From Pastor Nick: Weekly thoughts on Worship, Faith, and Life, Vol. 1: week 1

“Orientation, Disorientation, Reorientation”

This past Sunday we started on a 6-week journey through the Psalms beginning with none other than Psalm 1. I want to come back to what I said on Sunday about “bathing ourselves in nature/bathing ourselves in scripture.”  This practice for me is usually easy, but last week I lacked focus.  I walked from church to the Victor Community Park and back on my lunch break.  I stopped at the pond adjacent to the outdoor amphitheater and sat down.  I smelled the fresh cut grass, heard the birds twitter and chirp along with the wind rustling the leaves in the trees; beneath my shoes the water sloshed back and forth as the clouds cast shadows on the dock below me.  The sun was almost too hot on my skin, but the wind provided enough buffeting to stir the water and make it pleasant for both me and the fish catching a slide ride from the sloshing motion.  You may be thinking, “Pastor Nick, that sounds great!” but I wasn’t really soaking it in.  I was distracted and disoriented by my emotions and the days worry.  I felt I was wasting time and not being productive.  

It struck me yesterday that there’s two things this teaches me, and I hope you learn from this as well: First, I am learning that at times settling my thoughts enough to listen, pray, or take in all that is around me is extremely difficult. Second, I am learning—re-learning actually—that to be a human creation among the rest of God’s creation has meaning in and of itself rather than how “productive” I am.

The invitation Sunday from Psalm 1 was to let ourselves be oriented towards God’s instruction, delighting in what God and Scripture teach us about ourselves and the world.  It is an invitation to let ourselves simply be or to simply exist, knowing our worth apart from what is done or what is left undone.  Beloved people of God, we are more than what we do! We are loved by God simply because God graciously welcomes us in!  It may be hard to practice soaking in life around us, and that’s okay, because being oriented in a different way sometimes means learning how to soak in all that life already gives to us.  Sometimes it’s as simple or difficult as taking notice of the trees and birds around us; other times its delighting in the familiar aspects of our faith that keep us trusting in God and seeking to love God with all that we are.

Pastor Nick  

FPOC Amazing Bed Race Fundraiser & Bike Ride

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Please join us for a bicycle ride on Saturday, July 24th at 10 AM.

We are riding for fun and to promote Family Promise of Ontario County thru the Amazing Bed Race.  (Watch for a bed and poster in front of our church.)

If you are able, please donate to Family Promise by going to www.givegab.com/campaigns/amazingbedrace . Our team name is Victor Pres Vikings!

Don’t forget to select our team!

We will gather behind our church at 9:45 AM. 

Our bicycle route will follow the Auburn Trail to Cobblestone Art Center in Farmington and back to our church at a leisurely pace.  .

We will finish with ice cream at Papa Jacks and/or take-out from Mac’s Philly Steaks Diner.

Please contact David Henderson for questions. [email protected]; 585-261-2106

Maggie’s Kids Camp Day

Once again, this year First Presbyterian Church in Victor is fortunate to be able to host a camp day for Maggie’s Kids. It will be a day of games, swimming, arts & crafts music, and we will be providing good food at Onanda Park in Canandaigua on Tuesday, July 6th. The joy volunteers get from seeing the smiles and hearing the laughter of approximately 100 children experiencing fresh air, sunshine and freedom to play outdoors without fear is amazing.

What can you do?! There are a couple ways you can get involved!

Volunteer!

1.       Volunteers are needed to assemble bagged lunches on Monday, July 5th, from 7-8:30pm at the church in Corey Hall.

2.      Volunteers are also needed for Tuesday, July 6th to deliver and serve the food at Onanda Park. Please plan on a 9:00am start until approximately 3:30pm.

Please use this SignUpGenius link to sign-up to volunteer!

Donate!

Our church has been asked for food and supplies for bagged lunches. Please use this SignUpGenius link to sign-up to donate food and/or supplies for the day. All donations must be collected at the church by Sunday, July 4th. (Monetary donations are also accepted and appreciated for this Mission)

If you have any questions, please contact Heather McAdoo at [email protected]

Thank you for your time and generosity for this important mission!

GRCC “We Remember” Memorial Service

What:WE REMEMBER” Memorial ServiceLogo, icon

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When: Sunday, August 1, 2021 from 2:00-3:30 PM

Where: MLK Memorial Park, 353 Court St, 14607

Sponsored By: Greater Rochester Community of Churches 

The Greater Rochester Community of Churches – Faith In Action Network will host “WE REMEMBER,” a community memorial service honoring Monroe County residents who have died from COVID or from other causes during these pandemic days. The ceremony will take place at the MLK Memorial Park in the City of Rochester on Sunday, August 1, 2021, from 2:00 to 3:30 PM. Family and friends who have lost loved ones during this time are invited to send the names of the deceased to Rev. Deborah Grohman, GRCC Administrative Coordinator, at 585-254-2570 (please spell names) or email to [email protected] by Monday, July 26. The names will be placed on a memorial scroll and read aloud during the service. Sign Language Interpreters will be provided.

Those attending the service are asked to bring a picture or a memento of their loved one as well as a chair or blanket for seating. We ask that you please wear a mask if you are not vaccinated. Free parking will be available on-street and at nearby city garages.

Greater Rochester Community of Churches – Faith In Action Network (GRCC-FIAN) has spent the past 100 years promoting compassion and justice for all people.

Learn more at rocchurches.org.

VFFC Food Drive!

“Stock our Shelves for Summer” food drive 

Date: June 19th, 2021, Time: 8:00 to 11:00 am 

Location: 6548 Anthony Drive; Victor, NY 14564 

What: To prepare for the summer months, the Victor Farmington Food  Cupboard will be hosting a drive through food drive on Saturday June 19,  2021. Foods collected will support food insecure families and will also be  used to fill Blessing Boxes in Victor and Farmington which can be accessed  when the Food Cupboard is not available. 

The Victor Farmington Food Cupboard feeds over 700 Ontario County  families each month, operates a delivery system and has been running a  drive through food distribution since March 2020. As we transition over to  an appointment shopping system, we need to restock our shelves. 

We are looking for any food items but especially needed are: 

*peanut butter 

*diced tomatoes and tomato sauce 

*whole grain/low sugar cereals 

*low sugar granola bars 

*meals that can be eaten without cooking (Hormel compleats, Chef Boy R Dee, soups with pull tabs, mac and cheese cups) for homeless individuals. *small Gatorade bottles 

*small water bottles

If you prefer to place an order online and have it send to the food cupboard, here is the link to their Target registry.

Thank you for your continuous generosity!!!

Mask Guidelines Update

Dear Members and Friends of the First Presbyterian Church in Victor:

          I am writing to you with an update on a recent Session decision regarding our stance on mask wearing and COVID protocols given the changes that have occurred in the past several weeks.  We as the session of First Presbyterian have engaged with the data from the CDC, NYS, Ontario County and Presbytery of Genesee Valley, and had a lengthy discussion before making a motion.  We first wish to recognize the varying beliefs and data, as well as the varying comfort levels of our church members especially given those who are still at greater risk.  We also must recognize that we have a responsibility to what our greatest desire is (to have church without any protocols as we did prior to COVID), as well as to care for and ensure the safety, comfort, and hospitality of all members and visitors.  Please let us all remember that we try to do the best that we can with the current information and guidelines, but there are no easy answers. 

Our current practice therefore will be based on this motion from Session:

“Mask wearing is optional at our church facility, including worship services, based on personal decision for each adult. Individuals are encouraged to follow the latest CDC and NYS guidelines; Vaccinated people no longer need to wear masks and unvaccinated should continue wearing masks.  Children should follow written rules of the Superintendent of the Victor Schools until the end of the school year. After the end of the school year, it is the parents’ decision (whether children mask/do not mask.) Pew separation will be maintained for social distancing.  Singing is allowed. We will continue to ask people to sign-in (mainly to track attendance and visitors.)”

What this means is that this Sunday, June 13, 2021, these changes will take effect.  We trust you all in this manner and believe you will make the best decision on masking/unmasking for yourself and your family.  We also respect and honor any who continue to wear masks even if they have been vaccinated.  We will continue to offer worship online for any who would prefer that option; however, our hope is that this change would encourage people to attend in person. 

I am sure this will feel weird for some of us, extremely freeing for others, and will come with cautious optimism from us all.  I appreciate what our Session has decided as well as what our most immediate neighboring church has decided about this as well at the Victor United Methodist Church.  Alongside our partnership together comes a mutual respect and desire to be consistent in these practices.  As we engage one another again it may be tempting to do the things we once did openly and freely.  Might I suggest what Pastor Ben has also suggested; that any form of appropriate shows of public affection be done so with permission (IE-May I shake your hand? May I give you a hug?).  Let us be as hospitable, as loving, and respectful of each other as we can be so that we can truly be welcoming as a church to one another and any visitors. 

This way we can continue to live into our motto:

“Whoever you are, however you have come (masked or unmasked), you are welcome.”

With love and respect,

Pastor Nick

Rev. Nicholas J. Dorland

Beautifying the Sanctuary

Beautifying the sanctuary for worship, with floral arrangements and banners: 

The Worship Committee knows that most folks enjoy having the sanctuary look beautiful for worship and part of that is the floral arrangements that we have had over the years.  For that reason we would like to offer everyone the opportunity to provide flowers on any given Sunday and that can be done in honor or memory of someone special in your life.  

For each communion Sunday (the first Sunday of each month), we would like to have living arrangements or plants provided.  To do that we would ask that any interested person sign up using our online “Signup Genius” platform. You can click on this link and it will take you directly to the website to sign up for any given Sunday. While our goal is to have live arrangements on the first Sunday of each month, if you would like to provide them for any other Sunday, that request would not be refused. 

If you do sign up, please indicate in the comments section of SignUp Genius what you would like done with the arrangement after the service is over.  For example: “I will be in church to take the arrangement home with me.” Or, “Please donate my arrangement to a ‘shut in’ person.” We also can accept up to 2 floral arrangements per Sunday if someone else has already signed up on a particularly special Sunday that you would like to have flowers in church.

As an alternative, we would like to purchase some different “silk” arrangements to have for the Sundays that there are no live arrangements given.  For that we would ask anyone willing to please offer a donation of whatever amount you may feel called to give and send that into through your favorite giving medium earmarked for “silk floral arrangements.”

Update 6/7/2021: All banners have been sponsored!! Thank you, thank you!!

Have you noticed the praise banners on each side of the pulpit?
Liturgical colors signify a time or event in the life of the church. The worship committee has been displaying these colors regularly and would like to express there meaning more formally with banners. We are hoping that YOU, members of the congregation would like to sponsor one banner or a set of banners. Call a friend and you can each buy one to make a set.  Right now we are looking to fulfill  the yearly Liturgical  calendar. As of now we have the  Lenten season ( displayed right now) in the stained glass series which works well with our church architecture. We also have a set for the ordinary WW times which is the green stained glass set in the series. We hope to round the year out with sponsorship of (2)Advent, (2)Christmas, (2) Epiphany, (2) Palm Sunday and (2)Easter banners. In the future we look forward to offering more opportunities of sponsorship to celebrate church life.
*The banners are $39.00 each and right now the company is offering 20%  discount and free shipping.* Please contact the church office for exact pricing before sending payment, or if you have any questions!

Banners are 18”x5” long. Pictures are included the May newsletter.
Palms (2)options for Palm Sunday
Poinsettia (2) needed for Christmas Eve/day.
Manger and Angel set for up to Epiphany Sunday
If you would like to sponsor a set of banners or one banner please contact the church office. We’re looking forward to your help to freshening up our sanctuary.

Thank you to those that have already sponsored banners:

Thank you to Brian and Many Wiser  for sponsoring the Lenten banner set and the Ordinary time banner set.

Thank you to Jeff and Jan Astles for sponsoring the Pentecost banner set.

Thank you to Dean and Phidelia Cornwell for sponsoring the Communion banner.

Thank you to Kathleen and Dan Wagner for sponsoring the Easter set.

Thank you to Ardyce Lake for sponsoring the Advent banners.

Thank you to Karen Provvidenza for sponsoring the manger and angel banners.

Thank you to Jean and Tom Hassett for sponsoring the Palm Sunday banners.

Thank you to Donna and David Schake for sponsoring the Christmas Eve/Christmas banners.


Thank you,
The Worship Committee

Worship volunteers!

FPCV Family,

The worship committee has been busy working with Pastor Nick in trying to create the best possible worship experience for all who partake either in person or on YouTube. 

It is the belief of everyone involved that the services are more enriching with the inclusion of different voices throughout the time of worship.  For that reason we are looking for people interested or willing to take on the role of liturgist.  That includes parts of the service such as the Call to Worship, Prayer of Confession and Pardon and reading of the scriptures, but could be a variation of any of these.  The person providing the liturgy can do so in person or through a recording with either just the audio or with it including yourself on video.  For the major services such as Easter we would prefer to have that be in person.  Another form of providing additional voices is through leadership of the hymns on Sunday mornings.  This too can be offered in person or through a recording. We encourage those with little or a lot of vocal talent to offer yourself in leadership, we promise you that judging will not take place! 

Along with these opportunities it has been a pleasure seeing various artists offer their gifts in the time of offering during the service.  We would like to make this a regular part of the service as long as we have the volunteers willing to share in their talents either vocally or instrumentally with Special Music.  We have had several members share there talents already this Spring, including Benjamin Song, Isabelle Bright, Marilyn Teel, & Nick Dorland. As before, either a recording or in person performance is welcomed.  

For all of these opportunities to give back and make our worship experience special, we are asking you to follow this link to sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4FA8A728ABFBC25-sign

Here you will be able to sign up to be a liturgist, play special music, or lead hymns during Sunday worship. Right now you can sign up for either Easter service continuing through the end of May. Your participation in any worship service is such a gift! *Please add a comment in the sign-up form if you are signing up to be a liturgist, whether you will be recording parts of the liturgy, or will be reading live in-person during worship. For special music, please comment with the instrument and the song you will be playing, if you have one in mind. 

And if it is easier anyone can always contact the Worship Committee directly to volunteer by letting the Chair of the committee know by email at [email protected] or by call or text to 315-871-8126, please just be sure to let him know who is reaching out and he will get back to you.

The Worship Committee

FPCV Welcomes Interim Pastor!

It is with great excitement that your Session announces the call of Pastor Nick Dorland as our Interim Pastor! Pastor Nick’s first Sunday leading worship as Interim will be February 14, 2021. 
Rev. Nicholas Dorland and wife Lindsey live in Greece with their four children: Alivia (8), Jesse (6), Maggie (4), Hannah (1), as well as pets: Cody (Dog), Sven (Hamster), and Daisy (Cat). Nick loves coffee, cycling, playing guitar and drums, and talking about fairly everything.  His favorite TV show is The Office, and favorite movie is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  Lindsey is an avid baker, crafter, and is employed as a daycare teacher where she gets to show her compassionate nature and love of teaching little ones.  The Dorland family loves nothing more than to curl up on the couch for a movie night with popcorn (especially Hannah and Cody), but also enjoy game nights, camping, and going for family walks.  Pastor Nick is his preferred title but he is okay with being called by his first name as well, and Pastor Nick is the kind of person who wants to get to know everyone’s stories.  He would be happy and eager to provide counsel, a listening ear, and a conversation partner about life.  Teaching book studies and bible studies are some of his favorite activities as a minister, and finds the best conversations and relationships have been formed when we talk about the things that mean most to us.  Mental health is a passion of his and his favorite author and counselor is Brene Brown. Pastor Nick and family are happy to be serving among the Victor congregation and community and are eager to get to know each and everyone as soon as they can.

Pastor Nick has previously served at Kiskatom Reformed Church in Catskill, NY as minister and most recently at the First Presbyterian Church of Brockport as Pastor and Head of Staff for 3 years. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Western Theological Seminary in Holland, MI. Rev. Dorland and his wife Lindsey live in Greece with their four children: Alivia, Jesse, Maggie, and Hannah.

Praise God with us for his provision and please be in prayer for Pastor Nick as he starts his journey with FPCV! We look forward to his leadership of our church family. Please welcome Pastor Nick and family to our church family!
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4

Prayers for our Nation

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Yesterday marked another painful day in the recent history of our nation as we struggle with illness in both body and spirit. The violence at the Capitol, the lack of moral clarity from the highest levels of leadership, and the continued loss of life in this extended time of the pandemic leaves many of us shaken. 

Please know we are strong together in our faith and in our care. God is with us and we will do well to be with one another. As best you are able please reach your hands out in service to the wounded. Reach your hands up in prayer to the wounded healer. Open your hearts to the sure and certain hope. Offer your lives to the labor of the faithful. Know that we are here if you need to reach out, and God is here always.

Psalm 46:1-7

God is our refuge and strength,
    a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change,
    though the mountains shake in the heart of the sea;
though its waters roar and foam,
    though the mountains tremble with its tumult.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
    the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of the city; it shall not be moved;
    God will help it when the morning dawns.
The nations are in an uproar, the kingdoms totter;
    he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
    the God of Jacob is our refuge.

Attached you will find a message of care and reflection from our Synod leader.

Peace be with us all,

Colin Pritchard (Moderator)

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