September 2011 Crossroads Connections - Clover Sites

September 2011

Crossroads Church 1350 State Route 137 Grayslake, Illinois 60030 847-362-7120

Crossroads

Connections

In This Issue: Autumn Descends on Crossroads What Are we Doing About Irene? Are You Healthy? Final Wednesday Together Pictures!

Our Staff Stephen Farish

Senior Pastor

Brian Hibdon

Administration and Pastoral Care

Anson Hanbury

Music Ministries and Adult Discipleship

Kevin Sheckler

Children's Ministries

Coleton Segars

Student Ministries

Jayne Putman

Support Staff

Cristina Slattery

Support Staff

Birgit Deimert

Custodial

Office Hours Monday-Thursday

9:00-5:00pm Friday

9:00am-12:00pm

We will be closed 9/5 for Labor Day

Autumn Descends on Crossroads

by Anson Hanbury/Cristina Slattery

Once again, another school year is upon us. For many of us that also means a new calendar looms ahead. Crossroads church is no different. Many of our ministries take a break during the summer and take time to plan for the coming year. Many of these ministries are in full gear and ready to charge ahead.

The biggest change coming to our schedule impacts Awana. Traditionally, Awana has been held on Wednesdays. However, after discussions with leaders and parents, Children's Ministry decided to change the day of the week to Sunday. This change allows Awana to begin at an earlier time. Starting September 11, Awana will be meeting from 5:15-7pm. For those of us who dragged our tired children home at 8:30pm on a school night, this will be a welcome change!

Wednesday nights will emphasis music this year. Adult Choir, Kids Praise and Play & Praise will all meet on Wednesdays. This change will hopefully allow Awana leaders who were unable to participate in adult choir due to their Awana commitment join the choir and sing. Kids Praise and Play & Praise registrations are now available online on our website, .

Men and Women's Bible studies are also ready to begin. The men will study a Chuck Colson series entitled, "Doing the Right Thing." The men's study will take place on Sunday nights at 5:15pm. The women will be studying the book of Jonah, using a book by Priscilla Shirer as their guide. They will be meeting on Sundays at 5:15pm and on Wednesdays at 9am.

Crossroads Church offered Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace class last spring. It was very well received and we have decided to offer it once again. The class will be held on Sunday nights at 5:15pm. Financial Peace is a well established plan that shows people how to achieve financial freedom and get themselves out of debt. The easiest way to register is through our website. Read also Pastor Brian's article in this newsletter for more information.

Lastly, our Sunday morning adult discipleship classes will be starting something new. We will introduce a brand new teaching format that we'll be implementing in all our classes beginning this fall. We want the content of our discipleship classes to be as engaging and transformative as possible, so we've created a rotating teacher format in which each class will have the opportunity to benefit from the unique gifts and passions of several different teachers. In our combined session on Sunday, September 11, each teacher will give a summary of the series he will teach in each class, so it will be a great opportunity to preview this discipleship opportunity for the coming year.

We are excited about our new schedule. We are excited to see how the Lord is going to move in our lives, in our homes and in our community. Join us this fall as we come together and grow in the Lord.

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What Are We Doing About Irene?

Taken with permission

Crossroads Connections

In the wake of Hurricane Irene, which has now claimed over 40 lives, the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief (SBDR) leaders and volunteers are mobilizing an 11 state disaster response. Coordinated by the North American Mission Board's disaster operation center in Georgia, Southern Baptists are deploying to respond to 11 states up and down the East Coast.

The American Red Cross has asked SBDR to generate the capacity to prepare and deliver 100,000 meals a day in North Carolina, 50,000 meals in New England and 5,000 meals in New York. SBDR is also providing shower and laundry units in some states.

SBDR assets encompass 82,000 trained volunteers, including chaplains, and some 1,550 mobile units for feeding, chainsaw, mud-out, command, communication, child care, shower, laundry, water purification, repair/rebuild, and power generation. SBDR is one of the largest mobilizers of trained, credentialed disaster relief volunteers in the United States. It stands alongside the Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

Because Irene turned out to be more of a rain event than a wind event, SBDR mud-out teams are in heavy demand to assist victims whose homes were flooded in some areas where as much as 14 inches of rainfall were recorded. This assistance included chainsaw teams, assessing teams and heavy machinery mud out equipment.

As if the SBDR response to Irene wasn't challenging enough, work still continues for the seventh week in Minot, North Dakota, where June floods ravaged that city of 40,000 people. "We can't forget about the serious situation and the needs of flood victims in Minot," said Mickey Caison, the national coordinator for SBDR. A full complement of mud-out, feeding, shower and laundry volunteers are currently working in Minot. Currently, SBDR volunteers have worked to provide over 115,000 meals and have completed 117 mud-outs. They still have at least 300 more to do, but have to complete before the end of September when colder temperatures come to the North Dakota area.

Southern Baptist and others who want to donate to disaster relief can go to and click on the "donate" button. Other ways to donate are to call 1-866-407-NAMB (6262). Donations can also be sent via texting "NAMBDR" to the number "40579." A one time donation of $10 will be added to the caller's mobile phone bill.

Southern Baptists are known for their care, compassion and hard work during times of great trouble. It is during these times that Christ's love shows through his people as we help others in need. Pray for all

those affected by these terrible storms. Pray also for the SBDR units who are working tirelessly in difficult places.

September 2011

Are You Healthy?

By Pastor Brian Hibdon

Page 3

Last November, CNN Health told the story of a Kansas State University nutrition professor who lost 27 pounds on the "Twinkie Diet". He spent two months eating junk food and monitoring his weight and other health indicators to see what the results might be. While I'm no expert in nutrition, I did read the entire article just to see what this guy was trying to prove. The headline was quite an attention grabber: "Twinkie Diet Helps Nutrition Professor Lose 27 Pounds". Some of us might read that title and say "count me in". But if you read on, you really question the wisdom of such a move.

There is no quick fix to becoming physically healthy or improving our physical health. There is a mountain of research that addresses these issues, and anyone who tells you that it is simple, fast or easy usually has something to sell you. We still need to be thoughtful and disciplined if we want to improve our health.

The same approach should be used in assessing and improving our financial health. Most people struggle each month to make ends meet. Over 70% of households live paycheck to paycheck ? REGARDLESS of their level of income. That is a staggering statistic. If you look at ten of the houses surrounding you in your neighborhood, seven of them, on average, have financial stress. For most families, excessive debt, impulsive spending, and lack of planning are the "junk food" that kills their financial health. If any of these terms describe you, you have an unbalanced lifestyle and God has much to say in the Bible about these matters. All of your money and material things are not yours - they belong to God, and he has put you in charge as His manager.

If you are serious about becoming more financially healthy, Crossroads Church is offering another session of Financial Peace University starting September 11 at 5:15 p.m. The great thing about the class is that it helps you develop an excellent Biblical plan that strategically helps you get control of your money, stop the monthly struggle to make ends meet, and ultimately changes your families' financial health and future. Some people have no plan, and they need help getting started. Others have a plan, but they need more focus. No matter your stage of life or health, there is something in this class for you.

The last session of this class experienced real transformation through the elimination of a huge amount of debt as well as much savings set aside for emergencies and other needs. This was accomplished over the short period of time that the class was offered. If you are looking for a quick fix, I have no magical "Twinkie" for you, but I can offer you hope for a more satisfying and healthier future. Remember: "The borrower is slave to the lender". If the Great Recession has been hard on you, maybe it's time for the Great Recovery. Please learn more about the class by watching the preview on the Dave Ramsey website: . Then be sure to sign up for the class on our website, . We have lots of fun, and we love to laugh, so I hope to see you there.

In Christ, Pastor Brian Hibdon

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Wednesdays Together Pictures!

Cheering each other on!

Great times, great friends! Let's Go! The Three legged race!

This is great! Gummy bear spitting contest!

"This isn't so hard!

"We have to do this together!"

Here is our last batch of pictures from the final Wednesdays Together of the summer.

We hope you had as much fun as we did!

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