A Presbyterian Witness on Broad Street in Tonawanda
First Presbyterian Church of Tonawanda sits at 149 Broad Street in the city of Tonawanda, New York, where it has served the North Tonawanda and Buffalo-area communities as a congregation in the Reformed and Presbyterian tradition. The church's working theme, "Growing in Faith Together," was adopted in January 2023 and draws its inspiration from Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17, the image of a tree planted by water. That theme shapes everything from the yearly worship calendar to the children's chapel just outside the sanctuary.
Sunday Worship at 10:30 AM
Worship is held each Sunday at 10:30 AM in the sanctuary and is also livestreamed on Facebook for those who cannot attend in person. The service blends classic Reformed worship patterns with the congregation's contemporary music group, Hearts for Worship, and the choir. The church follows a year-long worship series called Grounded and Growing, offered through Reformed Worship, published by Calvin Theological Seminary, and the theme converges with the congregation's own "Growing in Faith Together" motto. Sundays include a sermon drawn from the lectionary and from a summer book study, along with prayers, scripture readings, a Faith Story Moment for sharing personal faith stories, and weekly communion in keeping with Reformed practice.
Visitors arriving for the first time can expect a traditional sanctuary setting with a small but engaged congregation. Doors open well before the service, and the parlor downstairs hosts a Sunday Morning Book Club at 9:30 AM that meets before worship and is open to anyone interested in the current study. Bibles and hymn materials are provided, and the church's Music Director, Kurt Ebsary, often helps newcomers find their way into the music.
Music for Every Voice
Music holds a central place at First Presbyterian Tonawanda. Two groups carry the music ministry, both led by Music Director Kurt Ebsary, and both welcome musicians and singers of every skill level.
- Hearts for Worship, the contemporary ensemble, meets every Thursday from 6:30 PM to 7:15 PM in a space at the rear of the sanctuary. The group leads the church's modern worship songs and welcomes instrumentalists on keyboard, bass, guitar, and other instruments.
- The Choir rehearses on Thursdays from 7:15 PM to 8:00 PM in the parlor. Singers prepare a range of choral pieces and special hymn arrangements that are sung during Sunday services.
Ebsary also organizes guest musicians and artists for special events connected with the Calvin Worship Grant, including Christian songwriters and storytellers who lead workshops and worship services throughout the year.
Faith Formation through the Calvin Worship Grant
The church has received multi-year Vital Worship Grants from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. The 2024-2025 project, "God's Story/Our Story," focused on practical courses and workshops in Godly Play, Out of the Box Stories, and Pretending Bible Stories, paired with a Wednesday Book Club that meets in person at 11:00 AM and by Zoom at 7:00 PM. Book studies have included Daniel Schwabauer's "The God of Story," Christine Aroney-Sine's "The Gift of Wonder," and Mackenzie Ryan Walter's "Faith Storytellers," each culminating in an author visit, supper, and workshop open to the wider community.
A continuation grant, "God's Song/Our Song," was awarded for 2026-2027 and shifts the focus to music. The congregation is learning new ways to sing the biblical story while also writing and sharing its own songs of faith, with a stated goal of producing six worship songs and hosting events with Christian musicians. Throughout the year the grant program includes a Thursday Night Book Club and Knit-along at 5:30 PM and the Summer Book Study on David Taylor's "Open and Unafraid: The Psalms as a Guide to Life."
Godly Play All-Age Chapel
The Calvin Worship Grant has also allowed the church to outfit an All-Age Godly Play Chapel just outside the sanctuary with the full set of Core Godly Play stories and to train eight storytellers in the method. Space in the chapel is limited, so Sunday School classrooms are stocked with response materials - art supplies, LEGOs, music, dramatic props, and costumes - so children and adults can continue working with the story pieces in other rooms. The Godly Play approach, with its emphasis on wondering together about sacred stories, shapes both children's formation and the church's intergenerational worship.
Special Workshops and Storytelling
Alongside Godly Play, the church offers a workshop called "Embodying the Text, or Pretending Bible Stories," in which people of all ages use props and costumes to put themselves inside the scripture readings of the day. The technique, taught in workshops led by guest facilitators including Rev. Suzanne Guthrie of At the Edge of Enclosure, is used in worship services and as a stand-alone activity for retreats and small gatherings. Sunday School has historically run through early June, ending the same day as the church picnic, and resumes in the fall.
Prayer, Book Study, and Small Gatherings
Mid-week life at First Presbyterian is anchored by several small, recurring gatherings.
- Prayer Covenant Group meets every Tuesday at 10:00 AM in the chapel for a twenty-minute prayer time. The group gathers in silence as music plays, then enters the chapel to pray, light a candle, and use praying in color materials. The same gathering is hosted on Zoom for those joining from home.
- Thursday Night Book Club and Knit-along meets at 5:30 PM, with knitters and readers working through the same chapter discussed the following Sunday morning.
- Sunday Morning Book Club meets at 9:30 AM in the parlor before worship.
Pastor Rebecca is available to meet with members and friends at home or at church for prayer, and Tuesday mornings are reserved for that pastoral conversation.
Baptisms, Weddings, and Funerals
Baptisms take place during the regular Sunday morning worship service and are arranged through Pastor Rebecca. Weddings are scheduled by contacting the church office for the wedding policy, and funerals and memorial services can be arranged through the office or the pastor. The sanctuary, parlor, chapel, and other spaces serve the congregation for these sacred events.
Building Use and Community Life
The church building is available for a variety of community events outside the congregation's own worship and program schedule. A request form can be obtained from the church office, and inquiries about availability and costs are handled by phone during regular office hours. The building hosts bocce ball gatherings in season and other neighborhood uses that keep the doors open to the wider Tonawanda community. The church office itself is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Saturday from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Sunday from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM.
Leadership and Governance
First Presbyterian Church of Tonawanda is served by Pastor Rebecca Chaffee, who preaches, leads worship, and provides pastoral care. Music Director Kurt Ebsary leads the Hearts for Worship ensemble, the choir, and the broader music program. The church is governed by an elected Session of lay leaders who oversee the work of Christian Education, Property, Finance, Human Resources, and Worship ministry teams. The office administrator supports the pastor and the session in carrying out the day-to-day ministry of the church. Volunteers are a central part of congregational life, with bulletin-board sign-up sheets covering everything from opening the building during bocce season to Sunday morning service roles.
Reaching the Church
The church office can be reached at (716) 692-1319 or by email at church@firstprestona.org. The mailing address and physical location are the same: 149 Broad Street, Tonawanda, NY 14150. Sunday services and special events are livestreamed on the church's Facebook page, and online giving is available through the church's donations page for those who wish to support the ministry and the Calvin Worship Grant work from afar.