Hi First Presbyterian,
It’s Pastor Aaron, and I’m back with my weekly checking-in email. (I’m actually on a long-scheduled vacation, so I prepared this email before I left!) These emails are a way for me to communicate directly with you every week. They may contain updates about the church, a short devotional thought, or something else entirely! Beginning my time as your Pastor in the middle of a pandemic has been challenging. It has been challenging for me to try to get to know you. I can only assume it has also been challenging for you to try to get to know me! So, for this week, let me pull the curtain back a little and describe some of the things I’ve been up to since arriving in May. Next week, you can expect to hear my thoughts about an exciting new development at the church.
As I mentioned in my email last week, I believe worship is the most important thing we do as a congregation. I believe the pulpit (for better or for worse) drives the church, and so planning for and leading worship is my top priority as your Pastor. At the same time, I have been grateful to Pastor Steve Michie who has been sharing with me the responsibility for preaching this summer, availing me of much-needed time to focus on learning the other important aspects of pastoral ministry here with you. The learning curve of making my transition into FPCP has been steeper than it would have been under normal circumstances, but, after almost three months, I am feeling very good about the progression of that transition.
I have been working closely with the Re-opening Task Force, who has been studying the ever-unfolding situation with the Coronavirus and making recommendations to the Session about re-opening, which led to re-opening the sanctuary for memorial services in July, holding in-person outdoor Sunday worship as of last Sunday, and re-opening the sanctuary for in-person Sunday worship starting in mid-September. I have been developing relationships with our staff, and, in particular, trying to learn as much as possible about FPCP from Jim Widboom, Carol Anne Strawbridge, Steve Michie, and Tyler Logan before their time with us ended or will end. I have been working closely with the Personnel Committee and the Session in their search for a Temporary Supply Associate Pastor. (Stay tuned for exciting news about this!) I have been moderating the Session and staffing various committees, learning about all the important and exciting work the church has been and will be doing. I have been getting to know members of the congregation through phone calls and Zoom conversations, which helps me to learn about people personally and to learn the values and traditions of the congregation. I have been making pastoral calls to congregants, mostly over the phone. I have been leading discussion groups and participating in Bible studies. I have been building relationships with local area clergy. I have been working on the Grants Working Group of our Presbytery during our busy time of year as we review grant applications and fund missional and transformative work of congregations and community agencies within our Presbytery. As I have been doing all these things, the rest of your church staff and lay leadership has also been actively continuing the work of the church. Our lives have all been changed by the pandemic, and the church is no exception to that, but the ministry of the church goes on, even as the way we do that work is changing.
In many ways, I feel as though my transition into First Presbyterian during a pandemic has been like jumping onto a treadmill that was already moving at 10 MPH! Nevertheless, I am loving every part of it! I look forward to continue working alongside you as we live out the Gospel in Pittsford and beyond. By the way, don’t forget to reserve your spot for outdoor worship this Sunday (50 spots available) by emailing connect@pittsfordpres.org no later than Friday at 4:30pm or by calling (585) 586-5688 Monday, Wednesday, or Friday from 8:30am-12:30pm. Pastor Steve Michie will be leading the service.
Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron