72 Ambrose Street, Rochester, NY  14608

The Lake Avenue Baptist Church

Identity Statement

Lake Avenue Baptist Church is a Christ-centered, evolving, diverse, urban congregation of gifted and caring people.  We are spiritually and scripturally-based and desire meaningful and inspirational worship experiences.  We are American Baptist, mission-oriented, multi-cultural, multi-lingual with a historically strong neighborhood commitment.  We welcome all seekers of Christ’s love and direction.

As a result of significant changes we have experienced in our lives and congregation, we acknowledge feelings of sadness, pain and loss at times.  We are anxious about our future, yet we have great hope.  As we seek that future, we realize we must: be creative and flexible in designing a new staffing structure; resolve the struggle for meaningfully shared worship, music and mission; claim our multi-cultural and multi-lingual direction and reach out to share our faith.  

Lake Avenue Baptist Church Guiding Vision

Jesus Christ welcomes all to the Communion Table.  The Table expresses God’s inclusive love, acceptance, and hope.  It shapes our life together.  From the Table the Holy Spirit moves us out through the church doors to proclaim the Gospel by word and deed.  Therefore, we declare that we are:

Claimed by Christ:  We are God’s own and are not here by chance.  We open ourselves to God’s light and love.  We look to the Bible for guidance.  Out of gratitude to God, we respond to Christ’s call to discipleship.  

 

Committed to Community:  As members of Christ Body, we affirm one another as family.  We gather for worship, nurture, healing, and spiritual growth.  We build an open community through respectful, caring relationships.  With our denominational sisters and brothers, we uphold Baptist principles, including soul freedom and local church autonomy.  We encourage and strengthen our ecumenical and interfaith ties.

 

Compelled to Serve:  We respond to Christ’s call to discipleship sharing our gifts in acts of service.  We embody the spirit of the Gospel in our daily lives.  We reach out as a church to our neighborhood, our city and beyond.  We go into the world to do justice, make peace and share God’s love.