Hello, Crossroads Family !
It was great to be back with you last Sunday following a few days away to visit my children and new grandbaby Jazlyn in Portland, Oregon. Thank you for your prayers for my trip and for my family members on the West Coast ! It was a wonderful time, and I’m thankful little Jazzy is growing and getting good care. She was up to nearly three pounds in weight when I was there.
I’m looking forward to our Christmas Eve service tomorrow night at 6:30 and have heard from many of you that you’ll be there. Be sure to bring along friends and family members or someone else you know who could be blessed by a few minutes focusing on the reason for all the celebration at Christmas ! It will be a simple service, mostly Scripture and singing of traditional carols. About an hour in length so you can move on to other activities or family events you have scheduled tomorrow night. Thanks to everyone who is helping in big and small ways to make the service possible !
Thank you too — a bit late — for the good congregational meeting we had two Sundays ago. It was an important step for us as a church. As was mentioned in the financial report, we will need our giving to increase by about $200 per week in order to meet our new budget goals which include a full-time pastor’s salary. That’s not really all that much ! While I’m not involved in the church’s finances, if we were to suppose that there are 20 individuals or families giving to the church, that represents a $10/week increase for each of those givers. I believe we can also anticipate new growth and giving in the church this coming year. Thank you for your generous giving ! It’s a discipline and a quality of life the Lord wants to develop in us !
Today, I received an email from the Evangelical Free Church asking me to update information on Crossroads for their upcoming 2026 Church Directory. There was quite a bit to update, including attendance (which I updated from 48 to 60), membership (which I updated from 20 to 28) and budget (significant increase). I’m thankful for each of you ! This is a church only God could have imagined and put together !
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Memorial Service for Deborah Jones
The memorial service for Debby Jones will be held at 1 pm this coming Sunday at our church. You are welcome to join the Jones family, and thank you to those who have volunteered to be there already as a support and outreach to the Joneses. Charlie and Ethel and their children have attended Crossroads off and on for a number of years. (Debby is Charlie’s mother.) We have been able to help financially, through our Blessing Fund, with some of the family’s funeral expenses. This is an answer to prayer ! You may remember that earlier this year we had discussed helping a family at Christmas time ; It looks like God brought us the family we were thinking about.
Tom Vacation
I’ll be taking time off December 29-January 4. Mark Tice will preach in my place Sunday, January 4. Thanks, Mark ! I look forward to some personal time and will be doing my best to not respond to text messages, phone calls, and emails. 
If you have a need next week, please be sure to reach out to one of the other church elders. Thank you !
Elders Meeting
Our new Elder Board will meet for the first time Sunday, January 11. We thank God for the new elders and for the entire team : Bryan, Cris, Forrest, Ryan, Shane, and Tommie. Please pray for God to make clear to us how we can best serve Him and the congregation in the new year. Thank you !
Women’s Breakfast & Bible Study
Women, mark a couple dates on your calendar : There will be a women’s breakfast fellowship at 54 Cafe on Saturday, January 17, at 8 am. Then, the spring semester of women’s Breakfast & a Bible Study will begin Saturday, February 14, 8 am, at the church. Feel free to contact Erin Townsend for more information (ektownsend12@gmail.com).
24-Hour Prayer Vigil
The January 19th Day of Prayer will be a 24-hour prayer vigil such as we took part in last July. Catherine Moss will have a sign-up sheet for us at the church so you can sign up for an hour within that 24-hour period. We’ll have more information and helps coming in January, but please sign up for a time slot now and join in one of the most important things we can do as a church for the new year.
Speaking of prayer, Sam Vigue asks prayer for a friend of his, David, in the capital city of Nigeria. While Christians in Nigeria’s capital are not under serious threat, those who live in the countryside and small villages are suffering violent attacks from bandits and terrorists. Travel for Christians in Nigeria is restricted due to the risk of kidnapping. Kidnappers demand exorbitant ransoms, and sometimes the person abducted is killed whether or not the ransom is paid. Thanks for making a difference in this spiritual battle by interceding for these brothers and sisters of ours.
8-13 year-old Bible Class
The next 8-13 year-olds class will take place during the sermon on Sunday, January 11. Other dates for the class are February 1 and 22, March 15 and 29, and April 19. Thanks, Emily, for leading the group so well !
I look forward to seeing many of you tomorrow evening at 6:30 !
We will worship on Sunday morning at 10:00.
Memorial service for Debby Jones, 1 pm, on Sunday.
Yours in Christ,
Tom
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