News

This year, the Ukrainian National Home of Trenton Vertep visited our parish and presented a well organized vertep play with Christmas greetings and carols. Many parishioners of Assumption parish in Perth Amboy, NJ were deeply touched, for they witnessed re-birth of traditions from their own childhood.

The Ukrainian Assumption Seniors held a Christmas Party Thursday December 8th at the Reo Diner Woodbridge NJ. After a delicious lunch all in attendance received a Poinsettia a donation from Novak Funeral Home and cookies and a candy mug donated by Eleanor Kataryniak.The Assumption Seniors presented a  Christmas Gift of $2000 to Assumption Parish. An afternoon of fellowship was enjoyed by all who attended.

While it may seem too early to be thinking about the holidays, the students here at ACS in Perth Amboy, NJ are doing just that. They have taken on the role of being helpers to Saint Nicholas. Although his special day does not get here until December, donation of school supplies, books, and warm clothing items have been collected now so that they may reach the children of Ukraine that have been left parentless, homeless, or both, due to the continued war between Russia and Ukraine.

The Class of 2017 has taken on this effort as a class service project to coordinate the collection of these items to pass on to the Ukrainian American Youth Association. The U.A.Y.A. in turn will be sure that all donations make it in time for Saint Nicholas to make his deliveries of joy to the children. Hopefully, there will be many happy children when Saint Nicholas arrives in Ukraine with these wonderful gifts.

What an amazing first day of camp! The first day was a day filled to the brim with fun. It started out at our church hall where 22 children offered prayer to Almighty God. Then a day was filled with variety of fun activities that included a visit to St. Michael Archangel in our church after art project about angels. Strawberries, whipped cream, & "angel food" cake for snack after lesson about angels. Craft project with butterflies during discussion on the beauty of creation. The children also learn how to create their designs by watching their pastor create his. Melanie Fedynyshyn did a great job as our instructor for camp! She and her husband John have been pivotal in the success of camp. Pleases come tomorrow for the second day of crafts, fun bible stories, snacks, BBQ in Fr. Ivan’s rectory, inflatable bouncer and much more.

Today, we have completed the second day of our Bible Summer Camp at the Assumption parish in Perth Amboy, NJ. Throughout the day the children took part in many different fun activities like playing in the bounce house and participating in "Leaping for the Lord" potato sack races. In addition to activities children listened to stories and heard teaching that all clearly spoke to the power of the Gospel! The campers also worked on "Abraham mobile" and "Baby Moses" projects and composed their own version of a "Genesis Mural”. For lunch today, campers ate a delicious barbeque at the church rectory
There were lots of amazing projects and lots of new friendships made. Hopefully next year some of you will join in the fun!!

The Ukrainian-American community of Perth Amboy, NJ celebrated the 25th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence on Wednesday, August 24, 2016 with a celebration of the Moleben to the Blessed Mother of God at the church, followed by a flag-raising ceremony and the singing of the Ukrainian national anthem in front of the parish school. The day’s speakers, Roman Wernyj underscored Ukraine’s achievements in a short period of Ukrainian independence and Olga Lytvyn spoke eloquently of the importance of this day for every Ukrainian living in the USA. The parish youth joined the festivities by planting an oak tree outside the school to commemorate the 25th Anniversary.

On Saturday, June 25, 2016, beyond our expectations, the church grounds and the school hall of our parish swelled with neighbors and those who traveled quite a distance, primarily UkrainianAmericans, but mostly non-Ukrainians, to appreciate Ukrainian culture, crafts, foods and entertainment at the parish festival. Throughout the sun filled day, more than 2000 guests, including His Grace, Metropolitan Stefan Soroka, Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia, the Honorable Wilda Diaz, Mayor of the City of Perth Amboy, NJ, could be seen enjoying themselves, eating the delicious Ukrainian food, listening to lively Ukrainian music, socializing with friends and neighbors, and enjoying the entertainment of our incredible Ukrainian dance performances. The Festival Committee and its chairperson, Mr. Ronald Mascenik, would like to thank everyone who came to the festival, purchased raffle tickets, or made a donation to the event. Our Festival was a huge success, thanks to the incredible work of so many volunteers. Thank you to everyone – the Festival Committee who spent many weeks of planning and organizing, volunteers who gave up their valuable free time to prepare our traditional Ukrainian food by working many days in a row cooking at the kitchen, to our parish secretary who handled pre-sales, ordering and so many details, ad booklet organizer, ladies who baked, volunteers who decorated the hall, were in charge of money and gifts raffles, organized church tour, set up our big tent, picked up food at stores, vendor’s organizer, ticket booths sellers, stage/sound person, security, MCs, setup and cleanup crews, servers at the kitchen and bake table, parish dancers and singers, volunteers who picked up trash and washed tables and all the forgotten helpers who made the festival a great success. We especially want to thank our main sponsor "Meest-America, Inc" that provides international delivery of packages and all the sponsors whose support was crucial to our success. From a financial standpoint, this year’s festival provided a "NICE BUMP of $2,000" over last year. Gross Income – $43,650.00, Total Expenses – $18,115.16, Net Profit – $25,534.84. As your pastor, I was so proud to see so many people working together as ONE PARISH FAMILY. It was another proof that Assumption Parish shines when we all work together as one family! Thank you and may God bless you for using His gifts.

Ten years ago Deacon Paul Makar of Assumption Church in Perth Amboy, NJ began studies at the Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ for a Masters degree in Pastoral Ministry. Unfortunately, his studies were interrupted after he was diagnosed with MS. For several years he had problems walking. However, two years ago just before retiring he decided to visit the Seminary and see how many courses that… he would need to meet the 49 credits required to complete the program. He needed five course plus one unit of CPE (Clinical Pastoral Education). On May 12th graduation ceremonies were held at the Archdiocese of Newark’s Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception and Deacon Paul received a Master of Arts degree in Pastoral Ministry. This is Deacon Paul’s third Masters Degree. He has a MA in Dogmatic Theology, MBA in Marketing, and now MAPM. Deacon Paul is very grateful for the graces that he received from our Lord God Savior Jesus Christ and guidance from the Holy Spirit during his scholastic journey. Also, for the support and encouragement that he received from his wife Anna, pastor Fr. Ivan Turyk, and oldest son Fr. Paul J. Makar enabled him to follow his dream and to make it come true. What’s next? He recently began volunteering as a Hospice chaplain. Congratulations Deacon Paul! Your accomplishment is well deserved!

The Ukrainian Assumption Seniors held their monthly meeting on Thursday, April 14, 2016. A successful trip to Atlantic City was held on April 3, 2016. The Seniors will donate two gifts to the basket raffle for the Ukrainian Festival to be held June 25, 2016. Three Graduation Awards for the Class of 2016 will be sponsored by the Seniors: two for Community Service and One for Religion. An informative program was presented by Carolyn Maxwell: Owner/Editor/Publisher/Advertising Manager of the Amboy Guardian and Katherine Massopust Asst. Editor/Writer/Layout of the Amboy Guardian. The Amboy Guardian is a local weekly newspaper in Perth Amboy. A Luncheon followed arranged by Eleanor Kataryniak.