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Dear CrossWay family,Like many of you, we are eagerly anticipating the resumption of Sunday morning children’s classes, student ministry, and other familiar fall rhythms. Anticipating these fall kickoffs, we have discussed whether we should make any changes to our COVID precautions in light of the spread of the Delta variant. Our conclusion is that we will not, at this point, be requiring any addi...

At our meeting last night, the elders decided to begin making masks optional for our Sunday morning gatherings, effective this Sunday. We want to both explain the reason for this decision and communicate our care for all of you, as we know this decision will affect each of us differently....

As COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available in Wisconsin, each of us will need to decide whether to get vaccinated. And in making that decision, there are a few issues related to our faith in Christ which we want to be sure to think well about....

Dear CrossWay Family,As COVID-19 vaccines become more widely available in Wisconsin, each of us will need to decide whether to get vaccinated. And in making that decision, there are a few issues related to our faith in Christ which we want to be sure to think well about.Our purpose in writing to you about this is not to give medical advice; we trust that each of us will do our own research, weigh ...

I think you will understand the weight I feel in writing this email. Yes, I feel, as we all do, the dismay and sadness over what is happening in and to our city. People’s lives have been forever changed. Fires burning. Businesses boarded up. People having to evacuate their homes. Most of us live here. Many of us grew up here. We love this place. ...

Dear CrossWay Family,I woke up yesterday morning and heard the news and my heart sank, as I’m sure did yours.  I just instinctively cried out in my heart, “O, Lord, not more!  We’re already dealing with so much heavy stuff.”I was deeply grieved by what I saw.  I was deeply grieved for the irrevocable consequences in people’s lives.  And throughout the day I was grieved by the quickness and depth o...

Dear CrossWay Family,What a joy it was to begin regathering this past Sunday! To be together, even with some of the limitations we faced, was deeply encouraging. To see one another, and hear one another, and sense one another near is a big part of why God calls us to this rhythm of gathering. And we heard from those who were not able to be present that there was a sense of feeling connected with t...

Dear CrossWay Family,“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go to the house of the LORD!’” (Psalm 122:1)We hope there is something in your hearts this week like what the psalmist expresses here—a gladness in anticipating gathering with God’s people. The Bible tells us that we, the church, are God’s living temple, “a dwelling place for God by the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:22). When we gather, God him...

Dear CrossWay Family,There are two things I want to talk with you about in this letter. One is an issue that we, as a country, have been made much aware of in recent weeks. The other is the practical matter of our regathering as a church.There is both a need, and a growing desire on my part, to think carefully together and to speak carefully together about the issue of racial tension and what resp...

Dear CrossWay Family,We watch the news, in some cases we look out our windows, and it can seem like the world is falling apart. My original intention for this letter was to give more detailed information regarding our reopening as a church and I will still do that, but to speak only of that when our nation is occupied as it is would be myopic at best, and more likely, a sign of a kind of blindness...

Dear CrossWay Family,                                                                      One of my favorite persons in the Bible is Samuel. As a boy I loved the story of Samuel as a boy, especially that time when he first heard God speaking to him and, after receiving some wise counsel from Eli, responded by saying, “Speak, Lord, for your servant hears” (I Samuel 3). But as I’ve gotten older I h...

Dear CrossWay Family, We know that many of you are wondering how recent changes to the state Safer-at-Home order will affect our life as a church. While our main agenda in this email is to give a particular encouragement to families, before we do that, I (Pastor Brett) want to give you a quick sketch of how we as a leadership team are processing last week’s events.Although the Safer-at-Home order ...

Dear CrossWay Family,                                                                      “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof” (Psalm 24:1).For some reason, I have been very aware of the truth of that verse these past several weeks.  Maybe it has something to do with the different pace of these weeks. Maybe it’s just the coming of spring. Whatever the reason, I’ve noticed things mor...

I’m sitting here at my desk looking out at a perfectly beautiful blue sky and wishing I was outside but, nonetheless, thanking God for his faithfulness that is both new and steady every day. I hope your heart is in a similar place.We continue on in this strange season that is now approaching two months, but there are signals that we are moving toward a gradual reopening of more normal social, econ...

Dear CrossWay Family,All of us have been largely focused on our local and national situation for the last eight weeks. But just as the coronavirus has upended our daily lives, it has also changed life and ministry for every one of our Mission Partners. As we have had contact, it has been eye-opening hearing about the various conditions they are facing. At the same time we have been encouraged by t...

Dear CrossWay Family,With the “Safer-at-Home” orders extended and the immediate future uncertain it is going to be easy for us in these coming weeks to grow impatient or worried or even angry. I’m finding that this situation is testing us all in one way or another. Some are dealing with loneliness. Some are dealing with fatigue.  Some are dealing with discouragement. Some are dealing with temptati...

Dear CrossWay Family,Jesus is the light of the world and our victory over the grave! It was so good to worship the Lord and reflect on the cross and resurrection this past weekend. I’m sure we all go through our emotional ups and downs due to isolation, financial concerns, limitations, or simply change. To bring the shining light of the gospel into each up and each down is the glorious privilege o...

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Dear CrossWay Family,Another week has gone by and it is clear that we are entering into a strong upward curve in the number of COVID-19 cases here in the United States. People in positions of authority are telling us this will likely be a challenging set of weeks ahead. I remain hopeful that a turning point is not too far down the road but I am very eager that we remain firmly grounded in God and ...

Dear CrossWay Family,We are now in our third week of what obviously have become greatly adjusted circumstances for us all.  Yesterday our Governor issued his “Safer at Home” order in which we were called to “all do our part to cease non-essential travel, business, and social interactions.”  I want to encourage you, both as an act of honoring our governing authorities and of caring for others, to c...