Welcome to the Pastor’s Corner, and welcome to the website of the First Presbyterian Church of Greenlawn! We hope that you will find here helpful resources for your spiritual journey.
That early Christians were called the “people of the way” is a reminder to us that we have not yet reached our destination, but continue to make our way along the path of discipleship. What is true of our lives as Christians is also true of this page and site. It, like us, is “a work in progress.”

And “may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all”
(2 Cor. 3:14)

A Message from
Pastor
Ann Van Cleef,
November 2025

To My Beloved Church Family,

     The beginning of November has become a time for remembrance.  We start with All Saints Day on November 1, where we remember those saints who have gone before us, as well as those who still walk beside us. 

     On November 9 and 10, we remember Kristallnacht, the occasion of violence by Nazis in Germany and Austria against Jewish people and their property in 1938.  Although we did not hold a Kristallnacht remembrance in church this year, we have done so in the past and will do so again.

    On Veterans Day, November 11, we honor and thank those who have served in our Armed Forces.  Why November 11?  Hostilities of WWI were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when the Armistice with Germany went into effect.  The observance was originally called Armistice Day but was renamed Veterans Day in 1954.

     At our Service of Worship on November 9, we honored and thanked three Veterans who were in attendance: Bob Eitel (Army), Glenn Jahier (Army), and Bill Becker (Navy).  We blessed them with these words:

     “Even after our Veterans take off the uniform, they never stop serving.  Many apply the skills and experience they developed in the Service to a life of service here at home.  They take on roles in their communities as doctors and police officers, engineers and entrepreneurs, mothers and fathers.  As a grateful nation, it is our task to make that transition possible – to ensure our returning heroes can share in the opportunities they have given so much to defend.  The freedoms we cherish endure because of their service and sacrifice, and our country must strive to honor our veterans by fulfilling our responsibilities to them and upholding the sacred trust we share with all who have served.

     On days like this, we are called to reflect on immeasurable burdens that have been borne by so few.  We pay tribute to our wounded, our missing, our fallen, and their families – men and women who have known the true costs of conflict and deserve our deepest respect, now and forever.  We also remember that our commitments to those who have served are commitments that we must honor, not only on Veterans Day, but every day.  As we do, let us reaffirm our promise that when our troops finish their tours of duty, they come home to an America that gives them the benefits they have earned, the care they deserve, and the fullest opportunity to keep their families strong and our country moving forward.

     With respect for and in recognition of the contributions our service members have made to the cause of peace and freedom around the world, we ask God, that you bless our Veterans and keep them forever in Your care.”

And all of God’s people said, Amen. 

With love and blessings,
Pastor Ann

Pastor Rev. Dr. Ann VanCleef

Sunday Worship –
Questions and Answers
By Pastor Ann

Zoom Worship

How are we going to worship on Sundays?    
     We will be continuing our Sunday worship using a video conferencing system called Zoom.  You may log on as early as 10:00 a.m. for coffee and conversation.  Worship begins promptly at 10:30, followed by a virtual coffee hour until noon.  The easiest way to do Zoom is to download the Zoom App from the App Store.  Zoom will work on a computer, a laptop, an I-Pad, or a Smartphone.  

What are the Meeting IDs?
     Please check your weekly email for ID's and Passcodes for each service.

Will I get a reminder about logging on to these services?
     If you are on the church e-mail list, you will get a weekly e-mail with the Zoom link.

I don’t have a camera on my computer, but I do have a Smartphone.
Zoom will work on your Smartphone. 

I don’t have a computer or a Smartphone.  What can I do?
     You may telephone the following number: 
1-646-558-8656
     You will be asked for a meeting ID.  The meeting IDs are outlined in paragraph 2.
     You won’t be able to see us, but you can still hear what’s going on.

Please note:
     Out here on the North Fork, where I live, the Internet has been a bit “iffy” lately.  There is a chance that I will suddenly “disappear” from your screen.  If that happens, just hang in there. 
I will log back on with my iPhone.