This week's blog post features Sweden and Monday's will be about Ethiopia.

Join us at 4:00pm in person or online for a Christmas Eve service of readings and carols! The service will include a short message from Pastor John, a children’s message from Pastor Polly, and a spiritual practice from Angie. We will conclude our time together by lighting candles and passing the light of Christ as we celebrate the coming of Jesus the Global Savior!

Link to lyrics sheet for worship. Due to a volunteer shortage we are unable to offer slides for this service.

Sleep in and enjoy some family time on Sunday.

This Sunday we will take time to express our appreciation to Angie and Roman. This will be their final Sunday with us.

Angie began serving as the Director of Youth Ministries in 2017 and she founded Crosstown's TreeHouse ministry partnership. Let us be praying for Angie, Roman, and Elijah as they journey into a new season.

We are filled with joy to announce that Hector Calvo has agreed to serve on Wednesday evenings as our Interim Youth Leader. In this role of 5 hours/week, Hector’s ministry will be limited to Wednesday night youth gatherings through the end of the school year. Hector is a disciple of Jesus who was born in the Dominican Republic and came to the U.S. at the age of 15. One blessing of this background is that Hector is fluent in both Spanish and English. In recent years, Hector has served on the staff of Destino Covenant Church. He and his wife, Pierina, have three young children.

Thanks to everyone who helped to make our Wednesday night Christmas Celebration happen. The weather was crazy, the animals canceled, and we ended up opening up the food distribution an hour early. The food distribution was hampered by the weather. We are working some other options to reach neighbors in need. There was also enough additional donated money to purchase thirty eight $25 grocery gift cards that will be given to the LNCS social worker to help local families in need. Despite everything, the evening was full of music, games, crafts, sweets, and friendship. Check out the pictures from our Sunday packing and Wednesday evening of fun here.

Prayer Vigil & Service -Jan 7 and 8

As is the annual tradition at Crosstown, we will start the year with a 24-hour prayer vigil. This vigil will be held from Friday noon to Saturday noon on January 7th-8th. Signup coming soon.

New this year we are adding a worship service Friday night at 7:00pm. This hour of music and corporate prayer will go hand in hand with the 24-hour prayer vigil. This is a wonderful opportunity to spiritually prepare yourself for the year ahead.

Consecration Sunday- Jan 9

This will be a special Sunday of dedication, a time to give thanks for the newly updated Sanctuary. We will recommit our work to the Lord both individually and as a congregation.

👀Sneak peak at Monday's puzzle..

Join us on Instagram or Facebook for our "Where's that located?" game! 🧐

On Monday we publish an up close and personal image of something on the church property and then see if you can name the item and where it's located. 🤔

Dear Crosstown Family ~ over the next two weeks leading up to the birth of Jesus on Christmas, let's be praying our Lord's Prayer (Matthew 9:6-13) together. As you pause in prayer each day, slowly pray the words He taught us, letting them be our prayer for a new Worship Arts Director, for each other, and for ourselves.

  Our (My) Father in heaven

    hallowed be your name.

    your kingdom come,

    your will be done

      on earth as it is in heaven.

  Give us today our daily bread. (supply all our needs)

  Forgive our sins.

    as we also forgive others.

  And lead us not into temptation

    but deliver us from the evil one.

  For you are the King who rules

    with power and glory forever. Amen

Take delight in the LORD, and he will give (me) the desires of (my) heart. Psalm 37:4

Lord, continue to prepare our hearts this Advent season for the wonder of Christmas. Amen

The Worship Director Search Committee

Dennis Olson (Deacon, Chair of Worship Search), Mark Ogawa (Elder), Mike Anderson (church chair), Kathy McGillivray (congo rep), Michelle Acosta (congo rep), Iris Smyth (congo rep), John Jacobi (Pastor)

In January we will be diving into our fourth Immerse book: Kingdoms. This is your fair warning to mentally prepare yourself. It takes commitment to get through this amount of reading in 8 weeks, but you can do it. Day 1 reading will be January 17th

Passion for Christ Compassion for People