On five acres in a quiet neighborhood on Jackson Road in Penfield, New York, Penfield Presbyterian Church (PPC) gathers each Sunday morning for traditional worship and sends its members back out the door with coffee, conversation, and a long to-do list. The congregation is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and a member of the Presbytery of Genesee Valley, and it has built its identity around three commitments: worship that follows the church's liturgical book but feels relaxed and welcoming, hands-on service aimed at the impacts of poverty and food insecurity, and a Seasonal Team structure that spreads the work of running the church across the whole congregation rather than a few standing committees.
A Statement of Purpose Centred on Worship and Food Insecurity
The church's own statement of purpose names two anchors. The first is worship that encourages connections with Christ's teachings and nurtures spiritual and emotional well-being. The second is being a healthy, vital congregation addressing the impacts of poverty, especially food insecurity, in the local community. Members show that purpose in many small ways: through acts of loving service, sacred music, generous giving, fellowship events, and the passing of the peace during worship. The mission side of the church's life is expressed through a pledge to direct at least 10 percent of annual pledges to mission, a commitment to the Matthew 25 initiative, and ongoing support for the Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf, the Little Free Pantry that stands in front of the church, and partner organizations across the Rochester area.
What Sunday Morning Looks Like
Worship is held every Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. in the sanctuary and is livestreamed on the church's YouTube channel, with recordings available for later viewing. The style is liturgical, drawing on the PC(USA) Book of Order, but the setting is informal and cheerful. Printed bulletins in large font outline the service for anyone who wants to follow along, and an FM audio loop supports hearing aids. The church does not use projection screens. Prayers and Bible readings lead into a sermon that is usually scripture based and may be thematic or lectionary centered, and the congregation sings hymns that are generally traditional, with an anthem from the choir, a vocalist, or instrumentalists along the way. The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper is celebrated on the first Sunday of each month, and all are welcome to share in communion. During the summer months, services occasionally move outdoors to the front lawn.
People wear what is comfortable for them, from jeans and sneakers to business clothes, and the pastor and guest preachers may choose between street clothes and a formal robe. After worship, the congregation gathers in the foyer for casual refreshments hosted by the Sunday Fellowship and Special Events team, and from there the Adult Christian Education Group meets at 11:30 a.m. for discussion.
Music: The Choir, the Piano, and the Occasional Bell
Music is a defining feature of worship at PPC. Christine Stevens-Schwind, who holds degrees in music education from Graceland University, serves as the church musician and leads the singing from the piano. The Chancel Choir rehearses on Wednesday evenings at 6:30 and warms up at 9:00 on Sunday mornings, and the group is open to anyone, including those who can only drop in from time to time. Choir members describe their rehearsals as relaxed, full of laughter, and welcoming to all skill levels, and they sing a wide range of styles within a broadly traditional framework. Vocal soloists, instrumentalists, and a Bell Choir round out the musical offerings, and children are welcome to share their own musical gifts during worship.
Children in Worship and Church School
Children of all ages are welcome in worship, along with their movement and sounds. Near the start of the service the pastor invites children forward for a Children's Message, and worship bags with activities and crafts are available at the rear of the sanctuary for use throughout the service. Children ages five to ten are also invited to Church School on the second and fourth Sundays of each month following the Children's Message. Church School is not offered during the summer months. For younger children and for those who need separate nursery care, families are encouraged to contact the church office in advance. The curriculum uses interactive storytelling, crafts, and art for preschool and elementary children, while middle schoolers are invited to ask questions, explore Reformed theology and practice, and learn in relationship with caring adults.
Learning Beyond Sunday Morning
Faith development at PPC is intergenerational. The Adult Christian Education Group meets most Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and uses DVD-based courses and in-person lectures, with discussions that the church describes as lively and thought provoking. The All PPC Reads program offers at least one congregation-wide book study each year, recent titles having included Worldchanging 101, Tattoos on the Heart, and Welcome to the Wisdom of the World. The Nooma group gathers on select Friday evenings every six to eight weeks for a shared dinner and reflection on a short video, with conversation that draws on members' own interests. The name comes from the Greek pneuma, the word for breath, spirit, or soul. Adult Education uses the Wired Word curriculum, and the church recommends resources such as d365 daily devotionals, the Presbyterians Today magazine, and BibleProject for further study at home.
The Seasonal Team Model
Rather than rely on a traditional committee structure, PPC organizes its shared work around four short-term Seasonal Teams that plan and oversee each liturgical season, Advent and Epiphany, Lent and Easter, Pentecost, and Harvest. Each team works with the pastor to develop a theme for its season and to organize worship, learning, hospitality, and mission activities around that theme. The model is meant to encourage creativity, enthusiasm, and wider ownership of the church's life, and participation is open to members and regular visitors alike. Seasonal Teams have organized hands-on mission activities with partners such as Foodlink and have planned the occasional special services and creative elements woven into worship.
Outreach: Hands and Goods and Money
Service to the wider community is woven through every season. The congregation prepares and serves a monthly Community Breakfast in collaboration with Trinity Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in the Genesee-Jefferson neighborhood of Rochester, and PPC members have taken part in Habitat for Humanity builds, including a Women's Build. The Deacons provide compassionate care to members and friends of the congregation, and a Little Free Pantry in front of the church offers shelf-stable food to neighbors, while a Little Free Library shares books and a Little Pet Pantry supported by Lollypop Farm offers pet supplies. Recent gifts of funds have supported Greater Rochester Interfaith Builders for Habitat for Humanity, The People's Pantry, Youth Build with the Urban Economic Development Corp., Foodlink, Cameron Community Ministries, Rochester Witness for Palestine, Center for Youth, and the World Food Program USA. Holiday turkeys and Angel gifts go to the Penfield Ecumenical Food Shelf, hygiene kits and bagged lunches are prepared for unhoused neighbors, blankets are sewn for the Linus Project, and school supplies, boots, and snow clothes are gathered for School #19, Cameron Community Ministries, and School #22.
A Building Made for Worship and a Preschool
The accessible facility sits on five acres with easy access from Whalen Road or Atlantic Avenue (Route 286), just west of Route 250 in the Penfield School District. A canopy at the drive-up entrance, automatic doors, and a very slight threshold lead into the sanctuary, fellowship area, and adjacent restrooms, all of which are fully accessible, with multiple parking spaces near the front door. During the week, much of the building is used by the Penfield Presbyterian Early Learning Center.
The Penfield Presbyterian Early Learning Center
The Early Learning Center, often called PPELC, grew out of the mission and community concerns of the church and is operated as an entity of Penfield Presbyterian Church. PPELC serves children from infancy through age twelve in a playful, nurturing environment focused on high quality, developmentally appropriate, and affordable childcare. Families interested in the program can reach the center through its dedicated phone line.
Pastoral Leadership and Beliefs
The Rev. Twyla Boyer has served as pastor of Penfield Presbyterian Church since her installation in May 2020. A lifelong Presbyterian who sang in the choir, attended Sunday School, and took part in youth group as a child, she answered a sense of call in her thirties and graduated from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2005. She has served eight churches across three presbyteries and describes her current work with PPC as the joyful phase of ministry, alongside a congregation she describes as creative, loving, welcoming, and open. She is active in the presbytery and frames her ministry as following the teachings of Jesus in a way that is invitational and non-judgmental.
Pastor Twyla is supported by Music Director Christine Stevens-Schwind, Office Administrator Brenda Tucker, and PPELC Director Tiffany Mowers. The congregation as a whole operates within the Presbyterian Church (USA)'s representative form of government, in which leadership is shared between ministers and the congregation and governing leaders are elected from among the members. At the heart of Presbyterian identity, the church points to a secure hope in the grace of God in Jesus Christ, hope that empowers lives of gratitude and freedom in the grace of God.
Getting Connected
Membership is not required to participate in worship or in the work of the church, and individuals decide for themselves what is meaningful for their faith journey. Beyond Sunday worship, the Chancel Choir, Knit Wits knitting group, Property Team, Sunday Fellowship, Adult Education, All PPC Reads, and Nooma offer regular ways to plug in, and the Seasonal Teams invite broader involvement in planning worship and mission for each season. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., and giving is supported online through Tithe.ly. Online worship continues every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. on YouTube for those who prefer to join from home.