This past year, we have experienced once again how Jesus leads us and invites us to rely on Him in this work that He has prepared in advance for us to do: to provide soul care for people by creating safe places where Jesus’ presence is active, and He grows people to be more like Him.
Prayer Team
Did you know that there is a dedicated team of people who are praying regularly for CrossRoads Church and the needs in our community? When people submit prayer requests online, these are then shared with the prayer team. This team serves behind the scenes and remembers these requests in prayer.
In addition to those serving in this way, perhaps you have seen prayer team members who serve with the altar prayer team at the close of Sunday services. Presently, we have nearly 20 people regularly serving in this role. This team gets to be on the front row of seeing how the Holy Spirit moves in people’s lives in real time there in the sanctuary. We are thankful.
Prayer for Inner Healing is yet another expression of Prayer Ministries at CrossRoads. These are extended times of prayer (2 hours or more) where a person is walked through intentional steps as the facilitators ask them questions, read Scripture, and pray for them. These prayer times are all about people coming face to face with Jesus and experiencing His healing.
I appreciate your prayers for these prayer ministries at CrossRoads. In the coming year, I am asking Jesus to double the size of our altar prayer team with pairs of people regularly serving together and young people having opportunities to be mentored in this way. I am asking Jesus to grow a team of intercessors for each of the Sunday services who pray for the services and also for all of the ministry areas on Sundays. To this end, we have set aside Sundays at 8:30 am as a time to pause and pray in the Prayer Room. Thank you for praying for us as we serve in these prayer ministries.
Hope Groups
Hope Groups are those groups under the banner of Community Life at CrossRoads that have a unique connection with Hope Ministries. These groups include Celebrate Recovery (CR), GriefShare, DivorceCare, Special Needs Community, and the Life & Heart Coaching Group.
The Celebrate Recovery Leadership TEAM (CR TEAM) is one of the most effective and well-organized teams that I have witnessed in my life. This dedicated group of people serves tirelessly 52 weeks out of every year. They prayerfully pursue a “come as you are” environment, where Jesus is front and center as people bring their hurts, habits, and hang-ups to Him. This past January, CR celebrated 14 years of ministry here at CrossRoads.
In GriefShare, the amazing team of facilitators seeks to provide a supportive environment where people can grieve the loss of their loved ones. I would describe the environment as holy ground. We presently have two teams of facilitators who alternate in caring for the 13-week groups.
DivorceCare is a vital ministry that helps people walk through the pain of separation and divorce. I am thankful for the facilitators of this group and how they pray for the participants and point people to Jesus. I regularly hear reports of how people are opening up and sharing their stories.
Special Needs Community is a group that has met monthly over the past year. I appreciate how Jesus has led us as a community in creating an environment where we come together to sing worship songs, share stories, laugh and cry together, and walk away with encouragement from His word. Bev McNab’s input as a co-facilitator of this group has been immensely valuable.
Life & Heart Coaching Group met for eight weeks this year. Group members were invited to pause with Jesus and explore His word. Don Albers led us through content that helped participants dig deeper into their stories and journeys with Jesus. It was a rich time to hear more of what Jesus was saying to people and their steps of obedience in response to Him.
I am praying that God would continue to raise up additional facilitators for these groups. I also appreciate your prayers for those who presently serve, that Jesus would continue to strengthen and encourage them in this vital work.
Team Update
Our team is presently walking through a significant change as Pam Halvorson retired at the end of April. Pam served at CrossRoads for 21 years, specifically with Hope Ministries for 16 years. Pam is a woman of character in Christ who fervently prays for the Lord’s will to be done in and through CrossRoads Church. We will miss her and are so thankful for the opportunity to have served with her this past season. As we prepare for this next season, the Lord has seen fit that Chris Moellenbeck step into the Ministry Assistant to Hope Ministries role. We are glad that Chris is here and that she was able to learn from Pam in her first two weeks in the role.
As you have read this, I wonder what Jesus has caused to stand out to you. Perhaps Jesus is inviting you to serve in some way with Prayer Ministries or Hope Groups. Can you picture yourself serving with the altar prayer team? Or perhaps you would like to learn how to be a facilitator with a Hope Group? If you have any questions or would like to sit down for a conversation with us, please know that our door is always open.
The Lord bless you today!
