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SUBMITTED by Lee Prong, First Presbyterian Church of Lyons (29-Sep-2009)

A Celebration of 200 Years of Faithful Ministry in Lyons, New York
as The First Presbyterian Church

October 10th and 11th, 2009

Saturday, October 10

10 AM to 2:30 PM

We will gather for celebration and worship in the sanctuary. The day will begin with singing and the reading of scripture. Former member, John Wadsworth, will share a message on how he experienced God’s call and how he followed that leading during his life.

We will also honor beloved member, Bob Wadsworth for his many years of exemplary dedication as Music and Choir Director that began in the 1940’s. We are hoping to have a Choir Reunion to honor Bob’s years of service.

Ruth Wadsworth will also be remembered for her years of exceptional service to the church’s music ministry as choir director, organist, choir member and flautist.

A Brunch will be served in the Fellowship Hall. Please be prepared to share in a free-will offering to defray the expenses of the meal.

We will then reconvene in the sanctuary to honor our organist Janet Buell for her 55 years of exceptional service to the church’s musical ministry.

Rev. Ed Fedor will share his call to ministry as a member and how his faith journey has developed over the years.

We anticipate these activities will be completed by 2:30 PM.

An additional time of reunion for friends, former members and members is still being formalized for Saturday evening at Trombino’s Restaurant. Details will be shared as soon as they are available.

Special 200th Anniversary items available for purchase.


Limited edition crystal cubes with an etched image of the current church are available for $10.00.

In addition the 200th Anniversary Team has published, Secrets from Canal Town Kitchens, Volume 2. In 1959 during the congregation’s 150th Anniversary the original edition of Secrets from Canal Town Kitchens was published. Copies are available for $8.00 each or $15.00 for two.

Musical CD’s of original performances by the choir have been reproduced from the original vinyl recordings. Three CDs have been produced from a variety of recorded sources. Sine Nomine (1969), Joyful Noise (1972), In These Things We Live (1982) and Jesus Christ Super Star (1971). The selections come from choral anthems on Sunday mornings, and the performance of Jesus Christ Superstar. The CDs are available individually for $8.00 each. The complete set of three CDs is available for $20.00.

An updated edition of the church’s history, based on the earlier printed histories, and some new additions is under production and will be available around Christmas time.

The proceeds from the sales of these items will be used to underwrite the expense of the 200th Anniversary banquet that will be held at the Lyons’ V.F.W. on Sunday, October 11th beginning at 12:30 PM.

Announcement

Session is also pleased to announce that a special monument marking the church’s history has been gifted to the congregation by the American Pomeroy Historical Genealogical Association. It will reflect the congregation’s history, highlighting the first installed pastor, Rev. Francis Pomeroy and the other sixteen installed and interim pastors who have served for the last 200 years. The monument will include space so the names of future pastors can be added. It is hoped that this work will be completed by the end of October or early November. A formal dedication will be held upon completion.

Special thanks to secretary, Erin Patanzo, Ron and Jane DeCracker and Rev. Prong for reframing many of the portraits of the congregation’s pastors. These same portraits were used in the collage included in this story.

Legend to the collage is, top row – left to right:

Rev. A.J.Thomas, Rev. Dr. Paul Hammer, church prior to fire in 1936, Rev. Charles Hawley D.D., present church, Rev. Dr. Cynthia Huling-Hummel, Rev. Roger Martin, Second row from top, left to right; Rev. William H. McHarg, Rev. Luther A. Ostrander D.D., Third row from top, left to right; Rev. Samuel A. Bell, D.D., Rev. Augustus Wood D.D. , Bottom row, left to right: Rev.Horatio Woodward Brown, Rev. John M. Whallon, Rev. Andrew MacTaggart, Rev. Lucas Hubbell D.D.. Center Church painting by Emma Rice Rudd circa 1885

Special thanks are also in order for Leslie Leo and Becky Wadsworth for their work on the timeline and special collages portraying the pastorates of Rev. Ostrander, Rev. Thomas, Rev. Whallon, Rev. Hammer, Rev. MacTaggart and Rev. Huling-Hummel.

Sunday, October 11

Worship – 10 AM

Since April we have used a series of special services on Sunday mornings, focusing on how God has faithfully led Lyons’ Presbyterian Church in ministry. We have given special attention to the pastorates of the Revs. Ostrander, Thomas, Whallon, Martin, Hammer, MacTaggart and Huling-Hummel.

Sunday morning’s service will include acts of praise and thanksgiving for God’s blessing during the last 200 years of ministry. Former member, Rev. Francis Beyea will share a message on how God’s call takes place in our lives and how to follow that call. The service will conclude with a time for friends and members to rededicate themselves to the future ministry of the church.

Banquet - Noon

Following worship we will gather at the Lyons V.F.W. for a time of informal reunion. A PowerPoint presentation highlighting the church’s history will be shown. The banquet will begin at 12:30 PM.

Following the banquet we will have a brief program which will include the introduction of guests, the reading of letters with special greetings, a narrated PowerPoint presentation and the choir singing “Find Us Faithful”, as a musical act of commissioning and benediction.

Our Invitation to you!

The Session of the First Presbyterian Church of Lyons invites the members and friends of the church and community to join them in celebrating the 200th anniversary of it ministries.

We hope you will join us for the special events scheduled for Saturday, October 10th. The schedule for Saturday is included in this story.

We also ask that you use the enclosed card to RSVP for Sunday’s, October 11th banquet to be held at Lyons V.F.W. at 12:30. You may mail your response to the church office or you may return the card in the offering plate during a worship service. We seek your reply by Monday, October 5th.

Please notice that we have not indicated a specific cost to attend the banquet. We do not want cost to be factor limiting anyone’s participation in this celebration. We are taking a step of faith since there is “no such thing as a free meal”. We believe the expenses of the banquet can be covered by using the proceeds from the sale of the various 200th Anniversary items and free will donations. It means we will need to gather and share our resources (remember the story of the fishes and the loaves) to meet the anticipated expense of approximately $1,500 to $2,000.

God’s graciousness has been evident for over 200 years in the life of our congregation. We invite you to generously support this opportunity to make the 200th banquet another time of grace. Help us make sure that all are welcome and share at this banquet table that God has been preparing for over 200 years.

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