[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ fullwidth=”on” _builder_version=”3.12.2″][et_pb_fullwidth_header title=”From the Pastor” text_orientation=”right” header_fullscreen=”on” header_scroll_down=”on” scroll_down_icon=”%%3%%” scroll_down_icon_color=”#ffffff” header_image_url=”https:\/\/onegoodchurch.com\/wp2\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/Lowell-Smile.jpg” _builder_version=”3.12.2″ content_font=”Coming Soon||||||||” content_font_size=”24px” content_line_height=”1.2em” title_font=”||||||||” title_text_align=”left”]<\/p>\n
I am thrilled that you have found our website and are paying us a digital visit.\u00a0 I hope you will look around and begin to get to know us.<\/p>\n
If you live in our \u201cneck of the woods,\u201d or are planning to visit or move to the Buffalo area, we would love to start getting to know you too, in person.\u00a0 But please note: if you are already part of a life-giving (if imperfect) church, I gently urge you to \u201cbloom where you\u2019re planted.\u201d\u00a0 You and those other folks need each other.<\/p>\n
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.\u00a0 We strive to live in and to express the love of God, a wonderful and never-ending journey.\u00a0 We would love to share it with you.<\/p>\n
Grace and Peace,<\/p>\n
Lowell W. Avery<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_fullwidth_header][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ specialty=”on” _builder_version=”3.12.2″ custom_padding=”0|0px|54px|0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″]<\/p>\n
A Vision for Cleveland Drive Presbyterian Church:<\/strong><\/p>\n 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:<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ specialty_columns=”3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_row_inner custom_padding=”28px|9px|29.6875px|0px|false|false” _builder_version=”3.12.2″][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″]<\/p>\n Mission Statement: Disciples making disciples.<\/strong><\/p>\n We continue toward becoming more \u201cPurpose Driven\u201d, Rick Warren\u2019s term for a Biblically balanced church. To make the Five Great Purposes more \u201cour own\u201d, the session renamed them to fit our Cleveland Drive Presbyterian Church identity. Surely \u201cGod Is Our Aim And Our Vision\u201d!<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner _builder_version=”3.12.2″][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_3″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″]<\/p>\n Honor God:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>We\u2019re 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!<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_3″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″]<\/p>\n Build Community:<\/strong>\u00a0As a continuation of the process begun in November 2003, when about 40 of us began to study The Purpose Driven Church, we completed the \u201cForty Days of Community\u201d campaign. More than eighty people took part in 17 small groups (including the youth and children).<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_3″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″]<\/p>\n Equip the Church:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>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 \u201cPurpose Driven\u201d model.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][et_pb_row_inner custom_padding=”29.6875px|0px|0|0px|false|false” _builder_version=”3.12.2″][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″]<\/p>\n Grow Spiritually:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>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\u2019s Ministry. Many of our men support Sundoulos, a Western New York Men\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][et_pb_column_inner type=”1_2″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″]<\/p>\n Walk and Talk:\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>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 \u201cForty Days of Community\u201d 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\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.12.2″][\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column_inner][\/et_pb_row_inner][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I am thrilled that you have found our website and are paying us a digital visit.\u00a0 I hope you will look around and begin to get to know us. If you live in our \u201cneck of the woods,\u201d or are planning to visit or move to the Buffalo area, we would love to start getting […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onegoodchurch.com\/wp2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/105"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onegoodchurch.com\/wp2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onegoodchurch.com\/wp2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onegoodchurch.com\/wp2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onegoodchurch.com\/wp2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/onegoodchurch.com\/wp2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/105\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5401,"href":"https:\/\/onegoodchurch.com\/wp2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/105\/revisions\/5401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onegoodchurch.com\/wp2\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}\n