Dear Friends and Guests, Happy Mother’s Day! Today we honor you and pray blessings upon you and your home. We love families at The Crossing Church. We want you to know that what you do does not go unnoticed: all the early mornings waking up the kids for school, long workdays, late practices, getting the kids in the bathtub and in bed, for all the many hours you give up for your kids - God will bless your labor. The love, care, and teaching you provide today will shape your kids to be world-changers tomorrow! Blessings to you and your home, Pastor Greg and Tamara
Crossing Kids May Monthly Focus: Kingdom - When I become who God wants me to be I will change the world. Kids can so easily get caught up in their own world they rarely look around to see if God has something more for their life. What is God’s mission? During the month of May CrossingKids will take a look at the parable of the lost sheep, The Great Commission and how we can gain the respect and privilege to speak into the lives of others. The fourth week of May we’ll dig into the Romans Road and teach kids what it means to lead someone to Christ. The last week there will be a special Missions focused weekend, a mini-mission’s conference. Join us in praying for CrossingKids this month as we learn what it means to be Kingdom Focused.
Emerge JV/Emerge
Interested in Volunteering? www.crossingonline.org/serve Want to join a LifeGroup? visit a leader in the 26.2 Café Office Hours Monday - Friday 8.30am - 5pm
Lectio Divina. We live in a fast paced world, and our time with God seems to be no exception. This next series, “Lectio Divina” is going to help students slow down and discover the art of listening, meditation, prayer, and contemplation. We will see a student ministry that is fervently praying.
Scholarships Needed! We are in desperate need of scholarships for students to attend Summer Camp. You could be a part of changing a student’s life by giving them an opportunity to encounter God! Contact Pastor Tom at tfox@crossingonline.org today!
Reverb Is Here Are you 18-29 years old? The Crossing Church has launched an amazing ministry that will impact your life and the Kingdom of God in our area. Make plans to join us at the 7pm service each Saturday night. Find our more information by contacting Scott McIntosh at 626-0783 or email smcintosh@crossingonline.org.
Crossing Café We are making some changes and additions to our Café. DaSilva’s Coffee will be operating the café and offering a more extensive menu which will include premium coffees, lattes, doughnuts, and assorted pastries for an additional price. All proceeds for menu items will go directly to DaSilva’s to cover their cost. The Crossing will be supplementing this change this weekend only and will be providing the premium coffee and donuts for free (after this weekend there will be a minimal cost). Try out the upgraded offering and enjoy it on us!
Elementary Lock In Crossing Kids’ True Hero Lock In is open to kids who have completed kindergarten through 1st grade. The date is Friday, June 11. Kids will have a Jesus filled, overnight sleepover at the church with plenty of fun activities planned. For more information please contact Kim Gore at kgore@crossingonline.org.
NEW Database Being Installed...Please Read! We have some important information to share with you regarding online giving and our new computer system that is ready to be implemented. Our current database allows us to manage most processes like addresses, phone numbers, attendance, children’s room assignments, emails and online giving and currently does an adequate job. We are upgrading to a new and more powerful database program called Shelby Arena. This change will make us more productive and save time, resources, and money. There is ONE BIG CHANGE that we do need your help with. If you are currently an on-line giver, you will need to re-register your on-line giving information in our new system. If you have never utilized this great tool, now would be a great time to start. This process will begin the weekend of May 15-16. Be watching for more info coming soon.
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: June 13, registration closes June 6 • Starting Line: May 22 or 23, registration closes May 16 • Mile One: June 26, registration closes June 20 • The Prize: May 14th & 15th, registration closes May 9th
For more announcements: www.crossingonline.org/announcements
Saturday, May 8 Sunday, May 9
WELCOME TO THE
CROSSING CHURCH
Mother’s Day 2 Samuel Chapters 5, 7
Tamara Dumas
SCRIPTURE 2 Samuel 7:1-3 (NIV) 1 After the king was settled in his palace and the Lord had given him rest from all his enemies around him, 2 he said to Nathan the prophet, “Here I am, living in a palace of cedar, while the ark of God remains in a tent.” 3 Nathan replied to the king, “Whatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.”
2 Samuel 7:5 (NIV) 5 “Go and tell my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord says: Are you the one to build me a house to dwell in?
2 Samuel 7:13-14 (NIV) 13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men.
OBSERVATION Don’t try to define your identity through your activity The Lord has to direct what’s in your heart in order to accomplish His will Our roles define what we do, the Lord defines who we are
APPLICATION Stop: (2 Samuel 7:5)
Inquire of the Lord: (2 Samuel 5:23) Receive what He says: (2 Samuel 7:18-29; Psalm 25:9; James 4:6; Zephaniah 3:17; Isaiah 58:11) “God will never leave you empty. If something is taken away, He will replace it with something better. If He denies your request in a certain way, it is because He wishes to give you what is best. If He asks you to put something down, it is so you can pick up something greater.� Quote by: Roy Lessin Obey what He says: (2 Samuel 5:25; Proverbs 3:11-12)
PRAYER Lord Jesus, I am humbled. Thank you for your grace, acceptance and desire to lead me in Your way. I receive what you say about me. I am your daughter. Please help me to continually remember, you delight in me for who I am not in what I do. Help me also to obey you in all things. I choose to honor you daily. Thank you for blessing me.
LIFEGROUPS Use the following as a resource for your LifeGroup to go deeper with this week’s message. We hope this helps you as you “do life together”. NOTE – this week’s LifeGroup Notes are written based on Pastor Greg’s First Wednesday message from 5/5/2010. Opener: Pastor Greg talked a lot about monuments this weekend and we have seen a monument set up at The Crossing Church this past weekend. We all have monuments (testimonials, testaments or tributes or memorials) in our lives such as class rings as a testament of our school years. Take turns sharing some monuments in your lives. What makes them special? Why do we hold them dear and keep them? Digging Deeper: Romans 10:17 reads: “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” These may appear to be easy questions, but let them sink into your souls: How are faith and hearing connected? How is reading your Bible considered hearing? What is the message referenced above? Finally, how do other things you are listening to affect/ form your faith? Application: •This is a straight reiteration from Pastor Greg’s notes from First Wednesday. Make a plan using the following suggestions (or make up your own). State the plan you are making, whether single or married, with or without kids. Allow other LifeGroup Members to pray over your commitment. •Purpose to interact more – start by generating conversations along the way, in the car or in the grocery store, at an appointment •Make it a priority to have dinner together – try to have dinner at the same time at least a couple of times a week •Develop a family night – Start with whatever they like to do and morph into spiritual conversations – Jesus said we would be fishers of men •Go through your journals together one evening a week – use your youngest child as the platform for discussion •Eventually spend time each night talking about your journal readings as a family