Union Presbyterian Church of Endicott, NY

Our Mission

As members of Union Presbyterian Church, we live to serve our Lord, our congregation, our community, and our world. We unite our spirits in faithful, loving commitment to this calling in Jesus Christ and, as a church family, we celebrate the Kingdom of God. 

From the Pastor: the thin places

Those who trust in God will understand truth,
and the faithful will abide with him in love,
because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones,
and he watches over his elect. ~Wisdom 3:9

Dear Friends,

For most of us, November is still fall, though the forces of capitalism would have us believe it is darned near Christmas Eve. For much of the world, and for many centuries, the first of November has marked the first day of winter. According to Norse mythology, the god Thor strikes the earth with his hammer, hardening the ground and bringing in winter. The harvest is over, so this is the time to slow down, to return to the coziness of the indoors, and to turn to contemplation. This is a time when deciduous trees seem to give up their lives as they give up their leaves. There is a belief in many cultures that this is a season of “thin places.” This means it is a time of year when one may find oneself thinking about (or even sensing the presence of) those who have gone before us. In one source for lore of such traditions, we find the statement, “The veil is very thin during this time of year. In the midst of sweet celebrations, may we be called to tend to and remember the wisdom and resourcefulness of the ancestors.”

The church seems to be aligned with this way of thinking. November 1st marks the Memorial of All Saints. The question of who and what a saint is, is always with us. Our Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox siblings acknowledge the extraordinary lives and witness of many people whom they call saints (and we do, too!). People spanning time and space all the way from the apostles to those individuals such as Mother Teresa of Calcutta and the modern-day martyr Fr. Oscar Romero are among those honored.

We Protestants, on the other hand, adhere to the scriptural use of “saint” by St. Paul, the apostle and writer of New Testament epistles. Paul used the word “saint” to refer to any member of the church, anyone who spent their life following Christ. This is why we remember, on the Memorial of All Saints, those we love, whether members of our faith community or connected in any way to our members. The veil is thin, and we find ourselves remembering, perhaps even sensing the presence of, these dear departed saints.

I invite you to remember with us throughout the month of November, as the cold draws us inward and gives us more time for introspection. Here is a prayer you may like to use in this time of remembrance.

We give you thanks, O Lord, for all your saints and servants who have lived justly, loved mercy, and walked humbly with their God. For all the high and holy ones, who have done wonders and been shining lights in the world, we give you thanks.  For all the meek and lowly ones, who have earnestly sought you in darkness, held fast to their faith in times of trial, and done good as they have had opportunity, we give you thanks. Especially we give you thanks for those whom we have known and loved, who, by their patient obedience and self-denial, steadfast hope and helpfulness in trouble, have shown the same mind that was in Jesus Christ. As they have comforted and upheld our souls, grant us grace to follow in their steps, and at last to share with them in the inheritance of the saints in light; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. (PCUSA Book of Common Worship, 2018)

Grace and Peace, Rev. Pat Raube

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