Perinton Presbyterian Church | Sermons and Conversations

Sermon Podcast | The Power of the Spirit | Pastor Heritage Munyakuri

Recorded on Sunday, 05/24/26 | Scripture Readings: Acts 2:1-21 | The day of Pentecost marks the birth of the church through the Holy Spirit's outpouring. After Jesus' ascension, the disciples waited together in unity for ten days until the Spirit came like rushing wind and tongues of fire. This wasn't just a historical event - it demonstrates God's desire for believers today to experience His presence and power. Just as a sailboat needs wind to move forward, Christians need the Holy Spirit's power to avoid spiritual stagnation. The same Spirit that transformed the early disciples is available to transform our lives today when we move beyond religious routine into genuine spiritual relationship. This service was a joint worship service by the El Shaddai and Perinton Presbyterian Churches. The sermon was shared in both English and Kinyarwanda. Kinyarwanda, (officially known as Ikinyarwanda) is a Bantu language and the national language of Rwanda. It is a dialect of the Rwanda-Rundi language that is also spoken in Burundi and adjacent parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Tanzania. Many of the members from the El Shaddai Church are from these areas of Africa. | Find out more about our church at perintonpres.org

Sermon Podcast | Showing Heaven to the World | Rev. Laura Fry

Recorded on Sunday, 05/17/26 at the 11am service | Scripture Readings: Romans 12:9-21 | Christians are called to be living exhibitions of God's kingdom values to the world. Romans 12:9-21 provides a blueprint for this kingdom living, calling believers to show genuine love, honor one another, serve with enthusiasm, and bless rather than curse those who oppose them. The church's witness has sometimes been damaged by internal conflicts and failures to live out these values authentically. Every Christian tells a story about God through their life - the question is what story we're telling. Like Paul's transformation from persecutor to evangelist, we can be transformed by encountering Jesus and allowing the gospel to change us from the inside out. | This is the 6th and final sermon in our "The Great Ends of the Church" sermon series. | Find out more about our church at perintonpres.org [perintonpres.org]

Sermon Podcast | Social Righteousness | Rev. Laura Fry

Recorded on Sunday, 05/10/26 at the 11am service | Scripture Readings: Matthew 25:31-46 | Biblical righteousness goes beyond personal piety to encompass how we treat others in our communities. The Hebrew word tzedakah means social relations that honor people's God-given worth. Throughout Scripture, God consistently calls His people to care for the vulnerable while maintaining authentic worship. Jesus clearly taught in Matthew 25 that we will be judged based on how we treat the hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, and imprisoned. Churches today must both challenge people to serve those in need and provide concrete opportunities to practice social righteousness in their communities. | This is the 5th sermon in our "The Great Ends of the Church" sermon series. | Find out more about our church at perintonpres.org

Sermon Podcast | Preservation of the Truth | Rev. Nadia Mullin

Recorded on Sunday, 05/03/26 at the 11am service | Scripture Readings: John 18:33-40 | In a world where truth seems to shift constantly, the question 'What is truth?' remains as relevant today as when Pontius Pilate first asked Jesus. Christianity makes a bold claim that truth is not just an abstract concept, but a person - Jesus Christ, who declared himself to be the way, the truth, and the life. As Christians, we find reliable sources of truth in Scripture and our confessions, which help us navigate conflicting information and societal pressures. The Church preserves truth through proclamation, worship, community, confession, and discipleship. We are called to be stewards of truth, not creators of it, pointing others to Christ through our words and actions while resisting the distortion of truth in our daily lives. | This is the 4th sermon in our "The Great Ends of the Church" sermon series. | Find out more about our church at perintonpres.org

Sermon Podcast | Divine Worship | Rev. Laura Fry

Recorded on Sunday, 04/26/26 at the 11am service | Scripture Readings: Psalm 96:1-9, Romans 12:1-2, Revelation 5:11-14 | Worship extends far beyond Sunday services to encompass our entire relationship with God. The word comes from Old English 'worthship,' meaning to declare God's worthiness. Biblical worship has three dimensions: bowing down in reverence (proskuneo), engaging in acts of devotion like prayer and communion (sebomai), and living our daily lives as worshipful service to others (latreuo). True worship means recognizing God alone as worthy of our devotion, rejecting the worship of money, careers, or other false gods. Following Jesus' example when he refused to worship Satan, we must boldly assert God's exclusive worthiness. Authentic worship transforms our everyday ordinary life into a living sacrifice, making every moment an offering to God through both gathering together and serving others in the world. | This is the 3rd sermon in our "The Great Ends of the Church" sermon series. | Find out more about our church at perintonpres.org