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Church Radiant Pastor Shane Smith, a New Start Church in Rochester, shares this exciting and encouraging testimony from a couple that has been attending their church the last two weeks. This is the Church in action. Hi Shane, This is our story and could not find a place on your website for testimonials to your family! Our deepest thanks. We lost our son 4 days ago (Feb 9, 2010). We laid him to rest yesterday (Feb 13, 2010), 27 years young, my son RJ was just a boy in my eyes yet a man now in my thoughts. When we left our son laying there in a casket waiting to return into the earth I left a piece of my heart too. The thought of leaving him alone hurts and scares me as I write this. The questions were many at that time and the answers were few. We drove around in silence, my wife and I with no direction or destination. We had no plans, no way to cope. I'm not even sure we had each other. We drove and we drove some more. After driving for some time I parked next to the canal. I recalled the many times our son would boat with us up and down that canal. I sat there and thought how easy it would be just to drive into this canal and be with my son. The thought actually comforted me. If my wife were not with me I felt I might have just done that. What I did do was turn the key and start driving again. My path this time led me to a place that offered me hope. I decided to memorialize my son by getting a tattoo of him on my arm. I pulled into a parking lot of a tattoo parlor with the idea of talking to him to discuss my idea. As we exited the car I found myself walking away from my wife’s side and towards an open door. I met a face at the door that welcomed me with a smile. He waved to me to come in. It was then and only then that I looked up to notice a church sign. The sign said Church Radiant! I didn't want to walk in those doors but my legs kept walking. The smile and kindness of this man in the door beckoned me to continue. I really believe I didn't walk through those doors I believe I was walked through them. As I entered, my hand found a home in the hand of Shane. He was the pastor of this small yet humble church. He didn't greet me by saying “I’m Pastor Shane”. He greeted me by saying, “Hi I'm Shane“. I said with tear filled eyes, “I'm Rich I just buried my son today“. My wife staring at me through the glass windows looked confused. She knows I suffer from OCD and would never walk through a strangers door. I then waved her in. At this time we were also greeted by Shane’s wife, Kelly, her sister Mindy and husband Dan. They not only opened their doors but opened their hearts. They were busy but stopped immediately to offer us guidance and comfort. To welcome us into our new family. Several times through our conversation I thought to myself, “Wait, what are you doing here!” I have faith but I don't go to church. I thought people like this don't exist! My world had been sheltered. I only look at people as potential enemies that want what is mine, but as we talked I began to realize, “wait, these folk are not talking to us, we were talking to them“. They were listening and answering our questions on faith. They didn't try to sell us anything. Then it all hit me when Pastor Shane turned to me and said “this is not just a church Rich, this is a home, a family“. I could never have guessed that after all the family and friends we had at the service it would be total strangers that would change the way I felt. Watching them cry with us and hearing them pray for us I knew we were not alone. They talked about a house built of love and I thought of how hard it would be to crumble the foundation of a home built on that principle. It could never be shaken or moved. It would offer hope to all those who shared in its build. They asked me to bring in a picture of my dear son. And told me they would pray for him tomorrow at service. Yes, tomorrow at service. Not only did they sit with us for over an hour they were not even open, just setting up chairs. I felt honored to share their time and patience during our struggle to understand God’s will. I told Pastor Shane that I wasn't sure I would make it to the service but I hoped I would. He said it's ok we will pray for your family either way. I did make it, and Pastor Shane and his family kept their promise and prayed for our son and family. I brought many of my family members into the service as well and we were all deeply touched. Our new family after the service greeted us, hugged us, and welcomed us into a house truly being built by love. We thank my son for his gift he left us with and walking a tired scared man into the front door of this home. Thank you Pastor Shane and family, Eric and his fiancé Abby, Dan and Mindy and so many more.... I leave you with this...Pastor Shane had his sermon today while his own father lie broken in a hospital bed in Mexico, seventy years old, serving orphans with his wife. His drummer taken ill and members sitting up at strong watching over a sick child. With many obstacles in his path, he stepped over them and around them to lay the bricks of his new house of love. Should you ever feel broken and have no place to go, let our home welcome you through its doors, let our family share your pain. Church Radiant is our house built from love, God is its keeper, Pastor Shane and his family are its servants teaching us all to be better people and serve God...Rich & Kim Williams |
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March 2010 Connections
District Board of Ministry Interviews – March 13 Christ Community in Syracuse Regional Festival of Life – March 18-20 at ENC Dream Team #1 Meeting March 24 in Canastota Children’s Praise and Talent – March 27 Christ Community in Syracuse April 30 and May 1 – District NYI and SDMI Convention at Christ Community in Syracuse May 5-6 – District NMI Convention @ R. Calvary May 6-7 – District Assembly @ Rochester Calvary July 3-11 – Family Camp 2010 |
Attention Ministry Team Ladies!
Sweet Life Café
Where Women Savor Time With God Date: April 10, 2010 Time: 9:30am – 3:00pm Place: Trinity Church 855 Long Pond Road Rochester 14612 Cost: $15.00 
RSVP: by March 24 to janet@upstatedistroct.org
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