CHRONICLE. cross point. Impacting Our Community. May 2016 INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Transcription

1 May 2016 Visit us online: Impacting Our Community One of the core values of Cross Point is Serving Our Neighbor. Through serving our neighbor we impact our community for the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. When we are obedient to let our light shine with the love of Jesus Christ to those around us, big things happen! Lives are changed. People are encouraged. Hope is restored. In April, Cross Point had the opportunity to impact our community by partnering with two of our area schools. Families from our community came to Cross Point to see Shady Spring Elementary s Suesical Jr. drama, featuring our very own Logan Palmateer as Mr. Mayor of Whoville. By partnering with Shady Elementary Cross Point was able to demonstrate the love of Jesus with those in attendance. Cross Point also continued its partnership with Crescent Elementary through the Bags of Love program which helps feed children over the weekends during the school year. Cross Point also hosts a homeschool group, Classical Conversations, during the school year. Each week dozens of families utilize Cross Point s facility to offer education and support to homeschool families. You can help impact our community! Join your church family in shining the light of Jesus love. Watch for opportunities to get involved and serve your neighbor. One opportunity coming up in June is Crescent Elementary s Fifth Grade Graduation Ceremony. See page 3 for information on how you can make a difference during this event. Above: A scene from Seusical Jr. View additional pictures from Cross Point s April Impacts on page 6. INSIDE THIS ISSUE Spring Party..2 Wednesday Evening Dinners Conclude..2 Raising the Bar Continues..3 V.O.M. Update i-am-n..4 Which Way is Up?...5 April Impacts..6 Summer Youth Intern..9 Adventure Alley Kids..10

2 Women s & Men s Gathering for May The Women s and Men s Ministries of Cross Point will be hosting a Spring Party on May 15, at 5:00 PM in the gym. Everyone is invited! You do not want to miss this opportunity to join your church family for an evening of fun, food, and fellowship. Please bring your favorite dish of food to share and join us on Sunday May 15! The Spring Party will take the place of the regularly scheduled Women s and Men s Gatherings for May. Hope to see you there and be sure to bring a friend! Wednesday Evening Dinners Conclude Wednesday Evening Dinners concluded for the school year on April 27. A special thank you goes out to everyone who helped prepare the meals for the dinners. We hope to resume the dinners next school year. May June Newsle er Deadline May 25, or give materials to Justin Davis at: justin@beckleycrosspoint.org. Items not received by the deadline can not be published.

3 Raising the Bar Campaign Continues Our first month of the Raising the Bar Campaign is now behind us. In April our church family contributed $19, to the Raising the Bar Capital Campaign! Thank you for your faithfulness and obedience to God for helping to do your part to take care of our church facility an amazing tool God has allowed us to have to reach the lost, train disciples, and impact our community. A special thanks also goes out to the Women s Ministry for their $10,000 donation from their egg fundraiser. The Capital Campaign helps raise funds to pay the monthly mortgage on our facility. The monthly mortgage is approximately $8,000. It truly takes every family at Cross Point being obedient to work together to accomplish this task. It s not too late to get involved! Every gift, no matter the size, helps reach our goal. If you would like to learn more about Raising the Bar, please pick up a campaign booklet at the Information Center in the lobby. Don t forget, when donating gifts to the Capital Campaign be sure to write Building Fund on the memo line of your check or check the appropriate box on a tithing envelope. Crescent Elementary Graduation Volunteers Needed God has allowed Cross Point Church an amazing opportunity to connect with students and their families at Crescent Elementary. For the third year Cross Point will be hosting the Fifth Grade Graduation Ceremony for Crescent Elementary. This is an amazing opportunity to shine our light of the love of Jesus Christ to our neighbors! The event will take place on Thursday, June 2. To help make this evening special, we need help. We need volunteers who can help direct traffic, welcome guests as they enter the facility, and assist with other tasks. Volunteers need to be at the church at 4:00 PM on June 2. If you can help with this amazing opportunity be sure to stop by the Information Center in the lobby and sign up. What s Up with the Web Site? Some of our church family have recently noticed the Cross Point web site has been down or looked funny and have asked What s up with the web site? In April our web site was attacked by hackers and ultimately crashed. Cross Point does not include sensitive data on the web site, so there is no concern for personal data being accessed. Cross Point is currently working to get our web site back up and running. We are also using this as an opportunity to give our web site a fresh new look and to implement even greater security measures to help ensure our web site is safe. Watch for updates concerning the launch of our new web site! April Numbers (April 1-24) Average AM Attendance: 268 Tithes: $ 31, Building Fund: $ 19, Children: $ Youth: $ Faith Promise: $ Total Giving: $ 52, May

4 Voice of the Martyrs Update i-am-n In northern Iraq, ISIS spray-paints the Arabic letter orن, N, on Christian homes and businesses. This symbol identifies property owners as Christfollowers. They are given three choices: (1) Convert to Islam, (2) Leave, (3) Die. These Christ believers refuse to deny their faith. More than 100,000 have fled with little more than the clothes on their backs. Are you willing to make the following commitment: I will not let them suffer in silence. I will not let them serve alone. Become an N Christian. Make your commitment to stand with our persecuted brothers and sisters now. You can learn more at Please be in prayer for persecuted families around the world. Other ways to become involved are: Sponsor a VOM - Family Med Pack that is sent to persecuted Christians. Cost is $7.00 Request a Christians Facing Islamic Extremists Guide (Free): This guide highlights nine of the top extremists groups and where they are most active. Also included are key prayer points to use in your personal or family devotions. Wrist Bands: Show your commitment to stand with our persecuted brothers and sisters with VOM s new i-am-n commitment wristbands. These resources and others are available at For more information about i-am-n or Voice of the Martyrs, contact Harry McClung (304) or harrymcclung4653@outlook.com for more information. A Note from the Nursery With the Children s Ministry growing at Cross Point we are in need of more volunteers. The nursery is in need of smiling faces that are able to volunteer on Sunday mornings at 8:30 a.m., 10:45 a.m. and Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. Please stop by the nursery and speak with our Nursery Director, Liv Belcher, if you would like additional information or to sign up to help on one of these dates. Will you Raise the Bar in serving the Lord and helping to make a difference in the lives of our children? Photo at right: Liv Belcher, Nursery Directory May

5 Which Way is Up? As parents and grandparents when was the last time you were overwhelmed with life? We all are facing ball practices, ball games, school projects, dance recitals, school plays, family dinners, doctor visits, doctor bills to pay, groceries to get, the silly project in the house to finish, and the list goes on and on. As I seek out God s peace for my life, my family, my students and our church I see the overwhelming need for God s peace and truth about what should be most important in our lives. Our lives are so easily filled with these things and that I wonder, ponder, question and pray about these things and ask God to speak truth to our hearts. Lord, calm the overwhelming factors in our lives, speak to us, and draw us to You. My heart breaks for you and the seasons of life when you can t hear God s truth. This brokenness leads me to search for answers. It leads me to scripture, Psalms 37:4-6 says Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun. How are you taking delight in the Lord at work, school and home? How are you committing your life, your family, your kids to the Lord? Parents and grandparents, your commitment to getting your family and kids constantly to church is a deciding factor. My challenge and my prayer for you is that all the overwhelming factors of life would not be a distraction from committing your family and kids to the Lord. God wants to do BIG things in your life and at Cross Point. Will you come worship, love and serve? Committed to raising up a new generation of Christ centered disciples! Pastor Rob Do you have the Cross Point App? Download it today! Touch LIFE Prayer Ministry May 8:30 A.M. Room 105 May

6 APRIL IMPACTS Above: A scene from Shady Spring Elementary s Seusical Jr. drama held at Cross Point Church. Mr. Mayor of Whoville, Logan Palmateer, is pictured fourth from the left (in the hat). Above: A scene from the State Women s Convention held at Cross Point in April. Over 100 women from around the state gathered to worship God and grow in His Word! May

7 IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE LOVE OF JESUS Left and above: Volunteers help assemble Bags of Love to help feed children at Crescent Elementary School. Right: State Women s Convention speaker Rev. Joy Sherman shares God s Word at Cross Point. May

8 Breakthrough Gathering for Students in Grades 4 through 8 May 1 5:30-8:00 P.M. Hey Kids It s Time to Plan for Camp SonShine! Camp Sonshine 2016 will be held July 6th-9th and all kids entering 3rd grade through 6th grade in the fall are invited! For forms, cost, and other information please see Mrs. Rhonda or one of our volunteers at the check in desk in Adventure Alley! May

9 We are excited to announce that Wesley Seabright will be interning with Cross Point Student ministry this summer. Wesley is a Junior at Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana. Wesley is originally from Bethany, West Virginia, which is in the Northern panhandle. He grew up attending the Wellsburg First Church of God. Please be in prayer and join us in welcoming Wesley as he serves as youth intern beginning in May. Summer Youth Intern Music with a Mission From May 25 to July 6, (excluding June 29) Cross Point Youth s intern Wesley Seabright will be leading a series titled Music With a Mission. From Church of God hymns like Barney E. Warren s Will You Come? to more broadly used hymns such as Horatio G. Spafford s It Is Well with My Soul we will dive into how these songs, while written long ago, still hold valuable truth for the current generations. We will explore six different hymns during six of our Wednesday night services. Teens, be sure to join us as we discuss the meanings of their lyrics as well as some of the stories behind them. In addition to the teaching on these hymns, we will also include them as part of a time of worship. Small groups will be used to strengthen application and answer questions that students may have. Through revisiting hymns, we hope to encourage the youth to dig deeper into their relationship with God, looking at areas where they may have room for improvement. Literature and music, whether old or new, can stretch us to think about things from a different perspective, to view life in light of additional wisdom, and to discover ways we can walk with Christ that we have not in the past. They provide an opportunity to express faith, truth, and life in a creative and unique way. Creativity and critical thinking is essential parts of stretching ourselves and developing our faith. We look forward to how God will work in and through our youth and May

10 ADVENTURE ALLEY KIDS CONTENTMENT is deciding to be happy with what you ve got. WEEK 1: Because I m Happyyyyyyyy! Philippians 4:11b-13 BOTTOM LINE: When you focus on God, He can help you be content. WEEK 2: I Hurt Him for the Grapevine 1 Kings 21:1-19, 27 BOTTOM LINE: When you focus on what you don t have, it can make you miserable. WEEK 3: We Can t Get No Satisfaction Exodus 16:2-21; 17:1-4 BOTTOM LINE: When you focus on what you used to have, you can miss what you have now. WEEK 4: If I Were A Rich Fool Luke 12:13-21 BOTTOM LINE: When you focus on stuff, you can miss what matters. WEEK 5: Happy Together Matthew 6:25-34 BOTTOM LINE: When you focus on God, you don t have to worry. MORNING TIME: Whisper this month s memory verse into each other s ears like you re telling a secret. DRIVE TIME: Watch this week s Story video on either the Parent Cue app or Studio252.tv/ fun2watch. Who in the story was not content? What did they want more of? What do you sometimes want more of? MEAL TIME Ask a kid: What do you think really matters in life? What choices can you make that show what you value most? Ask a parent: Do you think it s possible to be content and want things at the same time? How? BED TIME: Read 1 Kings 21:1-19, 27. Ask God to guide your hearts and thoughts to the things He has already given you, rather than allowing your mind to go in circles about what you don t have. MAY MEMORY VERSE: I have learned the secret of being content no matter what happens. I am content whether I am well fed or hungry. I am content whether I have more than enough or not enough. Philippians 4:12b, NIrV May

11 PARENT TIME We ve all experienced moments when we are that family in the toy department, video game aisle, or candy stand. Our usually precious child can suddenly think of nothing other than the thing she really wants. Different kids will use different tactics some try logic and reasoning, some are quick with negotiations, while others take a more emotional approach. As parents, we know we need to hold firm to our no, but how do we help the child understand that not getting the coveted thing is actually better for them? This month s discussion of contentment might help. Contentment encourages us to refocus our attention on what we have, instead of what we don t have. If we ve put our trust in God, we can be even more confident that he has already provided all that s best for us. Contentment does not come naturally and takes practice, but we can encourage each other to be happy with what we already have. More resources: ParentCue.org: A community of parents striving to make the most of the time we have with your kids, including a monthly podcast. Parent Cue App: Centered on a monthly topic, this app sends weekly cues that remind us to connect with our kids whether at home or on the go. Studio252.tv: A family web site that helps us make the most of everyday moments at home to build a spiritual legacy in our family. May

12 Wednesdays in Adventure Alley Following Jesus isn t a one- me thing. In order to do big stuff for God, you ll need to prac ce following Him daily. If you want to get be er at a sport, what do you do? You train. If you want to get be er at being Jesus disciple, what do you do? You guessed it you train! It s me to train your spirit May 25th: TRAIN YOUR SPIRIT EAT GOD S WORD EVERY DAY. SCRIPTURE: MATTHEW 4:4 NIV But Jesus to him, People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. May 4th: TRAIN YOUR SPIRIT GET IN SYNC WITH GOD! SCRIPTURE: JAMES 4:8 NLT Come close to God, and God will come close to you May 11th: TRAIN YOUR SPIRIT DON T JUST TRY. TRAIN! SCRIPTURE: 1 TIMOTHY 4:8 NLT Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much be er, Promising benefits in this life and in the life to come. May 18th: TRAIN YOUR SPIRIT ADD MORE GOD, SUBTRACT MORE ME. SCRIPTURE: JOHN 3:30 NLT He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less. May Like us on facebook: facebook.com/beckleycrosspoint

13 A Look Back at April in Adventure Alley During the month of April in Adventure Alley, we spent most of our time in the book of Hebrews where we discovered more about what the Bible says about perseverance. The kids learned that perseverance is refusing to give up when life gets hard. Their adult and youth leaders had the chance to lean in to them and say: Don t give up. Persevere in your faith. Trust God no matter what. May

14 Do you have the Cross Point App? Download it today! May Share your praises and stories of faith! Has God answered prayer? Share your story with others. Jus n at jus n@beckleycrosspoint.org.

15 Rent A Youth Is there a job on your to do list that you just don t have time or you don t want to do? Why not rent one of our youth to help with your chores? Money raised from Rent A Youth helps our youth attend various youth activities. If you are interested in renting one or more of our youth, see Pastor Rob. Prayer Chain Prayer is a powerful tool we have as Christians. As a church family we can help lift each other up in prayer. One way we do this at Cross Point is through our Prayer Chain. The prayer chain is a group of people who have opted in to receive prayer requests. When a prayer request is received, it is sent to this group using our church notification system. Each member then receives the request so they can begin praying for the need. Individuals who would like to be added to the prayer chain should contact Justin Davis in the church office at (304) To submit a prayer request, follow this procedure: Monday-Thursday 8:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Call the church office at: (304) All other times, call Justin Davis at (304) If no answer, leave a message and Justin will put it on the prayer chain as soon as possible. Don t Throw Away Those Cans! The youth ministry has been collecting aluminum cans to be recycled to raise money to support youth activities. You can drop off your aluminum cans at the church during office hours (Monday Thursday 8AM- 4PM). There is a collection can near the gym. Help support our youth and save our environment! Thank you for your support! View the full color version of this newsle er online at: May

16 Cross Point Church 110 Crescent Road Beckley, WV Web: Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Mabscott, WV Permit No. 2 Return Service Requested