Welcome!

Our congregation by Skaneateles Lake

Worship is at 9:30 AM every Sunday at 97 East Genesee! As you approach the Church (sun, rain or snow - worship, weddings or memorials) the Pastor greets and welcomes the Village. He waves and blesses those going passed, as well as welcoming, greeting and receiving those coming to the Church. In the words of our Pastor: "People have made an effort to come to the Church, it seems the least we can do, to go out and welcome one another inside." The Church has ample off-street parking, ramped access to the air-conditioned Sanctuary, an elevator to all classroom, meeting and fellowship spaces.

Entering the Sanctuary, you see an historic sacred space, beautiful in stained glass and wood, open, bright, with the centrality of pulpit, table and font. This is a dramatic inspiring space with a new 40 rank Cassavant pipe organ whose pipes seem to reach all the way to heaven, bell choirs reverberating in the trinitarian ceiling arches, chancel and children's choirs that inspire and delight. Rebuilding this sacred space over the last 15 years, we were intentional to try to preserve the aura of what was beautiful, while correcting the problems. This Sanctuary has no specific cross or icon, instead there are crosses imbedded in the structure of ceiling and doors and wainscoting and windows, in order that when we go out into life we will not identify the Cross as only being available here at that time, but we will seek the Cross throughout the structures of our world.

This is a very real, open, community of faith, called to BE The Church in this place at this time, where the worshipping body listen, enjoy laughter, share tears, and are surrounded by the Spirit of God. Children are an an important part of our weekly worship, and actively contribute to our spiritual growth as they purse their own.

Worship begins with the Prelude, as the Acolyte (a child representing The Light of God entering the world) and the Beadle (the Bearer of the Word of God) enter the worship space, followed by the Pastor and lay leader. When the congregation has reached a critical mass, the music concludes, and the preacher takes a Pitcher of Water from the Table to the Font. The written words in the Bulletin read: "We come to this moment in our lives over-filled, unable to take in one more thing. We pour out the waters, emptying ourselves, letting go all we have stored up. We are reminded of the waters of Creation and brooding Spirit of God; reminded of the waters of our Baptism. Empty, we are then able to receive, to listen and wait for God to use us as empty vessels to be filled with life."

More...

The labyrinth in Dobson Hall

There are limitless ways of humanity approaching God... Stimulated by Scripture and provoked in preaching; moved by rhythm and text when singing; staring into the colors and patterns of Stained Glass; quietly reflecting or meditating in prayer, grappling with understanding in education, witnessing service and commitment in mission, etc. Yet another ancient Christian method has been to go on a spiritual pilgrimage or journey; the local version of which for those who could not travel, was to walk a Labyrinth. In 2010 the Session recognized that the 1960s asbestos tile floor in the Fellowship Hall needed to be replaced, so sealed the tile beneath a new Labyrinth of the pastor's own design. When the space is occupied for a community dinner, adult forum, Vacation Bible School, or Tai Chi class, it is just a floor; but when the room is not otherwise in use, the Fellowship Hall becomes a Spiritual Labyrinth, open and available for all to use free of charge. There are problems and circumstances we can resolve through learning, and others through listening, but often we need to walk patterns back and forth, up and down through life, and round and round to unravel the core (which in this Labyrinth is the Cross). The intentional difference of a Labyrinth from an ordinary Maze, is that a Maze has deadends, cuttoffs, traps and short-cuts; while a Labyrinth is a journey without these obstacles, focused on working through the problem in faith. Constructing this Labyrinth empowered the Session to realize, our Call to Worship is like a meditation with deep cleansing breath; the singing of Psalms is an ancient Christian and Jewish form of Confessional prayer; the Assurance of Pardon is a Centering Prayer. While many of our Reformed Christian Worship elements follow a formula, they are also reminiscent of ancient faith practices common to the Human - Divine relationship.

Rev. Lindsey greeting visitors on a cold snowy morning

Dr. Lindsey has challenged the church to be open to meeting people's needs, giving the resources of faith to all who desire to receive and sharing the building, providing weddings, baptisms, and funerals; consequently we joyfully celebrate a lot of weddings and a lot of baptisms! He has challenged us to expand what we believe ecumenically, making accommodations for others to be hosted. During the sermon, we never know whether Craig will leave the pulpit to cradle and comfort a squirming child while continuing to preach; or begin barking like a dog -- for us to laugh at ourselves -- for barking at our neighbors; or repair a bicycle, then ride it off the Chancel, down the aisle, out the doors to find new believers out in the community. But we Do Know, he will model meeting us where we are on the street, being one with us and praying for us, as we laugh and cry and continue to grow in faith commitments, and then when each responsibility is done, he will tell us: “Well Done!”