St. John's School Open Enrollment
     We are enrolling students for the 2019-2020 school year. We are accepting new students into Pre-K 3 and into Kindergarten through 8^th grade. We currently have a waiting list for our Pre-K 4 program. Please contact Mrs. Johnson for a personal tour or to answer any questions. 716-937-9483  www.stjohnsalden.com 

LAWN FETE 2019
     Save the Date - July 19, 20 & 21
     Anyone who would be willing to bake and help us reach our goal of 90 pies for our Lawn Fate this year, please call the rectory at 716-937-6959. (Please note that we are unable to serve crème pies due to Health Department regulations.) We will also accept monetary donations to help with pies if you would like to contribute but are unable to bake. Thank you!
     Two weeks away and we are in need of your basket donations for the theme tray area and collectible items for the silent auction.  Anyone able to donate a finished basket with at least a $25 value, a gift card, lottery tickets, new merchandise or monetary amount, please call Shirley (716-937-6191) or Kim (716-446-3381).  We look forward to hearing from our friends and parishioners who have donated in the past and would appreciate the assistance of any other families that are able to contribute.  Thank you for your generous support!
     The 16^th Annual Cruz Night will be held on Friday, July 19. Registration is $5.00 and starts at 5pm.

Vacation Bible School
     "Roar, Life is Wild, God is Good!" Join us for St. John's VBS! Vacation Bible School will be held at St. John's from July 29 to August 2 from 9 am until 12 noon each day.  With "Roar, Life is Wild, God is Good", kids will discover that no matter how crazy, scary or amazing life may seem - God is good and he will always be there for us! It will be a fun-filled experience with games, treats, singing and dancing, and so much more! Kids in Pre-K 3 to 6th Grade are welcome to join our island adventure! There is a fee of $10/student.  To register, fill out a form found in the back of the church or contact Heather Taylor at 716-725-8648 or Maria LaVarnway at [email protected]

Building on Our Past, Securing Our Future 
     Within the next couple of weeks, we will receive a Summery Report detailing the results of our Building On Our Past, Securing Our Future program. Several Weeks ago, we began this program and we are beginning to see signs that our Sunday offertory collections are growing through the generosity of many parishioners. Thank you so very much to all who have chosen to participate in this very important program. Your generosity shows your willingness as faithful stewards to be a part of the ongoing mission of St. John the Baptist.

Is the Spirit Calling You to Serve?
      Our parish always welcomes additional helpers in our various liturgical ministries. Lectors, those who are appointed to proclaim the Word of God in the liturgical assembly, are particularly needed at this time, especially for the 8:00 a.m. Mass. More Eucharistic Ministers, those who assist at Mass by distributing the Holy Eucharist and Precious Blood to members of the congregation, are also needed for all Masses. To learn more about becoming a lector, please contact Judy Bowman at 523-9287. Those interested in serving as Extraordinary Minsters of Holy Communion, please call Pat Heslin at 937-9293. You could also speak to Deacon Marc or Deacon Peter or call the rectory (937-6959) during the week. If you know someone who would be good in one of these ministries, please encourage them, too!

Troop 117
      Boy Scout Troop 117 is celebrating its 80^th year. We would like to invite all past members; Scouts and Committee Members to come to a picnic on Tuesday, July 23 at the Alden Town Park Shelter 1 at 6pm. We are asking anyone with any memorabilia or picture from/ of the troop to display at the picnic. Contact: Scoutmaster Robert Rimbeck at 863-1243,or Committee Chair: Tibor Stotz at 937-6936.

Reflections of Fr. Vince Becker, Priest Moderator – Love and Prayer

      On the weekend of February 2 & 3, I introduced myself as the priest designated by the Bishop of Buffalo to be the Parish Moderator. In short that means I am the go-between person for Debbie Brown, Pastoral Administrator, and the Diocese of Buffalo. Thank you for welcoming me. I immediately feel I have a lot in common with you. I’m glad to be a part of St. John the Baptist Parish.

       I did, however, notice that there is some friction in the parish. Perhaps some would prefer to not bring that out in public, thinking that making it public only worsens the problem. My feeling would be more like: people already know there is some problem, better bring it out in public so we can talk about it. One person told me that I insulted many people by what I said. I certainly did not mean anything like that, and I sincerely apologize if I did offend anyone. Please forgive me. I’m not really certain what I did to cause negative feelings but maybe it was I appeared to be taking sides. Or perhaps some felt I was being sent to squelch any resistance. I certainly don’t feel my role as anything like that. My role is to help unify the parish and, as St. Paul says so often in these cases, “I want you to be happy.” I’ve always lived with the principle in my own life: in an argument no one is totally right, no one is totally wrong – meaning that there is always room for dialogue and talking out a difference.

       To return to making the tension public, some might feel it is better not to talk about it. And yet in several of Paul’s letters, he talks about tension and problems and in no way expects the problem will go away if we don’t talk about it. It’s true that the kind of problems Paul experienced in his day are different from the types of problems we experience in churches today. Nonetheless the inner dynamics are the same – when there is a difference of opinion, silence will not solve the problem. I’ve included here some of the Bible passages about conflict in the early New Testament Church: Colossians 2:16-19; Acts 17:2-9; Ephesians 4:1-6; Galatians 4:17-20. It is noteworthy that Paul had a special affection for the community at Philippi and he loved the people in a special way. Yet, at the end of his letter, he names names. “I appeal to Euodia, and I appeal to Syntyche to come to agreement with each other in the Lord and I ask Syzygos to be truly a companion and to help them in this” (Philippians 4:2).

       To summarize, Paul really has only one answer to alleviate problems of tension. It is the law of love. Read Romans 12:9-21 especially. “Love one another with the affection of brothers.” “Be patient under trial, persevere in prayer.” “Bless your persecutors.” “Never repay injury for injury.” “Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.” Final summary. As Jesus was preparing his apostles at the Last Supper for when they would be in charge of the Church, he said: “I give you a new commandment: love one another. Such as my love has been for you, so must your love be for one another. This is how all will know you for my disciples: your love for one another” (John 13:34-35).