Rev. Baron and Linda Ashfield Rev. Baron Ashfield and his wife Linda came to our congregation on July 1, 2007. He was our Interim Pastor until July 25, 2010.

Our new pastor, Rev. Alex Lever, will lead us in worship and preach on Sunday, August 15, 2010. Please join us.

Baron's Last Message

On June 28, 2007 our new life begins in Monroe NY . I first arrive, as your new Interim Pastor at 11:25am and soon am enjoying a pizza with folks in the church office: Church Linda, Barbara, Gail and Jim and Judy Wason – and they hook me up to the computer and my email. Barbara installs my office air conditioner. I unpack a few boxes of office books. Then Ellen Kristiansen arrives and armed with Manse keys she leads me over and opens up our new home. WOW!! The furniture has been moved in. The floors and walls are beautiful. I open some of the windows, hook up a couple of lamps, putter, and have my first 7 mile run down Heritage Trail. I drive back to the city to pick up my wife and around midnight, we turn out the lights in our new home call it a day.

As I write my farewell it is June 30 2010. My last Sunday with you officially will be July 25. Then it is pack up and move. Honestly at this point I do not as yet have a new position or location, but prospects are simmering. Your prayers are most welcome.

As you well know there are no words suitable to express our thanks for your welcome and hospitality to us over these three years. There are so many fond and fun memories that we will keep for our lives. Serving with you as, First Presbyterian Church, Monroe NY . has been a HOOT! We have loved it. Of course I will have to work some of my times here into new sermons wherever I land.

The really Good News is that the PNC has done its work well and coming to First is the new Pastor Rev. Alex Lever and family. Their first Sunday is August 15.

I know you will have the best of Ministry work and service together. I look forward to hearing the great new stories that will come along as Alex and family settle in.

Please know from our hearts we love you, will miss you, will pray for all, and leave knowing that God will bless and keep you always.

Peace,

Baron

The Church

The Church of Jesus Christ is the provisional demonstration of what God intends for all humanity.

The Church is called to be Christ's faithful evangelist,

  1. going into the world, making disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all he has commanded;
  2. demonstrating by the love of its members for one another and by the quality of its common life the new reality in Christ; sharing in worship, fellowship, and nurture, practicing a deepening life of prayer and service under the guidance of the Holy Spirit;
  3. participating in God's activity in the world through its life for others by
    1. healing and reconciling and binding up wounds,
    2. ministering to the needs of the poor the sick, the lonely, and the powerless,
    3. engaging in the struggle to free people from sin, fear oppression, hunger and injustice,
    4. giving itself and its substance to the service of those who suffer,
    5. sharing with Christ in the establishig of his just, peaceable and loving rule in the world.

The Church is called to undertake this mission even at the risk of losing its life, trusting in God alone as the author and giver of life, sharing the Gospel, and doing those deeds in the world that point beyond themselves to the new reality in Christ.