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Church Leadership

The leaders of the church are responsible for providing overall leadership and oversight for the spiritual well-being, ministry, and business of the church.

Special Church Meeting Minutes
Sept. 24, 2023 Summer Church Meeting Minutes
Aug. 27, 2023

We will gather for our winter church meeting, previously known as winter congregational meeting, on Sunday, Feb. 11, at 11:15 am. Agenda items will include Pastor Mathew sharing the vision and mission statement of the church, financial report for fiscal year 2022/2023, membership update, announcement of the five deacons tasked with formation of the Leadership Development Team, and approval of previous church meeting minutes (August & September). If you are a member, please review the files attached for the Sept. 24, 2023 special church meeting and Aug. 27, 2023 summer church meeting minutes before Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. Hard copies are available upon request.

We deeply appreciate your faithful attention to church meetings.

Congregational Documents 2022-2023

Leadership Updates

  1. 07 Feb
  2. 07 Dec
  3. 12 Sep
  4. 01 Sep
  5. 13 Aug
  6. 07 Jul
  7. 17 May
  8. 12 May
  9. 14 Apr
  10. 19 Mar
  11. 28 Feb
  12. 27 Jan
  13. 06 Jan
  14. 01 Jan
  15. 23 Nov
  16. 04 Nov
  17. 21 Oct
  18. 23 Sep
  19. 28 Aug
  20. 29 Jul
  21. 05 Jul
  22. 18 May
  23. 20 Mar
  24. 16 Mar
  25. 17 Feb
  26. 09 Jan
  27. 06 Jan
  28. 16 Dec
  29. 11 Nov
  30. 26 Oct
  31. 18 Oct
  32. 10 Oct
  33. 01 Oct
  34. 28 Sep
  35. 02 Aug

  1. Congregational Documents 2022-2023

    Audited Financial Statements Years ended August 31, 2023, and 2022 Download Balance Sheet     As of 8/31/2023     As of 8/31/2022 Assets Operating Cash $ 1,013,000   $ 1,212,000 Cash Reserves   1,763,000     957,000 Other Assets   39,000     133,000 Contributions Receivable   533,000     - ERC Receivable   -     852,000 Endowment and Trust Assets   362,000     390,000 Land, Buildings and Equipment (net)   17,059,000     17,664,000 Total...

    Audited Financial Statements Years ended August 31, 2023, and 2022 Download Balance Sheet     As of 8/31/2023     As of 8/31/2022 Assets Operating Cash $ 1,013,000   $ 1,212,000 Cash Reserves   1,763,000     957,000 Other Assets   39,000     133,000 Contributions Receivable   533,000     - ERC Receivable   -     852,000 Endowment and Trust...

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  2. December 2023 Leadership Update

    Dear Church Family, In anticipation of the joyous season of celebrating the birth of our Lord, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your steadfast commitment to the call God has placed on Lake Avenue Church. In a time where daylight lessens, and darkness seems to linger, it becomes increasingly crucial for us to continue shining the light of Christ in our neighborhood and beyond. God...

    Dear Church Family, In anticipation of the joyous season of celebrating the birth of our Lord, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your steadfast commitment to the call God has placed on Lake Avenue Church. In a time where daylight lessens, and darkness seems to linger, it becomes...

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  3. Calling the Associate Pastor of Congregational Life

    Dear Church Family, I am delighted to share some exciting news with you all. After a rigorous eight-month search process that involved careful evaluation of 14 applicants, our Associate Pastor for Congregational Life Selection Committee has recommended Dr. Nicholas Barrett as the candidate for this position. Dr. Nicholas Barrett (or Nick as he prefers to be called) brings over twelve years of...

    Dear Church Family, I am delighted to share some exciting news with you all. After a rigorous eight-month search process that involved careful evaluation of 14 applicants, our Associate Pastor for Congregational Life Selection Committee has recommended Dr. Nicholas Barrett as the candidate for...

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  4. New Leadership and New Directions

    Dear Church Family, It was with much trepidation and reluctance that I approached the sermon series “One Blood” on racial reconciliation and “One Flesh” on human sexuality. I have been observing numerous preachers struggling to strike the right balance between emotional sensitivity and intellectual rigor when addressing these topics. I am thrilled to read the many notes I receive at my desk,...

    Dear Church Family, It was with much trepidation and reluctance that I approached the sermon series “One Blood” on racial reconciliation and “One Flesh” on human sexuality. I have been observing numerous preachers struggling to strike the right balance between emotional sensitivity and...

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  5. Invitation to Summer Church Meeting 2023

    Dear Lake Avenue Church Family, We will gather for our Summer Church Meeting on Sunday, August 27, 2023. This gathering presents a wonderful opportunity for our church family to come together and engage in several essential topics that will shape our church and our ministries for the coming year. During the meeting, we will: Provide updates to our membership. Conduct our election of Elders under the...

    Dear Lake Avenue Church Family, We will gather for our Summer Church Meeting on Sunday, August 27, 2023. This gathering presents a wonderful opportunity for our church family to come together and engage in several essential topics that will shape our church and our ministries for the coming year....

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  6. Adult Class Designated Giving FAQ

    What is changing in how Adult Class missionaries or mission organizations are supported starting September 1, 2023? The process of allocating designated funds to support our missionaries or missions organizations is undergoing changes. The Outreach Division seeks to streamline and...

    What is changing in how Adult Class missionaries or mission organizations are supported starting September 1, 2023? The process of allocating designated funds to support our...

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  7. Message from the Pastoral Selection Committee

    Church Family, As we search for candidates for the Associate Pastor of Congregational Life (APCL), the Pastoral Selection Committee would like to draw your attention to an opportunity for your active participation: the submission of candidate applications and/or the submission of names of prospective candidates. The APCL will function as a shepherd to foster the growth of spiritual health...

    Church Family, As we search for candidates for the Associate Pastor of Congregational Life (APCL), the Pastoral Selection Committee would like to draw your attention to an opportunity for your active participation: the submission of candidate applications and/or the submission of names of...

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  8. Leadership Development Team Update

    Dear Church Family, Thank you to everyone who voted on a final slate for the Leadership Development Team (LDT) at our April 30th Special Church Meeting. We are pleased to announce that the result of the 195 ballots collected was a 91% approval of the entire slate, with each member of the slate receiving at least 95% approval from the congregation. In accordance with our transition to the new...

    Dear Church Family, Thank you to everyone who voted on a final slate for the Leadership Development Team (LDT) at our April 30th Special Church Meeting. We are pleased to announce that the result of the 195 ballots collected was a 91% approval of the entire slate, with each member of the slate...

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  9. April Leadership Development Team Formation Update

    Thank you to the over 300 people who voted for the Leadership Development Team as a part of our March 26 congregational meeting. Our team of deacons met on April 12 to review the results. We would like to thank you for your patience. The cause for delay between the vote and this meeting was overseas travel and the Easter holiday. We kept the results sealed until this in-person meeting to...

    Thank you to the over 300 people who voted for the Leadership Development Team as a part of our March 26 congregational meeting. Our team of deacons met on April 12 to review the results. We would like to thank you for your patience. The cause for delay between the vote and this meeting was...

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  10. LAC Leadership Development Team Slate

    Dear Church Family, We would like to thank our congregation for submitting over 100 recommendations for the formation of the first LAC Leadership Development Team (LDT) to our deacon committee. As promised, we have vetted and interviewed your recommendations with care, and we are advancing all qualified nominees who accepted a nomination to the vote at our March 26 congregational meeting. For your...

    Dear Church Family, We would like to thank our congregation for submitting over 100 recommendations for the formation of the first LAC Leadership Development Team (LDT) to our deacon committee. As promised, we have vetted and interviewed your recommendations with care, and we are advancing all...

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  11. February Leadership Development Team Formation Update

    We would like to thank those of you who participated in the recent Winter Congregational Meeting with the agenda item of adopting the Congregational Leadership Covenant.  Along with participating in the vote on the new Covenant. We had over 400 votes with 95.9% affirming the motion to adopt the Covenant, replacing our current Bylaws document. We are now working to implement the Covenant which...

    We would like to thank those of you who participated in the recent Winter Congregational Meeting with the agenda item of adopting the Congregational Leadership Covenant.  Along with participating in the vote on the new Covenant. We had over 400 votes with 95.9% affirming the motion to adopt the...

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  12. January Leadership Update and Winter Congregational Meeting

    Dear Church Family, On Sunday, February 5, at 11 am, we will gather for our annual Winter Congregational Meeting. We are thankful to the classes and small groups that have changed their Sunday morning plans to accommodate the meeting. The Winter Meeting is a time to look forward and discuss a vision for where God is leading our church. This year, we have a strong sense that God is leading us...

    Dear Church Family, On Sunday, February 5, at 11 am, we will gather for our annual Winter Congregational Meeting. We are thankful to the classes and small groups that have changed their Sunday morning plans to accommodate the meeting. The Winter Meeting is a time to look forward and discuss a...

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  13. January Leadership Update

    It was so good to be together as a church family this past month to celebrate the birth of our Savior. As we begin the new year, we are writing to share some good news with you. We surpassed our end-of-the-year giving goal and are verifying the exact amount. The Finance Department continues to process year-end gifts. So far, a total of $2,350,000 has been given from September 1 to December 31,...

    It was so good to be together as a church family this past month to celebrate the birth of our Savior. As we begin the new year, we are writing to share some good news with you. We surpassed our end-of-the-year giving goal and are verifying the exact amount. The Finance Department continues to...

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  14. Life at Lake with Pastor Mathew - A New Year and A Fresh Start

    A New Year and A Fresh Start Watch Pastor Mathew's VideoAfter procrastinating for nearly eight months, I finally moved into the Senior Pastor’s office at HH 201. The view from my desk is that of the Gateway building across the freeway, which has a bold inscription on top, “First Foundation.”As we enter the new year, I sense God calling us to rebuild our community by going back to the basics. We will spend...

    A New Year and A Fresh Start Watch Pastor Mathew's VideoAfter procrastinating for nearly eight months, I finally moved into the Senior Pastor’s office at HH 201. The view from my desk is that of the Gateway building across the freeway, which has a bold inscription on top, “First Foundation.”As we enter the new...

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  15. Life at Lake with Pastor Mathew - Thanksgiving, Advent, and more

    It is quite appropriate that the six-month marker of my tenure as your Senior Pastor falls in the Thanksgiving season. The word “gratitude” best encapsulates my feeling toward all of you who consider LAC home, including our staff, leaders, and ministry partners. The most challenging task in the last six months was undoubtedly the budget reduction and the staff transition that followed suit....

    It is quite appropriate that the six-month marker of my tenure as your Senior Pastor falls in the Thanksgiving season. The word “gratitude” best encapsulates my feeling toward all of you who consider LAC home, including our staff, leaders, and ministry partners. The most challenging task in the...

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  16. Pastoral Transitions

    My name is Linda Hall Augur and I serve as the chair of the Personnel Committee for Lake Avenue Church. I am writing to share some important information with you and I hope you will take a minute to read this letter. On October 21, 2022, Senior Pastor Mathew P. John sent us all a letter regarding staffing changes and his decision to form a Pastoral Candidate Selection Committee for the role of...

    My name is Linda Hall Augur and I serve as the chair of the Personnel Committee for Lake Avenue Church. I am writing to share some important information with you and I hope you will take a minute to read this letter. On October 21, 2022, Senior Pastor Mathew P. John sent us all a letter regarding staffing...

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  17. Ministry Restructuring

    As you know, in the spring we began planning a significant staff restructuring project to reduce our budget by a million dollars this year. Staffing changes were made out of a commitment to steward our resources and better align ministry operations. The first step of this process was shared earlier in the year at the Summer Congregational Meeting and the August Fireside Chat. The next step in our...

    As you know, in the spring we began planning a significant staff restructuring project to reduce our budget by a million dollars this year. Staffing changes were made out of a commitment to steward our resources and better align ministry operations. The first step of this process was shared...

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  18. Congregational Meeting Leadership Election Update

    Dear LAC Family, On Sunday, the Summer Congregational Meeting was held to welcome new members and approve the ministry plan and budget for the 2022-2023 ministry year. If you missed the meeting, a recording can be watched at www.lakeave.org/leadership. An election was held to vote in new leaders to serve on the church’s Ministry Council and ministry divisions. 258 ballots were collected and 218...

    Dear LAC Family, On Sunday, the Summer Congregational Meeting was held to welcome new members and approve the ministry plan and budget for the 2022-2023 ministry year. If you missed the meeting, a recording can be watched at www.lakeave.org/leadership. An election was held to vote in new leaders to...

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  19. Report from the Ministry Council concerning the PUSD SKILLZ program

    Report from the Ministry Council concerning the involvement of Lake Avenue Church in the Pasadena Unified School District SKILLZ program August 27, 2022 In summer 2021, beginning during the Ministry Council’s first listening session, a concern was raised about the participation of Planned Parenthood volunteers in a program which had taken place on the Lake Avenue Church campus some years...

    Report from the Ministry Council concerning the involvement of Lake Avenue Church in the Pasadena Unified School District SKILLZ program August 27, 2022 In summer 2021, beginning during the Ministry Council’s first listening session, a concern was raised about the participation of Planned...

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  20. July 29 Fiscal Year End Giving Update

    The theme for the recent installation of Dr. Mathew P John as our new Senior Pastor in May was a “New Beginning,” based on Jeremiah 1:19b, “For I am with You and will rescue you declares the Lord.” We believe God is laying the foundation for a new season of ministry at Lake Avenue Church that our community has been carrying out faithfully for the last 125 years. We are excited about the journey...

    The theme for the recent installation of Dr. Mathew P John as our new Senior Pastor in May was a “New Beginning,” based on Jeremiah 1:19b, “For I am with You and will rescue you declares the Lord.” We believe God is laying the foundation for a new season of ministry at Lake Avenue Church that our...

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  21. July 5 Update

    We want to bring you an update on the organizational restructuring and budget reduction plans we discussed at the Special Congregational Meeting on May 22, 2022. At that meeting, we promised to reduce our operating budget for the next fiscal year (Sept. 2022 – Aug. 2023) to $5.9 million based on our giving patterns for this year. This new operating budget represents a significant difference of...

    We want to bring you an update on the organizational restructuring and budget reduction plans we discussed at the Special Congregational Meeting on May 22, 2022. At that meeting, we promised to reduce our operating budget for the next fiscal year (Sept. 2022 – Aug. 2023) to $5.9 million based on...

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  22. May 2022 Update from Dan Crichton

    Dear Lake Avenue Church Family, It was so wonderful to gather as a church family on Easter. Being together and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus and what God is doing in our church was such a blessing. As we look forward to the installation service of Pastor Mathew P. John and the coming months at Lake Avenue, our Ministry Council would like to bring you an update on our church budget as we...

    Dear Lake Avenue Church Family, It was so wonderful to gather as a church family on Easter. Being together and celebrating the resurrection of Jesus and what God is doing in our church was such a blessing. As we look forward to the installation service of Pastor Mathew P. John and the coming...

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  23. March 20 Special Congregational Meeting

    On March 20, 2022, a Special Congregational Meeting was held for the calling of the Senior Pastor Candidate presented by the Senior Pastor Search Committee. After a two-day voting period, ballots were collected from active members & counted.  Church Chair, Dan Crichton, shares the results of the vote. Dear Lake Avenue Church Members and Friends, The Lake Avenue Church membership has confirmed the...

    On March 20, 2022, a Special Congregational Meeting was held for the calling of the Senior Pastor Candidate presented by the Senior Pastor Search Committee. After a two-day voting period, ballots were collected from active members & counted.  Church Chair, Dan Crichton, shares the results of the...

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  24. Winter Congregational Meeting 2022

    On January 9th, the Winter Congregational Meeting was held and action was taken to temporarily suspend the Bylaws.   Meeting Slides Winter Congregational MeetingMarch 6, 2022 Download Winter Congregational Meeting - March 6,2022

    On January 9th, the Winter Congregational Meeting was held and action was taken to temporarily suspend the Bylaws.   Meeting Slides Winter Congregational MeetingMarch 6, 2022 Download Winter...

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  25. February All-Church Update from Dan Crichton

      Dear LAC Family, The baptisms on Sunday, February 13, were just beautiful. God is on the move, and there is a lot to be thankful for at LAC! “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” - Psalm 118:1 First, thank you for all your comments on the current draft of the proposed Bylaw revision document, “The Congregational Leadership Covenant of Lake Avenue Church: How We Have...

      Dear LAC Family, The baptisms on Sunday, February 13, were just beautiful. God is on the move, and there is a lot to be thankful for at LAC! “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.” - Psalm 118:1 First, thank you for all your comments on the current draft of the...

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  26. Special Congregational Meeting

    On January 9th, 2022, a special congregational meeting was called to share updates with the congregation.  The meeting recording can be viewed below. . At the meeting, an appointment from the Outreach Ministries Division to the Senior Pastor Search Committee was affirmed by the Congregation. Meet the newest member of our search committee, Roberta King, through her video profile....

    On January 9th, 2022, a special congregational meeting was called to share updates with the congregation.  The meeting recording can be viewed below. . At the meeting, an appointment from the Outreach Ministries Division to the Senior Pastor Search Committee was affirmed by the Congregation. Meet the newest...

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  27. January Giving Update from Dan Crichton

      Dear Lake Avenue Church Family, As I write this letter, we are once again reminded of God’s faithfulness to our church. We enter this New Year with so much to celebrate! During the Christmas season, it was such a blessing worshiping together as a church community and celebrating the birth of our King. We enjoyed a wonderful holiday concert, and we were able to share the joy of Christmas as...

      Dear Lake Avenue Church Family, As I write this letter, we are once again reminded of God’s faithfulness to our church. We enter this New Year with so much to celebrate! During the Christmas season, it was such a blessing worshiping together as a church community and celebrating the birth of our...

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  28. Vice Chair December 16th Update

    In the last few months, the council has found it necessary to have more than one scheduled meeting due to the various items that require attention outside of our normal schedule. Our first meeting for November was on the 11th and started with Interim Planning. We were presented with the upcoming teaching series and held a brief discussion on the need for an interim Senior Pastor. It was decided that...

    In the last few months, the council has found it necessary to have more than one scheduled meeting due to the various items that require attention outside of our normal schedule. Our first meeting for November was on the 11th and started with Interim Planning. We were presented with the upcoming...

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  29. November Special Update from Dan Crichton

    Dear LAC Family, I hope you will join us this Sunday at 10 AM as Pastor Jeff brings us the message and closes out the series, “Counterintuitive Transformation.” We will be celebrating God’s calling on Pastor Jeff, Jenny, and the Mattesich family at Lake Avenue Church these past twenty-two years. This will be an opportunity to thank them and to express our gratitude for their many years of...

    Dear LAC Family, I hope you will join us this Sunday at 10 AM as Pastor Jeff brings us the message and closes out the series, “Counterintuitive Transformation.” We will be celebrating God’s calling on Pastor Jeff, Jenny, and the Mattesich family at Lake Avenue Church these past twenty-two years....

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  30. Vice Chair October 26th Update

    Greetings, The discussion began with the plans for the special congregational meeting focused on the Senior Pastor Search Committee (SPSC) progress and timeline. The meeting had been requested by members of the congregation immediately after news of the decision by the SPSC to not move forward with our internal candidate Jeff Mattesich. It was determined that it will be a time to clarify and...

    Greetings, The discussion began with the plans for the special congregational meeting focused on the Senior Pastor Search Committee (SPSC) progress and timeline. The meeting had been requested by members of the congregation immediately after news of the decision by the SPSC to not move forward...

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  31. October 2021 Special Congregational Meeting

      Purpose Protocol Purpose Protocol Purpose Dear Lake Avenue Church Family, We invite you to join the Senior Pastor Search Committee (SPSC) and the Ministry Council (MC) for a “Church Family Conversation” around our process, roadmap, and plans to search for a Senior Pastor for Lake Avenue Church on Thursday, October 28 from 7 PM - 8:30 PM. We know that the August news from the SPSC followed by...

      Purpose Protocol Purpose Protocol Purpose Dear Lake Avenue Church Family, We invite you to join the Senior Pastor Search Committee (SPSC) and the Ministry Council (MC) for a “Church Family Conversation” around our process, roadmap, and plans to search for a Senior Pastor for Lake Avenue Church on...

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  32. Communal Discernment - October 10th

    Throughout September, Ministry Council members held small group communal listening sessions to hear what God is saying to us individually around our core discipleship essential of worshiping in unity.  Watch the video to hear themes of what was shared across all sessions and to hear from leaders what has been discerned. Based on the what we have heard, we will be officially changing our Sunday...

    Throughout September, Ministry Council members held small group communal listening sessions to hear what God is saying to us individually around our core discipleship essential of worshiping in unity.  Watch the video to hear themes of what was shared across all sessions and to hear from leaders what...

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  33. Letters from Pastor Jeff Mattesich and Dan Crichton

    A Letter From Pastor Jeff Mattesich Dear Lake Avenue Church, Grace and peace to you. We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.  - 1 Thessalonians 1:1b-3 How can I describe my journey at LAC? It really is...

    A Letter From Pastor Jeff Mattesich Dear Lake Avenue Church, Grace and peace to you. We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our...

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  34. Vice Chair September 28th Update

    Message from the Vice Chair As was mentioned at the Congregational meeting in August we will post a brief summary from the Ministry Council meeting that is held each month to inform the congregation on what we are working on and what we as a council are addressing on behalf of Lake Avenue. On September 28th, the first meeting of the new fiscal year began with welcoming our newest member Ray...

    Message from the Vice Chair As was mentioned at the Congregational meeting in August we will post a brief summary from the Ministry Council meeting that is held each month to inform the congregation on what we are working on and what we as a council are addressing on behalf of Lake Avenue. On...

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  35. August 2021 Update

    Greetings Church Family, We hope this message finds you all in good stead as we head into the hottest month of the year. Your Ministry Council wants to connect more with you all and move from strangers to familiar members of the congregation. As such, every month you can come to this page to learn more about what is happening in the Ministry Council and ways you can be praying for the work we...

    Greetings Church Family, We hope this message finds you all in good stead as we head into the hottest month of the year. Your Ministry Council wants to connect more with you all and move from strangers to familiar members of the congregation. As such, every month you can come to this page to learn...

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