Highlights
• Probably the most significant highlight I could talk about in Young Adults is in its community growth.
I would say most people know at least a 3rd of the larger group by name. It is now common for people to hop from group to group to catch up and visit. This is great considering when they got here it was just them, and usually one other person they came with.
• We have a mixed group, probably 50/50 of intentional followers of Jesus and those who are just a slight bit interested. It was incredibly rewarding to see weekly varying pockets of young adults in deep conversations about what they believe, how following Jesus works, and requests for prayer. Often with those with practice helping out those with none.
• Every other week it seemed those meaningful conversations had to move outdoors at midnight so as to not set the building alarms off.
If you drive by the church on Monday nights between 10pm and 1am you will likely see cars running in random places in our parking lot. From time to time I check in with them usually to discover similar conversations going on in the blast of a vehicle’s hot air.
• I personally have had more coffees than I can count, with our Young Adults, and had way more than my caloric limit of wings. My favourites are the ones around personal interaction with Jesus. Things like “How do you hear Jesus” or “God wants me to do this but I don’t know how” or “I get a weird feeling that Jesus was active in my past, is that true?”
• We currently have 10 Young Adults racing to get their support, passports, time off work, and shots so that they can leave on May 15th for 12 days to Moldova. They will be helping with the refugee crisis coming out of Ukraine. We are sending a great crew! I know all but one personally and they will be a blessing. I have no doubt that God will also do much in their lives as they experience first hand this tragic and heartbreaking time.
Next Year
• We are heading to Colombia with the Young Adults this coming year to work with a crew of gang members’ kids. Yup you heard correctly. There is a ministry in Colombia that gang members (many warring each other) send their kids every afternoon when school is out. Those in the gangs hopes by doing so, their kids don’t turn out like them.
Our young adults will be spending two weeks with these kids and teens. They will run two camps, and provide a break for the local staff who run this ministry.
• It is my hope to inspire our Young Adults to be outward focused in this community. That they would walk into each hangout time with each other looking to be a blessing. Looking to show God’s love. That each hang out increases in its intentionality to bring Jesus into the time.
• We are working to start up another Young Adults mid-size community for newly marrieds and or ages 23-30.
Pastor Rob
robertm@crossroadschurch.ca
