Crossing Family, We hope that you enjoyed Christmas with your family and loved ones. As the New Year approaches and uncertainty looms, it can be easy to allow the fear of the unknown and future events paralyze us in our everyday lives. This weekend we hope that you will be able to let The Good Shepherd give you peace and take your worries away. Our God is a God who provides! With Christ’s Love, Greg & Tamara Dumas
JANUARY 6TH, 2009 We would like to invite you and your family to attend our First Wednesday service in January for a special Vision Night with Pastor Greg. We will be celebrating what God has done in 2009 and looking forward to what we feel God is calling us to do in 2010. We hope you and your family can join us for this momentous event.
The 26.2 Spiritual Race is intricately designed with you in mind! Through the different 26.2 Experiences, you can learn more about The Crossing and its leadership, become involved in a LifeGroup, and understand more about your spiritual gifts. We encourage everyone to join in the race! Register for all the 26.2 Experiences at www.crossingonline.org. The next experience dates are: • Warm-Up: January 10, registration closes January 3 • Starting Line: January 30 and 31, registration closes January 23 • Mile One: March 7, registration closes February 27 • Pushing Through: January 30, registration closes January 23 • Momentum: February 20, registration closes February 14
Leadership
KINGDOM.PRAYER.PEOPLE.PRESENCE
BABY DEDICATIONS Our next baby dedication services are on January 23rd and 24th, 2010. A special Mother’s Brunch will be held to provide fellowship, encouragement and more information on what will happen during the baby dedication service. To register, log onto www.crossingonline.org/bdedication. January 8th is the sign-up deadline. For questions or for more information, please contact Tiffany Ogborn, Associate Jungle Jam Coordinator, at (813) 626-0783 ext. 151 or by e-mail at togborn@crossingonline.org DEEPER LIFE If you are looking for an opportunity at The Crossing Church to be trained in ministry but are unsure of where to begin, look no further than “Deeper Life.” This weekly class is a miniature version of Seminary that will guide you through both personal and spiritual growth as you study the Bible for the purpose of transforming the lives around you. Register now for January enrollment at : www.crossingonline.org/deeper-life-orientation. MEXICO MISSIONS TRIP MAY 17TH - 24TH. We are now accepting applications for our Mexico Missions trip to the Yucatan Peninsula! The team will begin meeting in January, please email Team Leader Scott Phipps at sphipps@crossingonline.org for more information or call at (813) 3493650. www.crossingonline.org/local-missions INSTRUMENTS OF CHANGE Do you have a gently used musical instrument that you would like to donate? Instruments of Change is partnering with The Crossing Church to bring music into the underprivileged schools of Hillsborough County. If you have an instrument you would like to donate, contact Valerie Templeman at vtempleman@crossingonline.org. COME & SERVE - GET CONNECTED! Visit us online at crossingonline.org/serve. Its our “Connection Process”.
FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT CROSSINGONLINE.ORG/ANNOUNCEMENTS.
LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE KP3 is a dynamic approach to Bible College through innovative classes and hands-on ministry experience. This is a high intensity program to help shape you not just spiritually, but physically and mentally. Our partnership with Logos Educators Network and Logos Christian College allows students to actually earn an accredited Bible degree through KP3. For more information go to www.crossingonline.org/kp3
Saturday, December 26 Sunday, December 27 Epic Journey: Through the Bible The Book of Psalms “Fear, Repentance and Benefits”
WELCOME TO THE CROSSING CHURCH Lead Pastor: Greg Dumas
SCRIPTURE Psalms 23:1-6 (NIV)
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalms 51:1-19 (NIV)
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.
Psalms 103:1-22 (NIV)
Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that
your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children-- with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts. The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word. Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
OBSERVATION We don’t have to fear the circumstances of life because the “Good Shepherd” is watching over us. Honesty, humility and genuine repentance restores our relationship with God No matter what is happening around us we can praise God for all of His endless benefits
APPLICATION We don’t have to fear for our lives (Psalm 23) We don’t have to go on sinning and being separated (Psalm 51) We don’t have to remain silent, not knowing or understanding the salvation of God (Psalm 103)
PRAYER Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Psalm 51: 10-11