Crosstown Connection

Crosstown Connection - August

Crosstown Retreat @ Covenant Pines

September 15-17, 2023

Covenant Pines is a magical place to unplug and invest in relationships – with your family, your church family and with Jesus! There are a variety of lodging accommodations; tent, cabin, the retreat center or the fancier Silver Beach cabins. You can head out on the water in a kayak, canoe, or waterbike, snuggle up by the campfire, make s’mores, go on a hay-less hayride, hike, ride bikes, play blacklight dodgeball, catapult yourself into the sky with the big swing, play pickleball, play board games, or put together a jigsaw puzzle. Naps are an option, too! We will also have chapel, songs around a campfire, and many other ways to deepen our relationships with each other and Jesus! You won’t want to miss it! If cost is an issue, please note that in the registration and Sam Buchanan will respond to you. Please register by clicking on the button below:

Click here to register for Crosstown Church Retreat

Call to Prayer & Fasting!

During the month of August, Crosstown is engaging in a focused time of prayer and fasting. This is in response to Jesus’ word in Mark 9:29, “This kind can be cast out only by prayer.” Our heart is to pray for the advance of Jesus’ kingdom and mission as we look ahead to the ‘23-’24 ministry year. We’re being invited to participate in two specific ways. 1st, will you pray daily for Crosstown’s ministry? As a catalyst for these prayers, we’re invited to place a dot on our phone or watch. Each time we note the dot, we raise a “breath prayer.” Such prayers include: “Jesus, grow our love for you and others!” “Jesus, I seek to hear your voice!” 2nd, we are being challenged to fast each Thursday (August 17, 24, 31). This is a biblically anchored spiritual life practice in which we abstain from food for a spiritual purpose. For example, instead of time spent in food prep & eating, we spend that time calling out to God. One variation on fasting would be to exchange “screen time” by giving our focused attention to God. This August-wide focus is all about our desire to be ROOTED in JESUS!

The Alpha Course is a 12-week journey focused on exploring Christian faith in a friendly environment that includes a meal. Each week we’ll focus on a topic: Who is Jesus? Why Read the Bible? Why / How Do I Pray? This adventure launches on Wednesday, September 20 @ 6 pm. Respond today with an email to Pastor John (pastorjohn@crosstowncovenant.org).

Sunday, August 20 Our special guest, John Whaley, will share a tag-team message with Pastor John. Mr. Whaley will be sharing about his journey through an extreme bout with COVID followed by cancer. Through this battle, John Whaley discovered not only a reason for hope but also how to live with greater clarity and purpose. He learned that a diagnosis is not where life ends, but an invitation to draw near to God and discover the opportunity He offers.

Power of Prayer Group! One way to respond to Crosstown’s fresh prayer initiative is by participating in POP (Power of Prayer)! This group gathers every Tuesday morning this summer from 9 AM -10 AM on Zoom. Click here for the Zoom link.

This is open to anyone who desires to be in corporate prayer to seek God's plan and desire for Crosstown. The prayer time will be led by different individuals but we seek to: Pause (with silence)…Praise (give thanks)…Promise (scripture)…Prayer (remainder of the hour). If you have any questions, please call Kathleen Lindahl at 612-866-2063.

Deacon of Youth Nomination

We are pleased to announce that Deena Fischer has been nominated for Deacon of Youth Ministry. This nomination was brought by the Youth Commission and was affirmed at the June Elder meeting. She will serve as Acting Deacon until the Congregational Meeting on October 29, when we will have the opportunity to affirm this role. Deena will serve the current 2-year Youth Deacon term that continues - May of 2025.

Nokomis East Food Distribution

On August 9 we served 100 families a total of 2,300 #’s of food.

Upcoming dates to serve are

August 23 & September 13

Click the button below to sign-up

Finance Update - July ‘23

YTD Operating Income $192,027

YTD Expenses $188,466

Net Operating Income $ 3,561

Contact Information Update:

If you have updated contact information, please forward that to the Crosstown Office at office@crosstowncovenant.org. Thank you!

Event Request Form: Do you have an event coming up and would like to note it in the newsletter or reserve space at the church? Click the button below to fill out the form and let us know about your event

(Please allow minimum of two weeks for someone at church to contact you about your event)