Mid-Week Meet-Up: Re-opening Update

Hi First Presbyterian,

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! After a week of rapidly changing plans, I was delighted by the quick turn-around that resulted in three lovely services on Easter morning that went off without a hitch (with the exception of some glitches on the live-stream that the Livestream Task Force is aware of and working on). I hope you were filled with hope and joy because Jesus is alive!

I’m sure, after celebrating Easter in-person, many of you are wondering: what’s next? I wanted to take the opportunity in this week’s Mid-Week Meet-Up to let you know. The Session’s decision to have Easter services outside came as the result of an urgent motion from the Re-opening Task Force. Having an outdoor service fell within the guidelines that the Session had previously set. The Re-opening Task Force will be presenting a motion to the Session at their regular meeting next week to adopt a new set of guidelines for in-person worship. If adopted, these new guidelines would lead to more in-person services with some loosened restrictions, in addition to our continued live-streamed service. This Sunday (which has rain in the forecast) will involve only a live-streamed service at 10:00 am. You can expect an update next week after the Session meeting about the status of re-opening our sanctuary for worship.

This morning I read Song of Songs 6:10: “Who is this that looks forth like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as an army with banners?” This book of the Bible has long been interpreted by Christians as a metaphor for Christ and his beloved church. May you feel the warmth of the sun shining on you today. May you also feel yourself transformed, alive, and radiant, because of the glory that Christ’s resurrection shines on you.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Holy Wednesday

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

For this Mid-Week Meet-Up, when many of you are feeling disappointment, I’d like to offer you some encouragement for your spiritual journey.

Today is Holy Wednesday, which is sometimes called Good Wednesday or Spy Wednesday. The name “Spy” is given to it, because, on this day of Holy Week, Christians remember that it was also the day of the week on which Judas betrayed Jesus, agreeing to be a spy for the chief priests in exchange for money (cf. Mark 14:10-11).

On this day of that first Holy Week, Jesus also ate with a group of people at the home of someone called “Simon the Leper.” During their meal, a wealthy woman came uninvited and anointed Jesus’ head with expensive perfumed oil. Some people at the dinner were angry with her and accused her of wasting the oil, when it could have been sold and its proceeds given to the poor. Jesus rebuked them and, then, responded with something that has always confused me. He said: “You always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have me” (Mark 14:7). For a long time, it seemed to me that Jesus was advocating for not helping the poor. However, that is NOT what he was doing.

In fact, he seems to be alluding to another passage of scripture from Deuteronomy 15:11, which says, “There will never cease to be some in need on the earth.” If Jesus indeed is alluding to this verse, then he almost certainly has its context in mind, too. The surrounding verses clearly indicate a proactive and generous attitude to helping the poor: “Give liberally and be ungrudging when you do so, for on this account the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in all that you undertake. Since there will never cease to be some in need on the earth, I therefore command you, ‘Open your hand to the poor and needy neighbor in your land’” (Deut. 15:10-11). So, if Jesus is not advocating to refrain from helping the poor, what is he saying?

I think to understand the answer to that question, we must understand that the ethics of Jesus are based on two principles: love of God and love of neighbor. We cannot and should not have one without the other. If we only love God, but neglect our neighbors (especially those in need), then our love for God is in question (cf. 1 John 4:20-21). More to the point Jesus is making here: if we only love our neighbors but neglect to love God, our love for our neighbors is bound to veer off course. We can only love our neighbors the we ought to love them, when our love for and commitment to God is in order. Our love for God puts out neighbor into proper perspective. Our love for God puts everything into perspective.

On this Holy Wednesday, I encourage you to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, the same God who was betrayed by his close friend for you, who was arrested, tried, and punished for you, who was crucified for you, and who has risen from the grave for you. Thanks be to God.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Approaching Palm Sunday

Hi First Presbyterian,

Palm Sunday is this weekend, the day in the liturgical calendar when we remember Jesus’ “triumphal entry” into Jerusalem. Transport yourself back over 2,000 years ago and to ancient Judea. Today, Wednesday, Jesus would be continuing his journey from Galilee to the big city. In fact, about this time of the week, he may have been on the Jericho Road, one of the main routes into Jerusalem named as such because it connected Jerusalem to the city of Jericho. The Gospels tell us about an interaction Jesus had in the city of Jericho on his way to Jerusalem: he healed someone who was sitting by the road begging. In Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels, the person is simply called “a blind man.” However, in Mark’s Gospel, he is given a name. He is called “Bartimaeus.” This is peculiar for a couple reasons. First, it is very rare that we are ever told anyone’s name in the Bible who is not a main character. The fact that this person is given a name should catch our attention. Second, look at how Mark tells us his name in 10:46: “Bartimaeus son of Timaeus.” In Aramaic (the language that most Jews spoke in the first century), the prefix “bar-“ means “son of.” In other words, Mark is introducing this person by calling him, “Son of Timaeus, son of Timaeus.” This is not an accident. Mark is not being redundant here. In fact, I think he’s trying to tell us something significant.

Without getting too much into the weeds with my explanation of what’s happening, Mark seems to be using a wordplay. He’s combining Aramaic and Greek to tell us something about what’s happening with this man in Jericho. “Bartimaeus” (in Aramaic) means something like “son of the unclean.” “Son of Timaeus” (in Greek) means something like “son of the highly prized.” I think what Mark is trying to show us is that this person who was considered “unclean” by his society, has instead become “highly prized” because of his encounter with Jesus. This is the heart of the Gospel!

Blindness was wrongfully considered punishment for sin and, out of fear, societies ostracized people with blindness and kept them at a distance. This person, who spent his days begging at the roadside, had been pushed to the edges of society because of a condition he had no control over. In the eyes of people, he was “unclean.” In the eyes of Jesus, however, he was “highly prized.” As he called out to Jesus to have mercy on him, people were actively trying to silence him. Jesus pushed past their condescension, their pride, and their fear and sought to meet Bartimaeus, whom he considered to be a beloved child of God. Jesus healed him, and the man followed him the rest of the way to Jerusalem.

Thank God that Jesus looks past what others think and say about us and sees us for who we truly are: beloved children of God. You are highly prized and valued by God. You are not what people think or say about you. You are not even necessarily what you think and say about yourself. You are a beloved child of God. Those who are forgiven much, ought to love much (cf. Luke 7:47). Since we have been forgiven by God and loved so greatly, let us go out and be generous with our love to others, especially those like Bartimaeus, who are pushed to the margins and thought of as unclean.

As we prepare to welcome Jesus triumphantly this Sunday, let us do so with joy and humility, knowing how greatly God loves us all.

Peace to you,
Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: St. Patrick's Day

Hi First Presbyterian,

Today is March 17. Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! While St. Patrick’s Day doesn’t have the personal connection for me that St. David’s Day does, I enjoy thinking about Patrick of Ireland and his contribution to the spread of Christianity. I am particularly intrigued by the distinct trinitarianism of ancient Celtic Christianity. The Trinity was important not only for how they understood God but also how they lived out their faith. Most people are aware of Patrick’s use of the shamrock to introduce the concept of the Trinity to the people of Ireland.

I’ve attached an image of something called the triquetra (from Latin meaning “three-corners.”) The triquetra is often connected to the “Celtic knot,” because of its distinctly trinitarian appearance. In other words, the triquetra is uniquely three-in-one. It has three distinct corners, which you can draw without ever lifting your pen from paper. The trinitarian nature of the triquetra was noticed by Celtic Christians as early as the middle ages, when it appears in many illustrated manuscripts of the Bible from Ireland.

I’m going to include below the text of a well-known prayer attributed to Patrick of Ireland. I encourage you to print off the attached image and pray this prayer while you trace your finger along the shape of the triquetra. Or, maybe you just want to trace the triquetra while you contemplate the mystery of the Trinity. My hope is that today, on St. Patrick’s Day, you will think about the mystery of God’s nature, that God can be both far beyond our ability to understand and deeply familiar and knowable.

I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity,

by invocation of the same, the Three in One, the One in Three.

I bind this day to me forever, by power of faith, Christ’s incarnation,
his baptism in the Jordan river, his death on the cross for my salvation.
His bursting from the spiced tomb, his riding up the heavenly way,
his coming at the day of doom I bind unto myself today.

I bind unto myself today the virtues of the star-lit heaven, the glorious sun’s life-giving ray, the whiteness of the moon at even, the flashing of the lightning free, the whirling wind’s tempestuous shocks, the stable earth, the deep salt sea around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself today the power of God to hold and lead,
God’s eye to watch, God’s might to stay, God’s ear to harken to my need,
the wisdom of my God to teach, God’s hand to guide, God’s shield to ward,
the word of God to give me speech, God’s heavenly host to be my guard.

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me;
Christ to comfort and restore me;
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the name, the strong name of the Trinity,
by invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three,
of whom all nature hath creation, eternal Father, Spirit, Word;
praise to the God of my salvation, salvation is of Christ the Lord!

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Ash Wednesday

Hi First Presbyterian,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! I want to remind you that tonight is our Ash Wednesday live-streamed service at 7:00 pm. You can find the live-stream just like you find our Sunday morning live-stream. The imposition of ashes is not going to be part of the live-streamed service, but, if you would like to receive the imposition of ashes today, there will be an opportunity for you to do so this afternoon. From 4:30 – 5:30 pm, Pastor Jacobson and I will be in the Locust Street parking lot to give out ashes. Drive through the parking lot at any point during that time window, and, while you are in your car, we will offer that familiar refrain, “You are dust, and to dust you will return,” and impose ashes on your heads (using COVID safety). This drive-thru is intended to supplement the evening service, not replace it. I hope to see some of you!

Someone once said to me, “Why do we celebrate Ash Wednesday? It seems very Catholic.” I think I understood what they meant by ‘Catholic’ (i.e., not very Presbyterian), and I tried to answer them in light of that. The truth is: God’s people have been putting ashes on their heads for thousands of years. Throughout the Old Testament, you can read about people putting ashes on their heads as a sign of grief, mourning, or repentance. Not even 100 years after the apostle Paul lived, historical records show that Christians were also using ashes on their foreheads as a sign of repentance during their worship. Today, the imposition of ashes is practiced by Christians all over the world to begin the season of Lent. It is true of all rituals, including the ritual of imposing ashes, that the ritual serves to point to a greater reality.

What reality is the imposition of ashes pointing to? Here’s how I like to think of it. Most people don’t leave their homes without making a little effort at improving their appearance. People sometimes comb their hair, check their teeth in the mirror, tuck their shirt in, or put on some make-up. We do those things to show a little respect to the people we’ll see while we’re out. We also do it for our own sake. It can be embarrassing when we realize after we’ve been with other people that we had some spinach in our teeth the whole time. We might look in the mirror after being out and look at our teeth and think, “That’s been there the whole time?! How did that happen!?” 

The reason we put ashes on our forehead is similar. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been getting ready for bed on Ash Wednesday, look at myself in the bathroom mirror, and have a split-second thought, “How’d that dirt get on my forehead!?” Then I’ll quickly recall, “Oh, that’s right! I had someone put it there on purpose.” We dirty our appearances on Ash Wednesday to help us to think less about fleeting, temporal things, like how we look, so that we will replace those thoughts with deeper and more meaningful ones like, “What is the purpose of life?” “Why am I so broken?” “Why do I sometimes hurt the people in my life that I love most?” Ash Wednesday is a time to contemplate not just any questions about life, but questions having to do with our own brokenness. Contemplating those questions helps lead us to remember that God has provided us the way to repair our brokenness. God, who is full of love, looked down on our broken lives and considered them precious, precious enough to come to us, to live a life like ours, to die a death like ours, and to raise back to life in order to share that life with us. Our broken lives are precious to God. That is the meaning of Ash Wednesday.

Peace to you all,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Checking in about COVID

Hi First Presbyterian,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up. The situation with COVID-19 in Monroe County has been improving over recent weeks, and I’m sure many of you are wondering about what that means for in-person church activities. I want to take this opportunity to remind you about the protocols Session adopted back in November in relation to opening the church building. Here are those protocols:

• In-person worship will be suspended if Monroe County reaches either 15/100K daily new cases OR a 3% positivity rate. In the event this happens, in-person worship may resume after these numbers reduce to less than 14/100K daily new cases and less than a 3% positivity rate.

• The building closes to church groups and programs (Sunday School, Confirmation, LOGOS, yoga, etc.) if Monroe County reaches either 20/100K daily new cases OR a 5% positivity rate. In the event this happens, the building will re-open to these groups/programs after these numbers reduce to less than 18/100K daily new cases and less than a 5% positivity rate.

As of yesterday, Monroe County was at 27.6/100K daily new cases and a positivity rate of 6.4%. Considering that over a month ago the daily new cases number was closer to 80/100K, the County is heading in the right direction and we’re getting closer to the point where we can begin to open up the building to programming again.

In the meantime, I encourage you to continue to worship with us over live-stream every Sunday at 10:00 am and to participate in the many virtual gatherings we do during the week, whether it’s Bible study, prayer group, Sunday School, youth group, game night, and many more. I encourage you to wait with hope and trust in God’s abiding love, like the apostle Paul who experienced many trials in his ministry yet never gave up. As he once wrote: “But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:7-9). Despite these challenges, God’s promise endures, which gives us reason to hope.

Peace to you,
Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Four Gospels

Hi First Presbyterian,

We started a new series in Wednesday Night Bible Study looking at the unique characteristics of each of the four New Testament Gospels. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each tell us about the one and only Jesus Christ, but each of them tells us about him from their own perspectives and with their own rhetorical goals in mind. In their differences, the Gospels teach us important lessons about Jesus.

What do Matthew and Luke tell us about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem but Mark and John do not? Why does Matthew tell us about the visit of the magi, but Luke tells us about the visit of the shepherds? Why does Luke include Jesus’ parable of the lost coin but not the other Gospels? Why are there no parables in John’s Gospel, yet there are incredible miracle stories found only in the Gospel of John? There are answers to each of these questions which give us insight into the unique portrayal of Jesus that the Gospel writers were seeking to create. While the Gospels are slightly different from one another, we need each of them to get a more complete understanding of who Jesus truly is. Can you imagine if we only had the Gospel of John and never knew anything about the Sermon on the Mount, one of the most important teachings on ethics and morality? Can you imagine if we only had the Gospel of Mark and knew nothing of the seven “I am…” statements of Jesus found in the Gospel of John?

The fact that we have four Gospels demonstrates how important it is to listen to multiple voices. When it comes to the church, I think we need each other’s voices. We need to hear from one another about what God is doing in our lives. Your experience of God’s love, justice, grace, and mercy may be different than my experience, and I need to hear from you to help me expand my knowledge of God.  Paul says in Colossians 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; teach and admonish one another in all wisdom.” If Christ is speaking to you today, thank the Lord! But don’t keep it to yourself; share it with someone else to encourage them and to help them see a more complete picture of the one and only Jesus Christ.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Epiphany Begins

Hi First Presbyterian,

“On the Twelfth Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping…” and you know the rest. Do you know the meaning of that song? It’s not a surprise if you don’t, because no one is really certain of its origin or its meaning. Some people think it may have been a song with a secret code for Roman Catholics in England to use to secretly teach children about Catholic faith during a time in English history when Anglicans were persecuting Catholics. Some other people think it may have been a fun memory game for children to play during Twelfth Night parties. But that brings up another question - what’s Twelfth Night? Well, it’s the evening of January 5.

Retail stores would have you believe that the Christmas season begins the day after Halloween and ends after Christmas Day. But for hundreds of years now, Western Christians have observed the Christmas season for 12 days. The first day of Christmas is Christmas Day (December 25), which means, counting forward 12 days would take you to January 5. When Laura and I lived in Springville years ago, a friend of ours from the Presbyterian church used to host Twelfth Night parties, where everyone would bring their used Christmas trees and throw them in a big bonfire to light up the night. It was great fun.

As I think back on those Twelfth Night parties, I see a bit of symbolism that I hadn’t noticed before. While Christmastide was coming to an end, those Christmas trees (literally) were providing the fuel to burn an enormously bright and hot fire. Can we use those burning Christmas trees as a metaphor for how we should enter the season of Epiphany which starts today? The hope, peace, joy, and love we were reminded of during Advent and Christmastide can provide us energy to face the next leg of our journey of faith. Epiphany is a season about making the good news of Jesus Christ known to the world. Does your faith in Christ bring you hope? Our world needs hope right now. In all the ways that you know how, strive to show the world that Christ is the answer to our deepest longing.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Emmanuel

Hi First Presbyterian,

The popular advent hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” is one of the oldest Christian hymns, with its origins in 9th century Gregorian chant. The rhythmic, almost hypnotic nature of this hymn feels calm and meditative. This week, I find myself pondering the words of this hymn that has been sung by centuries of Christians during this season of the year. 

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

and ransom captive Israel

that mourns in lonely exile here

until the Son of God appear.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel

shall come to thee, O Israel.

This song feels particularly poignant this year, as it speaks of captivity, loneliness, exile, and mourning. It speaks of a visceral longing for the world to be fixed, for us to be saved, that I think is all too relatable in 2020. And it speaks of an amazing promise, a solution to this ache, and a shocking call to rejoice in that promise. Rejoice, rejoice! Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel. 

Emmanuel, in Hebrew, means “God-with-us.” This name for Jesus speaks about the incarnation, the fact that Jesus himself is God with us. Jesus was God in a human body, here on the Earth. I love that this hymn is so clear about the reality of our world, but also about the radical promise offered by God incarnate. When we find ourselves alone or grieving or captive, even then, God’s human presence with us through Jesus is reason to rejoice. This isn’t to diminish the very real power of human suffering, it is to magnify the far greater power and presence of God with us, Emmanuel. It also isn’t to police our feelings. It isn’t to say that if you don’t feel like singing "Deck the Halls” this year, you are doing it wrong. It is to say that whatever you are feeling, whatever you are experiencing, God is with you. God loves you enough to come to earth and live a life of suffering just to be with you and know you fully. And in that knowledge, we can rejoice in a deeper way than singing “Fa la la la la.” We can rest assured that we are known and loved. We can rest assured that there will be joy, whether we feel it in this moment or not. 

We know Advent as a season of waiting for Christmas, a season of remembering the long wait of Israel for the promised Messiah. This is true, but Advent is also a season for us to be reminded that we are again waiting for Jesus. We are waiting for Jesus to return and finish the work that he began on Christmas with the Incarnation. To complete his victory over sin, over evil, over suffering. To save us. All the expectancy, the hope, and the rejoicing that we remember on behalf of those who waited for Jesus’ birth applies to us as well. 

So rejoice, friends! Rejoice with laughter and cheerful songs if you can, but also rejoice with the steady and somber assurance of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.” God-with-us will come to you, too. 

Merry Christmas!
Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Goodnight, Manger

Hi First Presbyterian,

My children have a Christmas story called Goodnight, Manger. In the story, Mary and Joseph are trying to put sleepy baby Jesus to bed, but who knew stables were so busy?  Between itchy hay, braying donkeys, visiting shepherds and magi, and singing angels, baby Jesus doesn’t stand a chance to get the sleep he needs. 

It’s a cute book that is just telling the nativity story without a serious theological point, but I like the way this story emphasizes the humanity of Jesus. Jesus was a baby who was probably itchy and uncomfortable at times, who got overtired and overstimulated, who snuggled up to his exhausted parents, and who needed to be fed and changed and burped just like every other baby in the world. We don’t see a lot of images of the Holy Family washing first century diapers or struggling to prepare dinner with a toddler underfoot, but that’s what happened. Jesus is human. Jesus is also divine.

It took the early church a couple centuries to really argue out a precise position on the nature of Christ. Was he fully divine and just animating a human body like a puppeteer? Was he born a normal human and then chosen by God and made into some kind of demi-god? Was he half human and half god, and, if so, which characteristics did he have or which nature? Was his divinity so much more powerful that it essentially made his humanity irrelevant, swallowed up like a drop of wine in the sea? It took a few church councils and much argument to work out some answers to these questions. The Council of Chalcedon in 451 solidified the answer to some of these questions: Jesus was truly and fully human, AND he was truly and fully God. 

Jesus is one with God the Father, is a creator rather than a created being, and, at the same time, he is as fully human as any of us. Jesus laughed and cried and ate and played and slept. We do not have a Messiah who is unable to empathize with us in any aspect of our humanity. Jesus knew the ache of hunger, the exhaustion of grief, the pain of loneliness, and the desperation of fear. Jesus knew the love of family, the thrill of travel, the satisfaction of learning, and the joy of friendship. 

As we approach Christmas, I pray that you find peace in the knowledge that, whatever joy or sorrow you find yourself in today, you have with you a God who knows that feeling intimately, loves you unconditionally, and gives you the strength to carry on.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: The Promise of Advent

Hi First Presbyterian,

Pastor Jacobson and I were talking this week about Advent and how it feels different this year. I have often enjoyed the “purple” times in the Christian liturgical calendar (Advent and Lent). They are designed as times of waiting. Advent is a time of waiting for the arrival of Christmas and the significance of God’s incarnation. Lent is a time of waiting for the arrival of Easter and the significance of Jesus’ resurrection. In previous years, I have appreciated Advent and Lent because they help to disrupt the routine of life in a way that encourages me to take notice of God’s presence in my life. Well, it goes without saying that 2020 has provided us with its own disruptions of routines, which, as I said, makes the waiting period of Advent feel different this year. A metaphor came for Advent 2020 came to mind as I have been reflecting on this.

You’ve undoubtedly heard the phrase, “Stop and smell the roses.” The phrase is usually used to mean something like, “Take notice of the good things in life and pause to appreciate them.” Advent in previous years has often been like a typical usage of “Step and small the roses.” Imagine this scene with me. You are out running errands, between meetings, or on your way to an appointment. You are on a schedule and feeling very rushed. On your way, you see a beautiful springtime crocus growing from the grass and you decide to stop for a minute, take a deep breath, and appreciate the lovely purple flower accented by the green grass around it. It puts your life into perspective and you feel grateful. That is how Advent was experienced by many people before 2020. Now imagine this other scene with me. You are outside for a walk, when suddenly it starts to downpour. Not only that, the wind begins blowing at 50 mph. This sudden storm was totally unexpected. You aren’t dressed for it, and you have a mile to walk before you’re back home. You’re frustrated, angry, and maybe even a little scared. By the time you are halfway home, you happen to see a little purple crocus growing in the grass. Despite the rain and the wind, the little flower seems to be standing tall, almost as if in an act of defiance to what’s happening around it. The courage and strength of the little flower gives you hope that you have the strength to make it back home. That is how Advent can be for you this year.

We don’t need to have our routines disrupted any more than they have already been this year. So let Advent give you a different kind of gift this year. Listen to the voices of the prophets. Listen to the voices of the angels. Listen for the promise of Jesus. Help is coming, and it is good news of great joy for all people. You will get through this, because of Immanuel, God-with-us.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Happy Thanksgiving

Hi First Presbyterian,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, and I wanted to take some time to reflect on gratitude with you today. It seems to me that one of the unofficial hymns of Thanksgiving Day is “Now Thank We All Our God.” Here are the lyrics of the first verse of that hymn:

Now thank we all our God
with heart and hands and voices,
who wondrous things has done,
in whom his world rejoices;
who from our mothers' arms
has blessed us on our way
with countless gifts of love,
and still is ours today.

Martin Rinkart is the author of this well-known hymn, which he wrote in German in the seventeenth century. Catherine Winkworth translated the hymn into the familiar English version we know nearly 200 years later. I marvel at the creative gifts of people who can translate poetic words into a new language and retain theological and linguistic beauty. There is so much meaning packed into the verse above. Every time I sing this hymn, I always spend a moment thinking about the last line: “and still is ours today.” What or who is still ours today? I had thought for a long time that it was the “countless gifts of love,” but that doesn’t make sense grammatically. If that were the case, the last line would read “which still are ours today.” The only thing that makes sense grammatically is for “still is ours today” to refer back to “who” which refers to God. What a comforting thought! The God who made a world filled with “wondrous things” and who has blessed us throughout our lives is still our loving and gracious God today. God will never leave us nor forsake us. As you are reading this email right now, God is with you wherever you are! I encourage you to give thanks to God for God’s abiding presence in our lives this Thanksgiving. Like the words of the hymn suggest, try giving thanks:

• With heart: Reflect on all the ways God has blessed you in your life.

• With hands: Do something to show your gratitude to God. Donate to an organization doing God’s work. Feed the birds outside your home and care for God’s creation. Write an encouraging note or text to someone and care for God’s beloved children.

• With voices: Say aloud, “Thank you, God, for always being with me.”

God is indeed with you, my friends. Happy Thanksgiving!

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Pastor Nominating Committee

Hi First Presbyterian,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Today I’d like to remind everyone that there will be a congregational meeting this Sunday at 11:30 am on Zoom. At this meeting, we will be electing a new class of Elders, Deacons, and Trustees, voting on a motion from the Nominating Committee about reducing the number of some of our officers, and dissolving (which is the official, technically-correct term) the Pastor Nominating Committee. It is very important that we have a quorum for this electronic meeting (which is 79 members) in order for it to happen, so please make every effort to attend this meeting! Members of the church will be receiving a follow-up email about this tomorrow from the church office to ensure you know how to access the meeting. Also, we are still short 3 Deacons, 2 Trustees, and 3 Nominating Committee members. Please respond to this email if you can carry out these roles.

Unlike most of our other committees, which are formed by and accountable to either the Session, the Deacons, the Trustees or the Presbyterian Women’s Board, the Pastor Nominating Committee (PNC) is a committee formed by the congregation and accountable to the congregation. Since it was formed by the congregation, it must also be dissolved by the congregation now that its work is finished. Before we take that action on Sunday, I’d like to spend a moment reflecting on the PNC from my own perspective.

I will never forget the email I received from Dawn Magnuson on behalf of the PNC back in January. I remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I pulled up my phone to see the email which said the PNC wanted to have a phone interview with me. A spark of joy and excitement leapt up within me, a feeling I tried to temper with reasonability as I left myself open to whatever God wanted for my future and the future of First Presbyterian. However, after that initial phone conversation, I couldn’t help but feel myself drawn to the people who made up the PNC, a small sampling of the congregation they represented. After more interviews and a visit to Pittsford, that initial spark of joy and excitement had erupted into a blaze of love for you all. God was making it abundantly clear that First Presbyterian was where I was being called.

That had all taken place by the end of February. On March 15, after Laura and I had the opportunity to meet many of you, after I had led worship for you, after you all had voted unanimously to call me as your next pastor, and after my family and I entered came back into the sanctuary to the sound of trumpeted fanfare and applause, we stood in the chancel of the sanctuary and Rev. Jim Widboom asked me, “Do you accept the call of the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford?” At that moment, I became overwhelmed with emotion as I said, “Yes.” It was an overwhelming experience, because I could clearly see and feel the Holy Spirit at work. What a blessing it was to know that you also felt this sense of calling I felt so strongly. The process of discernment that brought us together was made possible through ordinary people who had committed themselves to listen for God’s voice. Good things happen when we are faithful to God, and I cannot help but be grateful for the faithfulness of Dan Traina, Lew Becker, Dawn Magnuson, Todd Pedersen, Anne Ferris, Charlie Francis, Henry Wang, Susie Wahl, Judith Van Dorn, Beth Collins, and John Messenger.

These are hard days that we are enduring with COVID-19. But remember that God has brought us together for a purpose. We will get through this. Better days are coming. We began our journey in faithfulness; let us continue our journey in faithfulness. As the apostle Paul wrote, “The one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). May it be so!

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: COVID Update

Hi First Presbyterian,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up. I have a few announcements to pass along as well as what I’m sure will be disappointing news to many of you. Allow me to start with the disappointing news.

You are probably aware of the fact that cases of COVID-19 have been increasing in Monroe County recently, and COVID Act Now designates our county as being at risk to an outbreak. Last night, the Session met to discuss this reality and adopted the following protocols.

• In-person worship at 8:30am will be suspended if Monroe County reaches either 15/100K daily new cases OR a 3% positivity rate. In the event this happens, in-person worship may resume after these numbers reduce to less than 14/100K daily new cases and less than a 3% positivity rate.

• The building closes to church groups and programs (Sunday School, Confirmation, LOGOS, yoga, etc.) if Monroe County reaches either 20/100K daily new cases OR a 5% positivity rate. In the event this happens, the building will re-open to these groups/programs after these numbers reduce to less than 18/100K daily new cases and less than a 5% positivity rate.

As it happens, Monroe County (as of yesterday) reached 22/100K daily new cases, which means that, effective immediately, in-person worship is suspended and the building will be closed to church groups and programs. (The only exception to this at this time is the Nursery School.) You will still be able to reach someone at the church office by phone or email.

I am saddened that this is our reality as I’m sure many of you are, but I support the Session’s action. I can assure you that this isn't a decision the Session made lightly. They know it's disappointing, but they also want to keep our staff, our congregation, and our community safe. I pray this decisive action (along with similar actions from others in the community) will make this a short-lived shut-down.

We will continue to be the church, albeit remotely and digitally. Our livestreamed worship service will still occur at 10:00 am on Sundays, and I look forward to worshiping with you then. Allow me to encourage you with these words that God shared with Joshua as he and the Israelites were preparing to face a difficult situation: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9). Let us trust that God is with us.

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Now, a few announcements. In the spirit of continuing to be the church, the Outreach Committee is selling pies in support of a Habitat for Humanity future build. An order form to purchase a local, handmade apple crumb, apple raspberry, apple crisp, or pumpkin pie is attached. If you want to support this important mission of the church, place your order by noon on Monday, November 16. Pies will be picked up in the Locust Street parking lot of the church on Tuesday, November 24 (time TBD).

Also, Jeff Steele and the Strategic Communications Committee have been hard at work making updates and improvements to the church website. These changes will be going live this week. Visit the website (www.pittsfordpres.org) to see for yourself.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Election Day

Hi First Presbyterian,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up. I usually send these to you on Wednesdays, but I thought it was important for me to send this week’s email out earlier. Today is election day. To start, allow me to encourage all of you, if you haven’t already mailed in your ballot or voted early in-person, to grab your mask and go to your polling location to vote. You have until 9 pm to get in line. Thanks be to God for the privilege to vote in a free and fair election.

As a pastor, I consider my relationship to the church to be non-partisan, and I take that very seriously. At the same time, I realize that politics have a very real impact on our lives. I am assuming that most (if not all) of you care very strongly about the outcomes of this election season. When we learn the results of the election, some of you will be satisfied (maybe even elated) and others of you will be disappointed (maybe even devastated). Before we know the results of the election, I want to encourage you all toward unity. After the election, you may feel an urge to be angry (maybe even outraged) at the people who voted for “the other side.”  I ask you to resist that urge. After the election, you may feel an urge to gloat in front of the people who voted for “the other side.” I ask you to resist that urge, too. Those might feel like natural reactions. It may even seem like that’s what everyone else is doing. However, Christians must be different, because Christ calls us toward radical unity. Instead of allowing this election to divide us, I pray that you will use this as an opportunity to put your faith in Christ. Allow me to offer two reasons for pursuing unity with one another.

First, the Gospel commands us to pursue love in spite of our differences. Read any of Paul’s letters in the New Testament and you will likely read about Paul’s encouraging of unity under Christ, because the early Christian church was VERY divided. They were divided about a very important question having to do with inclusion, justice, and the future direction of their movement. They were divided specifically over the issue of including Gentiles into the Church. To a congregation struggling over this, Paul said, “Welcome one another, therefore, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God” (Romans 15:7). You have one thing in common with one another: your love of Jesus Christ. That is no small thing. Allow your common love of Christ to unify you despite whatever differences there are between you.

Second, before we are Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives, or even Americans, we are Christians. We must not allow our partisan differences to divide the church. Jesus said to the crowds who followed him, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26). That’s strong language, but what Jesus means is that not even our loyalty to our closest family should come before our loyalty to Jesus. If that is true of our closest family, then surely it can be said that our allegiance to Jesus must come before our allegiance to country or political party. The apostle Paul said that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20), which is interesting because Paul (unlike many of the other early followers of Jesus) had the great privilege of being a Roman citizen. Yet for Paul, the citizenship that mattered most to him was his citizenship in heaven. There is a new world coming, a world that Jesus himself will create. In that new world, Jesus will be king. There will be no elections, and we will live in perfect justice, kindness, and love, all in obedience to our king. To be a citizen of heaven means recognizing that every earthly government is going to fail us in some way until that new world arrives, and it means living now as though we live in that new world already. Together, side-by-side, hand-in-hand, we seek to live out now the values of the kingdom of God: justice, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). Brothers and sisters in Christ, before you are anything else in this life, you are a citizen of heaven. Look at one another that way. Don’t see a liberal or a conservative. Instead, see a citizen of heaven. See a fellow follower of Christ. See a brother. See a sister.

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Prayer for Hope

Hi First Presbyterian,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up. As we progress through this pandemic, the new habits we are learning are becoming normal for some of us. Probably for many more of us, this all still feels stifling, alienating, and saddening. Yet, as Christians, we know that God's plans for the world transcend what we can see with our eyes. In the New Testament, "hope" or "hoping" is mentioned 82 times. In a letter to his young ministry partner Titus, Paul refers to the future return of Jesus to the earth as "the blessed hope" (Titus 2:13). In Christ, there are reasons to look forward with joyful expectation. I offer this pray for us today as a way to acknowledge the feelings that many of you have and to pray for faith that God is bringing us into a better future. Let us pray:

For all that we have lost and are missing so greatly during this pandemic, Lord hear our prayer.
For the sadness that grows because of missing our closeness as a community, Lord hear our prayer.
For the fear of wondering what may have permanently changed as a result of all this, Lord hear our prayer.
For the hope that this will all come to an end soon, Lord hear our prayer.
For the joy of knowing that we will one day be able to embrace our brothers and sisters in Christ again, Lord hear our prayer.
For the yearning we have to lift our voices together in song again, Lord hear our prayer.
For the faith to know that you are always with us no matter our circumstances, Lord hear our prayer. Amen.

Because of Christ, we know that the darkness gives way to the light, despair gives way to hope, and weeping gives way to laughter. Jesus said that “you who weep now” can feel blessed, because you know that laughter awaits you (Luke 6:21). Jesus said that “those who mourn” can feel blessed, because they know that comfort awaits them (Matthew 5:4). When our current view of the world is bleak, that it when we must rely on the gift of faith. Better days are coming. Trust that God is faithful and will fulfill all God’s promises. And remember these words of Jesus: “I told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world!” (John 16:33)

Peace to you,
Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Book of Ruth

Hi First Presbyterian,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! The Wednesday Evening Bible Study group is in the middle of studying some of the women of the Bible and how God is revealed through their stories. We finished up the Book of Esther last week, and tonight we begin the Book of Ruth (you’re welcome to join us!).

As I’ve been thinking about the Book of Ruth, I cannot help but see the similarities between it and the Book of Esther. Specifically, there is an apparent “happenstance” or “random” nature to their stories. That is most clearly expressed in Esther through the words of Mordecai: “Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this” (Esther 4:14). And in Ruth, we read: “As it happened, Ruth came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech” (Ruth 2:3). Of course, both of these books of the Bible encourage us to see some instances of “happenstance” as the providential hand of God fulfilling God’s purposes in the world. For Ruth, her “random” encounter with Boaz led to their marriage, to their having a child, to that child becoming the grandfather of King David, and to King David becoming the recipient of God’s promise to send us Jesus. Wow! What are some ways that the seemingly randomness of life these days are actually God’s purposes being worked out in your life? I hope to explore that in our study of the Book of Ruth.

In other news, I wanted to pass along some news from the Visiting Team, who is hosting a weekly social event on Thursdays at 4 pm over Zoom. It’s called “Pour at Four.” This is an opportunity for you to socialize with some of your church friends. The Visiting Team says: 4 pm is “early enough for afternoon tea, and yet late enough for a glass of wine!” Bring your beverage and catch up with your friends, starting October 29th at 4 pm. Here is the meeting information:

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85155574738

Meeting ID: 851 5557 4738

Peace to you,

Pastor Neff

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Church Tagline

Hi First Presbyterian,

For many months now, the Strategic Communications Committee (SCC) has been hard at work trying to ensure the clarity and effectiveness of our church’s communication with its members and with the wider community. One of those efforts has been to create a tagline for our congregation. Sometimes people confuse a mission statement for a tagline. A mission statement is an expression of a shared goal; it’s what we believe our purpose as a congregation is. A tagline is different. A tagline is a short, pithy, and memorable expression that summarizes our mission statement and is useful for “telling our story.” It accompanies our name on our website, our official letterhead, on social media, and everywhere else our name is known. The SCC went through various iterations of a tagline before settling on one. Last night, the Session adopted the following tagline: Embracing and Sharing Christ’s Love. Let me explain the message behind this tagline.

Jesus said that the most important things God asks of us are to love God and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Everything we do as a community of faith, from interpreting scripture to the way we organize ourselves as a community, should be viewed through this lens of love for God and love for one another. That’s why First Presbyterian Church is about embracing and sharing Christ’s love.

When you think about an embrace, it’s something that should involve two people. It is about allowing yourself to be embraced, while also embracing the one who embraces you. Just think about how awkward a hug would be if only one person was actively engaging in it! We believe that God is reaching out to embrace us and, indeed, does embrace us. God’s love for us is unconditional and without limit. Our purpose in life is to reciprocate God’s embrace of us with our own embrace of God. We do this at First Presbyterian in our worship. The purpose of worship is to celebrate and embrace God and God’s love of us in Christ. This is the most important thing we do as a church.

There’s another important aspect of this embrace of God. All 8 billion people alive on the earth, as well as those who ever lived and those who ever will live, are made in God’s image. In other words, whatever is in us that is good and kind and faithful and loving is the fingerprint of God in our lives. It is a reflection of God’s own self. It is evidence that we are made in God’s image. By embracing Christ’s love, we are not only embracing that love as it is expressed to us directly from God but we are embracing that love as it is expressed to us through one another. We seek to treat one another with dignity, respect, humility, and love, because we see the image of God in each other and desire to embrace it. We do this at First Presbyterian in our prayer groups, Bible Study groups, Presbyterian Women circles, Sunday School, youth group, fellowship times, and other small group meetings. We are a community, which means we believe that everyone belongs together. Our embrace of Christ’s love in each other allows us to have unity despite our differences.

It is a fundamental part of our faith to also share Christ’s love. 1 John 4:19 says that we love because God first loved us. Once we become aware that we are recipients of Christ’s love, we cannot keep it to ourselves. Every time we show mercy and compassion, we share Christ’s love. Every time we serve those in need, we share Christ’s love. Every time we tell someone about their inherent value, we share Christ’s love. We do this at First Presbyterian through our care-giving groups, our missional efforts, and our evangelism.

At First Presbyterian Church, embracing and sharing Christ’s love is the way we follow the teaching of Jesus to love God and to love one another.

Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Prayers of the People with Pastor Erin

Hi First Presbyterian,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! I hope that you have been able to find the Live at Lunchtime livestreams I’ve been making on our church’s Facebook page every Thursday at noon. Just in case you missed it, I’m livestreaming a video every Thursday at lunchtime. The content is different every week, but I always aim for it to be interesting, informative, and edifying. If you miss the video while it’s live, you can always visit the Facebook page to see a recording of it afterwards.

Apropos of Live at Lunchtime, tomorrow’s livestream will include both Pastor Erin and me. As you know, Erin’s leadership covers the areas of pastoral care and youth ministry. In an effort to help you get to know her as a pastoral care-giver, tomorrow’s livestream is going to follow the structure of Prayers of the People. In other words, Erin and I are going to spend our time lifting up prayers for the congregation. Having said that, I’m asking that, if you would like to have us lift a prayer up for you tomorrow, please respond to this email to send me your prayer request.

Would you like prayers of strength, healing, or help offered for yourself? Send them to me. Would you like prayers of gratitude offered for ways that you have seen God’s love and faithfulness in your life? Send them to me. Would you like prayers offered for other individuals, families, or communities? Send them to me. Please only send requests that are not confidential and can be mentioned publicly during the livestream. Otherwise, please specify that your request is confidential.

I hope you will spend some time with Pastor Erin and I tomorrow, as we grow in our faith and prayer for one another!

Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron

Mid-Week Meet-Up: Partnership for Peace

Hi First Presbyterian,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Today I want to let you know about an opportunity coming up in a couple weeks.

Over the summer, Rev. Carol Anne Strawbridge, Rev. Rod Frohman, Rev. Mack Smith, and I helped to facilitate an 8-week conversation on the topic of racism. As the word “conversation” implies, those 8 weeks were not designed as lectures or studies but were an opportunity for people in the conversation group to talk with each other. As the 8-week conversation came to an end, there was a clear desire from the group to see our conversation develop into action, specifically to try to form relationships with black churches and neighborhoods in Rochester. Rev. Mack Smith is going to help us create a strategy to make that happen.

Mack is an ordained minister in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, and his 30+ years of experience in intercity and black churches enables him to lead our strategizing. He will be leading an initial strategizing meeting with us over Zoom on Sunday, October 11 from 7-9pm. He will be using the books of Deuteronomy and Joshua to lead us through a workshop he’s titled, “It's Time to Move from the Pews of Praise and Worship to the Neighborhood.”  The focus of the workshop is to help us (with scripture as our basis) to think about strategies to form partnerships with other churches and neighborhoods in Rochester, specifically black churches and neighborhoods.

This workshop on October 11 will not be the only meeting of its kind, but, as the initial meeting, I encourage you to attend to check out the ideas that will be discussed. Please let me know if you would like to be a part of this important effort, and I’ll make sure you get the Zoom link.

Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron