MID-WEEK MEET-UP: Advent - Ears to Hear

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Advent has begun, and we are in the midst of preparing our hearts anew to receive the news of God’s incarnation in Jesus Christ. This Advent, we are encouraging the congregation to read along with the devotional A Surprising God by Thomas Long and Donyelle McCray. I was reading today’s reflection from the devotional and want to share some of my thoughts about it with you.  

The authors reflect on a reading from Luke 11:29-32. Up to that point in the Gospel, Jesus has performed many miracles, including healings, exorcisms, raising people from the dead, and feeding thousands of people with just a few loaves and fishes. He has taught about the kingdom of God and demonstrated God’s radical love and forgiveness. Yet, some people were claiming that Jesus performed his miracles by the power of Satan, and they were asking Jesus to give them a sign that he was truly the Messiah. Really? After all that Jesus had done, people were still unconvinced that he possessed the power of God. Jesus responds, in essence, by telling the skeptics, “If your hearts are so hardened that you can see the works of God and believe they are the works of the Devil, there is nothing that even I can do to help you!”  

Then, in today’s reading from Luke, Jesus says, “No sign will be given to [this generation] except the sign of Jonah” (Luke 11:29). What does that mean? In the story of Jonah, Jonah is swallowed by a great fish and remains in the fish’s belly for three days (Jonah 1:17). Jesus is drawing a connection between Jonah’s time inside the fish for three days and his own future burial in a tomb for three days. In other words, Jesus is saying to the skeptics in the crowd, “If you do not believe that I am the Messiah and the Son of God after my death and resurrection, then I there is nothing that will convince you.” This moment in the ministry of Jesus is teaching us that God will not twist our arms to believe in Jesus but, nevertheless, gives us so many opportunities to see and believe the truth, if only we would notice. “Let anyone with ears to hear listen!” (Luke 8:8) 

The authors of our devotional write: “Eventually, the time for seeking signs expires, and the time comes to act on the signs we’ve been given… We have been given the sign of all signs in Christ.” 

As we move through Advent this year, I pray you will hear the Gospel as it is proclaimed throughout the season. You will hear it in the scriptures and in our worship. You will see it in nativities and crèches. You will even hear it in practically every Christmas song that is playing on the radio, on streaming playlists, and in shopping malls this time of year. God has come to us in Jesus to rescue us from sin and to call us to a new life in Christ. The questions our reading from today are asking us is: Do we hear the Holy Spirit, and what will we do after we have heard?  

I pray you will look for signs from the Holy Spirit this Advent, and, more importantly, respond to them by inviting Jesus more fully into your life.  

Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: Advent Devotional

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

This Advent, worship will be following along with the readings from a devotional called A Surprising God by Thomas G. Long and Donyelle C. McCray. This book has a Scripture passage and a reflection for each day of Advent, beginning with Sunday, November 30, and going to Christmas.  

If you would like to deepen and enrich your experience of Advent this year, you have a few opportunities to do that with this book A Surprising God. 

1. Some of you are part of Bible study groups that have already chosen to study this book on their own during Advent. If that applies to you, you’re all set! 

2. You may sign up to join our parish associate Ernest Krug for a discussion of the book on Sunday evenings during Advent. Books are available for purchase from the church for $10 each. Ernest’s group will be meeting at the church on:

     Sunday, November 30 from 5-6pm 

     Sunday, December 7 from 5-6pm

     Sunday, December 14 from 5-6pm

     Sunday, December 21 from 5-6pm

3. You may also want to read along all on your own. As I said, worship throughout Advent will focus on the scripture readings from the book. Additionally, after the 10:00 am worship service each Sunday, I will be leading a 30-minute, drop-in Q&A in the sanctuary. You can purchase a copy of the book for yourself either here or here. If it’s a challenge to order the book yourself, the church office can help you get one.  

Sign-ups for Ernest’s group will begin this Sunday morning!  

Peace,
Aaron

mid-week meet-up: Sitting in the Woods

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! It’s hard to believe it’s November. Halloween is behind us, and Thanksgiving is only three weeks away. You might not know this, but early November is also the time of year when whitetail deer are most active (called “the rut,”) making it ideal for hunting. You have probably heard me say that I enjoy hunting. I grew up in Pennsylvania, where schools were always closed on the opening day of hunting season. It seemed like everyone and their cousin was a hunter. I like hunting because of its benefits to wildlife conservation, to public service (Did you know that in the Town of Perinton there have been over 150 car accidents involving deer this year?), to sustainable food procurement, and because I love being outdoors. When I am hunting, I will sit in my tree stand for hours in total silence, simply paying close attention to everything around me. I learn so much about nature just by paying attention to it. I notice the way a full moon has an effect on deer activity. I notice the behavior patterns of squirrels and small birds. I observe red-tailed hawks silently hunting right alongside me. I have even observed a coyote following a scent trail just 10 yards away from me, totally unaware of my presence. While so much of today’s world is experienced on screens and in the digital world, it refreshes my soul and grounds me in my humanity when I just sit still in the woods for a long time. 

I think life with God can sometimes be like sitting in the woods for hours at a time. The more we pay attention, the more we will notice! It’s one thing to read about hunting or to talk about hunting, but you will only get the full effect by getting into the woods yourself. Similarly, we can read about God and talk about God, but the most real experience of God comes when we simply open ourselves to God and pay close attention to what God might be doing. This can happen in prayer, in Bible-reading, in conversation with someone, and in a moment of silence. Can you take a moment right now (5-10 minutes) and tune your ears and heart into God’s frequency? Say something to God. Tune out the noise and listen closely. What is God saying to response? 

Peace,
Aaron 

mid-week meet-up: Craig Kunkle

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! I have some bittersweet news to share with you today. Over the weekend, Craig Kunkle accepted the call to become the next pastor of the First Presbyterian Church of Sturgis, Michigan. This is great news, because Craig will now begin an exciting new chapter of ministry. Congratulations to him! His new church will be very blessed to have him. However, it’s also sad news, because it means Craig will be leaving us in Pittsford after more than 14 years of ministry here.  

Before Craig leaves us, there will be plenty of opportunities for you to share your congratulations to him and say goodbye. His last day with us will be Sunday, November 23. Craig will be helping to lead worship at both services on November 23, and I encourage you to make every effort to attend worship that day. There will be a celebration of his ministry with us during and after the 10:00 am service.  

Saying goodbye is difficult, but I am reminded of the words of Paul: “I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). God goes with Craig in this new chapter with his new church, and God remains with us in our continued ministry. Let’s pray for Craig as he takes this exciting next step. If you’re not sure what to pray, I encourage you to use these words from Numbers 6:24-26: 

"The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and give you peace.” 

Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: Reformation Sunday

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! First, here’s a quick public service announcement. Impersonators are once again pretending to be Pastor Erin or me, sending you emails trying to get you to respond to them so you will give them money or gift cards. Always make sure to check the email address of the sender. If you receive an email from anyone who’s address is not either aaron.neff@pittsfordpres.org or erin.jacobson@pittsfordpres.org, then the email is not from us, and you should ignore it and report it! 

This weekend I won’t be leading worship in Pittsford, because I will be leading a spiritual renewal retreat with many of you at the LeTourneau Christian Center. Pastor Erin will be leading a very special Reformation Sunday worship service in Pittsford and will continue our core values sermon series. At the later service, there will be choral music, hand bells, and brass instrumentalists. I hope you will worship with us!  

October 31, 2025, will mark the 508th anniversary since a German monk named Martin Luther nailed 95 theses (which were statements and critiques of medieval Catholic beliefs and practices) on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany. This event is recognized as the origination of what would become known as the Protestant Reformation. Many women and men across Europe would eventually join Luther in his desire to reform the Church. Not all those people agreed about everything, but, looking back, historians and theologians have summarized the major beliefs that they did share with the following five Latin phrases.  

Sola Gratia (“Grace Alone”): People cannot be good enough on their own to earn salvation but receive it only because God freely gives it as a gift of grace. 

Sola Fide (“Faith Alone”): People must have faith that God’s salvation comes as a free gift and that God is as good as the Gospel says God is. 

Sola Scriptura ("Scripture Alone”): The Bible alone reveals the truest depiction of what God is like, which means people don’t need a religious authority to tell them what God is like. If you read a passage of scripture with a desire to believe and wrestle with it long enough, God’s grace will be revealed to you. 

Solo Christo (“Christ Alone”): People don’t need any mediator between themselves and God except Christ alone. Christ has already done the necessary work for your salvation, and the work of Christ is sufficient. 

Soli Deo Gloria (“For the Glory of God Alone”): Because the work of Christ alone is sufficient to secure our salvation, the entire direction of our life’s aim should be oriented toward giving God glory who saves us through Christ. Whatever brings God glory is for our benefit. 

In these days leading up to Reformation Sunday, I encourage you choose one or two of these five phrases and reflect on what it means in your own life. Personally, I will be reflecting on the last phrase, considering which parts of my life have yet to be directed towards God’s glory alone and asking God to give me the grace to change that.  

Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron 

mid-week meet-up: Connect

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! This Sunday is New Member Sunday, when we will receive six new people into our church’s membership. How exciting! I hope you will be there to support these new members and celebrate the growth God is causing among us! We will also be continuing our five-week sermon series, focusing on our church’s five core values. Last Sunday, we discussed our core value called “follow.” This Sunday, we will explore our core value called “connect.”  

“Connect” expresses the value we hold as a church of creating and sustaining life-giving relationships across all generations. During worship, we will be reading Acts 4:32-37 and Hebrews 10:9-25. The reading from Acts is an inspiring passage, but people also misunderstand the passage leading to confusion and even a misuse of the passage. The main reason for this is because of what it says in Acts 4:32-34, “Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common… There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold.” 

Sometimes people read this passage and think that the scripture advocates for a government economic policy of shared wealth or collective ownership. This is not true, not because the early church would have necessarily rejected specific economic systems like socialism or capitalism (concepts that would have been totally foreign to them, anyhow), but because the early church was unconcerned with what political or economic systems were used by their governing authorities. Keep in mind that the Christian Church was born in the Roman Empire, an authoritarian government ruled by an emperor and whose economic system relied heavily on forced taxation, tribute, and the upward flow of wealth through means of patronage. Most of the earliest Christians weren’t even Roman citizens who could even benefit from Roman wealth if possible. While Christians believed that God granted the state the privilege to govern its people, they also understood that any human government was inherently flawed and, therefore, could not be fully relied upon to bring peace and righteousness. I recently read something church historian Jerry Sittser wrote, who said that early Christians did not focus on how the state came to power, but rather on how the state used its power and how Christians were to relate to it. In other words, Christians prayed for their governing leaders and some (like Justin Martyr and Tertullian) even addressed their governing leaders asking them to exercise justice and morality in their treatment of the populace, but Christians were unconcerned about whether they lived under an authoritarian monarch or a semi-democratic city-state. Why was this? Because they weren’t looking to human government to offer the world the hope of the Kingdom of God. God had already given that hope through Jesus Christ, and the Church was meant to be the continuation of Christ’s work through the power of the Holy Spirit.  

Let me put it a little differently. Early Christians didn’t look to human government for hope; they believed that the Church was God's chosen instrument to remake the world. Acts 4:32-37 is not about the secular government; it is about the Church! It is not about state economic policies; it is about the Church taking ownership of God’s mission in the world! You might wonder, “But what can the Church really do to remake the world?” O, ye of little faith! Never forget what Paul once wrote, “If God is for us, who can be against us?!” (Romans 8:31) 

As you prepare for worship this Sunday, I pray you will consider how powerful our life together as a congregation truly is. When we faithfully give ourselves over to the mission of God with our time, talent, and treasure, anything is possible. We may even find that there is not a needy person among us (Acts 4:34).  

Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: Hebrews 11

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! The Penny Pincher Sale is this week! The Presbyterian Women volunteers and others have been hard at work getting the sale ready. Don’t forget that the sale is open on Thursday (tomorrow) from 10am - 5pm. On Friday, the half-price sale is from 10am - 12pm, and the “big bag” sale is from 12:15pm - 1:30pm.

Today is also the last call if you want to attend the spiritual renewal retreat I am leading from October 24 (3pm) through October 26 (10am). If you want learn and practice spiritual disciplines of prayer and scripture-reading along beautiful Canandaigua Lake, let me know today! I still have some spots open. The cost is $80/person for a private bedroom and $50/person for a shared bedroom.

This Sunday, my sermon will focus on Hebrews 11, which is where we encounter this profound and well-known verse of scripture: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (11:1). I will be exploring what it means to step out in faith to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit. I want to share with you today an excerpt from the fourth-century theologian Augustine of Hippo, who is reflecting in a sermon on this verse from Hebrews. He says that faith, hope, and love are connected. He says that when we trust in the promises of God, because we have hope in their reality, it leads to love. Here is what he says:

When you hope, you do not yet have what you are hoping for, but, by believing it, you resemble someone who does possess it. For faith will eventually take hold, but our very faith stands for the thing itself. I mean, you do not have your hands on anything when you have them on faith, nor are they empty if they are full of faith. The reason faith is greatly rewarded is that it does not see and yet believes. I mean, if it could see, what reward would there be? ... But faith does not falter, because it is supported by hope. Take away hope, and faith falters. How, after all, when you are walking somewhere, will you even move your feet, if you have no hope of ever getting there? If, though, from each of them, that is from faith and hope, you withdraw love, what is the point of believing; what is the point of hoping, if you do not love? Indeed, you cannot even hope for anything you do not love. Love, you see, kindles hope; hope shines through love. But when we attain the things that we have been hoping for while believing in and not seeing them, what faith will there be then to be praised? Considering that “faith is the conviction of things not seen,” when we do see, it will not be called faith. After all, you will be seeing, not believing.

I HOPE to see you Sunday.

Peace,

Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: Spiritual Renewal Retreat

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! This Sunday will be an exciting time of worship. Not only will we be celebrating the baptism of Lily Jane Boise, but we will also be giving thanks to God for the many years of JASY (Jamaican Advantage through Sports for Youth) and considering it a “mission accomplished.” Friends and ministry partners (including some from Jamaica) will be joining us to help us lead worship. You won’t want to miss it! 

As you may recall, our church is focused right now on accomplishing four objectives that we’re calling Everyday Faith, Groups and Gatherings, Pittsford Connects, and Re-align to Our True North. Last year, the one-year Bible reading journey was part of achieving our Everyday Faith objective, which aims at “reimagining discipleship to become highly relational, personal, and biblical.” This year, one of the ways we are aiming to achieve this objective is through the spiritual renewal retreat I announced a few weeks ago.  

From Friday, October 24, through Sunday, October 26, I will be leading a spiritual renewal retreat for our church at the LeTourneau Christian Center (www.letcc.org), located in Rushville, right on Canandaigua Lake. During this retreat, I will be introducing people to some spiritual disciplines that will help us to deepen our prayer lives, to read the scriptures with a greater openness to the Holy Spirit, and to become more attuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit. We will be staying in their Bethany House, which includes eight bedrooms, showers, restrooms, and a common room where we will be meeting throughout the weekend. All our meals will be provided in their dining hall. The Bethany House comfortably accommodates twelve guests, but there are enough beds to fit a few more people. Click here to see the Bethany House.  

There is still room for you! If you are interested in attending this spiritual retreat, click the link below to complete the sign-up form. Most retreat attendees will need to share a bedroom with someone else, but the Bethany House can accommodate a few people in private rooms. The cost of the retreat has been subsidized by our Christian Education Committee, but there is a nominal fee of $80/person for people in private bedrooms and $50/person for people in shared bedrooms. We will arrive on Friday (10/24) at 3 pm and depart on Sunday (10/26) at 10 am.
FPCP October Retreat Sign-Up

May you grow in Christ today and every day!

Peace,
Pastor Aaron

MID-WEEK MEET-UP: END OF ONE YEAR READING PLAN AND CHRIST CLARION

Hi First Presbyterian Church,

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Well… we’re done! We’ve been reading through the whole Bible over the last year, and, if you’ve been reading along, you’re finished! You read the whole Bible! Congratulations! I know some of you haven’t quite finished. Keep at it! Reading through the whole Bible is quite an accomplishment, and just because our reading plan ended on Monday doesn’t mean you can’t keep reading. You can do it! And don't forget to pick up your "I Read the Whole Bible" bookmark in the church lobby!

It was great seeing so many of you at Kick-Off Sunday! It’s always great to settle back into our regular routines after time spent over the summer traveling and vacationing. Now that the one-year Bible journey has officially ended, our worship focus each Sunday will return to following the Revised Common Lectionary. That means over the next few Sundays, we will be reflecting on some of the teachings of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke. I hope to see you in worship!

It’s been a month since you heard the news from the Session about the possibility of First Presbyterian Church taking over operations of the Christ Clarion Presbyterian Church property. You might be wondering if there are any updates. The short answer is: “There is no update.” Our church leadership is still in the process of negotiating the terms of operation with our Presbytery to see if this opportunity even makes sense for us. There have been some questions from the congregation since last month, and it might be helpful for me to reiterate and clarify some of what I wrote to you previously. (Please refer to my Mid-Week Meet-Up from August 13, 2025, to read the full announcement.) 

Would we be buying Christ Clarion’s property? No! We will not be buying their property. The terms being negotiated with our Presbytery pertain to simply taking over the operations of their property. 

If we are satisfied after our negotitaions with the Presbytery, is there a good reason to move forward with taking over operating Christ Clarion’s property, or would we simply be doing our Presbytery a favor? The easiest thing for our Presbytery to do with the Christ Clarion property would be to sell it, which they frequently have done with other church property when a congregation dissolves and closes. If First Presbyterian Church were to move forward with operating their property, it would be because we see it as an extension and expansion of our own ministry and mission in Pittsford. Our Presbytery did not invite us into these negotiations to do them a favor but to discern whether this might be a fruitful opportunity for us, which the Session is still discerning. (See my email from August 13 for an initial idea the Session is hopeful will lead to fruitful mission and ministry, if the way be clear.)

If we are satisfied after our negotiations with the Presbytery, will our whole congregation have a voice before the decision to move forward or not? Yes! If we are satisfied after negotiations and before a final decision is made, the Session will host a meeting (or meetings) for the congregation to discuss it. 

The Session will continue to keep you updated as this situation develops. In the meantime, please keep your church leadership in prayer as we seek God’s wisdom and guidance.

Peace to you,

Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: Spiritual renewal retreat

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! A lot is happening this week! Our summer worship schedule has concluded, and, this Sunday, we resume our normal worship times of 8:30 am and 10:00 am. I can hardly believe it, but our one-year journey of reading through the whole Bible concludes on Monday (September 8), which means this Sunday is our last Sunday following along with our reading plan. We wrap up the journey by finishing our sermon series through the Book of Revelation. Immediately following the 10:00 am service, there will be a congregational meeting to consider the Session’s proposed change to our church bylaws. Then, following the congregational meeting, I hope everyone will stay for the church picnic! The Deacons will have the grill fired up and will serve everyone a delicious picnic lunch. There will also be games for kids and the chance to see our church family. You won’t want to miss any of it! 

Finally, with a new church program year beginning, I wanted to let you know about an exciting opportunity this Fall. Do you have a desire to deepen your prayer life, to read the scriptures with a greater openness to the Holy Spirit, or to become more attuned to the voice of the Holy Spirit? If so, you might be interested in a spiritual renewal retreat I will be leading for our church from Friday, October 24, through Sunday, October 26, at the LeTourneau Christian Center (www.letcc.org), located in Rushville, right on Canandaigua Lake.  

During this retreat, I will be introducing our group to some Christian spiritual disciplines, while we enjoy the beautiful scenery around their campus. On Sunday morning, we will end the retreat with an intimate worship service. We will be staying in their Bethany House, which includes eight bedrooms, showers, restrooms, and a common room where we will be meeting throughout the weekend. All our meals will be provided in their dining hall. The Bethany House comfortably accommodates twelve guests, but there are enough beds to fit a few more people.  

If you are interested in attending this spiritual retreat, click the link below to complete the sign-up form. Most retreat attendees will need to share a bedroom with someone else, but the Bethany House can accommodate a few people in private rooms. The cost of the retreat has been subsidized by our Christian Education Committee, but there is a nominal fee of $80/person for people in private bedrooms and $50/person for people in shared bedrooms. We will arrive on Friday (10/24) at 3 pm and depart on Sunday (10/26) at 10 am. 

FPCP October Retreat Sign-up  

I look forward to growing in Christ with you!

Peace,
Pastor Aaron

Mid-week meet-up: Director of Family Ministries, Craig Kunkle

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! We’re on Day 357 of our one-year Bible-reading journey, and worship for the next few Sundays will be focused on our readings of the Book of Revelation. It’s hard to believe that our year ends in less than two weeks! I’ve certainly learned and grown with you through this process, and I pray you all have, too.  

I want to take a moment in today’s message to update you on some important staffing developments here at the church. This likely won’t come as a surprise—many of you have heard pieces of this unfolding story over the past year—but I’d like to offer a concise summary of where things stand. 

Craig Kunkle has had a remarkable year. After faithfully serving as our Director of Christian Education, Craig transitioned into the role of Director of Youth and Family Ministries, where he has taken on leadership of our youth ministry with care and dedication. At the same time, he has been progressing through the rigorous ordination process of our denomination. 

This past year, Craig successfully passed all five major ordination exams: Bible Content, Bible Exegesis, Theological Competence, Worship and Sacraments, and Polity. He has also been actively involved in ministry at Batavia Presbyterian Church, which has served as his official “support church” during this process. Recently, the Presbytery officially examined and approved him as a candidate for ministry, and the Committee on Preparation for Ministry has now authorized him to begin seeking a pastoral call. If you haven’t already, take a moment to congratulate Craig—his journey through this process is no small feat, and he’s walked it with persistence. 

Naturally, this means that at some point in the future, Craig will be leaving FPC Pittsford to step into his calling as a Pastor. However, that time has not yet come. The search for a pastoral position can take time, and Craig remains fully with us for the foreseeable future. We will have plenty of time to celebrate his 14 years of faithful service, to say our goodbyes, and to send him off with gratitude, love, and prayer. 

In preparation for this eventual transition, the Session is beginning to form a search committee to find Craig’s successor. While there is no immediate urgency, we want to be proactive and ensure a smooth, thoughtful handoff for our children and youth ministries, which remain a vital part of our church’s mission. 

What’s most important for you to know now is this: our children and youth ministry is in good hands. Craig continues to faithfully lead, and the Session is committed to ensuring a seamless and strong future for this ministry. Please continue to show your gratitude and support to Craig. His contributions have shaped the lives of so many in our congregation, and we are blessed to walk alongside him as he follows God’s call into the next chapter of his ministry. 

Peace,
Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: FPC and Christ Clarion

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! We wrap up our summer sermon series this Sunday in which we’ve been answering your questions about things you’ve been reading in the Bible from our one-year Bible-reading journey. Like last Sunday, our topic will be focused on what the Bible says about human sexuality.  

I want to focus today’s Meet-Up on informing you about some hopeful developments that have occurred over the last few months. Our neighbors over at Christ Clarion Presbyterian Church have existed as a congregation in Pittsford since the 1960s. Like many churches, over the past few decades, they have realized that they no longer have sustainable resources to maintain their life as a congregation and have decided that they will be dissolving as a congregation in June of 2026. In our Presbytery, when churches dissolve, there is often nothing left to do than sell their property. However, our Presbytery’s Committee on Ministry and our Executive Presbyter, John Odom, saw a possible alternative outcome when it comes to Christ Clarion Presbyterian Church. They thought, “What if there was a way for the property of Christ Clarion to stay within the mission of the Presbytery to advance the witness of Jesus Christ within Pittsford?” Since Christ Clarion is only 3 miles away from First Presbyterian Church, we have been asked if we could advance Christ’s mission in Pittsford if we were to take over operating Christ Clarion’s property. 

Our church’s Trustees and Session have considered this opportunity, and each board has decided to move forward. Our Session and our Presbytery leaders are hopeful that, while the Christ Clarion congregation will be dissolving within the year, First Presbyterian Church will be able to expand the mission of Jesus Christ in Pittsford with the property. The Christ Clarion building, which sits on seven acres in the Town of Pittsford, is situated right in the heart of the Pittsford Central School District (it’s actually right across the street from Thornell Road Elementary School), making it an ideal location for an expanded outreach to the students and families in our community. Our Session sees its location as ideal to growing our church’s “Pittsford Connects” objective by reaching out to these students and families but also sees many other possible mission-focused uses of the property. 

Let me give you a little history of what brought us to this moment. In March 2025, our Executive Presbyter, John Odom, met with me and Pastor Erin to discuss the possibility of First Presbyterian Church taking over operating the Christ Clarion property, and we were both interested. Two months later, John met with our Session to discuss the same thing. The Session was interested and formed a Task Force (made up of Elders, Trustees, and the Pastors) to represent them in some initial conversations with the leadership of Christ Clarion. In these conversations, we learned that, while we would of course be taking over the maintenance of the property, we would be doing so at a mitigated cost. The Christ Clarion Preschool, which currently pays the church to use part of their building, would continue to rent the space under the new arrangement. Last month, some of our Trustees went on a thorough tour of Christ Clarion’s facility to inspect the facility and found that it is in excellent condition and presents no apparent concerns. This month, as I’ve already said, our Trustee Board and our Session approved moving forward. Now, it moves on to the Presbytery Trustees for their deliberation and recommendation.  

However, you should know that this is by no means a “done deal.” The resolution that our Session approved last night was to move forward by “exchanging drafts of an agreement with Presbytery for consideration of the specific terms.” Our church leadership wants to ensure that the mission-focused opportunities we envision by operating Christ Clarion’s property will be practically feasible and have a good chance of success.  

The Session will continue to keep you updated as this situation develops. In the meantime, please keep your church leadership in prayer as we seek God’s wisdom and guidance. 

Peace, 
Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: “What should we believe about human sexuality?”

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! We’re on Day 332 of reading through the Bible in one year. Our year ends on September 8, which means we have just about a month left! We recently finished reading through Ezekiel, the Letter from James, and the First Letter from Peter. We’re currently reading through the Book of Daniel and the Second Letter from Peter. Pay close attention as you read through the Book of Daniel, because many of the same themes in Daniel will reemerge when we read the last book of the Bible - the Book of Revelation. We will be focusing a few sermons on the Book of Revelation in just a few weeks to try and understand this important and mysterious book. 

However, we’re still finishing up our sermon series focused on answering your questions about the things we’ve been reading in the Bible, and for the next two weeks the question we will be answering is: “What should we believe about human sexuality?” The reason we are taking two weeks to answer this question is because, to my knowledge, this topic has never been addressed in a sermon at First Presbyterian Church and requires lots of nuance to try to address faithfully. You might think, “Can’t we just keep it that way - not addressing the topic during worship?” Yet, worship is meant to focus on the reading and proclaiming of the Bible, and you can hardly read any place in the Bible where human sexuality is not addressed in some way. If we want to faithfully read the Bible, we can’t totally ignore the topic of human sexuality.  

What does the Bible say about human sexuality? How does it apply to Christians today? Come to worship the next two Sundays to hear me explore these questions with you.  

Peace,
Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: First African Baptist Church, Savannah, GA

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! Many of you have been asking about my first Doctor of Ministry residency that I completed at the end of June. I’ve shared with you some of what I’ve been learning about discipleship, evangelism, and revival, especially as it relates to the missionary work of John Wesley, Charles Wesley, and George Whitefield. However, I want to share with you another incredible moment of learning I experienced while in Georgia. One day of the residency, we travelled to Savannah to retrace the steps of some of the early Christian pioneers. One place we stopped was the First African Baptist Church in Savannah, the oldest black church in continuous existence in the United States. Their church has an inspirational history and is a vibrant community of faith today, serving the people of Savannah with the ministry of the Gospel. Their Associate Pastor Derrek Curry gave us a very informative lecture about the history of the church, and I’d like to share some parts of their history with you now. 

George Leile was a black slave born in Virginia in 1750. While a slave in Georgia, he was converted to Christianity in 1773. Soon after, he was licensed to preach and eventually ordained as a Baptist minister. Over the next eight years, his preaching to the slaves among the plantations of Georgia resulted in many people coming to faith in Christ. In 1781, as British forces were leaving the Georgia coast, Leile left for Jamaica to be a missionary to the people there. Rev. Andrew Bryan, who had become a Christian under the ministry of Rev. Leile, would assume the responsibility of leading this new community of Christian slaves. On January 20, 1788, the First African Baptist Church was organized with 67 members.  

During the lecture, two events stood out to me as demonstrating the remarkable resiliency of the members of the First African Baptist Church. In the early years after the church was organized, the pastors and members of the church were severely persecuted by white neighbors and yet continued to preach the Gospel to slaves, grew, and even thrived as a church. The church’s first official pastor, Rev. Andrew Bryan, was so severely harmed from persecution that the left side of his face was disfigured. In the church building today, the first six pastors of the church are depicted in stained glass displayed behind the church’s pulpit. Rev. Bryan is the only person whose face is not displayed frontally and is instead displayed in profile, hiding the left side of his face. The church wanted to remember him for his strong and faithful pastoral leadership, instead of the hardship he endured at the hands of his white persecutors. He embodies the words from 1 Peter 4:16, “If any of you suffers as a Christian, do not consider it a disgrace, but glorify God because you bear this name.” His pastoral leadership inspires me to be likewise committed to Christ and the Gospel ministry with undaunted focus. 

The other event that stood out to me was how the church obtained its current property in 1832 and built the original brick building that still stands today. The church wanted a property of their own, and in April of 1832, the white Baptist Conference agreed to allow them to purchase a property in Savannah. There was a problem, however. The Conference told them they could only purchase the property if they could come up with $1,500 in 6 months! In today’s value, that’s approximately $60,000. How could slaves come up with $60,000 in just 6 months?! The story is truly remarkable. They went to their slave-owners and asked them to liquidate the equity they had earned toward their freedom, and, in effect, re-enslaved themselves all over again. Rev. Curry told us, “Those slaves would rather have a church of their own, even if it meant remaining slaves for the rest of their lives!” That tells you something about how important their faith in Jesus was and how vital they understood the community of faith to be! After purchasing the property, the slaves got to work building a new church building for themselves. After working all day on plantations, they would come to the church and work throughout the night making bricks by hand. They would go down to the Savannah River to collect clay, making, drying, and setting each brick for their building by hand. Structural engineers today say that that brick building is one of the most structurally sound buildings they’ve seen, even after 190 years!  

The Christians who made up the membership of the First African Baptist Church in those early years have so much to teach us today. They refused to let white, so-called Christians discourage and deter them from having a vibrant relationship with Christ, and they demonstrated such courage and strength in loving God and serving one another despite persecution. I pray that I and all of us at First Presbyterian Church would be empowered by the Holy Spirit to have such singleness of purpose, faith, courage, and determination. This Doctor of Ministry program is becoming such a boon to my faith and leadership, and I’m so grateful to be part of it. I hope you are encouraged, too, as I share with you all that I'm learning. 

Peace to you,
Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: The Book of Ezekiel

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! We’re continuing our summer sermon series this Sunday. So far, we’ve addressed your questions about the nature of Christian community, speaking in tongues, and applying the teachings of Jesus to our lives. This Sunday, the question I will be seeking to answer in my sermon will be, “What’s with all the animal sacrificing in the Old Testament?” The Q&A’s after each of these sermons have been stimulating and educational. I hope you’ll worship with us on Sunday and stick around afterward for the discussion of the day’s topic.  

Today is Day 311 of our one-year Bible reading journey, which means we only have 54 days left! That’s hard to believe!  

Our Old Testament readings currently have us in the Book of Ezekiel. There have been a few questions posted by people in the Bible App about Ezekiel, and I’d like to take a moment to answer those questions here so everyone can benefit.  

Throughout the Book of Ezekiel, God regularly refers to the prophet Ezekiel as “son of man.” You’ll also notice that in the Old Testament, the Messiah is occasionally referred to as the Son of Man, and, in fact, this title is applied to Jesus in the New Testament (like in Luke 19:10 where Jesus says about himself, “For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”) Is Ezekiel being called “son of man” because he was a Messianic figure, or is there a difference between how the term “son of man” is applied to Ezekiel and the other references to the Messiah? The answer is: there is a difference.  

In the Hebrew language, the phrase “son of ________” is often used to describe a person who is part of a larger group. For example, when you read the word “Israelite” in the Old Testament, it’s actually translating the Hebrew phrase “son of Israel,” which simply means “one who is a descendant of Israel.” Likewise, the phrase “son of man” is simply a phrase which means “one who belongs to the human race,” or, more simply put, “a human” or “a mortal.” That’s why you’ll notice that some English translations of the Book of Ezekiel don’t call him “son of man” but simply “O human” or “O mortal.” It’s a way that the Book of Ezekiel is trying to communicate to us that the prophet Ezekiel is simply a mere mortal relaying the words of God. On the other hand, the title for the Messiah (particularly in the New Testament) is usually referred to using the definite article - the Son of Man. Why is that? It’s because Jesus the Messiah is not simply a mere mortal; rather, he is the chief and archetypal human. He is the representation for what all humans were truly meant to be. He is not simply a human; he is the Human. He is what all humans should aspire to become, and that's why we look to Jesus to know how God wants all of us to be.  

Thinking of the prophet Ezekiel as a mere mortal relaying the words of God led some of you to wonder about why prophets were needed. When God spoke to people through prophets, was God “updating” things that God had previously already said? And, how were people to distinguish between true prophets and false prophets? In response to the first question, when God spoke through prophets, God was not giving a new revelation. Rather, God was using the prophet to enforce the words that God had already said previously. Ezekiel wasn’t telling the people of Judah anything new; he was simply telling them, “God really meant what God has already told you!” In fact, this was one of the ways that people can tell the difference between a true and false prophet. Was the prophet telling the people to trust in God alone for wisdom and provision? Then, that person was a true prophet. Was the prophet telling the people that obedience to God alone wasn’t really necessary and that they could trust in other gods, other people, or the power of other nations? Then, that person was a false prophet.  

It is the same for us today, and it’s one of the reasons why reading the Bible is so important. The Bible communicates to us the truth of God revealed to humanity. God really meant all that has been said to us in Scripture; therefore, we should read it and trust in its truth. This is precisely what Jesus taught us to do (“One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God,” Matthew 4:4). If that’s how Jesus thought of the Bible, then as his followers, we should, too. After all, he is the one to whom we look to know how God wants us to be. He is the Son of Man! 

I hope to see you Sunday! 

Peace,
Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: Paul’s First Letter to Timothy

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! I’m happy to be back home after finishing my first residency for my Doctor of Ministry degree, which was an incredibly enriching learning experience. I’m particularly happy to be back because we’ve just started our annual summer tradition of a sermon series structured around answering your questions. This year, since we’re spending this entire year reading through the whole Bible, the questions you’ve asked have to do with things you’ve been reading. Pastor Erin gave a great sermon this past Sunday on the nature of Christian community. This Sunday, my sermon will seek to answer the question, “What are we to make about speaking in tongues?” Many of you know that I have a background in the Pentecostal tradition, which emphasizes the practice of speaking in tongues. I’m very much looking forward to addressing this question on Sunday! 

Today is Day 297 of our one-year Bible-reading journey. It’s not too late to begin reading along with us! We’re just finishing up the Book of Jeremiah as well as starting Paul’s Second Letter to Timothy. Let me know if you want a copy of the reading plan! 

After finishing reading Paul’s First Letter to Timothy yesterday, I was reminded about how much practical advice is packed into that letter. One thing that Paul said to Timothy that really caught my attention was in 1 Timothy 4:12-16: “Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity. Until I arrive, give attention to the public reading of scripture, to exhorting, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you through prophecy with the laying on of hands by the council of elders. Put these things into practice, devote yourself to them, so that all may see your progress. Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; continue in these things, for in doing this you will save both yourself and your hearers.” 

I love that Paul tells the young Timothy not to view his youth as a disqualification for leadership. Instead, he tells Timothy to set an example for everyone. Specifically, he instructs Timothy to read, study, and apply the teachings of scripture to his life. He tells Timothy to “pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching” (v. 16). This demonstrates the close connection that ought to exist between what we read and study in scripture and the way we live our lives. We ought to not only read to understand the Bible, but also read to apply the teachings of the Bible to our lives. This is what our summer sermon series is meant to help us do. In fact, it’s what the whole experience of reading through the Bible in a year has been meant to do. As you finish up reading through the whole Bible, I encourage you to ask yourself not only “What does this text mean?” But, more importantly, ask yourself, “What does this text mean for me?” Ask for the Holy Spirit to open up the scriptures so that you can hear God trying to reshape your identity in Christ. Such a practice has the power to, as Paul said, “save yourself.” That’s my prayer for you today! 

Peace,
Pastor Aaron

mid-week meet-up: Servant Song by Richard Gillard

Good Afternoon First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford,  

We are very sorry for the livestream interruptions and challenges we had on Sunday, June 22.  

We know that the livestream is an important link to your church family for so many of you who cannot always worship with us in person. While I cannot recreate the whole worship service for you, I did record a version of my sermon and uploaded it to our YouTube page (link below). Before watching the sermon, I suggest you read the scripture passage from Jeremiah 37:11-38:13 (a PDF of the bulletin from Sunday is attached to this email). 

https://youtu.be/Cjvjb5Qee58 - sermon from Sunday, June 22

This coming Sunday I will be addressing the question: What does Christian community look like, and how can this fit in our time/place/culture? 

During our worship service on June 29, we will be singing Servant Song by Richard Gillard as one of our hymn selections, and I will also be referring to it in my sermon. In just these few verses, the lyrics reference fifteen Gospel passages, and another eighteen passages from the Epistles.  

Will you let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I might have the grace to
Let you be my servant too 

We are pilgrims on a journey
We are travelers on the road
We are here to help each other
Walk the mile and bear the load 

I will hold the Christ-light for you
In the night time of your fear
I will hold my hand out to you
Speak the peace you long to hear 

I will weep when you are weeping
When you laugh I’ll laugh with you
I will share your joy and sorrow
Till we’ve seen this journey through 

When we sing to God in heaven
We shall find such harmony
Born of all we’ve known together
Of Christ’s love and agony 

Will you let me be your servant
Let me be as Christ to you
Pray that I may have the grace to
Let you be my servant too 

I hope you take some time to reflect on these words as we prepare to consider together what Christian community looks like here, and now. 

In Christ’s Abounding Love,

Pastor Erin 

mid-week meet-up: announcements

Good Afternoon First Presbyterian,  

I have a few announcements for you this afternoon:  

1. On Sunday, June 22, we will begin our summer worship schedule with one service at 9:30 am. We will resume our two-service schedule (8:30 am and 10:00 am on Sunday, September 7). 

2. Also this Sunday, I will be preaching on the book of Jeremiah, chapters 37-38. This is the last Sunday until August 24 that we will focus on the One Year Bible Reading passages, because...  

3. Beginning Sunday, June 29, we will be addressing your questions during our sermons and host question and answer sessions in the sanctuary following the worship service. 

As we begin our season of summer worship, I hope you all have some time to pause, reflect, and rest. Consider joining us on Sundays as we explore your questions: 

June 29 - What does Christian community look like, and how can this fit in our time/place/culture?

July 6 - What about speaking in tongues?

July 13 - How do we apply the teachings of Jesus to our life today?

July 20 - What’s with all the animal sacrificing in the Old Testament?

July 27 - What’s with all the violence in the conquest of Canaan, and why were Jesus’ disciples carrying swords? Plus, how do we reconcile the call to “love your enemies” with commands like, “Do not associate with unbelievers” (2 Cor. 6:14)?

August 3 - How do I cultivate gratitude, if I inherited my sinfulness from my predecessors (original sin)?

August 10 - What should we believe about human sexuality? (Part 1)

August 17 - What should we believe about human sexuality? (Part 2)

I hope to see you on Sunday!
Pastor Erin 

mid-week meet-up: Upcoming Events

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! In case you missed the announcement, there is an End-of-Life Seminar tomorrow, June 12, at 5:00 pm in the church’s Fellowship Hall. Planning for the end of our earthly lives can be an incredibly loving thing we do for our families, friends, and all those we will leave behind. At this seminar, you will have the opportunity to hear from your Pastors, the Memorial Garden Committee, and the Legacy Committee to learn about end-of-life decision making, planning your funeral, updates to our Memorial Garden (including our new columbarium), and considering leaving a legacy gift to the church. The seminar will last approximately 2 hours, and light refreshments will be served.  

This Sunday is Dads and Grads Sunday! We will be giving thanks for fathers and recognizing our graduating students. It will also be the last Sunday of our two worship service schedule, which means June 22 will be our first Sunday for the summer of a single worship service at 9:30 am.  

Today, we began reading the Book of Jeremiah in our one-year Bible-reading journey. Over the next two Sundays (June 15 and 22), our worship will focus on the message of this prophetic book. The Book of Jeremiah helps us to clearly see the challenges that Jeremiah endured to faithfully live out his calling as a prophet. His life and experience have much to teach us about obediently following the leading of God. Come to worship and explore this with us! 

On June 29, our summer sermon series begins, where Pastor Erin and I will attempt to answer your questions about the Bible: 

June 29 - What does Christian community look like, and how can this fit in our time/place/culture?

July 6 - What about speaking in tongues?

July 13 - How do we apply the teachings of Jesus to our life today?

July 20 - What’s with all the animal sacrificing in the Old Testament?

July 27 - What’s with all the violence in the conquest of Canaan, and why were Jesus’ disciples carrying swords? Plus, how do we reconcile the call to “love your enemies” with commands like, “Do not associate with unbelievers” (2 Cor. 6:14)?

August 3 - How do I cultivate gratitude, if I inherited my sinfulness from my predecessors (original sin)?

August 10 - What should we believe about human sexuality? (Part 1)

August 17 - What should we believe about human sexuality? (Part 2) 

I hope to see you this Sunday! 

Peace,
Aaron

mid-week meet-up: How can I love and give myself up for someone else today?

Hi First Presbyterian Church, 

It’s time for our Mid-Week Meet-Up! We have an exciting weekend ahead of us! First, our spring picnic is this Saturday at 3pm at Hopkins Point Lodge in Mendon Ponds Park. Dinner will be served at 5pm. Hotdogs, burgers, and drinks will be provided. Please let us know if you will be bringing a side dish, appetizer, or dessert by clicking this link! There will also be games, live music, and a marshmallow roast - you won’t want to miss it! 

Second, this Sunday is Pentecost Sunday, and, during worship at 10:00 am, two young men will be completing their year-long Confirmation journey by professing their faith in Christ and becoming members of the congregation. It will also be your last opportunity to hear the choir sing before they take a deserved rest for the summer. What a blessed Sunday it will be! 

We’re currently finishing reading Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians in our Bible-in-one-year journey, and Paul begins chapter 5 with these words: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (5:1-2). Each of us has been made in God’s image and called to reflect God’s own nature. However, sin distorts and masks God’s image in us. How are we to “imitate God,” as Paul exhorts us? By looking to Christ who “loved us and gave himself up for us.” I encourage you to reflect on this question today: How can I love and give myself up for someone else today? If you can answer that question and ask for God’s help to follow through with it, then you will be imitating God, as a beloved child. How simple, and yet profound! 

Peace,
Pastor Aaron