Crossroads Annual Meeting Continues May 17

The following email went out from our church just a few minutes ago. We're sharing it here for prayer!

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: Crossroads annual meeting continues this Sunday
From: Crossroads Community Church
Date: Thu, May 14, 2015 6:20 pm

Good evening Crossroads! This is the day the Lord has made! We rejoice with thankfulness in our hearts and voices of praise to Jesus!

THANK YOU to Louis King for sharing a message last Sunday and to Steve Basney who will speak this Sunday, May 17. More about this "Transitions" series is here.

This weekend Crossroads is scheduled to be at the Franklin Avenue Mission on Saturday (May 16). Then on Sunday we'll have Bible Study and youth Sunday school at 9:00 and worship at 10:15 am --immediately after worship we'll move into the continuation of our annual meeting. Our potluck is being postponed until May 31.

If you are considering continuing regular involvement with Crossroads Community Church we urge you to be present at the meeting on Sunday after worship. If you cannot be at the meeting, and if you're considering the possibility of staying as a part of Crossroads this summer, we need to hear from you. A letter was sent -- if you did not receive one you can download it here. THANK YOU to those who already informed us that they are considering continued involvement with this church!

High School Graduation is just around the corner, so we're in that time of year when some school year activities are wrapping up. We had our last regular Wednesday evening youth event for this school year on May 13th and this coming Sunday will be our final week of youth Sunday school. THANK YOU to Libby Bayuk, Mark Koller, Nancy Buschel, Krista Looft, Steve Nelson and Toni Thorson for all you have done to bless their lives!

On Sunday, May 31st we will be recognizing and praying our 4 high school graduates Brenden Birkholz, Matthew Dahlseng, Hannah Koller & Aaron Juntunen during the first part of the worship hour with a reception in their honor BEFORE worship beginning at about 9:45.

Then, toward the end of that same worship hour, also on May 31st, and after, there will be a time of thankfulness and prayer for Toni and Pastor Steve. They are also "graduating" -- on to the next stage of their lives. They will be moving from the Dassel-Cokato area and from Crossroads and on to what the Lord is calling them to next. For more about what's going on with the Thorsons click here.

It was decided that May 31st would be a great week to have our monthly potluck so that those who would like to visit with the graduates and Toni and Steve have the time to do so. Libby Bayuk will be bringing sandwich meat and buns, so she is asking everyone to fill in with the rest (salads, relishes, chips, desserts).

PLEASE BE IN PRAYER for our board members and for the work of Crossroads Community Church in our community and beyond. Pray for our missionaries!!! Pastor Steve Thorson is particularly in prayer about Crossroads' LOCAL community ministries -- including how we will move forward with work with the Cokato Area Food Shelf, the Cokato Manor and our "First Call for Help" assistance. Please talk with him about this or join us as we pray about these things and other ministries. Crossroads has a unique place in this community but the answer to this is PRAYER and obedience to God's Call. Read some verses and more about this here.

Last week Louis King brought us a word from God about releasing burdens that we're not meant to carry. This coming Sunday Steve Basney's message is being planned to focus on the following bible verses - let's pray that we will trust God in all things.

[The LORD] found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland. He surrounded them and watched over them; he guarded them as he would guard his own eyes. Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young, so he spread his wings to take them up and carried them safely on his pinions. (Deuteronomy 32:10-11 New Living Translation)

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me. O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. (Psalm 131 English Standard Version)

God's perfect peace to you all.

-------------------------
www.equalsharing.com

Sweet JAM

It's Sweet

This is Wednesday, and normally we'd be looking forward to youth meeting here at the Crossroads building. Instead, we're going over to Brooks Lake Park for a picnic. Many of our older youth will be going over to the academic awards ceremony at about 7:30 so we probably won't have our regular High School JAM time tonight. We may take time to introduce some of our younger youth to this tonight, depending on how the evening goes.

JAM has been a highlight of my weeks ever since Matt, Brenden and Aaron came back from their first week at Leadership Quest in August 2013. Beginning in the fall of 2013 until last week we've met on Wednesdays with anywhere from 6 to 15 high school students for Bible study. Very sweet!

The youth (one acts as "leader" each week) choose the scriptures we're going to study. Our young people take 20-30 minutes on their own, praying and studying, and come up with Insights, Questions and Applications based on the scripture passage chosen. We then go around and share and then spend time praying. It's always good.

I'm taking a moment now to list some of the Bible passages we've looked at. This is by no means complete. When I find more of the "IQA" sheets I'll add more. (*I put an asterisk ahead of those I added since this was first published. Still more to be found.)

• Ecclesiastes 11:9-10 Advice for the young
• Jeremiah 22:16 To defend the poor and needy is to know God
• Ezekiel 18 Justice, righteousness, repentance
• *Matthew 5:1ff "Blessed are the poor in spirit..."
• Matthew 5:33-48 Jesus' teaching about vows, revenge, loving enemies
• Matthew 6:5-15 Jesus' teaching about prayer & forgiveness, Lord's Prayer
• Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me... my yoke is easy..."
• Matthew 25:14-30  Parable of the Three Servants
• *Mark 4:1-20 Sower & the Seed
• Luke 15:11-31 Parable of the Loving Father & his two sons
• Luke 16:19-31 Parable of the rich man and Lazarus
• Acts 16:28-30 part of the story of Paul and Silas being put in prison and being released
• Romans 1 Paul's greeting and longing to visit Rome, God's wrath against sin
• *Romans 2 God's standards are the same for everyone. We should not judge.
• *Romans 8:28-30 God is for us
• *Romans 12:17-21 Overcoming evil with good
• First Corinthians 5:57-58 Jesus wins over sin & death so we confidently work for God 
• *First Corinthians 7:1-11 God's plan for marriage
• Ephesians 1:3-14 Praise for spiritual blessings in Christ
• Ephesians 1:15-23 There is more to Jesus than what we think at first.
• Ephesians 3 God's great plan, prayer for spiritual understanding & experience
• Ephesians 4:17-23 Living a new life, very different than the world
• Philippians 2:1-11 Imitating Christ’s humility
• Philippians 3:13-14 "forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what is ahead"
• First Thessalonians 5:12-18 Life in the Holy Spirit
• *First Timothy 4:11-16 The elder's (Paul's) encouragement to Timothy
• *Titus 3:1-11 God's saving kindness leads to peaceful living
• *James 1:1-18 Wisdom and new birth through the Word of Truth
• James 3 Careful speech, true wisdom comes from God

I know there are more. I'll add them as they come to light in my sorting process!

Note: We don't just look at the specific verses listed above. We read and pray around them and let the Holy Spirit speak to us individually and as we talk together.

www.equalsharing.com

Releasing with Prayer

Early this morning at prayer Jo Saxton was leading as we prayed around three topics that came out of First Corinthians 13:8--14:5. Love, spiritual gifts that strengthen the church, and, from verse 13:11, "when I grew up, I put away childish things." And then, tonight at prayer, I again was led to those verses and, specifically, to the need to put things away.

When I've had time during this week I've been sorting through some desktop papers, taking action on some, filing a few, putting more in recycling and my "slow to throw" box. In the midst of this I've been writing a lot of emails, texts and making phone calls too, all meant to help with the transition that we're going through at Crossroads and that Toni and I are going through in our own lives. This week and last I've been especially busy sending notes and having conversations with our Board of Directors, various ministry partners and potential guest speakers and to some families, not to mention personal and family communication also focused on transition. There's much more yet to do in all of these areas.

My prayer now is that I would be open to the Lord's wisdom to know which pieces of work I'm meant to do, and which I should just leave undone for now. As Jo introduced our morning prayer, she encouraged us to think about those things that need to be "put away" as we transition, so that the future God has for us isn't too cluttered with the past. I also thought about how I don't want to clutter other people's paths. Sometimes it's best to let go and just get out of the way. So I pray for the wisdom I need.

Last night we had our final meeting of the current Crossroads Board of Directors. This coming Sunday those present will elect new board members -- 5 of 7 are ending their service on the board. 3 board members terms are expiring and 2 are sensing a call to move to other service, either here at Crossroads or elsewhere. Next Monday the new board will meet with the current board members for a transition. They will need to put some things away too--meaning releasing their responsibilities to others. I'm thankful that they are intending to do so wisely, with an intent to help the new board members. 

For both me and the current board, the call is to pray for the same wisdom: assisting as God leads but then letting go--letting go especially of the decisions that our successors make in this place.

There is a need to help, but there is also a need to let go. Prayer is the way to do both.

www.equalsharing.com

Continue the Work

He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.
Philippians 1:6
Nothing done for the Lord is for nothing.
First Corinthians 15:53

As I consider the moves that are coming up in my life, there are times when sorrow comes upon me. Sorrow comes not for myself, but because I can't see how the work God has been doing here will continue without me. But then I am reminded of Bible promises like the ones above.

When it's God's work, it does not depend on any one person. Now, when I say that, I recognize that there's a danger that we don't take seriously the importance of the work God gives to us. God chooses to do important work through Jesus' disciples! We should never minimize that. The Holy Spirit prefers to work through people. Remarkable and surprising really! But, when the Lord calls his men and women to another mission, it's not as if what was done in the first location is for nothing. He promises to "continue the work."

When we do things God's way, there is always a team of God's people in place that can continue the work. I see this in the book of Acts, where it's so rare that any one leader is acting alone. And I see this in, for example, First Corinthians 12, where the Lord highlights the ways he works among us and through the body to do His work.

There is "one Spirit" from God. That Spirit in us, the Holy Spirit, He does God's work in and through us as He chooses. When He moves someone to another place, as I believe God is now moving me, He will raise up others to continue God's Work. He won't raise up Holy Spirit filled people to continue "my" work in the way "I" would chose. It's never been "my" work anyway. But he will continue His work as we pray and study and seek God's Ways.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts,
but they come from the same Spirit.
There are different kinds of service,
but we serve the same Lord.
God works in different ways,
but it is the same God who does the work...

First Corinthians 12

equalsharing.com

Spring Forward

[This part written Saturday evening]

This is my favorite month. Little green leaves. Soft air. Birdsongs. Just lovely and it gets better, but early May and late April time is especially great because there are very few mosquitoes around. Toni and I just got back from some outdoor time having a take-out Chinese supper alongside Lake Ripley. Nice enough for shorts and sandals. Beautiful!

Sunset over Lake Ripley, Litchfield, MN

Toni and I spent many hours during this week and last working our way through to do lists related to our anticipated move to somewhere in the Twin Cities. I've been freed up for some of that because I didn't to prepare much for last Sunday (a guest pastor preached) and now tomorrow Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge will be here to lead Bible study and worship. I've seen a recommendation that we continue on with more guest speakers during May. That would be a good preparation for Crossroads' new season that will be coming up in June. After school is out I'll be transitioning from Crossroads and from Cokato. ... [that's all I wrote on Saturday evening...]

[This part written Sunday afternoon]

When I got to that point in writing this post, yesterday evening, I was debating about just what to say about my transition out from Cokato and I saw an email that had been sent my way from one of our missionaries.

She wrote:

Hi Steve and Toni, Since I already pray for you and Crossroads regularly already, I'd love to know how to pray more specifically about your future possible plans if you care to share. I'm trusting God to show you the way. [signed name]

I then wrote the email below, and I'm sharing it here so you can pray too.

Thank you [name]! What have you heard about our upcoming transition? How are you and what are you up to? 

My announcement at Crossroads was made a couple weeks ago - http://equalsharing.blogspot.com/2015/04/confident-in-gods-good-future.html

I've mentioned some things in other places on my blog. Is that where you heard?

Aside from the human desire to be nearer to our children and new grandchild, God is leading me in an unexpected direction. And, unless things change between now and June 8 (approximately then) I'll be starting training for this position - http://agency.governmentjobs.com/metrocouncil/job_bulletin.cfm?jobID=1038518

This move into bus driving is such an INTERESTING twist! When I went to look on the school bulletin board back in February of 2011 to see what positions might be open there I had no idea what I was getting into. I'm now completing my fourth school year of regular route driving.

And now, I have this "conditional offer" to drive for Metro Transit. It's conditional on me passing a physical and drug test. I could have started training in April but I decided to finish out the school year here for the ministry's sake. Pray for Crossroads that God's will will prevail in that and look at some of the other blog posts written to see some things to pray about. I'm writing another one that I'll post either tonight or in the next day or two. Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge are leading worship tomorrow (Sunday) so I don't have to get ready to preach tonight. I'll write this instead. ;)

As is true with many things that the Lord has let me to before, it's hard to put into words just "why" this is a good thing. A fellow school bus driver asked me the other day if it's because I like to drive, and that's not it. Personally I'm always trying to limit my time sitting in vehicles. When I can, given a choice, I'd walk or bike. However, there are some things about the position that strangely excite me: 

1. I won't be leading performances anymore. 
2. I'll be helping people with something they really need.
3. As a representative of Jesus I'll be out in public, right where he wants his people to be. 
4. I'll be in regular contact with people of all kinds, especially with those who are barely making it financially (one reason why people ride the bus instead of driving). 
5. I like to take risks. At least at the beginning there will be a lot of variety as I'll be put on whatever routes I'll be needed. 
6. I like to be out doors, but I also like to be comfortable. I'll be in an air conditioned or heated bus most of the time. 
7. The position, after training, will be a split one, morning and afternoon rush hours. I'll have time between the shifts to take a nap, exercise, and do some kind of outreach ministry work with people in need, which I really want to do. 
8. I like the idea of supporting myself, at least in part, instead of depending on "the church" to support me. 

On the negative side I don't like the idea of sitting so much. We'll see how that goes. 

[I then shared some deeper spiritual reflections on this transition. I'd be glad to share them with you too but they may seem overly dramatic, so I won't put them here. Just ask and I'll share. ]

photos from Sunday worship
with Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge
at http://www.crossroadscokato.com/

[Continuing now with what I wrote, last night in my email...)

Over the past few months I have applied for many positions in the social ministry and human services areas, and some chaplaincy roles, but nothing came of most of them. I did have interviews with [Agency Name] to work with homeless families, [Organization Name] to work with elders, [Company Name] to manage housing and services for those with mental illnesses, and with [Ministry Name] to work as a chaplain.

So, perhaps, working for a living outside these institutions, just having a job, will be a good thing. And then I can do ministry alongside that. Will I volunteer or get a part time job with a service agency? With a para-church organization? With a local church in the Twin Cities? I don't know. Pray about that. Maybe the bus driving will be just a short term thing. I don't know.

I expect to hear from Metro Transit by the middle of May so I can get my physical and drug test scheduled and be ready to begin training. They have needed so many drivers recently that they're starting new classes every two weeks but they didn't know if that pace would continue into June.

Thanks for listening and praying, especially for the dear people of Crossroads Community Church.
Pastor Steve Thorson

So today, now, I'm asking your continued prayers. I'm working with our board of directors about the transition here - we'll probably be sharing more about that in the days to come. Today we enjoyed a morning with Minnesota Adult and Teen Challenge. Who knows, maybe that's an organization I can work for in the future.

God is good and he loves us so well. We can trust him always, no matter what each season may bring.

www.equalsharing.com

Problem People?

"The truth of the matter is that the Church can be the wrong place to have a mental illness. This is a generalization, I know. But many times it is true. We have a strong tendency to offer only token acknowledgement of 'the least among us.' We will smile and nod, and, oh so quickly move away; we feel we’ve performed our ‘duty’ as a Christian. We are somewhat relieved to ‘get away’ and dodge the problem person."

I have, for many years, appreciated the work of Pastor Bryan Lowe who writes at brokenbelievers.com as someone who suffers from a variety of illnesses. He is honest and humble and I thank God for his courage.

This morning he posted what I quoted above. He speaks of "mental illness"; I believe that we often do not know who suffers in that way, and we are rarely told just what labels or diagnoses have been placed on their troubles by professionals. We just see some folks as being "strange" in some ways, or we find our relationships with them to be difficult and we don't know why. Sometimes it's because of issues that come from ways in which a physical organ, the brain, is not functioning in a way that is helpful.

After reading Pastor Lowe's article this morning, I commented about some specific ways in which the church is "the wrong place" to have a mental illness, not because God does not want people with such troubles to be part of the church, but because church people don't deal with these things very well.

Here are my comments. Let me know what you think.

Thank you for this, Bryan. Two points:

+ In the upper midwest region of the United States we prefer to deal with people who are calm or cool or not too emotional. We walk the other way when our non-conforming sisters and brothers cry or shout or refuse to back down from the passion that (perhaps) God has put in their hearts. We pass judgment on what they would share with us and refuse to consider the truth of what they want to share (examining the evidence) because of the way they speak or present themselves. This makes us less compassionate and wise in our dealings with the world. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is for the church to avoid passing judgment on the “messenger” before we carefully examine the truth (or not) of what they share.

+ As is true with the economically challenged (poor) among us, we sometimes shove those who struggle with emotional and mental health away from our churches and force them to get help only from professionals, often at public expense. And then we complain about dear and precious people who use public services. God calls the church to step up alongside those who are suffering. I wonder how many local churches truly pursue the suffering instead of tolerating them or perhaps helping once but then rejecting them.

Lots more to say but that’s enough for now.

Check out Bryan's original article and comment if you like at Ignoring a Mentally Ill Believer. Those with mental and emotional challenges certainly are an example of the least of these we are called to befriend -- and often carefully discern and receive uncommon wisdom through their gifts from God.

equalsharing.com

Uncertainty and the Spiritual Life

The board of directors of Crossroads Community Church includes many blessed men and women of God. Yesterday I posted a quote from Graham Cooke that came to us via one of them. This morning another board member sent me a text:

"O.C. is a delight today. Read him if you can. Fits our walk."

"O.C." is Oswald Chambers, author of a famous day by day book entitled My Utmost for His Highest, "a daily devotional composed of 365 selections of Chamber's talks, each of about 500 words." On Sunday morning Tom Stover mentioned that he has learned more from Oswald Chambers than from many seminary professors, saying that he is "the greatest theologian I studied under, and he's been dead since 19[17]." (Go here for a link to a recording of last Sunday's worship gathering and Tom's message which begins about 28 minutes from the beginning.)

I've appreciated Oswald so much too, especially since the board member who sent me the text gave me a copy of the book. We link to his devotionals on our church website each day.

Here is what "O.C." writes for today based on a verse from John's First Epistle -

Gracious Uncertainty

…it has not yet been revealed what we shall be… —1 John 3:2

Our natural inclination is to be so precise – trying always to forecast accurately what will happen next – that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty. Consequently, we do not put down roots. Our common sense says, “Well, what if I were in that circumstance?” We cannot presume to see ourselves in any circumstance in which we have never been.

Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life – gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises. When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular belief, something within us dies. That is not believing God– it is only believing our belief about Him. Jesus said, “…unless you…become as little children…” (Matthew 18:3). The spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next. If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical, and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy. Jesus said, “…believe also in Me” (John 14:1), not, “Believe certain things about Me”. Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in– but you can be certain that He will come. Remain faithful to Him.

The board member who referred me to this is right. This does fit our walk. Uncertainty builds our trust in God. Let's walk through this day and the days to come, absolutely confident that God will hold us like a little child.

equalsharing.com

Spirit vs carnality

A helpful quote from Graham Cooke was posted on our church's facebook page by a member of our church board of directors on Sunday evening after Crossroads' Sunday "after worship meeting."  That was the "annual meeting" of Crossroads -- a meeting that was suspended and will resume on May 17. 

As I wrote earlier at A Call to Prayer, this delay "will give us needed time to pray, and to listen to and hear what the Lord has to say."

Here's what was posted by the board member:

Something I came across in a book on church and transition by Graham Cooke a few years back:

"Transition is about tension, change, uncertainty, fear, disturbance, redirection, remodeling, mess, excitement, re-envisioning, new call, fresh faith, unpredictability, frustration, disagreement, adventure, moving on, uprooting, and the unknown!

"All these things will test our capacity to express the nature of God in the fruit of the Spirit. Spirit vs carnality is a major part of transition.

"Basically, if the Spirit wins, we move on successfully in a remodeled church with a new anointing, fresh faith, and a new sense of vision and destiny..."

Click here to see the original post on facebook and my comment.
 
www.equalsharing.com

Call to Prayer

The following email went out to the Crossroads Community Church email list last night. The Bible verse quoted at the end is the "Watchword For the Day" from the Moravian Daily Texts for yesterday. 

Only as we take time to pray together and listen to the Lord together will we receive His guidance and direction as a body.

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: call to prayer
From: Crossroads Community Church
Date: Mon, April 27, 2015 10:58 pm

Crossroads Friends:

As we make important decisions it's vital that we spend a good amount of time together in prayer and in the Word of God.

 If you are able, please pause today at 6:30 p.m. for prayer and listening for God's voice. Come to church if you can for prayer at that time.

If that time and place doesn't work for you, spend time in prayer and in the Word of God on your own and then, afterward, please send me (Pastor Steve T) a message on email or text or leave a voice mail of what the Lord says to you as you pray.

We began our annual meeting on Sunday, April 26 after an awesome worship time with Pastor Tom Stover of the Franklin Avenue Mission and a great potluck. We did not complete the meeting. It will resume after worship on May 17. That will allow each of us this needed time to pray, and to listen to and hear what the Lord has to say.

"Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God..." (1 Chronicles 22:19a)

 Pastor Steve Thorson

www.equalsharing.com

What a Privilege It Is

[Added Sunday 5 PM - Click here to go to a website where you can listen to a recording of the April 26 worship gathering.]

"We are entering a time of discernment for the future of Crossroads and the individuals.  Who is God calling to continue to meet together as 'Crossroads'"?
(from preliminary minutes of Crossroads Community Church's Board of Directors regular April meeting)

"This Sunday (26th) is the church’s annual partner meeting.  This is an extremely important meeting.  Not only will we be looking back at the past year, but making decisions about Crossroad’s future.  If there is any way you can attend, please make it happen.  Pastor Tom Stover will be sharing a message from God’s word during worship.  Pastor Tom is one of the founding people of Franklin Avenue Mission that we assist with once a month, but he does so much more as a psychologist and pastor with Holy Trinity Church and Ministries and Trinity First Church.  After worship we will then share a potluck meal together and then move into our annual meeting."
(from an email that went out late Thursday afternoon from the Crossroads office on behalf of the board)

Those who have been following this blog may have seen Friday's post about Tom Stover who will be preaching at Crossroads tomorrow. He chose action oriented scriptures (James 2:14-20 and Matthew 25:31-40) and will be preaching a message entitled What a Privilege It Is.

He'll be speaking about the privilege it is to serve the poor. But when I see that title, I think of what a privilege it is to serve the with the people of Crossroads over the past four years.

At the meeting I've asked that a print version of my post "Small But Mighty In the Lord" be handed out. As we consider what we will be doing as individuals and families in relation to this church, and as we move toward choices that those who feel called to be a part of Crossroads will be making for the church as a whole, it's my prayer that we'll recognize what a privilege it is to see the Lord at work in our midst now in 2015.

Last Sunday I announced that I'll be moving on from Crossroads sometime soon, probably in early June. (See my post "Confident in God's Good Future" for the announcement I made during last Sunday's message. If plans stay as they are, I'll be starting training as a bus operator for Metro Transit, perhaps as soon as June 8.) That announcement, which was known to the board ahead of time, adds one more reason that tomorrow's meeting is especially important. 

Please pray that the Lord will guide those who are current Crossroads "partners" (see info on "Partnership" on the Crossroads website) to make good decisions, both about their personal future involvement with this church and about the choices they make about our church's future as a whole. Please pray that we would celebrate and give thanks for all God is continuing to do through this amazing group of believers. God has blessed me so much through all of you!

www.equalsharing.com

Exciting Moves Ahead!

I found a place to write a bit, at a coffee shop in Bloomington across the street from the "Room and Board" store where I dropped off a class of high school students as a part of their Interior Decorating class. It's a "field trip" for this class today, and I've got "my" bus securely parked and waiting. We have two more stops today before we head back to DC.

I wanted to find a place to write about some the positive and exciting changes that are ahead for me and for us in the months to come. But now I'm here and I'm wondering just what to write.

I'm wondering what to write, not because I don't have a lot to share, because it's been brought to my attention that things are different now that I'm transitioning to a new phase of life.

In my life as a pastor I found that writing openly like this was really helpful and motivating for me, and, I think, helpful for at least some people in the ministries that I've served. But now I'm puzzled about what my relationship with this "Sharing Ministry and Faith" blog will be going forward, now that I'm transitioning out of my work in the Cokato area--where this blog began.

Anyway, instead of writing here today, I need to pause and pray and talk with loved ones about this blog. But I want to repeat something so you'll know it's true: I am just as positive and excited about what God will be doing in and through me today and tomorrow and next week, next month and next year as I ever have been.

So I'll probably write a few emails today instead of writing on here right now, and, if you ask, I'd love to share with you in whatever ways works for you: face to face, on the phone, texting, email, whatever. Please ask if your curious. I'm not shy. God is so good at all times, including the present. It's a thrill to follow Him.

www.equalsharing.com

Tom's Story - The Beginning

Our Guest Speaker this coming Sunday at Crossroads: Tom Stover of the Franklin Avenue Mission. We got to know Tom through Paul Gustafson, who had work

Tom Stover (at right) in photo from April 2011

ed alongside us, and Tom, for several years in the late 2000s.

Here's Tom's Story (from holytrinityalcc.org/2012/07/the-beginning-pastor-tom-stovers-story)

Matthew 25:34-40

“…For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me… What you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me..”

Tom Writes: 

During my first year of seminary one of our required courses was that each student would need to spend five days in the intercity of Minneapolis and St. Paul involved with outreach ministries to the poor. We would be spending these days meeting with different ministry directors in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis learning about their ‘calls and passions’ and then we would get our hands dirty doing ministry. What I must confess to you is; I entered this course skeptical and with a very negative attitude. I was at seminary to learn Scripture, theology and doctrine and not to be spending my time pretending I was getting something done driving around the intercity. To tell you the truth, I really believed that if people wanted to do better for themselves all they needed to do was to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, work harder and quit making excuses. Again, I do feel ashamed to tell you this was my attitude and it wasn’t that I didn’t care; it was that I really believed that the best way that we could help most of the people there was to educate them on the value of good hard work.

I need to tell you that on my first night out on the street I had a major paradigm shift concerning the homeless.  It was a very cold January evening and our group was brought to the Catholic Charities facilities in downtown Minneapolis where we were going to give out some hot food, toiletries, prayer and encouragement to the men and women who were at the shelter. When I entered Catholic charities on the first floor that night and I looked around at a sea of cold and tired men taking cots and trying to find some space on the crowded floor amongst all the chaos, I was overwhelmed.  A thought came to me, “that most of these men couldn’t pull themselves up by their bootstraps because they don’t have any boots and if you gave them boots they probably wouldn’t know what to do with them anyway.” It was at that moment I felt in my spirit the Lord say in a very somber way, “Hey Tom, how’s that theology of yours working now?”

Much of my world view changed that night. That was in January of 2003 and I’ve been in the intercity doing ministry ever since. Over the years the Lord has been very gracious as he has taught and mentored all of us at Holy Trinity Ministries. One of the wonderful revelations the Lord has shown us is; as we begin our ministry to the poor and the needy most of us begin with the idea that this is all about those we minister to however, the fact of the matter is, our ministry to the poor and needy is as much for us as it is for them. As we reach out to help those who are hurting the Holy Spirit changes us from the inside out as we begin to see everything new – how we judge people, how we love on people and how we see our own circumstances with a new spirit of thanksgiving.  It always amazes me how involved and how close the Lord is when we are doing this ministry; I believe it is something very dear to Him!

Matthew 25:40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ ”

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