New Year

Happy New Year!  We’re off and running into 2010.  Only the Lord knows what this year holds as He knows the beginning and end of all things.  It is our prayer that this year will hold great things for you as you continue to grow in your walk with the Lord, and in your service and ministry for the Cause!

Celebration of Life

One of our staff members, Rick Starr, went home to the Father on December 24th.  Rick had many years of ministry service pastoring various churches and serving with other mission organizations, most recently with us here at CrossRoads Missions. On January 2nd a Celebration of Life service was held for Rick at his church here in the Louisville area.  Rick died from cancer of the brain. He fought an amazing and inspiring battle against this cancer. Many of you  joined us in prayer for him and his family. We invite to continue to pray for his family.  Read more by visiting www.debbiestarr.com.

CrossRoads Missions

At the end of their financial year most organizations review to summarize how they’ve done.  Following is a copy of an email sent to us by our mission director.

As we close in on the end of the year, I want to make you aware of one of our financial concerns.  As we expected would happen this year we experienced a decline in giving.  Based on the auditors review approximately a 27% decline.  This coupled with our aggressive payoff of debt has left us very low at the end of the year.  Thankfully though, it looks like we have made it.  However we cannot sustain our programs and all that we do if giving continues to decline.  So what I am asking you all to do is to communicate with your supporters.  If some have stopped giving, communicate with them and see if there is a possibility that their support will resume in 2010,  If people have been giving, please communicate our short falls and see if there is anything that any of them can do the help close that gap.  Individual gifts, given because of a relationship with our staff have always been the backbone of our ministry.  We haven’t had to make any lay offs only trim some of our wants and needs.  Lets do all we can as a team to help turn this back around so that in 2010, funding doesn’t significantly hamper the goals and health of the ministry.

Thank you to those who support our ministry work, faithfully, month in and month out.  One of our supporters recently told us about their being laid off of their job part of 2009.  We noticed, that during the time they were laid off, their financial giving to our ministry did not stop.  We are so grateful for the sacrifices you are making.  Some of the personal giving to our ministry has stopped, or been reduced, but like CrossRoads Missions itself we are grateful for the funds that come in and the sacrifices that are made so that we can serve in missions!

New Web Site

During the month of December we completed and activated a new web site for Bible Impact Ministries.  You can view their new site by visiting www.bibeimpact.org!  We also have a web site underway for a ministry in India that we have hopes in being able to activate early in 2010.

Closing

For the first time that we can remember, Jim created a goal list for 2010.  His list is broken down into categories … like “My Church, My Finances, My Health” and so forth.  Thinking it would be better to have goals to press towards than a resolution – he has posted this list on the bulletin board in our study room so that he can keep track of his progress.   Thank you for being a big part of our goals for 2010 — without our Prayer Support Team and our Financial Support Team many of the goals on Jim’s list cannot be realized.  We count it a privilege to be able to serve the Lord on your behalf through our ministry with CrossRoads Missions!

Serving With You Because of Him — Jim and Phyllis