Buffalo Project
In September 2009, Audra and I knew without a doubt that God had called us to plant a church. We had been praying about this decision for some time, and although we knew that it may be down the road were open to the idea. We were under the impression that when the timing became clear, that all the pieces would be neatly laid out in front of us as well. So imagine our surprise when the call to plant came and we didn't know where that was going to happen.
We had a couple of ideas about where we would like to plant, but there wasn't any bright neon sign proclaiming "THIS IS IT." This fog continued for a few weeks, until we visited Buffalo, NY. Over the last few months when I have told people we were praying about planting a church in Buffalo, NY their response has almost always been the same, "WHAT!? Why Buffalo?" and then they insert some comment about packing extra long-johns or mittens, but within hours of arriving in Buffalo our hearts began to be stirred for the people and places we experienced.
Growing up in Detroit, I was familiar with cold working class cities that have a lousy national reputation but intense local pride. Buffalo reminded me of home in many ways, and yet there was a need here that I could not identify at first.
Buffalo has a lot of the old world charm of many of the cities in the northeast, boasting old buildings and neighborhoods with amazing architecture, as we observed some of the city's beautiful church buildings it hit me like a ton of bricks, many of these beautiful buildings aren't churches anymore. I asked our guide about these buildings and he shared with me about the vast number of churches that are closing every year in Buffalo, that the Catholic Diocese intends to close 75 more parishes in western New York, and that other churches are also leaving in droves. He went on to tell me that the local sentiment towards the church has soured in light of the exodus, leaving many to wonder why they aren't good enough for a church in their neighborhood. It was during these comments that I knew we needed to start a church in Buffalo. The kind of place where the love of God and others is real.
In a time when churches are closing their doors, leaving the landscape dotted with stone buildings as painful reminders of the mass exodus, the call of God could not be clearer to our family that Buffalo needs to know they have not been abandoned by God. We hope that our community of faith is the beginning of a revival in the city, the first of many churches starting and seeking to impact the city for Jesus. I can handle wearing a heavier jacket to make sure that Buffalo knows of God and His love for it's residents. We have to do this!
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Jeremy Hazelton
Click here to watch the video of the Buffalo Project.