There's A Sweet, Sweet Spirit In This Place!

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Lenten Sermon Series:

MUST JESUS BEAR THE CROSS ALONE?: Exploring the Signficance of Ethnicity & Cultural Diversity as We Journey to the Cross With Jesus

Crossroads!

MUST Jesus bear the cross alone? I pray it is not so... We are nearing the end of the Lenten season. Can you believe that next week is Palm Sunday? As we continue in our series: Must Jesus Bear the Cross Alone Series in which we have been challenged to bear and understand the ethnic and/or cultural significance of our lectionary texts en-route to the cross of our salvation, we turn our focus to honoring Christ who journeys with, for, and because of us.

Jesus was intentional in his living and giving because God has always been intentional. How intentional are you in your living and giving? God is not only intentional, but God intentionality is never failing. God makes all things work together for the good of them, that love the Lord and are called according to God’s purpose. Yes, even when the world would have us think otherwise.

Like Mary in this week's Gospel text, we are being called to consider the ways God is calling us to pour out something more precious than we could imagine, perhaps more precious than we are worthy of having access to.

Can we offer something more precious to Christ, to the Church, to the world as we continue to journey with the one who loves us more than his own life? What will it cost you? What will it cost me? What will it cost us? Regardless, ALL things are working for your/our Good! I look forward to worshipping with you from places near and far tomorrow.

The scriptures this Sunday come from Isaiah 43:16-21 and John 12:1-8

This Week

Sunday, April 3rd

Join us in person or via Facebook Live/Zoom for Sunday worship.

Masks will be worn during worship and safe distancing will be maintained.

Following our morning worship, please join us for Cross Roads Cafe Adult Bible in person or via Zoom.

Get material for class HERE

Every Tuesday

8:30am - Meditative Prayer via Zoom

and Facebook Live

Singles Time Out

Singles group meets every Saturday at 5:30pm in the Patio Room

Meetings This Week

None, check back next week!

March 29th

How Sweet The Sound: The Power and Promise of 30 Beloved Hymns

We are reviewing and discussing 2-3 hymns each week.

Laura Smith's devotional stories make a connection between the songs of the past and our current lives.

This week we will focus on Go Tell It On the Mountain, and Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus.

Join us on Wednesday mornings at 9:30am via Zoom.

Join us on Wednesday nights at 7pm via Zoom for this year's Lenten Book Study: Witness at the Cross by Professor Amy-Jill Levine.

You don't need a copy of the book to be a part of the conversation, all are welcome.

Guest Speaker on Palm Sunday

On Palm Sunday, April 10th, at 9:30 am we will be joined by special guest speaker, Rev. Redeem Robinson.

Rev. Redeem Robinson is a minister, activist, and community organizer. He is the founder of Ebenezer Church- PHX, a new church plant in Phoenix that's inclusive and affirming for those who identify as LGBTQ+. He has also served in many ministry positions in Tucson, AZ, Baltimore, MD, Eastern North Caroline, Minneapolis, MN, and Seattle-Tacoma Washington area and has been active in community activism in most of these places.

Rev. Robinson has a major passion for fighting for justice, equal rights, fighting against poverty, being the voice for the oppressed and standing up to those who wish to oppress others. He has been active in the Black Lives Matter movement in Tucson and Phoenix. He started the Black Lives Matter Chapter in Tucson in 2015. In 2019, Rev. Robinson started the Black Engagement Committee for the Maricopa County Democratic Party and also served as the Deputy Political Director for former presidential candidate, Tom Steyer. Rev. Robinson has also worked on many other political campaigns for federal and statewide races, helped organize around immigrant rights, the impeachment of Donald Trump with Need to Impeach and around police accountability. He was the Black Outreach Campaign Manager for Arizona Coalition for Change which helped increase Black voter turnout in Arizona by 11%. Rev. Robinson has also served on the Governing School Board in the Balsz School District in East Phoenix.

New Member Sunday

Easter Events

Sunrise Service:

Will be held at Steele Indian School Park

Brunch:

10:30am to 12:00 pm in the Patio Room at Cross Roads UMC, and the Egg Hunt will follow shortly after.

Tickets

Adults - $15

Kids - $10

Kids Under 5 are free

Click on the button below to RSVP

RSVP

Barney's Night Out: April 20th

Barney Mullen, who lives at Lura Turner for Adults with Developmental Disabilities, has worked at the Denny’s at 7th Street and Camelback Road in Phoenix since the spring of 1978, when Lura Turner herself secured the job for him.

In 1965, Turner saw a need to provide a home for persons who had developmental disabilities. Young adults were being transitioned into the community from the Arizona’s Children’s Colony, and many were unable to live independently or with their families. Barney was one of those people.

“So, we are his family,” said Max McQueen, who served on the Lura Turner board for 22 years, and now as the executive director for the past 19 years. McQueen said that Turner noticed that Barney was the best dishwasher at his home and went in search of a job for him, setting her sights on Denny’s.

“So, she came up here and brought Barney — we’re talking ’76, ‘77 — and they didn’t want to hire him, and they didn’t want to hire him. Now, Miss Turner was one of those women… [she said] ‘Well, you’re gonna hire him sooner or later, so hire him now.’ So that was ‘78. And he’s been washing dishes here ever since.”

McQueen added, “And now Denny’s is his family.”

The Denny’s at Camelback and 7th Street also has been a mainstay in Phoenix. The location opened in 1956, according to manager Joe Wood, who has been there for 14 years himself. He says that what they have at their location is kind of special, which is why they started celebrating Barney’s work anniversary when he hit 30 years, in 2008.

“He’s like family to all these girls. They all look out for him. We have some pretty long tenured employees. One of our cooks has been here 28 years. It’s kind of unusual. So even those guys are looking out for him all the time.”

One of his long-time coworkers, Candias Cerny, said, “I’ve actually known and worked with Barney for over 25 years. He is a very hard, dedicated worker; shows up on time. People love him.”

Noemy Giles has worked at the Denny’s for about a year and a half, but she’s known Barney much longer.

“I’ve been here ever since I was a little girl and my parents introduced me to Barney when I was younger. And it has always been so nice and fun to see him be around here, he makes me smile a lot when he giggles. And every time he’s at a table, he turns around and says, ‘I did it, huh?’”

Wood also sings Barney’s praises. “When I first started working here 14 years ago, he was working five days a week. He’s down to two days a week right now. He’ll still out-work most people here, but he’s getting a little older.”

He added, “We’ll just continue to have him here until he doesn’t want to be here.” But he doesn’t see that happening any time soon. “I get a call from him every Sunday. He works the exact same shift. Every Sunday I get a call from him around 2:30, 3:00, ‘Hey Joe, I’m working tomorrow, right?’ ‘Yeah, me and you buddy.’ He likes to tell people, ‘He can do it.’ He’s the only one that can do it.”

Barney himself is a man of few words, but he did share that some of his duties include cleaning the tables and washing dishes. And he really likes his coworkers, who he says are nice to him. He doesn’t have any hobbies; he says that after work, he just likes to go home to the Turner House.

People tend to stop by just to say “hi” or to check on Barney, especially when the pandemic first hit, and he had to stay home from work.

“It’s kinda hard to explain,” Wood said, “but it’s pretty cool. In all my years, I’ve never seen something like this.”

This year, after a two-year break, Denny’s is resuming its annual anniversary party for Barney. The public is invited to celebrate his 44 years of exemplary service from 4 to 10 p.m., Wednesday, April 20, at Denny’s, 5002 N. 7th St.

Whether guests dine in or order to go, 20 percent of all sales that day will be donated to Lura Turner Homes for Adults with Developmental Disabilities, home to Barney and other adults with special needs.

For more information, call Lura Turner Homes at 602-943-4789 or visit www.luraturnerhomes.org.

Article: North Central News w ww.northcentralnews.net

Photo Credit: Kathryn M. Miller

Veterans Ministry

Phoenix, Arizona - MILITARY AND VETERANS TO SPEAK AT CROSS ROADS UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ON SUNDAY, APRIL 24TH, AND SUNDAY, MAY 22ND, 2022

The public is invited to Cross Roads United Methodist Church, 7901 N. Central Avenue (southeast corner of Central and Northern Avenues), Phoenix 85020 for a Military History series of guest speaker programs from 8 am to 9 am. Coffee will be provided.

The series:

Sunday, April 24th, 8 am to 9 am - David Kampf, Navy veteran and Civil War Reenactor: Notes on the Civil War (confirmed)

Sunday, May 22nd, 8 am to 9 am - Pete Lumianski, Captain, US Navy, Retired: Honoring Arizona's Cold War Veterans (invited)

RSVPs from the public are appreciated. Please leave a message at (602) 943-7834 (Carol Culbertson, Church Veterans Ministry Team).

Questioning the Death Penalty

The Conference Prison Reform Task Force is present a 5-week Zoom series on "Questioning the Death Penalty," featuring a DVD series by Sr. Helen Prejean. This series will be at 6:30pm from 5 Thursday evening beginning April 28 and ending May 26.

This series will take place of our normal Wednesday night book study.

What do you think about the Death Penalty?

Use the link to register and come share your thoughts with us.

Updated Office Hours

Directory Reminder

We're updating our Directory!

Please fill out the online form here so we can let you know about all Cross Roads activities, as well as

keep our records updated.

Questions? Concerns? Contact Margarita at [email protected].

Opportunities to Serve

Donate nonperishable food or funds to our Cross Roads Food Pantry.

Have an announcement about a service or committee at Cross Roads? Submit it to the church office by 2:00pm on Wednesdays.

Join our new Veterans Ministry as a veteran or a grateful volunteer. For details, contact Clayton Bowman [email protected] or

Carol Culbertson [email protected]

For more information on any of these, email us at [email protected] or call the church office at 602-944-1524.

Our Giving

If you use your mobile device to give your tithes and offerings to Cross Roads, you'll need to install the Vanco Mobile App.

A reminder: If your giving comes by check, please expect a slight delay in your bank account deduction. A growing number of tithes and offerings now come to us electronically, so our money counters only meet every other Monday to deposit cash and checks. Until then, all gifts wait patiently in our church safe.

Click HERE to give online.

Prayer Requests

This week,

please pray for...

Steve & Kathie Barnes, Ester Dumas, Doris Sider & Family, Hattie Klinger & Family, Amanda Robinson & Andrew Montano Sr and Family, Susan Turner, Rev. Kimberly Scott, Chris Basped, Bertus Berg & The Berg Family, Ed McQueen, Leaders of The U.S. Government, Lura Turner Homes Residents & Care Givers, Navajo Nation,

Cross Roads Community

Cross in the Desert UMC, Chandler UMC