We are living through times of dramatic changes. It is tremendously reassuring to remember that we follow an unchanging God in a changing world.
We are experiencing significant change here at CrossRoads right now as well. After 19 years as Executive Pastor, Jordan Polson is stepping down from his role. As I stated to the congregation on April 21st, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to him. We were a true team and I will never forget his unwavering loyalty, constant support, encouragement, and friendship. I will miss him on staff but look forward to ministry opportunities with him in the future.
At the same time, I am excited to work with Dwayne Holland after he is affirmed by the congregation. Dwayne is a man after God’s heart who had been prepared by God for this role. If he is affirmed, he certainly deserves our full support and prayer as he takes over from Jordan.
Our lead team has been Jordan Polson and myself up to the end of 2023. The lead team gives direction to the staff and ministries, under the church board, as well as keeps the vision of CrossRoads front and centre. It seemed good to us - and I trust the Holy Spirit – to expand lead team by two people. It will now be Dwayne and myself along with Jordan Cavanaugh and Kendra Berniko. This will give us fresh eyes on what we do and how we do it as well as spread out the work load and responsibility of the lead team.
One of the areas I am deeply invested in is our funeral ministry. It is quite literally one of our biggest outreaches. We have invested in some grief conferences and training for Wilma. We have hosted a Grief Share here at CrossRoads which many have attended and found support in during their journey of grief, yet in 2022 and the following years, we have experienced an increase in the number of funerals for community members. In 2022 we found ourselves caring for ten young widows, most of whom did not attend here regularly. Realizing that their need for connection was different than other losses, God seemed to impress upon our hearts that something different was required.
From this need, we started two young widows groups to help connect these women to each other who were on similar journeys and who could understand more clearly what they were feeling and experiencing. The results we witnessed from these two groups, as they journeyed forward and connected with each other, was motivation to keep moving ahead. This ministry has opened the door to community people connecting with one another and with our facilitators here at CrossRoads.
I’m so grateful for the opportunity to stay on for another couple of years. I love what I do and I love CrossRoads. These next two years my role will change in some significant ways. With the board’s direction, I will be spending time developing the leaders around me. In many ways I must decrease and they must increase so over the course of the summer they will do the preaching and I will mentor, encourage, and work with them as they grow in this ministry. I believe that Julie, Denise and Jordan are among the finest young preachers in Canada!
When we consider all that is changing, let’s celebrate what does not change! He is still actively present in Central Alberta. God loves Central Alberta and invites us to join Him in His mission here.
So with expectant hearts we do all we can to live into the vision He gave us:
“We want to give everyone in Central Alberta an opportunity to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and by following Him together, impact the world with compassion and hope.”
This is a vision that looks far beyond the here and now. It calls us to always lift our eyes and see the ‘more’ God has for us.
God does not change, our vision does not change, and our responsibility to make disciples of those in Central Alberta whom God is saving, does not change.
Thank you for all your prayers, support and encouragement this past year, it means a lot!
Pastor Dan
