Hello, Crossroads Family !
This is early this week, but there are so many good things happening at Crossroads, and I wanted to put them all together while they’re fresh on my mind. Thanks to all of you for being such awesome servant-leaders !
We had sixteen people at our Hymn Study small group at the Knoches last night, including children. I hope others of you will join us in two weeks for some good singing and reflection around two more hymns, one of which will be “Rock of Ages.”
I continue to hear wonderful things about the women’s Bible study group meeting on Saturday mornings in terms of relationship-building and personal growth !
Thanks to Jessica, Bryan, and Erin for hosting a pizza party for high school students last Saturday evening at the Townsends’ home !
It’s good to have opportunities for fellowship and relationship-building in many different ways at Crossroads. It’s also a big blessing to have people who like to exercise the gift of hospitality. That’s a useful and important tool in the Lord’s work !
We’re having a party !
Mark your calendar for a Parking Lot Party after church on Sunday, October 27. We’re going to grill hot dogs and invite some of the people in our neighborhood to hang out and eat with us that day. Julie Kemper is leading the organization of this fun opportunity, and she’ll need some help from you as we prepare and get closer to the date !
I’ve included an updated church calendar (which is also available on the church website) at the end of this post.
We have some needs, too !
Nominating Committee
It’s hard to believe we will soon need to elect a church elder again whose term of service will begin in January. Our church by-laws require us to put together a Nominating Committee made up of five church members who will have the task of seeking a nominee for the position of elder. If you are a member at Crossroads and would like to serve on the Nominating Committee — or if would like to recommend someone to serve on the committee — please let one of the elders know within the next two weeks. Thank you !
Children’s Church Helpers Needed
We need a few more volunteers to be part of the team of people that rotates as teachers in children’s church during the sermon on Sunday mornings. If you think you might be interested, please let Michaela Walker know (417-684-3118). Michaela is also making herself available to meet with anyone who might have an interest, but would like to know more, immediately after worship on Sunday, October 20. Finally, Emily Lewis would also like to hear from you if you’re interested in serving a class for older children (ages 7-11). If you think you could be helpful in that capacity, please let Emily know (573-747-6292). She would love to visit with you ! Thank you !
Meals
Some of you have already signed up to help provide meals when the need arises within the church. Thank you ! If you’re interested in plugging in to this ministry but haven’t signed up yet, please reach out to Heather Vestal (417-549-0051) or sign up at church. Thank you ! What a blessing that will be !
Cleaning
If you’ve never taken a turn cleaning the church, you don’t know what you’re missing ! You need only about an hour (or less — definitely less if you do it with another person). It’s a wonderful way to bless the church family, enjoy an hour of relative quiet, and also pray for people in our church ! Let Diane Ray know you would like to help, and she’ll help you plug in (417-684-7805) … or sign up on the calendar on the back table at church. (We usually clean sometime after Wednesday.)
A couple other things …
Oktoberfest
As mentioned Sunday, the Vernon County Ministerial Alliance will have a booth at Oktoberfest this Saturday, October 12, 10am – 2pm, behind Great Southern Bank. The Ministerial Alliance is selling pies to raise funds for its Benevolence Fund. If you could donate a pie, please bring it to the Ministerial Alliance booth Saturday around 9:00. (By the way, I’ll be preaching at the community Thanksgiving service this year, sponsored by the Ministerial Alliance, on November 25 at St Mary’s Church.)
Congregational Church Government
My sermon was long-ish Sunday , but below is a paragraph I removed. I think it’s an interesting and important thought concerning congregationalism, the idea that the congregation is the highest human authority in the church :
Congregationalism is not democracy ; that is to say, congregationalism is not “majority rule,” or “50% + 1 vote” as we sometimes see written in church by-laws. A goal of democracy is to discern the will of the people (which is a good thing). Congregationalism is slightly different : its goal is to discern the will of God through the people.
An important part of congregational church organization, then, must be prayer and strong, healthy relationships !
“For this cause we … do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding …” (Colossians 1:9).
Calendar (My apologies if I’ve left something off the following list !)
- Immerse – Wednesday at 7 pm
- Breakfast & Bible Study for women, this Saturday at 8 am.
- Next Hymn Study group : Sunday, October 20, at 6:30 pm.
October 20 — Short meeting for those interested in learning more about Children’s Church.
October 27 — Parking Lot Hot Dog Party after worship.
November 1 — Budget proposals due to elders. (Thank you !)
November 10 — Christmas Ornament Paint Party for women, 3pm. More information coming !
November 17 — Next elders meeting.
November 24 — Thanksgiving fellowship meal following the worship service.
November 25 — Tom preaches at community Thanksgiving service, St Mary’s Church
December 8 — Crossroads Women’s Cookie Exchange, 3 pm. More information coming !
December 15 — Congregational Meeting following worship : election of elder ; vote on budget.
December 24 — Christmas Eve service. More information coming !
Early January — soup / chili fellowship meal following worship on a Sunday (date TBD)
Have a wonderful week ! I hope to see you Wednesday night for Immerse !
— Tom
Leave a Reply