Making a Difference in 2018 and Beyond

It feels as if it is impossible to make a difference today in a world so full of violence, hate, and division. Often we feel like we want to keep our heads down, our mouths shut, and pray we live another day, each of us and those we love. That is a hard way to live. There is an alternative. How do we make a difference? What actually represents a difference to be made in a world where so much is washed away so quickly? Take a look at the article from Christian Citizen by Rev. Dr. Debora Jackson and be inspired: https://christiancitizen.us/making-lasting-footprints/

And remember what Jesus said in Luke 21:28: ... stand up and raise your heads ...

Christmas Eve Service 2018

On Christmas Eve this year, we at LBC once again have a special treat for everyone who wishes to celebrate Jesus' birth. At 7 p.m. on Monday, December 24, 2018, we will offer a family-friendly variation on a service of lessons and carols. We will be singing, reading much-loved scripture passages and responses to those scriptures, hearing a brief meditation from the pastor, and closing with a beautiful, candlelit singing ofSilent Night. During this simple service, all who attend will be offered the opportunity to slow down, pause, and remember why we celebrate Christmas. It will be a time of worshipful release from the tension, the expectations, and the anxieties that so often accompany this busy Christmas season. Together we will experience the joy of Jesus' birth once again. All are invited to join us for the evening's joyous worship. 

Merry Christmas to you all! 

Guidance for Hard Times

Revelation, that letter of vision from John to the seven churches of Asia Minor, had a great deal to tell them about surviving and serving God in dangerous times. It works just as well for us today as it did for those early Christian churches. Come along and explore the meaning of the early verses of chapter 1 and see what they have for us.

Out of Her Poverty

Sermon for Sunday, November 11, 2018, based on Mark 12:38-44. Jesus discusses giving, generosity, and how easy it is to go astray when your society is fixated on status. That fixation easily impacts people of all levels of society. Jesus focuses on the Temple Scribes, the wealthy congregants, and one poor widow. He is particularly interested in that widow, and so will we be in this sermon on good stewardship. You are invited to listen. You are also invited to join us at Lansdowne Baptist in Lansdowne, PA, any time you are in town.

Faithfulness: Sermon for November 4, 2018

Sermon for Sunday, November 4, 2018, based on Ruth 1:1-18. Focusing on the faithfulness of Ruth the Moabite, a foreigner who proves more faithful in Israel than God's chosen people during the years of the Judges. Ruth will protect Naomi, her mother-in-law, even when facing an uncertain future, turning away from the comforts and familiarity of home to follow Naomi from Moab to Israel. In the exploration of Ruth's exemplary faith, we discover a secret to a happy life. Come and listen. If you enjoy what you find here, are near Lansdowne, PA, and don't have a church of your own, join us Sunday morning for worship in the sanctuary. You will be welcome.

Victory that Conquers the World

Sermon based on 1 John 5:1-6, in which the author is trying to quell the very real fears of Christians living through difficult times, where friends are hard to find, and truth seems uncertain, even fluid. Threats appeared everywhere and churches were starting to unravel. Sound familiar? The author takes a very simple, calming approach on how we might all respond ... and where to find the victory that conquers the world. It's uplifting and more than a little surprising. You are invited to watch.

Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast 2018

Lansdowne Baptist Church is holding its much-loved pancake breakfast in Lansdowne, PA, on Memorial Day. Breakfast will be served from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Memorial Day, May 28, 2018.

The cost for the pancake breakfast is $7.00 per person for adults; $5.00 for children (12 & younger); and $20.00 for families of 5 or less (immediate family only). The food is fantastic and the funds raised go to a good cause.

The funds raised support our Aaron Royal Scholarship Fund, which provides two graduating high school students from the William Penn School District (and/or members of Lansdowne Baptist Church) who are heading off to college with scholarship money from LBC. This is one of the many ways we support are community.

Lansdowne Baptist Church is located at 17 East LaCrosse Avenue, Lansdowne, PA 19050.

Come hungry and enjoy the breakfast our terrific cooks create and help our local students.

Easy to Scatter

The sermon for Sunday, April 29, 2018, based on John 10:11-18, explores what it means that Jesus is our good shepherd. We see who we are as the flock and what we are intended to do in that capacity. Finally, we find out who the biblical writers considered "wolves" intent on preying upon and scattering the flock. We sheep are easy to scatter, but we don't have to! Come listen in. It's good news.

Come Celebrate the Joy of Easter with Us at LBC

Lansdowne Baptist Church celebrates our Easter service at 11 a.m. in the main sanctuary. Come join in our joy as we worship the risen Savior, Jesus, the Messiah. All are welcome. Wonderful hymns will be sung and the sermon will be based on Mary's discover of the empty tomb and her belief that Jesus is the gardener when she first sees him. Beautiful moment for a beautiful day.

March 7, 2018, Lenten Prayer Service Canceled

Given the weather forecast for tomorrow, Wednesday, March 7, 2018, we are going to cancel the Lenten Prayer Service at 7 p.m. in the Cooper Room. So, tomorrow night, hold a private worship time in your own home, reflecting on what Jesus has done for us and how we may transform our lives to more closely conform ourselves to the ways of Jesus.

We will resume, weather permitting, next Wednesday, March 14, 2018, at 7 p.m. We hope to see you there. Everyone is invited.

Tomorrow night we pray everyone stays safe and warm. We thank the road crews and the power company repair crews out in the weather and the aftermath of last Friday's powerful snowstorm and winds. We appreciate all you do. Stay safe as well.

Setting Our Minds

The sermon for February 25, 2018, based on Mark 8:31-38, sets our minds on divine things rather than human. Jesus redefines Messiah for his disciples and discipleship as well, for his original disciples and all disciples who have followed since. These definitions are based on divine understanding rather than human. Jesus gives us a significant challenge to reset our minds this Lenten season and always.

Fair Balance: Stewardship

Sermon from October 29, 2017, based on 2 Corinthians 8:7-15. Paul guides the Corinthian church and us in how to live generous, joyful lives, creating fair balance and having a positive impact. Following Paul's advice for living is character changing. To succeed, however, requires a lot of trust.

Standing With, Praying For Victims of Las Vegas Massacre, and More

We here at Lansdowne Baptist Church are grieving right along with the rest of you following the horrific massacre in Las Vegas Sunday night. With 58 dead (as of this writing) and 528 wounded, we are stunned at how much harm one person willingly inflicts on an innocent crowd today. We pray for all those who fell to the gunman, their families, their friends, all who know or knew them. We stand by you in your grief. 

But prayer is a first step. It should always motivate us to action. Jesus called us to go out into all the world and that we must do. We are made for good work by the God who loves and saves us by grace alone. We will endeavor to do what we can to encourage others to work for the ways of love and mutual aid rather than hatred and mutual destruction. We work with our association, the Philadelphia Baptist Association, and our denomination, American Baptist Churches USA, to be peacemakers, as referred to in the Beatitudes.

Matthew 5:1-12: When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain; and after he sat down, his disciples came to him. Then he began to speak, and taught them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. “Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Please join us in every way you can to work for peace in our divided, hurting society.

American Baptist Home Mission Societies Speaks Out Against Racism and Violence

Following the awful demonstration of hate and terrorist violence in Charlottesville, Virginia, in August of 2017, the American Baptist Home Mission Society released the following statement that we here at Lansdowne Baptist Church fully support and endorse. American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse denominations in the United States and that diversity is our strength! ~Reverend Jeffrey B. Snyder

American Baptist Home Mission Societies denounces and condemns—in the strongest manner possible—the violent and deadly demonstration led by a host of white supremacist organizations and individuals in Charlottesville, Va., on Saturday.

The human toll of three lives lost senselessly and more than two dozen individuals injured stains our American stature on the world stage. The racial and religious hatred expressed by the Neo-Nazi, Alt-Right, Ku Klux Klan and other racist organizations in opposition to the city’s decision to remove a monument memorializing the American Civil War’s Confederacy and its standard bearers is an affront to democracy and our social order.

We join with people of goodwill across our country who seek to make America’s public squares, government grounds and city streets safe for all citizens.

Furthermore, we commend and pray for all the valiant clergy, students, justice workers and others who gathered in Charlottesville to say “no” to violence, threats and intimidation from the white supremacist demonstrators.

In the wake of yet another terrifying episode of violence in America’s public square, we pray for the families and loved ones of Heather Heyer, whose life was tragically taken during the vehicular assault on dozens of peace workers. We pray, too, for the families and loved ones of Lt. H. Jay Cullen and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates—the Virginia state police troopers who died in a helicopter crash related to the situation in Charlottesville—along with those who were victims of assaults and trauma, both physical and emotional, resulting from the violence.

“We call upon people of faith and goodwill to continue to pray and work on behalf of freedom, justice and peace in the United States of America and throughout the world,” says Dr. Jeffrey Haggray, ABHMS executive director. “Never were these prayers and this work needed more.”

For more, see: https://lansdownebaptistchurch.blogspot.com/2017/08/abcusa-general-secretary-speaks-to.html

Nothing Too Wonderful for God

Sermon based on Genesis 18:1-15, focusing on hospitality, Abraham, Sarah, and God. Exploring closely how God's insistence on hospitality impacts upon all of us today during incredibly tense, inhospitable times. Includes current crises playing out in our community. Please watch, share, pray, and act.

Living Between Expectation & Experience

Rev. Dr. Harold Trulear spoke to Lansdowne Baptist Church about how we may assist individuals who have been incarcerated and their families. It is an important and powerful message. He also has something to say to those who would dismiss prisoners as "bad people" who should be ignored. Please watch.

At the end of the sermon, Rev. Dr. Trulear invited individuals with family members in prison to come forward for a prayer. This was a powerful moment for everyone as ten people came forward. One person was in tears, feeling until that moment that she was suffering alone. That prayer is not recorded here as those people were not asked in advance if they cared to be filmed.

Church Work Day, Saturday, May 13, 2017: Rain or Shine!

No leaf removal this time! 

Lansdowne Baptist Church will be holding a church work day this Saturday, May 13, 2017, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., even if/when it rains. There is plenty of work to be done inside our buildings so nobody who comes will be left idle. Our God-given talents will be put to good use ... and, who knows, some of us may discover a passion for some type of work we have yet to try. 

Feasting with Friends Dinner: April 1, 2017

The Lansdowne Baptist Church, 17 East LaCrosse Ave., Lansdowne, PA, is preparing to hold its annual Feasting with Friends event.  It will take place this Saturday, April 1^st (no fooling) from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the church's upstairs fellowship hall in the education wing.  In years past, by the grace of God, the event has been a wild success, and we are hoping that it will be even better this year. We ask that you come and break bread with us, joining as we feast with friends, which is an intimation of what to expect in the heavenly banquet to come.

During the meal, Rev. Jeff Snyder will speak to those gathered on the strength to be found in gathered community. We thank everyone in our community, businesses and individuals alike, who make this meal happen, providing everything necessary to ensure people are well fed.  

If you are interested in attending, please contact the phone number, 610-626-0637, and be sure to let the church know how many will be in your party. We want to make sure nobody goes away hungry. 

Sheep or Goats This Year, 2017

Sermon for New Year's Day 2017, based on Matthew 25:31-46, asking the question, will we be sheep or goats? What choice will we make in 2017. What does it mean to be sheep or goats?

Our Job Never Changes: Sermon for November 6, 2016

Sermon based on Matthew 22:36-40, the greatest commandments. No matter the situation (even in a contentious election season), Christians are called to love God and neighbor. Doing so transforms the lives of those who attempt this very tall order and those who are on the receiving end of that love. Give it a try. Jesus challenges you to do so.

One small correction: reference to a "Roman Candle" should be a fountain.