Messiah’s RP Church

Location: Clay, N.Y.

Presbytery: St. Lawrence

Pastor: Brian Coombs

Membership: 47 communicant; 14 baptized.

Organized: Oct. 2005

Messiah’s Church began as a daughter of the Syracuse, N.Y., RPC. Many years of faithful prayer laid the foundation for this, and the area north of Syracuse (the fastest growing area of Onondaga County) was chosen for the church plant. Starting in 1995, a small group met in private homes on Sabbath evenings. Public worship began in 1997, and the congregation spent many years renting the upper room of the North Syracuse Community Center—setting up and taking down “church” every week. These were times of close fellowship, but not without challenges as we waited for the Lord to firmly establish us. One of the things we did during this time was to choose our name—Messiah’s Church. This name emphasizes our central focus on Jesus—prophet, priest, and king.

We were officially organized on Oct. 14, 2005. The Lord gifted us with four elders—Brian Coombs (pastor), David McCune, Peter Howe, and George Hueber. Later we also were blessed with three deacons—Rick Tidd, Mike Brimhall, and Gerard Beckhusen.

In 2008 the Lord graciously provided us with our current church home in Clay, N.Y., where a building was being sold by a Presbyterian USA congregation that had a dwindling membership. The lovely brick building not only meets our current needs but also allows for future expansion on 10 acres of land. A mass mailing for an Open House celebration notified the surrounding residential communities of our presence and our desire to welcome them.

Current ministries include two midweek studies, financial support for others in our presbytery, ongoing donations to the Syracuse RP Church’s neighborhood food pantry, a card/flower committee and meal committee to minister to any who need support. There is also a joint Quilting Project with the Syracuse RP Church. Young women (13 years old and up) make and distribute handmade quilts to organizations that serve the needy. A social committee has organized monthly activities to promote closer fellowship as well as provide an opportunity to invite friends, family members, and neighbors to become better acquainted with the church. Monthly fellowship lunches also serve these purposes. Several times a year Messiah’s Church hosts a regional psalm sing for other RP congregations who are within driving distance. As part of our ministry of the Word, we have a large library of Christian classics (recently boosted by donations from a member) that provides a wonderful resource for anyone wishing to grow in their understanding of the faith.

Our church family is continuing to grow in the Lord by His grace and through faithful preaching and teaching. Pastor Coombs is currently teaching a communicants class of 11 young people who want to assume adult responsibilities in the church. We have also been blessed with visitors whom we hope will be led to Christ or to a deeper walk with Him. To increase our awareness of the global church and its needs, we have had presentations from the Gideons and workers who have served in Rwanda, Sudan, Scotland, and Peru (including two of our members).

Prayer Requests

• That the Lord would give opportunities to serve others with the resources we’ve received.

• That He would continue to knit us together as members of Christ’s body in harmony and unity.

• That the Lord would provide us with growth in numbers by including seekers, new converts, and other Christians who are convicted of the Reformed faith.

• That one day He would use us to plant other churches in this presbytery.