ministry overview
HELPING STUDENTS TO Know God and Make a Difference.
Lakeshore Students is our ministry for middle and high school students, serving teens in our community through engaging services, events, and programming.
This ministry, like Lakeshore, has a heart for reaching students who may not feel comfortable with church or have no church background whatsoever.
Wednesday Nights
About 30 middle and high school students meet weekly. Relational connection, practical teaching, and small group convos are the core that makes up this gathering. There's a combined teaching time followed by small groups broken down by age and gender.
Sunday Mornings
A time for in-depth Bible study for middle and high school students who want to go deeper in their understanding of the bible and grow deeper in their faith.
Small Groups
Lakeshore Students leaders have invested time and energy developing small groups. It's where students deepen their connection with their peers and adult group leaders and learn how to apply their faith in the world they live in.
Special Events
Students connect in special events that create a fun and safe place for them to invite their friends who may not normally attend church. Events take place throughout the year, like capture the flag, Youth Connect, ice skating, corn maze, and more.
Missions
Regular missions trips are part of the strategy for Lakeshore Students. The ministry has participated in several previous trips with the church, both to local and international locations. Adults and students get to work with missionaries by serving people and sharing the Gospel.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
THIS COULD BE YOU.
Do you have a passion for serving youth and helping them to know and love Jesus Christ? Is God leading you to a role in youth ministry? Below you'll find some of the key things we're looking for in the ideal candidate for this important role.
You'll find all the details, requirements, and more in the full job description.
Advancing the Mission
Lakeshore is eager to get behind a Student Pastor with a strong drive to advance the mission of Lakeshore Students, continuing to build on the strong foundation that's been formed over the last five years. We're looking for someone who can pour into the core group of students, creating an exciting, fun, and life-changing atmosphere where students can invite and bring their friends.
A Strong Core
Volunteers in Lakeshore Students are the reason why this ministry is going strong. They're a passionate group with a huge heart for students, and they're ready for a Student Pastor who is a leader of leaders and excited to further develop the team to unleash them in their ministry work.
A Heart for the Lost
Lakeshore's attractional style of ministry and demographics mean we're often reaching families that are far from God. The same applies to Lakeshore Students: many come from an unchurched background, and the ideal Student Pastor will have a heart for this group. This can make ministry messy at times, but all the more rewarding and exciting.
NEW SPACE + NEW BRAND
Plenty of room
for ministry.
We added a 1,600 square foot space for Lakeshore Students in 2019, expanding the existing area, for a total of 3,160 square feet of dedicated student space. It's complete with tech and lighting for worship and teaching, new furniture, games, a kitchenette, and more.
A new Lakeshore Students brand was also developed in 2019, giving the ministry its own clean, fresh, and exciting identity within the larger Lakeshore community.
Our vision is to help people discover and develop a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.
It's a place where people can be real, strengthen their relationships, and make an impact in our world.
NEARLY 30 YEARS OF MINISTRY
CHURCH FOR THE UN-CHURCHED AND THOSE FAR FROM GOD.
How does the church reach people who may be interested in God but not necessarily in church? How does God's truth change people's lives?
Those two questions are the driving force behind why Senior Pastor Vince DiPaola (pictured in black shirt) and his family decided to start Lakeshore Community Church in 1994. Rochester, NY is in desperate need of a church like Lakeshore, with less than 10% of people in the area identifying as Christian.
Today, Lakeshore has grown to the mid 600’s in weekly attendance, with a beautiful 40,000+ square foot facility in the heart of Greece, NY, a sprawling subrub of Rochester. 50% of first-time visitors at Lakeshore identify as "not Christian."
The community truly views Lakeshore as a place for non-church types. It's common to hear stories of other church's members inviting their friends to Lakeshore instead of their own church because they believe it's a safer environment for their friends to hear the Gospel and get plugged into church.
Moving forward, Lakeshore desires to continue being a driven, smart, and family friendly church. They lead with down-to-earth teaching, make the depth and beauty of the gospel accessible, all while compelling people to grow deeper in their walk with Christ. You can read more about our beliefs and statement of faith here.
Our mission is to reach people who are indifferent towards Christianity and turn them into difference-makers who are fully devoted followers of Jesus Christ in our church.
A Committed TEAM
WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT JESUS.
You'll find below that our team is made up of many different people with diverse backgrounds, gifts, and stories, all united together in our work to glorify God and to help others know Him.
MEET OUR SENIOR PASTOR
Vince DiPaola is the founding and Senior Pastor of Lakeshore. His down-to-earth style of leading helps make church accessible to people in the Rochester area. Vince is super like-able and fun, leading the staff of Lakeshore with enthusiasm, passion, and humility. Excelling in leadership, Vince enjoys developing people and then setting them free to lead. When he's not at Lakeshore, Vince enjoys football (die-hard Saints fan), yard work, golf, being with family (especially his grandson, Brandon) and Karate, which he has trained in for nearly 25 years.
OUR STAFF VALUES
Lakeshore's staff is a team of hard workers, self-starters, and visionaries. They are passionate about what they do and love to have fun!
welcome to the 585
rochester, ny
Rochester is the third largest city in New York, following Buffalo and New York City. The Rochester region— encompassing surrounding suburbs in Monroe County—is home to some 800,000 people. The area is frequently named one of the best places to live, largely do its plethora of things to do, very affordable housing, great schools, and cultural scenes.
This community is looking for something to believe in. Rochester is a mission field, as local churches struggle to gain the credibility to speak into the lives of the locals. With less than 10% of the population identifying as evangelical Christians, this is a community that will step into church with little knowledge about Christianity.
DO, EAT, SEE, + MORE
Rochester is a great place to live and raise a family, with highly rated schools and universities, and excellent medical care. You'll find super affordable housing here too, some of the lowest cost in the nation.
When you want to venture out, you'll never run out of options. From famous local festivals like the Jazz Fest and Lilac Festival, to the Rochester Red Wings baseball and nearby Buffalo Bills, there's plenty of entertainment. The area is also home to beautiful parks and scenery, along with regional favorites like Lake Ontario, Letchworth State Park, the Adirondacks, the Finger Lakes, and Niagara Falls.
Learn more about Rochester here.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
TAKE THE NEXT STEP.
If, after prayerfully reviewing the details about this position, you sense this role and Lakeshore’s culture could be a good fit for you, please complete the initial application.
Once we receive that from you, we'll be in touch about the further steps, which may include sending you a link to complete a more thorough questionnaire to help us get to know you better. You'll also have an opportunity during that questionnaire to upload a photo, personal statement of faith, and links to videos of you teaching students.
Have questions?
We're here to help answer them for you! If you have questions about the Student Pastor position, the application process, our church, or anything else, reach out and we'll get back to you shortly.
