Please watch this short update from Pastor Dan regarding life here at CrossRoads Church.

Last week, we cancelled our in-person services due to cases of COVID-19 among our staff. So far, at least 8 of our staff have tested positive, therefore we have decided to close our building for use at this time.

Our in-person services will also be cancelled on December 6. We invite you to join us for a pre-recorded online service that will broadcast at our usual service times of 9am and 11am on Sunday, and available to view on our website or on our Facebook page.

Our staff appreciate your prayers for a full recovery and return to in-person gathering again as quickly and safely as possible. Please also pray for others among our congregation who have contracted COVID-19.

As always, and during this time in particular, our leadership is seeking to be receptive and collaborative. Decisions are made not in isolation, but within a team dynamic. If you have questions related to decisions that have been made, you are welcome to contact us by using the form at CrossRoadsChurch.ca/Contact.

Have you ever wondered...

Where do you go with a LONELY heart?

From dark to light and despair to hope, that one night really did change everything.

You might already know the story - a girl, a young man, a manger, a baby, Wise Men, shepherds, and a star. Each of their hearts were searching for something more. These were real people with real struggles in a real world, much like you and I today. 

To join us online, visit CrossRoadsChurch.ca/Watch or head to Facebook at 9am or 11am. Not able to join us in the morning? You can find it on Facebook or our website anytime after the 11am service.

As we journey through our Christmas Compassion Campaign this season, we hope to give you a glimpse into our partners each week.

This week, we are highlighting our Local Initiatives. On Sunday, watch for the highlight video during service. For more on our Local and Global Compassion Campaign, visit CrossRoadsChurch.ca/ChristmasCompassion. 

Sneak Peek: Next week, as we highlight Haiti Arise, Marc and Lisa Honorat share with us an update from their work in Haiti!

From Marc & Lisa with Haiti Arise:

Hey friends,

We have some beautiful items from Haiti we had hoped to make available to you at church. However, since we cannot be there with you in person this year due to COVID-19, Haiti ARISE is holding an ONLINE Christmas Marketplace selling Haitian artwork! Every piece is made by artisans we support; this helps our local artists while also supporting Haiti ARISE. And you get a lovely, original piece from Haiti!

You can order on our new website, https://www.madeinhaitiforhaiti.com.When you check out, choose to either pick up from my house in Airdrie, or have it delivered to CrossRoads where you can pick up your items.

Merry Christmas!

There will be an invitation to partake in Communion during the online service this weekend. Please prepare Communion elements that you have at home -- any bread & juice will do -- as we share in The Lord's Supper together.

Leading up to Christmas, we encourage you to pursue Advent and explore more about this season.

Here are ways you can do that:

Our annual Advent booklet is now available. This has something for everyone and includes weekly devotionals, Scripture readings, and personal and family activities. Download it now at CrossRoadsChurch.ca/Advent.

Join Pastor Denise every Monday at 1pm, LIVE on Facebook to walk through the week's Advent theme together and start a conversation.

Are you willing to serve on our hospitality teams for our December 24th Christmas Eve Services? They are at 1pm, 3pm, 5pm, and 7pm. Serve at one or all four!

This is an opportunity to create a new Christmas tradition by bringing cheer and good will to all who attend by ushering, helping with check-in, or any other areas where our hospitality team serves. Bring your family, cohort, or come by yourself and enjoy community at CrossRoads. Please email CharleneG@CrossRoadsChurch.ca if you are interested.

DivorceCare at CrossRoads is currently postponed. For more information, please see DivorceCare.org

For those who have experienced separation or divorce, many will say that the emotional strains are the most painful and stressful they’ve ever faced.

If you're going through a separation or divorce, you might have a lot of questions about issues you’ve never had to face before. We recognize that this is probably a confusing time with a lot of firsts and you easily feel isolated. DivorceCare is a friendly, caring group of people here to walk alongside you through one of life’s difficult experiences; you don’t have to go through separation or divorce alone.

Groups will meet weekly to help you face these challenges and move toward rebuilding your life. 

Watch the "What is DivorceCare?" video here.

Have you considered making room in your home or in your day-to-day for community by hosting an online or in-person group? We need people to boldly consider hosting a short-term group starting in January 2021.

For support and to get your group started for the coming new year, please email Kimberly at CommunityLife@CrossRoadsChurch.ca.

Please note that all groups hosted under CrossRoads will be AHS compliant with the most current rules and regulations.

Do you usually get a box of personalized offering envelopes? If so, and you have now made the change and moved to online giving and no longer need your 2021 box, please email CharleneY@CrossRoadsChurch.ca.

Following each service online, we are here to pray with you. We invite you to let us know your prayer request by clicking here. Someone will then follow-up with you to pray together.

This winter, our Red Deer schools and partner organizations need your help! They have various opportunities that still allow for proper safety for yourself and the students involved.

Maybe you would like to help with breakfast program preparation, or would like to be a reading buddy to a student, or are able to provide support to a teacher. They will welcome you! And here at the church, we are looking for a few volunteers to serve in clothing and food donation management on a regular or on-call basis.

Other ways to love on our neighbours include:

• Clothing donations accepted here at the church. We are in need of winter-wear for students of all ages along with everyday clothing. Did you know, many kids have gym class outside all winter this year with no winter clothes to keep them bundled-up and warm?
• Food donations for emergency hampers and special requests used for school breakfast programs that are individually wrapped. ie: breakfast bars, individual yogurts, fresh fruit, fruit cups, instant oatmeal.

For more information on donations or serving, please contact LaurieW@CrossRoadsChurch.ca.

If you’re thinking about doing a little winter cleaning (kind of like spring cleaning but the winter version) and find you’ve got a collection of books on those shelves, we know just the place for them! An important local organization, The Mustard Seed, is now accepting book donations to be enjoyed by those in our community.  

We encourage you to take your no-longer-needed books directly to the Seed at:
6002 54 Ave, Red Deer 

Thank you for supporting our local partner!

They say it’s like Netflix for Bible Studies! Rightnow Media is a free subscription to a library of Bible study videos and resources for groups, families, and individuals. 

Visit CrossRoadsChurch.ca/RightNow and request your invite.

GriefShare is a friendly, caring group of people who will walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences. This group meets weekly and is of a limited size to ensure confidentiality & connection. If you are interested in attending GriefShare, please either register on the Groups page, or simply come.

Griefshare will run Tuesdays at 7pm in Room 108 from Oct 13th, 2020 through Jan 5th, 2021. For more information please visit Griefshare.org or contact Derek at 403-896-8946.

Each of us has hurts. To learn how to navigate the hurts, hang-ups, and habits, join us Friday evenings at 7pm. For more information visit CrossRoadsChurch.ca/CelebrateRecovery.

These days data is currency; wifi keeps us connected. We want to keep you connected to the stories and day-to-day happenings at CrossRoads.

• Connect with us through the website - CrossRoadsChurch.ca
• “This Week at CrossRoads” weekly bulletin (text BULLETIN to 1-844-844-0325 to subscribe. Standard message rates apply.)  
• Weekly ministry update videos - Watch Tues & Thurs at 3pm here & on Facebook
• The e-letter! If you would like to receive our e-letter, subscribe here.

For the days you can't be with us in person, tune into listen to the message every Sunday at 9am on ShineFM (90.5 on the FM dial).

This week's broadcast is the first message of Pastor Dan's Advent series, "The Hearts of Christmas". Please share this with those you know that may not be able to connect online.

If you feel led to give, we encourage you to do so through your online banking or e-transfer.

For online banking, please contact CharleneY@CrossRoadsChurch.ca for your payee account number. 

For e-transfer, please use giving@crossroadschurch.ca as the recipient. In the notes section of the e-transfer, specify where you would like the giving designated to: General, Missions or Building. If no designation is made, it will be allocated to the General Fund. To receive a year-end donation receipt, please also include your address in the notes section of the e-transfer.

Other options can be found at CrossRoadsChurch.ca/Giving.