Our Senior Pastor

Pastor Steve Gretz

I became Greece Baptist Church's Senior Pastor in the summer of 2007 after serving American Baptist Churches in Massachusetts for 20 years. It was a kind of "homecoming" for me. I was born in Canandaigua, NY in 1956, graduated from Bloomfield Central School, did my undergraduate work at Stanford University, and earned my M.Div. degree at Princeton. I have lived on both coasts and in Europe but chose to return to my home here in the Rochester area. I'm excited to be here to help shepherd Greece Baptist Church into the 21st Century. This is a great place to live. Folks are down-to-earth and caring. We've been through some tough times economically, but we have a strong bond of faith and are looking ahead to a bright future.

I see my role as pastor being primarily to encourage my members: encouraging them to grow spiritually in their individual faith journeys and to grow together as we share our experience of God's love in Jesus Christ. Through my preaching, teaching, and counseling, I try to help people understand the scriptures, learn to think and talk about their faith, and apply those understandings to their daily lives. The German theologian Karl Barth once said that a good preacher should hold the Bible in one hand and today's newspaper in the other. With that in mind, I try to read the scriptures through the eyes of current events and experiences.

I try hard to focus on what is really important. When Jesus was asked what was the most important thing, he said it was to love God and to love our neighbors. All too often people of faith get bogged down in disputes and fights about points of doctrine, interpretations of scripture, or particular social causes, and forget that while we may have disagreements, we are called to love each other and be united in the love of God. I believe we need to listen to each other, to be tolerant and loving towards those who disagree with us, and to strive to follow Christ's teaching and example in all we do.

If you are looking for a huge church where everyone is told to think the same way, Greece Baptist Church is simply not it. But if you are looking for a church that is big enough to make a difference-but still small enough to be a family-we might just be what you are looking for. We are a community of faith where you can feel free to ask questions and find your way without being shamed or guilt-tripped. We are proud of our heritage and traditions but are not bound by them. We are a church family that is committed to following Jesus Christ in a society that is moving into this post-modern age with all its challenges, complexities, and marvelous opportunities.