May the peace of God be yours this day.

I believe this year will go down in the annals of history as a very challenging year for all of us. With respect to current problems, our country is faced with issues related to Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, violent crime, racism, sexism, ageism, economic inequality, drug addiction, unemployment, shortage of food among a wide cross section of socio-economic groups, affordability of health care, and children falling behind in school.

How we confront these problems depends on whether or not we keep our focus on the problem rather than the solution –God Himself. The Christian’s approach is to see the problems as opportunities to exercise faith, to practice trusting the Lord, to prove God’s great faithfulness, and to be proved by Him. Our Christian faith is made stronger when we work together with the Lord to find solution to life’s problems.

If hope was ever a necessary coping mechanism for contemporary Christians, it is presently vitally necessary for both our mental and spiritual health. To live without hope is to cease to live. Someone said, “What oxygen is to the lungs, such is hope to the meaning of life.” Hope is the belief that something beneficial is to come, the idea that what is currently seen is not the end of the story, but something greater is ahead. Hope in itself is faith that God does have plans for us and that they are good indeed. In all biblical stories, hope is an integral component of the journey. My major concern has to do with how each one of you will respond or continue to respond to the present condition as outlined above; therefore, I offer the following suggestions:

First, avoid wrong reactions to the problems. Your primary questions always should be, “Am I willing to follow God’s will when I know it? Friends, we have an obligation as Christians to be a witness to our faith in a God who loves and cares for all His people. Avoid hatred and malice. Control your anger aimed at others. Paul exhorts us, ”… examine everything; hold firmly to that which is good, abstain from every form of evil (1 Thess. 5:21-22). 

Second, follow the example of Jesus. During the last 4 years, I led the church through numerous studies of St. Paul’s letters and the Gospels, and we looked at different aspects of the hope that Jesus brings to the world today.  Like Jesus, be a God-pleaser, not a self-pleasers or a people-pleaser. People-pleasers are those who try to please people even if they have to compromise their own conscience to do so. Paul tried to please people as long as pleasing them did not cause him to displease the Lord (Galatians 1:10,
1 Corinthians 10:33). Follow Jesus by loving your neighbors, regardless of race, ethnicity or creed.

Third, work to achieve unity, not division. St. Paul pleads that every effort be made for unity with these words: “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification” (Romans 14:19). Guard this unity by being sensitive to your brothers and sisters in Christ and not offending them unnecessarily (Romans 14:20–15:1). Each of us should ‘please our neighbors for their good, to build them up’ (Romans 15:2).

Fourth, avoid solving your problems with human efforts alone. God has the power to remove our burdens and rescue us in our distress. His intent is for His children to face their problems in the power of the risen Christ. God says, “I removed the burden from their shoulders … In your distress you called and I rescued you” (Psalm 81:6a–7a).

Finally, Rejoice and give thanks. Don’t allow yourself to complain about everything. Thanksgiving has great power to bring you joy and break the power of the enemy. Whenever we give thanks to God, despite the most difficult circumstances, the enemy loses a big battle in our life. Satan is defeated when we have a thankful heart because thankfulness during difficulty is a sacrifice pleasing to God. “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:16-18).
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).
 
In His Service,
Rev. Dr. Peter E. Grinion, Pastor

​Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Summer has come and almost gone and for many of us, we have done nothing relative to prior summer activities. For many of us, summer vacations used to mean highway miles in cars or minivans, 3-4-night’s stay in beachside condominiums, family cruises, canoeing and rafting on the lake, and other thrilling outdoor activities. This year, many of us did not enjoy just sitting around; we wanted action and exhilaration; we wanted a combination of excitement and relaxation; and we reminisce about our favorite food and drinks on our vacations.
Notwithstanding, anyone who has lived in the age of COVID-19 has experienced an adventure of a lifetime. The aforementioned sentence assumes that many people with this experience have already passed, unfortunately. The adventure that I am thinking about entails experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, fear of being sick, living with fear of dying, social distancing, quarantines, job losses, inactivity, loneliness, dealing with personal adversities, coping with stress, experiencing changes and adaptation to changes. The only thing that is constant during this time is change itself.
 
Do you find yourself weighed down by your seemingly unfortunate lot in life? Or do you embrace the struggle? Life is demanding a “course change” from all of us. We do not control the world; we only control ourselves. Given the aforementioned realities, I share the following points with you: First, practice being ok with the present discomforts of life. As we prepare for General Elections this November, do all you can to calm your inner voice of fear or resentment. Since we live in a democracy with people being free to have differing opinions, watch your thoughts, your words, and your activities on social media. Tell yourself, that even if you are uncomfortable with differences, you have a moral obligation to respect people who share opinions that are different from yours. Maybe, some of us could use an adjustment of attitude.
 
Secondly, pray with dependence on God’s sovereign grace. When so many things are uncertain, we are reminded how utterly dependent we are on God. Our starting point is God—the source of our being and the God who loves everyone. God so loved the world speaks to the scope of God’s love---the whole world. He loves not just a nation; not just good people; not only people who love Him. He loves the unlovable and the unlovely. Pray for our political leader; pray for your pastor and church family; and pray for your family and local community.
Finally, after months of being unable to meet during this pandemic control measures, many churches have recently re-opened or are planning to re-open. It is understandable that a commitment to safety is necessary and a Christian duty. Undoubtedly, this virus is extremely contagious and as pastor I am hesitant to bring you back to church for congregational services. In short, I don’t want anyone to contract or spread the virus at our church. That being said, we want to resume Bible Study and Sunday morning worship service in compliance with New York State COVID-19 restriction measures. People with comorbidities, preferably should not attend these services. We will continue to provide you with our worship service posted on our church website, YouTube and Facebook. You will also receive a hard copy of the sermon.
 
Blest be the tie that binds our hearts in Christian love!
 
Rev. Dr. Peter E. Grinion, Pastor
 

Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ

God has designed His church and put us together for His purpose and direction. St. Paul teaches that we the members of our local church are members of the body of Christ. When you belong to Christ, you are part of His body. He is the head. He leads the body, and He orchestrates its movements. And you are connected not only to Him, but also to every other part of the body as well. As we read in Scripture, "God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be" (1 Corinthians 12:18, NIV).

COVID-19 has really changed our lives in ways we could never predict. We’re more than 4 months into quarantine life, and at this point, it’s hard to remember a time before COVID-19 that doesn’t seem like that was long ago.  It leaves us trying very hard both to make sense of it and to get used to the radical lifestyle changes the virus has brought. Most pressing on my mind is our loss of congregate Sunday morning worship services, bible study and other weekly meetings.

I miss worshiping and fellowshipping with you! I haven’t seen some of you since March of this year. I believe that God is using this time to speak to His people. He is using this crisis in life to wake us up and help us see what truly matters in life. While we love the fellowship at church, we really don’t need a building to worship God. He wants us to spend time in prayer and reading of His word (the bible) at home. He wants you to sing your favorite hymns and songs at home. He wants us to make every moment to matter, be happy, find our purpose, and value the privilege of being alive.

If you would agree with me that God is intentional and purposeful about all that He does, then you would have to agree that God has a purpose for each one of us at a time as this. His purpose is that we individually or as family units, representing West Henrietta Baptist Church become a shining light for the testimony of Jesus Christ. The question on my mind, is how we may best serve God’s plan and purpose at this time? I encourage you that whatever else you feel called to do, you will reach out with a word of encouragement to others. Some of us are by nature encouragers, while some have to make special effort. Nonetheless, it is required of us to encourage one another to become our better selves.

Many people are experiencing a challenge of faith resulting from sickness, financial problems, marital and other family problems, loneliness, and inability to connect with congregate church worship services. Connecting with members of your church family or any other Christian with a word of encouragement can help them move from fear to faith. Reaching out to each other daily is how we beat loneliness and deepen our relationships—even if we are sitting at home alone. Praying for one another is real spiritual warfare that actually changes things, and it is worth all the time we can devote to it. Pray daily for your church. Make intercessions daily for your pastor, moderator, deacons, choristers, committees/boards, families, and our political leaders at local, state and national levels.

Let’s face it—life can be rough at times because we live in a broken world plagued with diseases and other natural disasters, sickness, economic struggles, relational problems, and sin. We sometimes find ourselves right on the edge—ready to give up on our marriage, give up on a child, or give up on our faith. We might get to the point where we feel like we can’t take it any longer.

When this happens, sometimes the only difference between us going on or giving up is a simple word of encouragement. Encouragement here is not to feel sympathy for someone or feeling bad for them. Rather, encouragement is to inspire with courage, and help someone to persevere. Simply put, your encouragement may be delivered with a visit compliant with COVID-19 restrictions, a phone call, a letter, and/or a prayer. With God’s enabling, we can!
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Take my life and let it be, consecrated Lord to Thee!
Rev. Dr. Peter E. Grinion, Pastor

May God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord give you grace, mercy and peace.
Coronavirus has disrupted so many of our normal activities ranging from sports events, social gatherings, including church services, voluntary isolation, quarantines, and social distancing. In short, we have given up our normal routines and practices; many of these being our comfort zones. The situation we are facing due to coronavirus has physiological, psychological, social, economic and spiritual repercussions.
While the new realities vary from one person to another, some common experiences involve taking care of children or parents, homeschooling children, inability to attend a funeral or visit a loved one in a hospital or nursing home, and financial stress maybe due to loss of job. The truth is that, at this point we are simply trying to manage our daily lives.  History teaches us that people respond to crisis in both adaptive and maladaptive ways, so I want to offer you some recommendations to aid adaptive and positive ways to adjust to the new realities you are experiencing.

 Accept your feelings as normal
You need to operate within your strongest self and accept your feelings as normal, because this is a time for both personal and collective crises. Feelings such as fear, anxiety, worry, anger, and sadness are normal because the information receives from the media can be overwhelming to process. However, we often allow negative emotions to get the best of us.  Believe me, you can experience the peace of God in the midst of stress and distress. Trust in God breaks the paralyzing grip of fear, anxiety, worry, anger and sadness. Entrust yourself fully in the caring hands of our Heavenly Father.
Forge and sustain social relationships

Coronavirus helps us to discover what is important in our lies and what is not. We loved to go shopping, visiting with family members, and going to church, the movie and occasional parties. We cannot do any of the aforementioned at this time owing to the social distancing restrictions.  Our voluntary social distancing helps us to see the importance of relationships. By now most people own a mobile phone, and I guess you may own one or two. With the absence of church meetings, it is vital to connect with your social supports using virtual meetings and social media.
It is likely that people being bored at home may be inclined to bad messengers and pessimistic in their outlook on life. Therefore, avoid or limit your time with such people whose conduct becomes toxic. Toxicity may manifest itself in behaviors such as negativity, gossip, unapologetically opinionated, lying, manipulative, being self-centered on their needs vs. yours, and these negative behaviors can take a toll on your well-being. On the contrary, positive and supportive relationships helps you to feel healthier, happier, and more satisfied with your relationships.
 
Focus on the Word of God/Read you Bible
Following the outbreak of coronavirus churches have terminated all public mass gatherings, hundreds of thousands of people around the world are dying, and unemployment and hardships are present like plagues. One major silver lining is that many people are turning to the Word of God for guidance and comfort. They are discovering that Scriptures can help to make sense of the confusion in these tumultuous times. Make scripture reading a major part of your daily activity.

Try to sing some inspirational hymns/songs
I know for a number of us, including myself, singing is not our greatest strength. I am not asking you to enter a singing contest, but simply to make a joyful sound; being yourself when you are singing. You can find hundreds of inspirational songs in any song book, hymn book, YouTube or Google. Singing can help improve your health and weII-being. Singing relieves feelings of depression and loneliness. Singing releases endorphins and oxytocin in the brain which lowers stress and anxiety levels. If you are persistent in singing songs/hymn, by the time we resume worship services most of you will be good candidates for the choir. Praise God in advance!
 
Be steadfast in prayer
Jesus shows that he honors prayer is his wonderful promise: “Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened (Matt. 7:7-8). His promise is a solemn one by which He pledges His divine word. It is a comprehensive and unconditional promise to his people., and
We cannot be selfish in our prayers. The Lord’s prayer (Matt. 6:9-13) teaches us to remember the needs of others. Please remember those who are lonely at home, which includes the elderly in nursing homes, the mentally ill and addicts who are asked to live without their support groups. Remember in your prayers the frontline workers, which includes doctors, nurses, and other medical staff who often stay away from their families because they are afraid of taking coronavirus home. Pray for EMT workers who work the closest with people sick with coronavirus from the point of picking them at home and transporting them to the hospital. Pray for public transport employees, which includes bus and train drivers, and UPS and FEDEX delivery drivers. Pray for all God’s people!
 
Pray for the forgiveness of the Nation’s sins, and a national revival. Listen to God’s word of assurance:
14 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 (II Chronicles 7:13-14).
Listen to Hosea 6:1-3:  "Come, let us return to the Lord! He has torn us in pieces; now he will heal us. He has injured us; now he will bandage our wounds. In just a short time, he will restore us so we can live in his presence. Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know him! Then he will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring."

Praise God Unceasingly
Every morning you get up, praise God! Every night you get in bed, praise God for His Goodness! Living a life of praise is not only the most enjoyable way to live, but it’s also one of the most powerful ways to change your life. Your faith isn’t complete without praise. Colossians 2:7 says that you abound in faith with thanksgiving. Praise affects you, it affects the devil, and it affects God. It touches everything and every part of your life. 
Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice (Phil. 4:4-8).
Paul didn’t just say it once; he said it twice. He didn’t want anyone thinking he had made a mistake or that there were exceptions to what he said. We are always supposed to be rejoicing in the Lord. It’s a command, not a suggestion to do it if we feel like it.
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O God, our help in ages past,
Our hope for years to come,
Our shelter from the stormy blast,
And our eternal home:
 
Yours In Christ’s Service
Rev. Dr. Peter E. Grinion, Pastor