Church of the cross Issue 232

November 2016

Special Dates in November:

• Daylight Savings Time Ends, Nov. 6

• Communion Sunday, Nov. 6 • 55 & Over Luncheon,

Nov. 16 • Thanksgiving Worship,

Nov 20@7pm • Thanksgiving, Nov. 24

Office closed • Friday, Nov 25 Office

Closed • Creation Meeting, Nov. 28

I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :

Pastor’s page 2

All Saint’s Sunday 3

Chonda Pierce Event 3

Birthdays 3

Creation Meeting 4

LaFontaine Concert 4

Garden News 5

Crossover Youth 5

KidzChurch 5

Praisies 6

Congregational Notes 6

Finances 7

THE CROSSFIRE “Making Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World”

g{tÇ~áz|ä|Çz Worship Service

Sunday, November 20 | 7pm Let us Give Thanks

Page 2 Issue 232

Church Staff

In Ministry with you… Lead Pastor Keith Luke keith@cotcumc.com Director of Assimilation, Discipleship & Mission Jane Raab jane@cotcumc.com Family Life Pastor Joe Pittenger pastorjoe@cotcumc.com Administrative Assistant Lisa Gleason office@cotcumc.com Visitation Pastor Chuck Albright chuckalbright@ymail.com Traditional/Blended Worship Director Rich Dubler office@cotcumc.com Keyboard Musician Donna Myers office@cotcumc.com Contemporary Worship Leader Andrew Brammer office@cotcumc.com Bell Choir Director Aaron Keaster office@cotcumc.com Custodians Joanne Born Tita Wood

Dear Friends,

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” John 13:34-35 In my devotions recently I encountered this instruction given by Jesus to his disciples just before his arrest and death. I have read these words many times and have always felt them to be some of the most basic but powerful words that

Jesus left with us. Yet on this particular morning as I was reading them my mind

and my heart could not go on reading and my eyes simply froze and my heart broke. We live in a much divided time in our society. We are faced with the

divisions every day in the news and in our conversations. It has become the norm

for many to villainize and even at times dehumanize those who view the world, the elections or nearly anything else different from us. This is not the way of Christ. I believe that God has called us to something else, to something greater.

When Jesus tells us to “Love each other” I believe he means it. And when Jesus

says that our attitudes, words and action, demonstrated in our love, give testimony of the transformation of Christ alive in us. The world knows division and brokenness, but in Christ wholeness and

healing is available. May we live with such love for others that the world might see

the spirit of God alive in us. And in these days leading up to, and following the elections, may we be instruments of God’s peace

Pastor Keith Luke

P A S T O R ’ S P A G E

The Crossf i re Page 3

ALL SAINT’S SUNDAY—NOVEMBER 6

you by email at of-fice@cotcumc.com by Wednesday, Nov. 2.

S M I L E F O R F R E E D O M C O M E D Y S H O W

Sunday, November 27

* N O T E S F O R N O V E M B E R

Richard Ryan 11/1

Joyce Marriott 11/2

James Brown 11/4

Jon Klohn 11/4

Sharon Moore 11/5

Jeffrey Breymaier 11/10

Doris Elton 11/12

Wallace Siler 11/12

Vely Hetman 11/14

Bill Bancroft 11/15

Alice Momenee 11/15

Alice Neuman 11/15

Karen Leow 11/17

Jessica Stein 11/20

Jennie Sparks 11/21

Chuck Albright 11/24

Christy Zaborowski 11/26

Kevin Taylor 11/28

Ed Lybarger 11/30

Sunday November 6 in the 8:00 a.m. & 9:30 ser-vices we will be remem-bering those persons who have passed away in the last year. If you would like to have the name of a loved one read during the worship services as a re-membrance, please sub-mit their name, a picture and their relationship to

The 5th Annual “Smile for Freedom Comedy Show”

Saturday,

November 19, 2016@7pm

Cost $30 -

The Stranahan Theater

Join us for a fun evening with Christian Comedian Chonda Pierce; Fellowship after at Church of the Cross. 100% of proceeds of ticket sales goes to “The Daughter Project”. Sign up at the Adult Ministry Corner. Any questions, contact Jane

Food Pantry Hours

Please note the Food Pantry will only be open the 2nd Tuesday of November and December and there will not be a meal served. The dates are 11/8 & 12/13.

C R E A T I O N M E E T I N G M E T A M O R P H O S I S : T H E B E A U T Y & D E S I G N O F B U T T E R F L I E S

magnified hundreds of times to reveal compound eyes made of thousands of individual lenses, wings covered with microscopic solar panels, and navigational systems that unerringly guide Monarch butterflies on their annual migration from Canada to Mexico.

T H E L A F O N T A I N E S T O P E R F O R M A T C O T C

Celebrating more that 50 years of family harmony and anointed song writing, the LaFontaine Family are known around the world for delivering the message of Christ, through music. What started with a young traveling evangelist and his musically gifted wife, has

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A Holiday Concert

with the Lafontaine's

December 3 @ 7pm 1750 Eastgate Rd.

Toledo, OH 43614 A free-will offering will

be taken.

Monday evening November 28 at 7PM in the Gathering Area. Throughout history, butterflies have fascinated artists and philosophers, scientists and school children with their profound mystery and beauty. In this DVD presentation you will explore their remarkable world as few ever have before. Spectacular

photography, computer animation, and magnetic resonance imaging open once hidden doors to every stage of a butterfly’s life cycle — from an egg the size of a pinhead to a magnificent flying insect. It is a transformation so incredible biologists have called it “butterfly magic” The butterfly’s superbly engineered body is

TRUE VINE COMMUNITY GARDEN NEWS . . .

grown into three generations of musicians, singers and song writers dedicated to blessing others. The French origin of the name. ”LaFontaine” means “The Fountain.” By His grace, the fountain continues to flow with fresh inspiration from the throne of God.

have any and no plans for them next year, please bring them to the garden. Our garden plans for next year are exciting! We are praying that the plans for flowers and herbs to attract good insects will work. A lot of our research has gone in to deciding how to keep our garden truly organic!

Thank you to the church members who supported our eggshell collection. We received about 10lbs and have enough for now! We will give you an update on their success. The ants are currently busy getting ready for winter. They are collecting aphids and their ‘honeydew” droppings and carrying them down in the soil. The eggshells are like

razor blades on the ants. The absence (reduction) of ants next year means we have succeeded! Also, as you are cleaning up your yard from our beautiful summer, and already thinking about what you will do next year, your True Vine community Garden is too. Next year we are in need of shepherd’s hooks. If you

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C R O S S O V E R Y O U T H / C H I L D R E N ’ S M I N I S T R Y

November Schedule

11/6 Fun Night - Location TBD 11/13 Youth Group @ Church (6pm)

11/20 -Thanksgiving Service (7pm) 11/27 Youth Group @ Church (6pm)

If you would like to receive weekly updates about Crossover Youth Ministry please text “updates” to 84576

 

KidzChurch

This next month during KidsChurch we will be learning about Moses and how God used him!

Bible App

Have you ever heard of Bible App for Kids? Bible App for Kids is a great interactive resource that helps kids fall in love with God’s word. To learn more about this resource go to bibleappforkids.com or download it for free from iTunes, Google Play, or Amazon. Teaching kids to fall in love with and obey God’s Word is the best thing we can do for them.

Messy Wars was a great success!

The Crossf i re Page 6

G O D ’ S A N W S E R S T O O U R P R A Y E R S

“Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!” Psalm 150:2 NKJV So grateful for the normal results of husband’s stress test. Grandson’s trip to California was successful! Daughter’s MRI was negative and she does not need surgery. Praises that niece has connected with Campus Crusade on her college campus! Cousin has completed chemo and is doing much better. Praises to Him! Member is stable and bleeding has stopped. Praise God! Friend came through his by-pass surgery well. Praise to Lord! Son sold his home to the first people who came through and for the complete asking

price. PTL Praises to God for the approximately 400 people at Fun Fest! Thanking/praising God for family and friends. Praise that friend is cancer-free. Praises for more people in my home. The above praises were taken from requests at the altar, from emails or from the Sunday Connect Cards.

O U R S Y M PA T H Y

Our hearts were saddened with the passing of our beloved Cindy Greisheimer who passed away on Saturday, October 8 at Hospice of NWO. Our sincere sympathy & prayers are extended to her mother, Ginny Hasselschwert, her daughter, Jodi McClain and all of Cindy’s family. The funeral service was held on Wednesday, Oct. 12 here at Church of the Cross with Pastor Keith officiating.

the Cross as we mourn the loss of a wonderful servant of God.

Cindy was actively involved with Missions, a Sunday School teacher, office volunteer, communion server, nursery care worker, hospitality volunteer among a servant in many other areas of ministry here at Church of the Cross. Please remember this family in your thoughts and prayers as they mourn the loss of their loved one and for Church of

November 6, 2016 Remember to set you clocks back on Saturday night and get to church on time!

55 & Over Luncheon

The November 55 & Over Luncheon is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 15 at 11:30 a.m. at Cracker Barrel (1395 Ford St.) Sign up at the Adult Ministry Corner.

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F I N A N C E S A T A G L A N C E S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 6 & Y E A R T O D A T E

C O N G R E G A T I O N A L N O T E S

Issue 232

Crossfire Deadline

The deadline for the December edition of the Crossfire is Nov. 15. Please submit articles via email at office@cotcumc.com or drop them off at the church office. Thank you for meeting this deadline.

Directory Changes:

New Address: Leonard Lamb 1824 Lampwick Place #16 Toledo, OH 43614

Our heartfelt thanks to all the members and non-members of Church of the Cross for all your prayers, cards, visits, meals and the wonderful luncheon following the lovely memorial service during this most difficult time. Also, our thanks to Pastor’s Keith, Chuck and

Joe for their hospital visits. What a blessing this congregation is to each of us. The Griesheimer family The Hasselschwert family & the McClain Family

Consider Online Giving Life is busy! And that means you may not be at church every Sunday. We hope you won’t forget Church of the Cross even if you are not here every Sunday.

Online giving is a great way to continue your financial support of the mission and ministry programs at COTC, even though you may not be able to be here every week for worship.

To donate electronically using your debit or credit card or checking account transfer, please visit our website at www.cotcumc.com and click on the link that says “give.”

Ugly Quilts The Ugly Quilters will meet on Saturday, November 19 from 10:00-2:00 at the church. A light lunch will be provided. Please contact Dolly Ryan at 419-878-0447 if you are able to attend and for any questions.

Phone: 555-555-5555 Fax: 555-555-5555 Email: someone@example.com

Church of the Cross

We’re on the Web: Www.cotcumc.com

Church of the Cross, UM

1750 East gate Rd.

Toledo, OH 43614

Address Service Requested Prepared Especially For:

Sunday Worship 8:00 AM The Chapel

9:30 AM The Gathering 11:11 AM 11:11@the Cross

Community Food Pantry

Every 2nd & 4th Tuesday 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. Community Meal - 4th Tuesday

Prayer Line Number#

419.382.6722 M-TH 8:30am-4:30pm

Editor: Lisa Gleason

Deadline for copy: 15th of each month. Editor reserves the right to edit for content and space.

1750 Eastgate Rd. Toledo, OH 43614

Church of the cross

Phone: 419-382-6722 Fax: 419-382-8712

Email: office@cotcumc.com

We’re on the Web! www.cotcumc.com