Wellsville: Formal installation of Rev. Potts

Rev. David Potts will be installed as the first pastor of the newly merged Christian Temple First Congregational Church (CTFCC) on Sunday, January 29^th at 3 p.m.  All are welcome to attend the service of installation at the church’s worship center, 289 North Main Street, Wellsville.  A dinner will follow. 

Rev. Potts, a native of Jamestown, NY, has been in Wellsville since May.  He has been in the ministry for 30 years, having served churches in Brooklyn, NY, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Wyoming, Washington state, and most recently in Jamestown.  He received his M.Div. from North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago.

Church leaders from all over New York will be participating in the special service, including Rev. Ryan Henderson, Associate Conference Minister for Youth, Young Adults, and Emerging Ministries of the United Church of Christ NY Conference, and Arthur Davis, Regional Elder from the Disciples of Christ, New York Conference.  Local clergy will also be present.
On December 21, 2016, the State of New York officially recognized Christian Temple First Congregational Church (CTFCC) as one church.  The two congregations have been working on merging for almost four years.  They have been worshipping in the former Congregational Church on North Main Street (their worship center) and use the former Christian Temple building as their Mission Center.  Soon the congregation will be choosing a new name for the new church.  The church phone number is 585-593-5015.

An active congregation, CTFCC is a welcoming Christian community, celebrating, searching, and serving God with heart, soul and mind.  In the community, the church has built 8 ramps to help people get in and out of their homes.  On Saturdays, a free meal is served at the Mission Center at noon.  The church has sponsored the CROP walk annually to aid hunger programs locally and around the world.  A Christmas concert was presented at the Mission Center to aid refugee children and the Water for Haiti project.  Yearly Vacation Bible School is available to the entire community.

Rev. Potts is committed to intentional ministry, teaching, studying, mentoring and being mentored.  He has enjoyed getting to know the area and the folks in his congregation.  “I hope everyone can come to the installation service to say hello to me and to all the wonderful folks in our church family.”