A Parish at the Heart of the Village
St. Michael's Episcopal Church has occupied a place at 23 Main Street in the village of Geneseo, New York, for generations. Set within walking distance of the village center and the surrounding Livingston County farmland, the church stands as the principal Anglican presence in the area and as a fixture of community life. It belongs to the Diocese of Rochester, takes its place within the worldwide Anglican Communion, and describes itself with a phrase that has become something of a refrain: "A people reaching beyond ourselves, extending hospitality, cultivating community, becoming one family in Christ." That vision shapes everything from the rhythm of Sunday worship to the long list of community partnerships the parish maintains throughout the region.
Two Sunday Services, Two Tones
The Sunday rhythm at St. Michael's centers on two eucharistic celebrations held in two distinct settings. At 8:00 in the morning, the assembly gathers in the Wadsworth Chapel for a Rite I spoken mass. Drawn from the older language of the Book of Common Prayer, the service is quiet, contemplative, and shorter than its later counterpart. At 10:00 in the morning, the congregation moves into the main Sanctuary for the principal service of the week, a Rite II high mass with music that is also broadcast live through the parish's Vimeo channel for those unable to attend in person.
Both services begin promptly. Newcomers are gently encouraged to arrive a few minutes before the hour to find a seat before worship begins. If you arrive late, the door is still open, and the only request is to enter quietly so that those inside can continue to listen to the readings or the sermon.
Weekday Eucharist in the Chapel
For those whose week keeps them close to home, a Wednesday noon service is held in the chapel. It is a brief and reflective celebration of Holy Eucharist. On the first Wednesday of each month the service takes the form of a healing liturgy. As at every other service at St. Michael's, all are welcome.
An Episcopal Home in the Anglican Tradition
St. Michael's is an Episcopal parish rooted in the Anglican tradition, a heritage that traces through the Church of England and into the global Anglican Communion. Worship is deliberately eucharistic and modestly formal, "without being stuffy or inaccessible," as the parish itself describes it. The Book of Common Prayer provides the underlying structure of the liturgy, supplying the prayers, collects, and readings that shape Episcopal worship across the country.
The worship spaces reflect that dual character. The main Sanctuary, where the 10:00 AM service takes place, accommodates the larger assembly, the choir, and the organ. The Wadsworth Chapel, a smaller and more intimate setting, hosts the 8:00 AM spoken mass and the Wednesday noon Eucharist. After the Sunday morning service, the assembly gathers in the Parish Hall for fellowship, conversation, and refreshments.
The parish also makes several resources available to anyone who wants to follow along or prepare for worship. An online Sunday Lectionary lists the appointed readings for each week, the full text of the Book of Common Prayer is linked, and the daily devotional Forward Day by Day is offered as a companion to the lectionary.
The Music of St. Michael's
Music carries a central place in the worship and cultural life of the parish. The position of Organist and Choirmaster is held by F. Mitchell Bush, a concert pianist who began playing at his family's church when his parents agreed to pay for piano lessons. He went on to win First Prize for five consecutive years at the National Kiwanis Music Competition, First Prize in the Pro-Mozart Award Competition, the Atlanta Music Club Scholarship Competition, and the Southwestern Music Festival Competition. He studied at the Eastman School of Music on the George Eastman Scholarship and as a full scholarship student at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria, with teachers including Thomas Schumacher, Susan Starr, and Nelita True, and master class studies with Emanuel Ax. He has performed at Steinway Hall, the International Museum of Photography and Film, Georgia State Convention Center, Citibank of New York, Methuen Memorial Music Hall, Washington National Cathedral, and the American Church in Paris. He frequently collaborates with his brother, the international concert organist Brink Bush, as The Bush Brothers. Before coming to St. Michael's, he served as organist, pianist, and choir director at several churches, most recently at St. John's Episcopal Church in Wellsville, New York.
The parish choir and music program support the 10:00 AM high mass. The parish's musical values are balanced: it prizes the long Anglican musical tradition, and it also makes room for more contemporary forms of music.
What the Parish Believes
The parish articulates its faith through a series of affirmations, each built around an action of God in the world.
The church teaches that God Transforms. The Episcopal Church's emphasis on inclusivity, social justice, and thoughtful engagement with faith works to transform humanity in profound ways. By welcoming all regardless of background, the parish aims to build communities that celebrate diversity and break down barriers, and to inspire acts of compassion that foster a more just and equitable world.
It teaches that God Loves. God's love is described as unconditional and boundless, extending to all regardless of background or belief. That love is revealed through Jesus Christ, offering forgiveness, hope, and a path to salvation, and is experienced in daily life through scripture, prayer, and acts of service.
It teaches that God Triumphs. The triumph over evil is understood not as a single past event but as an ongoing process. Through the resurrection of Jesus, hope and love conquer darkness and despair. Parishioners take part in that triumph through acts of service and justice, striving to overcome evil in the world even though darkness may persist.
It teaches that God Redeems. God's ultimate aim is to redeem humanity, restoring all to right relationship with God and one another. That redemption, begun through Christ's sacrifice, continues through the work of the Holy Spirit, and glimpses of God's restorative power are present even now, with the full picture awaiting in the life to come.
It teaches that God Inhabits. God is not confined to the past but is actively present in the world. That presence is experienced through prayer, scripture, and the beauty of creation, with the Holy Spirit guiding the community toward love, justice, and understanding.
Hands-On Outreach in the Region
Mission and outreach at St. Michael's are deliberately relational. Rather than trying to do everything, the parish has chosen a handful of community partnerships that it tends over years.
The church is a partner with the Geneseo-Groveland Food Pantry, providing essential groceries to families facing food insecurity. It maintains ongoing relationships with local immigrant and migrant agricultural workers in the area, with a senior living facility, and with a battered women's shelter. With each of these partners, the parish aims to bear witness to what it calls the consolation of Christ, offering itself as a living presence for the benefit of its neighbors.
The parish also supports a youth group that offers a safe and supportive space for young people to grow in faith and fellowship. Other outreach efforts include providing assistance to the elderly and supporting local shelters. The work is intentionally hands-on: the parish serves the community through relationship building, attending to the needs of others as its own.
Knit, Chat, Pray and the Prayer Shawl Ministry
On Wednesday mornings at 10:00 AM, the Parish Lounge fills with knitters of every age and skill level for a gathering called Knit, Chat, Pray. The primary work of the morning is the creation of prayer shawls for those in need of healing, but no experience is required and knitting is optional. Beginners are welcomed and taught by more experienced hands. Participants are invited to bring 10-inch needles if they have them and to come ready to teach and learn. The gathering runs until noon, ending just before the Wednesday chapel service begins. And the overriding rule is simple: "knitting is optional, fun is required."
Children at the Heart of Worship
Children are not merely accommodated at St. Michael's. They are treated as full participants in the liturgy. Acolyte training is offered with very minimal preparation, and young people regularly serve at the altar. Once a month the parish celebrates Family Sunday, a service that incorporates children more fully through readings, serving on the altar, and musical offerings. The parish's habit is to involve children as regular participants in worship rather than segregating them into a separate space during the service.
The Rector and Pastoral Leadership
The parish is led by the Rev. F. Michael Laver, an Episcopal priest and professor of East Asian History at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Fr. Laver was called to serve St. Michael's in February 2023. He holds a PhD in East Asian Languages and Literatures and a Master's of Divinity from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, and serves as a trustee on the board of CRCDS as well as a board member of the Lutheran Episcopal Campus Ministry at RIT. He lives in downtown Rochester with his wife, Dr. Anne Laver, professor of Organ at Syracuse University and University Organist, and their two boys.
The Vestry, the elected lay body that governs the parish alongside the rector, includes Karen Canning as Senior Warden, Sandy Wilcox as Junior Warden, and Marylou Boynton as Treasurer. The parish office is staffed by Alicia Jennejohn as Parish Administrator and is open Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM.
Visitors: What to Wear, Where to Park, What to Expect
Newcomers often ask what to wear. The parish's answer is simple and direct: come as you are. Within the same service you may see members dressed in their Sunday best alongside others in shorts and sandals, even in winter. Reverence is welcomed, but the parish is more interested in the heart than the wardrobe. Men are asked to remove their hats on entering, and communicants are asked to remove gloves when receiving the Eucharist.
Parking is readily available along Main Street and in the rear parking lot. The rear lot also provides the most accessible entry point: a lift takes visitors to all floors of the church building, making the sanctuary, chapel, and fellowship spaces reachable for those with mobility needs.
The 10:00 AM service is followed by fellowship in the Parish Hall, an opportunity to meet members of the parish over coffee and refreshments. For those unable to attend in person, the livestream is available through Vimeo, and a full library of recorded sermons is kept online for later viewing.
Stewardship and Giving
The parish practices year-round stewardship, summed up in the time-honored language of time, talent, and treasure. Financial gifts support the operating life of the church, including renovation projects, fund-raising efforts, and the management of rental properties that help sustain the parish's mission. Beyond money, members share artistic, technological, domestic, and musical gifts, assist fellow parishioners and neighbors, and serve on committees and outreach efforts throughout the year rather than only during the annual fall Stewardship Campaign.
Online giving is available through PayPal and Venmo, and parishioners may also designate gifts toward flower offerings that brighten the sanctuary each week. Stewardship, in the parish's view, is more than just giving; it is about sharing the unique gifts that members bring to the life of the church.
News from the Parish
The parish publishes a regular newsletter called The Sword & Shield, available both in print and online. Recent writing has explored the Episcopal Church's tradition of welcoming and inclusivity, the role of worship as an act of witness, and the strength the parish draws from the diversity of its members. A "Hello Geneseo Community" message invites neighbors to attend worship. The parish's outreach efforts are chronicled in posts about the food pantry, youth group, and other programs that put faith into action, and a steady stream of announcements keeps the wider community informed about everything from the Wednesday healing service to the parish's annual Chicken BBQ.
Through all of these activities, the parish returns repeatedly to the same theme: bearing witness to Christ through time-honored worship and faithful service, and loving its neighbors as itself.