Blog Posts

A Time to Rest

9/18/2019

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK:

This is my seventh newsletter to this wonderful congregation. Can you believe that it has been seven months since I arrived as your new minister? Time surely does fly. As I was sitting in the study, in the parsonage, I began thinking about what to write to you in this newsletter; and, I immediately thought about the sermon that I preached on the Sunday before Labor Day, entitled, “Should We Still Honor the Sabbath?”

Every Sunday morning, when we gather, we take time out to pause. We do this because life can get so busy with a laundry list of things that we have to do; and, I think it is imperative for us to pause every once and awhile to take a sabbath (i.e., a breather, a break, to rest, etc.). We have to take time out to unplug and think and reflect about what we are actually doing
and, why we are doing it. If we don’t, we will get frustrated, overwhelmed, and burned out.

So—let me encourage you to take a daily, weekly, monthly, and an annual sabbath. A time to just rest; to rest from the day-to-day grind; to rest from perpetually thinking about all the things that you have to do; and, to rest from trying to help everyone around you when they are in a bind.

Study after study has shown that people who take a break and rest from their work get more accomplished than those who don’t; that being said, make sure you take time to rest; to exercise; to laugh with friends and family; to sleep-in late; and to do the things that bring you the most joy.

I leave you with some words from the Book of Genesis: “So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day God had finished his work of creation, so he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from all his work of creation.”
(Genesis 2:1-3)

May the peace and love of God fill your hearts.

Pastor Michael L. Sloan

Let's Pray!!

8/22/2019

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK:

As I was sitting in the pastor’s study reflecting on what to write for this newsletter, immediately, the word prayer popped into my mind. So, let me encourage you to do just that, pray. It is imperative for us as Christians to patiently persist in prayer. I can remember being a kid and having sleepovers at my grandmother’s house. Every night before bed, she would have me kneel down at the bedside to pray. Because I was so young and I didn’t know what to prayer for, she would sit down on the edge of the bed (as I was kneeling) and she would recite the Lord’s Prayer - I would simply repeat after her. It was those seeds of prayer that my grandmother planted inside of me that have sustained me and cultivated my spiritual journey throughout the years.

As many of you know, I am a night owl. I stay up sometimes until around 2 a.m. If you were to ever ride past the parsonage during the hours of 11 p.m. to 12 midnight, you would probably find me outside looking up at the stars on a clear night, praying; praying for the church, praying for the community, praying for my life, praying for my daughter (as she enters her first semester of college), praying for our world, and praying for direction/guidance. This is not a new practice that I just started. I have practiced the art of praying for years. And, let me tell you this, it has been prayer that has sustained me and kept me through the years.

Finally, remember that prayer is not just you speaking to God. Prayer has just as much to do with listening as it does speaking. Remember to take time out to practice what some call listening prayer. When you are in bed at night, listen. When you are riding down the street in your car, listen. When the winds of life begin to blow, listen. And, when you kneel down at your bedside at night, don’t forget to listen. Listen to the still small voice; listen to the music that plays in your own heart; and, listen to the voices of those around you (sometimes God answers our prayers through the unsolicited advice of others).

Finally, I leave you with the words of the Apostle Paul: The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.

Pastor Michael L. Sloan

Being Persistence

7/17/2019

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK:

“Failure cannot cope with persistence.”
~Napoleon Hill

As I was reflecting on this month’s newsletter and what I wanted to write in it, I immediately thought about a sermon that I preached on the second Sunday in July, “When We Refuse to Quit!” I think this is a theme and a topic that is worthy of deep reflection. Remember this one thing, “Nothing worth having comes easy.” Life takes work; family relationships take work; marriage takes work; advancing in a particular career takes work; and, reaching a particular goal that you have in mind takes work. Now go back and reread the preceding sentence and replace the word “work” with the word “persistence.” Persistence is the key to accomplishing any goal, agenda, and or reaching a particular destination. Whatever it is that you are working towards it will take persistence. Why? Because nothing worth having comes easy.

Therefore, let me encourage you to persist. Persist in your relationship with your children; persist in your marriage; persist in your spiritual life; persist in your health goals; persist in prayer; and, after you have persisted, persist some more. Persistence will give you the ability to conquer what appears to be unconquerable.

Finally, it is my prayer that God will give you the strength, the ability, and the mindset to persist!

May the peace and love of God live in your hearts,

Pastor Michael L. Sloan

Wrestling with Doubt

5/23/2019

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK:

“The more one tries to restrict it, the more power one gives it; for [doubt] is suspicious of nothing so much as attempt to quell it. It may lie low for a little time, but will come back all the fiercer [like a fiery blaze] for having been suppressed.”
~Daniel Taylor

“The worst kind of doubt is unexpressed doubt.”
~ David Kinnaman

This is my fourth newsletter to this great congregation—The First Congregational Church of Spencerport. I have been thinking a lot lately about a sermon that I preached on the last Sunday in April. If you recall, I preached a sermon entitled, “When Faith and Doubt Clash.” It was a sermon that was near and dear to my heart. Let me take this time to tell about when I experienced a great crisis in my faith—It was when I enrolled in seminary at Lincoln Christian University. I had grown up in a theologically conservative environment. So, when I got to seminary, I was surrounded by a lot of different theological views. When I was in seminary, for class I had to read Ancient Near Eastern religious documents that were parallel to some of the Scriptures that we have in our Bible. I also began reading and interpreting the Bible in its original languages. I have to admit all of this was a bit overwhelming for me. As a result, I began straddling the fence. It was an extremely challenging time. However, as the years went by, I continued to pray, study, explore (my spirituality), and even discuss my concerns with other pastors, scholars, and seminarians. It wasn’t until later on that I discovered, when I thought my faith was crumbling, it was actually being made stronger. When I thought my faith was crumbling, it was actually all coming together.

Additionally, I continued to see the fingerprints of God all over my life; and, He continued to be a powerful presence leading me along difficult paths. And, let me tell you, I have experienced some serious challenges in my life (some that I am not even brave enough to put on paper, yet); and, I can honestly say that if it had not been for that Supreme Being moving in the background (almost like invisible guide), I would have been lost.

Let me encourage those of you who continue to wrestle with doubt: keep praying, keep expressing your doubts (in written and oral form) to those you trust, and, keep looking for the fingerprints of that Supreme Being in your life. I guarantee you, if you look for those fingerprints, you will find them. Amen!

Pastor Michael L. Sloan

Finishing Strong!

4/18/2019

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK:

“Starting strong is good; but finishing strong is epic.”
~ Robin Sharma

This is my third newsletter to this wonderful congregation—The First Congregational Church of Spencerport. As I was reflecting on the Lenten season and Holy Week, I began thinking about Christ when he was on the cross and when he uttered these words, “It is finished!” He had finished the work that God had sent him to do. As noted in my sermon on this text, I also began reflecting on our own work here on Earth; and, how imperative it is for us to finish our work. So often we start a project or a task with so much vigor, enthusiasm, and excitement; and, then when it gets tough, we begin to slow down and even stop, sometimes. It is so important that we finish what we start—even when we encounter bumps in the road. There will always be challenges along the way of completing a task or fulfilling a goal. However, we need to keep in mind that there are great rewards for those who are disciplined enough to stay the course—be it a relationship, parenting, a vocation/career, a goal, etc. Those who are disciplined enough to stay the course get to taste the sweet fruit of victory. I want to encourage you to stay the course until you are able to say, “It is finished!”
May the peace and love of God live in your hearts,

Pastor Michael L. Sloan

"New Life"

3/21/2019

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK:

“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” ~Saint Paul (Romans 6:4)

This is my second newsletter to this amazing congregation—The First Congregational Church of Spencerport. It has been a little more than a month since I began my role here as your new minister. As we look forward to the 2019 Easter season, I want to encourage you to also look forward to new life. Easter is one of the most important holidays on the Christian calendar. It is a time when we celebrate the resurrection of Christ. What would be a better time for us to also celebrate our own personal resurrections? There are times in our own lives when we have to close the door to our past and open the door to our future. There are times when we have to end one chapter and then turn the page to begin another. As stated in my previous newsletter, new beginnings are filled with excitement, joy, and passion. However, new beginnings are often times the result of something being lost; something dying; or, maybe even something not working out the way we originally planned. While great losses stimulate great mourning; they also have a way of leading us to a new beginning or a new path. Let us take time out to reflect on and celebrate the new life that we have in Christ. Let us take time out to reflect on and celebrate our own personal “new beginnings.” And, let us take time out to reflect on and celebrate our own personal resurrections.

Finally, I look forward to celebrating Holy Week and many other important holidays on the Christian calendar together. Let us keep our church, our community, and our world lifted up in prayer.

May the peace and love of God live in your hearts,

Pastor Michael L. Sloan

"New Beginnings"

2/21/2019

FROM THE PASTOR'S DESK:

“Let’s forget the baggage of the past and make a new beginning.” ~Shehbaz Sharif

This is my first newsletter to The First Congregational Church of Spencerport. I remember last year praying, “God, lead me exactly to the place where you want me to be!” I can honestly say, I truly believe that God has answered my prayer by sending me here to Spencerport. I remember when I visited Spencerport in December of last year. I preached at a mutual pulpit; and, afterwards, I viewed our church and the parsonage. While walking through the parsonage, I said to myself, “This feels like home.” Since my arrival in February of this year, all of you have made me feel right at home.

Furthermore, this is a new beginning for us. New beginnings are filled with excitement, expectations, and great enthusiasm. New beginnings are filled with joy, passion, and celebrations. I believe that new beginnings are God-ordained; and, they are also needed and a major part of our human experience. As we all know, nothing in life stays the same. We are forever changing, growing, and developing into new creatures, new beings and developing new habits. I am trusting and believing that God will lead us through this time of transition.

Finally, my daughter Michelle, will be joining us in June (2019) after she graduates from high school. She has already applied to colleges here in New York. Michelle is so excited about this transition. She will be visiting periodically leading up to her permanent arrival in June.

In conclusion, please know that if you need me, I am only a phone call away. I am looking forward to what the future has in store for us.

May the peace and love of God live in your hearts,
Pastor Michael L. Sloan

Goodbye from Pastor Alan

1/17/2019

FROM THE INTERIM PASTOR'S STUDY:

Everything that happens in this world, happens at the time God chooses.       Ecclesiastes 3:1 (Good News Bible)

This is my last newsletter article during my time with you. The time has flown by, and it seems like just a few months ago that Sue and I first arrived. I can’t begin to tell you the joy and fond memories you have given us during our time here, to say nothing of the support you gave me during my back surgery recovery.

We spent some of our time together reflecting on life’s meaning, trying to understand it in the context of the “big picture” of our lives, we’ve explored what God might want from us and from The First Congregational Church, and we sought to understand how God is revealed to us on this journey we walk together. While this is all good, don’t forget to make that daily effort to look at God’s creation. As you continue to journey, remember that the ultimate purpose in everything is to truly know, love and serve God in everything you do. Even as you acknowledge the ambiguities of life, remain open to the rich and mysterious ways in which God will reveal your life’s meaning to you.

Jean-Pierre de Caussade, an 18th century French Jesuit Priest, once wrote of the present, “The present moment holds infinite riches beyond your wildest dreams, but you will only enjoy them to the extent of your faith and love. The more a soul loves, the more it longs and the more it hopes, the more it finds.”

Until that time when our paths again cross, it would be our hope for each of you to continue to recognize God’s work and presence in your lives, that you continue to work on behalf of those Jesus referred to as the least, and that you continue to seek for happiness and joy within your selves. And lastly, know that you will be missed.

May God’s peace and love rest in your hearts,
Pastor Alan and Sue

Believing the Good News

12/13/2018

FROM THE INTERIM PASTOR'S STUDY:

Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the Good News of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the Good News."         Mark 1:14b-15

God came into this world, in the person of Jesus, with an offer that the kingdom was near and requesting all who could hear, to repent, to change their ways, to change their lives and to believe the Good News. He came with a radical message, a message which could change the lives of all who followed him. However, Jesus didn’t meet the many expectations of a Messiah and as a result many put off making a commitment.

Not much has changed today. How many of us are ready to risk everything to embrace Jesus’ example of humility and trust in God’s desires for their lives? Jesus’ request to forgive without expecting anything in return or Jesus’ commitment to justice for all, especially if it means risking everything we’ve ever worked for, whether it be our homes, our security or the acceptance of peers to go and do God’s bidding, all seem pretty daunting. We all know what the promise is, for that hasn’t changed in over 2000 years, but that fact still can’t seem to break through our needs to meet our own self-serving desires.

Advent/Epiphany is our annual call to stop putting off our commitment to follow Jesus. We don’t need to wait for a better time to pray, to forgive or to help the needy and the least among us. Each year, we are reminded to leave the old ways behind and enter the new year thinking, “Do not put it off one more minute. Change your lives and believe the message today.”

Knowing, what we might expect, helps us to experience and share God’s love every day and to become those beloved children God has been seeking for so long. Let us hear God’s
requests – whether it be in Scripture, prayer or acts of love and kindness towards each other and everyone God places in our path. We must always be prepared to respond to God’s gift to us when it is offered. For it is only when we risk making those changes, that we can experience the fulfillment of promise in our lives now.

This is why Christ came and risked everything, and this is what we have to gain. Yes, the kingdom is near, and it is time we believe the message!

May each of your days be blessed and your kingdom wishes fulfilled as you journey into this new year once again.

                                                         Pastor Alan

"Waiting" and "Patience"

11/27/2018

FROM THE INTERIM PASTOR'S STUDY:

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until the early and late rains.
You must also be patient.                 James 5:7-8

Each year as I begin preparing for Advent, I come across the terms “waiting” and “patience,” and I recall once being told that a “waiting” person is a “patient” person. The word “patience” implies the willingness to stay where we are and live the situation out in the belief that something hidden there will reveal itself to us. Patient living means to live actively in the present and wait there.

Waiting makes us much more aware of the empty spaces in our lives. We seem to have a fear of empty spaces. We want to fill up what is empty. Perhaps our fear is that an empty space means that something may happen that we cannot predict, something that is new, that we might just be led to a place that we do not want to go. I once heard that waiting is even more difficult when we are fearful. Our fears of the unknown can explain why it is so hard to wait and just how tempting it is for us to act, to do something just to stay in control. Impatient people expect the real thing to happen somewhere else, for them the moment is empty, and they simply want to get away from the present situation and go elsewhere. But, patient people dare stay can be found there, still waiting.

.....It is choosing to hope for something that is far beyond our imaginings.

.....It is trusting enough to give up control over our future and letting God define our life.

.....It is living with the conviction that God molds us in love, holds us in tenderness, and moves us away from the sources of our fear.

This is what we can find in our empty spaces. This is when we let go of the safety net, this is when we learn to trust, this is when we experience Jesus as our anchor of hope, this is why we wait.

             Wishing you all a patient and hope filled Advent,
             Pastor Alan