religion

Alabama-Basom Methodist Church, 1392 Lewiston Road, Alabama. Join us for worship at 10:30 a.m. on March 9. This week our sermon title is "The Temptation of Jesus", led by Celinda McQuistion (CLM). Scripture readings will be from Romans 10:8B-13 and Luke 4:1-1 Come join us for Worship and fellowship after the service!

Ascension Parish - Roman Catholic Church, 135 Swan St., Batavia. We are open for Mass in the Church on Sundays at noon. We hope to see you there! 

Assemblies of God-New Covenant Chapel, 6690 Oak Orchard Rd., Elba.14058. We welcome all seeking a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ through His finished work on The Cross with The Power of The Holy Spirit. John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” If you want a small, close-knit church family and a place to make a difference, please join us. Worship Service is Sunday at 10:30 a.m. Bible Study Sunday at 9:30 a.m. and Thursday at 7 p.m. Contact us at (585)-757-6651 (585)-969-1528 or visit us on Youtube.

Batavia Assembly of God, 24 North Spruce St, Batavia. Join us for coffee in our café before our Sunday morning service that begins at 10:30 a.m. We offer "Movement Kids" (age 4 - grade 5) at 10:30 a.m. and "MVMT YTH" (grades 6-12) meet on Sunday nights at 7 p.m.

Batavia First Baptist Church, 306 E. Main St., Pastor David Weidman, where "Christ the Center, Love for All" is very evident to all who enter. We invite you to our Full Gospel Sunday services at 10 a.m.; The Thrift Shoppe is open Monday-Friday from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., come and browse in our beautifully renovated space. Donations are accepted during business hours. You can also enjoy a light lunch at Lydia's Kitchen while you shop. Questions? Email: firstbaptist2002@yahoo.com. Call us at (585)343-9002.

Batavia First Presbyterian Church, 300 E. Main St., Batavia, invites you to join us for in-person worship on Sundays at 9 a.m. (Arise-relaxed with band music) or 10:45 a.m. (Sanctuary -liturgical and organ) or on Livestream via Facebook Live for both times at: https://fpcbatavia.org/  or https://www.facebook.com/fpcbatavia/videos/.

Batavia First United Methodist Church, 8221 Lewiston Road, Batavia. Our mission & vision statement:  “To be disciples, we must listen, learn, lead, and love our way to God.” Reverend Wayne Mort leads our worship service every Sunday morning at 10 a.m. in the church sanctuary. Childcare is offered for children birth-3 years old and Sunday school is offered for children ages 4-14 years old. You can also find the service on Facebook. We invite you to learn more about Batavia First UMC by visiting our website at www.BataviaFirstumc.com.

Byron Presbyterian Church, 6293 W. Main St., Byron. Pastor: Rev. Michael Fry. Musical Director: Laurence Tallman. Worship and Sunday School are at 9:45 a.m. Scripture Readings: Deuteronomy 26:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13. Message: “The Way to Begin”. Rev. John Odom will be our guest speaker. We will have a coffee hour in the fellowship hall immediately following worship featuring King’s Cake. All are welcome!                                                               

Calvary Baptist Church of Le Roy, 8703 Lake Street Road, Le Roy.  If you do not already have a church that you attend regularly, we would like to invite you to give Calvary Baptist Church a try.  It would be a pleasure to have you join us for worship and fellowship on a Sunday morning or at one of our other mid-week events. As a multi-generational congregation that enjoys our time together, our Sunday worship service typically includes singing a mix of both traditional and contemporary songs and hymns, a children’s message, and a sermon from the Word of God. Our Sunday worship service begins at 10:15 a.m.

City Church, 210 E. Main St., Batavia, invites you for our Sunday morning services at 8:30 and 10 a.m. with Kids ministry at 10 a.m. and Thursday evenings at 7 p.m.  Everyone is welcome to join us for worship and a message. We believe in doing life together and would love to do life with YOU!  You can also connect with us online at www.thecitychurch.com, through our Facebook page, The City Church, or our YouTube channel.  We do life together.

Corfu United Presbyterian Church 63 Alleghany Road, Corfu. Corfu United Presbyterian Church (CUPC) welcomes all visitors to come worship with us on Sunday mornings at 10:30 a.m. in person or via our Facebook live stream led by our pastor, the Rev. Evan Wildhack. Our mission at CUPC is to connect with Christ, connect with others, and connect others with Christ. We offer children's Sunday School at 9:15 a.m. on Sunday mornings and weekly Bible study on Monday evenings at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall. The church also hosts the Corfu Food Pantry which is open on the third Saturday of the month from 9 - 10 a.m.  

Cornerstone Church of East Pembroke, part of American Baptist Churches USA, 2583 Main Road, East Pembroke. Our Sunday service is at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Glenn Bloom preaching. Bible Study is every Wednesday at 10 a.m. We are a small church and welcome new members. (585) 762-8721

Darien Disciples Church, 1951 Broadway (Route 20), Our worship service begins at 9 a.m. Prayer requests to Jerry at: jeromedmorrison@yahoo.com. This week, March 9, our sermon title is “It is Written” led by Rodney Stringham. (CLM). The Gospel Reading will be from Luke 4:1-13. Come join us!

Discovery Chapel, 315 West Main Street, Batavia. Pastor Ingrim Green's services are on Sundays at 10 a.m. "Let's Talk Real Talk the Gospel For Real Life." Visit our website letstalkrealtalk.org for more information.

East Bethany Presbyterian Church, 5735 Ellicott Street Road, East Bethany. Our Sunday morning worship service is held at 10:30 a.m. and is led by Rev. Dr. Shiela McCullough. Visitors are always welcome. You can find out more information on our Facebook page or by emailing us at ebpresbyterian@gmail.com.

Elba First Baptist Church, 31 S. Main St., Elba, is open for the main service in person at 10:45 a.m. on Sundays. For more information about our church go to www.fbcelba.net. The pastor is Michael Davis. Email: office@fbcelba.net / Phone (585) 757-2722

Emmanuel Baptist Church, 190 Oak St., Batavia. Join us for our Sunday service at 11am or come earlier for bible study at 9:45am.  Free coffee and fellowship!  Pastor Tom is continuing his preaching through the book of Acts.  Debbie Prosser is leading the choir in lifting up a joyful noise to the Lord every Sunday with practice on Thursdays.  We would love to hear your voice as well!  Particularly we need ladies who love to sing to join the choir!  Can't wait to meet you!

EverPresent Church, 4 Batavia City Centre, Batavia(off of Bank Street). Pastor Jason and Pastor Michelle Norton Welcome you! Our hours are Wednesdays 6 p.m. midweek service. Sundays 10:30 a.m. doors open 9:45 a.m. Children's church starts directly following worship. Children's church ages are 5 to 11. Counseling and other appointments are scheduled through the church via Office Scheduling. You can view some of our messages through Facebook or YouTube -EverPresent Church. Our phone number is 585-297-3155. Visit our Website for more information for up and upcoming events. Our beliefs, our vision and mission. www.everpresentchurch.com

Grace Baptist Church, 238 Vine St., Batavia. We offer two Sunday Morning Worship Services. Both services are live-streamed on our Facebook page, Grace Baptist or view it on the web at: www.gracebatavia.org. The first service is at 8:45 a.m. (children's classes available for Nursery - 1st grade). The second service is at 10:30 a.m. (children's classes available Nursery - 5th grade). KidZone for ages 4-5th grade and Grace Student Ministries (Grades 6-12) meet on Sunday Evenings at 6 - 7:30 p.m. 

Indian Falls Methodist Church, 7908 Alleghany Road, Corfu. We have our worship service at 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings, led by Rev. Karen L. McCaffery. This week's message is "There is Only One Lord". To view our services online please go to our website https://indianfallsgmc.com/ for a link for Live Streaming. Our Youth Group (grades 6-12) meets on the 1st & 3rd Sundays from 6:30 - 8 p.m. We host a Senior Lunch on Saturday, March 8 at 12 p.m. ($8 ea). We will have Lenten Luncheons at 12 p.m. on March 12 & March 19.

Morganville United Church of Christ, 8466 Morganville Rd, Stafford. As we begin our Lenten observance, you are invited to join with our friendly and welcoming congregation this Sunday where God is still speaking. Reverend James Morasco will share his sermon, “Holy Fools." Friend us on Facebook! or better yet, visit us Sunday.

North Darien Bible Church, 9768 Simonds Road, Corfu. We are open! Sunday worship service begins at 10 a.m. Children's Church classes are available for children ages birth through sixth grade, including a classroom for children with special needs. For more information, visit our website. You can also watch LIVE on our Facebook or YouTube channel. Join us from 9 a.m. to noon on the first Saturday of every month for our free community closet, full of clothing, coats, and shoes for all. (585) 547-9646.

Northgate Free Methodist Church, 8160 Bank Street Road (North Campus), Batavia. The Gospel of Mark is fast-paced, action-packed, and full of life-changing encounters with Jesus. In this series, reMARKable, we’ll dive deep into the power, purpose, and urgency of the ministry of Jesus — discovering how His message still transforms lives today. If you’ve ever wondered what it truly means to follow Jesus, Mark’s gospel will challenge and inspire you.

Oakfield-Alabama Baptist Church, 2210 Judge Road., Oakfield. Join us for Sunday School for all ages at 9:45 a.m., followed by our worship service at 11 a.m. every Sunday! Visit our website (www.oabchurch.com) for additional information about our church, our beliefs, upcoming activities, and past messages. Men’s and Ladies’ Bible studies also meet on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. on the church grounds. We look forward to worshiping and fellowshipping with you! Questions? Email Pastor Matt Ervin at mervin@tyndale.edu.

Oakfield Community Bible Church, 82 North Main St. Oakfield. This Weeks “Oakfield Community Bible Church”, Weekend Worship Service is at 10:30 a.m.  With Praise & Worship Music by Keith Burroughs. The morning message by Pastor, Timothy Young; entitled: “Toward The Cross”.  Scripture: “Matthew 16:21” (NKJV). Our Adult Sunday School is at 9:30 a.m., along with “Sunday School through Age-16”.  There will be a Time of “Fellowship” following our Worship Service! Come out and Join Us. ALL ARE WELCOME!

Our Lady of Mercy (44 Lake St. LeRoy) & St. Brigid (18 Gibson St. Bergen) parishes; Parish Office - 44 Lake Street, Le Roy. Our Lady of Mercy Mass times: Daily Mass, Monday -Friday at 7:30am, Saturday 9:00am. Weekend Masses: Saturday Vigil Mass 4:30pm, Sunday, 7:30am, 9:30am and 5:30pm. St. Brigid Mass times- Daily Mass Thursday at 8:30am & Saturday Vigil, 5:00pm. View on YouTube and Facebook. Please visit the parish website (https://www.ourladyofmercyleroy.org/).

Resurrection Parish (St. Joseph church in Batavia). St. Joseph's Church masses are on Saturdays at 4 p.m. and Sundays at 7:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Daily Mass, Monday - Friday at 8 a.m. Confessions are held at St. Joe's on Saturdays from 3 - 3:30 p.m. Vigil & Holy Days to be announced. Holy Name of Mary Site (East Pembroke) 8656 Church St., East Pembroke. Mass on Sundays 11 a.m. and Tuesdays at 8:30 a.m. St. Cecilia Site (Oakfield) 56 Maple Ave., Oakfield Mass is celebrated on Sundays at 9 a.m. and Wednesdays at 7 p.m.

St. James Episcopal Church, 405 E. Main St., Batavia. Join us on Sundays at 9 a.m. on zoom, 10 a.m. in the church building, and on Facebook Live. Links and the bulletin can be found on our website: https://www.sjecbataviany.org/

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 1 E. Main St., Le Roy, is open for in-person services at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays. Communion will be offered to people in their seats and will only include bread. We welcome you to join us -- either in person or online. For more information, visit our website.

St Paul’s Episcopal Church, 6188 Main Road, Stafford. In-person service, including Holy Communion, is at 9 a.m. Sunday mornings. All  Are Welcome. 

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Batavia, 31 Washington Ave, Batavia. This coming Sunday (March 9) we will celebrate The First Sunday in Lent. The Sermon Theme: Jesus endures and overcomes “every temptation” (Luke 4:13) on our behalf. His victory is now ours through His gracious Word which is not far away, but near us — in our mouth and in our heart, in the proclamation of repentance and faith. For “with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved” (Rom. 10:10).
Our Sunday service begins at 10:15am or can be viewed 'live' on Facebook. Join us for our Lenten Services on Wednesday's at 6:30 pm starting March 5 - April 9. Our Adult Bible Study and Children's Sunday School is every Sunday, 9 - 9:45am. Communion is part of every Sunday service. Our Youth Group meets every Sunday, 5-7 pm. Our Men's Bible Study is on pause for the Lenten season and will resume April 30. Our Quilters group meets Tuesday's, 9 - 11 am.

The Church In Alexander, 10540 Main St., Alexander. Join us for Sunday Worship at 10 a.m. weekly. For more information please visit our website at www.thechurchinalexander.com. We offer a Free Food Pantry for people in our community, please call ahead if you need items from our pantry. For more information on Programs and services please contact us at (585)591-1765 or by email at thechurchinalexander@gmail.com. Church office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:15 - 11:15 a.m.

Trinity United Methodist Church, 75 Main St. in Attica, worships together at 10:45 a.m. on Sundays. All are welcome! Contact Frank White at uncleferter@msn.com for a ZOOM link or for prayer requests.

West Middlebury Baptist Church, 4950 West Middlebury Rd. East Bethany, Sunday service is at 9 a.m. Kids Club meets on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Youth Group (grades 7-12) meets on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. For more information visit us online at westmiddlebury.org.

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"Spiritual Connections" -- The Batavian will post updates to connect people with their places of worship, religious services, fellowship opportunities, and/or spiritual advisors, etc. There is no charge for this service.

If you have information to announce, please email: news@thebatavian.com

When Brothers McClurg, a Grammy-nominated Christian Americana band with roots in Buffalo and a base in Batavia, gather around a mic, they aim to do their part to serve God.

Guitarist Jeremy Thompson looks at it like this: "I feel like it's the kid with the five loaves and the bread just walking up and saying, 'This is what I got, and I want to use it for you, Lord,' you know? (John 6:1-13) If it blesses somebody, that's great. That's just to simplify it because God can do more with our little bit. I just want to get to the end and know that I used my gift in the most fulfilling way."

Not that the talents of Thompson and brothers Anthony Hoisington and Chris Hoisington are anything less than exceptional, but they know they're called not to shine in the spotlight but to do their part to serve God.

On Thursday, they will bring their talents for uplifting music to Northgate Free Methodist Church, where Anthony is the worship leader. The concert starts at 7 p.m. Admission is free, but concertgoers are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items as a donation to the Salvation Army.

Brothers McClurg's journey in music and faith starts with Anthony's and Chris's grandfather, Bill McClurg, a minister and musician. He inspired more than just the name of their band.

"We lived right next door to our grandparents," Anthony recalled during a group interview with The Batavian in their Harvester Center recording studio. "We kind of shared a driveway. My grandfather and my parents traveled as a Southern Gospel group (the McClurg Family Singers) from Upstate New York, which is kind of funny, an ironic thing, and then they retired off the road when I was probably like, eight or nine.

Bill McClurg, a guitar player, continued in the ministry and discovered that, at least in the 1980s, many nursing homes didn't have pastors who would come in and host a service, especially with music. 

Young Anthony and Chris were enlisted to assist. Most of the nursing homes were in Erie County -- the family lived in Akron.

"We would sing and play with him," Anthony said. "It was rather pathetic, but it is what we did. From an early age, he modeled for us a work ethic when it comes to music, but also, sort of, you should go find your niche and your audience. His was, you know, older folks, but that really got us our start, just playing and singing behind him.  Half the time, the audience was excited that we were there and that we didn't need to be perfect." 

Youth group musicians
As young teenagers, they were involved with their church's youth group, and Thompson was involved in his. The youth pastors of the two groups were friends, so the groups would sometimes visit each other's churches, and the home church would lead the worship service, including music.

When they saw Thompson play, they were, like, "Who's that guy?" Anthony said.

"It was about how loud we could get it," Anthony said. 'And back then, it was about how much aggression we could put into music. And he was ripping up there. And I was like, 'Man, I gotta talk to that guy.' The youth group we grew up in was very music-focused. I mean, it was like a bunch of hippies."

Thompson said his youth group was into sweater vests and soccer.

Teenage musicians, of course, are going to want to explore more than just Christian music, even if that doesn't entirely meet parental approval.

"We had parents that were like, if it isn't Christian, you can't listen to it," Anthony said. "We snuck around that, but then, as we got older --I think I would give credit to our parents -- when we started playing in rock bands when we were teenagers, the three of us, we were playing in bars at 16, 17, 18, and we had parents who almost looked at it like a proselytization avenue."

Their parents didn't expect them to play just in church basements and regularly turned up at their gigs. 

After all, where would Jesus go?

"Yeah, we don't mind singing about Jesus. We certainly believe in Him, and that's a huge part of our thing. But we also wanted to be able to sing about life and about girls and whatnot, not in a way that was crass or whatever, but just honest. And we were surrounded by a culture of Christian musicians that wanted to do that," Anthony said.

Growing as songwriters
When it came time to start writing songs together, Anthony and Chris gravitated toward Christian themes. They began performing together at Christian music festivals and at churches. They started to build a base of fans.  They played at Kingdom Bound at Darien Lake Performing Arts Center, which led to a Nashville-based record label, Integrity, offering them a contract. 

They then decided they needed a name better representing their musical heritage and family legacy. In homage to Pappy McClurg, they settled on Brothers McClurg.

Given their background in Southern Gospel, it might not be surprising that they drifted toward a sound based around acoustic guitars and tight harmonies. Still, with the rock and folk influences and a bit of bluegrass, they don't fit neatly into a Southern Gospel framework, though they've played those festivals.

Thompson joined the duo early on to make it a three-piece, and they traveled and recorded with a bigger backing band. As Thompson pointed out, traveling with a band is expensive, so one day, they asked him to grab an acoustic guitar and join them.

"Then you naturally land on a spot of like folk, southern grass, or whatever you want to call it, and that was just super natural to us because it wasn't like, 'Hey, let's do this because it would be cool," Thompson said. "It just happened."

Brothers McClurg recorded three albums for Integrity before being dropped by the label, though the album Join the Sound, did crack the Top 40 on the Billboard charts. They were soon signed to an independent label based in Watertown, but the band, this time, decided they wanted to produce the album themselves. 

Escaping Nashville
Anthony said they weren't always satisfied with the final product on their first albums. Their Southern Gospel-inspired sound, ironically, didn't fit with Nashville's penchant for pop song production. 

He decided to take the advance from the new label and lease space for a studio in the Harvester Center, and record the album -- which became their Christmas album, Going Back to Bethlehem -- in Batavia. They could record at their own pace. The lease was for a year.  The album was finished in six months.

Anthony's connection with Batavia began when he was still involved with his church near the University at Buffalo. A young lady from Batavia started attending UB and got involved with that church. Eventually, they married, and Anthony moved to Batavia, at first as worship director for an Assembly of God church and later at Northgate, where he's led worship for 19 years.

Once musician friends found out the studio in the Harvester Center was available for the six months on the lease, they started calling -- from California, Tennesee, and Ohio -- looking to use the studio for their projects.  The temporary studio became the permanent home base for Brothers McClurg. They launched a record label, Old Bear Records, now with 19 artists signed. 

With the studio space, Chris Hoisington emerged as a producer. And he clearly has the mind of a producer. Throughout the conversation at the studio on Friday, his comments often focused on the sound, structure and content of things.

When the topic of Old Bear artist Eric Lee Brumley comes up, he immediately explains what makes Brumley different from many Christian artists.

On Brumley's newest album, Electric Chair, the brothers share some writing credits, and Chris is the producer.

It was fun writing with Brumley, he said, because Brumley is more interested in Bible stories, even ones that do not necessarily end well, like David and Bathsheba.

"When you do Christian music, everything has to be victorious, but it's like, 'Let's talk about some of the sad stories, what you can learn from those outcomes, and how it reflects now," Chris said. 

Chris lives in the Boston Hills area, south of Buffalo, a ski area called Kissing Bridge.  He helps with worship services twice a month with the Free Methodist Church in Fredonia and every couple of months with another church in Olean. 

The music he's been listening to most recently is the music that introduces him to new sounds.

"I think influences for all us varies depending on what we're everybody's listening to," Chris said. "I've been listening to a lot of mid-Midwestern EMO lately, so bands like American Football, this band, C Clamp, just like odd music, but they're all cool guitar parts that interchange between the band members. I've been getting back into bands again because I went through a phase of not really listening to bands because nowadays, everybody's a solo artist."

He said as a producer, the most fascinating music today is perhaps soundtracks.

"They're just creating music based on a visual, so that's a way cool way to make records," Chris said. "They're making music off of whatever they want to make based on a narrative that's happening in the movie. Then, when you pull away, you've created this bizarre music."

From that, he's learned, he said, that you can think more about feel than "we need a guitar part on every song, or we need to have a drum part on every song. We can try a lot of different things." 

He's especially proud of the Christmas album. He said it's a good example of mixing different sounds, from acoustic arrangements to full band performances, including some instrumentals and a bit of narration from "Pappy" McClurg.

"For me, that's probably my favorite thing we've done," Chris said. "It's got that nostalgic thing to it." 

Chris produced or co-produced many of the tracks on Bellsburg (The Songs of Rich Mullins), a multi-artist compilation. Mullins was a Christian singer-songwriter who died in a car accident in 1997.  The album was nominated for multiple Grammy awards. 

Chris and Anthony are working on a similar multi-artist compilation, one of original material based on parables in the Bible and will include such major Christian artists as Terry Taylor, Randy Stonehill, and Phil Keaggy.

He said of a conversation with Stonehill, "I'm like, 'Dude, just write the song.' We want to help shape the production. That's what's nice about what we've always done with Old Bear. Break the rules because we don't have to adhere to anybody's idea of what (it should be). To us, it's like, let's just make Christian music, but the kind that we actually like to hear it, not because we're trying to market it to some Bible app or whatever the case may be."

They've also kicked around a tribute album to the Louvin Brothers classic, Satan Is Real.

When the subject of the Louvin Brothers comes up, both Anthony and Chris acknowledge them as an influence.  There's a general idea in music that siblings make the best harmonies, called "blood harmonies," and Brothers McClurg, including Thompson, who has been playing with Anthony and Chris since they were young teens, think they capture that sound, which was the inspiration for their two albums Around the Mic and Around the Mic Two.

Brothers McClurg are also working on their next album, which the brothers said will be a little different, which Anthony, Chris, and Jeremy are bringing in their own songs and not all of them are explicitly Christian-themed.

For Anthony, music, he said, is for him the most natural way to communicate his faith.  It's doing what he can do to spread what faith in Jesus Christ means.

"If you were to put me in front of a bunch of people, you're not sure what they believe, it is really hard for me to communicate verbally, without music, to communicate what faith looks like to me. If you just said, 'Hey, preach about it or talk, talk, take the music out of it, it would be really hard. Naturally, it's way easier to just sing about it. It's more concise, more to the point, and I think it's a better representation of how I feel. I've always looked at it like there is a purpose for me to do that, and there's no more natural way for me to say what I believe in."

Thursday's show will draw from the Brothers McClurg Christmas album, Christmas song covers, and some of their back catalog.

Old Bear artist The Local Hang-Ups, from Rochester, will play a 20-minute opening set. The duo, Katy Martin and Abbey Sitterley, is inspired by the likes of the Everly Brothers and Simon & Garfunkel.

Northgate Free Methodist Church is located at 8160 Bank Street Road, Batavia. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Press release:

Despite an unexpected shift to a one-day event due to weather, Northgate Church’s Vintage Christmas celebration was a heartwarming success this past Friday night! Families enjoyed plenty of cookies, bowls of delicious chili, and steaming cups of hot chocolate as they walked through the beautifully lit nativity scene in the woods. Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this event possible. We’re grateful for the opportunity to share the joy of Christmas with our community.

Submitted photos

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.

Through all the strife and turmoil of his life, Joseph (Genesis, chapters 37-50) didn't lose faith.

He was hated by his brothers, sold into bondage in Egypt by his brothers, and wrongly imprisoned.

His faithfulness and ultimate role in saving countless lives, including those of his entire family and their descendants, which would have included Jesus Christ, is one of the themes of a conference on Oct. 12 at EverPresent Church in Batavia called "Armor Up, Hold the Line." 

The speakers are Pastor Matt Sassano of Fresh Start Church in Hornell and Phil Cappuccio, a former pastor and now an itinerate Christian teacher.

Pastor Jason Norton, EverPresent, said the conference is about Christians standing their ground and holding the line in difficult times.

"We want to encourage people to stay strong," Norton said. "There's just a lot of craziness going on in the world, and sometimes, in times like these, people with faith and conviction just need to show forth their faith by holding true to it rather than faltering and being weary or discouraged or fearful."

Sassano is taking his theme from the story of Joseph. 

Joseph was hated by his brothers first because he was favored by his father, but he also had a dream of his own future greatness, which he immodestly told his brothers, and his brothers hated him even more.

After his brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt, Joseph went through many trials, but his ability to interpret dreams eventually impressed the pharaoh. Because he correctly predicted a seven-year famine and provided the strategy for Egypt to survive it, the pharaoh gave Joseph a high office in charge of famine relief.

The long famine engulfed the entire Middle East. Without Joseph and his plan, much of the area's population would have been wiped out.

In his lofty and powerful role, Joseph eventually saved his entire family, including the brothers who had betrayed him.

The story of Joseph illustrates, Sassano told The Batavian, that God always has a plan.  It may not be apparent to you at the time. It may take years before the plan is revealed -- if it ever is -- but God is always in control. There are no coincidences.

"No matter how difficult things get, particularly as Christians -- this is how I operate, and in the realm I'm in --  no matter how difficult or bleak things look, there's always hope, there's always a future. There's always something that God has in store."

It's easy to get discouraged, Sassano suggested, because what God does, he doesn't necessarily do in our timeframe. 

"God doesn't see time like we do. We live by it, and he doesn't live in it, Sassano said. "There's a Bible verse that says 1,000 years is like a day, and a day is like 1,000 years to God (2 Peter 3:8). We understand it to mean God doesn't live in time. You're waiting five years or something, and it's a blip on the screen, you know? So, (my talk is) about not giving up on your dreams because Joseph did not give up; he eventually saw his dreams come to pass."

The theme of Cappuccio's talk is putting on the armor of Christ to deal with spiritual conflict. He's calling his talk, "Welcome to the War." 

The first key passage of scripture, he said, is  2 Timothy 2:3-4: "Join with me in suffering, like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets entangled in civilian affairs but rather tries to please his commanding officer."

"I'm going to identify the reality of the Christian life in the New Testament, just identifying how there is a war," Cappuccio said. "I'm going to deal with three aspects of conflict. I will deal with the spiritual war, and that's identified in Ephesians 6:10-13.  I'm going to identify personal war that we can face as believers. 1 Peter 2:11 talks about the fleshy lusts that war against the soul. And I'm going to address the cultural war we presently find ourselves, which I call it, the war against truth. Just to give a scriptural reference, Isaiah 59:14-16.  It talks about judgment or judication being turned away, backward, meaning that it's reversed. Justice is far off because truth is falling in the street, and as a result, equity cannot enter in when there's not an absolute truth, the truth that God has set for all humanity."

Cappuccio said he wants those who attend the conference to better identify the times we're living in and to recognize that conflict is a normal part of Christian life. 

"I want them to be equipped," Cappuccio said, "to be equipped personally against spiritual warfare and to be victorious in the time we're living in."

Everpresent Church is located at 4 Batavia City Centre, Batavia. The Conference is on Oct. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  Pastor Jason Norton said the event is designed to feed adults. The cost is $21.50 or two people can attend together for $33.

The history of Sacred Heart Church began in 1904 when Reverend Peter Pitass was assigned to organize a new parish that would serve the Polish people on the south side of Batavia. 

Father Pitass bought a house on the corner of South Jackson Street. The first floor was rebuilt into a sanctuary, and the second floor was a residence for the priest. A barn was rebuilt for the school. 

The parish grew and needed a new home. 

In 1917, the Church moved to the corner of Sumner Street and Swan Street. He purchased about half an acre of land on that corner from Edward Suttell, enough for a church, a school and a social hall. 

Building materials were so expensive the parish built only the basement. That was then used as a church until a better one could be built. 

Starting in December 1928, Reverend Stanislaus Cichowski served as pastor for the next 26 years. 

During March 1942, Tonawanda Creek rose in the worst flood in Batavia's history. The Church was underwater for weeks, destroying everything except the cement foundation. Reverend Alexander Jankowski succeeded Father Cichowski in building and rebuilding the Church and school. 

In 1954, Reverend Leo Smith blessed the cornerstone of the Church, which was to be built on the foundation that had been in place since 1915. 

In 1966, the congregation burned the mortgage they had taken out to fund the Church and surrounding buildings. 

There was also a large open play area to hold Sacred Heart’s Lawn Fete in July. 

In 1974 the school closed, and the parish men built a large social hall on the north side, transforming the former school building into the Sacred Heart Community Center. 

The little Church that took many years to build is now facing the last chapter of its life as the doors will be closed permanently.  

When this happens to your church, you lose the memories of baptisms, Holy Communions, Confirmations, weddings, anniversaries, and funerals. 

One memory I will always treasure was going to Mass with my father-in-law, Henry Starowitz. I was so proud to walk down the aisle with him. By this time, he was legally blind, but somehow, he would stop at every pew and say hello to a fellow parishioner. He counted the pews. 

Sacred Heart is my church. 

My Mass was at 4 p.m., and I always sat in the pew near the Paul Starowitz stained glass window. That is where my mother-in-law and father-in-law sat. Most people had a pew they called their pew.

Sacred Heart Church was where I would sit in front of my friend, often called St. Patty. I always looked forward to seeing her at Mass. I would go to the Sacred Heart Statue and light my weekly candles with a Peca-Starowitz tag on my candle. 

This church was where our grandchildren were baptized. 

The Easter season was when, years ago, a life-sized statue of our lord was laid out on its side during the Easter Vigil. I have to admit that it was a little scary, especially for our daughters. 

We loved the Sacred Heart Lawn Fete because it was a lawn fete run by the parishioners. It featured a golumpki dinner, waffles, Polish and Italian sausage, and the best beer tent. My father-in-law was always in the garage, in charge of the money. 

Since I live on the south side, I am privy to hearing the real church bells ring five minutes before and on the hour. I tried to imagine that years ago, those bells called churchgoers to church.

I am writing to ask the parishioners to share their memories of the little church on the south side of Batavia. The one thing we all have in common is the sadness we feel. Sacred Heart Church was just remodeled; financially, it is a secure church. Today, I went by the church to take a picture of my church, and a gentleman was mowing the lawn. He looked at me and asked me to hold on; he would move so I could take a picture. 

I say this with tears in my eyes and sadness in my heart. Goodbye, Sacred Heart; our loss saddens our hearts. 

No one knows the church’s fate and the surrounding building, except we will not have our church on Sumner Street as our church.

People should be excited about attending St. Paul Lutheran Church in Batavia each Sunday, says newly ordained and installed minister Thompson Marin, because they will hear the word of God without any innovations.

"We believe the Bible is the Word of God. There is no error in it. We teach people that the Bible interprets itself," Marin said to The Batavian. "Then, just to make it more exciting to people, we teach Christ crucified. We teach the Word of God. We don't add to it. We don't mix it with other teaching outside the Bible. Christ is at the center of our teaching."

Marin, his wife Erika, and their two children, Micaiah, 4, and Olivia, 1, are new to Batavia. St. Paul is Marin's first calling as a pastor. He recently completed four years of study at Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne, Ind.

"I was praying for a church with a school," Marin said. "When I saw that (St. Paul) had a school, I was excited to see how God would lead me to help the school and the church."

Marin was born in Haiti and immigrated with his family to Brooklyn in 2007. He has been a Christian since childhood, growing up a Baptist. His uncle was a Lutheran pastor in Haiti. 

He graduated from Brooklyn College in 2013, moved to South Dakota for more schooling, and then returned to Haiti, where he met Erika. She was on a Lutheran mission trip. They were married in 2016. 

"I was very used to how (Lutherans) do church and what they believe, teach and confess," Marin said. "I became a Lutheran after I met my wife in 2013. I got used to going to church with her, used to the teaching in the Lutheran churches, and then I wanted to marry her, so one of the requirements was for me to become a Lutheran, and it wasn't hard for me, because I was already used to what they do and what they teach and believe."

The Lutheran Church was founded by Martin Luther (1483 to 1546) in Torgau, Germany. Luther led the Reformation, a break with Roman Catholicism, in the early 16th Century. A key point of Luther's theology was he rejected the Catholic Church's role as an intermediary between the people and God. He believed that salvation comes only through God's mercy. He rejected papal authority. He believed the Bible is the central authority for all Christian beliefs.

The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod governs St. Paul. It is a conservative denomination whose core belief is that people are saved from their sins by God's grace alone, through faith alone, on the basis of Scripture alone. The Synod holds to the Luthern Confessions, which include the Apostles' Creed and the Nicene Creed.

After joining the church, Marin became interested in attending seminary, not to become a pastor but to deepen his understanding of the faith. 

"The people I interacted with really encouraged me to follow this call, and that's what I did," Marin said.

As Marin completed his education, the members of St. Paul contacted church leaders and informed them there was an opening for a new pastor at St. Paul. They requested a recent seminary graduate, Marin said, and district leaders reviewed the needs of the church and the available seminary candidates and selected Marin as the best fit for St. Paul.

Besides the school, Marin said he was excited to come to Batavia because his wife likes small towns, and it's only six hours from New York City, where his parents and sister still live.

Given his wife's experience with missions, it's not surprising that Marin is eager to see St. Paul grow its efforts in international missions. St. Paul's does sponsor missionaries in Japan.  He thinks the church might be able to grow in this area.

"That was really something that I admired when I met my wife. They were helping with a school and an orphanage in Haiti, in the town where I was from,  and I want to continue that aspect of ministry, reaching out to the unchurched, helping those who cannot, who don't have access to certain things and sharing Christ's love with them."

He said it's something he intends to talk to St. Paul's leadership team about. 

I know a lot of missionaries," Marin said. "They do need help from the churches here in the States. That's something I still need to figure out and probably start on, but it is a big part of sharing God's love."

He sees St. Paul's school as a great resource for reaching the local community.

"I think St Paul plays a great role in showing God's love, especially in our school," Marin said. "The school is a really great way of reaching out to parents and parents who are not Lutherans, even just reaching out to them and teaching them how we do things and extend God's forgiveness to them. And if they want to come and check it out, they can.

He said not all children attending the school are Christians, so the school offers an opportunity to learn about God's love for them. 

"We tell them that God loves them every day. I think it's a really good thing," Marin said. "And the other thing is, their parents are invited to come to chapel on Wednesdays so they can hear us teaching them and see how we do it, and also they can hear God's message to them, too, and it's a great way of reaching out to the community."

On Sundays, visitors to the Church can expect a conservative service.

Lutheran services tend to be more liturgical than many other Protestant churches. Marin said people who come to St. Pauls can expect more traditional hymns.

"We conserve all the ways that the Church Fathers used to worship and how they did the service, with no new ideas," Marin said. The way we do things is very traditional. We do have some contemporary songs we sing here because the members are used to doing it in the past, but we're trying to move more toward a traditional way of doing things."

Marin acknowledges that these are challenging times for churches. In 2021, church membership in the U.S. fell below 50 percent for the first time. Marin doesn't believe innovations in theology are needed to bring people back to church. He believes the Word of God is sufficient.

"I think we need to stay faithful," Marin said. "We need to believe that God will send His Spirit. The Holy Spirit will work in people's hearts and change their minds, and then people will be attracted to the church. People will come to the church through the Gospel being preached, and not by changing how we teach it or how we worship, incorporating new things, new theology, and new ways of interpreting the Gospel, the Bible. I don't see it that way. I think we need to stay faithful, and I think that way, people will know the truth." 

Press release:

Jason Upton is a singer/songwriter with the heart of a pastor. 

Whether Jason is leading people in worship through singing or speaking, Jason does his best to carry the Father’s heart. 

His songs and his messages reflect a life fully lived in a relationship with God, family and friends. Jason and Key of David Ministries have several recordings available that document Jason and his band expressing the heart of God for His people through song, instrumental spontaneity and spoken word. 

Jason currently lives in Wisconsin with his wife Rachel and their children Samuel, Emma, Lucy and Oliver. 

Upton performs at 7 p.m. on April 26 at EverPresent Church, 4 Batavia City Centre, Batavia.

For more information about Jason Upton and Key of David Ministries, please visit www.jasonupton.com.

Seating is very limited, so secure your ticket today.

To purchase tickets, follow this link: https://everpresentchurch.com/upcoming-events/

People began to nudge Greg Van Dussen in the direction of penning a book while he was writing book reviews and articles, but it wasn’t until he retired as a Methodist minister that he began to take them up on it.

“The minute I retired, in 2011, I started writing my first book — Richard Beatty saw me writing notes furiously on napkins — at (the former Coffee Culture) in Batavia,” Van Dussen said during an interview with The Batavian at his town of Batavia home. “One of the results of these books is the parishioners have said they feel like it’s helped them get in touch with their spiritual roots. That feels very fulfilling. My editor has said no one else is doing this kind of writing.”

His third in a trilogy series of “Circuit Rider Devotions,” has just come out, and they are part of several books on the same topic authored by D. Gregory Van Dussen, the long version, though his friends call him Greg. 

So what drove him to write not one but three voluminous tomes, each approaching 800 pages, about assorted characters from Methodist upbringings traveling to initiate the denomination’s movement across North America?

“I’ve been really fanatically interested in the subject, it was about early Methodist preachers. For my whole adult life, I've been collecting books. So I've got antique books all over the house, biographies, autobiographies, that sort of thing, hymn books. But what really got me into this was, a few years ago, I was asked to teach a workshop in Buffalo on this subject, and it was very well received. And as I was going home, I wondered if anybody would be interested in a book of devotions based on the lives of these people,” he said. “So I contacted four publishers, and they all turned the idea down. And the final one was accepted enthusiastically. And they've been printing all my books since.”

A native of the Rochester area with roots in the suburbs, including Brighton and Spencerport, Van Dussen has had to pick up and move many times as a minister of 39 years, landing in Batavia three separate times, currently living in the east part of town with wife Jackie. He has also been district superintendent for the 54 regional churches and has been an adjunct professor of worship and Celtic spirituality at Roberts Wesleyan and Irish and American history at Brockport State College.

A rather prolific writer, the 76-year-old has completed seven books with plans for more, even if it means obtaining help through Parkinson’s, a diagnosis he received in 2021.

Any outsider paying attention to the trials of circuit riders — bands of preachers traveling around in the crudest of conditions in the early pioneer days braving the elements of weather, poverty, their fellow man, wild animals and disease — can’t help but see a hint of similarity in the author’s own struggle with an illness that he admits has tested his spirits.

He was assisted with Volume 3 of “Circuit Rider Devotions” by a friend and editor, Duane W. Priset. He is receiving physical, occupational, and voice therapies, enduring time spent at home versus going out into the community in his usual affable way and traveling right now. But as any true circuit rider would have testified, Van Dussen is carrying forth his mission.

“I felt there was a message to get out,” he said. “It’s fulfilling a purpose in my life.”

In the foreword, Priset says that Van Dussen brings the reader “head-to-head and heart-to-heart” with widely-known and lesser-known evangelists, pioneer preachers and their spouses, local pastors, lifelong learners, founders, journalists, editors, bishops, university presidents, theologians, hymnists, and missionaries who, in diverse ways and settings, “refreshed the lives of the people throughout the vast and developing countryside of early North America.”

There are 366 entries, many of them about women — a fact that Van Dussen thought may surprise people, especially given the rough and tumble existence of a circuit rider. But women braved the adversities for Jesus Christ just as much as men did, he said. 

There was Julia A.J. Foote, for example, who was not only a woman but an African American, which added another layer of danger and complexity to her task. As with each entry, this one begins with a piece of scripture: "In peace, I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8.

Van Dussen explains that some people encouraged Foote “on the road of discovery and growth,” as others who often unknowingly sought to block her journey. One group seemed to hold her back, yet, ultimately made her stronger while the other pulled her forward, supplying her with a vision of what God could accomplish through her, he said. 

At one point, she shared her first attempts.

“To the glory of God, some did believe and were saved, but many were too wise to be taught by a child — too good to be made better. From this time, many, who had been my warmest friends, and seemed to think me a Christian, turned against me, saying I didn’t know what I was talking about — that there was no such thing as sanctification and holiness in this life — and that the devil had deluded me into self-righteousness. Many of them fought holiness with more zeal and vigor than they did sin.”

Anyone who has enjoyed a “mountain top” encounter with God knows how difficult it can be to relate to someone who has not experienced that, Van Dussen writes. Add to that the understandable incredulity so many have regarding a radical transformation of character, and the skepticism that surfaces when someone young speaks words of wisdom, and you can see what this young woman was up against.”

“Yet when we look at relevant scriptures and read the faith and wisdom in her words, we also can feel the power of her testimony, and rejoice with her,” he writes. 

That passage ends with a small prayer in a soothing, formulaic set-up for each entry. 

Lord, take away from me both undue skepticism and gullibility as I hear people use words to convey that which is beyond words. Keep before me the truth in scripture and the teaching of your spirit, and grant me your life-giving wisdom as I seek to understand and teach in your church and anywhere else you lead me. Let me read in you, and bring peace wherever I go.

And one by one, stories are told, messages shared, prayers recited and scriptures put to practical use through the real lives of people like Julia Foote.  Van Dussen set it up that way to be “manageable chunks" of about a page or page and a half long.

“So that makes it easy for people to get into,” he said. “And I could dig out some of the most interesting parts of what they wrote or what they did, without trying to write full-scale biographies. This book is between the different groups of Methodists. So you might have a Free Methodist, Wesleyan and African Methodist, Episcopal, Canadian residents, whatever, and in the big Methodist church here, and might think they’re all separate and distinct, but they’re also very similar. So this tends to bring the family together, so to speak.”

Those riders would travel 20 miles per day for six to eight weeks at a time in one-year blocks across Canada and the United States, spreading a message, recruiting folks, and opening up Methodist churches. The system was “painfully difficult at times, and tremendously rewarding at other times, he said, while being “very effective in getting the word out and capturing their purpose.”

They developed ways to have connections with one another during the lonely stints on the road, including hosting camp meetings. The closest ones to this area were in a forest in Bergen, with some 16,000 people attending between the years 1850 and 1870, he said. 

Those meetings were rivaled as one of the biggest events only by a camp in the back woods of Kentucky, with no bathroom or cooking facilities, he said. That one drew from 20,000 to 40,000 people, and evoked “a lot of emotional response to the preaching.”

Why brave the real dangers of predatory animals and a conflict with native Indians and diseases such as the cholera epidemic of the early 1830s in the Wild West? It was a matter of faith and Biblical principles.

“They were very evangelistic. So they really felt that it was important to get the word out to everybody they could,” he said. “There were some others that were the Baptists were similar in that respect. And that's probably why in the 19th century, the Baptists and the Methodists were rivals to be the largest churches of the country.”

He cited examples of people who stick out in his mind for their impact, including Peter Cartwright, a circuit rider who stayed in a tavern one night when nothing else was available. A woman asked him to dance, and he agreed as long she would pray with him. On their knees, they prayed, and he was “so effective in marshaling the attention of that crowd, that the next day they formed the first Methodist church of that town of 31 people,” Van Dussen said. 

He obviously has a command of the material, citing the various real-life characters and situations throughout the book. He also has a passion for the craft, as he plans to pursue his next writing project and navigates the hurdles before him.

“We're pretty active, and I'm very active. And I think I've had to give up, at least temporarily. It’s hard. I can't get to church. I can't get to the coffee shop in the morning. I can't go to somebody's house. I haven't been out of this house since I got back from the hospital in the fall, late summer, August,” he said in his gentle whisper of a voice. “However, I'm determined to progress from this in a positive direction. I was actually in hospice care for a short time this fall, and I graduated from there or flunked out of the program. They said, ‘you’re making way too much progress to stay in our program.’”

He is moving onward to his next book about the relationships between the book characters and how they worked to help, teach and inspire one another. Despite their meager lifestyles while on the road, many of these people were brilliant and accomplished later on, having knowledge and insight to share, he said. 

His books are available at the Holland Land Office Museum and Amazon.com.

In his review of Van Dussen’s latest book, Elba author Bill Kauffman describes it as “a beautifully written and lovingly conceived daily devotional for ministers — though laypeople will also find it richly rewarding.” 

“I tried to bridge the general reader and the academic reader,” Van Dussen said. “People tell me that I lean more to the academic, and it's really true … but I have found that lots of people are able to grapple with this material and enjoy it.”

Press Release:

Registration is now open for the 2023-24 Faith Formation Program at Resurrection and Ascension Roman Catholic Parishes in Batavia. The parish families are excited about this joint venture to share our Catholic faith with our families and children.  

All sacramental preparation classes (Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation) will be offered as well as enriching programs for the entire family.

Classes will begin on Sunday, September 10 at 10 a.m. Mass at Ascension Parish, followed by a pancake breakfast, meetings, and of course,  Bingo!  Come and join us!

Please contact Jason Smith from Resurrection Parish at resurrectionff14020@yahoo.com or Ann Pratt from Ascension Parish at mgp1731@gmail.com for information.

Submitted photos

Press Release:

Registration is now open for the 2023-24 Faith Formation Program at Resurrection and Ascension Roman Catholic Parishes in Batavia. The parish families are excited about this joint venture to share our Catholic faith with our families and children.  

All sacramental preparation classes (Reconciliation, First Communion, and Confirmation) will be offered as well as enriching programs for the entire family.

Classes will begin on Sunday, September 10 at 10 a.m. Mass at Ascension Parish, followed by lunch, meetings, and a fun kick-off event!  Come and join us!

Please contact Jason Smith from Resurrection Parish at resurrectionff14020@yahoo.com or Ann Pratt from Ascension Parish at mgp1731@gmail.com for information.

When pastors Jason and Michelle Norton began their church at the local YMCA with one other attendee, they had no idea their church would grow. 

“It wasn’t really a church plant,” Jason described. “It was more like a church seedling.”

The church grew slowly. 

Jason recounts some of his stressors were if anyone would show up for that week. Soon one attendee turned into five. From there, the couple moved to the YMCA’s workout room in which they would set up and transform the ordinary gym to a place of worship every Sunday. For three years, the Norton’s called the YMCA their home church. 

Now, some 60 members later and growing, the church is in its permanent home in Batavia. But it wasn’t easy. The Nortons needed to buy the building in order to honor their mortgage plan. The pair decided to launch a building campaign in which locals and others could donate to their cause and help them buy the building. The goal was to raise a whopping $50,000 in two years. 

Through the donations of the local Batavian community and businesses, they were able to raise $20,000 in-house alone. Then, an unexpected donor came up with the balance -- Pastor Greg Locke of Global Vision Bible Church in Mt. Juliette, Tenn.

Locke is known for helping build and donate to Christian churches around the country. He heard about EverPresent’s need for their building and wrote a check for $31,000. 

“At this point now, the church technically has no debt. We own our own space.” Jason said. 

To celebrate the church’s tenure, EverPresent Church is planning on throwing a celebration on Sunday.  All in the community are welcome. Attendees can expect a regular service with guest worship leader Greg Skolaski, a dedication of various ministry leaders followed by hors d'oeuvres. 

“A huge thank you,” the Nortons said to those who would be unable to attend. “The businesses of Batavia over the years, prior to paying off the mortgage, have been very generous. We do basket raffles and fundraisers; they’ve always been super generous with supporting anything that we do. A super huge thank you to every business and all those who live in Batavia and all those who have done what they could to help us be successful.” 

Photos and information submitted by Jason Smith.

Fourteen young people from Ascension and Resurrection parishes in Batavia were confirmed by Bishop Michael Fisher during Mass at St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Buffalo. 

Confirmation is one of the seven Sacraments in the Catholic Church.  

The newly confirmed were sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to the faith of the Church, signified when the Bishop makes the sign of the cross with chrism oil on their foreheads.  

The sacrament of Confirmation represents full entry into the Catholic Church. Each candidate also chooses a sponsor to support them in their faith journey.

After 36 years as a priest in Batavia, Father Ivan Trujillo performed his last mass as an active priest at Resurrection Parish on Sunday.

Father Ivan arrived in Batavia in 1986 at St. Mary's and became parish priest when St. Mary's and St. Joe's merged in 2008.

Over his nearly four decades of service to the community, Father Ivan has led a migrant ministry, a prison ministry, and served at the VA Hospital.

Trujillo was ordained in Jamestown in 1990 and became an assistant at St. Mary's in 1986. 

As a young man in Bolivia, Trujillo was inspired both to the ministry and to serve the poor. While studying philosophy in school, he was mentored by the rector, who was a Jesuit with a passion for caring for poor people.  That example led Trujillo into the ministry, the priest told The Batavian in 2013.

As a result, a good deal of Father Ivan's work in Western New York has been with the poor and less fortunate. He worked with the poor and sick in his own parish, ministered to inmates at Attica and Wyoming correctional facilities, and worked with migrant workers in Genesee, Orleans and Niagara counties.

The church's music director, Mark Hoerbelt, led a brief moment of recognition for Father Ivan and his service to the community.  They worked together for 24 years.

 "I just can't say enough about the kindness of this man, the dedication to our parish, and I think the world of him," Hoerbelt said.

Father Ivan's assistant, Bob Waters, also retired as of Sunday.  He has served at Resurrection Parish for more than 10 years as a parochial vicar.   He was a priest for 54 years.  He spent 14 years at Resurrection and also served at St. Anthony's and in Corfu.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

Muhammad Hamaz has never met another Muslim in Batavia. He worships with a community in Rochester when he can. He said he wanted people in Batavia to know more about Islam, so he sat on a bench Wednesday on Main Street, between the U.S. Post Office and Tim Horton's, holding a sign that read, "I'm A Muslim. Ask Me About Islam."

At the time a reporter spoke with him, nobody up to that point in the day had stopped to ask him about Islam, he said.

"I want to teach others about Islam to the best of my ability and let others know that it is not a violent religion and that it is a religion of peace," Hamaz said.

A soft-spoken man, Hamaz said he converted to Islam on Oct. 14.

"Islam interested me because I never really believed that Jesus was God," Hamaz said. "I never really believed in the Trinity. So when it came down to Islam, well, Jesus was just a very beloved prophet. I was like, 'That makes more sense to me.' I always want to worship just God, not Jesus, because Jesus is just a guy, and, well, a very beloved guy. I just fell in love with Islam as I learned about it."

If anybody did stop and talk with him, he said his message was simple for his fellow Batavia residents: Islam teaches peace.

"I just want people to know that Islam is not a dangerous religion," Hamaz said. "After 911, so many people think that Islam is a religion of terrorism. It's really not. It's about love and peace and submitting to the will of God. And I want people to know that I am out here because I want other people to know exactly what I said and that Islam is not violence."

Fifteen young Genesee County residents celebrated their first communion on Sunday at Resurrection Parish in Batavia.

"Communion, also known as the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, is the source and summit of the Catholic Faith," said Jason Smith, director of Faith Formation at the church. "Catholics believe in the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist, and when students receive their First Eucharist, they have been thoroughly prepared through Faith Formation classes so that they understand and appreciate this concept.  It is a significant event in the Catholic faith, and is one of our seven Sacraments.  Sacraments are designed to draw us closer to God and experience God's love and grace."

Photo by Steve Ognibene.

Resurrection and Ascension parishes hosted their annual confirmation retreat on Sunday morning at St. Mary's in Batavia.

The class was led by Jason Smith and Ron Chrzanowski.

Smith said that Father Ivan offered a blessing after the 9:15 mass, and then candidates engaged in several activities, including making a coat of arms, and church collages symbolizing elements of the faith. They also studied the Corporal Works of Mercy, and presented their Saints in an interview style.

Candidates will be confirmed on May 28 at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Buffalo by Bishop Fisher. 

Submitted photos and information.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo is celebrating its 175th anniversary from May 1 to May 7, marking the occasion with various events, activities, and service projects across the diocese, including events in Genesee County. 

On Sunday, Feb. 19, at 3 p.m., there will be a celebration mass at Ascension Parish, 19 Sumner St., Batavia.

The celebration also involves Our Lady of Mercy and St. Brigid (Le Roy), St. Padre Pio (Oakfield), Our Lady of Fatima (Elba), Mary Immaculate (E. Bethany), and Immaculate Heart of Mary in Darien Center.

The Diocese of Buffalo was founded in April 1847 and has been serving the people of Western New York for 175 years. The anniversary celebration is a recognition of the powerful legacy of faith and service that the diocese has established, and an opportunity for members of the diocese to deepen their own faith, share and witness that faith to others, and serve one another.

According to a statement from the diocese, "We are called to continue and pass on our heritage of faith and service to future generations." The 175th anniversary of the Diocese of Buffalo is a time for celebration and reflection, and an opportunity for members of the diocese to recommit themselves to the legacy of faith and service that has defined the diocese for 175 years."

(Based on a press release from The Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo.)

Press release:

Are you or a loved one struggling with anxiety, fear, panic disorders, depression, obsession, sleep disorders, PTSD, schizophrenia, eating disorders, disruptive behavior, bipolar disorder, hearing voices, or seeing hallucinations? While some of these conditions may have scientific explanations, others may not.

Doctors often attribute these symptoms to physical or mental disorders and prescribe drugs to treat them. However, some believe that many of these symptoms are actually spiritual in nature.

As Christians, it is believed that some of these issues can be caused by poor decisions, wrong choices, and engaging in activities that are not in line with biblical teachings. This can include occult practices, sorcery, or witchcraft, even if engaged in unknowingly.

The Bible offers guidance on these matters, and Jesus Christ offers deliverance and healing. If you or a loved one are struggling with afflictions, you are invited to attend a Mass Deliverance Service on Feb. 17 at EverPresent Church, located at 4 Batavia City Centre in Batavia. Parking is available in the former JC Penny lot. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event begins at 6 p.m.

If you have any questions, please call (585) 297-3155.

St. Paul Lutheran School on Washington Avenue in Batavia will be hostsing a Christmas show at 6:30 p.m. Friday titled "Christmas Hang-Ups," and featuring the school's students.

 The program is directed by Jennifer Dunn, and lead roles will be played by the 5th and 6th-grade class, with other classes, Pre-K through 4th-grade, playing supporting roles.

Following the program, there will be a bake sale put on by FOLKS (Friends of Lutheran Kids) full of homemade donations to support the school.

Submitted information and photos.