New Year is a time for new beginnings. If you’re anything like me, you’ve spent some time reflecting on the last year and made some decisions regarding things you’d like to approach differently in the coming months. This type of “taking stock” is human nature. Though we tend to focus […]
Pastor’s Message
If you take a stroll down Albany Street this week, you’ll see something unusual in the window of the Presbyterian Manse. Beginning December 7th, I’ll be displaying a menorah. This traditional Chanukah decoration isn’t common in most Christian households (much less in the homes of Christian ministers), but I’ve decided […]
Chanukah/Menorah: Love Thy Neighbors
Several months ago, I preached a sermon on the Presbyterian model of stewardship. If you were present, you’ll remember that I talked about the way in which we often “put the cart before the horse” – doing our annual stewardship drive prior to establishing our ministry budget for the year. […]
The Mystery Box Effect
Humans are innately curious creatures. I don’t mean ‘curious’ in the sense that we are odd or unusual (though a solid argument could be made in defense of this definition), but ‘curious’ in the sense that every one of us seems to be born with an infinite capacity to question. […]
Humans are innately curious creatures!
I’ll admit it. There was some swearing. After a solid hour and a dozen YouTube videos, I still couldn’t figure out how to get the fresh braid to wind smoothly onto my new baitcasting reel. I had viewed clips of professional anglers threading the line through the guide and observed […]
“A Season of Preparation”
2 “Is this Pastoral work?” It’s a question that I can honestly say I’ve never been asked – at least directly. I think this is due in part to the awkwardness that accompanies such a pointed inquiry. Though not necessarily indicative of the intentions of the enquirer, it does seem to […]
“Is this Pastoral work?”
Published in 1871, Lewis Carol’s Through the Looking Glass was written as a sequel to his immensely successful 1865 work, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. While the latter introduces us to the familiar characters of the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat, it is in Through the Looking Glass that we […]
Pastor’s Message – May 2022
1 This week, you’ll start noticing two key changes in our order of worship. The first is the addition of corporate recitation of the Apostles’ Creed just prior to our Scripture readings. I was delighted to hear that a number of you had requested this, since this ancient summary of the […]
Pastor’s Message – March 2022
Greetings to all my new friends at Caz Pres, On Monday night, after six days and 3,018.195 miles on the road, I finally made it home to Cazenovia! Greta (my domestic shorthair), Lucius (my guppy), Nova (my goldfish), and I settled in nicely at our temporary home and I was […]
A message from Pastor Anna
Sam’s Retirement Now that my time as your interim pastor is growing very short, people have been asking me what my plans are. Will I seek another interim position? Will I retire? My first professional work in the church was in 1980 as an interim camp director. Then I was […]