Tom’s Midweek Greeting October 26, 2020

TMG
Tom’s Midweek Greeting
Crossroads Community Church
Nevada MO

Hello, Crossroads Family!

God brought Psalm 65 to my attention on this cold, dark, rainy Monday morning!  I’ve pasted it below and outlined it into three main parts – God’s grace, God’s greatness, and God’s goodness.

Psalm 65
God’s grace (vv 1-4):

Praise awaits you, our God, in Zion; to you our vows will be fulfilled.  You who answer prayer, to you all people will come.  When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions.  Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!  We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple.

God’s greatness (vv 5-8):
You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of the waves, and the turmoil of the nations.  The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.

God’s goodness (vv 9-13):
You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly.  The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it.  You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops.  You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance.  The grasslands of the wilderness overflow; the hills are clothed with gladness.  The meadows are covered with flocks and the valleys are mantled with grain; they shout for joy and sing.

There are a couple verses in this psalm that I especially like:

• “Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts!” (v. 4).  What a wonderful thought that God invitesus into relationship with him, and he makes us his guests.
• “You crown the year with your bounty, and your carts overflow with abundance” (v. 11).  Again, a good reminder that every year (even 2020!) is crowned with goodness from God.

If you were at the YMCA yesterday for worship, you noticed there was a lot of activity in association with the Grocery Grab program happening on Sundays. 

If you weren’t at the Y yesterday, you missed some really good worship, a strong message from the Lord, and the joy and smiles of re-connecting with brothers and sisters in Christ.

What can we do to get to worship on Sundays with so much activity going on at the Y?  Here are some thoughts I hope will help:

1. 1. 1. Parking is available to us on the east and north sides of the parking lot.  We’ve been promised that the handicap parking spaces nearest to the building are also available to us.  If you need to park close to the building, please use one of the handicap spaces.
   1. 2. If the entry to the Y is blocked by orange cones, tell the person standing there that you’re with the church.  They are not trying to keep Crossroads out; they’re trying to keep out early-arrivers for the Grocery Grab.  They will let you in!
      3. Plan to leave your house a little earlier than usual.  We’ll have people from the church watching for you if you need help getting from the parking lot to the building.
      4. Pray!  The elders and others are looking for solutions.  Pray that God, in grace, greatness, and goodness would give us space to meet, or that he might move the Grocery Grab to another location or day of the week.  Let’s make this a daily prayer this week!
      5. If you’re unable to make it to worship on Sunday morning, think about one of the following:
         … Join a small group tonight at my house for Monday Night Bible Study at 7 pm.  (The study will also be streamed live on the Crossroads FB page at 7.)  Tonight’s study is going to be a good one; you won’t want to miss it!… Join a small group this Wednesday night at the Rods, 6:30 pm, for Home Group.  There will be food, fellowship, encouragement, and prayer for all ages!  *contact us for location*… Join us next Sunday after worship.  We’re going to Iguana Azul for food, fellowship, discussion, and planning.  Don’t worry about the cost of food.  The church will help take care of expenses for those who need it.  This will be important “family” time!

         Sunday morning is still the heartbeat of Crossroads’ life.  But a vibrant, healthy church requires connections beyond Sunday morning only … and the commitment of all its members.  As we heard from God’s Word yesterday, we are on mission together to bring hope to a dying world.  No one can do it alone; it can only be done as a team.  I’m glad you’re part of the team! Many at Crossroads are serving, helping, giving, and praying!  What a wonderful thing that is! Let us know how we can help you if you need help!

         I hope you’ll join us for Monday Night Bible Study tonight at 7:00, either at my house (628 W. Arch Street), or live on the Crossroads Facebook page.

         Plan to be with us next Sunday for worship (10:00) and for Crossroads Connection time immediately following at Iguana Azul!  It looks like sunshine is in the forecast for next Sunday!  Don’t forget to turn your clocks back one hour Saturday night!

         — Tom