The Thursday Update

JUNE 2, 2022

Lakeshore Friends—

Summer is here.  Yes, it’s unofficial, but when you live in Rochester, you take whatever time you can get to enjoy it.  To me, these next three months are the best time to live here and appreciate all that Upstate New York has to offer.  People are outside and energized, doing so much to take in the beautiful, warm, and longer days.

I also like that things tend to slow down a bit at church.  Sunday still comes every seven days (to be sure), so the work is always there.  But we have fewer initiatives that we need to push beyond our efforts to create Sunday services that help you discover and develop a growing relationship with Jesus Christ in a meaningful way.

What don’t I like about the Summer?  It’s the fact that our attendance is typically down and people get out of the swing of attending church.  It’s what every pastor I know likes least about this time we call “The Summer Slump”.

No matter, I thank God for this time to reflect on my life, refresh physically, replenish spiritually, and reset our church for the upcoming ministry year that starts in September.

I hope you’ll take in and enjoy everything that summer has to offer.  I also hope that will include growing your faith on Sundays at Lakeshore.  We’ll do our very best to make every minute you spend here matter.

Warmly… VERY warmly until at least September,
Vince

MAY 26, 2022

Lakeshore Friends—

This weekend is the unofficial start of summer.  It’s a great time to get a break from work and enjoy a long weekend.  But it’s also an opportunity to remember and honor those who have died in American wars.  It originated in 1868 during the Civil War when citizens would place flowers on the graves of those who had been killed in battle.  It moved from being observed on May 30 to the last Monday of May in 1970.

This weekend, I hope you have a time to relax and enjoy some time with family and friends. I hope you’ll make time for the Lord, including being at church on Sunday.  And I hope you will remember the great sacrifice made by those who have given their lives for our freedoms in our great country. 

They are all reminders of John 15:13 where Jesus, anticipating His own death, said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Warmly,
Vince

MAY 19, 2022

Lakeshore Friends—

Last Saturday was such a terrible day for Buffalo and Western NY.  Because of the acts of a clearly disturbed, racist person (against both Jewish and Black people), 10 precious lives were lost.  10 people who were created in the image of God will not come home to their families again on this earth just because of their skin color or their religious-ethnic heritage.  One of them was a family member of my good friend Pastor Bill Smith’s church in Buffalo (North Buffalo Community Church).

This is horrific!

Sadly, it didn’t take long before this incident was politicized.  I won’t even share all the ways it has/is/will be, but I’m sure you’ve heard a few of the ways by now.  In reality there is one cause of this evil act: human depravity.  When people reject God, their depravity can end up on full display.  It usually doesn’t get this bad, but it always can.

To me, more laws will not fix this— we have plenty of them in this area.  The only thing that will fix this is Jesus Christ.  When Jesus Christ enters a human's life, He transforms it.  He gives us the power to overcome sin, to love people like He does, and to be able to handle the challenges of life so we don’t explode in rage (like we’ve been talking about in our “When The Going Gets Tough” series).

Contrast this to what happened at Lakeshore a day later: 7 precious lives were baptized last Sunday and gave amazing testimonies of how God changed their lives through faith in Jesus.  From kids in elementary and middle school to adults who, through the power of God, overcame drugs, unbelief, and self-centeredness.

This is why we do all we do.  To see more people in Rochester (and everywhere through our online services) come to faith in Jesus and glorify Him with their lives, and to see fewer people live self-ruled lives apart from Him.

Let’s pray that God helps more people experience what we witnessed on Sunday at Lakeshore so that we won’t again experience what we heard about on Saturday in Buffalo. 

Warmly,
Vince