This Week at Crossroads 9.22.22

A SERIES ON FORGIVENESS This new series explores the importance of forgiveness in our lives. God’s forgiveness is a merciful gift that influences and transforms how we deal with our own brokenness and that of others. God’s delicate balance of law and forgiveness teaches us how to confess, repent, forgive, and reconcile as we live out Jesus' expectation that we forgive. This week we will explore our confidence in being fully forgiven, not because of our own works, but because of Jesus.   Scriptures This Week: Acts 10:34–43 Huddle/Study Questions: What is one thing that stood out to you from this week’s message? What things did/does God ask you to “put off” to live new life in Christ?  If forgiveness cost Jesus his life, why do we think it will be easy for us? How do you find strength to forgive others when they have wronged you?  What were you taught to believe about anger? How does the idea that anger isn’t a bad thing challenge those beliefs? What does it look like to have righteous anger?  Think about a time when you gave forgiveness to someone or were given forgiveness from someone. How did it change the relationship? WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ANNUAL MEETING IN PERSON!!! We are happy to announce that our 2022 Annual Meeting will be held in person! Please join us in the Sanctuary on Saturday, October 15 at 9:00 am so you may learn more about our milestones this past year, and vote on essential congregational life items such as our operating budget and church board members for 2023-26. Everyone is encouraged to attend with voice, however only Covenant Disciples are eligible to vote.  We look forward to seeing you there!  To confirm you completed the Covenant Disciple form for 2022 contact Kelly or call the church office at 480-849-2465.   BAREFOOT SUNDAY Barefoot Sunday offers us an opportunity to make a sacrifice during worship at Crossroads. However, it also helps us reflect and become aware of the gifts in our lives. Also, walking barefoot on Sunday gives us the chance to participate in an event that reminds us of others worldwide. Through no fault of their own, many people live in poverty, especially on reservations in Arizona.  This year our Barefoot Sunday event shows us how we can come alongside our friends at the House of Prayer Navajo Lutheran Church to support the Rock Point, AZ community with shoes.  This year our goal is to collect 300 pairs of shoes.  During the offering, you are invited to take off your shoes (and the ones you have collected) and leave them at the altar during communion.  Please share this event with your neighbors and friends.  Let's make this the biggest collection today. For more information contact Pastoral Intern Tim Perlick.  The annual community Trunk or Treat event is expected to be bigger than ever this year. It is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 29 from 5-7 p.m. at Crossroads Church. Children are invited to come in costume and enjoy a family friendly atmosphere of traditional candy gathering.  The event is still in need of volunteers to donate a “trunk” and distribute candy for the Trunk or Treat fun.  Please contact Nicole Crowder or call the church office 480-849-2465 if you are able to donate a Trunk.  MEET GOD BLESSING OF THE ANIMALS Bring your beloved pets for a pet blessing.  We know, they're not just pets, they are family. Bring your pet(s) to be blessed on Saturday, October 4 from 11 AM - 12 PM at the front of the Encanterra Clubhouse. Can't bring your pet? Bring a photo, collar, bed - whatever you want - to be blessed. All animals must be on leashes or in crates.  Sign in at the security gate and then proceed to the clubhouse.  PLEASE PARDON OUR MESS We are creating additional meeting space at Crossroads.  The needs of our Next Generation ministry is expanding.  The new space will create a safe and comfortable space for children to gather on Sunday mornings. In addition to children's ministry, this space can also be used for meeting space for groups.  For questions please contact Pastor Charles Newman.  BAPTISM SUNDAY October 30, 2022 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father nd the Song and the Holy Spirit. -Matthew 28:19 We believe the sacrament of baptism is a beautiful life-changing event. In baptism, we trust that God is active in cleansing us from our sin, we are claimed as children of God and we receive the free gift of God’s grace.  Whether as an infant or an adult, we trust that in baptism, we are joined to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus!  Contact Pastor Charles Newman to discuss your participation in Baptism Sunday.  Our Prayer Ministry takes many forms and expressions. But in all expressions, we communicate with God through prayer.  Whether you need prayer, or would like to join us in one of our prayer ministries, we would like to invite you to find your place with us, in prayer.  If you would like to submit a prayer request, contact Pam Dienert.  You can join also join us on the 2nd & 4th Wednesday at 2:00pm for online intercessory prayer or by appointment for prayer of healing.  Please email Church Office or call (480) 849-2465 for the link.  To schedule an appointment for prayer click here. MEET FRIENDS Jesus had an extended family on mission — disciples beyond the twelve that he considered sisters and brothers who regularly met together for meals, reflection, and mission. In the early church, they called this oikos, or what we might call household or house church today. At Crossroads our Missional Communities are the heartbeat where you too can regularly participate in this kind of tight-knit Kingdom community. To learn more, join or start a missional community contact Pastor Charles Newman  Discipleship Huddles are the pulse of Crossroads. We believe that we are called to go and make disciples, and Huddle and Missional Communities are the tools that drives our discipleship. Based on the book, “Building a Discipling Culture” by Mike Breen and the 3DM team, we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit and what God is saying to us. We meet in small  groups for Huddle, helping each other process what we are called to do, and holding each other accountable. Huddles are a place to give and receive encouragement and accountability with group of 3 to 6 people led by a Pastor or trained huddle leader.  If you would like information or to join a huddle, please contact Pastor Charles Newman. WELCOME BACK WINTER DISCIPLES & FRIENDS GATHERINGS  OCT 24, Nov. 14, JAN. 23 Everyone is welcome! We especially invite all our friends who worship with us during the winter months. Come meet new friends, hear what's happening at Crossroads and the vision for 2023 from Pastor Charles.  Attend one of these informative gatherings.  All gatherings will be held at Crossroads at 10:00am.    FORM YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY SUNDAY, OCT 2nd @ 6:00 PM LOCATION: TBA FORM is a young adult ministry community in the East Valley committed to connect to and empower each other along their discipleship journeys, to embrace the essential marks of discipleship to helping their friends find and follow Jesus better, and to support the overall movement of the local church. FORM meets on the first and 3rd Sunday.  For more information and details contact Catherine O'Neal.  Agape, a Crossroads ministry at ASU Poly is in full swing for the Fall semester.  We want to offer three ways you can support this ministry: 1. Help Feed Students - Every Monday at 5:30pm students gather for a meal. They can always use cooks and cookie bakers.   2. Join Our Leadership Team as we seek to grow and expand this ministry. If you're interested on the leadership team contact Pastor Charles. 3. Volunteer to clean, garden or stock the food closet at the ministry house.   To learn more about Agape ministry and how you can make life better for students contact Rachel Evans.  MAKE LIFE BETTER LET'S GET ORGANIZED!  Planning Center Online (PCO) allows Crossroads to become more connected to regular attenders, leaders, and volunteers, by using services that all connect together in 1 system for an improved, and more managed church system.  There will be several changes over the next coming months in policies, and procedures but it will all be with the goal to make things easier and more efficient than the way things have been in the past.  Our worship team has used PCO for several years.  We are confident this will improve our communications for both our Crossroads family and those who lead ministries.  We are transiting from our Breeze database to PCO over the next couple of months.  This will provide us with plenty of time to work out the quirks, make the adjustments and train others for this user friendly platform. LOVING OUR COMMUNITY IN THE NAME OF JESUS Crossroads participates with God in our neighborhoods through community partnerships. We recognize that community development is slow work, but we believe that through long-lasting partnerships, rather than one-off projects, we can best participate with how God is at work in this city.  To learn more about our partnership with Florence Unified School District, Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission, Hope Women's Center, Arizona State University and our global partnership in Mexico and Senegal, contact Pastoral Intern Tim. JOIN THE GENEROSITY MINISTRY TEAM  This ministry team focuses on creating a culture of generosity at Crossroads.  The team organizes efforts for Crossroads disciples and friends to show their generosity to one another and to our neighbors.  This team supports our yearly generosity campaign that highlights ways we seek to be generous with our resources.  If you would like to join this team, please contact Pastoral Intern Tim.  CHURCH CLEAN UP THANK YOU Thank you to everyone who gave a helping hand for our church work day.  We were able to clean the bathroom, upstairs office, deep clean and moved materials to the storage garage in Florence.  Thanks for all you help!  GIVE HERE CROSSROADS AT A GLANCE Sept. 26         Agape Meal @ 5:30pm (Agape Ministry House) Sept. 27        Coffee and Caring @ 3:00pm (ASU Poly Student Union) Oct. 2            FORM Young Adults @ 6pm (Crossroads Church)  Oct. 3            Agape Meal @ 5:30pm (Agape Ministry House) Oct. 4            Blessing of the Animals @11:00am (Encanterra Clubhouse)                        Coffee and Caring @ 3:00pm (ASU Poly Student Union)                       Prayer Team @ 2:00pm  Oct. 5            C3 All Church Gathering @ 6:30pm (Online) Oct. 10         Agape Meal @ 5:30pm (Agape Ministry House) Oct. 11          Coffee and Caring @ 3:00pm (ASU Poly Student Union) Oct. 15          Annual Meeting @ 9:00am (Crossroads Church) Oct.16           Barefoot Sunday @ 9:15 (Crossroads Church)                       FORM Young Adults @ 6:30pm (TBA) Oct. 17          Agape Meal @ 5:30pm (Agape Ministry House) Oct. 18          Coffee and Caring @ 2:30pm (ASU Poly Student Union)                       Barefoot Tuesday @ ASU Polytechnic Campus Oct. 24          Winter Disciple & Friends Gathering 10:00am (Crossroads Church)                       Agape Meal @ 5:30pm (Agape Ministry House) Oct. 25          Coffee and Caring @ 3:00pm (ASU Poly Student Union) Oct. 29.          Fall Festival/Trunk or Treat 5:00pm - 7:00pm (Crossroads Church)  Oct. 30.          Reformation and Baptism Sunday (Wear Red)  PRAYER WALL There are many ways to offer and receive prayer at Crossroads.  Send your prayer request to Crossroads Prays.  Go to the Prayer Station during worship service and light a candle. Receive confidential prayer with a  A Prayer Team member.  THIS WEEK'S PRAYER & PRAISE: The Gard & Crowder families as the mourn the death of Rev. Gary Gard Shae praise God not hurt in car accident Pr Charles as he trains leaders in Chicago to start new ELCA churches Mavis' daughter Kelly as she recovers from surgery Sherilyn T. as she recovers from eye surgery  Joanne Hock at the passing of her husband Loren Gary S. as he continues with his recovery and healing Jerry P. and Bruce P for continued healing Catherine and Matt as they prepare for foster care case Doris as she battles breast cancer Students and families affected by the accident on Rittenhouse last Saturday Laurel as we manages family and health Waddell B at the loss of a friend Pastor Tony Scheer at the loss of his wife Florence Unifed School District New musicians to support worship Training for our livestream team  Aaron Mathis who has been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer Arizona State University first year and returning students All members of the Armed Forces Ukraine and all people across the world affected by aggression & war  All those affected by gun violence Church staff and board discernment for 2023 vision for ministry Facebook LIVE  YOUTUBE LIVE Copyright © 2022 Crossroads Church, All rights reserved. Our Mailing Address Is: 2769 E. Combs Road | Box 4 | San Tan Valley | AZ | 85143 Our Physical Address Is: 2769 E. Combs Road Building D I San Tan Valley I AZ I 85140 Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.