LAKESHORE FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF THE LESS FORTUNATE—
Jesus was right when he said that the poor will be with us always (Matthew 26:11). While there has always been impoverished people, over the past few years it has risen to levels we haven’t seen in years. Those who had little to begin with had even less when the COVID crisis hit in 2020, and it still hits the poor hard as many countries have exhausted their budgets on this crisis and many have lost their jobs. But over the past two years, four other factors have made poverty more severe for more people:
1. The war in Ukraine. 30% of the world’s wheat comes from Russia and Ukraine (known as the world’s breadbasket), yet the war has reduced this to a very small amount.
2. Fertilizer and gas prices. As these items have more than doubled in price over the past two years, food has become more expensive.
3. Extreme weather. Heat and drought has impacted parts of the world in ways they haven’t seen in many years, limiting their ability to grow food.
4. Panic. As countries face shortages, they operate in self-preservation mode and tend to limit exports that others have been counting on.
Put it all together and it’s a desperate situation… until we remember that God has called us to be a source of help to those in need. Making Waves 2023 will continue our church’s outreach to help those with acute physical, financial and spiritual needs. Since we began Making Waves in 2011, we have given away over $700,000 and our church has given over $1,200,000 to missions since 1995.
We want to continue that trend in 2023, but we can only do it with your help. You can personally be a part of the solution for someone in desperate need. You can help many globally and also right here in Rochester. Will you support Making Waves 2023? Will you make the list of people in need of food a little shorter? If you do, people will be helped in Jesus’ name, God will be honored, and you will have the joy that comes from knowing that you helped people who couldn’t help themselves.
Warmly,
Vince & Sue
ACCORDING TO THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAM...
811 MILLION PEOPLE
Over 800 million people all over the world go to bed hungry every night.
276 MILLION PEOPLE
Nearly 300 million people are facing severe food insecurity right now.
When you give to Making Waves 2023, you will continue to support the lives of tens of thousands of people with God’s hope and help. In 2023, we will give away the first $75,000 received to fund our four major global and local ministries, listed below. All funds received above and beyond this amount will be used for special projects in our church to strengthen our ministry and our ability to reach more people in the years ahead.
Making Waves 2023 is our way of impacting people for God’s glory—both in Rochester and around the world. We ask everyone to prayerfully consider being a part of this mission.
Making Waves 2023 is our annual one-year impact opportunity consisting of both an involvement and a financial commitment. The financial commitment involves an upfront gift (this year in 2022) and a commitment to give throughout the next year (2023). Your gifts are used exclusively for the projects listed in the brochure and your giving is kept in confidence.
“Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Corinthians 9:7)
GET INVOLVED
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
We are asking everyone to consider getting involved in three very practical ways:
| 01 | PRAY Attend Synergy Prayer every Saturday morning from 9:30 – 10:30am throughout the months of November and December. Click here to learn more about Synergy. |
| 02 | SERVE Sign up for Feed My Starving Children happening December 2 & 3 this year. Sign-ups begin October 23. Or, sign up for a Serve Initiative project around Rochester. |
| 03 | GIVE Support Making Waves 2023 by turning in a Commitment Card attached to the Making Waves brochure with an upfront gift in 2022 and a monthly giving commitment “above and beyond” your regular giving amount for 2023. You can also make your commitment and upfront gift online by clicking here. |
UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER
DEC
2/3
FRI - SAT, DEC 2-3 | Feed My Starving Children MobilePack Event
NOV
20
SUNDAY, NOV 20 | 9AM & 11AM
WHAT REAL LOVE LOOKS LIKE - LOVING GOD SUPREMELY
NOV
27
SUNDAY, NOV 27 | 9AM & 11AM
WHAT REAL LOVE LOOKS LIKE - SPECIAL GUEST SPEAKER, BISHOP DAVE SINGLETON
DEC
4
SUNDAY, DEC 4 | 9AM & 11AM
WHAT REAL LOVE LOOKS LIKE - LOVING BEYOND OURSELVES
DEC
4
SUNDAY, DEC 4 | 9AM & 11AM
FMSC Celebration Weekend
DEC
31
SATURDAY, DEC 31
Deadline to make your Making Waves 2023 commitment, either with the physical card or online.
FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN
Friday – Saturday, December 2-3, 2022
We will pack and pay for 163,000 nutritious meals for the poorest in our world (cost $40,000). This will bring our total over 11 years to approximately 2,063,443 meals!
SERVE INITIATIVE
We will provide financial and practical help for improvement projects around Rochester to show God’s love to our community.
ORPHAN NETWORK
We will fund 20,000+ warm meals for the people of this second poorest country in the western hemisphere (cost $12,000). This will bring our total over 11 years to $120,000 given!
STREETS FOR CHRIST
We will support Streets for Christ through our own ministry, Active in Christ, to serve the homeless population in Monroe County by being the hands and feet of Jesus.
OTHER NEEDS
As additional needs and visits by our 20-plus missionaries arise, we will assist them with funds that remain after supporting these four major initiatives.
THE COMMITMENT
Will you help spread the good news?
To realize the vision, we encourage everyone to consider making a one-year commitment to Making Waves 2023. We know that it will involve the hard work of seeking God’s direction, the courage to obey his direction, and then the sacrifice to follow through on it. None of that is easy. But it is rewarding in so many ways.
3651 Latta Road, Rochester, New York 14612
585.392.5253 | LakeshoreChurch.org
Info@LakeshoreChurch.org
