By Shelley Pantoliano
         This past year, a good friend asked me to become part of a Covenant Group, which is a small group that meets regularly to focus on spiritual growth, personal reflection, and mutual support.
         There are three of us in my Covenant Group.  We meet weekly to share our joys and struggles, and take turns praying for one another. We also ask each other: “Where have you seen God this week?” This group helps me be consciously aware that God is always present. 
         The world clamors for our attention every day. We are overwhelmed by the daily demands of life, and we miss that small voice of God, the voice Elijah heard when he stopped looking for God in loud, overwhelming displays of nature. God so often can be found in the small and unintrusive.
         There are many ways to see God, but here are a few that we often share in my Covenant Group.
We Can See God in Nature: In central New York, we enjoy four seasons that each have their own beauty: flowers bursting with color and variety in the spring and summer; brilliant fall leaves that dance on crisp breezes; glittering snow that falls silently and peacefully. 
On the road where I live, there are rows of orange tiger lilies on the sides of the road in the summer. I noticed last month when they were in full bloom, that someone had put up signs reading “Please don’t mow the lilies.”  Whoever posted those signs clearly has a love for nature. Where can you see God in nature? By a lake? In a soft rain shower? Walking through the woods? Take time to see God’s hand in the world around us even if it’s only the sound of birdsong in the early hours of dawn or the deep red of a fall leaf that you see on the sidewalk when you’re out for a walk.  
We Can See God in Prayer: Several times in Scripture, Jesus went off by himself to pray. It was an important and regular part of his life. 
         Prayer is an important part of my Covenant Group. We share our concerns and then we pray for each other. We don’t worry about trying to make our prayers sound fancy. We just pray from the heart and know that God hears us.
         Prayer can be hard. We want to be faithful about praying, but finding the words isn’t easy sometimes. In her poem “Praying,” author Mary Oliver shares that a prayer need not be eloquent. It is a way to enter God’s presence – to “see” God as you enter a holy time of communication: 
Praying
It doesn’t have to be the blue iris,
It could be weeds in a vacant lot,
Or a few small stones;
Just pay attention,
Then patch a few words together
And don’t try to make them elaborate.
This isn’t a contest,
But the doorway into thanks,
And a silence
In which another voice may speak.
(Mary Oliver)
 
We Can See God In the Needy: In our busy lives, we often don’t see the poor, the homeless, the hungry.  It was those people on the fringes of society that Jesus gravitated to. He had no interest in power or wealth. The scriptures are full of stories of Jesus interacting with those most people would ignore. It was his love and compassion that led him to those in need because God’s love was meant for all people, not just the upper class and religious elite.
         My faith community at Westminster Presbyterian Church is a Matthew 25 church, which means it is our mission to reach out to those who are in need.  One of the many ways we do that is through the Personal Care Pantry which offers essential items not covered by SNAP benefits. The people who come are so grateful, so friendly, and often say “God bless you” to us as they head out the door.  We see God in each and every one of them. We are all children of God no matter who we are.
         We can see God in each other. In Christianity, there is a concept that is central to our faith called Imago Dei, which is Latin for “Image of God.”
         It suggests that humans are created with the capacity to reflect God’s nature and character. When we “see” God in others, we recognize the divine presence of God within them, and when we are loving towards others, it is the same as loving God.
         It also means acknowledging their value as creations of the divine, even as we recognize the truth that we as humans are all imperfect and are on unique life journeys that lead us in very different directions.
         Do we see the divine likeness of God in the people in our lives? I see God in the members of my covenant group in their generous, caring spirits, their love for God, and their abiding and steadfast faith as they wrestle with the struggles of life.
         For three years, Jesus traveled with the disciples and in that time together, they learned how love had the power to heal, to encourage, to forgive. On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus gave them a new commandment: to love one another as Jesus loved them, a love which is sacrificial and selfless. It is through that kind of love that we see God in one another. It is forgiving, merciful, and full of grace.
         These are a few of the ways we can see God in our lives. The point is taking the time to consciously look for God around us, because it’s easy to forget that God’s presence manifests itself in so many ways – even in ways that might seem small and insignificant. If you take the time to look, you might be surprised where you end up seeing God.

Shelley Pantoliano, a retired pastor, is a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church. She is married and has 2 children and 3 grandchildren. She enjoys writing poetry, playing the piano, and reading. 

By Paul Dungey
It happens to all of us, now and again, when a song’s melody or lyrics get stuck in one’s head. It is called an ear worm, which Wikipedia describes as “that catch or memorable piece of music that continuously occupies a person’s mind.” It is also referred to as “sticky music” or “stuck song syndrome.” The technical term for this phenomenon is involuntary musical imagery (INMI), and studies suggest that around 90% of people experience eagworms at least once a week.

The song that has been stuck in my head lately is the hymn ‘Will You Come and Follow Me (The Summons)’ whose lyrics were written by John L. Bell and Graham A. Maule. Bell and Maule are members of the Iona Community. Bell is a Scottish hymn-writer and Church of Scotland minister, a broadcaster, and former student activist. Bell works throughout the world, lecturing in theological colleges in the UK, Canada and the United States, but is primarily concerned with the renewal of congregational worship at the grass roots level.

So, I find myself contemplating: “Why do I have this hymn song stuck in my ear?” My answer is that “Well, it has a singable tune, but it is the lyrics that I keep pondering”. The lyrics of the first verse are: “Will you come and follow me if I but call your name? Will you go where you don’t know and never be the same? Will you let my love be shown? Will you let my name be known, will you let my life be grown in you, and you in me?

In the lyrics, the hymn is asking questions, so one must consider whom it is that is asking the questions, and who is it that is supposed to provide the answers?

In recent days, the Christian Church has celebrated Pentecost, which in Jewish tradition was known as Feast of Harvest (the Feast of Weeks, or First Fruits). Christianity.com states that Pentecost is mentioned in five places in the Old Testament - in Exodus 23, Exodus 24, Leviticus 16, Numbers 28, and Deuteronomy 16; and that 'Pentecost' is the Greek name of this event.

The Christian church celebrates Pentecost by recalling the events recorded in the New Testament book of Acts, chapter 2, which describes what happened when the Holy Spirit came upon the people who gathered to celebrate Pentecost (The Feast of First Fruits) following Jesus' ascension to heaven. “When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2: 1-4, NIV)

It helpful to remember that God’s son, Jesus, promised the Holy Spirit to all who trust in him. In John gospel message, John 14:26, Jesus said: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.” 

What I remember too, is that Jesus has given his followers a new commandment: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34-35).

So, I keep hearing the questions being asked from John Bell’s hymn. The questions that seek answers from those who sing or hear the hymn. As one who trust in Jesus and seeks to follow in His footsteps, I wonder, if this ear worm is one of the ways that the power of the Holy Spirit is moving in me, encouraging me, empowering me, leading me, to obey Jesus’ commandment? To be one of Jesus followers, is to love one another, as he loved us!

The lyrics from the last verse of the hymn ‘The Summons’, are becoming my newest ear worm! “Lord, your summons echoes true when you but call my name. Let me turn and follow you and never be the same. In your company I'll go where your love and footsteps show. Thus, I'll move and live and grow in you and you in me.

Paul Dungey is a life long member of Westminster Church. He is an Elder, choir member, chair of the Worship Committee, and willing volunteer in just about every capacity. Paul is active in prison ministry, Meals on Wheels, scouting, and Sleep in Heavenly Peace. He was 2023 recipient of the Fred Atkins Volunteer of the Year award. 

by Rev. Adam Demetros

​As I was looking for something new to read the other day, I pulled a few books off the shelves at home and found that I had a commentary on the letter to the Ephesians written by the Rev. Dr. John Mackay, who is something of a legend in Presbyterian academics. This commentary is a very impressive and thoughtful piece of scholarship to say the least. Mackay starts his commentary on the letter to the Ephesians with an interesting statement, he says that from the time humans first walked the earth, there has been what he called a “great rift”. And this great rift has divided humans from God, humans from each other, and it has even divided the human heart.
           
Mackay then listed the ways in which humans have historically tried, on their own, to mend this rift. The first attempt is what he called the ways of wisdom, as he traced the early Greek philosopher’s search for a universal truth. Then Mackay traced the Enlightenment philosopher’s pursuit of a rationality that was self evident to all. He also traced the rise and promises of science and technology. And he even traced what he called the “ways of power”, through which empires have tried over the centuries to unite the world under a single rule. But he said that none of these ways have actually been able to bind the broken world back together. The great rift still exists today despite them.  
          
After all of this brilliant historical exegesis, Mackay then joins the Apostle Paul, who wrote the letter to the Ephesians, in saying that the divided world, and the divided church, can only be healed by its creator who holds all things together.

Mackay says that at least the church should believe this, and that we should demonstrate this in our refusal to settle for a community with rifts or with dividing walls. Furthermore, he says that we should make it our mission to help heal the divided world, that we might all be made one.

Over the years I’ve been to many beautiful churches with pristine grounds and immaculate construction. It’s always nice to experience the history of the buildings and admire the care that was given to create such magnificent structures, but I’ve also found the obsession with the beautification of church building to be a bit odd. It’s as if people have forgotten why the Church exists in the first place.

I can recall one particular church that had a rather large fund just for their stained-glass windows. And in order to ensure that this fund was never depleted, they would hold regular fundraisers so that they could keep up with the cleaning and restoration fees. I remember thinking that it was strange that they would put so much of the congregation’s resources and finance into these windows, which are essentially just nice-looking walls.

And have you ever noticed how stained-glass windows only look good to the people on the inside? Now don’t get me wrong, a large hole in the wall wouldn’t be a good thing either, and there’s nothing wrong with caring for what has been given to you. In fact, that’s good stewardship. But when the focus is on anything other than what unites us, then it becomes a dividing wall. It creates strangers on the other side, strangers who we think are nothing like us because they’re not focused on the same things that we are. 

Now, history has proven that we’re very good at erecting diving walls, and these walls inevitably separate people and create strangers. But the real problem is that we actually like these divisions. They’re comfortable to us and they help us understand the world around us. So, we set up social structures what essentially say, “All the liberals over here, and all the conservatives over here. All the saints up close, and all the sinners in the back. We’d like to have all the people who are like us close to us, and those who are nothing like us can stand off in the corner. In fact, let’s refer to them as ‘them’ and not “us”.

But this isn’t the way that the Church, or society, was created to be. The good news is that these dividing walls can come down at any time when we’re ready to repent of the sin of division. Because if we can be certain about anything, it’s that the Church, our community, our schools, and even our families, cannot be fully be alive and have strangers in them. It simply doesn’t work that way.

But it’s not just modern-day people that build these walls, even the great temple in Jerusalem had walls that kept the Jews in and the Gentiles out. It also had interior walls that separated the men from the women, and separated the outer courts from the inner courts. And at the center of it all, it had a great veil that separated the Holy of Holies from everything else. But all that these walls have ever really done is create strangers. Gentiles strangers to the worship of Jews. Jews strangers to the worship of Gentiles. And all of us strangers to our creator.

So for the sake of the divided church, our divided community, and our divided nation, we must realize what it means to be fully without division and alive in Christ.

by Jill Fandrich

Jesus taught by telling stories, or “parables”. One of the most well-known is the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

The term “Good Samaritan” is part of our language today, referring to someone who helps another person. There are Good Samaritan Hospitals and medical centers. There’s even a law, colloquially called the Good Samaritan Law, which limits liability to someone who provides assistance to another. Let’s look at the parable that Jesus told and see where this term comes from.  

The passage in Luke chapter 10 starts with a lawyer (an “expert in the law”) asking Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Although it sounds like an earnest question, the passage says the lawyer was testing Jesus. Jesus turned the question back on the man, saying, “You’ve read the law. What does it say?” The lawyer quoted the law, including the commandment to “Love your neighbor.” Jesus told him “Then follow the law,” but the lawyer kept pushing, asking “But who is my neighbor?” So, Jesus told this story:

A man was going from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, stole his belongings, and left him lying half dead in the road. A priest came down the road, crossed to the other side and kept walking, avoiding the beaten man. Then a Levite (a highly respected leader in the temple) did the same, ignoring the man and walking on. Next, a man from Samaria (a Samaritan) came down the road. He saw the wounded man and stopped to help him. He cleaned and bandaged his wounds, put him on his donkey and brought him to an inn, and paid the innkeeper to take care of him, promising to reimburse him for any further care. Jesus ended the story by asking, “Which of these three was a neighbor to the wounded man?”

The lawyer rightly answered, “The one who showed him mercy.” So, Jesus told him again, “Then you know what to do. Do it!”
One of the things I love about this parable is that it is not just simple story. In Sunday School, we tell it on a basic level to teach that Jesus wants us to help others. It’s a good lesson, but not the only one. There is way more to this than meets the eye.

Jesus was very intentional in how he told this story. The traveler was just “a man”; he could be anyone. But notice how specific Jesus was in identifying the three characters who encountered him. The first was a priest, a respected man of God, someone who would be expected to be compassionate. But he ignored the beaten man. The second was a Levite, also a man of power, and a leader in the temple. But he walked on by. The third was a Samaritan, someone whom the Jews considered an enemy.

There was long-standing hatred between Jews and Samaritans, rooted in centuries of political, cultural, and theological differences dating to when the Kingdom of Israel split into northern and southern regions, with Samaria in the north. In plain terms, the Jews hated Samaritans, and vice versa.

Yet, here, Jesus completely flips the narrative, making the hated Samaritan the “good guy” and the respected priest and Levite the ones who acted callously and uncaringly. What’s Jesus saying here, and what does it mean for us today?

In Jesus’ time and ours, it’s easiest to like people who are like us. The people we are closest to, proximally and socially, are usually similar in age, race, social class, religion, and culture. These are who we are most likely to call our “neighbors.” If this were the case, though, wouldn’t Jesus have told the story with either the priest or Levite helping the traveler? Wouldn’t we expect his friends and neighbors to help him?
That’s exactly the point. Jesus didn’t tell this story to say we should be “nice” to our friends. He told it to say that the people we don’t like, the people we disagree with, the people we want to keep out, are our neighbors. I imagine the lawyer didn’t like what he heard. Maybe we don’t either.

If there is one recurring theme in all of Jesus’ teachings, it is that we are to love one another. That means loving the outcasts, the foreigners, the long-standing enemies, the people on the opposite side of our politics. Everyone. Who are the Samaritans in our lives? And can we love them as our neighbors? It’s a tough lesson, but it’s what Jesus wanted the lawyer, and us, to hear.  

By Jill Fandrich

April 13 marks the beginning of Holy Week, a week of great significance to Christians, commemorating the final days of Jesus’ life, his death, and his resurrection. My church, and most Christian churches, will hold special services this week leading up to the celebration of Easter next Sunday.

Holy Week is hard. I struggle with Lent, Holy Week, and the Easter story. Easter is the highest holy day in the Christian tradition, but I personally find it the hardest to grasp and even harder to explain to others. Holy Week is a complex, painful sequence of events leading up to a miraculous ending. 

Christmas is easy. God came to earth as a human child to live among us and show us how to live and love. Pentecost is inspiring. God came to us as a spirit whose power is invisible. Jesus’ teachings, challenging and counter cultural as they are, are powerful lessons that we should love everyone, especially those who are hard to love. I can understand, appreciate, and celebrate these parts of the Christian story. 

But Holy Week? This week relives the story of Jesus’ final days. It begins with Palm Sunday, which recounts Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Jesus, who for most of his life was a wandering teacher and prophet, arrived in Jerusalem for Passover. The city was teaming with people there for this holy time. 

According to plan, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey. People shouted “Hosanna” (rough translation “save us”) and waved branches. Today we pass out palm fronds in remembrance of this procession. Theologians and historians interpret this story in several ways. Some, like Marcus Borg, suggest that Jesus’ mini-parade was a counter-procession to the Roman authorities who were entering the city through a different gate, riding grand horses and waving swords and banners. Borg opined that this was a political demonstration, drawing a distinction between Jesus and the Romans. Some think that the palm processional was a mockery, and that the crowds were jeering rather than cheering. Still others believe the crowds were sincere in their praise and enthusiasm. 

The next few days bring more disturbing moments in Jesus’ final days. He entered the temples and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, raling at the religious authorities and demonstrating a level of anger and violence that we don’t usually associate with the “Prince of Peace.” 

On “Maundy Thursday,” many churches, including Westminster, remember Jesus’ last meal with his disciples. “Maundy” is derived from the Latin word “mandamus”, meaning “commandment.” At the Last Supper, Jesus gave his disciples the commandment to “Love one another as I have loved you,” distilling Jesus’ teachings into one very simple, and very hard to follow, directive. 

Also on this night, Jesus pointed to Judas as the disciple who would betray him, then spent the night praying alone in the Garden of Gethsemane, pleading to God to “take this cup from me.” He was then arrested, and brought before the civil and religious authorities. 

On “Good Friday”, Jesus was tried and sentenced to death. He was crucified on a cross between two criminals. Many churches hold Good Friday services in darkness on this somber day. Catholic churches walk worshipers through the Stations of the Cross to remember the events of Jesus’ final hours. Saturday is a day for vigil; to mourn and observe Jesus’ time in the tomb. 

Easter Sunday tells of the women arriving at Jesus’ tomb and finding it empty. An angel tells them, “He is not here; he has risen.” Death had no power over Jesus; he was still alive! His followers responded with joy, but also with confusion, fright, wonder, and disbelief, all things I feel too. But over time, they and I have come to understand that death is not final for us either, that God’s love endures forever, and that love triumphs. As the writer Ann Lamott puts it, “You can bury the truth, but you can’t keep it there.”  

So, that’s what I’ve got--  an attempt by a simple Christian like me to explain the wondrous complexities of the Easter message. With all the egg hunts, chocolate rabbits, and new spring clothes, it’s easy to ignore the hard story—the strange sequence of events  in which an itinerate carpenter was considered a threat to the political and religious leaders of his time and put to death.  But God doesn’t die. Easter itself, the Day of Resurrection, brings hope to those who believe that God’s love is eternal and for everyone. For that that we say“Hallelujah!”

by Jill Fandrich

Westminster Church has good news to share; we have a new pastor! We welcome the Rev Adam Demetros to Westminster!
 
Westminster has been without a called pastor since June 2023, when Rev Patrick Heery returned to his hometown of Cincinnati, Ohio with his family. Unlike some denominations which assign pastoral leadership to their churches, Presbyterian congregations are mostly autonomous in their search for new pastors. They don’t act entirely alone, however; they follow a process which involves the local Presbytery and denominational connections.
 
The work of seeking a new pastor is the responsibility of a Pastor Nominating Committee, made up of members elected by the congregation. The “PNC” is intentionally reflective of the congregation’s membership. Ours was nine people—me, Audrey McNally, Brian Teucke, Sarah Trapani, Eli Hernandez, Thomas Fessenden, George Fay, Amy Sargent, and Lilyana Thornton. The decision to call a pastor is ultimately the responsibility of the congregation, but it trusts the PNC to search for and recommend a candidate for its consideration.
 
Like most things Presbyterian, the process takes time. We were told to expect an interim period between 2-4 years. We were actually on the shorter end, closer to 18 months. During the interim, we had short term pastoral leadership from three wonderful temporary pastors- Rev Stacy Smith in the fall of 2023, Rev Pamela Masten in the winter of 2024, and Rev Joe Tagliaferre in the second half of 2024. We also were blessed with amazing church members and staff who faithfully did the work of the church.
 
Last August, we invited the Rev. Adam Demetros to apply to our church, after seeing his “resume” on the denomination’s matching site. He accepted our invitation to apply, and we had a great Zoom interview with him. We then invited Pastor Adam and his wife Amanda to visit Auburn, which they did in late September, spending two days with us exploring the area and seeing the church and community. After this visit, we extended a call to him to be our next pastor, and he enthusiastically accepted.
 
In December we introduced Pastor Adam to the congregation. After meeting him and hearing him preach, the congregation voted to call him as our pastor.
 
Pastor Adam and his wife Amanda have purchased a home in Owasco, and are settling into their new home, church, and community. Here is more about him:
 
The Reverend Adam Demetros earned a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary. While there, Pastor Adam worked with the Children and Young Families Ministry of the Presbyterian Church of Lawrenceville, NJ. He also served as a hospice chaplain where he discovered that fulfilling the ministry of Christ means laughing and crying with those who are in need of grace and love. Pastor Adam has often said, “One of my greatest joys in ministry has been sitting next to hospital beds listening to people tell their life story”.
 
Prior to entering seminary, Pastor Adam attended East Stroudsburg University where he earned a Master of Management and Leadership in Public Administration with a focus on religious nonprofit organizations. Instead of writing a thesis paper, he opted to help establish a successful Presbyterian campus outreach program called “Church 4 U” for East Stroudsburg Presbyterian Church to help bridge the gap between campus and community.
 
During his time in ministry, Pastor Adam has served small rural churches and large urban churches in New York and Pennsylvania, where he learned that our collective history helps us find our common identity in Christ. He most recently served a church in Wilkes-Barre where he was active in the community feeding the hungry, building relationships, and caring for anxious clergy during the pandemic. Pastor Adam has also been actively involved in presbytery and national church leadership, serving on various committees, commissions, and as a commissioner to the 226th General Assembly.
 
As a native of the southern tier, Pastor Adam enjoys being in nature and loves the winter season. Most of his formative years were spent either on the Finger Lakes or in the woodlands of the Northeast. When not reading or writing, he enjoys traveling and spending time with his wife, Amanda, who is a passionate and dedicated educator, and their energetic dog, Argos. You will most likely run into them at cultural events, food festivals, and musical performances in the area.
 
Pastor Adam loves serving in congregational ministry and has found that the words of theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer ring true; “The person who loves their dream of community will destroy community, but the person who loves those around them will create community”.
 
We welcome Pastor Adam to Westminster and Auburn, and look forward to this next phase of Westminster’s journey.

by Rob Schemerhorn

On the Sunday after Epiphany, the scripture reading is always the familiar story of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. In the Presbyterian tradition, we generally baptize children, usually infants.  In other faith traditions, persons are baptized when they are old enough to understand for themselves what the sacrament means, that God is accepting them as one of his own. Baptism creates a deep tie for the baptized and their church. It is certainly a very important moment in anyone’s life, regardless of what age it happens.

All four of the gospels recount Jesus’ baptism. They begin with John saying he was not the Messiah but was merely preparing the way. John said he recognized Jesus as the Savior and felt unworthy to baptize him. After the baptism, the heavens opened and God confirmed that Jesus was indeed the chosen one. Three of the four gospels have Jesus going into the desert for 40 days and nights, being tempted by Satan, and then returning to choose his disciples and begin his ministry.

We know this familiar story, and we accept it, often without thinking much about it. But really, it is an outlandish thing to do! What would you think if your 30 year old brother, or son, or friend, suddenly up and said ‘Oh, by the way, tomorrow I’m quitting my job as a carpenter, going to see that weirdo out by the river Jordan people have been talking about, and then spend the rest of my time here on Earth wandering around trying to explain to people what God really wants them to do for the sake of their own salvation.” Perfectly normal, right?

No, that’s probably not what we would think. We would think, “Why? Why leave a quiet, comfortable life, at the rather advanced age of 30 or so [remember life spans were quite a bit shorter 2000 years ago] and go do this thing? Why?”

The answer, I think, is that God needed a change in the way he dealt with us. The prophets had prophesied, the judges and kings had ruled, the nation of Israel had risen and fallen and risen and fallen many times. But the people were stuck when it came to their faith. What are the 6 words of a failing institution? “We’ve always done it that way.” God chose Jesus to forge a new understanding of his intentions, towards his people and how they should interact with each other.

The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of his ministry. We know that in his time he was considered a radical, someone who didn’t necessarily follow “the Rules”. He was all about change. Even our denomination is always changing. Ever hear the phrase ‘The reformed church, always reforming’? I think Jesus would like that phrase.

In some ways I regret not being able to recall my own baptism. For my little infant self, I couldn’t know how important a moment this was. God claimed me as an infant, and I have accepted his love. But I wonder, have I really changed?

This has been a time of change for our church. We have had 3 temporary pastors in the past 18 months, each of them with their own style. It was enjoyable; switching things up occasionally keeps the experience fresh. In February we will welcome our new pastor. There will be change. We’re all eager to see what they might be. Congregants have hopes and dreams they want to see come to fruition. Some of those hopes hearken back to our traditions, some are looking forward to innovative solutions to new challenges. Come what may, things will be different. We will change.

January is the time when many of us make resolutions aimed at improving our lives. Eat healthier, get regular sleep, clean out that closet in the back room. Here is mine- “Don’t be afraid”. I’m not going to be afraid of speaking up, or being kind, or saying no. One of the joys of getting older is being less afraid of what others think of you. There is no reason for being afraid of change.
​
 The life and work of this church, this congregation will go on as long as we embrace, adopt and accept the idea that change is inevitable. Jesus knew it. He was called to be the voice that led to one of the greatest changes in history. While we may not remember our own baptism, there is no need for a ceremony for you to make a change in your life. When all else fails, try forgiveness. Be kind. Remember everyone seeks acceptance. Jesus showed us what love is. Resolve to be a person who changes with intent and the love of Christ in your heart.
 
Rob Schemerhorn is a lifelong member of Westminster Church, a Ruling Elder, and Clerk of Session. He is recently retired from Jordan Elbridge School District, after a long career as a Physics and Earth Science teacher, track coach and official. 

December 21 is the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, when darkness arrives in late afternoon and lasts into the next morning. Where we live, it’s not only dark but cold. The trees are barren. The ground is frozen (or muddy). And the long winter is just beginning to creep its way to spring.
 
We know the astrological and scientific significance of the Winter Solstice. It’s the time when earth’s rotation causes half of the earth to be tilted as far away from the sun as it can be. The earth gets the least amount of light and warmth at this point, making December 21 the shortest day and longest night of each year in the northern hemisphere. Then slowly, things change, with more light each day.
 
Long before “organized religion,” ancient people celebrated the solstice. They built monuments that were giant calendars, positioned so that the sun would rise in a specific point on them on the day of the solstice. We still marvel at Stonehenge in England, Newgrange in Ireland, Machu Picchu in Peru, the temple of Karnak in Egypt, and Chichen Itza in Mexico. These massive structures were intentionally and precisely built by ancient people to celebrate the sun thousands of years before the birth of Christ.
 
So what does the solstice have to do with Christmas, the Christian holiday on December 25 which celebrates the birth of Jesus? It’s an interesting relationship. Jesus’ birth story is told in the gospels, and includes the various details which we associate with nativity scenes— born in a manger to Mary with her betrothed husband Joseph by her side, surrounded by animals, visited by “lowly” shepherds, hailed as king by choirs of angels, and given gifts by visiting magi who followed a bright star to find him. One noticeable fact which is lacking in biblical accounts is a date, or even a season. No one knows when Jesus was born.
 
The early Christians didn’t celebrate the birth of Jesus; his death and resurrection at Easter were their main focus. In the fourth century, Pope Julius I added the Feast of the Nativity to the calendar as a holy day on December 25, the date probably chosen to piggy-back on solstice celebrations to increase the likelihood that people would celebrate the new holiday.
 
There were many reasons this was a good fit. Christianity, like many religions, uses the imagery of light a lot. Jesus told his followers, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Tying Jesus’ birth to the time of year when light was gradually reappearing in the darkest of times was a beautiful image which made sense to ancient people and still does to us today.
 
My church, Westminster Presbyterian, has for 20 years offered a Service of the Longest Night on December 21. It is a service which offers a message of hope and peace to people who may be in a dark place in their lives. We recognize that Christmas is not always a “holly, jolly” time for many people. Some are experiencing loss, pain, illness, loneliness, confusion, or despair. Some are just exhausted from the demands of work, family, and meeting the Hallmark movie expectations for a perfect home and holiday. Some want to hear a message that lifts up the countercultural side of the Christmas story, that Jesus was born to an unwed mother, surrounded by working animals and smelly shepherds, scorned by political leaders, and completely unlike what a “newborn king” was expected to be. Some come to support others who are in a dark place in their lives, knowing that we all go through dark valleys on our life journeys.
 
We invite everyone to come to the Longest Night Service, which will be led by Rev Joseph Tagliaferre on Saturday December 21 at 7pm. We hope it conveys the message of John 1:5 that “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it.” Knowing that every day after this one will be just a little bit lighter brings hope and peace to those who need it.

by Jill Fandrich

​I’ve heard all the excuses why people don’t bring their children to church —“It’s boring”, “I don’t want them indoctrinated”, “We’re too busy”, “It’s just for old people”. I’d like to give you some of the reasons why children should be in church.
 
I’m speaking from first-hand experience here. I went to church as a kid, our three children came every Sunday, and now I bring my grandson with me. My church, Westminster Presbyterian, has a small but faithful core of young children who are there most Sundays. Families have a variety of options—the Children’s Worship Center, a “Prayground” in the sanctuary, and a nursery. My grandson loves church. If he were writing this article, his reasons would include “There are lots of cookies.”
 
Yes, cookies are important, but there are other good reasons for children to come to church. Here are a few.
 
Churches are intergenerational. There are few places these day where children can mingle with other kids (older and younger), teens, adults who aren’t their parents, and older folks. My grandson is greeted by name when he walks in the door, and has several good “friends” who are in their 70s and 80s. The children who come to Westminster are valued and loved members of the church family.
 
Churches are safe places for children to ask hard questions. In a recent Sunday School class I taught for older elementary children, the kids asked lots of questions about what happens when someone dies. It wasn’t the lesson we had planned, but several had lost grandparents in recent years, and once they started asking questions, they really wanted to talk! I didn’t have answers, but we wondered together. Their thoughts were beautiful and profound. There are few places where these kinds of conversations can happen.
 
Churches expose children to different kinds of music. Has your child ever heard a pipe organ? A bagpipe? A choir that sings in four-part harmony? Handbells? A chant? Besides music class in school, has your child ever sung with others? Churches are one of the few places where people sing together! It’s a beautiful thing when voices of all ages rise in song.
 
Churches introduce children to the concept of the divine. Even the youngest of children can begin to know God as an expression of unconditional love, awe, and mystery. They can understand at their own level. One of the things I love most about my church is that it welcomes questions more than it offers answers. No matter where any of us are in our faith journeys, we find something in church to help us along the way.
 
Churches help children respect others while also being themselves. I grew up in the “children should be seen but not heard” era. I’m glad to say that my church has moved beyond that. We welcome children in worship, and embrace their wiggles, whispers, dances, and loud amens. At the same time, children learn that church is a place where we walk slowly, speak softly, and respect that others need a quiet place to talk to God. In our fast-paced, screen-based world, church is a place where everyone, including children, can slow down and find peace and calm.
 
Churches teach, by word and example, about loving others. Westminster is a “Matthew 25 Church,” which means we actively embrace God’s command to care for the most vulnerable and hurting members of our society. Even the youngest members of our church learn to bring food for the food pantry, put coins in the offering plate or box, give away their outgrown coats, visit nursing homes, and help with service projects.
 
Churches let kids do very grown-up things. Our children participate in worship and service in meaningful ways. They read scripture, sing or play instruments, carry communion elements, and carry the light of Christ (a real candle!) into and out of worship.
 
Church sometimes gets a bad rap for being “boring” for kids. That couldn’t be further from the truth at Westminster. How can you not love a place with songs, stories, and endless cookies? A place where you’re valued and loved?  A place where everybody knows your name and is happy to see you?
 
I can’t think of a better expression of God’s love than being in a place where you feel welcome, safe, and cherished. That’s what children, and hopefully everyone else, will find at church.