The Thursday Update

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

MAY 12, 2022

Lakeshore Friends—

This Sunday we will have more baptisms in our church— seven people to be exact.  And these are, in the words of Executive Pastor Frank De Luccio, “Payday for our church!”  Baptisms help us realize that God is at work here in our church by using all of us to help lives change.

We aren’t a church that tries to maximize our numbers at all costs and at the expense of baptizing people who aren’t really ready or spiritually qualified for baptism.  Unfortunately, I know that there are churches that do this because I’ve heard the stories of people getting baptized and then thinking that baptism made them a Christian (among other things).  Needless to say, it does not.  How sad.

However, we want as many of the right people as possible to be baptized.  People who have actually become Christians, who have taken the Baptism Orientation Class and understand baptism, and who have written their faith stories out for us to evaluate for baptisms.  These are the right people.

I hope that you get as excited about baptisms in Sunday services as our Staff, Elders, Trustees, and LEAD Team do.  Because by attending services, welcoming new guests, giving generously, and inviting people to join you here, you have made it all possible.

Best of all, these baptisms reflect lives changed by Jesus Christ.  God is the life-changer, we’re just the people He uses in the process.  And when people see God change their lives, arguments against whether God exists, or whether our faith is real, begin to lose their meaning for this simple reason: you can’t argue with a radically changed life of godliness and holiness!

Thanks for all of you who make this happen through your investment of time, talent and treasure.  I’m absolutely sure that you couldn’t make a better investment with your life.

Warmly,
Vince