For much of the last year, the ministries of CrossRoads had ever-changing challenges to deal with, including the changing COVID restrictions, which were constantly changing for places of worship. Yet throughout the year, we consistently heard stories of lives being transformed and even some coming to know Jesus for the first time. While our ministries worked with fewer resources (peoples’ time, funds, etc.), God provided what was needed for them to be effective and bear fruit. Please be sure to read their reports to hear about stories of life change, stories of God’s goodness, and the various activities of ministry among us and in Central Alberta.
Staffing
We have been operating with a reduced staff over the past year, and with the changes in attendance and giving we will be attempting to hold to the current level and allow it to become the new norm for us. The ministries are working with less resources and some programs have been affected, either due to less staff or fewer funds available. And yet, I believe we are capable of still being effective in the things we do. As a church, our attendance and our giving levels are more like we were in 2010 and we need to be thinking in those terms when we make decisions on programs and effort.
It has also become acutely evident that while our staffing levels are lower, and the funds required for ministry are less, the real impact on ministry is the lack of people serving in our body. This is to be expected, as not all are comfortable with stepping back into a serve role. We are hopeful that some of the focus on serving over the summer months will help lessen this impact on ministry.
We are also sad to have Pastor Dallas and Pastor Shawn leave for another ministry opportunity that God has called them to. We gave them our blessing as leaders and as a congregation and we know that God will bless what they put their hearts and minds to in their new fellowships. We are currently searching for a new Worship Pastor, and if you have any leads for us, we are certainly receiving them. I want to publicly thank Dave Grobe and Ashley Lehman for stepping up to help lead our worship ministry until such time as we find a new Worship Pastor. They have been outstanding. We have also been extremely grateful for the full worship team and how they have worked hard to maintain a high level of leadership over worship on Sundays.
We will not be replacing Pastor Shawn’s role at this time, and most likely will not until after we have secured a new Senior Pastor in 2024. Please remember to pray for Pastor Dan as he uses others to assist in preaching throughout the year, and for the extra load I have personally due to Shawn’s departure.
Priscila Pascoal joined us on staff last year in the role of Pastor to K-6 Families. It has been a blessing having Priscila on staff bringing a passion for children and their families.
Finances
I want to thank you for your continued giving. We recognize that these times have been difficult with the increase in everyday costs and the ups and downs of the past year, so we have appreciated your giving. We continue to be prudent in our expenses and if we find ourselves short at the end of the year, we will use reserves to cover the shortfall. We continue to trust in God and His provision knowing this fiscal year ahead is in His hands. Over the next while, we ask you to pray and consider how the Lord leads you to give in the coming year. Please refer to the proposed budget for our year-end projections and upcoming fiscal
year budget.
Final Thoughts
The last couple of years through COVID have been very trying on everyone connected to CrossRoads, from the staff to the congregation to myself and Dan. We look forward to what God has planned for us in the coming months; He is in control and we trust in His good plans for us. We remain hopeful that God’s love will fill Red Deer and Central Alberta and that more and more people will come to know Jesus through the strong community here at CrossRoads. Let us all be lights in the darkness.
Pastor Jordan
julieo@crossroadschurch.ca
