
MASS at 12:00 PM
SATURDAY SCHEDULE
Church Opens at 11:00 AM
Confessions from 11:30 AM until 11:50 AM
MASS at 12:00 PM
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament until 4:45 PM
Confessions from 4:30 PM until 4:50 PM
Anticipated Sunday MASS at 5:00
SUNDAY SCHEDULE
Church Opens at 8:30 AM
MASS at 9:00 AM
HIGH MASS at 11:00 AM
EVENING PRAYER at 3:15 PM
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament From Noon until 3:45 PM
MASS at 4:00 PM
Church Closes at 5:30 PM