by Lisa Bennett | Mar 24, 2025 | leader message, newsletter item, pastor message
By Rev. Dr. John Odom In May 2008, American Airlines started charging a fee to check a bag. Nearly 17 years—and billions of dollars in fees—later, travel has been forever changed. And while I am not willing to defend the avarice of the airline industry seeking...
by Lisa Bennett | Mar 17, 2025 | leader message, newsletter item, pastor message
“We’re seeing a new day of understanding of who God is,” said Dr. Serene Jones, President and Johnston Family Professor for Religion & Democracy at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. “When the people who are representing God, making God present, have...
by Lisa Bennett | Mar 7, 2025 | leader message, newsletter item
Whenever I do officer training, I ask everyone to tell me their favorite scripture. It’s not an ice breaker, as you’ve probably usually experienced that question. No, I use it to help the Session or Deacons discern together their guiding scripture for the year....
by Lisa Bennett | Mar 3, 2025 | leader message, newsletter item, pastor message
Fasting is a spiritual discipline that people of faith have practiced for thousands of years. Today, fasting is often understood too narrowly as only skipping a meal and donating the value to a food pantry or abstaining from chocolate during Lent. Spiritual fasting...
by Lisa Bennett | Feb 18, 2025 | leader message
If you’ve ever been on a Zoom call with me you’ve likely noticed this piece of art in the background. For my second call, but first installation, my dad gave this to me as part of the Gifts of Installation. He pulled it out of a bag, and just kind of stood...
by Lisa Bennett | Feb 11, 2025 | leader message, newsletter item
As a new Rochesterian, February is shaping up to be a cruel month. Just when I thought winter might be easing up, every other day there’s snow. Lake-effect snow, synoptic snow (didn’t even know that was a thing), heavy wet snow, light fluffy snow. You can imagine,...
