MID-WEEK MEET-UP: CONGREGATIONAL DEBRIEF

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

Mark your calendars for February 11. That is the date for the congregational debrief, summarizing the work that will have been done in the Faith Forward initiative.

Throughout our Faith Forward initiative, our Vision Team has discerned what our core values are. You have been hearing lots about our core values recently, since it is the topic of our current sermon series. Core values describe who we are, and, ultimately, they influence the things we do. What we do flows out of who we are. Discerning our core values has been illuminating and exciting. However, I’m sure most of you are anxious to know what the Vision Team will say about that latter component - what we do. We might call this our “vision” and “mission.” The vision and mission is primarily what is seen by people. They are what we build programs and schedule meetings around.

As I’m writing this, the Vision Team has yet to convene at its third and final retreat. At that retreat on January 27-28, the Vision Team will begin formulating a strategic plan to implement a new vision and mission for our church. Our consultants have an acronym to describe this strategic plan: SCORE. Here is what it stands for:

 •   Spiritual support (our primary model for mentoring and discipling our people)

•   Communicate our message (clarifying key elements of our public identity and brand)

•   Outreach focus (our signature outreach ministry in the local community)

•   Re-design structures (evaluating and aligning governance, stewardship, staffing, and facilities to our True North)

•   Engage our people (our primary method of fostering community, providing care, and empowering people in ministry)

After the third retreat, the Vision Team will be able to report to the congregation on our SCORE. Specifically, our consultant Kevin will be here to help the Vision Team do just that at the congregational debrief on February 11.

If you care about the future of our church and want to engage with the Vision Team about their work, then please come to this important meeting. It will happen in our Fellowship Hall after worship that Sunday - around 11:30 am. I am excited and hopeful about the future of our church and its ministry. I hope you are, too.

Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: CORE VALUES SERMON SERIES - UNIFY

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! This Sunday in worship, we continue our sermon series highlighting and unpacking our church’s core values. Last week we looked at our core value “connect.” This Sunday we will look at our core value “unify.” It also happens to be Presbyterian Women’s Sunday, a day that comes around every January encouraging us to give thanks for God’s work being done by women throughout the Presbyterian Church. The Presbyterian Women (PW) organization was started over 200 years ago as a denominational effort to empower women in the church at a time when many women had no roles outside the home. Today, Presbyterian congregations throughout the country may form a PW group to carry out whatever ministry they feel called to do. Many of these groups focus on mission, Bible study, and fellowship.

 At First Presbyterian Church, our PW group leads, serves, and supports the church in so many ways, including organizing into three smaller groups (called “Circles”) who meet regularly for fellowship, mission, Bible study, and other activities. Anthony Circle focuses on fellowship and mission (including preparing the Advent brunch every year). Eve Circle concentrates on Bible study and mission. Naomi Circle meets for lunch, fellowship, devotions, and a program or speaker. PW at First Presbyterian also organizes and leads two fundraisers each year (the Penny Pincher Sale and the Second Mile Giving Campaign), the proceeds of which go entirely to support mission. Our PW group also does so many things behind the scenes to make our congregational life possible.  

 For Presbyterian Women’s Sunday this year, Pastor Erin will be leading our worship and will be preaching from Philippians 2:1-11. Paul’s letter to the Philippians is especially appropriate for this Sunday, because there is strong historical evidence to suggest that the Philippian church was founded by and led by women - Lydia, Euodia, and Syntyche specifically. It wasn't until 1956 when the Presbyterian Church ordained Rev. Margaret Towner, our first female minister (who just turned 98 last year!). However, we can clearly see that the Holy Spirit has always been calling women to ministry within the church. It is because of many faithful women who have led in many different roles in our own congregation that “unify” is one of our core values. 

 I hope you will be able to worship with us this Sunday to celebrate all that God is doing in us and in the world!

 Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: Core Values Sermon Series - connect

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

 It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Starting this Sunday, we will begin a five-week sermon series focusing on the church’s recently identified core values. The sermon series culminates on February 11, when our Faith Forward consultant Kevin Ford will be in Pittsford and will lead a congregational debrief following the 10:00 service. In case you don’t remember, here are our core values:

  As a Christ-centered Community, our devotion calls each of us to...

• Connect:  We create and sustain life-giving relationships, across all generations.

• Inspire:  We worship God in ways that stir our souls, sharpen our minds, and speak to our hearts.

• Follow:  We experience transformation through the Holy Spirit, and help others do the same.

• Unify:  We join together across our differences, to make a difference.

• Love:  We show grace and compassion to others, with no strings attached!

 This Sunday, we will be focusing on the core value of “Connect.”

 On a separate topic, as I hear the wind howling outside and look out the window to see it blowing branches off of trees, I am reminded of the psalm we read for our Call to Worship this past Sunday. Psalm 29:9 says, “The voice of the Lord causes the oaks to whirl, and strips the forest bare; and in his temple all say, ‘Glory!’”

 With 60 mph winds gusting all around us, we are reminded of the strength of nature and of the Creator who made it. Like the psalmist who said that such things should instill in us a sense of awe and submission to God, I want to pause and reflect on the greatness and mystery of God. When I feel small and vulnerable and weak, I can know and trust that God is big and sovereign and strong. Whatever you may be facing today, I pray you feel God’s strength. 

 Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: With a new year comes fresh hope

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up. With a new year comes fresh hope. We look forward to the opportunities that a new year brings - opportunities to deepen relationships, achieve goals, and create joy and peace. I pray that will be your experience in 2024. Of course, Christian faith teaches us to trust a loving God who gives us peace even despite difficult circumstances.  

But sometimes we are reminded in vivid and personal ways of the sobering truth that suffering exists in the world. This week, two events brought this truth into my mind. On New Year’s Day, very early in the morning, someone drove an SUV stashed with gas canisters toward pedestrians leaving a concert at the Kodak Center. The crash killed three people, including the driver, and injured many more. Some people within the Pittsford Presbyterian community have family that were on site while the crash happened and, gratefully, were unharmed. Then, earlier today, I read that, in Rochester on Tuesday, police found the body of a Pittsford person who had been missing since early Monday morning. Some of you may know her or her family. What a tragedy.  

On this first Mid-Week Meet-Up of the new year, where feelings of shock may be lingering, I offer these words for us to pray together: 

God of hope, we come to you in shock and grief. Help us to find peace in knowing that you show love and mercy to all your children. Give us light to guide us out of darkness into the assurance of your love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Hear our prayer for those in despair, when days are full of darkness and the future seems empty of hope. Remember those who were taken away suddenly from their families and loved ones. In your tender love, comfort and strengthen those who mourn today. Help us to share the life–giving power of your love that those in need may experience your steadfast compassion.  

God of all mystery, whose ways are beyond understanding, lead us to a new and deeper faith in your love, which brought your only Son Jesus through death into resurrection life. Amen. 

Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: Fourth Advent Puzzle

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It's time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! This is one more reminder that there will only be one morning service this Sunday at 8:30 am. This single service will be livestreamed and will also include Sunday School for children. After that single morning service, there will be enough time for everyone to go home and enjoy the morning and afternoon before returning for one of our evening Christmas services at 4:30 pm (family-friendly), 8:00 pm (with choir and bells), and 10:30 pm (with soloists).

Before this Sunday is Christmas Eve (liturgically, that is), it is the Fourth Sunday of Advent - which means that it’s time for our next (and, sadly, last) word puzzle of Advent. Today’s puzzle is an anagram, which is a word or phrase that is formed by rearranging the letters of another word. For example, did you know that “Presbyterians” is an anagram for “Britney Spears?” How hilarious is that?! Over the summer Dick Sprenkle, a church member, shared with me that “Presbyterian” is also an anagram for “Best in prayer.” I like that one. Plus, it’s more theologically appropriate than the first one!

Now that you’ve got the idea of what an anagram is, here is the word puzzle for this week:

BARIUM SHOVEL

Good luck solving this anagram to discover the theme for my sermon on Sunday. I can’t wait to see you at 8:30 am!

Peace,

Pastor Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: Third Advent Puzzle

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

Advent marches on, and we’re getting ever-closer to Christmas. Did you realize that Christmas Eve is on a Sunday this year? That means December 24th is both the Fourth Sunday of Advent and Christmas Eve. Since we will be having our normal Christmas Eve services in the afternoon and evening (4:30, 8:00, and 10:30), there will only be one morning service that day. To give our staff a break between the morning and the later services, the only morning service on December 24 will be at 8:30am. That service will still be live-streamed, and there will be Sunday School.  

Advent and Christmas Eve are such different services with such different themes, that I hope you will attend the morning service and one of the later services! 

On a separate topic, this Sunday is the Third Sunday of Advent, which means it’s time for our third word puzzle! Well done to all of you who solved the first week’s (HARBINGER) and the second week’s (COMPASSIONATE SHEPHERD)! This week we have a letter-substitution puzzle. Here it is: 

GIVZHFIV 

See if you can crack the code to reveal the theme of this Sunday’s sermon.  

I hope to see you Sunday!
Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: Second Advent Puzzle

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! I assumed last week that I’d have something to tell you today about what happened at the third Vision Retreat this past weekend and what progress the Vision Team made. Sadly, however, I don’t have anything any updates for you. Our consultant Kevin Ford arrived in Rochester only to get news that his 91-year mother was in the hospital and facing the end of her life. So we cancelled the retreat, and Kevin flew back to North Carolina where he is still keeping vigil as his mother makes her transition into eternal life. We are working on rescheduling the retreat for a weekend in January. Please join me in praying for his mother Jean Graham Ford, for her husband Leighton, for Kevin, and for their whole family. Jean is the sister of the late Billy Graham. 

On a lighter topic, this Sunday is the Second Sunday of Advent, which means… it’s time for our next word puzzle! Well done to those of you who solved last week’s puzzle - harbinger. This week, instead of decoding letter symbols, you will be solving a word scramble. Here it is:

AMSEPISTNOOCA  REHDSPEH

Unscramble this two-word phrase to discover the theme of this Sunday’s sermon. Just like last Sunday, I will ask one volunteer to solve the puzzle during worship. If that person solves it correctly, they will earn a small prize. 

I hope to see you Sunday!

Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: Thanksgiving Hymn

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! I’m visiting my family in Pennsylvania this week, so I scheduled this week’s meet-up to go out automatically. I love to reflect on little-known Thanksgiving hymns during this month of gratitude. This year, I discovered a hymn written in the 19th century by a Methodist lay-person named E.R. Latta. The hymn is titled “Thanksgiving Hymn.”

Refrain: Lord, accept our adoration, and the thanks our spirits feel!

             Grant to us Thy full salvation, unto us Thyself reveal.

Now an off’ring of thanksgiving, gracious Lord we bring to Thee.

On Thy bounty we are living, King of heav’n and earth and sea. (refrain)

At the gentle Spring’s awaking, when the captive earth was freed,

Not in vain, the fallow-breaking and the sowing of the seed! (refrain)

Timely rains, to earth descending, on the needy grass and grain,

With the genial sunshine blending, clothed with plenty, vale and plain! (refrain)

For the harvest that we gather, not alone our lips should praise;

We should love our heav’nly Father, and should serve Him, all our days! (refrain)

 Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,
Pastor Aaron

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Intergenerational Sunday

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Three important things are happening this Sunday. 1) Following the 10 am worship service, we will be having an in-person congregational meeting to elect new Elders, Deacons, Trustees, and Nominating Committee members. The Nominating Committee will be presenting you with many qualified and faithful people for these positions! 2) Following the brief congregational meeting, we will be having our annual (and delicious!) Advent preparation brunch, hosted by Anthony Circle (one of our Presbyterian Women’s groups) with a craft prepared by our Christian Education Committee. 3) At both the 8:30 am and 10:00 am worship services, our worship will be designed to be intergenerational. Let me explain a little more about that. 

In recent years, we have been having an “Intergenerational Sunday” about twice a year. There won’t be any Sunday School, because the children of the church will be staying in the sanctuary for worship. While we will be using familiar elements of our traditional worship service (with prayers, scripture, hymns, music, and a sermon), the worship service will also be more interactive and more accessible for everyone, and the sermon will be broken up throughout the service. The theme for Sunday will be “Multiplying our Talents,” based on the Parable of the Talents from Matthew 25:14-30, and numerous object lessons will help us to understand and apply the passage of scripture. Additionally, we will be hearing a report from our JASY mission team and the children’s choir will be singing. It is sure to be meaningful and enriching! 

I’m looking forward to worshiping with the entire congregation on Sunday, from the youngest to the oldest of you! 

Peace to you,

Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: About Gratitude

Hi First Presbyterian Church,
It's time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Every year during November, Laura and I (but mostly her!) do “The Thankful Turkey” with our kids. Lots of families do this now. Here’s how it works. Each of our kids designs and colors a turkey that gets posted on a wall in our house. The only thing missing from the turkeys are their tail feathers. So, each day of November, the kids take a colored tail feather, write something they are thankful for on the feather, and put the feather in their turkey’s tail. At the end of November, each turkey has a vibrant and colorful tail, displaying lots of gratitude. It’s a fun tradition and helpful activity.

The statements of gratitude that go on each feather sometimes say things like: “My family,” or “My teacher,” or “My friends.” These are important things to feel grateful for and to never take for granted. But my four-year-old’s gratitude statements, though very simple, sometimes cause me to stop and think. He will sometimes be thankful for the same things as his older sisters. But sometimes, when we ask him what he’s thankful for today, he’ll say things like, “My turkey’s eyes,” because he thinks his Thankful Turkey has really cute eyes. Or, he’ll say things like, “My vacuum and mop,” because he saw his vacuum and mop and felt genuinely grateful for them. We might chuckle because of the innocence of such statements, but isn’t this the kind of all-encompassing gratitude that we’re encouraged to express in 2 Thessalonians 5:18, “Give thanks in all circumstances”? Perhaps this isn’t the same thing, but I am convinced that if I felt more genuine gratitude for things like my vacuum and mop, I’d probably feel more content and joyful in life!

Sometimes I think we assume gratitude is like trying to find the silver-lining of a storm cloud or admiring a rose despite its thorns – finding something positive in the midst of negativity. However, my mind goes to what Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11-13, “I have learned to be content with whatever I have. I know what it is to have little, and I know what it is to have plenty. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being well-fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Paul faced countless (and even life-threatening) situations in which there really was nothing tangible to be grateful for, and yet, somehow, he could say he was content. His gratitude stemmed from the strength he gained knowing that Christ was with him.  

By looking at the world around us, we see human suffering. We experience it in our own lives. This is not the way God intended the world to be. But if we look closely, we will also see glimpses of God’s redemptive and resurrecting power at work, which are reasons to be grateful. Nevertheless, if after looking closely, it still seems hard to see even those glimpses, we can draw strength from knowing God is with us in the bleakness. With Christ the King Sunday approaching (a day on which we remember that Christ will one day return to us to finally set all things back in order), we can also be reminded of the hope we are offered in Christ – that suffering will not always persist. May we know this to be true in our lives and feel the gratitude that comes through Christ who gives us strength.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: The Differences and Similarities between Catholics and Protestants

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

In my Wednesday Evening Bible Study, a few people in the group have a Catholic background, so we’re studying the differences between Catholics and Protestants. With Halloween right behind us, it seems appropriate for me to highlight some things we’ve discussed in our Bible Study. (By the way, did you know the Protestant Reformation began on Halloween in 1517?)

Maybe you know this but maybe you don’t, Catholics and Protestants have historically differed in our understanding of how faith and good works relate to salvation. Sometimes Protestants say, “Protestants believe that we are saved by God through faith alone, and Catholics believe that we are saved by God through faith and good works.” I think this is an oversimplification of the truth. I think when we look more closely at what we mean by statements like that, we will actually find that our beliefs aren’t as far apart from each other as we might assume.

It’s true that Protestants believe that God saves us by faith alone. We cannot earn our own salvation. We cannot heal our own brokenness. This is what we’re told in Ephesians 2:8-9: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast.” This is what we call justification – which means we are “declared innocent of sin” by God. We are justified by our faith in Christ. To be justified before God means we are free from sin and its effects, which are death and hell. So is that the end of it? Protestants think you just believe in Christ and you’re saved? Not exactly. Even if we are rescued from death and hell because of the work Christ has done and transmits to us (i.e., justification), that doesn’t mean our salvation ends there. God does care about our actions. God wants us to live like Jesus lives. So God helps us to live that way by giving us help from the Holy Spirit. This process of living increasingly more like Jesus is called sanctification. Both justification and sanctification are part of the whole process of salvation. I sometimes like to summarize it by saying, “We don’t do good works in order to become saved. We do good works because we are saved.”

Even though Catholics sometimes seem to talk about doing good works in order to earn their salvation from God, that isn’t how Catholic theologian Peter Kreeft describes it. Here’s what he writes: “Protestants and Catholics agree that faith is necessary for salvation. The Bible clearly teaches that it is. Good works alone do not merit salvation. No one can ‘buy’ heaven with enough good works, or good enough motives. The ticket to heaven is not being nice or sincere or good enough; the ticket to heaven is the Blood of Christ, and faith is the acceptance of that free gift. But the [Catholic] Church insists that good works are necessary too. This means the works of love. Good works are not mere external deeds, but the works of love. And love is not mere feelings, but the works of love (charity, agape). That is why Christ can command them; feelings cannot be commanded. St. James clearly teaches that ‘faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead’ (James 2:17). And some of Christ's parables teach that our salvation depends on charity (Matthew 25:40: ‘as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’)”

I think what Kreeft is saying is something along the lines of “doing good works because we are saved.” If I’m right, then, it turns out, Protestants and Catholics may not be that far away from each other as we might think about salvation.

Friends, I encourage you to reflect on God’s amazing love and grace shown to you in Jesus Christ today. You are loved, forgiven, and saved because of Jesus. Let that reality sink into your hearts. And then, go and love someone today – humbly and selflessly serving them like Jesus would. In doing both of those things, you are experiencing the broad spectrum of all that salvation entails. Praise be to God.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Our Core Values

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Today, as I do sometimes, I want to highlight my article being published in forthcoming edition of The Good News. So…. here it is!

The Faith Forward Vision Team just finished its second Vision Retreat this past weekend. In the coming weeks, you can expect to hear about more of the discussions that happened at the retreat, but I wanted to give you an overview summary. Leading up to the retreat, I had told you that the Vision Team would be deciding about our church’s core values. That happened. Since core values are really a description of our church’s deeply held principles from a grassroots level (our “essence”), the stories you shared with the Vision Team over the last few weeks were invaluable in helping us to discern those values. Here’s some of what you shared.

Many people told stories of volunteering with LOGOS as adults and having such a great time doing it; remembering when they were kids in the church and how loving adults took an interest in mentoring and investing in them; and forming very close relationships with other people after getting involved in the church. Many people told stories of feeling inspired and spiritually awakened because of our worship services; helping to lead worship by contributing a musical gift to a worship service; and the legacy of musical excellence and great preaching at the church. Many people told stories of following the leading of the Holy Spirit to help show the transforming love of Christ to people in the church and those in need outside the church and across the globe. Many people told stories of the determination displayed by the church after the fire of 2004; the cooperation demonstrated by the church to make difficult decisions while the church was rebuilt, including purchasing a new pipe organ; and the resiliency of the congregation to weather a pastoral transition under the stress of COVID. And, finally, so many of you told amazing stories of fellow church members rallying around people in need; pastoral support during times of crisis; and tangible reminders to each other that each of us belongs here at the church.

It is because of these stories and many more just like them, that the Vision Team agreed that the following statements summarize our core values at FPCP.

As a Christ-centered Community, our devotion calls each of us to...

• Connect:  We create and sustain life-giving relationships, across all generations.

• Inspire:  We worship God in ways that stir our souls, sharpen our minds, and speak to our hearts.

• Follow:  We experience transformation through the Holy Spirit, and help others do the same.

• Unify:  We join together across our differences, to make a difference.

• Love:  We show grace and compassion to others, with no strings attached!

These core values will become important as we eventually decide about the church’s strategic objectives moving forward. Looking at our five values, I have to admit – I’m pretty excited to be part of this church!

Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Next Vision Retreat Coming Up

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! This weekend is the second Vision Retreat in our Faith Forward initiative. As I have mentioned, at the first retreat, the Vision Team reviewed the findings from our church’s Discovery Report and discussed our church’s greatest strengths and weaknesses and how we might leverage our strengths as we embark into the future. Since identity (who we are) precedes behavior (what we do), we spent the majority of the first retreat telling stories of the church to try to gain clarity on our identity – who we are as a church. These stories began to take shape into what might be our church’s core values. Throughout the retreat, there were so many common threads in what people were sharing. After the retreat, I asked you – the congregation of FPCP – to share your own stories with members of the Vision Team. Many of you did that, and there were, again, many common threads in what you all shared. This is all very encouraging and suggests we’re on the right track toward discovering our core values.

At the second Vision Retreat this weekend, the Vision Team will decide about what our core values are and how our values inform what our mission and vision should be. In the weeks that follow the second retreat, there will be an opportunity for you – the congregation – to attend a debriefing session and for you to provide your feedback. Please continue to keep the Vision Team in your prayers. We remain in God’s loving hands, and that is a very good thing.

Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: More about the Vision Retreat

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! I wanted to continue my thoughts from last week’s email, following up on the Faith Forward Vision Retreat. I emphasized the fact that identity must precede behavior. Before we can decide where we’re going as a church and how we plan to get there, we have to understand who we are. Toward this end, the members of the Vision Team spent a large part of the retreat telling our most meaningful memories of the church, recounting stories of our “unsung heroes,” and talking about what makes FPC different from other churches in positive ways.

I’d like to share with you some of the things I shared during the retreat. As a pastor, I feel that one of my greatest responsibilities is giving people reasons to trust in Christ. This responsibility is also one of my greatest joys. I interact with a lot of people in the church throughout the week – conversations after worship, over coffee, at lunch, in my office, at a committee meeting, in someone’s home, in a hospital room, or just in passing. Some of my most meaningful memories at the church are when, during one of those conversations, I can see a light burning brighter in their eyes because their relationship to Christ is moving more from a place of belief and into a place of trust. In those moments when someone realizes that God is more than simply an idea to believe in but a person they can rely on; or when someone discovers the joy and wisdom of simply being present to God in prayer because God is becoming a person they love; or when someone gains new clarity about who God is and what God wants them to be doing with their lives – those moments are among the most meaningful moments I have experienced at our church. This is a church where people are growing in their faith, and that is a beautiful thing.

Another very meaningful memory for me was back in April 2022 when most of my family and I had COVID and some of the congregation brought us meals during that very stressful time. It is sometimes hard to ask for help. It is especially hard as a pastor to ask for help from the congregation I’m leading. Allowing myself to be helped and loved by this congregation was incredibly special. This is a church where people show their love and commitment to each other, and that is a beautiful thing.

There are many other memories I could share, and I know you have memories of your own. As I did last week, I encourage you to share your own most meaningful memories with a member of the Vision Team whenever you’re in a committee meeting, gathering for choir practice, chatting after worship, or at any other time. Your feedback will help the Vision Team as they convene for their second retreat on October 21 and 22.

Let’s continue growing in faith and in the love of Christ.

Peace to you,                                                    
Pastor Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: Vision Retreat Update

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! There was quite a lead-up to the Vision Retreat that happened this past weekend. We spent 20 days praying that God would give wisdom and discernment to the Vision Team. I want to give you a brief update about the result of the retreat.

The Vision Team reviewed the findings from the Discovery Report, which summarized the results from the Transforming Church Insights survey and the conversations our consultant had with the focus groups in June. The Team also looked at a demographic study of the community surrounding our church to try to better understand the people whom God has placed around us. All of this work helped us to answer the questions: What are our strengths and weaknesses right now? Which ministries of the church are going well and which aren’t going so well? And how sustainable is our current ministry structure? Our goal is to leverage our greatest assets and strengths as we embark into our future. 

However, before we can decide where we’re going and how we plan to get there, we have to understand who we are. This is a matter of identity. Let me illustrate what this means. I spend time with the Lord every day in prayer and reading the scriptures, because I am a follower of Jesus Christ. That is what a follower of Christ does. Identity precedes behavior. This is one of the reasons pastors often remind Christians of their baptismal identity: “You are a beloved and pleasing child of God” (Matthew 3:17). If you remember that your identity is as a beloved child of God, you are more likely to do what a beloved child of God might do. Well-known pastor and author Craig Groeschel says, “You do what you do, because of what you think of you.” Identity precedes behavior. 

Our consultant Kevin Ford helped us to begin talking about what our identity at First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford might be. He had us talking about our own most meaningful memories in the church. He had us recounting stories of the “unsung heroes” of the church. He had us talking about what makes FPC different from other churches in positive ways. Our answers to those questions began to generate themes of deeply-felt and inspiring ways that we live as a church. Those themes are beginning to take shape in what might be our “core values” or “essence” - in other words, our identity. 

No decisions were made at the retreat. We will reconvene for a second retreat on October 21 and 22 to continue the work. In the meantime, whenever you’re in a committee meeting, gathering for choir practice, or chatting after worship, I encourage you to share your most meaningful memory at FPC with a member of the Vision Team. In case you need to be reminded who they are, here are their names:

Oliver Ash, Lew Becker, Dianne Brown, Jared Chase, Janis Croop, Dan Harrison, Anne Ferris, Anne Francis, Elizabeth Gianakakis, Paul Irving, Erin Jacobson, Craig Kunkle, Jen Lake, Stacy Leyland, Dawn Magnuson, Luis Martinez, Bob Mecredy, Aaron Neff, Len Parker, Mark Pedersen, Rob Rhodes, Bill Rieth, Paige Thompson, Judith Van Dorn, Andrea Wright

Let’s continue to trust in God to give us grace and wisdom for our present and our future.

Peace to you,                                                    
Pastor Aaron

Mid-Week Meet-Up: LOGOS

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Our mid-week kids programming called “LOGOS” ends today. The program is fantastic! Throughout the evening, kids play games and do crafts, learn music, have a Bible study, and eat dinner. At different times during the year, the kids also volunteer and serve, by singing in a choir that occasionally helps to lead our Sunday worship, collecting food for the Pittsford Food Cupboard, and more. There are always a GREAT group of participants, and it takes a dedicated team of volunteers to make it all work.

There are so many things to like about the program, but do you know what I love about LOGOS? I love building relationships with the kids. I am sometimes a “table parent” at dinnertime. When I eat with the kids, we practice eating like a family, and we help serve each other and clean up after each other. I love to hear them tell me about their hobbies, about what they are learning in school, and about their friends.

It’s always so interesting when they tell me about hobbies or school, and it’s something totally new to me. I try not to be the adult who is constantly saying, “Now, when I was your age…” but it happens sometimes. Usually, I just feel very grateful to observe their passion, excitement, and interest about their lives. More than anything else, my relationships with the kids at LOGOS reminds me of how important intergenerational ministry is in the church. As much as I need to help those kids understand the importance of Christian faith and how we live it out right now at First Presbyterian, it’s also important for me (and all of us) to listen to how they understand Christian faith and how it helps them in their lives.

Tonight at our final LOGOS of the year, I am going to be asking myself some questions that I invite you to also ask yourselves. How am I investing in the next generation of Christians at First Presbyterian? How am I sharing my faith with younger people in the church? What are some specific conversations I could have with a young person that would help them to understand why our faith is so important? What are some specific questions I could ask young people in the church to help me understand why our faith is important to them?

We’re all in this together!

Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Thirsting for Water

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It's time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! During worship on Sunday, we read a passage from Exodus 17 about the Israelites fleeing Egypt and finding themselves in the desert with no water. Since then, I’ve been reflecting on the human need for water to survive. A person can only survive a few days without it. Water insecurity is a huge problem in many places in the world. 1 out of 9 (over 800 million) people in the world do not have access to safe water. The human body has a way of prioritizing its need of water over its other needs. After all, the human body is 60% water. This is one of the reasons a dehydrated person loses interest in food; their body tells them they need water more than they need food, so water is what they crave. Every year, over 1 million people die as a result of lacking access to safe water. How is that possible? Well, consider the fact, that more than 2 billion people in the world don’t have access to a toilet. No access to a toilet means sewage contaminates a person’s source of drinking water. Because our bodies crave water when they are dehydrated, we will drink any water we can get, even if we know it’s been contaminated. Our need for water drives our behavior.

I don’t mean to make light of this global problem by “spiritualizing” it, but I think this basic need for water is exactly what Jesus had in mind when he said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). Imagine if we pursued God the way we pursue water - as if our lives depended on it. That’s what Jesus is trying to get us to see: our deep and fundamental need for what God has to offer us. Jesus is saying, when we recognize our deep need, and thirst to have that need met, we will be filled up.

There is a reason Christians have fasted during Lent over thousands of years – to remind ourselves that our need for physical sustenance is equally matched by our need to know and love God. Have you ever felt desperately in need of God? Picture yourself in the middle of the desert with no water. It’s 110 degrees. The sand is hot. There are no clouds. The sun is beating down. There is no shade. You can’t even sweat anymore. Your mouth is dry and parched. You would give anything for just a drop of water. Have you ever desired God as much as you might want that drop of water? Jesus is trying to help us understand that we do, in fact, have a deep and desperate need for God. Thankfully, in Jeremiah 29:13, the Lord says, “When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart.”

What Jesus did for us in his death and resurrection was to reconcile us to God. You can know God today because of Jesus. Jesus offers us a relationship with God… but only if we want it. Imagine one of your favorite musicians came to you and said, “I’m going to dedicate all my time to teaching you everything I know about music.” Imagine that! Maybe you’d be thinking, “I’m going to be able to play the guitar like Jimi Hendrix!” Or, “I can’t believe it! I’m going to be as famous as the Beatles!” That would be worth some excitement. But here’s the thing: none of that would happen unless you spent countless hours learning from that musician. You would only get out of it what you want out of it. This is how it is with our relationship to God. We must nurture that relationship, regularly and with intention. Lent is a perfect time to consider how you can do just that. As we await the story of Easter, never forget that the gift of Easter is already yours today. What is that gift? It is Christ himself, and he awaits you.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Sabbath

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! I wanted to, first, let you know that it’s not too late to let me know if you’d like to join my new members class, which starts this Sunday (March 12) and continues the next two Sundays (March 19 and March 26). The class begins at 11:30am, and it’s a great opportunity to learn about our church.

Now to today's main message. On Wednesdays throughout the school year, our afterschool children's program called LOGOS happens. Right before dinner, I lead a brief Bible study with the parents whose kids come to LOGOS and, afterward, we all eat together. Recently, we’ve been looking at the topic of “Sabbath.” What does it mean to “keep the Sabbath?” In my view, keeping Sabbath is not just about observing religious rituals one day a week. Sabbath is a mindset. It is a principle we are meant to integrate into our whole lives.

Last week during the LOGOS parents Bible study, we talked about two things the scriptures teach us about Sabbath that I also want to share with you. As a society, we are often overworked, overcommitted and, as a result, exhausted. So, this is a timely message for us all.

Why are we told to practice Sabbath-keeping? In Genesis 1:3, we’re told, “God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that God had done in creation.” Again, in Exodus 20:8-11, we’re told, “Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy… For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but rested the seventh day; therefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day and consecrated it.” It seems the reason we’re told to rest is because God rested. The way people often think about the relationship between God’s rest and our rest is like this: “Surely, if God took a break, we should take a break, too.” However, I think that misses the point.

The Hebrew word used for “rest” can mean different things. Think of it like our English phrase “sit.” People can “sit” in many different ways. For example, if I say, “He was seated on the couch,” you would imagine someone taking a break. On the other hand, if I say, “She was seated on the throne,” you would imagine someone assuming a position of power. That’s the kind of rest God was taking in Genesis 1:3. God wasn’t sitting down to take a break. God was assuming the role of cosmic ruler sitting on the throne. So, here’s the logic of the Sabbath: you and I are meant to rest (in the sense of “take a break”) because God is resting on the throne (in the sense of “in charge of the universe.”)

Here’s what that means. Sabbath is about pushing pause on the rat race and unplugging from the hustle of life in order to remind ourselves that we limited control over our own lives. Even if we feel that continuing to work and hustle is necessary, observing Sabbath means taking a rest anyway. It means taking a deep breath and confessing: “God, you are ultimately in control, not me. I trust in you alone to meet my needs.”

Here’s the other thing the scriptures teach us about Sabbath: It is a gift, which means you don’t have to earn it.

Humans were always meant to work. According to Genesis 1, on the sixth day of creation, God made humans and immediately gave them a purpose to be fruitful and multiple and to care for and cultivate the land. But take a close look at Genesis 1:24-31. The sixth day ended before any human was able to do any work, which means the first full day for humanity was the Sabbath – a day of rest. Humans were given rest before they even had a chance to earn it. Rest is a gift of grace God has given us.

I encourage you to observe Sabbath this week. I hope that means worshipping with First Presbyterian Church on Sunday. But more than that, I hope you will find other ways to unplug and push pause on the busyness of your life in order to take a moment to breathe and remember that you are just a human. You don’t have to be in control of every part of your life, because the reality is you can’t be in control of every part of your life. Take a moment. Rest, and remember that God is in control.

Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Church Vision

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! In just a few weeks, our annual congregational meeting will occur on Sunday, February 26th. In the February issue of The Good News (our church newsletter), I wrote about a brief presentation I will be giving during the congregational meeting. In case you didn’t see my article, I’m highlighting it in today’s meet-up. Here it is:

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Where are we going as a church? Your answer will reflect what you believe the church is and what it ought to be doing. Some Christians say that the primary job of the church is to worship God. Others say it’s fellowship. Others say it’s community service or evangelism. What about First Presbyterian Church? What do we say?

Our February 26 annual congregational meeting will include the familiar components: receiving board, committee, financial and budget reports, and the pastors’ terms of call vote. However, I also will be giving a special presentation that answers the question, “Where are we going as a church?”

For a year and a half, your elders, deacons, trustees, church staff, and I have been developing a church vision which can be summarized like this: Our goal is to help you grow your faith. We believe three things we do help accomplish our goal: worship, connect, and serve. If each of us were doing all three, our faith would grow the most.

Worship is the most important thing we do, and it helps us connect with God in meaningful, inspiring, and life-giving ways. Worship is of mutual benefit: it is for God’s glorification and our spiritual transformation. We believe that if each of us is worshiping God, it will change our lives.

Various church groups offer opportunities to connect with each other. We need to nurture the insights and grace we receive in worship for them to grow and bear fruit in our lives. Our church relationships are among the most important ways that this happens. We study the Bible, socialize, make music, and more. We believe that if each of us is involved in one group in the church, it will change our lives.

Since God’s love is not something we just receive but also something we share, we also believe that service is important. Each of us is uniquely gifted and called to contribute to the church’s ministry (1 Corinthians 12:7) which grows our faith. Some of us are called to lead as a church officer. Others serve on committees, teach, lead prayer team members, or volunteer elsewhere. Others reach outside the church to serve our community. We believe that if each of us is serving in one capacity for the church, it will change our lives.

This is where we’re trying to go as a church—toward greater clarity about what it means to worship, connect, and serve together as a church. I can’t wait to tell you more about all this at the annual meeting on February 26. I hope to see lots of you then!

Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron

Mid-Week Meet-Up: January

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It's time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Although this has been an unseasonably warm and snowless winter unlike any I can remember since I’ve lived in New York, it is the end of January, and we are fully immersed in winter. Even though the holidays have long passed and (sadly) the Bills’ football season has ended, I do like this time of year. There is something about January and a new year that makes me feel hopeful for and focused on the future. Most years, I’m a sucker for a good New Year’s resolution! Even though it is (usually) cold this time of year, the days are actually getting longer and that feels nice.

All this reflection on fresh starts and newness reminds me of a verse of scripture from Revelation, which I have written to you about before. The author of Revelation is describing the future day when God will make a new creation, when Jesus says in 21:5, “Behold, I am making all things new!” I think I especially like this verse because of the very specific wording that is used in it. Notice that Jesus did not say, “I am making all new things.” Instead, he said, “I am making all things new.”

There is a significant difference between making “all new things” and making “all things new.” When Christ’s work of salvation reaches its completion in the future, and he destroys the powers of sin and death once and for all, he is not going to destroy you and me and the earth we live on along with it. He loves his creation. He is not going to scrap it and start over. He is going to simply remove all of its imperfections. The saving work of God is a work of renewal, not destruction. You and I are the culmination of all the experiences we’ve ever had. We cannot change the past, but we can allow God’s saving grace to work in us to make our lives and experiences (as affected by sin and death, as they are) full of meaning and beauty. The journey we’re on as a church is hopeful, because – come what may – God will renew us. Christ promises to make all things new. There is nothing that Christ cannot redeem.

Look around you. Do you see hopelessness and despair? Nothing is beyond God’s transformational love. Ask God today, “What can I do to shine your light into the world and give people the hope that is found in Christ?”

Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron