Crossroads United Methodist Church

If you are interested in learning more about the next trip to Guatemala in the spring of 2024, there is a meeting this Thursday, August 31st, at 7pm in the Ryan Chapel (right outside the sanctuary) to hear from the leaders of Porch de Salomon, the organization that hosts the groups that do mission trips there.

If you cannot attend the meeting but are interested in learning more about the trip, email Kathy MacKrell at [email protected].

Psalm 118:6 The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

Morning Prayer: God, as I begin this day I will name my fears. I will remind myself that you are in control and that you are trustworthy. It is difficult to give up control, or the illusion of control, and relax into your love and care. Today I want to breathe in peace and breathe out all anxiety and worry. I pray for courage to share this truth with others who might be feeling fearful and anxious. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Remember that there is nothing that can separate us from God.

Crossroads recently became an Equality Allies Partner (EAP) with Equality Loudoun. EAPs create safe spaces for our LGBTQ+ community in Loudoun County. You can find other allies on the Equality Loudoun website: https://www.eqloco.com/allies

Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Morning Prayer: God, today I am embracing the hope I find in you through Jesus. May everything I do today and every word I speak point toward your great love and faithfulness to all people. May it be so.

Morning Focus: What is your greatest hope for your life?

Be sure to join us today at 10 AM as we conclude the series on the life of Moses. This week we look at powerful promises and what it looks like to live into God's powerful promise to each one of us. Join us in person or online. https://www.crossroadsnova.org/livestream/

Matthew 6:33-34 Seek first God’s kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Morning Prayer: God, I know that it is normal to have fears invade my thoughts. Fear seems to follow us around on a daily basis. Whether they are fears of the future, financial issues, health concerns, pain or fear for my friends and family, it can be hard to practice letting go of these fears. But I know that with Jesus, I don’t have to let feelings of fear control my life. Giving up fear is the first step to peace. Help me take that step. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Name your greatest fear. Practice releasing that fear to God.

It’s International Dog Day! Drop a pic of your favorite pooch!

Psalm 100:1-2 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Morning Prayer: God, today I will think about these verses as I prepare my heart to be in worship with the community tomorrow morning. I want to enter into the experience with gladness, ready to join my voice with others in songs and prayers. I will hold these verses in my heart as a reminder that worship is not a one hour weekly event. Worship is a whole life, every moment way of presenting myself to you with joy and gratitude for the spiritual life you have given me. May it be so.

Morning Focus: There are many songs we can sing to God. Far more than only music. There are songs of the heart, songs to be sung with our hands and feet as we serve others. What songs are you singing today?

Lamentations 3:22-23 The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies are new each morning.

Morning Prayer: God, I often feel different every morning. Some days I wake up filled with energy and hopeful anticipation of what the new day ahead holds. But there are other days when I wake up still tired from the previous day and don’t feel energetic and excited about the day ahead. My human nature is changeable and not constant from day to day. I love this promise that reminds me that you are not like me. Each day your faithfulness and love are fresh and new and never exhausted from anything that came before. I am strengthened and encouraged by that thought. Help me to wake up and face each new day filled with thanks for another day of life. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Pause and pray the following words, “Today I will trust in you God, in every situation, grateful for another day of life.”

Here's our song list and playlist for Sunday August 27. Let's come ready to sing and worship together!

You Never Let Go - Matt Redman
There's Nothing That Our God Can't Do - Passion Music
Stand In Your Love - Bethel Music
No Longer Slaves - Bethel Music

You Never Let Go - Matt Redman (with lyrics)

Psalm 119:133 Keep my steps steady according to your promise, and let no evil get dominion over me.

Morning Prayer: God, today I am grateful for your promises, especially your promises that you will never leave me and nothing can separate me from you. I will hold tightly to that regardless of anything I encounter today. Whatever it is, be it good or unpleasant, I know that you are with me. Nothing I have done or ever could do could separate me from your love. Help me to face any challenges today remembering that you are with me in those moments, and that you will provide the strength for me to walk through them. I will live today uplifted by those promises. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Spend a few minutes thinking about how God’s promises have been fulfilled in your life. Offer a prayer of gratitude.

2 Timothy 3:15 You have been taught the holy scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

Morning Prayer: God, today I am grateful for your guidance and wisdom shared with us through the scriptures. May the wisdom and grace of these teachings permeate my life in ways that truly transform how I see the world and my place in it. Let the life of Jesus be a daily reminder of how to walk in the world consumed by love above all else. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Make time today to read scripture. It will help you to grow in faith and understanding of who God is and who you were truly meant to be.

Today was a staff clean up day. Felt great to get our basement cleaned and organized for all the various groups who use it!

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Morning Prayer: God, as I continue to pray for our students going back to school this week, I am reminded that your word is a lamp to light the path for them as they venture out into the world every day. Gently nudge me to keep them in prayer and shine the light of Jesus to them through words of appreciation and encouragement at every opportunity. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Be conscious of what it means to shine the light of Jesus to every person you meet today.

Philippians 2:4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Morning Prayer: God, help me to look outside of myself today. Let me not be consumed only by what is best for me, but let my thoughts turn to how I may use all that you have placed in my care to help others. In this way I can demonstrate your great love for all people and all of creation.

Morning Focus: Look for ways to make the world a better place than it was before today.

What an amazing turn out for the Back to School Blessing celebration and Pints with the Pastor today! Thank you Crossroads community! Feel free to add your pictures in the comments!

Today is a big day at Crossroads! It is our annual Back to School Blessing Sunday complete with a bounce house and treats, we continue with our series on Moses, there is a small group discussion about the message after worship, and we have Pints with the Pastor at Old Ox Brewery from 11:30am-1:30pm. We have timed it so you can do it all! If you can't join us in person, join us online. See you at 10am! https://www.crossroadsnova.org/livestream/

Psalm 86:11 Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Morning Prayer: God, today I pray for all of our students as they return to school. I pray for every teacher, bus driver, and anyone else who works in our schools and with our kids. Give them strength to keep going when they are weary, compassion for the many challenges they will face during the coming school year, and wisdom to know how to teach and lead with hearts of love. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Look for ways you might be able to support a teacher, a student or a school worker.

Need a car wash? Don’t forget to get one today at Crossroads and help support our local troop!

Micah 6:8 He has told you, human one, what is good and what the Lord requires from you: to do justice, embrace faithful love, and walk humbly with your God.

Morning Prayer: Humble God, you came to earth in the form of a tiny, helpless child. You were born into the humblest of circumstances so that you could fully understand the plight of the poor and the weak among us. At one time or another we are all poor and weak. It gives me strength to remember that every vulnerability that I experience, you also experienced in the person of Jesus. Be near me today as I walk more closely with you, embracing mercy and leaning toward love in all situations. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Cultivate a humble heart.

Food for Neighbors will be sorting at Crossroads on September 9th. Join in on the fun!

Have you filled your Red Bag? The next Red Bag day is Saturday, September 9. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Our students are best served with the items on our grocery list. Please use the list attached to your bag when you are shopping. (Our list is also on our website if you need to print it.) Leave all items in their original packaging and double check the expiration dates. Thank you for your generosity!

And a special thanks to our September Community Champion, Amazon Fresh, for sponsoring our Red Bag event.

John 20:19-21 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.”

Morning Prayer: God, being called and sent can be scary. Perhaps that is why I sometimes tune out your still, small voice; I am afraid of what I might hear, even though ‘do not be afraid’ is repeated over and over in scripture. What I need to remember is that when I am sent, I am not alone; you are always with me. Wherever I go, the peace of Jesus Christ is with me. I go to carry your peace to share with everyone I encounter. So I pray for the courage to go, wherever I am sent, knowing I don’t go alone. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Where is God calling you to go today to share the peace of Jesus? Wherever that is, go with the assurance that you are not alone. God is with you.

Hebrews 12:14-15 Pursue the goal of peace along with everyone—and holiness as well, because no one will see the Lord without it. Make sure that no one misses out on God’s grace. Make sure that no root of bitterness grows up that might cause trouble and pollute many people.

Morning Prayer: God, I want to see you today. I want to walk in the way of peace and holiness that you have called us to. I want to live a life that points to you. Let peace begin with me and within me. Reveal any roots of bitterness in my own heart and help me to tug them out before they become damaging to me or those around me. Instead of clinging to bitterness, let us spread our arms wide to share your grace with others as you send us into the world. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Step out boldly to offer peace in every encounter today.

2 Corinthians 5:17-19 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation.

Morning Prayer: Thank you God for the promise of new life that you share with each of us, new every day, moment by moment. It is an inspiration for us to be reconcilers in our own lives. Jesus demonstrated unconditional love and unlimited welcome not only as a gift, but as an example of the ways we are called to live with others. Too often I find myself holding grudges large and small, counting the ways others have let me down. But in you, forgiveness is a promise of unity, loving connection with you and with your children. May I live out this wonderful message today. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Pause for a rejuvenating breath. Inhale, “In Jesus, my old life is gone…”. Exhale, “In Jesus, my new life has begun.”

Romans 12:1-2 (The Message) So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out.

Morning Prayer: God, culture certainly tugs at me, often affecting the way I think and respond. In reality there are many things that are deemed acceptable in the culture in which I live that are not acceptable to me as a follower of Jesus. Peer pressure can be difficult to overcome. This scripture serves as a reminder to keep my attention on you. When I am pulled in opposite directions of what is acceptable and what is right let me always choose what is pleasing to you. Let me give back all of the gifts that I have received from you. May it be so.

Morning Focus: How is your ordinary life aligning with the life God intends for you? If they are not in sync, pause to make the needed adjustments in your heart and soul.

Luke 10:5-6 Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘May peace be on this house.’ If anyone there shares God’s peace, then your peace will rest on that person. If not, your blessing will return to you.

Morning Prayer: God, may peace be on my lips and in my heart today. May everything I do and every word I say be born of peace expressed to every person I meet. If I live a life based on a foundation of peace, I know that I will be able to reflect your peace back to the world in every circumstance. You have said, “Blessed are the peacemakers.” It is my desire to be one of those peacemakers so that through my actions the world may become a more peaceful place. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Let peace begin with you today. Speak only words of peace and affirmation. They will return to you in abundance.

Another amazing day at Crossroads! We had the blessing of baptizing Holly Elizabeth and filling backpacks with school supplies for kids in our community.

Be sure to join us today at 10 AM as we continue the series on Moses. This week we talk about hearing God's call in our lives. How do we hear it and how do we respond? Join us in person or online. https://www.crossroadsnova.org/livestream/

Luke 10:1-2 After these things, the Lord commissioned seventy-two others and sent them on ahead in pairs to every city and place he was about to go. He said to them, “The harvest is bigger than you can imagine, but there are few workers. Therefore, plead with the Lord of the harvest to send out workers for his harvest.”

Morning Prayer: God, I come to you in prayer as one who wants to work for your kingdom. I see the harvest all around me: the fields that can be cultivated, the seeds to be sown deep in your ground, the potential fruit that will grow as your people work together in loving service. Use me, Lord. Direct me in living a life of service today. Show me the opportunities where I can invite others or inspire them to live out their own unique callings. I am open and ready for what you have in store for me. May it be so.

Morning Focus: What is God calling you to with your unique gifts and experiences?

1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Morning Prayer: God, show me more of your ways so that I might be more aware that I do not walk alone in this world, but that I walk with you. Help me to love you more, and to love all of your children with greater acceptance and compassion. You are the source of my strength and my peace of mind and heart. I want your constant presence and your love to guide my words and actions today and every day. Let your love be perfected in me. May it be so.

Morning Focus: Let your life speak love today.