Batavia First Presbyterian Church

Have you ever caught yourself as an older adult regaling youngsters with stories of when you were a kid, and how you would spend hours outside playing, finding your own entertainment, and maybe even getting into mischief a time or two?

That’s not so likely with kids nowadays, Roula Alkhouri says, and hasn’t been for quite some time since smartphones came on the scene. These high-tech devices, while useful and convenient, introduced another level of safety that years of research later has proven otherwise, Alkhouri said, citing Jonathan Haidt’s book “The Anxious Generation.”

“I have a daughter who's 25, and she grew up around that time when the smartphones were coming in, and I was like, I wish I had known all of this. Of course, we didn't when they first came out, all the over-parenting, like, 'Oh, you can't go anywhere,' because the fear of strangers and all of that. Comparing it with my growing up years, and how we went out and ventured out and did things, and nobody was checking up on us every second,” she said to The Batavian. “So between those two factors, and I heard about the book, I was like, wow, this is pretty good. I was talking to a friend who works with youth as well. She lives in Ohio. She's a youth pastor, and she was telling me, oh, you know, all these young people, they really struggle, and she said ‘you may want to read this book,’ so I got the book, read it, and started getting into all the research.”

That led Alkhouri, a parent and pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Batavia, to check in with parents at her church to see if there was interest in having a more structured conversation about this topic, and it was a resounding yes.

The church is hosting a workshop this weekend for parents, grandparents, and other concerned adults about the negative impacts of social media and overprotective parenting on the mental and social health of children. This is based on Jonathan Haidt's New York Times best-selling book “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.”

It’s set for 2 p.m. Sunday at the church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

A phenomenon called protective parenting grew heavy in the 1990s, when everything had to be monitored by parents, until the dawning of smart phones, and then those parents said “have at it,” Alkhouri said.

“We didn’t police that as we would have policed the content of, say, a gathering for kids. The kids are isolated, in terms of, they don’t really do as much play, unless it’s supervised with adults all the time, and then the social media and the phones, they had access to the Internet all the time, where before 2010, they had to be sitting at a desk,” she said. “There was something where you could have had some control over it, like a TV, but not all the time, but this is with them all the time. A couple of factors came together between that fear of the parents and saying, ‘Oh, it’s safe. They’re sitting at home, and they can be on their phone.’ Well, very, very misleading. We don’t know what content they’re getting exposed to.”

She’s not just talking about the potentially bad content out there but also everyday posts that can prompt kids to compare themselves to popular influencers, producing self-esteem and confidence issues, she said. All of this can lead to — and has, in alarming numbers, according to Haidt, a social psychologist at New York University’s Stern School of Business — anxiety, depression, self-harm, substance abuse, and suicide.

While many school district officials have discussed the possibility of restricting or banning the use of cell phones in the classroom and debating the positives and negatives for doing so, Zach Rausch has culled the statistics and effects of long-term use for adolescents to teens, cited in Haidt’s book.

For example, of rates per 100,000 in the United States, emergency department visits for self-harm in girls ages 10 to 14 in the United States shot up from just over 100 in 2000 to 634 in 2021; visits for boys remained fairly stable, with a slight uptick to 134. The stats for boys changed dramatically for suicides, going from eight per 100,000 for ages 15 to 19 in 1970 to 18 in 2020 and falling to some 14.83 in 2021, with girls remaining under five those entire 50 years.

This weekend’s discussion will include the book's central arguments, exploring:

• The Four Foundational Harms: Haidt's framework outlining the key contributors to the current mental health crisis among young people.
• The Great Rewiring: The profound impact of smartphones and social media on childhood development.  
• The Decline of Play-Based Childhood: The shift from free, unstructured play and its consequences.
• The Overprotection of Children: The impact of excessive parental caution and the resulting lack of resilience.
• Potential Solutions and Pathways Forward: Strategies for parents, educators, and society to address these challenges.

“We rewired childhood and created an epidemic of mental illness,” Haidt says. “After more than a decade of stability or improvement, the mental health of adolescents plunged in the early 2010s. Rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide rose sharply, more than doubling on many measures.”

Haidt said that he wrote the book because he believes the challenges confronting children and families “are solvable.”

“However, addressing these challenges requires understanding the traps we have fallen into, so we can see the escape routes,” he said. “The main escape routes are four new norms: delay smart phones until high school, delay social media until 16, phone-free schools, and more independence and play in the real world. The solutions are simple, but the work is hard. It’ll be easier if we act together.”

Organizers want this discussion to foster a thoughtful and open exchange of ideas, allowing participants, regardless if they have read the book or not, “to share personal experiences and observations and consider practical steps for creating healthier environments for young people.”

For more information, call 585-343-0505 or go HERE. 

A fun spring event that began during the pandemic has been going strong every year since, and organizers invite children of all ages and their families to this year’s Easter Egg Hunt once again.

Free and open to all, it is set for 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

“We are joining with St. James Episcopal to put this together. This event started during COVID for us in an effort to help children get out in the community and experience something joyful,” the Rev. Roula Alkhouri said. “Now it has become a way to help the families in our community to experience a fun event around a special holiday for us. We invite children to bring their baskets to celebrate the joy of Easter with a noncompetitive egg hunt for children of all ages.”

There is to be:

• A bountiful Easter egg hunt with a prize for each child of a goodie bag filled with candy and other treats, plus
• Some time to spend with the Easter bunny and have a photo taken;
• Fun games and activities for the family, such as face painting and coloring eggs;
• Delicious refreshments and treats; and
• Live entertainment by musician Bart Dentino

For more information, call 585-343-0505 or email fpcbatavia@fpcbatavia.org.

After two years at First Presbyterian Church in Batavia, the Little Free Pantry is on the move, with fingers crossed that volunteers have found a new location for their full-sized refrigerator and a shelf-stable pantry will be opening downtown this week, Jenn Noon says.

Due to circumstances beyond their control, the pantry will likely close by Wednesday, she said.

“Over the years, we’ve had to relocate several times for situations that we’re out of our control, like Birchwood Village, they went to a new property owner, and situations like this. But thanks to the support from our community, these challenges and things overall turn into just small hurdles, and our overall story,” Noon said during an interview with The Batavian. “I do have exciting news: we have an appointment on Monday to go and visit a potential new location for the fridge, so we’re hoping that that’ll be a good fit, and we’ll have an update on that next week.”

As for a second site for nonperishable goods, tea and coffee, she is working with a business owner at Batavia City Centre and “they’re totally on board” with allowing a portion of the store's front entrance to be used for the pantry, Noon said. She didn’t want to disclose the name until details have been finalized but believes it’s a great fit for that location where people congregate while waiting for a bus or getting dropped off.

“So we’re hoping to get that set up this week as well, and be able to share that soon too,” she said.

The pantry at First Presbyterian Church, on the corner of East Main and Liberty streets, has been outside. There have been some issues with people not being courteous when taking items from the site, Noon said.

“So, unfortunately, we do face challenges, things like unkind visitors that make a mess out front. It's something that little free pantries all across the U.S., unfortunately, experience issues with. We've had an issue, for example, of kids opening a bag of black beans and tossing them at their friend, because we do operate on such a low barrier method. Unfortunately, there are folks that might be in a crisis situation, or, like I said, kids and things like that. So unfortunately, there’s challenges, but we're always working on addressing those challenges and addressing the needs of the community,” she said. “Basically, the model that us and all the other little free pantries and community fridges, one of the big things that they try to reduce is what they call policing of the pantries. And it just basically means that, again, trying to reduce those barriers, a lot of folks are, there's some shame in reaching out for help. Or, you know, we have a lot of kids that stop by after school and things like that.

“We do monitor at certain points, like when we have our popups, or we do our routine down there several times a day cleaning up,” she said. “Some locations we've been able to install a camera, so we're able to monitor things a little bit more easily, remotely. That really just depends on the host of that specific location and working together with them on what works best for that spot.”

Noon and the Rev. Roula Alkhouri of First Presbyterian each said they plan to continue a partnership to work on future projects.

“We are very supportive of their efforts and mission. Their mission aligns with our commitment to serve and love our neighbors. In the last month, we have helped them purchase a new refrigerator for storing extra produce. We will continue to support them and provide hands-on assistance going forward in any way that we can, including their popup and annual events,” Alkhouri said.  “While they will be missed at our church location, our care and love will continue for their work of providing food for those who need it. We believe that God works in mysterious ways, and that even in times of transition, new opportunities for service and partnership will emerge. 

“We will continue to seek ways to support the Little Free Pantry and other initiatives that address food insecurity in our community,” she said. “We extend our deepest gratitude to the dedicated volunteers and supporters of the Little Free Pantry.  May God bless them as they embark on this new chapter.”

The two organizations will be working together on initiatives including a maternal health and wellness effort, and “big, huge events around Christmas,” Noon said.

“It’s just the outdoor pantry wasn’t the best model for that location,” she said. “Every spot’s not a good match. We still have our location at 28 Seneca. It is open 24/7, it was our old farm stand location that we had up just during the summer. But last year at Thanksgiving we actually found a really nice structure that we were able to put up there and get that up and going.”

There are bakery items, shelf-stable goods, bicycle helmets, and warm clothing, and in the summertime, there will be produced from Ryan’s Rose Organic Farm, which has generously partnered with the pantry since the first year it opened, Noon said. The farm owner, Tom Ryan, is helping out with the pantry’s maternal health and wellness program — “he jumped right on board and is totally willing to support us, so we’re really grateful for him.”

Noon is also assisting some folks in Erie and Orleans counties wanting to open some little pantries there, she said. She has four core volunteers and partners of grocery stores, bakeries and restaurants for food donations. Some 90% of the food received would have been thrown out, she said.

“So that’s a big part of our mission, is trying to reduce food waste,” she said. “There’s a lot of perfectly good food that completely would get discarded. Otherwise, we do try to source that and bring it back to our community.”

Anyone interested in volunteering may go HERE and join the volunteer page to learn of ways to help. If you have a potential host site for a pantry, send a message through the website. 

Although the air outside may be getting gradually warmer, a plan to provide that warmth all year long is still in the works, and musician Bart Dentino has been lined up to get toes tapping for the first Warming Center Benefit Concert this week.

So everybody Come Together, Let It Be and Help while enjoying a set of songs from the Beatles,  James Taylor, Garth Brooks, Gordon Lightfoot, and some of Dentino’s original pieces.

“It’s a very important cause that can slip a person’s mind on those frigid nights when you’re sitting comfortably in a warm home with dinner and snacks available to you.  As you well know, that’s not the case for everyone," Dentino said. "Pastor Roula Alkhouri has a very tender heart coupled with a drive to get important things done.  She brought the need for a warming center to my attention.  I offered my musical services in hopes that we could raise awareness and funds to help create that warming center, which would offer services to those people and families in need at those critical times."  

The concert is set for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia. This event is free and open to the public as an evening of music and of coming together to raise awareness and funds for a Genesee County Warming Center during the cold winter nights, organizers say. Donations will be welcomed.

Through the work that he’s done over the years, Dentino has come to realize that the homeless population of individuals and families with children right here in Genesee County “is much greater than one might think,” he said.

“Families that live in a motel room with children going to school each morning hungry, suffering from poor sleep habits, and having an uphill fight to function in the school and classroom,” he said. “Anything that can be done to help them not only survive their situation but thrive in their ability to overcome it is worth doing.”

This initiative began by members of Oak Orchard Health and Batavia First Presbyterian Church in November 2024 with a meeting to gauge the interest and hear ideas and issues about a potential need for this center. 

There was a “heartening display of community spirit” at that time, said Alkhouri, one of the organizers, and concerned citizens and stakeholders gathered together out of concern for those in need and to participate in a solution.

A dedicated steering committee was formed to focus on five key areas, including funding, finding suitable space, staffing, community resources, and marketing. 

“We are excited to begin this effort with the invaluable experience and planning resources of Oak Orchard Health,” Alkhouri had said. “However, we are still looking for more community partners to join this initiative." 

If you are interested in joining any of these teams, please call the church office at 585-343-0505.

“Together, we can make a significant impact and provide a warm, safe space for those in need during the cold months,” she said. “Your support and involvement are crucial to the success of this project.”

About 50 people from several organizations and nonprofits attended, including Community Action of Orleans Genesee, Genesee County Mental Health, Department of Social Services and Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police, Genesee ACE, St. James Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, Community Services Board, and Crossroads House.

What is a warming center?
This center is to be set up as an evening and overnight safe space for people in need of shelter from the cold on days when the temperature falls below 32-degrees. Organizers also want to provide an opportunity for this space to be a place of connection with helpful resources.

Most of us live consciously or unconsciously with the illusion that we’re going to live forever, as we push away the fact that this life is going to end sooner or later, Dale Goldstein says.

Even with aging bodies and minds, it can be difficult to accept that reality, yet living in denial means “we don’t realize how precious every moment is because we never know if it’s our last moment,” says Goldstein, director of the Heartwork Institute in Rochester.

“We don't value the mystery of why these branches are blowing outside my window. You know, we don't really appreciate the moment. Most of the time, we're living in the future. Okay, what do I have to do when I get this done? I'm looking forward to the football game on Saturday,” he said during an interview with The Batavian. “So when you really love something, you're really paying close attention to it. 

"Here’s a thought: if we paid close attention to everything, we would love everything, and we would live in a state of love and appreciation and gratitude," he said. "So I want people to appreciate their lives.”

Batavia First Presbyterian Church invites all to attend Goldstein’s workshop, “If I Had But One Year to Live.” He plans to take participants through a series of experiential exercises to find their own answers to the question, “If my life is getting cut short, in what ways might I change how I am living right now?”

Goldstein will help people explore what is truly meaningful in their lives, what is in the way of them getting to what they truly want, and how to move through those barriers, he said.

The workshop is free and runs from 9:30 a.m. to noon March 15 at the church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

“Human beings tend to not want to face our mortality, and because we avoid dealing with this existential issue, we miss much of our actual life in the moment,” he said. “There is a fear deep in our unconscious that prevents us from being fully present in our lives, so we don’t live completely, we don’t love completely, we don’t enjoy completely.

“We can't experience the depth and breadth of being a real human being," he said. "In this workshop, we will come to grips with this ultimate truth of our existence and realize that, knowing when that final moment will come. We need to live each moment fully so we have no regrets when we die.”

He suggests that folks bring a loved one with them to experience the workshop together if possible. Goldstein, who has a master's in social work, will provide guidance along the way as he prompts participants with “some very important questions,” which they will write down to ensure their privacy. The questions are somewhat deep, such as, do you feel fulfilled, and by how much in life? Do you feel alive? There will also be a bit of meditation.

“By facing death, you come to life in a new way,” he said. “And most importantly, for most people, actually, it really helps you get your priorities straight. What's really important is how much of your time you spend doing things that are just a waste of time.”

He didn’t want to give the whole workshop away but hinted that “something beautiful happens at the end.” After more than two dozen of these sessions, people haven’t felt it was a downer of any kind, but instead, “it’s really about seeing clearly what is important to you,” he said.

“It opens your heart to yourself and to life and to others. I call it heart work because it gets to the heart of the matter, and birth and death gets to the heart of the matter,” he said. “It’s beautiful, it really is. That’s why I’ve done it 26 times. It’s really a beautiful little workshop that has a punch to it.”

Who may be an ideal candidate for this workshop? Anyone who wants to enjoy life more, he said.

Goldstein has been doing what he calls heart work since 1980 and has 55 years of experience as a practicing therapist. He is also a teacher of personal-spiritual growth and a nationally known workshop facilitator. 

After recognizing the potential limitations of strictly one or the other—cognitive, spiritual, or meditative forms of therapy—he discovered the process of using a combination of tools to open the heart and mind.

For more information, call 585-343-0505 or go HERE 

Press Release:

Thanks to a $750 grant from President Mike Hodgins and the Batavia Rotary Club and a $875 donation from the Batavia First Presbyterian Church, the Little Free Pantry recently took delivery of a new commercial size refrigerator which will help them support the growing needs of Batavia neighborhoods. 

The Little Free Pantry provides immediate and local aid to those with food insecurity. Their aim is to help neighbors feed neighbors and nourish the community as a whole. The mini pantry movement’s unofficial motto is “Give what you can. Take what you need.”

The Little Free Pantry is grateful to the Batavia Rotary for this most generous donation in helping the Little Free Pantry support its mission.

Despite the frigid temp and ongoing icy snow that blanketed Batavia this weekend, more than a dozen folks wanted to offer a visible signal of their outrage and sadness about the torture and murder of Sam Nordquist, a young man found dead near Canandaigua Thursday. 

When the group, from GLOW OUT!, which has a biweekly meeting for older LGBTQ individuals, learned about Nordquist’s death after an apparent lengthy period of torture by five suspects arrested and charged this week, “many were very upset … and wanted to have a vigil immediately,” Executive Director Sara Vacin said.

About 15 people gathered Saturday outside of Batavia’s First Presbyterian Church in memory of this 24-year-old-year old from Minnesota. 

“They didn’t mind standing in the snow, they felt like the message and our ability to do something mattered more. As a group and as individuals, we are terrified at the open transphobia we see and experience,” Vacin said. “The thought that this beautiful young man came to New York, following his heart, possibly expecting better protections and resources, and ended up being tortured is unfathomable and disgusting. This shows how truly targeted trans people are today and how people need to stand up to the normalization of hate speech, bullying, and discrimination.”

Motorists driving by beeped in positive response to the gesture, Vacin said, and the group is planning to join upcoming vigils in Rochester and Canandaigua. It doesn’t matter that none of them knew this young man, as “Sam was someone’s child and will be forever missed and remembered by many by the way he left this earth,” she said.

More than 20% of Gen Z are part of the LGBTQ population, and he could be any number of “our children,” she said. 

“GLOW OUT! wanted to call attention to the situation and ask — regardless of political beliefs — for allies not to remain silent and complicit but to step up and disrupt hate speech and discrimination,” Vacin said. “So that we can be the safe New York that Sam Nordquist and all of us deserve to live in.”  

For more information about GLOW OUT! services provided, visit www.glowout.org.  

In a recent update by ABC News, State Police issued a joint statement that -- although this was one of the most horrific crimes ever investigated -- "At this time we have no indication that Sam's murder was a hate crime." 

"To help alleviate the understandable concern his murder could be a hate crime, we are disclosing that Sam and his assailants were known to each other, identified as LGBTQ+, and at least one of the defendants lived with Sam in the time period leading up to the instant offense."

Monday was an important day, not just because the holiday gave people an extra long weekend and it was in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., but it provided opportunities for Jasper Thomas to bring his research on the fallen hero to life.

A sixth-grader at Batavia Middle School, Jasper prepared a presentation about King, and he and two fellow Brother’s Keepers members read it to a group of women preparing to roll up their sleeves for King as well. 

“I thought that he fought for civil rights for everybody, and he had a dream for black and white people to come together,” the student said after his talk early Monday afternoon at First Presbyterian Church in Batavia. “I wanted to do this to share with these people here that skin color does not matter, and I wanted to share my presentation.”

The church hall happened to be a good venue and practice session for Jasper and the two other presenters before they headed off to 400 Towers to conduct a sharing circle and a repeat performance, the group agreed. 

There were a dozen of My Brother’s Keeper participants, led by Kristen Gomez and co-group leaders Tom Bringenberg and Daniel Rhodes, dispersed throughout the group of about 30 women at a lunch provided by Batavia’s Original to kick off the next few hours of community service by all. 

That effort originated years ago with eight women — seven from Batavia and one in Oakfield — looking for a project, organizer Loren Penman said. After a slow start, they eventually landed on an idea to gather interested volunteers together for some hands-on service to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and demonstrate that adults can spend a day off providing assistance to nonprofits that need it. 

“We didn't want to start something brand new. Didn't want a new nonprofit. There's lots of great nonprofits, but we wanted to support all the good that's in, especially Batavia, but Genesee County. And we floundered for a bit, but then found a couple of random small things that we hoped were impactful in very small ways,” Penman said. “And then when we knew that MLK Day was coming up, and heard about what the kids were doing at My Brother's Keeper, that they were kind of a group in search of a project, as we were. So we put together this concept of, let's have an MLK Day of Service.

“And I think it went great. People have enjoyed the camaraderie. We were up at 7:30 making phone calls, ‘What do you think about the weather? Is it too cold? Is it too snowy?”

The deciding factor was when Batavia City Schools’ Extended Day Director Kristen Gomez told Penman that the kids would be heartbroken if they couldn’t attend and participate in the planned activities. It was a go from then on, Penman said. 

After all, how can it be too cold for an event when that group — a dozen youth, plus three adults — were willing to walk from the middle school to First Presbyterian, and then over to 400 Towers and back again to the school. 

Penman worked with the small group, which includes the Rev. Roula Alkhouri, who offered the church as a home base for lunch and a location for volunteers to work, to build a list of volunteers for the day.

They were separated into small teams to divide and conquer: there were fundraising tasks of affixing name labels and star decorations at Crossroads House; cleaning out rooms of items for the keep, donate or trash bin at the church; sorting through mounds of clothing donations at My Sister’s Closet; and other varied projects at GO Art!

Jo-Ann Bestine said that often, adults look to kids for providing a day of service.

 “And I think this was a good switch here that no, it's a day of service for everyone, not just the kids who have the day off from school. What about us mature people to give back to the day,” she said, seated at a card table making table placards at Crossroads House. “There’s also a big mix of people. I volunteer at a lot of different places, but I'm connected with St. James Church, and this gave me an opportunity to see people who are involved in community service in different churches or different organizations.”

Bev Hoy was also at the table, sticking on tiny numbers to star pins for the nonprofit’s upcoming fundraiser auction. She had been a nurse and is a volunteer at Crossroads, and a member of First Presbyterian, so she had a foot in both camps. 

“We formed this group, a bunch of friends got together, and we decided in the end, after talking a lot about where we should, what we should do with this group, we decided to just help the community, just kind of get out there and just help different nonprofit groups,” Hoy said. “And then Loren, I think it was, thought, let's do this on Martin Luther King Day, because … it’s a day of service to honor Martin Luther King. And so that's what we did.”

As someone who does the gardening at the nonprofit comfort home during warmer summer months, Sue Chiddy liked the idea of doing something in January, she said.

“It’s a nice opportunity to do something during the winter months when there are not so many opportunities for volunteering as there are in summer,” she said. 

By mid-afternoon, FoodLink and clothing donations had been organized; there were boxes full of completed table and auction accessories and piles of boxes and debris waiting to get tossed into the trash at the church doors. 

It was a fortunate collaboration that tied to My Brother’s Keeper, a federally grant-funded program with the objective of building young men with a purpose, co-leader Tom Bringenberg said. He doesn’t want the adults to serve as mentors as much as to have the kids be peer mentors to one another, he said. 

How have they been successful in getting young students to give up their free time to participate?

“These kids are always wanting to do something with us. We've been doing this with them. We started last January, and we started with a small group, and it's really expanded. Loren had reached out to me about coming as just a woman to volunteer, and I said, hey, I have this group of young men of purpose, that's what we call them, who would be more than willing to come and volunteer on Martin Luther King Day,” Gomez said. “We're going to go over to 400 towers, and we're going to perform a community building circle with the residents over there. And that's usually how we start our meetings with circles, which allows the kids to open up about feelings and get to know each other, make connections.

“And we want them to make connections in the community as well, which, for the long term, we want them to be invested here in Batavia, be successful and contribute positively, and steer them away from the negative that is so easily a road for these kids to go down,” she said. “So it's been very successful there. The sky’s the limit with this group, and I’m so proud of them.”

Likewise, the eight women who initially floundered have also found success, Penman said. 

“We were eight women in search of a project, and we found it today,” she said.

Interested folks filled the meeting room at First Presbyterian Church in mid-November 2024 to hear ideas and issues about the potential need for a warming center in Genesee County. Attendees were encouraged to sign up and indicate their interest in taking part as active participants in the mission led by Oak Orchard Health and church staff.

At that initial meeting, there was “a heartening display of community spirit to gather input on establishing a warming center,” the Rev. Roula Alkhouri of First Presbyterian says. 

The meeting was to gauge interest, and about 50 people from several organizations and nonprofits attended, including Community Action of Orleans Genesee, Genesee County Mental Health, Department of Social Services and Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police, Genesee ACE, St. James Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, Community Services Board, and Crossroads House.

That first objective was a “resounding success,” Alkhouri said, as the gathering brought together concerned citizens and stakeholders. They, in turn, formed a dedicated steering committee that focused on five key areas to ensure a county warming center’s success, she said.

What is a warming center?
This center is to be set up as an evening and overnight safe space for people in need of shelter from the cold on days when the temperature falls below 32-degrees. Organizers also want to provide an opportunity for this space to be a place of connection with helpful resources.

The steering committee established five subcommittees, each tasked with a specific focus:

1. Funding: This subcommittee is responsible for identifying community donors, securing grants, and exploring other funding sources. They will also handle budgeting for the project.
2. Space: This team is working on identifying an appropriate space for the center, ensuring all regulatory and compliance requirements are met, and setting up the space.
3. Staffing: This subcommittee is creating a comprehensive staffing plan, including recruiting, hiring, and onboarding staff.
4. Community Resources: This group is identifying community partners, resources, supplies, and establishing Code Blue protocols.
5. Marketing: This team is focused on raising community awareness, communication, and education about the Warming Center.

“We are excited to begin this effort with the invaluable experience and planning resources of Oak Orchard Health,” Alkhouri said to The Batavian. “However, we are still looking for more community partners to join this initiative. If you are interested in joining any of these teams, please email me directly at roulaalkhouri@fpcbatavia.org or call me at the church office at 585-343-0505.

“Together, we can make a significant impact and provide a warm, safe space for those in need during the cold months,” she said. “Your support and involvement are crucial to the success of this project.”

An issue of homelessness couldn’t have been made more obvious for the folks at Batavia First Presbyterian Church and Crossroads House after they discovered people sleeping in a donations shed in the parking lot.

“We had to put a lock on the shed and put cameras up,” the Rev. Roula Alkhouri said Monday evening during an initial meeting about opening a warming center in Genesee County. “Four people had been sleeping there and under trailers behind Crossroads House.”

It became a stark visual example of what being homeless can look like, though there are many other ways, according to a presentation by Chief Executive Officer Karen Kinter of Oak Orchard Health, including:

• Living in hotels.
• Temporary housing after a tragedy.
• Living with relatives and/or friends.
• Couch surfing.
• Living on the streets.

Kinter has been involved in other warming centers, including one in Albion, and has offered her experience to help get one going here. 

What is a warming center?
This center is to be set up as an evening and overnight safe space for people in need of shelter from the cold on days when the temperature falls below 32-degrees. Organizers also want to provide an opportunity for this space to be a place of connection with helpful resources.

The meeting was to gauge interest, and about 50 people from several organizations and nonprofits attended, including Community Action of Orleans Genesee, Genesee County Mental Health, Department of Social Services and Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police, Genesee ACE, St. James Episcopal Church, United Methodist Church, Community Services Board, and Crossroads House.

Kinter’s presentation covered factors that contribute to becoming homeless, such as not having the housing necessary for people in need of a lower-income home and the risk of incarceration or losing custody of children.

It takes education, partnerships with other organizations, community buy-in and resources, plus funding to help solve the problem, she said. 

“I started with my team and a lot of other community partners to get that open. As a primary care office, we track homelessness, so we see homeless people in our office,” she said. “But we've had several community partners reach out. Once they heard about Orleans County, they're like, how can we get one? Because we actually get some from Genesee County, some individuals that try to come to the warming center in Orleans County.  We’re like, wait, let's find out, what can we do here if there is a need, what’s working and what might be able to be enhanced?

“Tonight was really about understanding what the community is looking for, what the interest is if we're on the same page, or what questions, how can we educate the community about the need? And your role going forward would be to partner with the community organizations to potentially open a warming center,” she said. “We don't have funding at this time for Genesee County, so we would have to work with other partners and organizations to get the funding to open up a warming center. The funding pays for staff. So we would not pay all of the staff. What we would do is hire them, onboard them, train them, and ensure that they're equipped with tools and resources to do the work that's needed during the hours of operation.”

How do you spread the word to a small population of  people that may not have Internet to read online postings about a warming center?
“A lot of it is through many of the community partners right in the room. So, just like somebody said, somebody was living in a (clothing shed), so when that church found that person, they have somebody to call. They know a resource in the community,” she said. “And so, really, most of the community partners are our biggest kind of social media for the resource.”

The need is out there, even though you might never see a person sleeping on the street. On average, the Department of Social Services has “maybe 10 to 12 individuals a night, and during off-Code Blue hours, it could be five, it could be less,” Social Services Commissioner Carla Mindler said.

What is Code Blue?
“Code blue is when it's 32 degrees or below. That's including wind chill. So, the feels-like temperature, we use the Ready Genesee app through emergency management. So if that says it feels like 32 or below, it’s Code Blue. We do have individuals who are homeless during that time. So we still, if someone were placing someone homeless, we still do the due diligence to ensure that they are homeless and that they don't have other resources to use for their housing. If they have somewhere else to stay, then they still need to stay there. If they have money of their own, they have to use that for their housing,” Mindler said. “The difference during Code Blue is that if they are sanctioned, meaning they are normally eligible for temporary housing assistance, however, they are sanctioned due to noncompliance, they are eligible for housing during Code Blue, and that's the main difference.”

Those 10 to 12 individuals are who DSS encounters during the Code Blue times, she said. That doesn’t mean there aren’t more than that, but “those are the individuals that DSS are housing and paying for on a potentially typical Code Blue night,” she said. 

What role can DSS play in a future warming center?
“Certainly, we can provide information; I’m happy to share what DSS is doing and what the county plan is for Code Blue. We don’t get an allocation for Code Blue that’s large enough for me to share, unfortunately, because I will use all of those funds in-house simply placing individuals at hotels because not everyone will be able to go to the warming center, and we can’t force individuals to go to the warming center either,” she said. “So we will inevitably still use all of that money on the hotels and motels. I’m also just willing to talk about what the need is in the county, I obviously want to be involved in the conversation so we know what’s being planned and we know what’s available, and can help maybe identify other resources as well so that we’re aware of simply because of the work we do.”

There may be individuals that would prefer going to a warming center versus signing up for a DSS paid hotel, which also includes compliance with regulations and requirements, she said. 

“And that’s fine. I’d love to have that as a resource to refer people to,” she said.

Reasons for homelessness do vary and include mental health issues and substance use, among a variety of other reasons, Mental Health Deputy Director Peter Mittiga said. 

“I don’t have definitive numbers, but it’s just exciting to have another resource out there to provide to folks, to have a potential warming center,” he said. “We link folks up at DSS if they’re homeless, but if they have another source that they can go to, it’s great.”

Meeting attendees were asked to provide contact information, and another meeting will be set up to better define details to move forward with a center, Alkhouri said. 

“I want you to go home and think about it. Are you willing to work with a couple of people and be a champion of this?” she said to the group. “I feel like there’s energy around this … and we could enhance what’s in existence.” 

A few women — Deacon Diana Leiker, Terry Maguire and Jo-Ann Bestine — representing St. James Episcopal Church were wholeheartedly on board with assisting the cause, even if they didn’t know quite yet how. 

“We would like to be a part of it; what that looks like, it’s too early to tell. We're very interested in it and want to be an integral part of it,” Bestine said. “We have to go back and talk to our congregation and see to what extent, whether it's space, money, in what way we would, but we definitely want to be a part of it.”

They know there’s a need for a warming center, she said, from watching their blessing box with free food in front of the East Main Street church quickly empty out continuously, and people in need use the church thrift store.

“So that we recognize there's definitely a need in this community,” she said. “Where we fit in, we'll have to talk about it and pray on it, but we want to be part of it.”  

For at least the second time in a decade, a group of folks are focusing on the cold — and the needs of people who may not otherwise have an alternative place to go.

This most recent effort began with prayerful thought, and ended up in partnership between Batavia First Presbyterian Church and Oak Orchard Community Health.

“We had heard about the Albion warming center last April. Our elders and leaders were meeting for a visioning retreat to dream together of where God might be leading us to serve in the future,” said the Rev. Roula Alkhouri of Batavia First Presbyterian. “We thought that providing a warming center would be a good first step in addressing the needs of the many people we see in our community who find themselves without the security of a home, especially during cold weather. We tried to reach out to different groups, but it was not until recently that we got connected to Oak Orchard through one of their new hires, Marge Fitzsimmons. That led to a meeting where we discussed the idea and the need in our county.”

That discussion led to the two entities agreeing to join forces and invite a collaboration of additional groups to come together for the initiative, she said. 

“The great news is that Oak Orchard has the experience, the knowledge, and the commitment to make this happen,” Alkhouri said. “We are hoping that the meeting on the 18^th will be our next step to cast the vision, identify the needed resources, and to start planning for this project.”

There will be a Genesee County Warming Center planning meeting from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on Monday at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

This meeting is for any individual or group interested in supporting this effort and/or wanting to learn more about it during the presentation and informational planning session with the purpose to create a warming center for Genesee County.

The center would be set up as an evening and overnight safe space for people in need of shelter from the cold on days when the temperature falls below 32-degrees. Organizers also want to provide an opportunity for this space to be a place of connection with helpful resources.

Oak Orchard Community Health and the church are hosting this initial meeting with a vision to make this center a community partnership with as many organizations and individuals as possible, Alkhouri said.

A Genesee County warming center coalition formed in 2014 with a similar objective. For a short time, a center was set up at First United Methodist Church in Batavia. The last post on the coalition’s social media site was in 2015.

To RSVP for Monday’s meeting, go to fpcbataavia@fpcbatavia.org or call 585-343-0505.

Patricia Lawlor has been steeped in the works and study of religion for more than three decades, from her time as religion education coordinator for the Catholic Church and its Diocese, and more recently as spiritual director of the Mercy Spirituality Center in Rochester, though her path was headed in a much different direction early on.

While preparing to become a dentist in a pre-dental program at Nazareth College, Lawlor had to take a religious studies course, and ended up in a world religion class with Sister Joan Margaret Kunz.

“Her teaching, the way she presented the material; it just broadened my sense of who God was, and it changed my life,” Lawlor said during an interview with The Batavian. “I changed my study to religious studies, and the rest is history.” 

Lawlor will be facilitating a workshop for “The Experience of Prayer” from 9 to 11 a.m. Nov. 2 at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia. 

She will begin the session by defining prayer and identifying which definitions seem most appealing to people. 

“And then we are going to really try to build upon their own prayer experiences,” she said. Lawlor will explore three types of prayer, and participants will actually do some praying so that they can try out the prayer styles for themselves and share how it went within small break-out groups, she said.

There is a style called Gospel contemplation, the prayer of St. Ignatius Loyola, prayer with scripture — “using our imagination as if we were actually present during the story of the scripture” And another one of Lectio Divina, which takes a passage of scripture, and “we have the opportunity to listen and then choose a word or phrase and then just spend time praying with the word or phrase, to explore what it’s saying to us.

“And in between all of these, we’re going to be sharing what the experience was for each person, and I’m hoping to do that, dividing them up into small groups,” she said. “And then the final one, if we have time, we’re going to do a centering prayer experience, and centering prayer is about praying in silence and with the sense of going into our heart and into the deeper part of ourselves and listening to God to speak to us.

“I think it’s going to be fun,” she said. “You can be a complete novice who’s kind of curious about prayer or has some notion about prayer. It can be for people who have experiences of prayer.”

What would you want people to walk away with after this workshop?
“I’m hoping this will lead them into an experience of prayer that is beyond rote prayers — the 'Our Father' prayers that we say in worship — beyond the prayers that we say to an opportunity to have a conversation and a deeper relationship with God,” she said. “So the styles of prayer that we’re going to be exploring are styles of prayer that lead us into one-on-one relationships with God. These styles of prayer can be done on a regular basis or they can be done here and there. 

“You know, each person is attracted to a variety, to a different style of prayer, gospel, contemplation,” she said. “Some people may be attracted to it, some not. That's why I want to give them different experiences to see if we can find something that they may be attracted to.”

Let’s face it, life is difficult these days — with destruction from wars abroad and more regional natural disasters, the rough and tumble political landscape, and all of the myriad other personal and professional problems that people encounter —  but prayer can be about more than seeking to have your requests met, Lawlor said.

“I think this is leading people beyond the style of prayer of telling God what we want God to do. It's leading us more into a style of prayer in which we listen, and in the end, in which will help us to cope with everything that's going on in our world today … there will be people there that will be on both sides of the election; some will be disappointed, some will be thrilled,” she said. “And how do we take all of this to our relationship with God and more of a listening rather than telling God what we think should happen. So it's more of a being present to the situation that we are facing, and through prayer, becoming an instrument to bring compassion and peace into the world.”

The Rev. Roula Alkhouri of Batavia First Presbyterian said that she hadn’t thought about the close timing of a prayer workshop and upcoming election just three days later, but “this workshop will definitely be a help to give participants a sense of peace and a sense of connection to others at a deeper level than the pollical divisions we are experiencing today,” she said. 

“There is a lot of anxiety about the election this year and finding ways to stay grounded in love, in peace, and in community is of great help,” Alkhouri said. “My hope for our community is to expand our experiences of prayer. Prayer is often presented as the words we say to God, asking for things we want, but that is only one way of prayer. At its heart, prayer is about union with the divine. It is about connecting to the source of our life and love. The contemplative forms of prayer that Pat will be helping us experience will help people access their inner wisdom, peace, and divine connection.”

Contemplative prayer, which uses silence, the imagination, the scriptures, or gentle movement, is “powerfully transformative and healing,” she said. 

“Through contemplative prayer, we can learn to let go of anger, need for control, hate, judgment, guilt, shame and fear and to trust the love that is eternal,” she said. “One of my favorite writers, Thomas Keating, used to teach about the power of contemplative prayer to heal the distressing emotions of our search for happiness through the emotional programs for happiness of control, esteem, and security. For most of his ministry, Keating taught people Centering Prayer, which is a form of meditation. Centering Prayer helps people to find fulfillment through the inner freedom to love, which we all can access.”

Lawlor ended up with a bachelor’s in religious studies and went on to obtain a master’s degree in theology and a certificate in spiritual direction. She lives in East Irondequoit and looks forward to what unfolds during the two hours in November.

The workshop is free and open to the public.

After working as a massage therapist for several years, Marjorie Fein grew bored with bones and muscles, and pondered which way she wanted to go next with her wellness learning journey.

As it happens, she took a continuing education course and absorbed the principles so deeply that she became a teacher herself.

The course she took introduced Fein to the teachings of Eden Energy Medicine founder Donna Eden. According to Eden's website, the teachings are based on a transformational healing modality that empowers the individual with tools to improve mind, body and spirit using one’s own body energies to lead a more vibrant life. 

That attracted Fein, who said she wanted to work with a broader range of people as she tried to figure out whether to study nutrition or acupunction. Then she took a course Omega Institute here in Rhinebeck.

"Literally, the only reason I took on this course is that it was the only class that gave me continuing ed credits for my license," Fein said during a phone interview from her home in Woodstock. "I had no idea who she was or what she did, and I really fell in love with it for a couple of reasons. One is that there's absolutely no dogma about it. People get into this work from being teachers, therapists, physical therapists, massage therapists, doctors, and acupuncturists, and Donna's whole thing is to take this work and make it and use it in whatever way works for you. The other thing is that we use something called kinesiology or muscle testing. 

“So, for example, if I have ten clients who all have irritable bowel syndrome, we are all completely unique people, and so there's no cookie-cutter formula. We use the muscle testing. We call it energy testing, to assess the energy systems so that each individual gets a completely individualized treatment,” she said. “So I love that because it means that anything I do, it's because your body told me it needs that, not because I had an idea that I thought was brilliant.”

Fein will be in Batavia to teach two Eden Energy classes on Sept 28 at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

“I met Donna in 2002, and I was already a massage therapist. I started blending this into my work. I've been doing this full-time as an energy healer, probably since 2003, so it's been pretty much my main modality for the last almost 22 years."

After doing bones and muscles for as long as she did, she was looking for a new approach to help people heal.

"One thing is that we really teach people self-care," Fein said. "We teach them how to do techniques on themselves so that they get the power. I mean, this is kind of my mission statement, giving people power and authority over their own life experience, physically, emotionally and spiritually."

Eden's work about energetic modalities, which is called an energy system, she said. 

"Just like we have a physical body that has, I think it's nine organ systems, a respiratory system, a cardiovascular system, a digestive system, each of those systems has a completely different form and function, and all of those have to work together to create a healthy whole,” she said. “We also have energy systems. So, for example, Chinese medicine acupuncture uses an energetic system called the meridian system, and they stick needles in points along the meridians. If you go to someone who practices Ayurveda, they work with the energy system called the chakras, and they move and work in a completely different way. 

“What I love about Donna's work is that we work with nine different systems, and we work with them simultaneously,” she said. “So that way, for one person, if you have an irritable bowel, the core issue might be in the meridian, for someone else in the chakra, or for someone else in the aura. So understanding those nine systems and having the muscle testing to let the body tell us where the core issue is, it allows us to track the human in front of us, rather than use a cookie cutter protocol for any one ailment.”

The basic premise of energetic healing, she said, is that anything that is happening physically or emotionally within someone’s body has an energetic core to it, and the body and emotions express what is happening energetically. 

“Like Einstein, we believe that energy creates matter, so we work with this creative force of the body, the energies and then the body and the emotions express differently,” she said. “So, whereas Western medicine is usually what I would call reactive medicine, you have an imbalance, there’s something wrong, and then you treat the symptom, but you’re not treating, in most cases, what actually created the problem in the first place.”

During each class, Fein will provide some education about the subject matter and then allow attendees to approach her one at a time so that she can work with them to get a sense of what’s going on with their particular energy system. 

These last several years have meant an uptick in cases of increased stress due to the pandemic, political turmoil, climate change and overall negative undercurrent, she said. And when you are under stress, your body goes into “fight or flight” mode, which is a primitive response that can then trigger physical, emotional and/or spiritual responses and symptoms, she said.

That, in turn, can lead to poor digestion and healing. While the stress can serve a purpose and is meant to be short-term, when it continues and is ongoing, “it takes a toll,” she said. 

All of your resources are going to the stress. However, if people can build up resilience, “you are reclaiming those resources,” she said.   

Fein is an advanced practitioner and a founding member of Eden’s faculty since it began in 2005. She has developed a full-time practice with Eden Energy and works with clients, teaches workshops and writes about the topic. 

There are two classes available and they are interactive with group attendees, she said. If you are someone that feels like no matter where you go you’re a target, and you experience physical or emotional symptoms; you feel bloated every time after eating or gain weight no matter how much you diet, it may very well be related to stress and your energy, which are examples of something Fein can test for, she said.

Classes are:

Class 1 - Easy Does It will deal with emotional distress, and focus on stress, anxiety and depression, which she believes Western medicine has little to offer beyond medication. Energy medicine gives the tools to build resilience to life’s stressors as well as how to calm upsets when they bubble up. 

“When we are at ease emotionally, every aspect of our lives is improved,” she said. “We heal better when we feel better.”

The workshop session will include practical skills of easy-to-apply techniques that one can use in every day situations to calm the mind and boost stress resistance; emotional relief techniques to reduce the way your distress expresses itself; self empowerment to gain tools and take control of your emotional state any time and anywhere; and help for loved ones that may be suffering.

Class 2 - Make Friends With Your Food will involve energy medicine for healthy digestion. This workshop includes practical techniques to support and strengthen the organs of the digestive system, and lifestyle guidelines that promote healthy and happy mealtimes.

Cost is $75 per class or $125 for both. Registration deadline is Sept. 26. For more information or to register, go HERE.

This year of 2024 is a big one for Volunteers For Animals, a nonprofit that just last month received the Chamber of Commerce Special Anniversary Recognition of the Year Award and will celebrate its 40th anniversary next month.

And what better way to celebrate than with a party filled with refreshments, a special cake, activities for children, multiple door prizes, favors and a little history thrown in? It’s set for 1 to 4 p.m. May 18 at First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia. 

“It’s a chance to take the time to get together and to celebrate with each other and the community, a time to reflect on our beginnings as well as plans for the future,” volunteer and event planner Angie Knisley said. “(And to) honor those who selflessly founded the organization and remember all they had to accomplish to get us where we are today. This is not an easy story to tell. These early founders and volunteers sacrificed much to establish the VFA, a nonprofit all-volunteer humane-type society for companion animals in Genesee County.”

The Anniversary Celebration this year will also give VFA the opportunity to communicate its mission, programs and needs more fully and widely, she said, including, of course, the vital importance of having volunteers to help with varied tasks.

VFA’s mission is “to provide care, comfort and protection to companion animals in need tin Genesee County by engaging the hands, hearts and minds of our community.”

Organizers want to include all of the people who not only helped to establish the organization but who also helped to maintain and further grow it, she said. That list is quite long, as there have been folks — individually and in groups, business.

s, veterinary practices — since those early days in 1984 up to now that have provided support of time, labor, money, services and/or goods.

“We want to thank our supporters, including those businesses in the area, that have helped us through the years,” she said. “And again, the list of those who have helped through the years is vast. We are working on the best way to recognize our supporters and communicate our appreciation.

“We do not want to miss recognizing anyone,” she said. “But, we also want to respect those that would have, or may prefer, to remain in the background and not want to receive much focus/attention.”

The nonprofit rightfully received its due attention in March for the Chamber award after 40 years of volunteers serving four-legged friends' needs through Genesee County Animal Shelter. 

At the event, there will be displays about the history and people who founded VFA, information about its current programs, and photos of animals that have been adopted over the past many years.  

There won’t be any fundraisers at the event; however, “we are kindly asking for a $5 donation,” Knisley said, and children are free. Attendees are asked to register by May 10 for planning purposes so that there will be enough refreshments and cake. 

The church “has graciously and generously donated the use of the reception hall” for the party, she said, and is helping out with the event. 

VFA greatly appreciates the kindness, Knisley said. 

She hopes that the public will attend this open house party and help the volunteers mark this special occasion together. 

To RSVP, click on the QR below, contact the animal shelter at 585-343-6410 or visit 3841 W. Main Street Road, Batavia. 

The word homosexual apparently didn’t show up in the Bible — any Bible in any translation — until 1946, and this is due to a translation choice of Greek words used in 1 Corinthians by a team preparing a modern edition of the Bible.

Based on this premise, a team of researchers traced how that word -- homosexual — and God’s judgment against it — made it into the Bible, creating, in their view, a Christian anti-gay movement. Or so the theory goes in the controversial documentary film “1946” directed by Sharon “Rocky” Roggio.

Roggio’s hope is that the film begins “the necessary conversations that rid this bad theology from the church and from our homes.” 

Homes that have included her own, with her father, Pastor Sal Roggio, who disapproved of her sexual orientation, given his understanding of the word of God.

“1946, The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture” will be part of a viewing party at 6 p.m. Thursday at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

Organizers encourage folks not to miss this opportunity to watch what they believe will be a “thought-provoking documentary film screening exploring the tireless researchers who trace the origins of the anti-gay movement among Christians to a grave mistranslation of the Bible in 1946.”

Even with little background in Biblical literature, it seems to beg questions, such as why only point to 1 Corinthians 6:9, which is where the word “arsenokoitai” is used.

Alan Schlemon, who muses about the film and believes the central point is “irrelevant” even if it’s true, says that the word arsenokoitai, “does appropriately condemn homosexual sex,” is an aside to other passages documented prior to the New Testament. 

“Pro-gay theology advocates, like the ones who created this film, love to point out that Paul invented a new Greek word (arsenokoitai) in 1 Corinthians 6:9. Since there are no instances of that word being used in Greek literature elsewhere, they often call into question any translation that implicates homosexuals,” Shlemon said in his online site. “There are, however, at least two reasons why translators have chosen ‘homosexuals’ (or something equivalent) for the English rendering. One reason is that the word arsenokoitai is formed by combining two Greek words, arsen, meaning “male,” and koite, meaning “lying.” Arsenokoitai literally means ‘men who lie with a male.’ It’s not surprising that the most prominent English translation today — the NIV (2011 revision) — translates the Greek as ‘men who have sex with men.’ 

“It’s also worth noting that ancient Jews used the Hebrew phrase mishkav zakar, which means ‘lying with a male,’ to describe male-to-male sexual contact. Therefore, having a Jew invent the Greek term arsenokoitai follows the same pattern of condemning homosexual behavior by referring to the euphemism ‘men who lie with a male.’ But there’s a second reason that solidifies this translation. The Greek words arsen and koite appear together in two Greek Old Testament (Septuagint) verses … Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 — the very two verses in the Mosaic Law that condemn homosexual behavior,”  he said. “In other words, Paul invents a new Greek word that literally means ‘men who lie with a male,’ and the two-component words that are used to create this new word are found together in the two Mosaic prohibitions of homosexuality.”

Rev. Jim Morasco, pastor of Morganville United Church of Christ in Stafford, watched the film. The producer is a lesbian whose father is a pastor who believes his daughter has a choice to be gay or not, and they are part of the film, which focuses on a group of people asked to make a revision of the Bible in 1946 at Yale University.

“The movie follows what they're doing at the university. It's a personal back-and-forth between the daughter and the father. And then there's the overall, what does it say in the Bible and why,” Morasco said. It's interesting. I'm not a Bible scholar by any means. But I've read similar things about what the Bible was made with, together with all the revisions.

“The people that were there were putting this together, and they interpreted it as homosexual. But what they say the truth is, it's not homosexual love; it’s a form of love.” 

How does he rectify Biblical literature of various degrees throughout the Old and New Testaments regarding homosexuality and not just in 1 Corinthians? 

“It’s simple,” he said. I don’t use the Bible as a rule book; I use it as a guidebook. I look at scripture … my basic understanding is that God is love,” he said. Use it as a recipe book rather than a rule. It’s a living document. The stories are inspirational rather than real. We can all relate.”

He said the Bible has some 900 different versions and thousands of interpretations in various languages. Much of it stems from the Roman Empire, which consolidated the Christian religion with the Roman government. 

Morasco said a passage about the man as head of the household and the woman serving under him is one example of how the Bible can be interpreted—or misinterpreted—according to one's personal bias or agenda. That is more about Roman law, not through any Godly inspiration or directive. 

“That’s the structure adopted,” he said. 

He doesn’t agree with those people who take a firm stance and tell others, “You can’t argue with me because I’m copying what the Bible says.” 

“That’s not the way it is; I don’t agree with that,” he said. “I have friends who are gay and friends who are transgender. They’re human beings, and to put a label on somebody makes them less than human. They’re people.”

Robin Schumacher, columnist for The Christian Post, also takes a dive into the Greek words of Paul’s New Testament letters and says that “the most straightforward, hermeneutical conclusion we can come to is that Paul was against the idea of males engaging in sexual intercourse together.”

Schumacher also takes a bottom line stance when “the literal-historical-grammatical method” is used to interpret the writing of Paul on this topic. 

“We find the Apostle can’t be used to validate homosexual behavior,” Schumacher said. “That being the case, the most logical thing to do for those wanting to justify homosexuality is to stop trying to modify what the Bible says on the subject and instead assume the position of the late atheist Christopher Hitchens, who once remarked, “What do I care what some Bronze Age text says about homosexuality?”  

As someone who has watched the film in its entirety, does Morasco agree with its conclusion?

“I think it’s a possibility,” he said. “God loves us no matter what we are and who we are.”

Morasco plans to attend the viewing and participate in breakout group discussions afterward. He said all opinions are welcome. 

“I grew up Catholic, ordained a Baptist, and am a reverend at a United Church of Christ. I’ve been exposed to a lot of different ways,” he said. “I might do it differently. I’m not saying that anyone is wrong.” 

The Easter Bunny visited Batavia First Presbyterian Church on Saturday.

Snow and cold moved the Easter egg hunt indoors. There were also games, face painting, refreshments, and a basket raffle. The event was also a fundraiser for the North Bergen Community Food Pantry.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Alesha Smith says that at the end of 2023, when North Bergen Community Food Pantry lost its home, a team of folks has been doing what it can to raise money for a more permanent space to accommodate the generous donations that come pouring in along with Foodlink.

Not that anyone begrudges the hospitality shown to pantry volunteers by Bergen United Methodist Church, which stepped in to provide a room, albeit smaller than the former space at North Bergen Presbyterian Church that closed in December, she said, but the pantry really could use much more breathing room. 

"The North Bergen Food Pantry was an undertaking that Dave Fish was very passionate to bring to the rural community. Although there is a large need for these items amongst us country folk, Dave does not turn anyone away,” Smith said. “Since opening the pantry, he has helped serve over 400 households." 

So, with Easter right around the corner, the nonprofit has collaborated with the Rev. Roula Alkhouri of Batavia First Presbyterian for an Easter Egg Hunt. Meant to be a pre-Easter fun event and raise some funds toward the pantry’s new future home, it’s set for 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. March 23 at the church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

“The event will include crafts and activities for kids, doughnuts (from Sweet Ally’s in Oakfield), pictures with the Easter bunny, goodie bags, an egg hunt, and a basket raffle,” Alkhouri said. “It is free and open to all. Our hope is to share the joy of Easter by helping the children in our community have a positive and fun event. The event will be indoors. This started for us during COVID when children were unable to have group activities or school. We held the event outside, but now we can use the inside of the church to have fun without worrying about the weather.”

"In August of 2019, Dave and four volunteers took the appropriate training and obtained all the required equipment to open the pantry," Smith said. "They obtained everything from food items, pet food, stationery, and personal hygiene products from Foodlink, and through personal donations. Now they officially have seven board members.”

Smith and two others, Melodi Leaton and Kassie Bowen, comprise the fundraising committee. After meeting up with Fish, they all learned of his “welcoming, friendly demeanor, compassion and listening ear,” and helped to connect everyone to work together and, in time, become good friends as well, she said. 

Smith is grateful to be working with the Batavia church for this event, she said. The pantry's goal was to collect enough donations to raffle 10 baskets, and that goal has already been exceeded, she said. There will be assorted theme baskets of kitchenware items, a teenage girl’s basket filled with slippers, nail polish, and other pampering items, a mandala coloring book and colored pencils, kids’ Easter baskets, and many more, she said. 

“The optional baskets will be the only cost, but will greatly help raise the much-needed funds for our pantry to find a home of our own,” she said. “While several other egg hunts are happening the same time/day, we would love for our community members to know that not only do we have more to offer — face painting, crafts, doughnuts, egg hunt, goodie bags and the bunny, of course — we will also be having several raffle baskets. Our event is free and open to everyone."

Fish has said that the pantry has the equipment, including refrigerators, freezers, shelving units, and, most importantly, volunteers who are willing to continue the mission. What it needs is at least 2,000 square feet of space that offers a handicapped entrance, parking, and a restroom, he said. 

Board members are Nancy Cook, Karen Tennity, Amanda Cook, Dawn Sprague, Kevin Kent, Rick Woodring, and Patty Lamon, and Hal Milward, pastor of Bergen United Methodist Church, has been a huge supporter, Smith said. 

Basket tickets will be sold at the event for $5 per sheet of 25. Winners need not be present to receive the basket. 

Who says you have to wait until midnight to celebrate the New Year? Batavia First Presbyterian Church is hosting a morning celebration from 10 to 11 a.m. with worship, songs, stories, and prayer and 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday with brunch and games to ring in the New Year. There will also be a photo booth, hats, tiaras and other New Year’s goodies to ring in 2024, organizers say.

The public is welcome to attend at 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

When tapped to play St. Nicholas for the Bethlehem Walk Wednesday evening, Dan Dedo didn’t cut any corners.

His wife made him a lavish suit of a metallic gold vest and a long hooded, red crushed velvet cape, and he wore a thick white, curly-haired beard and carried his own tall wooden staff that a friend had made for him. His hat, purchased with a gold cross on the front and back resembling that of a bishop, completed the outfit. 

Being unfamiliar with St. Nicholas, Dedo also did some research so he would be prepared for his duties during the event at Batavia First Presbyterian Church. 

No matter how long ago St. Nicholas originated, he still has a lesson for the modern-day world, Dedo said.

“It reminds everybody that it's a season where we should all be kind and generous to those in need and that St. Nicholas was that way throughout the year, which we have to remember, too,” he said. “So I enjoyed learning about him.”

St. Nicholas, who in later decades has been called St. Nick, served as the inspiration for Santa Claus, who is said to travel by way of sleigh and reindeer to rooftops and climb into chimneys to deliver his gifts to strangers’ homes. Dedo learned about his much earlier existence.

“Well, I was given a book that I read for everybody here. And then, I did some research online. St. Nicholas was born in 200 AD in what is now Turkey. His parents were rich; he became a priest in the Greek church, and his parents died and left him all their money. And St. Nicholas gave all the money to people in need: the sick, the hungry, people that needed housing,” Dedo said. “And there's a story about an old man with three daughters. And to get married in those days, you had to have money for a dowry. And they had no money, and the old man was worried about his daughters. So St. Nicholas heard about this, and at night, he threw a bag of gold through the window of the house. And they were overjoyed. And she was able to get married, then the middle-aged girl came of age to get married. And he did it again, he threw another bag of gold into the house. 

“Now, when the third daughter was old enough to get married, the old man was waiting to find out who this generous person was. And St. Nicholas liked to give anonymously. So he climbed up on the rooftop and threw the bag of gold down through the chimney. And the girl had hung her socks and stockings to dry under the chimney,” he said. “And the legend has it that the bag of gold fell into the stocking. And I mean, he inspired a lot of generosity and kindness on the part of other people. So we still remember him to this day for that reason.”

The event venue had tables full of nativity sets — collections on loan from Laura Dommer and Liz Saleh, plus a few others brought in from other church members — and hot homemade soup, decorated sugar cookies, music, children’s games and lots of mingling. 

Sheryl Maier and her daughter Tallulah were browsing a table of nativity scenes, and it didn’t take long for Tallulah to spot her favorite one.

“I like this one,” she said, pointing to a puzzle nativity. “I like doing puzzles, and I like doing puzzles of baby Jesus.”

As it so happens, her mom read the five-year-old the story of St. Nicholas at home before they attended the event, so Tallulah was quite familiar with the tall bearded chap when they arrived. He gave her some gold coins (chocolate wrapped in foil), and he walked around handing out the symbolic gift St. Nicholas threw into poor people’s homes as a token of compassion.

Olivia Fanton had gotten some coins but was waiting to eat her Italian wedding soup first. It was too hot at the moment, she said. The 11-year-old Batavia Middle School student had checked out the nativity scenes and especially liked one lone white decorative angel. 

“That’s my favorite,” she said. “I like the face of the angel.”

It was one piece of a collection that Dommer no longer had assembled together, she said. When she heard that Olivia liked the angel, she decided to follow in the footsteps of St. Nicholas and give it to the sixth-grader.

“I did it because she has a Bills shirt on,” Dommer joked. 

Liz Saleh held up the tiniest of nativity scenes that she has acquired over the years as one of nearly 100 in her vast collection.

The piece — a polished brown exterior with a white interior resembling ivory — has been carved out of a tagua nut from the South American Amazon rain forest. It represents one of several countries in a display that will be opened to the public next week. Her collection began with a merged nativity set from the childhoods of her and her late husband, David, dating back more than 70 years. 

Ever since then, she just kept amassing more of the iconic Christmas scenes, typically featuring a manger, Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus and animals.

“I just loved them, and people started giving them to me. Once they know you like something, they keep giving them to you,” Saleh said while setting up her pieces Friday at Batavia First Presbyterian Church. “And I just started collecting them.”

Bethlehem Walk with St. Nicholas & Community Dinner will feature nativity scenes from Saleh and fellow Batavia resident Laura Dommer. The event will also include a meal of bread, homemade minestrone, Italian wedding soups and Advent-themed sugar cookies, and a visit from the traditional St. Nicholas. It is free of charge and is from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia.

Most likely, you’ve either grown up with a nativity scene in your home or you have seen one somewhere, and they are steeped in deep history from St. Francis of Assisi, who more than 800 years ago wanted to remind the world that the season was about more than just giving or receiving gifts; it was about celebrating the birth of Jesus. Though, certainly, many nativity scenes have included the three wisemen bringing gifts to Jesus, all of them have not depicted that aspect. 

The set that Saleh has, for example, from Assisi, is very simple, with a modest manger, and the key characters of Joseph, Mary, baby Jesus and a few animals arranged in front of it. A colorful metal display from Mexico, on the other hand, more brilliantly shows the wise men holding up their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Each country seems to tell a slightly different story in how the nativity is portrayed through materials, colors, simplicity or complexity, and the presence of animals as an important piece to the story. 

Saleh’s collection also includes a trifold-certified painting of Byzantine art using tempera paint — with egg yolks mixed in for a rich golden cast — from a museum in Boston, and materials of pottery, wood, hand-spun lambswool, a milked, anise star, sticks, grapevine wreath, pieces of cloth and other items from Mother Nature. 

There are sets from countries including Indonesia, Ecuador, Peru, Africa, Jerusalem, Germany, Portugal, Venice, Vietnam, Armenia, Italy, Bangladesh, India and the United States. 

As Saleh unpacked items, she talked about how dear friends made something for her or gave a set to her, and each unpacked box sparked more memories. She unwrapped a second one from Mexico, with small, intricate details painted onto the figurines. 

“I fell in love with this,” she said. “I think it’s beautiful, it’s hand-painted.”

Dommer has 108 nativity sets, mostly given to her as gifts, she said. She usually keeps about three favorites out while the remaining are tucked away in storage — a Peanuts Charlie Brown set, Fisher Price, and part of a Fontanini Village collection. 

A nativity goes beyond an aesthetic decoration, Dommer said.

“To me, it means I really understand what Christmas is about, it’s about the birth of our savior,” she said. “It’s going to be interesting to see what people say (about the collection). Some are very, very unique. I think they might say how did you find this or where did you get this. I do have one over two feet tall.”

Her grandmother used to work at Bethany Ridge apartments, and they were cleaning out the attic and discovered the two-foot nativity with the intent to throw it away. Grandma said no, she knew of a better home for it, Dommer said.

During the evening, St. Nicholas will be reading the story of his namesake — the actual story of St. Nicholas, a bishop in Turkey who heard about impoverished parents who were going to sell their daughters into servitude. St. Nicholas threw a bag of gold coins down the chimney to help them out and alleviate the need to sell their daughters. 

That has served as the foundation for Feast Day of St. Nicholas and a tradition of giving chocolate coins to children, which will also be part of the event, the Rev. Roula Alkhouri said.

“That’s the whole spirit of this, people can come and share in this and the story of how love evolved in different ways, and how people have imagined it in different ways,” she said. 

Parishioners will also be bringing in their nativities, and a nativity tree is decorated with dozens of Saleh’s nativity ornaments.