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Upcoming Online Services
May 23: Once Upon a Time, Rev. Joan Montagnes Unleash the power of story – traditional, fairy tales, surprises. Imagine how dry the world would be if we confused the facts with the Truth. Click here for login information to use Zoom Webinar. Click HERE for past services on our church Youtube channel! 
We are a compassionate, thoughtful, and diverse religious community who nurture and challenge each other to deeper understanding, meaning and purpose in our lives. We use our hearts and our heads (and a good deal of humor) to make a difference not only in our lives, but the lives of those beyond our doors. Learn more about our beliefs, our services, and our history in the About Us tab.
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May Minister’s Column:
What Does it mean to be a People of Story… Especially in the middle of a Pandemic? 
It means making it up as we go along, line by line. Each offering a phrase. All contributing to the narrative. Here’s how I see our pandemic story, to date.
Chapter One Once upon a time, a deadly plague crept across the land leaving an oozy swath of grief and isolation in its wake. Lord Cuomo of the Lesser Dutchy of New York decreed that the doors of all the churches in the realm be locked and shuttered. And the church leaders wrung their hands. And the people stayed in their homes. And masks were worn. And all learned to use zoom for… well… everything. It was a long, scary and lonely time. Chapter Two The Wizards of Pfizer, the Mages of Moderna, and the Witches of Johnson & Johnson threw eye of newt and toe of frog and messenger RNA together to create a Magic Potion of Protection. And the People rejoiced, Huzzah! And the people, some of the people, over a long time were vaccinated. Spring was on the way! Hope floated down across the land like cherry blossoms. Chapter Three Some people were ready to gather in person. Some people were afraid to gather in person. Often the people who were ready to gather in person and the people who were afraid to gather in person were the same people. The plague rates in the Even Lesser Dutchy of Western New York were increasing. The church leadership wrung their hands. Hope slowly began to droop like a tired daffodil, while anxiety slunk around every door like a wounded cat. Chapter Four… ummm… er. Continue to read ... |
Our Vision
We will gather in loving community, creating a shared vision of compassion and dignity for all,
to radically transform the world in which we live.
We will gather in loving community, creating a shared vision of compassion and dignity for all,
to radically transform the world in which we live.
May Share-the-Plate: Literacy Buffalo Niagara
Refugees and immigrants who need help learning English to navigate their everyday lives in America, people who graduated from high school but lack reading skills to thrive in their lives or go after promotions at work, people without a diploma looking for help so they can return to a classroom or simply become less dependent on others to decipher the daily written words they struggle with on utility bills, rental agreements, and medical instructions. These are the people who come to Literacy Buffalo Niagara.
The COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened awareness of the disparity in our neighborhoods that is fed, in large part, by a lack of reading skills. Literacy Buffalo Niagara’s mission is to develop literacy skills by providing free tutoring in Erie and Niagara counties through engagement and training of diverse community volunteers. Our vision is that all people in Erie and Niagara counties are literate. Financial donations directly support our programs, which train volunteers and support students through their literacy journey. Donations of time come to us from our volunteer tutors who commit to training and working with an individual student on their goals.
We invite you to learn more by visiting our website literacybuffalo.org and by following us on social media.
The COVID-19 pandemic has only heightened awareness of the disparity in our neighborhoods that is fed, in large part, by a lack of reading skills. Literacy Buffalo Niagara’s mission is to develop literacy skills by providing free tutoring in Erie and Niagara counties through engagement and training of diverse community volunteers. Our vision is that all people in Erie and Niagara counties are literate. Financial donations directly support our programs, which train volunteers and support students through their literacy journey. Donations of time come to us from our volunteer tutors who commit to training and working with an individual student on their goals.
We invite you to learn more by visiting our website literacybuffalo.org and by following us on social media.