Thank you so very much for your donations to our Holiday Help Gift Card drive. The collection was a huge success and because of your generosity, we can support several Lake Nokomis Community School (LNCS) families who need help during these challenging times. We have an amazing, caring, and compassionate community and it's times like these that demonstrate this so clearly. Thank you for being our collection site, for donating gift cards and for the kindness you show the LNCS school community. We are so fortunate to partner with your loving congregation as we make our way through these challenging times. Knowing we are in this together and that we care for one another makes life a bit easier. I hope you are all well and healthy. Thank you for all that you do to nurture your community!

Jennifer Frisbie, MSW, LICSW

School Social Worker

You didn't think we would skip the tradition of seeing little kiddos in costumes spinning as angels. Absolutely not. We have a Christmas treat for you. Watch your app for its release. We promise it will bring a smile to your face!

Have you checked out the Crosstown photo album lately? We have new pictures of the youth Christmas party, women's tea, and family crafting day. If you have pictures from 2020 to contribute please email the office.

24 Hour Prayer Vigil - Jan 8 & 9

Every year we as a church set aside a 24-hour period to focus in prayer for our world, nation, community, and congregation. You will be able to take part in this event in person at Crosstown or in your home.

This January we are kicking off the year with a vision of increased community and engaging conversation in vivid Biblical color. Our series, 50 Days with Jesus, will have three ways to participate. We hope that you prayerfully consider how you will take part.

First, this sermon series is inspired by a Biblically vivid TV show. The Chosen is a wonderful presentation of Christ, his disciples, and his friends in all their humanity. We invite you to watch these episodes on your own or at one of our watch parties.

Second, Sunday sermons will echo the corresponding Chosen episode and dig deeper into the Biblical text covered in that episode. We invite you to join us on YouTube at 9:15am for the live stream and share in the chat with friends. Crosstown is together in spirit even if we are separated by location.

Third, take it a step deeper with our small group options. These groups will commit to meet virtually for 8 weeks to wrestle together, share current needs or concerns, and be challenged to take weekly action. We pray that this will be discipleship at its best and that you will consider taking a next step to join a group. Discipleship-Community-Mission

As Angie prepares for maternity leave please make sure that you have the Crosstown app and that you have your "Youth Ministries" notifications turned ON. Youth ministry will continue meeting online and over Zoom during her leave.

Families Together, Youth Group, and Adult programming will all resume January 6th with an online format.

Our hope is to resume in-person Sunday worship in mid-January of 2021. We will continue to monitor the relevant metrics and provide a further update in the January 7 edition of the "Crosstown Connection." Let's continue to pray for a major reduction in COVID throughout our region, nation, and world (Bill Weller, Samantha Buchanan, Deene Fischer, Bob Weides, Pastor John Jacobi).

Birthdays!

Tulio Ponce 12/19, Nathan Baake 12/21, Dennis Olson 12/27, Erica Olson 12/28, Wayne Berfeldt 12/29, Liana Ogawa 12/30

Passion for Christ Compassion for People