| | Spencerport Update
| A LETTER FROM OUR LEAD PASTOR
| I was recently reminded of six things we can speak over (pray over): our families, friends, coworkers, and classmates. Scripture repeatedly teaches and illustrates the power of prayer. Corrie ten Boom is quoted as saying, “Do not wait until you feel strong. Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the strength of God, and that strength is never known until it is felt to be needed and used.” As we pray the following over our families, friends, and acquaintances, may we do so trusting that our Lord will release the resources of heaven to work in and through those we lift up to Him.
| | | Romans 8:37 says, “We are more than conquerors.” When you speak this over someone, you're not praying a wish; you're praying an identity that Paul says already belongs to those in Christ. We are not mere victims of our circumstances but victors through Him who loved us enough to die for us. It's a good verse to pray over someone facing a specific battle, such as illness, addiction, or a hard season, because it reframes the fight: it’s not a prayer to survive; it’s a prayer from a position of secured victory.
| Then there is Isaiah 54:13, “All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children.” This covenant promise was originally spoken to Israel about restoration, and it's a rich one to pray over children and grandchildren. The prayer isn’t just that they'd receive good instruction, but that God Himself would be their teacher, shaping their hearts from the inside. Praying it over a young person carries a quiet confidence: their peace isn't contingent on circumstances lining up, but on being personally discipled by God.
| Turn also to Isaiah 54:16, “No weapon formed against you will prosper.” This verse comes alongside the promise in Isaiah 54:13, so praying it reminds you that peace and protection are two sides of the same covenant. God isn't just shaping the person you love; He's actively disarming what's raised against them. It's a strong verse to pray in seasons of spiritual attack, slander, or opposition because it doesn't deny the weapon's existence; it declares its outcome.
| Scripture also gives us Joshua 24:15, “Me and my family will serve the Lord.” Joshua's line was a household declaration in the face of competing gods, and praying it today is an act of consecration. It sets apart your home, your marriage, and your children's future households as belonging to God rather than drifting by default. It's especially fitting to pray over your own family or a family you love when you want to plant a flag: whatever else changes, this household serves the Lord.
| Consider Psalm 121:8, “The Lord protects our coming and going.” This verse widens the lens from single crises to the whole rhythm of a person's life. Every departure, every return, every transition they'll walk through long after you've stopped watching over them is still under the Lord’s protective gaze. It's a beautiful verse to pray over travelers, students leaving home, or anyone entering a new season, because it entrusts their entire “coming and going” to a God who never sleeps.
| One more worth carrying with you is Psalm 23:6, “God’s mercy and goodness will follow you.” David's language pictures goodness and mercy as pursuers, chasing someone down rather than something they have to go find, which makes this a tender verse to pray over people who feel far from God or worn out by life. Praying it over friends and acquaintances is a way of saying: even where you can't follow them, His goodness will.
| I offer a caveat. If those you are praying over have yet to follow Christ, the first and greatest prayer is that they do so. As they walk with the Lord, these prayers can serve as a guide for biblical requests as we intercede. I hope God will use them in your prayer life to glorify Him, to bless you, and to use you to bless others.
| Believing with you,
| Craig Cooper
| Lead Pastor
| Crosswinds Church
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| Worship Team Update
| | | As we continue through the early stages of our replanting efforts, not everything we do is immediately visible. While some changes are more noticeable than others, we believe that even the smallest details matter as we work together to grow a healthy, thriving church family here in Spencerport!
| | | This week, Sheldon Boyce, our Technical Arts Director, oversaw some much-needed
| technical updates. These improvements will help simplify our setup and, hopefully,
| make the technical aspects of our Sunday services less stressful and more consistent.
| | | We also made a small adjustment in the sanctuary by removing the front row of chairs and cleaning up the stage area. Since those who give the message now speak from the floor rather than the stage, the front row was a little too close, leaving little room for them to move around comfortably. This simple change gives them a bit more space to speak.
| | | These changes aren't very dramatic, but that's okay! Replanting isn't just about the big moments. It's about continually evaluating, adjusting, and making even small
| improvements to better serve our mission of reaching people with the hope of Jesus.
| Thank you for being part of this journey with us!
| | | Elijah Merrill
| Worship Arts Pastor
| Crosswinds Church
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| JOT Team
| Pastor Kevin Austin
| Pastor Craig Cooper
| Pastor Elijah Merrill
| Valerie Penna
| Pastor Betty Ryan
| Pastor Ryan Samuels
| Pastor Vanessa Samuels
| If you have any questions, please contact us at 585-394-5857
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| Operation Christmas Child
Thank you to all who grabbed a Shoebox in partnership with Operation Christmas Child! Please return filled boxes by November 8th so they can be returned to Crosswinds by the 15th. Below is some more information about Operation Christmas Child and the work they do.
| Operation Christmas Child: Operation Christmas Child - Crosswinds
| Crosswinds is hosting a free packing party on November 14th where we will fill 300 boxes. If you would like more information about the packing party, please click the link below.
| Shoebox Packing Party Details: Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Packing - Crosswinds Church
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| | Card Ministry
Our card ministry has recently been revamped and has a new and improved process! If you are interested in sending encouraging notes to someone from our church family OR you know of someone in need of encouragement, please see Valerie!
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| Crosswinds Church | 585-394-5857 | office@crosswinds.church
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