This week at Crossroads

Dear friends,

As we near the end of July, I hope that you have been able to find moments of solitude, gratitude, and play. Many of you will do just that in the month of August. As you are in town, you are invited to join us for worship at Crossroads. This week we are wrapping up our series on the Power of Food. We’ve explored our call to feed the hungry around us, we have been challenged to rethink how we approach food, and we’ve discussed the power food has to bring us together. Our final look this week has to do with looking beyond food as we explore ourselves in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Once basic needs have been meet, we can begin to move forward in our journey seeking something greater for our lives. In the sermon “Not By Bread Alone,” we will explore the power of the presence of one another in our lives as we seek to find purpose and meaning. This self-actualization can be given space to grow and flourish through the holy spirit and with the encouragement and help of others. Jesus said that human kind cannot live by bread alone. While we need to food to exist, we need more to flourish and grow. Join us as we explore this together.

In our prayers:
Healing prayers for Mary Jean Evans, Annie Butler’s mother, and the people of Norway
Prayers of empowerment for our Volunteers-in-Mission team going to Nicaragua and for Susan Fratzke who is working in Belgium
Prayers of wisdom for the leaders of our country
Prayers of strength and healing for those struggling with emotional and mental illness
Prayers of mercy for those traveling this August
Prayers of grace for our community of faith
Prayers of discernment for the Crossroads vision
Prayers for our various service ministries and for the residents of the St. Luke’s shelter

Coming soon!

August Sermon Series: Sabbath. Join us as we explore this ancient, but often ignored practice of Sabbath. We will take the month of August to discover again the roots of Sabbath, how we might bring that into our place of work, how Sabbath helps us with advocacy, and practical ways to practice Sabbath drawing on our Christian tradition as well as Jewish and Muslim traditions.

The next installment of Jazz in the Garden will be Friday, August 12 from 6:30-8:30 featuring the Tara Hoffman Trio. Spread the word! Find more information at metrocrossroads.org

Food series wrap-up: As a part of the response to our sermon series called the Power of Food, we will be joining in a cooperative parish effort to feed those who are hungry around us. In the coming weeks you will hear information about trips to glean at local farms and the Salvation Army Grate Patrol. There will also be nutrition classes starting in the fall as well. Please pray about how you might serve in these areas.

Small group Bible study: Returns this fall. More information and opportunity to sign up soon.

Serving at Crossroads: We invite you to be a part of the Crossroads team. We are seeking help with food preparation and hospitality, greeters, and sound and video technicians. We will have opportunities to sign up at the service, but you can also e-mail me for more information.

I hope to see you this Sunday as we open ourselves to God’s movement in our lives.

Joy and Peace,

Jimmy

The Power of Food

Jimmy

We close out our sermons series on the Power of Food by actually going beyond food. Jesus said that human kind cannot live on bread alone. There is much more than that. Once we meet the basic needs and we are no longer physically hungry, we begin to seek the more that God has in store for us. This is the final level of Maslow's hierarcy called self-actualization. We will explore how those around us helps us to reach this point in our journeys.

I hope you will join us. I can't wait to see what God is doing this week!

Peace and Joy,