TMG
Hello, Crossroads Family!
This Sunday we’ll worship for the first time in our new home at 621 Highland Avenue. I hope you’ll be able to join us! Of course, we’ll use the door on the southwest corner of the building. Maybe there’s a friend of yours you would like to invite to this special first Sunday! Thanks for praying in advance that God would prepare hearts and help us adjust to being in our new home. Thanks to everyone who helped with the move last weekend! The sermon this Sunday will be on “Understanding Marriage,” the first in a short series of sermons on marriage.
There are several things that will still need to fall into place at our new location: The elders still need to work on questions of signage. Heather Vestal is organizing a weekly cleaning rotation. (Please be willing to pitch in if you’re needed. Thanks!) I’m still looking for a helper or two for Wednesday night childcare during Immerse. (Even if you’re willing to help once a month, that would be great!) This is a growing time for Crossroads; let’s be willing to grow and change. (Growth always includes change.)
A couple of calendar reminders:
— Immerse begins Wednesday, February 7, from 7-8 pm. We had really good sign-ups last Sunday! I’m looking forward to the start of this unique small-group Bible reading experience! Connect with God; build community; grow your faith are our three goals for Immerse. If you didn’t get a chance to sign up last Sunday, please let Forrest know you’re interested.
— A Ministry Team Meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 3, following the worship service. The elders would like to have at least one representative from each ministry team (worship, children, missions, greeter, etc) at this meeting so we can do some vision-casting and planning together!
I was encouraged this morning in reading the story of Joseph in Genesis 39. The story says about this young man, a slave in Egypt, that…
- … the Lord was with him (39:2,3)
- … he became successful (39:2)
- … everything he did prospered (39:3)
- … his master’s household was blessed because of him (39:5).
I wondered what must be true of a person for these kinds of things to exist in their life. (How might we, for example, be a blessing to the people we share our new building with, or to others in our community?) Joseph had a trust in God (as seen by his belief in the dreams he received). He also lived a pure and obedient life (as seen in the incident with Potiphar’s wife with whom he could have begun an illicit relationship if he had chosen).
Other than the dreams Joseph received as a boy, we never see God appearing to Joseph as He appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Yet, there is perhaps no life where God’s providence is clearer than Joseph’s life. He is the personification of Romans 8:28 — “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose.”
Here’s another verse that jumped out at me this week: “… knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord” (Ephesians 6:8). I’m not sure I’ve ever really paid attention to that verse before! Take a minute to read it. Do you believe it to be true? While receiving back from God shouldn’t be our motivation for doing good, this is, nevertheless, a wonderful promise — a promise that somehow, at some time, we will receive back the kindness, love, or generosity we show to others. That makes me excited about doing what God asks us to do!
I hope to see you this Sunday at 10:00 at our new location! If you’re unable to join us in person, the sermon will be posted on Facebook this weekend.
— Tom
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