Note from Chuck
Dear Crossbridge,
This a fun, busy season so far for me and our church. This Saturday is our next installment of “Saturday Seminars.” I’m very excited about the seminars we are offering and the turn out we are having. I would encourage you, if you are coming, to arrive at about 8:45 so you can drop off kids, grab a bagel from Panera Bread and some coffee. Then Sunday, we will dive into what the scriptures tell us about fear and how the gospel confronts it.
Last Sunday, someone said it was like being bathed in the Word. That’s what I was aiming for. We are constantly bombarded with messages all day, and in the end they may not all be bad, but I know they don’t give what Jesus’ word gives. I’m still being refreshed by the thought that if the worst thing that could have happened to a person happened to Jesus, and it will never happen to me…then what do I have to be worried about? I hope you are chewing on that as well.
This Sunday, we gather again to sing of our savior, sit under His word, savor His gospel, and be sent back out as a community on mission.
Let me encourage you to continue to pray for our services on Sunday, that the Holy Spirit would continue to renew our hearts in the gospel and bring people to Himself. Call a friend and invite them to join you.
Chuck
Preparation for Sunday, 10/3/10
Song Preparation: I encourage you listen to these songs each week so that you are familiar with them by the time we sing on Sunday. I always find that becoming more familiar with the lyrics to a song gives me more freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit as I worship. We won’t play these song exactly as they sound below but this is a good start! I would encourage you to go to itunes or any other music download site and purchase these songs for your music library. That way you can spend more time listening to them and learning the lyrics!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs we will sing this Sunday. Glorious: Psalm 145:4-5; At the Cross: Galatians 6:14; Cannons: Psalm 99:9; In Christ Alone: Acts 4: 11-12.
Songs:
Note from Chuck
Hi Everyone!
What an amazing 8th Birthday we had! Our time that morning was sweet as we worshiped through song, heard how Jesus is using Crossbridge in people’s lives, and heard a biblical theology of the heart. It was a morning filled with both gladness and gravity as most worship gatherings should be if they are indeed diving into the depth of the scriptures. I’m praying that your conversations in Community Groups will be gracious, robust, and life-giving. Let me encourage you to wrestle with this topic of the heart and how the gospel changes it. This could be a potentially life-changing season for you.
Our Party on the Porch after each service was a blast! I want to publicly thank Shelia and Adrian Garcia for all the work they did! They organized volunteers, got donations, made purchases, and set-up the party of the year (well at least for 1040 Eldridge!). It was great to hang out and enjoy each other for a little while, even with Ike Jr. blowing in at about one o’clock! One of the true blessings of the morning was meeting all your friends and family that you brought. Sunday was our second highest attendance of the year and higher than Easter! (Mother’s Day has been our biggest day this year.) And we know of at least one person that told us they were becoming a Christian!
Crossbridge I am so proud of you guys for loving people far from God and taking the risks to invite them into our community. Let’s keep it up! God is doing something great in our church!
This Sunday we will continue our series “IT CAME FROM WITHIN” and we will see what the scripture says about worry and our hearts.
Let me encourage to really be diving into all parts of our church community right now. If you are not in a Community Group yet, what more can I say? Kathleen and I are having a blast in ours, and I bet that if you gave a Community Group a chance you would be blessed.
Also remember to sign-up for a Saturday Seminar on October 2. We have three awesome seminars for you choose from, and time to sign up is running out! Go here to sign up and to learn more.
I truly believe because of the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the best is yet to be. Let’s keep pursuing Him, basking in grace, sharing our lives, and pointing to Jesus!
It’s an honor to pastor you.
Chuck
Preparation for Sunday, 9/26/10
Song Preparation: I encourage you listen to these songs each week so that you are familiar with them by the time we sing on Sunday. I always find that becoming more familiar with the lyrics to a song gives me more freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit as I worship. We won’t play these song exactly as they sound below but this is a good start! I would encourage you to go to itunes or any other music download site and purchase these songs for your music library. That way you can spend more time listening to them and learning the lyrics!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs we will sing this Sunday. Only Your Blood: Hebrews 10:4, 9:14; Glorious: Psalm 145: 4-5; Lead me to the Cross: Luke 9:23; How He Loves: Psalm 36:7, 136:2.
Songs:
We will also read scripture together from Psalm 145: 1-9. I am excited about worshipping our creator with you this Sunday!
Ben
Preparation for Sunday, 9/19/2010
Song Preparation: I encourage you listen to these songs each week so that you are familiar with them by the time we sing on Sunday. I always find that becoming more familiar with the lyrics to a song gives me more freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit as I worship. We won’t play these song exactly as they sound below but this is a good start! I would encourage you to go to itunes or any other music download site and purchase these songs for your music library. That way you can spend more time listening to them and learning the lyrics!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs we will sing this Sunday. Awesome is the Lord most High: Psalm 47: 1-2; Cannons: Psalm 99:9; Oh God of our Salvation: 1 Chronicles 16:29; In my Place: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Romans 5:8-9.
Songs
I am super excited about celebrating Crossbridge’s 8th bday and starting our new series, “It came from Within!” See you Sunday!
Ben
Note from Dixie
Dixie Moreau is our Preschool Ministry Director
Hi Crossbridgers!
I am so excited to update you this week about some of the great things happening here at Crossbridge!
I am sure you have noticed that with all the new smiling faces and babies on Sunday mornings, we are growing! You all are doing a great job of sharing Jesus with your friends and families and inviting them to come to church! As with any growth comes change and the change going on here at Crossbridge is exciting! Here are some things you can expect this week…
Crossbridge Kids has a new look! With all of the new babies arriving, we needed more space to accommodate them and the new mommas that need a quiet place to sooth or feed their child. This additional space allows moms to feed their baby and still be able to hear the worship service going on in the auditorium. So when parents of infants arrive on Sunday, the new class will be at the end of the hall where the Kindergartners used to have class.
We have a great group of Kindergartners that love learning about Jesus, and their new room will continue to be a place where they can do just that! They will have room to hear the great story about Christ’s love for us and still have a place to use that valuable energy. Their new room is the first door on the right down the Children’s hall.
It is so great to have the ability to change classes to fit the needs of our kids as we grow! God has provided a great building for us to use to spread the Gospel, and this growth shows that He is at work through you all!
Next up, Teen Chaos starts meeting this Sunday, next door at the One2One Fitness gym. This is such a great time for the youth in our church to connect with one another and hear a message about Jesus directed specifically to them on Sundays! Teen Chaos will meet only during the first service at 9:30am. Make sure that you get your teen out of bed early because they don’t want to miss the great things happening in Teen Chaos!
Finally, What better change could happen than the change you make when you decide to give your life to Jesus? So, this Sunday is extra special because we get to witness fellow Christians making their faith public through baptism. They are making a change in their life and a great statement that their old life is washed away and now they are new in Jesus! What a gift this will be to witness Sunday morning!
Thank you for growing and changing with us!
Join us this Sunday; you don’t want to miss these exciting changes!
Dixie
Preparation for Sunday, 9/12/2010
Song Preparation: I encourage you listen to these songs each week so that you are familiar with them by the time we sing on Sunday. I always find that becoming more familiar with the lyrics to a song gives me more freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit as I worship. We won’t play these song exactly as they sound below but this is a good start! I would encourage you to go to itunes or any other music download site and purchase these songs for your music library. That way you can spend more time listening to them and learning the lyrics!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs we will sing this Sunday. Happy Day: Philippians 4:4-5; At the Cross: Galatians 6:14; How he Loves: Psalm 36:7, 136:2.
Songs:
We will also be baptizing 4 people this week in services. Come and celebrate with us!!
Ben
Note from Chuck
Hi Everyone!
I hope you are having a great week and looking forward to a long weekend. I know I am! Let me encourage you if you were not here with us last Sunday to give a listen to the message entitled “Gospel Community.” In the message, I lay out some biblical convictions on the nature of Christian Community and how we dream of doing that here at Crossbridge through our Community Groups. We also had our Group Coaches at the Information Table to help answer questions and get people connected. Many of you are jumping, and our leadership team is very excited about that. There is still time for you to consider joining a group. I want to take the next couple of weeks and answer some questions about Community Groups at Crossbridge.
Remember that next Sunday (September 12) our Teen Chaos ministry starts up during the 9:30am service next door at the gym. If you would like to learn more please contact Mat Yelvington at matyelvington@gmail.com.
Have a great week!
Chuck
What is a Community Group?
Community Groups are basic Christian communities. Following Jesus is something we don’t do in isolation but in the context of relationships. Community Groups are where the church can be the church to each other and the world. They are usually 6-12ish people who are wrestling with the implications of the Gospel in community. They create an environment for gospel growth and reproduction to take place. They are the place where Crossbridgers can experience care, encouragement, and support. Together, Community Groups can experience the gospel together and then take the gospel to our neighbors.
Our vision is that our Community Groups would not just be….
- A Small Group: does not exist primarily for the good of the group itself, but for the mission of Jesus.
- A Bible Study: while a Community Group will study the Bible together, the goal is not simply more Bible knowledge but gospel application.
- A Support Group: ongoing care and basic counseling happens primarily through a Community Group, but it’s not only that.
- A Social Activist Group: not just about a social cause or periodical service projects but about Jesus and his mission in our city.
- A Weekly Meeting: more than just planning and working, a Community Group is a family on a mission and that requires spending time together and including unbelievers.
Our vision is that Community Groups would truly become Gospel Communities on mission in our city.
Go here on our website to find out more.
Preparation for Sunday, 9/5/2010
Song Preparation: I encourage you listen to these songs each week so that you are familiar with them by the time we sing on Sunday. I always find that becoming more familiar with the lyrics to a song gives me more freedom to be led by the Holy Spirit as I worship. We won’t play these song exactly as they sound below but this is a good start! I would encourage you to go to itunes or any other music download site and purchase these songs for your music library. That way you can spend more time listening to them and learning the lyrics!
Here is some scripture that goes well with the songs we will sing this Sunday. Greater than we can Imagine: Psalm 145:2-3; Refuge: Psalm 34:8, 36:7, 62:8; How he Loves: Psalm 36:7, 136:2; In my Place: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21, Romans 5:8-9.
Songs:
