From the Pastor

I am thrilled that you have found our website and are paying us a digital visit.  I hope you will look around and begin to get to know us.

If you live in our “neck of the woods,” or are planning to visit or move to the Buffalo area, we would love to start getting to know you too, in person.  But please note: if you are already part of a life-giving (if imperfect) church, I gently urge you to “bloom where you’re planted.”  You and those other folks need each other.

It has been my privilege to serve since April, 2002, as the pastor of OneGoodChurch (officially known as Cleveland Drive Presbyterian), and I believe you will receive a warm welcome here.  We strive to live in and to express the love of God, a wonderful and never-ending journey.  We would love to share it with you.

Grace and Peace,

Lowell W. Avery

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A Vision for Cleveland Drive Presbyterian Church:

We envision a congregation of disciples of Jesus Christ bringing glory to God by engaging in intentional, comprehensive, Holy Spirit-directed transformation in keeping with the Great Ends of the Church:

  • the proclamation of the Gospel for the salvation of humankind;
  • the shelter,nurture, and spiritual fellowship of the children of God;
  • the maintenance of divine worship;
  • the preservation of the truth;
  • the promotion of social righteousness;
  • and the exhibition of the Kingdom of Heaven to the world.

Mission Statement: Disciples making disciples.

We continue toward becoming more “Purpose Driven”, Rick Warren’s term for a Biblically balanced church. To make the Five Great Purposes more “our own”, the session renamed them to fit our Cleveland Drive Presbyterian Church identity. Surely “God Is Our Aim And Our Vision”!

Honor God: We’re becoming more involved with mission work in a hands-on way. I continue to serve with the early service praise team, and this year I sang with the choir for the Christmas concert. What a joy!

Build Community: As a continuation of the process begun in November 2003, when about 40 of us began to study The Purpose Driven Church, we completed the “Forty Days of Community” campaign. More than eighty people took part in 17 small groups (including the youth and children).

Equip the Church: Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians (4.11-12), to equip the church is at the heart of pastoral ministry. Becoming more like Jesus in fulfilling the Great Commandments and the Great Commission (Mark 12. 30-31; Matthew 28.19-20). I continue to train leaders using the “Purpose Driven” model.

Grow Spiritually: Almost always there is personal spiritual application. I encouragel the Sunday School and Small Group leaders to continue in their excellent work. I co-lead a Sunday School class that functions like a small group and participate in numerous ways in the wider PCUSA events, our local Presbytery and our Men’s Ministry. Many of our men support Sundoulos, a Western New York Men’s Ministry seeking to bring Christian Men of many traditions together in worship, service, and conversation. My wife Annie serves as the Choir Leader and promotes a closer Faith walk each Sunday. The Choir has a time of prayer at every rehearsal. Our Choir has a tradition of travelling to another Church at Easter and Christmas to present their Cantatas to an appreciative, diverse audience.

Walk and Talk: Our diverse groups meet often, to support and encourage each other in their Christian witness. We sponsor the West Virginia Mission, Cheektowaga Food Pantry, FreedomFest, Convoy Of Hope, Pairs and Spares Adult Groups and our Vacation Bible School. The community outreaches of the “Forty Days of Community” expand our reach, such as the group serving our City Mission for nearly three years. It is a joy to work with people who have the faith to serve boldly. During our summer 2007 campaign, over $800 was collected to help the National Convoy of Hope bring food and friendship to the many people on Buffalo’s East and West Side. As Pastor I served as a Chaplain Of The Day, and preached in the evening. Our Choir took their gift of music to Convoy of Hope.