Do you ever feel like there just aren't enough hours in the day? Have you ever thought: "Maybe if there were two of me, then I could get everything done that needs to be accomplished," only to realize that even with two of you, some tasks would go unfinished. Rest assured, you are not alone.
There has been a lot of that same feeling going around the Missions/Outreach ministry here at Crossings Community Church. There is just so much going on, so many opportunities to serve others and to share the love of Christ, that it is all we can do to keep up. Believe me, this is not a complaint. We would rather have a ton of activity than to be sitting around wondering how God can use us.
For example, here is what has been going on
just in September: we have kicked off two after school programs through our Bridging the Gap ministry (BTG) to Oklahoma City urban schools. On Mondays, Crossings volunteers lead the Kids Bible Club at Stanley Hupfeld Academy. We currently have over 50 students in the 2nd - 5th grades who attend this program. At the Crossings Community Center on Thursday we have students from John Marshall Mid-High School who attend The Club at Crossings and The Basketball Club. Typically, we have around 40 students in the 6th - 12th grade who participate each week.
In the midst of these opportunities, all of the behind the scenes prep work for our annual Christmas backpack distribution efforts is also going on. It takes a considerable amount of man hours to prepare the 1800+ backpacks that Crossings members will adopt, fill with Christmas presents and then return so that we can bless the precious children at three of our BTG schools.
And if all this were not enough, Crossings will also be sending two teams on short-term mission trips this weekend. Pam Millington will be leading a team of nine women to Roatan, Honduras for a week to work with our missionary Deborah Hunnicutt. While the team is in Roatan they will assist Deborah's ministry at the school she has started, work with at-risk young women who have escaped human trafficking and be "guest teachers" in Deborah's English classes. The Roatan team leaves on Saturday, September 29 and returns on October 6.
On the same day that Pam Millington's team leaves for Roatan, I will be taking a team of eight men to Eldoret, Kenya to work with the Water4 Foundation to train pastors in the Water4 well drilling/installation techniques. In addition to the technical training, we will also be providing the pastors with some theological training and equipping them to use water well drilling as a church planting strategy. Our team will return on October 14.
In these few paragraphs I have mentioned five ministries/projects that are currently being undertaken by the Missions/Outreach ministry and I have barely mentioned the Community Center and Clinic and the non-stop ministry that occurs there at 2208 W. Hefner Rd. It would literally make your head spin. I do not share all of this with you so that we will feel good about ourselves or for you to pat us on the back. I want you to know so that you will be praying for us, the entire Missions/Outreach team: Pam Millington, Steve Turner, Don Peslis, CJ Roe, Lindsey Rodman and myself. Pray that we will focus on the tasks that matter the most to the Kingdom and reflect the most of God's glory.
There is always something going on at Crossings, not just in missions, but in every ministry. Over the next two weeks I will try to keep everyone updated about the two mission trips and share with you and daily prayer needs. I hope that you will make them a matter of prayer.
To God be the glory,
Michael Milligan
