TMG
Tom’s Midweek Greeting
Crossroads Community Church
Nevada MO
December 6, 2018
www.nevadacrossroadschurch.org
A big thank you to everyone who stayed last Sunday for the congregational meeting held after our worship service. It’s very helpful to me, to the Elder Board, and to the entire church family to have your involvement in planning and praying for the life of the church at Crossroads.
Here are a few highlights from that meeting:
Nominating Committee
We have a Nominating Committee made up of Donna, Hannah, Richard, Marie, and Julie. They will have the job of presenting a nominee for the open elder position at a congregational meeting in January. Dave Reedy’s first term on the Elder Board has come to an end. Dave is eligible to be re-elected to a 3-year term on the board, and he is willing to serve.
Finances
Thanks to Judi for her work on church finances and for the report she shared at our meeting. One positive part of that report is that giving is up recently. Thanks to all of you for your faithfulness to the Lord and his work! Cris, Shane, and Judi will be working on a 2019 budget proposal that we hope to present to the church in January. If you have input for them, please help them by sharing your thoughts with one of them. Specifically, we are in need of budgeting some funds for three new categories: Fellowship, Women’s Ministry, and Missions.
December 30th worship service
I will be on vacation from December 25 – January 3. Shane McCaslind will preach in my place on Sunday, December 30. Shane has filled in for me previously and his messages have been well received by our church family. Erin Reedy has kindly agreed to organize and lead worship that morning. Shane Dahmer will facilitate any other needs for that Sunday. Thank you for the willingness on the part of so many in our church family!
Moss House Lunch
We are taking a lunch meal to the Moss House on December 27 at noon. Thanks to Kim and Dave who are organizing this practical outreach of love and sharing. All of us at Crossroads are invited to contribute to the lunch, either by signing up to provide part of the meal, or by giving a monetary donation for Kim to prepare the meal. There will be a sign-up list at church, or take time to call Kim or Dave if you need more information. Thank you! God has blessed us with some wonderful opportunities to serve at the Moss House.
Christmas Eve Service
We’ll have a Christmas Eve service at the Y on December 24th (time still to be determined). It will be a time for quietly focusing our hearts and minds on the real meaning of the Christmas season, for enjoying some fellowship with the church family, and for inviting people from our Vernon County community to experience Christmas with us. Details coming soon.
Walk the Walls
I’m grateful for the response we’ve had to the two ministry “gates” we’ve identified and to the invitation to serve on one of the teams – the Sunday Morning Team, and the Follow-Up Team. Joe Chenoweth, who has been coaching us through the Walk the Walls process this past semester, will be meeting with us again on Sunday, December 16, after the morning worship service. We’ll probe a little further into what these two teams will be doing, and we’ll also talk some about what’s ahead in terms of identifying other ministry “gates” at Crossroads. I hope you’ll plan to stay after the service on the 16th! Effective and enjoyable ministry is ahead as we commit to saying what the people of Nehemiah’s day said: “Let us arise and build!”
Thank you to everyone who serves at Crossroads and who participates in the life of the family! This has been a good year for us; God has blessed us individually and as a church. Would you join me in praying that God would grow in us a disciple’s heart to follow the Lord as he leads us further down the path we’re on? I’m reminded of one of my favorite Bible verses, John 10:10 – “I have come that they might have life, and have it abundantly.” I get excited when I see you enjoying abundant spiritual life with the Lord Jesus!
This Sunday
Youth Bible Study and Adult Bible Study, 9:00 – 9:45. All middle schoolers and high schoolers are welcome to the Youth Study. For adults, we will finish our semester-long study in the Book of Leviticus. Congratulations! I hope that anyone will feel welcome to attend our last lesson this Sunday. Leviticus 26 and 27 are two interesting and worthwhile chapters with practical implications for our lives today!
Worship, 10:00. We will continue our Four Looks at the life of Jesus. Last week we considered Jesus the King (as presented in the Gospel of Matthew); this Sunday we will look at Jesus the Servant (as presented in the Gospel of Mark). I hope to see you there. I feel that our Sunday morning worship and message times are always refreshing. Much needed during this hectic end-of-the-year season!
Church Directory
Thanks very much to Heather who has updated our church phone directory. Please pick up a copy this Sunday so you can have names and contact information for the Crossroads family!
Jesus the King
I hope you’ve still been thinking about Jesus the King since our worship time last Sunday. It’s amazing how filled the Bible is with references to this role that belongs to our Lord. I’m always amazed when I read of the magi coming to Jerusalem, then to Bethlehem, asking where is he who was born king … because they desired to worship him (a baby).
Robert J. Morgan has written that there are two kinds of kings and queens in the world. One is a parliamentary king or queen, like Queen Elizabeth II of Britain. She is the object of respect; she is encircled by grandeur and tradition; yet in terms of real power, she has fairly little. The British prime minister holds the reins of government.
Another kind of king is the absolute monarch whose office is both ceremonially impressive and truly powerful. He is the head of state; his authority is supreme.
Some people treat Jesus like a parliamentary king. Once a week – if it’s convenient – they hold court with him and make him the object of reverence. He is heard with politeness and patience, but in terms of daily life he has little influence.
Jesus, however, is an absolute monarch. We owe him everything, including complete obedience in every area of life. Not only that, but he is a gracious and good king; he loves us, and we can obey him with complete confidence. We can be sure that his way is always the right one.
Queen Victoria (1819 – 1901) once asked General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, for the secret of his success. “I guess,” replied Booth, “the reason is because God has all there is of me.”
Does he have all there is of you and me?
See you this Sunday!
Tom
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