Who We Are
Welcome to our LABC web site! I hope that as you glance through the information about our church you will be intrigued, and that you will pick up a little sense of the warm welcome that awaits you in this congregation. As a pastor I have been a part of the life of a number of other churches over the years, but nothing quite like this! At Lake Avenue, you will find a group of committed and open people of faith, coming in every shape, size and appearance. Young and old, of every conceivable national origin and ethnic or racial heritage, gay and straight, progressive and traditional, we find ourselves on a pilgrimage together, building bridges, trying to allow Christ’s light to shine forth in the world around us. What makes this church different? It may be our willingness to risk new things. Or it may be a readiness to take controversial stands of welcome and affirmation. It may be all the ordinary-seeming people who turn out to have an extraordinary passion for some issue, or some area of service. It may be our refusal to separate prayer from action, and issues from people. We certainly don’t “have it all together”; but as a church community we are ready and open for God’s spirit to move us a little closer to a world of love and hope. So, enjoy your visit here with your computer, and when you are done, take the plunge, and drop by! Peter J.B. Carman, Pastor
Our Mission and Vision
At the beginning of the year 2001, our congregation adopted the following vision statement.
In the shadow of the Civil War, a group of believers in Rochester, NY, gathered to begin and support a new ministry. They were grateful for the “return of peace upon the principles of righteousness and justice to all,” as they recognized “the claims of The Gospel” and their responsibility “to extend the Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the City.” Now, at the beginning of a new millennium, we the members of Lake Avenue Memorial Baptist Church once more dedicate ourselves to our historic calling. We are a theologically and culturally diverse body of believers, centered in Jesus Christ. We support one another in interpreting scripture and discerning God’s leading for our times, seeking to embody faithfully the healing presence of God in our world. To these ends, we therefore covenant that:
  • We will worship, pray, and respond to God as we live out our faith personally and as a Christian Church.
  • We will welcome and affirm, love and respect, each others’ individuality regardless of race, sexual orientation, ethnicity, socio-economic status, gender, age, ability, or faith background.
  • We will strive to deepen and broaden our faith through spiritual growth, personal nurture, and Christian education.
  • We will uphold Baptist principles and freedoms while maintaining strong ecumenical and interfaith ties.
  • We will commit ourselves to working in partnership with people in our community.
  • We will strive for peace and justice for all – in our nation and throughout the world.