Faith Steps of the Week

Here's a quick update on what's up with us and Crossroads.

Personally, we're hoping to move into Cokato before winter.  Good, affordable rental housing has been hard for us to find so we're looking to buy a home.  It's a big commitment, but since we're asking others to make commitments, we need to lead in that direction.  We're taking steps of faith and encourage others to do so as well.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) night at the PAC, from 6:30 - 8:00, the Dassel-Cokato area youth will meet together for what is known as "DC-United."  Youth directors from Cokato and Dassel formed this organization a few years ago... the youth directors get together on Friday mornings to pray and share together, and to plan large group youth events, and the first of which will be held at the PAC tomorrow night.  The theme for DC-United during school year is "REAL."  T-Shirts will be available at the PAC tomorrow night (like the one Dassel Church of Christ's music director Dave Herring is wearing in the photo at right).  Crossroads has a special role this year - we will be the "prayer team" for our area youth.  The September 28 event will feature music and prayer.  Please join our youth and the Crossroads Prayer Team at DC-United tomorrow!

Thursday evening we have been asked to share the good news of Jesus in a special way--we will host a memorial service for a community family (the family of Dorothy "Robin" Westbury, who passed away last week).  The service will be at Crossroads beginning at 6:30. 

THEN, ON FRIDAY EVENING AND SATURDAY MORNING AND EARLY AFTERNOON, Crossroads will host our first retreat!  We're making final preparations for this "FREE AT THE CROSSROADS" retreat that begins Friday at 6:30.  Details are available on the Crossroads website.  The retreat's purpose to make sure we know we are free.  The idea that we are free is not understood by Christians.  We normally spend most of our lives following other people or our sinful selves.  Without knowing it, we give control of our lives to others.  On the retreat we will spend some time understanding, from scripture, how GOD calls us.  When we understand that, and hear God's call, then when people "command" us, or when the devil and our sinful selves try to order us around, we'll be able to say "NO!  I'm now going to be following Jesus Christ.  I'm going to follow God in every area of my life."  On this retreat we will learn some practical and Biblical ways to do that.  Again, I encourage you to go to the Crossroads website to learn more.  Registrations are still open.  No one will be turned away.  Invite friends and family.

Our retreat leader will be Pastor Wendy Berthelsen.  She is the founder of Call Incorporated (more info on the Crossroads website).  Pastor Wendy will also preach on Sunday morning, October 2, at 10:15 a.m. worship.  We will share the Lord's Supper (communion) that morning as well.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, Toni and I will drive south to Des Moines, where we will gather with many others for the annual gathering of "LCMC," "Lutheran Congregations In Mission for Christ."  (That's the organization that I'm officially connected with as pastor.)  We will be there through Wednesday or Thursday.  We feel a good vibe with this group and are looking forward to it.  Some highlights of the gathering include worship on Sunday evening with preaching by Pastor Bill Bohline of Hosanna! Lutheran Church, Lakeville, MN, Messages by keynote speakers Greg Goden, TJ Anderson and Gemechis Buba, a Bible study by David W. Preus (through whom I heard God's call to serve as a pastor in 1980) and closing worship with communion with preacher Jaynan Clark.  On Wednesday evening and Thursday there will be a special event for new ministries... perhaps I'll learn something there that can be helpful for us at Crossroads.

Thanks for taking the time to read what I've shared.  Please keep us in your prayers and share your comments!  Thanks!

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