Crossroads on Ice 2006

Here are our performers...
Here's Crossroads on concrete...
Deric, Rachel and Eric smiling
Rachel being herself
Nobody minds posing for the camera
A sister moment...Jessie & Danielle Shadd
Ryan and Paul catch up on a trip around the rink
Some people didn't skate as much as they ought...Windy, Amanda, Kristin & Cheryl

New Year's Eve...

It's already the end of 2006, and what better way to bring in the new year than with friends! On Sunday at 6pm the church will be gathering in the gym for appetizers and a look back at 2006 through pictures and video. This is always a highlight, so make plans to be there.

Afterwards, you're invited over to the Kasper's, where we'll have snacks, games, and more as the night unfolds. Your friends are welcome too. This will start at apx. 8:30

The Kaspers live at 3138 W. Briarwood Dr. in Franklin. Map

3rd Annual Crossroads on Ice Tonight!

Join your friends from Crossroads tonight for ice skating downtown! Skate rental is $5, and if you own your skates, it’s free. We will be meet­ing at 7pm at the rink, which is located across from the Marcus Center, at Water St. and Kilbourn Ave. There is a Starbucks rinkside, so you don’t need to worry about getting the chills. See you there! (There is no church tonight due to Christmas events)

Crossroads Christmas Party

Cool Shirts...

There is a guy from our church, Jordan, who has opened a kiosk at Mayfair Mall selling some pretty cool Christian T-shirts. Stephanie and I were shopping there yesterday, and we each found good gifts there. After talking to Jordan, I was able to see that this is a visible ministry in the midst of the busiest mall in the state, and I know he'd love a visit from you! His stand is located on the 1st floor in front of Express!

A Checklist for Change...

In Sunday School this past week we discussed how change can be a major hurdle in having a beneficial attitude. Here are some questions that should be asked anytime a change is considered:

• Will this benefit the followers?
• Is this change compatible with the purpose of the organization?
• Is this change specific and clear?
• Are the top 20 percent (the influencers) in favor of this change?
• Is it possible to test this change before making a total commitment to it?
• Are physical, financial, and human resources available to make this change?
• Is this change reversible?
• Is this change the next obvious step?
• Does this change have both short- and long-range benefits?
• Is the leadership capable of bringing about this change?
• Does everything else indicate the timing is right?

List is from The Difference Maker by John Maxwell.

The Story: Christmas 2006 Pictures

Crossroads Christmas Party

Make plans to join us for great food, games & fun this Saturday at the Crossroads Christmas Party! We will be meeting at the home of Jen Bernander in Franklin, and you can view a map here. Jen will be making some 'gourmet' food, Sandy Gudelsky will be baking her famous lasagna, and of course great desserts. There will be a white elephant gift exchange, so start hitting up the thrift stores (A white elephant gift is meant to be cheap and funny: entertainment is the goal)! We will be collecting $6 from each person to cover the costs of the food preparation. Please sign up by this Wednesday at church or at crossroads@oakcreekag.org. Your friends are welcome.

A new look for a good cause...This Sunday!

Cut-A-Thon for Rob Wagner, brother of Jerad Pearson

19 year old Rob, an area resident for over 15 years and an outstanding young man, has recently been diagnosed with childhood bone cancer. With Robs tenacity and love of his family and friends, we know this is just another hurdle Rob will overcome!!!

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 10 2006, 10AM-6PM
Studio 890 Salon in Brookfield
Located in the Galleria Shopping Center (behind Kopps) 18900 West Bluemound Road, For more information call (262) 785-2890. 100% of all services will be donated to assist the family with expenses related to the treatment 10% of product and boutique purchases also will be donated to benefit. Cost is $20 for haircuts. And there will also be massage available.

I will be there, and I hope to see you too!

Wednesday at 7pm...

Crossroads Sunday School

Thinking of the big picture...

Wow, last week in Crossroads was incredible. To hear so many of you share what God has done in you and through you in 2006 was very moving, and a tremendous reminder that we have much to be thankful for. Through many conversations this week, I am reminded of how blessed we are to have each other, and what an influence we can have for God when we work together. So whether things for you are going great, so-so, or not so good, take time to think up, and see the big picture of how God loves and leads us.

Tonight, our church family will meet together in the Sanctuary at 7 pm for a special one hour Thanksgiving service, where we’ll be looking at Psalms 117, and the example of gratitude. Make plans to be there, and to eat afterwards!

Next week in Crossroads is “The Net”, where will discuss how to use the internet for our good and the good of others. Plus real vs. virtual relationships! And save the date: The Crossroads Christmas Party is December 16!

This Monday, November 20th you're invited to Stephanie and Rachel's apartment on the east side to hang out. Come on over anytime after 7:30, and bring something to eat. You'll watch a movie, look at jewelry, and do other girl stuff. If you have questions, you can contact Steph at mu_ricangirl@hotmail.com. Steph and Rachel live at 2508 E. Belleview Place, #33, in Milwaukee.

Boundless Magazine has a great article on the decision whether to have alcohol served at a wedding. You can read the article here. I agree with his conclusion that the question to be asked is "how can we honor God in this wedding?" Your thoughts?

Nate Turner has posted some great pictures from the 'Sunday After Dark' worship night on October 29. The pictures are in the gallery on the church website, and you can view them here. I would be interested to hear what you thought of this event. I want to express thanks to the many in Crossroads that worked so hard to make this an incredible night.

Mike, Rachel, Hillary, Justin & I returned with our group from Israel this morning, and we can't wait to share some details of this incredible place with you tonight. We'll show some beautiful pictures, give away flutes from Bethlehem, and we'll pass around a an artifact that is 2,000 years old: a widow's mite. Come see why Jesus made such a big deal out of this small coin. Plus, Tonto, a missionary to Mexico will give us an update of what's happening south of the border. See you tonight at 7!

Should you vote November 7th?

Mike Ganiere came across this article today at our kibbutz in Israel:

If you're stupid, don't vote
By DAN KENITZ
Posted: Nov. 2, 2006
Aside from what they actually vote for, what many people disagree on is whether or not it's the responsibility of eligible citizens to vote. Since you technically don't have to vote but might be wondering if it's right for you, I've assembled this list to help you discern whether or not you ought to vote.

• If you believe that it's everyone's responsibility to vote, you're stupid. Don't vote.
• If you're disillusioned with the entire democratic process because you don't like President Bush, voted against him twice yet he still got elected, you're stupid. Don't vote.
• If you understand the depth and nature of the American military's sacrifice from Bunker Hill to Baghdad and its continued importance to our survival as a nation and as a collective soul, you're smart. Vote.
• If you want to re-elect Gov. Jim Doyle because you saw a TV ad that says Rep. Mark Green gives kickbacks to Big Oil, you're stupid. Don't vote.
• If you want to vote for Green because you saw a TV ad that says Doyle gives kickbacks to everyone else, well, I think you're right but that doesn't necessarily make you smart. Don't vote.
• If you think Milwaukee Republicans got carried away about Democratic voter fraud in recent years while supporting voter ID requirements that make sure votes are being cast by actual people, join the Democratic Party, change your name to John Doe and vote 1,700 times.
• If you've already moved to China because it has bought up a majority of our debt and is moving closer to a democracy, you're smart - and disloyal. Send an absentee ballot.
• If you support the space program, vote twice.
• If you think "Barack Obama bin Laden" is the country's greatest threat since "Albert Hitler," congratulations on graduating from the U.S. public education system. But don't vote.
• If your primary motivation for voting is that someone offered you a pack of cigarettes if you vote for Candidate X, you're an honorary Democrat. Don't vote.
• If you view freedom not as something that you automatically should be entitled to just by existing but should be regularly and proactively exercised, you're smart. Vote.
• If you believe that Wisconsin needs to be more like Illinois, and therefore should have more tollways, move to Illinois and vote there.
• If you were asked who Chester A. Arthur was and you responded, "Did he start a sandwich franchise?" no points will be deducted - it was a good guess. You can vote.
• If you feel that your financial well-being is the responsibility of the government, the upper class, the middle class, your kids or anyone who's not you, you're stupid. Don't vote.
• If you get emotionally upset because a columnist called you stupid, don't vote. You're easily excitable and shouldn't have any say over who gets access to The Button.
Now, total up your score: Add a point for "vote"; subtract a point for "don't vote." If your score is zero or above, feel free to vote. If you got a negative number, steer clear from voting booths and longer words in general.
By the way, if you really use this list to figure out whether or not you should vote, you're stupid. Don't vote.
Dan Kenitz of Hartford is a writer who runs a political Web site, BipolarNation.com. His e-mail address is dan@bipolarnation.com
From the Nov. 3, 2006 editions of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Join young adults from across the city for volleyball, dodgeball, kickball, and other team sports! It's friendly competition at it's best, hosted here at Oak Creek. Cost is $5, which includes pizza, drinks, and snacks. Get to the gym today!

Weekend Update...

Combined Crossroads Home Fellowship Tonight @ 7!
Join us tonight (Friday) as the classic/couples home fellowships combine for a bible study, food, and conversation. As always, new people are welcome. We will be meeting at Matt Turner’s condo in Bay View. For address and a map, click here. He lives in condo #5.


Sunday After Dark: This Sunday night at 7
Fresh, casual & dynamic: a new worship experience at Oak Creek Assembly of God. Be a part of this church-wide gathering as we celebrate the God working in our lives. There will be a café afterwards featuring a wide selection of desserts from the Cheesecake Factory.


An Opportunity to serve…
The family fall festival will take place next Friday, November 3rd at the church from 6pm - 8:30pm, and volunteers are needed to staff the games and concession areas. If you are able to help out, please contact Candi Daywitt at 762-2010 or cdaywitt@oakcreekag.org

Week of Prayer and Fasting

Just a quick reminder that our church is participating in a nation-wide week of prayer and fasting this week, and I'd encourage you to participate in some way. And while fasting deals with food, it doesn't have to be limited to that. Perhaps you could spend more time with God this week by giving up some TV or Internet (stop reading this!) The prayer room at church will be open today until 8:30 pm, so you're welcome to come by. I will be in the prayer room from 4:00 pm - 6:30 pm, and it would be great to be joined by some of you. See you there!

A Birthday...

Santy Perez has a birthday coming up, and you're invited. We're going to meet at the Pizza Hut on 27th Street & Edgerton Avenue next Saturday, October 28th at 7 pm. If you can come, let Santy know at 414-672-3311.

This next Wednesday night in Crossroads is an opportunity for each of us to go all out for our friends. Crossroads will meet at 7 pm at church where our topic of ‘attractive body’ will be especially relevant to our guests. I’ve already made numerous invites, and I hope you will do the same. I was amazed at the impact God allowed us to have at our last friend night, and I'm excited for this time around!

After Crossroads we’ll be gathering at the clubhouse at the Jefferson Block, which is in the heart of the Third Ward. It’s a large 2 story clubhouse that’s posh and modern, and you’re going to love it! We’re going to have a blast hanging out, playing games, and eating the best of urban fare!

Make A Quick Benjamin...

If you are 25 years old or better and would like to make $100 for answering questions about family values for 2 hours, contact Andrea Barnier @ zahanam@alverno.edu. Consider this manna.

Like many of you, I really enjoy meeting people downtown at Mocha. For those of you who don't know about Mocha, it's a classy independant coffee shop at the intersection of Plankington and Wisconsin Avenues, in the middle of downtown. I haven't been down there for months, but I've been there twice this week with different people. And you'll never guess what happened to us both times: we were asked for money!

Both nights we were having great conversations about our relationships with God, but on our way out, in the busy doorway, we're hit up, and told a tragic story. The first night the individual told us they were just robbed on National Avenue. They asked if they could use a cell phone, we agreed, and then wanted money.

Last night, an elderly woman stopped us and asked for $20 dollars for groceries. My friend gave her $5; I offered to buy her something to eat; and the offer was declined.

As I walked to my car I had an uneasy feeling. Did I respond the way Jesus would have? I don't know. I always prepare myself to respond correctly, which includes trying to get a whiff of their alcohol-laced breath. But when the moment comes, I seem to always freeze up! I know there are no easy answers for the needy among us, but I'm probably better off when I have to struggle with these issues. Would Jesus give money? Would he go with them to buy food? Would he pray with them? Would he direct them to the Salvation Army? I know he'd show courtesy and love, but beyond that, I'm not sure. I'd love to know what you think is the right response.

Our annual trek into the dark cornfields will happen next Saturday, October 14th, following the missions banquet*! We'll divide up into 2 teams, and it's a race against time to reach the finish line first. You are encouraged to bring your friends! We will carpool from the south lot at church, and the cost is apx. $7. Bring extra money to shoot the corn canons! It's a blast!

*In case you didn't know, that Saturday at 4p.m. is a time where our church gathers to eat food from around the world and hear what God is doing through the missionaries our church supports. Make plans to be there!

Young Adult Weekend 06'

What a great weekend we had up at Spencer Lake! We enjoyed beautiful scenery and weather, great times of worship, a fantastic speaker, and overall lots of fun. Above is a picture of the OC next to the lake. For many, the highlight of the retreat was the Saturday night service, in which we discussed the passage where God gave Jacob a new name. This was a meaningful time for us, and I'd love for each one who was there to share about what God did in their life in this comment session. I'll start it off! Sunrise over Spencer Lake. Deric Goodman is the source of all these pictures. Thanks Deric!Some fellas go for a nature trek. Volleyball is always popular at camp.

Matt Ditzer goes for a spike!

Zeal for carpet ball consumes Amanda, Jennifer and Mike. I don't know these people! Okay, I do. I think they're modeling jeans. John Kavati and Dan Robinson strike a pose.

This coming Wednesday in Crossroads we begin a series entitled 'Attractive Body'. We're taking a look at how we can honor God through various parts of the body. First up: eyes. What attracts your attention throughout the day, and what does the Bible say we should look at? An eye-opening evening September 27th.

PS-Crossroads Classic and Crossroads Couples are meeting tonight at 7 pm! See you there!

Your turn...

I want to again express my thanks to Jim Cruse for coming to talk with us last night in Crossroads. Prophesy is a topic of interest to many of us, and Jim has certainly done a lot of research in this area. A lot of information was discussed last night, so I wanted to post some of that information here.

The websites that we looked at:
www.templeinstitute.com
www.bible-prophecy.com
www.fulfilledprophecy.com

Some words that were searched for on Google:

• Babylon Iraq
• EU Babylon
• EU Statue
• Nasco

Does anybody have any comments or questions on this material? We'd love to hear from you.

This Sunday at 9:30 a.m...

Join Greg Mandigo & myself in C-112 as we continue to study how to live in our unique sweet spot of life. This week we'll explore how serving in the church can help us find our special giftings, how letting go of our reputation can set us free to do the extraordinary, and how we can make the most out of our jobs. We'll see you there!

Wednesday at 7pm...

Join us Wednesday @ 7 pm as we begin a new series in Crossroads on “Attractive Body”. No, we’re not talking about liposuction or nose jobs, but rather how can we honor God with our bodies. This first week we’re going to look at our role in the greater body of Christ, and specifically, the role of Crossroads within our church. Pastor Brooks will be speaking to us this evening and sharing his vision for our age group. We will end the night with a Q & A time, so if you’ve been curious as to what’s happening around the church, this will be the time to get answers!

Tonight @ 7pm...

Make plans to head on out to Crossroads tonight; I promise you it will be a very interesting evening. We have a guest speaker, Jim Cruse, who will be teaching on how to properly interpret the prophesies in Revelation, and how current events play in the mix. Then afterwards you're invited to one of 9 after parties. These are the places to be for food, fun, and new friends. Speaking of friends, bring one out tonight. See you there!

The day has finally come to go back to school, and I'm excited because I don't have to go! No, the reason I'm excited is because I am excited about all the people in Crossroads who will be hitting local colleges as students and the growing number of teachers we have. In short, I think you have everything needed to make a big impact for God in our city. Wether you're a teacher or a student, please know that you're in my thoughts and prayers, and I look forward to us working together.

News from Sunday: There were 17 people who were between the ages of 18-25 that came forward for prayer and to receive Bible studies. I got to talk with several of these individuals, and I can tell you firsthand that God really touched their lives Sunday night. I mailed off invites to this group this morning, so make sure to make room for them this Wednesday! And plan on going to an afterparty afterwards at one of 9 locations! Everybody is invited.

Weekend Update...

Join us on Wednesday nights in September as we open the book of Revelation and explore prophesies that have already occured and some that are yet to come. The Bible has much to say about what's next for our world, so don't miss these special messages by guest speaker Jim Cruse! And don't forget about all the house parties that will be happening afterwards! A great night to bring a friend.

The young adult weekend is coming up September 29-October 1st at Spencer Lake, and you need to be there. If you register by 9/15, cost is $65. After 9/15 the cost is $75. This will be a great time of getting closer to God and getting away from it all. There will be an excellent worship team and speaker, relevant workshops, bonfires, the lake, sports & games, and lots of new friends. For more information on this retreat, click here.

Tonight @ 7pm is the final week of...

Join us tonight as Matt & Gina Ditzer contrast society's and the Bible's pictures of marriage. And bring your probing questions, as our marriage panel will be back. Marriage might be a lot closer for you than you think, so get the right start tonight in Crossroads.

Mike Kramer has informed me that he is starting a marriage enrichment series on 9/16 at the Franklin library, and is looking for people to help with child care. If you're interested, call Mike or Beth at 414-421-8740.

Finally, this past Saturday was so much fun at the rock wall. As you may or may not know, Crossroads sponsored the rock wall this year at the Son-Shine Festival, and it was a big hit. In fact, I would estimate at least 400 people climbed the wall during 3 hours. I'll share more observations about this day later.

Picnic and Softball Game with Kenosha First Assembly