TMG
Tom’s Midweek Greeting
Crossroads Community Church
Nevada MO
January 17, 2019
www.nevadacrossroadschurch.org
Hello, Crossroads Family!
God has been so good to us as a church at the start of this new year. I want to share below some highlights from last Sunday’s meetings. I hope they will encourage you, whether you were in attendance or unable to be there.
I read a phrase in 2 Corinthians 11:3 this past week that stuck with me. In his concern for the spiritual well-being of the Corinthian Christians, Paul speaks of “the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.” I like that phrase. I hope you’ll read it again to yourself. I feel that, in many ways, that’s what we’re striving for at Crossroads – a simple and pure devotion to Christ. Thanks for being willing for that to be a reality in your own life and in the lives of others around you!
Highlights from last Sunday:
At our congregational business meeting, Dave Reedy was re-elected to the Elder Board for a term of three years. Thanks to our Nominating Committee, and to everyone who participated in that decision, … and to Dave for his willingness to serve.
Judi Edwards presented a 2019 budget for the church which was approved by those present, and which included some new ministry line-items. It’s great to see our vision for ministry increasing as communicated through the budget. It was great to see a small financial commitment in this year’s budget toward the developing Young Life ministry in Nevada. I’m so grateful that Crossroads has had a role in launching such a wonderful ministry.
We can thank the Lord that together our giving has been gradually increasing over the past several months. We will all need to grow in that area – and pray for God’s provision – in order to meet the budget in 2019. Thank you, Judi, and thank you, elders, for putting together a good budget for us at this point in our growth. Thank you, too, to the congregation for the gift of a raise in my salary. I appreciate very much your kindness and affirmation of my work among you.
Our larger congregational meeting was followed up by meetings of our two new “Walk the Walls” ministry teams — the Sunday Morning Team, and the Follow-Up Team. Also, a growing Worship Team met together and did some planning. Let’s pray for these teams as they serve us!
Sunday Morning Team: Cris & Forrest; Richard & Marie ; Evan ; Dave, Shane, & Phill (greeters). (I apologize if I forgot someone on that team!) They are doing a great job envisioning how to make Sunday morning at Crossroads a great experience for everyone who attends!
Follow-Up Team: Judi, Stacey, and Liz currently make up this team. They are working on updating our visitors card, keeping better track of following up newcomers to Crossroads, and helping us do a better job of reaching out to those who visit on Sundays. There is room for others on the Follow-Up Team if you’re interested!
Worship Team: Erlinda, Erin, and Hannah met Sunday to develop a schedule for planning and leading worship during the next quarter. I’m so glad for these ones and others (like Esther, Evan, Ebony, Chosen, and Natalie) who are exercising worship and creativity gifts to help us grow in our worship! Please pray for them! It’s not easy to plan a morning worship service! And it’s not easy to step out and be part of leading one!
“Let us arise and build,” is what the Israelites said to Nehemiah when he urged them to strengthen the walls surrounding Jerusalem! Building is exciting work, and Sunday’s meetings were a positive part of strengthening the walls and gates at Crossroads.
In addition, we set dates for the winter start-up of…
… Home Group: We’ll meet January 30th, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., at the home of Cris and Donna, **contact us for more details**. We will not meet Wednesday, February 6, but we will start back up after that regularly on Wednesday nights beginning February 13. We are looking for some ideas for study / discussion for the adult group. If you have some ideas to give as input, please let me know!
… Youth Group: Our Middle School & High School group will also meet at the Rods on Wednesday evenings starting January 30 (no meeting on February 6).
… Youth Bible Study: All Middle Schoolers & High Schoolers are invited to the Sunday morning Bible Study group starting Sunday, January 27, 9:00 – 9:45. (I will not be leading an adult study during the show choir competition season – January thru mid-March – but if someone else would like to lead an adult study, let me know!)
We scheduled our next congregational meeting for Sunday, March 24, immediately following the morning worship service. We hope at that time to organize for Easter (April 21st this year).
A Few Other Notes
Next Men’s Discipleship & Fellowship Evening: Monday, January 28, 6:30 pm. We’ll meet at Precision Coffee, and we’ll start a brand new study book in our series. All men are welcome!
Women’s Retreat: I’m excited that we have such a good group of women planning to join ladies from The Springs Church (our sister E-Free Church in Springfield) February 1-3 in Branson for a special time of retreat and refreshment! Let’s be in prayer for the many things God would like to do that weekend!
An Offer
Al Frank, our E-Free Central District Associate Superintendent, has informed me that there is a church in the St Louis area inquiring about places where they might be able to send a missions team this summer. He’s wondering if Crossroads might like some help in some special ministry outreach this summer … a Vacation Bible School? door-to-door outreach in Nevada? some other special outreach event? What a great opportunity – some free help and encouragement in reaching out! Do you have some thoughts or ideas about whether we could involve some outside help in a special ministry thrust this summer? Let me know if you do! Thank you!
Prayer
Let’s be in prayer for each other —
- for Marie Roberts (job search);
- for students in the schools, at homeschool, at Cottey, and away at college;
- for Judy Moore’s son Brad;
- for those new at Crossroads to feel included in the Body;
- for this Sunday’s worship service (sermon from 1 Corinthians 9-10);
- for unity, vision, and growth in our church;
- for the simplicity and purity of our devotion to Christ.
See you Sunday!
10:00 worship at the Y
–Tom
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