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Church events pack the house (and tent), with one more slated for Wednesday night

By Joanne Beck

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If you happened to drive along Bank Street Road near Saile Drive Sunday, Monday or Tuesday night, you may have gotten stuck in a line of traffic or behind motorists trying to find a parking spot.

There was no sporting match or major concert. Rather, it was something much more divine, Pastor Paul Doyle says. Cornerstone Church featured guest speaker Mario Murillo in a big yellow tent on the Bank Street grounds. 

“I think COVID has had a big effect on people, people’s lifestyle has changed. Some people are weary with politics and government, are you vaccinated or unvaccinated, was the election rigged or not rigged,” he said while preparing for Tuesday’s event. “Who do you trust? I think people are running to God for that.”

Doyle, who has been the leader of the church the last four years, had known of Murillo and even offered to loan the big tent for the evangelist’s appearances in California. That was in January when Cornerstone’s congregation was 30 people. Zoom ahead several months later, and the Murillo speaking engagements have “put our church on the map,” Doyle said.  

“He decided to come out here … it just seems that New Yorkers are hungry for an answer,” Doyle said. “He is simply addressing issues that affect Christians.”

Murillo had his doubts that the small city of Batavia would attract many people, and was going to be content with a half-filled tent, Doyle said. Both men were shocked at the turnout of more than 3,000 attendees per night on Sunday and Monday, and they sat in the rain to boot.

People were from different locales — at least 16 states represented — and denominations, including those from Amish and Mennonite communities, Doyle said.  Although Murillo has expressed opinions about the White House administration and his beliefs regarding who is president, this event is not about that, Doyle said. 

“People are not being converted to a political party,” he said. “(Murillo) is talking about Jesus Christ. Families are bringing their loved ones. There’s a fresh set of people each night.”

Visitors from Kentucky and North Carolina to Florida and beyond not only traveled to attend but also to pitch in and help. Doyle said a core of 400 volunteers have been functioning as ushers, parking attendants, security, and first-aid responders. Two smaller tents have been added to the main one to accommodate overflow, and people are also welcome to plant a seat elsewhere on the property, he said. 

As for any potential COVID concerns, masks were provided for those who wanted one, he said, even though it’s an outdoor event and people can distance themselves if they want. 

Doyle cited a scripture from the Old Testament (2 Chronicles 7:14) that serves as a guide for the church: “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

He believes society is yearning for that healing. 

“I promote the love of Jesus,” he said. “The only thing that interests me is the new people coming to the Lord.” 

There is one more gathering tonight at 6:30 p.m. at the church, 8020 Bank Street Rd., Batavia. Admission is free. 

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Batavia pastor, still active in church, celebrates 90th birthday

By Howard B. Owens

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Rev. Eugene DeMay, founder and now semi-retired pastor of Faith Community Chapel on Rose Road, Batavia, turns 90 tomorrow.  His family gathered at T.F. Brown's this past Sunday for a surprise birthday party.

His son-in-law, who supplied the info and photos, Craig Wilkins, said DeMay is still active in the church and continues to preach on occasion.  He will be with his congregation at 11 a.m., Sunday, when Wilkins plays a concert at Labor Daze in Oakfield.

Top photo: From left to right Sandra Jo DeMay Wilkins,  Kathy Hameister, Sheila DeMay Groh, Rena Sanderson DeMay (wife), Gene DeMay, Sharon Price, Susan DeMay Wheeler.

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Photos: Confirmation service held at Resurrection Parish

By Howard B. Owens

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Resurrection Parish held Confirmation on Thursday evening with Father Ivan Trujillo.

The confirmation service had been delayed from the spring.

The 2020-21 faith formation program begins Oct. 25 at Resurrection Parish and Jason Smith can be reached at resurrectionff14020@yahoo.com.

Smith is the teacher for confirmation and director of Religious Education at the parish.

Top photo: Sam Chmielowiec, Maxwell Tenney, Evan Preston and Elizabeth Kingston.

Photos and information submitted by Jason Smith.

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Ariana deSae Frias is kneeling, anointed with holy chrism oil, signifying receiving the Holy Spirit.

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Making Crosses During Lent

By Lisa Ace

Making Crosses During Lent

We are invited to a journey of exploration and prayer during Lent using Ellen Morris Prewitt’s book Making Crosses: A Creative Connection to God. Lent is an intentional time to journey with Jesus to the cross by adding intentional prayer practices to our daily lives. Making crosses out of discarded items will be a great way to add spiritual awareness to your life. This active prayer form will help you open your life to God’s healing, love, and challenge in a new way.

Event Date and Time
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Making Crosses During Lent

By Lisa Ace

Making Crosses During Lent

We are invited to a journey of exploration and prayer during Lent using Ellen Morris Prewitt’s book Making Crosses: A Creative Connection to God. Lent is an intentional time to journey with Jesus to the cross by adding intentional prayer practices to our daily lives. Making crosses out of discarded items will be a great way to add spiritual awareness to your life. This active prayer form will help you open your life to God’s healing, love, and challenge in a new way.

Event Date and Time
-

Making Crosses During Lent

By Lisa Ace

Making Crosses During Lent

We are invited to a journey of exploration and prayer during Lent using Ellen Morris Prewitt’s book Making Crosses: A Creative Connection to God. Lent is an intentional time to journey with Jesus to the cross by adding intentional prayer practices to our daily lives. Making crosses out of discarded items will be a great way to add spiritual awareness to your life. This active prayer form will help you open your life to God’s healing, love, and challenge in a new way.

Event Date and Time
-

Retired minister's first book, 'Transfiguration and Hope'

By Virginia Kropf

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After a lifelong career in ministry, Gregory Van Dussen has written his first book, "Transfiguration and Hope."

"I have done a lot of writing in graduate school and a lot of reviews, but never a book,” Van Dussen said. “I didn’t think I had anything to write about until it hit me like a ton of bricks.”

As a new retiree, the vision became clear, he said.

“I had to do some reflecting about this time of life, getting old and the next life,” Van Dussen said. “I put that together with the Bible transfiguration of Christ.”

One thing which makes his book distinctive, he said, is in his research he read a wide range of authors, not only Christian authors from Protestant to Catholic but Eastern Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox writers from Egypt and Armenian Apostolic.

His book is a conversation across time and space, he said. He describes it as gathering many of those voices from the panorama of Scripture and church history and finding in them the common theme of radical transformation in Christ.

Van Dussen is a retired United Methodist pastor, having started 39 years ago in Batavia. From 1972 to 1974, he served as district superintendent. His career includes serving at churches in Bergen, Albion, Batavia, East Aurora and Springville.

His book is available at the Holland Land Office Museum, on Amazon and in local retail distributors, including the Book Shoppe in Medina, where he has a book signing scheduled from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22.

Van Dussen is already working on a second book of devotions, based on the lives of early circuit riders in North America.

“I have always been interested in those people,” Van Dussen said. “I found an abundance of information available online about these people.”

He hopes to have the new book available by next fall.

EverPresent Church invites all to its Grand Opening Weekend -- movie, open house, Sunday service

By Billie Owens

Press release:

EverPresent Church invites you to visit our new location at 4 Batavia City Centre, Batavia. We are excited to announce our Grand Opening Weekend on May 18-20 at the former Homestead Center also former home to Roxy’s Music Store.

EverPresent Church was founded in 2013 in the local YMCA. Not long after its beginning the church found a new home at 8 City Centre, formerly Center Stage Dance Co. Although EverPresent Church embraced its new location, we still longed for a space we could call home.

The conversation started back in 2015 with the owner of The Homestead Center but a deal wasn’t stuck until the summer of 2017.

Since our move into our new location we have been very busy settling in and making it our own. We are excited to be holding services and If you are looking for a warm friendly environment with a caring community of believers this just might be the place for you.

We are a family oriented church with great vision for you and our community. We are excited to see what God has in store for our church and anticipate great things for the future of Batavia.

If you are looking for a church and it’s been difficult to find where you fit or feel comfortable, this is the place for you! We are Real People, living Real Lives, with a Real Hope! We invite you to check it out and celebrate together as we help one another on this journey called life.

Grand Opening Weekend

  • Friday, May 18th at 5:45 p.m. -- MOVIE NIGHT showing “THE GREATEST SHOWMAN." Free popcorn and water; pop available to purchase.
  • Saturday, May 19th -- OPEN HOUSE from 2 to 5 p.m. Come by and check out the place, get some info about the church, and meet the pastors. 
  • Sunday, May 20 -- SUNDAY SERVICE at 10:30 a.m. Join us for a time of worship and an encouraging message.

We guarantee that you will experience God and His love through the people at EverPresent Church. We look forward to meeting you!

"Real People. Real Life. Real Hope!"

Hope Center of Le Roy opens with multiple programs for the community

By Howard B. Owens

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It's the vision of Rev. Henry Moore and the team at the Hope Center of Le Roy that the new ministry 42 Main St. will provide the community with a place of hope and help.

"We just want to show God's love through all of us and everything that we're doing," Moore said. "That's a lot of what we're based on, the fact of God's love and things will take shape from there."

The Hope Center, which is still just barely furnished, offers several programs for the community already.

There is L.I.F.T., which stands for Ladies in Faith Together. It's a program for single moms, where single moms can meet and support each other, share a meal, and grow in faith together.

The King's Table provides support for caregivers of children with special needs. 

"A couple of ladies who have special needs children took it upon themselves to start the program," Moore said. "Since then they've begun to bring families in and it gives them an opportunity to just meet together."

Fresh Start Literacy is a program for children to get extra help with reading.

"We really feel like this is going to be a powerful one because so many families have children who struggle to read," Moore said. "It's tough in a school atmosphere to get one-on-one help. We're willing to offer that."

Moms United in Prayer is a chance for women to pray together on a regular basis for children and schools.

Annually, the center offers Go Pro Spa Day and the Prom Dress Give Away.

Planned programs include Celebrate Recovery, a disaster relief program, children and teens programs and a New Life Clothing Center.

Much of Moore's ministry is based on the work, including the Prom Dress Give Away, he was doing with the Living Waters Church.

The Hope Center is now a separate nonprofit, and Moore is seeking donation and community support. The Hope Center has also started a building fund with the hope of eventually owning its own building.

"What we really want to do is get the community involved get all the churches to come together," Moore said. "I mean, no one person has a vision to make everything happen. One of the things we found was that someone has a vision and they don't know how to make it happen. We want to help that."

The rest of the leadership team includes Donna Friedman, Pat Bedford and Amy Bolton.

The motto of the Hope Center is that "hope is more than a wish. It is a confident expectation."

Moore said it's his goal to see the new ministry provide that kind of confident expectation to the Le Roy community.

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