February 18 -- Ash Wednesday Service -- 7 PM
The beginning of the Lenten Season

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Sunday 

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​  February 8, 2026
11:00 am
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 Restoring Beauty 
​​
​Bulletin 


​Rev. Dr. Chris Ponnuraj, Preaching
 
Mr. John Strybos, Music Director


Choir: Eliza Bonet, J. J. Haight, Kelly Guerra Sedgwick,
Lauren Mitchell, Robert Orbach, Susie Reisinger
Join us for our
Friendship and Fellowship Hour
after 11:00 AM service in Bodge Lounge.
 All are welcome. 

Come and share the joy of Christ's love with us.
All are welcome!


Join us for the next showing: 

Ford v Ferrari

February 21, 2026
Pot Luck dinner at 6 PM
Movie at 7 PM​​


​​​​​​​All are welcome, admission is free.
​For more information or to volunteer, send an email to
[email protected]

Sunday, February 8​​   
11:00 AM
​​   Restoring Beauty
Racial Justice Sunday
For Super Bowl Sunday Bring in a can of soup for the Yonkers Food Pantry

​ Restoring Beauty
 Short Sermon
​Rev. Dr. Chris Ponnuraj, Preaching
​
The Gospel passage for this Sunday is from St. Matthew 5:13-20, is the continuation of Sermon on the Mount. In this passage Jesus said you are the Salt and the light. We are the salt, the silent work of influence and the light, the visible manifestation of God in people’s lives. 

The Salt and the Light are the two things that the value seems so insignificant but are part of our survival. When salt is added in the food it is hardly seen. Yet too little of it you can taste the difference and too much of it can spoil your taste of the food. The light is visible, it is needed during the night or when it is dark. Yet too much of it in the morning will make you say, “Turn it off” yet too little of it can make you feel unsafe. The salt and light work as salt is added to the food and the light is turned on.

In the Sermon on the Mount, we learned that the Beatitudes are the elements of Christian life. But the next section deals with the Christian influence. As Christians, people should be merciful or peacemakers and pure in heart, which will have a tremendous influence in the lives of those who have not given their heart to God. 
In ancient times salt was seen as a necessity for life. Because of its seasoning and preservative qualities, salt was one of the most highly prized minerals. In many societies salt was so highly valued and was used instead of money. The English word salary is derived from the Latin word “Salarium” which refers to the payments made to a Roman soldier with salt.
In the Bible times and till today salt is used for seasoning our food. Who likes to eat food without salt? Even though salt is so small and yet hardly noticeable it makes a difference when applied to the substance. For our lives to be a living sacrifice for God, our body must be preserved and seasoned with the righteousness of Christ. Salt was also used to preserve food. During the old Biblical times they did not have the refrigeration systems that we have today. 

Salt was also used to have a covenant relationship as we read in Numbers 18:19 “It is a covenant of salt forever before the Lord with you and your descendants with you.” So, salt also represented a relationship. “It represented hospitality that cemented on friendship” There is an Eastern saying “There is salt between us”

Jesus said you are the Salt of the Earth; what did Jesus mean by this statement? It is the silent witness of the Christian believer. It is the influence that you have over other people’s lives to season and preserve for eternal life. Christ is saying let your influence season people’s life for the kingdom. Salt changes things: a little salt can flavor a big pot of beans. It only takes on salt to flavor a whole community, a whole neighborhood and a whole workplace.

Someone once said, “The salt is no good if it never leaves the saltshaker, it is only a decoration to the kitchen table”. We deny the salt function when we fail to mingle with people that are lost; we deny the function of the salt when we fail to be kind, merciful and as peacemakers. 

To deny the salt function is to deny the principles of the kingdom of God. We are not to draw away from society, we are not of the world, but we live in the world. And if we as Salt don’t rub against those who have no flavor, those who are perishing who will do this great act of influence? Jesus said, “You are the salt” It is emphatic He didn’t say you are the earth. Jesus said, “you are the salt”. 

 If you like to know more about Salt and Light,
please join us in our Sunday worship at 11:00 AM.
Peace! 
Rev. Dr. Christopher Ponnuraj
Minister


​~ All Year Long ~
Ongoing Food Collection
The Board of World Service collects
​ food donations for the
Yonkers Emergency Food Pantry,
which distributes them to families in Yonkers. 
Non-perishable food can be brought to the church
any Sunday and left in the large basket
in the back of the Sanctuary. 
Monetary donations are welcome, too;
checks can be written to West Center Congregational Church, noting "Yonkers Food Pantry"
​on the memo line and can be left in the offering plate on Sunday.

With the holidays coming up sooner than we think, the stores already have displays of side dish food for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners -- how about picking up a couple of things for the Food Pantry?  No matter what you can give, all donations are much appreciated!
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​Contact us:

Church Office: 101 Pondfield Road West,
Bronxville, NY 10708
Email: [email protected]
​Phone: (914) 337-3829
​​​Your Donations help us to continue with
our Missions during these trying times!

View other ways to donate to West Center.