Cross and Crown Mission

Visit us here!

2006-12-24T21:01:00.000-06:00

We're still in progress, but we've are now publishing Cross & Crown news here!
Enjoy! God Bless.

http://crossandcrownmission.com/

Rich Young Ruler

2006-09-23T16:07:00.000-05:00

The music within us is powerful. We hear a song and it moves us, consoles us, lets us lament, and challenges us.
Check out Derek Webb's song Rich Young Ruler.

You can hear and download his entire album for FREE here: http://derekwebb.musiccitynetworks.com/

Here are the lyrics to a very powerful, in your face song, about what Jesus would have us do. In some ways, God wrote this song on the hearts of dozens of volunteers who keep Cross & Crown running and growing, in glory to God. They've been coming for five years!

Thanks! Enjoy that song and download the free tunes.

Rich Young Ruler Lyrics
(vs. 1)
poverty is so hard to see
when it’s only on your tv and twenty miles across town
where we’re all living so good
that we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
where he’s hungry and not feeling so good
from going through our trash
he says, more than just your cash and coin
i want your time, i want your voice
i want the things you just can’t give me

(vs. 2)
so what must we do
here in the west we want to follow you
we speak the language and we keep all the rules
even a few we made up
come on and follow me
but sell your house, sell your suv
sell your stocks, sell your security
and give it to the poor
what is this, hey what’s the deal
i don’t sleep around and i don’t steal
i want the things you just can’t give me

(bridge)
because what you do to the least of these
my brother’s, you have done it to me
because i want the things you just can’t give me

School Store in Business

2006-07-31T16:11:00.000-05:00

Nothing like saying good-bye to July and ushering in August by having the Cross & Crown School Store! It began today and continues through Wednesday. More than 65 families are served each day. Each child receives a backpack that is overstuffed with school supplies for the year including grade-appropriate suplies such as pencils, pens, erasers, glue, folders, paper, highlighters, markers, colored pencils, calculators, dictionaries, protractors, tissue, pencil case ... and most of all, prayer.

Each backpack was lovingingly assembled by volunteers and each child and family is prayed over when they come to the School Store. Each volunteer was encouraged to enjoy their day, not to be rushed, and to pray that God blesses each family in a special way.

Paul Whitmire said his wish is that the children will know that God is with them every day when they go to school.

In particular, we can continually pray for two young girls who are courageously heading back to school. They came for backpacks on Monday holding their babies. One will be in ninth grade and one in tenth grade. Pray they stay in school and their babies receive good care and nurturing.

School begins for most of these children in Oklahoma City elementary, jr. high and high schools August 21.

Faith and Trust

2006-06-15T13:21:00.000-05:00

Ron Crawford has a very personal illustration to share during his Bible study tonight with the Rock Island (high school) kids. The study happens to be about faith and trust.

He'll tell them the story of how his truck burned up last night on the side of the highway. Hauling home his lawnmower and grill after an evening at the mission, somehow the lawnmower ignited in the back of the Avalanche (that had the plastic liner). After he saw the flames, pulled over and ran to the back of the truck to try to pull the lawnmower out of the back of the truck, an angel pulled him back to say, "it's not worth it. It's just stuff." Within seconds the vehicle was engulfed in flames.

What's left is a shell of a vehicle - scorched and melted.

Also gone - the lawn mower, the grill, and "the office" he carried along in his vehicle - phone, Ipod, camera, along with some other stuff. Irreplaceable. Yes. Insurance. Yes. But still - it's a blow, especially for an inner-city missionary.

Ron and Sue are smiling, and you know what Ron will be telling those kids tonight? He'll tell them he knows God has his back, and he's putting his faith and trust in him to provide for every need.

Interestingly enough, Ron had to flag down a half dozen cars before anyone would stop to call 9-1-1 for him (and since HIS phone was incinerating inside the pickup). But while the truck was burning and before the authorities arrived, someone across the highway with a video camera stopped to film the "news" and sent it to News 9. It aired on the 10 pm news.

Osvaldo, who is about 12 or 13 years old and helps with the Underground elementary program, saw it on television. The image of Ron's burning truck kept him up worrying all night. He and his cousin, Stephanie, drew this picture for him.

Osvaldo was very very happy to see that Ron was safe this morning (and got a ride to work!).

Happy Birthday Doug!

2006-06-15T11:19:00.000-05:00

Hugs are the best presents!

Generosity keeps feeding Oklahomans

2006-06-08T08:59:00.000-05:00

The following appeared in The Oklahoman, June 7, 2006. Cross & Crown buys food from the Regional Food Bank to feed our families who come for prayer and help. We're so excited and grateful that the Food Bank reached it's goal.

The Oklahoman Editorial

THE NEED for generous Oklahomans to open their pocketbooks and their hearts never ends. That's proven true this week as one agency finished up a fund-raising effort while another is just beginning.

The Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma announced Tuesday it collected more than 300,000 pounds of food and $210,000 in cash during the annual Feeding Hope food drive. That's more than double the donations raised last year and a tribute to the caring nature of the people of our state.

Food bank officials said the donations will help the food bank provide more than 1.6 million meals. That's heartening, considering many Oklahomans don't know when they'll get their next meal and summer is a particularly difficult time for the hungry.

The reality is that fund raising for the food bank, United Way and similar groups is ongoing. The needs often are changing but always constant. Storm season can leave many in need of housing. Economic downturn leaves many families in need of food. Sudden illness or accidents can leave the elderly unable to prepare themselves food. Children find themselves in need of a warm, loving place because of domestic violence or abuse.

Oklahoma has many places to turn for help, and many depend on the continued generous support of our citizenry to continue as a safety net for those who need it. We're grateful to the people and places for their support of charitable causes. And we're fortunate to live in a state where helping neighbors in need isn't a burden but an opportunity embraced.

Underground

2006-06-06T22:02:00.000-05:00

An awesome summer program kicked off today with the elementary Underground program. It might have been near 100 degrees outside today, but in the basement at Cross & Crown it was cool! Games, crafts and an awesome Bible time led by Chandy Stout.

More than a couple of dozen neighborhood kids are involved in this program. The high school version also begins this week.

Please pray for these kids and Chandy their leader and her team of volunteers!

Sharefest Pics

2006-05-01T21:12:00.000-05:00

More coming. Thanks Awesome Pam Hilliard for shooting these at the beginning of the day, and before the downpour!

Sharefest THIS Saturday!

2006-04-27T13:57:00.000-05:00

Sharefest is a citywide community project with 40 churches participating on Saturday April 29th (THIS WEEKEND!) and Rock Island and Cross & Crown are benefitting from this special blessing with landscaping.

We are looking for volunteers to help plant scrubs, plants, ground cover, lay sod, etc. We will begin at 8:00 am and work until we are done. Please come for the day or come for as long as you can to help with this great project. Please bring your own gardening tools. Please RSVP to Ed Hilliard to schedule work crews and lunch which will be provided on site.

Thank you in advance for your participation. A citywide praise service will be held on Sunday, May 7th at CITYCHURCH at N.W. 10th & Robinson 6:30-8:00 to celebrate all of the good that will be done this weekend around OKC.

Allelujah

2006-04-19T11:28:00.000-05:00

The Cross

2006-04-19T11:13:00.000-05:00

A precious resurrection day gift. This originl painting of the cross by Tina Clark. It provided a precious backdrop to the Sunday evening service at Cross & Crown to close out a beautiful Easter Sunday.

Paul asked these ladies pictured (Janice, Rachel and Judy) what the cross meant to them.

They all shared how the cross represents Jesus' love, and Rachel Whitmire commented how it is an image that pulls her closer to her heavenly Father (making her earthly father very proud!).

Janice said she can't help but thank the Lord for her very life when she looks upon the cross that represents God's sacrifice of his only son.

Janice shared she had survived a gun shot, and other life-threatening incidents throughout her life. She knows that it is only God's grace that has kept her alive on this earth. She has work still to do, she says. She has grandbabies and greatgrandbabies to look after.

Praise God for the stories he gives us to share.

Let us encourage one another and lift each other up. I Thes 5:11

A Franciscan Benediction

2006-04-07T22:08:00.000-05:00

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.

May God bless you with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.

May God bless you with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and turn their pain into joy.

And may God bless you with enough foolishness to believe that you can make a difference in this world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

Happy Faces

2006-03-27T08:54:00.000-06:00

A glimpse of the past

2006-02-20T16:31:00.000-06:00

From time to time, the Lord sends someone to the corner of 9th and McKinley who has been there before ... maybe someone from the earliest days of the building when it was built more than 90 years ago.

Recently, Mrs. Dorothy Cooley McLemore filled in a piece of the mission's history. After a chat with her friend, Jeannie Spence, about the volunteer work she does at Cross & Crown, Mrs. McLemore realized this mission was located in the building where her mother grew up going to church!

She also remembered a special keepsake that she had - an ornate presentation plate stamped with a picture of the building. She knew it must have a new home. She beautifully framed it and recently presented it to Paul Whitmire at the mission where it now hangs on the wall in the office.

Here's what the back of the plate says:
The Second Presbyterian Church of Oklahoma City was organized May 1, 1904, and held services on West Main Street until it moved to the present location in May 1910. Services were held in the basement rooms until completion of the sanctuary. The cornerstone was laid in October 1910, and the sanctuary and building were completed and dedicated on December 17, 1911.

Here's what the placard on the wall next the picture says:
The plate was donated to Cross & Crown Mission by Dorothy Cooley McLemore, daughter of Orenda Elizabeth Lutz Cooley. Orenda was born May 14, 1904, (the same month and year the Second Prebyterian Church was founded), in Manchester, Massachusetts, and moved to Oklahoma City with her parents and brother whuile she was an infant. She was an active lifelong member of the Second Prebyterian Church. All four of her children attended church with her, and sometime later, two granddaughters and one grandson attended.

These glimpses into the past of this building serve as proof of God's faithfulness, and shows how a building that had been forgotten, that had it's very foundation crumbling just five short years ago and was doomed for demolition, can rise up again to proclaim the Lord's favor and to serve His people.

Getting a share of Sharefest

2006-02-20T12:33:00.000-06:00

What an honor to be included as a project for Sharefest. Cross & Crown Mission will benefit later this spring when Sharefest holds its annual work day.

Check out Sharefest to see if your congregation is taking part or how you can be involved in this mighty work as it seeks to "demonstrate the love of Christ to our community."

Let your light shine before men,
that they may see your good deeds
and praise your Father in Heaven
Matthew.5:16

An era of grace

2006-02-17T18:58:00.000-06:00

Rock Star Bono (of U2) spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast on February 2, 2006, in Washington DC. A very compelling and poignant speech, if not surreal to think that an Irish born rock star was preaching to some of the most powerful policy makers in the world, about the seriousness of poverty. If you haven't seen it elsewhere or heard about it on the news, read his speech here. Read what Bono has to say about love, mercy and God.

Mr. President, First Lady, King Abdullah, Other heads of State, Members of Congress, distinguished guests…

Please join me in praying that I don’t say something we’ll all regret.

That was for the FCC.

If you’re wondering what I’m doing here, at a prayer breakfast, well, so am I. I’m certainly not here as a man of the cloth, unless that cloth is leather. It’s certainly not because I’m a rock star. Which leaves one possible explanation: I’m here because I’ve got a messianic complex.

Yes, it’s true. And for anyone who knows me, it’s hardly a revelation.

Well, I’m the first to admit that there’s something unnatural… something unseemly… about rock stars mounting the pulpit and preaching at presidents, and then disappearing to their villas in the South of France. Talk about a fish out of water. It was weird enough when Jesse Helms showed up at a U2 concert… but this is really weird, isn’t it?

You know, one of the things I love about this country is its separation of church and state. Although I have to say: in inviting me here, both church and state have been separated from something else completely: their mind. .

Mr. President, are you sure about this?

It’s very humbling and I will try to keep my homily brief. But be warned—I’m Irish.

I’d like to talk about the laws of man, here in this city where those laws are written. And I’d like to talk about higher laws. It would be great to assume that the one serves the other; that the laws of man serve these higher laws… but of course, they don’t always. And I presume that, in a sense, is why you’re here.

I presume the reason for this gathering is that all of us here—Muslims, Jews, Christians—all are searching our souls for how to better serve our family, our community, our nation, our God.

I know I am. Searching, I mean. And that, I suppose, is what led me here, too.

Yes, it’s odd, having a rock star here—but maybe it’s odder for me than for you. You see, I avoided religious people most of my life. Maybe it had something to do with having a father who was Protestant and a mother who was Catholic in a country where the line between the two was, quite literally, a battle line. Where the line between church and state was… well, a little blurry, and hard to see.

I remember how my mother would bring us to chapel on Sundays… and my father used to wait outside. One of the things that I picked up from my father and my mother was the sense that religion often gets in the way of God.

For me, at least, it got in the way. Seeing what religious people, in the name of God, did to my native land… and in this country, seeing God’s second-hand car salesmen on the cable TV channels, offering indulgences for cash… in fact, all over the world, seeing the self-righteousness roll down like a mighty stream from certain corners of the religious establishment…

I must confess, I changed the channel. I wanted my MTV.

Even though I was a believer.

Perhaps because I was a believer.

I was cynical… not about God, but about God’s politics. (There you are, Jim.)

Then, in 1997, a couple of eccentric, septuagenarian British Christians went and ruined my shtick—my reproachfulness. They did it by describing the Millennium, the year 2000, as a Jubilee year, as an opportunity to cancel the chronic debts of the world’s poorest people. They had the audacity to renew the Lord’s call—and were joined by Pope John Paul II, who, from an Irish half-Catholic’s point of view, may have had a more direct line to the Almighty.

‘Jubilee’—why ‘Jubilee’?

What was this year of Jubilee, this year of our Lords favor?

I’d always read the Scriptures, even the obscure stuff. There it was in Leviticus (25:35)…

‘If your brother becomes poor,’ the Scriptures say, ‘and cannot maintain himself… you shall maintain him… You shall not lend him your money at interest, not give him your food for profit.’

It is such an important idea, Jubilee, that Jesus begins his ministry with this. Jesus is a young man, he’s met with the rabbis, impressed everyone, people are talking. The elders say, he’s a clever guy, this Jesus, but he hasn’t done much… yet. He hasn’t spoken in public before…

When he does, is first words are from Isaiah: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,’ he says, ‘because He has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.’ And Jesus proclaims the year of the Lord’s favour, the year of Jubilee. (Luke 4:18)

What he was really talking about was an era of grace—and we’re still in it.

So fast-forward 2,000 years. That same thought, grace, was made incarnate—in a movement of all kinds of people. It wasn’t a bless-me club… it wasn’t a holy huddle. These religious guys were willing to get out in the streets, get their boots dirty, wave the placards, follow their convictions with actions… making it really hard for people like me to keep their distance. It was amazing. I almost started to like these church people.

But then my cynicism got another helping hand.

It was what Colin Powell, a five-star general, called the greatest W.M.D. of them all: a tiny little virus called A.I.D.S. And the religious community, in large part, missed it. The one’s that didn’t miss it could only see it as divine retribution for bad behaviour. Even on children… Even fastest growing group of HIV infections were married, faithful women.

Aha, there they go again! I thought to myself Judgmentalism is back!

But in truth, I was wrong again. The church was slow but the church got busy on this the leprosy of our age.

Love was on the move.

Mercy was on the move.

God was on the move.

Moving people of all kinds to work with others they had never met, never would have cared to meet… Conservative church groups hanging out with spokesmen for the gay community, all singing off the same hymn sheet on AIDS… Soccer moms and quarterbacks… hip-hop stars and country stars… This is what happens when God gets on the move: crazy stuff happens!

Popes were seen wearing sunglasses!

Jesse Helms was seen with a ghetto blaster!

Crazy stuff. Evidence of the spirit.

It was breathtaking. Literally. It stopped the world in its tracks.

When churches started demonstrating on debt, governments listened—and acted. When churches starting organising, petitioning, and even—that most unholy of acts today, God forbid, lobbying… on AIDS and global health, governments listened—and acted.

I’m here today in all humility to say: you changed minds; you changed policy; you changed the world.

Look, whatever thoughts you have about God, who He is or if He exists, most will agree that if there is a God, He has a special place for the poor. In fact, the poor are where God lives.

Check Judaism. Check Islam. Check pretty much anyone.

I mean, God may well be with us in our mansions on the hill… I hope so. He may well be with us as in all manner of controversial stuff… maybe, maybe not… But the one thing we can all agree, all faiths and ideologies, is that God is with the vulnerable and poor.

God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house… God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives… God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war… God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them. “If you remove the yolk from your midst, the pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, and if you give yourself to the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness and your gloom with become like midday and the Lord will continually guide you and satisfy your desire in scorched places”

It’s not a coincidence that in the Scriptures, poverty is mentioned more than 2,100 times. It’s not an accident. That’s a lot of air time, 2,100 mentions. [You know, the only time Christ is judgmental is on the subject of the poor.] ‘As you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.’ (Matthew 25:40). As I say, good news to the poor.

Here’s some good news for the President. After 9-11 we were told America would have no time for the World’s poor. America would be taken up with its own problems of safety. And it’s true these are dangerous times, but America has not drawn the blinds and double-locked the doors.

In fact, you have double aid to Africa. You have tripled funding for global health. Mr. President, your emergency plan for AIDS relief and support for the Global Fund—you and Congress—have put 700,000 people onto life-saving anti-retroviral drugs and provided 8 million bed nets to protect children from malaria.

Outstanding human achievements. Counterintuitive. Historic. Be very, very proud.

But here’s the bad news. From charity to justice, the good news is yet to come. There’s is much more to do. There’s a gigantic chasm between the scale of the emergency and the scale of the response.

And finally, it’s not about charity after all, is it? It’s about justice.

Let me repeat that: It’s not about charity, it’s about justice.

And that’s too bad.

Because you’re good at charity. Americans, like the Irish, are good at it. We like to give, and we give a lot, even those who can’t afford it.

But justice is a higher standard. Africa makes a fool of our idea of justice; it makes a farce of our idea of equality. It mocks our pieties, it doubts our concern, it questions our commitment.

6,500 Africans are still dying every day of a preventable, treatable disease, for lack of drugs we can buy at any drug store. This is not about charity, this is about Justice and Equality.

Because there's no way we can look at what’s happening in Africa and, if we're honest, conclude that deep down, we really accept that Africans are equal to us. Anywhere else in the world, we wouldn’t accept it. Look at what happened in South East Asia with the Tsunami. 150, 000 lives lost to that misnomer of all misnomers, “mother nature”. In Africa, 150,000 lives are lost every month. A tsunami every month. And it’s a completely avoidable catastrophe.

It’s annoying but justice and equality are mates. Aren’t they? Justice always wants to hang out with equality. And equality is a real pain.

You know, think of those Jewish sheep-herders going to meet the Pharaoh, mud on their shoes, and the Pharaoh says, “Equal?” A preposterous idea: rich and poor are equal? And they say, “Yeah, ‘equal,’ that’s what it says here in this book. We’re all made in the image of God.”

And eventually the Pharaoh says, “OK, I can accept that. I can accept the Jews—but not the blacks.”

“Not the women. Not the gays. Not the Irish. No way, man.”

So on we go with our journey of equality.

On we go in the pursuit of justice.

We hear that call in the ONE Campaign, a growing movement of more than two million Americans… left and right together… united in the belief that where you live should no longer determine whether you live.

We hear that call even more powerfully today, as we mourn the loss of Coretta Scott King—mother of a movement for equality, one that changed the world but is only just getting started. These issues are as alive as they ever were; they just change shape and cross the seas.

Preventing the poorest of the poor from selling their products while we sing the virtues of the free market… that’s a justice issue. Holding children to ransom for the debts of their grandparents… That’s a justice issue. Withholding life-saving medicines out of deference to the Office of Patents… that’s a justice issue.

And while the law is what we say it is, God is not silent on the subject.

That’s why I say there’s the law of the land… and then there is a higher standard. There’s the law of the land, and we can hire experts to write them so they benefit us, so the laws say it’s OK to protect our agriculture but it’s not OK for African farmers to do the same, to earn a living?

As the laws of man are written, that’s what they say.

God will not accept that.

Mine won’t, at least. Will yours?

[pause]

I close this morning on … very… thin… ice.

This is a dangerous idea I’ve put on the table: my God vs. your God, their God vs. our God… vs. no God. It is very easy, in these times, to see religion as a force for division rather than unity.

And this is a town—Washington—that knows something of division.

But the reason I am here, and the reason I keep coming back to Washington, is because this is a town that is proving it can come together on behalf of what the Scriptures call the least of these.

This is not a Republican idea. It is not a Democratic idea. It is not even, with all due respect, an American idea. Nor it is unique to any one faith.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.’ (Luke 6:30) Jesus says that.

‘Righteousness is this: that one should… give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for the emancipation of the captives.’ The Koran says that. (2.177)

Thus sayeth the Lord: ‘Bring the homeless poor into the house, when you see the naked, cover him, then your light will break out like the dawn and your recovery will speedily spring fourth, then your Lord will be your rear guard.’ The jewish scripture says that. Isaiah 58 again.

That is a powerful incentive: ‘The Lord will watch your back.’ Sounds like a good deal to me, right now.

A number of years ago, I met a wise man who changed my life. In countless ways, large and small, I was always seeking the Lord’s blessing. I was saying, you know, I have a new song, look after it… I have a family, please look after them… I have this crazy idea…

And this wise man said: stop.

He said, stop asking God to bless what you’re doing.

Get involved in what God is doing—because it’s already blessed.

Well, God, as I said, is with the poor. That, I believe, is what God is doing.

And that is what He’s calling us to do.

I was amazed when I first got to this country and I learned how much some churchgoers tithe. Up to ten percent of the family budget. Well, how does that compare the federal budget, the budget for the entire American family? How much of that goes to the poorest people in the world? Less than one percent.

Mr. President, Congress, people of faith, people of America:

I want to suggest to you today that you see the flow of effective foreign assistance as tithing…. Which, to be truly meaningful, will mean an additional one percent of the federal budget tithed to the poor.

What is one percent?

One percent is not merely a number on a balance sheet.

One percent is the girl in Africa who gets to go to school, thanks to you. One percent is the AIDS patient who gets her medicine, thanks to you. One percent is the African entrepreneur who can start a small family business thanks to you. One percent is not redecorating presidential palaces or money flowing down a rat hole. This one percent is digging waterholes to provide clean water.

One percent is a new partnership with Africa, not paternalism towards Africa, where increased assistance flows toward improved governance and initiatives with proven track records and away from boondoggles and white elephants of every description.

America gives less than one percent now. Were asking for an extra one percent to change the world. to transform millions of lives—but not just that and I say this to the military men now – to transform the way that they see us.

One percent is national security, enlightened economic self interest, and a better safer world rolled into one. Sounds to me that in this town of deals and compromises, one percent is the best bargain around.

These goals—clean water for all; school for every child; medicine for the afflicted, an end to extreme and senseless poverty—these are not just any goals; they are the Millennium Development goals, which this country supports. And they are more than that. They are the Beatitudes for a Globalised World.

Now, I’m very lucky. I don’t have to sit on any budget committees. And I certainly don’t have to sit where you do, Mr. President. I don’t have to make the tough choices.

But I can tell you this:

To give one percent more is right. It’s smart. And it’s blessed.

There is a continent—Africa—being consumed by flames.

I truly believe that when the history books are written, our age will be remembered for three things: the war on terror, the digital revolution, and what we did—or did not to—to put the fire out in Africa.

History, like God, is watching what we do.

Thank you. Thank you, America, and God bless you all.

The Rocks of Rock Island

2006-02-15T09:47:00.000-06:00

Are those rocks going on our Rock Island house?
Praise God for progress! Remember this new house for Cross & Crown's youth ministry started going up during a building blitz last July? God has faithfully sent materials, contractors, money and volunteers to keep the construction going!

The rock is a huge step!

This beautiful new structure in the neighborhood is drawing lots of attention. It's so exciting to talk to passersby who ask about it and we say this is for the teenagers of our neighborhood. A safe place to hang out, be mentoried, receive personal prayer and learn about their Father.

Yesterday, Lizzie, one of the regulars during the Thursday night connect time walked by the new house. When asked if she was excited about the house, her bright smile conveyed her thoughts perfectly! YES!!!!

So many generous hearts. So much love is going into this house. Praise God.

Until Rock Island is open, the teens meet on Thursday evenings in the "Underground" area that's designed for the younger kids at the main mission building. Contact Ron if you want to volunteer to help on Thursdays, or on Tuesday after school (3-5) with the elementary age kids. You'll bless and be blessed.

Shout to the Lord

2006-02-07T17:17:00.000-06:00

George picked out this scripture to read last Sunday night at the mission.

Psalm 100
1 Shout triumphantly to the Lord, all the earth. 2 Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before Him with joyful songs. 3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God.
He made us, and we are His -
His people, the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving
and His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him and praise His name. 5 For the Lord is good, and His love is eternal;
His faithfulness endures through all generations.

A gift of grace and peace

2006-02-07T09:50:00.000-06:00

Many of the children who were at the mission this last Sunday night went home with a special gift. A handmade cross crafted by Clyde. When asked why he wanted to make them and give them away, he said he made them that afternoon and wanted to give them as gifts representing God's grace and peace. Earlier in the evening, he mentioned that he also was hurting from some old injuries and ailments that he received in the military that still afflicted him all these years later.

Some of his pain in the joints of his hands. Yet, it didn't hinder him from fashioning crosses out of pieces of trim and twine and yarn.

Clyde presides over the Lord's Supper communion table that is available each Sunday night. Unwaveringly, he waved his crosses throughout the worship service, singing the choruses that Ron was leading, especially the chorus of "Blessed be Your Name." His deep voice rang out through the sanctuary ... "blessed be your name, on a road marked with suffering ... when there's pain in the offering. Blessed be your name."

Thank you God for Clyde, and let those children who received his gift of a handmade cross treasure it all of their lives. Priceless.

Among the questions

2006-01-20T11:41:00.000-06:00

What is your first name and last initial?
Where will you sleep tonight?
Are you a veteran?
Do you have children with you? Do your children attend school or need help enrolling?
What was the alst place you lived permanently?
How long have you been homeless?
Do you have any of the following special needs? Alcohol or drug use, mental health, HIV/AIDS, physical disability or handicap, mental retardation or developmental delay.
Where did you eat dinner this evening?
What caused you to be homeless?
From what sources do you receive income?

These are questions volunteers asked to nearly 1,500 people who showed up to be counted as part of a survey from the Homeless Alliance. The goal was to get a count and find out more about the issues they face.

About 55 volunteers passed out the questionnaires this week in and around downtown Oklahoma City. The story is in today's Oklahoman.

Last year's survey numbers included 1,452 homeless people. One in four reported substance abuse and one in five reported disabilities or illnesses. One in three had been homeless for more than a year (and had once owned their own home).

Those are lots of numbers to read and statistics to analyze, but those numbers represent life and people who need us, but need God more.

Let's pray that many of those who were counted also have the answers to
Do you know God loves you?
Do you know God accepts you?
Do you know God is waiting for you to turn to him?

And, do you believe his son died to save YOU?

No doubt many of those surveyed have been to Cross & Crown, and we pray more will find our mission this year - to get help with food, clothes, recovery. Mostly, we want them to feel the unconditinal love of Jesus, acceptance, compassion and joy as they receive prayer.

Where will you sleep tonight?
What will you eat?

Isaiah 61
1 The Spirit of the Lord God is on Me,
because the Lord has anointed Me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
and freedom to the prisoners; 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of our God's vengeance;
to comfort all who mourn, 3 to provide for those who mourn in Zion;
to give them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
festive oil instead of mourning,
and splendid clothes instead of despair.
And they will be called righteous trees,
planted by the Lord,
to glorify Him.

The Lord is My Shepherd

2006-01-10T16:18:00.000-06:00

This last Sunday night's service at Cross & Crown provided a wonderful setting to bring in a new year of new hope, new resolution ... and just simply, a new start.

This picture is of George. He is a Cross & Crown neighbor, and resolved to the staff that instead of playing, he was going to help at the mission. So he has been helping. He took down Christmas lights. He sweeps. He hangs out. He helps.

Paul asked him if he would like to read from the Bible that he received as a Christmas gift from Rock Island. He read Psalm 23.

One of the most touching moments, aside from simply watching George read the Word of God, was hearing those in the room help him when he paused or stumbled on just a couple of words. Everyone was with him ... listening intently. If he stumbled on a word such as "righteousness" or "anoint" you would hear a voice in the audience - gruff, sweet, tired or with an accent call it out.

All together now ..

1 A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell F20 in the house of the Lord Forever.

Department store merchandise ... Rock Bottom Prices!

2005-12-19T08:30:00.000-06:00

He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, his righteousness endures forever, his horn will be lifted high in honor. Psalm 112:9

For one week out of the year, the sanctuary at Cross & Crown is transformed into an inviting retail venue that rivals anything you would see at the mall. There is a coat department, a shoe department, an underwear department, a perfume department, a game section, and of course, lots and lots of toys.

What's missing are the crowds and the price tags.

The Christmas Store at Cross & Crown serves approximately 85 families each year, representing about 350 family members. Parents come at their appointment time for a private shopping extravaganza where they select gifts for every member of their family!

Every parent wants to give good gifts to their children, just at God wants to give good gifts to us! One parent graciously came offering thanks last year saying, “That’s the best Christmas our family has ever shared. If it had not been for God allowing this through this mission, we would not have had anything. Thank you.”

Many, many, many generous givers have made sure that the Christmas Store was stocked this year. Thank you. God worked through you and your many acts of giving bring Him glory. Your generosity also will bring many smiles Christmas morning from happy children and relieved parents who were delivered from their burden of not being able to provide gifts to their children!

God is gracious and He loves us. Let's thank him for all He has done.

World Peace

2005-12-19T08:17:00.000-06:00

Santa came to Cross and Crown last night. As the long line of children filed through telling Santa of their dream for a GameBoy, a remote control car, a Barbie, an Xbox 360s ... one boy, Darwin announced he wanted peace for the world.

Santa told Darwin world peace starts with getting along with his brother at home!

Thanks to everyone who donated the gifts, food and volunteered for our Christmas party. It was an amazing night.

We are blessed.

Great idea ...

2005-10-26T23:09:00.000-05:00

From The Oklahoman on Wednesday, Oct. 26.

City seeks change in aid for homeless
By John Sutter
The Oklahoman

A program that encourages giving homeless people and panhandlers bus tickets to city shelters instead of cash kicked off today in downtown Oklahoma City.
The "Real Change, Not Spare Change" program is designed to prevent panhandlers from pocketing money they don't need or spending it on drugs and alcohol. Recipients can redeem specially printed vouchers only for a bus ride to one of three city shelters -- City Rescue Mission, Grace Rescue Mission or the Salvation Army.

There, they can get a free meal, a place to stay and other help, said Dan Straughan, executive director of the Homeless Alliance, a local advocate group for the homeless and one of the program sponsors.

"Oklahoma Citians are people who want to help; they're givers by nature," Straughan said. "We think the Real Change vouchers are just a healthier, smarter way to give that help."

Books of five $1 tickets are on sale at the alliance's Web site -- www.homelessalliance.org. Dave Lopez, president of Downtown OKC Inc., said some downtown executives will sell tickets in office buildings. Additional downtown sales points are coming soon, he said.

Jerry Kraus, 45, sleeps in a field just south of Interstate 40 near downtown. He's homeless, wears three coats to keep warm and says he never has to ask for money. He supports the Real Change concept.

"Most people on the streets are into drugs and alcohol," he said. "You can get all the food you want at these places (shelters)."

If tickets aren't used on the city's bus system, then the money spent on the tickets will essentially become a donation to the Homeless Alliance, which is working to end homelessness in the city.

Lopez said panhandling and homelessness are not as large of a problem in Oklahoma City as in some other places. This program's trying to jump out "ahead of the curve" to help those in need, he said.

Straughan said there are about 1,500 homeless people on Oklahoma City streets and in shelters on any given night.

Black market possible
Kraus said many panhandlers and homeless people resell food stamps, so a black market for bus vouchers may develop.

"People are very creative in getting what they want," he said.

"If they want drugs and alcohol, they will get it. It's worth a try. At least it puts a certain obstacle between drugs and alcohol and the user."

Straughan agrees. But if Real Change catches on, the vouchers will be less valuable if resold, he said.

"There will be a black market for these things. Today in Oklahoma City, five bus tickets will get you a joint (marijuana cigarette), or so I'm told. If we put 50,000 of these (vouchers) out on the street, though, that's going to really depress that market," Straughan said.

Marvelous Light

2005-10-23T22:42:00.000-05:00

As 6:00 pm approached and the cold wind got colder, they started coming from every direction. Men. A few women. Walking from who knows where - a camp by the interstate or some nearby woods. Maybe a shelter. Maybe a house or a warm place ... maybe, hopefully. At least they had coats or thick sweatshirts to repel the first chills of an Oklahoma winter. They had a destination - not the corner bar, or a drug house for a fix. They were coming to get warm and find sanctuary. They were drawn to Cross & Crown where God would use a group of teenagers to minister to them.

Music was the thread tonight that brought these groups together. The youth group from Quail Springs Church of Christ came to lead the worship service (while their parents prepared the meal to be served afterward). The teens did not sit along the back wall or sit together in a pack keeping a distance between themselves and their Sunday night service project. They sat among the crowd. They worshipped together.

Our God is a God who gives context to the stark contrasts our sinful humanity draws between suburban teens and homeless men. What could they have in common? On the surface - not a lot. But put them all in a room together singing the song, I Can Only Imagine, and you get the context and it warms your heart. Voices from the street blended with young harmony to sing a chorus about what they'll all do the day they meet Jesus. Will we dance for you Jesus? Or in awe of you be still?

The worship time was led by a three guys - Logan Rosenbalm and Joel Paris who are in college, and Kelcy White, a senior in high school. Another song they did is a fairly new one. It's from the PASSION cd and is written by Charlie Hall. It's a powerful song - with a tune that grabs you and a chorus that's easy to sing. But to give us one more lesson in context, read ALL of the words to this song. A message that God gave Logan to share with a room full of men and women ...

Marvelous Light
Lyrics by Charlie Hall

Played at Cross & Crown by Logan Rosenbalm, Kelcy White and Joel Paris.

Verse 1
I once was fatherless,
a stranger with no hope;
Your kindness wakened me,
Awakened me, from my sleep

Verse 2
Your love it beckons deeply,
a call to come and die.
By grace now I will come
And take this life, take your life.

Pre-chorus
Sin has lost it's power,
death has lost it's sting.
From the grave you've risen
VICTORIOUSLY!

Chorus
Into marvelous light I'm running,
Out of darkness, out of shame.
By the cross you are the truth,
You are the life, you are the way

Verse 3
My dead heart now is beating,
My deepest stains now clean.
Your breath fills up my lungs.
Now I'm free. now I'm free!

Bridge
Lift my hands and spin around,
See the light that i have found.
Oh the marvelous light
Marvelous light

Lift my hands and spin
See the light within...

Raising the Roof

2005-10-03T20:16:00.000-05:00

The stealth crew arrived, shingled, nailed and left - all about that fast. Rock Island has a roof as of a week or so ago. Work is progressing. This building continues to be a miracle from God each step of the way as he continues to rise up his servants to provide the labor and the money for the materials. This place will make a difference and will help rebuild the walls for the young people of this neighborhood. Hallelujah!

Isaiah 61
3 And they will be called righteous trees,
planted by the Lord,
to glorify Him.

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins;
they will restore the former devastations;
they will renew the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.

Refresher ... here's the crack house that used to occupy the same spot.

Impact Oklahoma

2005-09-19T01:17:00.000-05:00

In your prayer time, please pray for Cross & Crown's grant proposal with a new organization called Impact Oklahoma. We sent in our application for this organization's very first $100,000 grant award. Impact Oklahoma is made up of 100 women in Central Oklahoma who each gave $1,000 with the idea that their gift, collectively, will help a non-profit organization have a real and lasting impact on our community. What a great idea! Next year, they hope 500 women will be part of this organization ... we do too, because then they'll award FIVE grants!

Our proposal is to fund the renovation of this apartment building. The mission already purchased the building with dreams of turning it into transitional housing for individuals (and their families) who have successfully completed recovery for an addiction. Through our work at the mission, we've found again, and again, a hole in the system where someone who gets clean doesn't get any more help or encouragement after they complete a program. Without a good support system (or a nice and safe place to live), the pull is too great to return to their former lifestyles.

Undoubtedly, there are many worthy and wonderful grant proposals, and Impact Oklahoma will have a difficult time choosing. What a great thing - that so many people in our community are working hard to make a positive difference.

Hope in God

2005-09-19T01:00:00.000-05:00

Psalm 42
1 As a deer longs for streams of water,
so I long for You, God. 2 I thirst for God, the living God.
When can I come and appear before God? 3 My tears have been my food day and night,
while all day long people say to me,
";Where is your God?"; 4 I remember this as I pour out my heart:
how I walked with many,
leading the festive procession to the house of God,
with joyful and thankful shouts. 5 Why am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
my Savior and my God.

Hands and Feet

2005-09-17T10:27:00.000-05:00

Here is part of a report written by Mike Osburn, a Cross & Crown volunteer, after last weekend's trip to Louisiana with a group of nine other people from Quail Springs Church of Christ. Actually most of the people who went on this trip are also familiar faces at Cross & Crown where they come to help by serving meals, participating in work days, praying with those who come to the mission, sponsoring families at Christmas and helping with the School Store ...

Mike's report and his pictures about the experience must be shared. We thank all of them for taking vacation time from their jobs, leaving their families and dropping all activities to do this work ... to be the hands and feet of Jesus

"Last weekend a group of folks from my church here in Oklahoma traveled to Slidell, Louisiana, to assist in some of the recovery effort. If you are not familiar with Louisiana geography (which I wasn’t), Slidell is on the NE shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Recalling the hurricane, when it came ashore, it “sucked” all the water in the lake toward New Orleans, thus, the levies failing and all of the flooding in New Orleans. However, as the storm moved further ashore, it “released” and even pushed the water in the lake back toward the north shore. In the attached pictures, you can see that the neighborhood we worked in is right on the lake. Slidell certainly received its share of wind damage, but to compound matters even more, the water level rose 15 to 20 feet and submerged that neighborhood in the storm surge of Lake Pontchartrain. Most of the houses had anywhere from 5 to 6 feet of water in them at one point. (Walk around your house holding your arm straight out in front of you. If you lived in Slidell, everything at or below your arm would have been instantly destroyed.) And, the flood didn’t bring with it just water. All of the mud and muck from the bottom of the lake also stayed behind after the water receded. Most of these houses sat vacant and without power and wet for 10 days before anyone arrived back to begin cleanup. The smell was awful. The stuff in the refrigerators and freezers was rotten. The mold and whatever else was a phenomenon. And mud covered everything.

Most of the pictures are self explanatory but I just wanted to point out a few things. You may ask “how can such a small group really make a difference with all that destruction?” Well, in the grand scheme of things, the impact was miniscule. There will be enough work for everyone who has a heart to help for years to come. But for the 6 families that we were able to help, by moving all of their furniture to a pile on the front lawn, by tearing up their carpet and moving it to the pile on the front lawn, by “squeegeeing” and scoop shoveling all of the mud outside, by helping them try to salvage some heirlooms, by literally removing cars from the front doors … the impact was enormous. We did not begin work on a house until we prayed for and with the family that lived there and the others affected. We did not end work on the house until we prayed for and with the family that lived there and the others affected. We arrived to meet desperate people with more work in front of them then they could possibly get their arms around. As we departed each and every house, the occupants bid us a tearful goodbye and a “God bless you.”

Through this experience, I truly believe that these people were able to see God at work as they began to put their lives back together. I believe we also were able to show them that God loves them and also provide a little bit of hope to some very, very, distressed folks in what remains an awful situation. I do not intend to boast about the work that we did. God used us as His instruments to make a real difference in the lives of some people who desperately needed help. As a result, despondent people got some much needed assistance and we were energized as God was glorified. He touched some people (and continues to touch people) in ways that they have never experienced before, including us. Indeed, to a person, our group feels that we were blessed as much by this experience as the victims we were able to help. All of the credit and glory goes to Him.

FYI, the photos that look like just an open field with debris strewn about … that’s not a field. That is a tributary of Lake Pontchartrain. In other words, its WATER under all of that stuff … including under that Winnebago you see sticking out of the top. (Actually, I think the Winnebago is teetering precariously on the edge.)" - Mike Osburn

Rock Island Progress

2005-09-12T18:53:00.000-05:00

She's coming along. Still targetted to open by the end of the year. Evening and weekend work continues.

Poster Girl

2005-09-12T18:49:00.000-05:00

It seems Jenny has made more appearances on this website than anyone else. She can't help that she's so adorable! Oh, and that's Doug, of course!

Sunday Night is back!

2005-09-12T18:23:00.000-05:00

From the kid antics outside before church started, to the awesome worship inside, a new season of worship began this week. After a summer break, both neighbors and volunteers were anxious to open the doors again at 6 pm Sunday night. There are "regulars" and new faces, families, men and women who are hungry for compassion, spiritual food, comfort food, and most of all, Jesus. Come and see. You will be blessed.

Thanks to all of the food volunteers who provided an awesome meal and to Joy & Richard Neel and Nelson Eubank for leading worship.

There's not an hour that he is not with us, no not one, no not one.

Underground Class #1

2005-08-20T11:36:00.000-05:00

Good bye for this summer. Stay tuned for news about Rock Island programs during the school year.

God be with them!

More pictures from School Store

2005-08-15T17:37:00.000-05:00

Thanks again to Georgia Solloway for capturing the day in a way that's better than words!

Ready for School

2005-08-15T08:59:00.000-05:00

Dear Lord, Turn these children's ear toward wisdom and their hearts toward understanding. Give them teachable spirits that call out for insight and searches for it as for hidden treasure. (Proverbs 2:2-4)

Smiles and Prayer

2005-08-15T08:53:00.000-05:00

Dear Lord, You know our needs even before we ask you, and you promise to work in all things for the good of those who love you. Handpick each one of these children's teachers and surround them with classmates of your choosing. (Matthew 6:8 and Romans 8:28)

We are family

2005-08-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

Many many thanks to Georgia Solloway for the pictures she took at the Student Store (all 149 of them)!

Twas the Night Before Student Store 2005

2005-08-08T10:26:00.000-05:00

Members of the "Hopkins Connections Group" from Quail Springs have made it an annual event to assemble backpacks for the student store. They worked many hours on Sunday night and got their assembly line together quickly to assemble backpacks with crayons, folders, pencils, pens, slim markers, fat markers, scissors, pencil bags, index cards, tissue, etc. Each backpack, organized according to grade, has a tag attached to it from Cross & Crown promising to pray for the child and his or her school.

Please pray for the Student Store this week and for the children, parents and volunteers who will be blessed this week!

Take it with my blessing

2005-08-08T07:52:00.000-05:00

Theft at construction sites is nothing new. Have you ever seen ladders hanging from large cranes at construction sites and wondered why they were hanging there? So they wouldn't get stolen overnight or over the weekend.

The crew building the Rock Island house has taken some measure to theft-proof the construction site as weeknight and weekend work continues. Lumber, ladders and tools were hoisted to the second floor. Lights were kept on all night. The front door was set as soon as the walls were enclosed so the door could be locked to make access to the second floor as difficult as possible.

Those measures didn't stop whoever was determined enough in the middle of the night to climb up there and steal the ladders, measuring tape, tools and even the lights from the site.

Paul prayed with the volunteers who came to help this weekend - prayed for the consciences of those who stole, prayed that God would reach their hearts, and prayed that if they really needed the equipment (for livlihood and not drug money) they would have it with a blessing.

Sometime Sunday, a couple of ladders, the measuring tape and other items were returned to the mission, left lying on the ground where the staff would surely see.

Paul admits that he had already gone to the store to replace some of John Davidson's equipment.

"I didn't wait on God long enough," he said.

Lesson learned for all of us.

Student Store Next Week

2005-08-05T08:29:00.000-05:00

Crayons, pencils, notebooks, rulers, glue, pens and other school supplies are ready to be popped into brand new backpacks for children who come to the Cross & Crown Student Store next week, Aug 8 - 10. Thanks to the generosity of so many of you who have donated items and money for the project. There is still time to bless more children. The cost of each backpack, with supplies, is $27. THANK YOU.

Schools in Oklahoma City begin August 18, 2005. It's exciting to think of how proud and happy these kids will be sporting their new backpacks and supplies on the first day of school. Please pray for them as they begin a new school year! Pray for their safety and ability to learn. And also, pray for their teachers, teacher assistants, cafeteria workers, principal, secretary and all of the adults who work in the building that everyone is ready to go back to work (!), will be positive influences and encouragers to the students and will give all of the children a safe, positive and nurturing environment.

Sunday Morning

2005-07-24T15:41:00.000-05:00

All in a Day's Work

2005-07-23T20:02:00.000-05:00

Options

2005-07-23T19:51:00.000-05:00

Paul Whitmire told the Channel 5 reporter that one purpose of Rock Island is to provide choices and options to the youth in this neighborhood that is blighted with crack houses, pornography and other crime.

He said when kids are on the street looking for stuff to do in this environment, there are not many choices outside the negative influences. Rock Island will provide choices for teens with a house that will be safe, that'll provide computer training, that will have mentoring and tutoring, and that will just be fun with video games, maybe some pool, movies and hanging out.

Paul was quick to point out that at Cross & Crown, they do not judge or cast out the prostitutes, drug addicts or homeless in the neighborhood. He said "We accept them. We help them with food, clothing and, most of all, prayer. We help them get help when they ask for it."

Thanks, Ed

2005-07-23T19:43:00.000-05:00

Why give up your weekend?
"It's a good cause."

Rebuilding the Walls

2005-07-23T19:38:00.000-05:00

11 The Lord will always lead you,
satisfy you in a parched land,
and strengthen your bones.
You will be like a watered garden
and like a spring whose waters never run dry. 12 Some of you will rebuild the ancient ruins;
you will restore the foundations laid long ago;
you will be called the repairer of broken walls,
the restorer of streets where people live.
Isaiah 58

Empty Slate

2005-07-23T19:34:00.000-05:00

This was the view around 7:00 a.m.

First Wall

2005-07-23T19:13:00.000-05:00

"It doesn't matter if we're hot, we're working for God," that's what one of the 30 or so volunteers said today at the mission during an all day building blitz to get the walls up at the new Rock Island house.

Led by Ed Hilliard and John Davidson, their volunteer crew of attorneys, optometrists, insurance agents, college students, mortgage brokers, ministers, executives and businessmen, spent an incredibly hot and long 15+ hours on Saturday, July 23, to raise the walls for the teen center.

They will be back at it again on Sunday with the goal of putting on the decking before the weekend is over.

Thanks so much to all of the volunteers including Pam Hilliard and her crew, who spent all day (and evening) making sure the team was hydrated with plenty of water and Gatorade, had snacks and meals, and got out of the heat to give their bodies a rest.

We were very excited to have KWTV News 9, and KOCO Channel 5 stop by during the day to cover the Rock Island building blitz as one of their top news stories of the day.

No presents, bring backpacks!

2005-07-22T08:22:00.000-05:00

When Jacob Carpenter was challenged this summer to think of ways his elementary church group could raise money for the annual Student Store at Cross & Crown Mission, he thought about it for several days.

Good ideas already had been tossed around by the Mission Possible group at Quail Springs Church of Christ - a lemonade stand, work days, and asking parents for the money to buy backpacks to fill with school supplies for children who live near Cross & Crown.

The Student Store provides hundreds of backpacks to children in the surrounding neighborhoods who otherwise might not get anything new to start their school year.

Jacob had a party coming up to celebrate his ninth birthday, and that gave him an idea.

He asked his friends not to bring him presents to the party, but to bring backpacks for the student store.

"Andy and I were extremely moved that Jacob had such a soft spot in his heart for the kids at Cross & Crown -- so were his friends and their parents," said Mom Kelly.

Way to go, Jacob. Your selfless act also put a smile on Jesus' face as he sees you using your heart to bless others in God's name.

Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men. Col 3:23

Recap from Liberia, chapter 2

2005-07-19T15:25:00.000-05:00

At the close of the crusade on Sunday, April 24, the Bryants and their host traveled to Gahnmue, four miles away from the Liberian and Guinean border. During the visit in that town, bro. Don promised residents that before his departure to the United States, he would employ the service of a preacher to help with the work in Gahnmue. In fulfillment of the promise, the Gbarnga Church of Christ was contacted to help with manpower to take over the newly establishe dchurch in that part of Bong County. In response to his request, the leadership of the Gbarnga congregation approved the appointment of its associate minister in the person of br. Henry Metzger. The Bryants, through their son and daughter-in-law, bro. Kevin and sis. Julie Bryant will financially support the work of Gahnmue. The Gahnmue congregation is the first fruit of bro. Bryant's missionary journey to Liberia. He promised to provide the funds for purchase of a motor scooter to enhance the work of bro. Metzger as he ministers to the people of Gahnmue.

In another development, bro. Bryant made a cash donation to the Palala Church of Christ through the effort of his son and daughter-in-law, bro. Kevin and sis. Julie Bryant. The money is intended ot help that congregation purchase cement and zince to complete their edifice. On April 30, 2005, bro. Bryant visited four villages in the Suakoko district to see plansk that were being sawed for the roofing of the edifice of the Suakoko Church of Christ. Moved by the plight of the contractors, he made some part payment of the balance of cash owed by the church in the sum of $150. He commended the young men for the great sacrifice they were making for the work of the church.

Besides Bong County, they also visited other counties. On April 26, 2005, they drove to Ganta City in Nimba County. Their visit took them to the leprous colony where they talked with those affected by the disease. They encouraged them to put their trust in God.

Statistics of the Crusade
The crusade that the Bryants attended brought together 24 Churches of Christ from a broad spectrum of the country. Each day, 172 evangelists went out to fish for Christ while 185 doors were knocked and 520 persons were contacted resulting in the baptism of 16 souls in five days. Twelve speakers addressed the crusade while four female speakers conducted ladies classes. A total of ten denominations with 240 delegates attended the crusade.

If all goes well .....
There is high hope that the Bryants will encourage a team of American missionaries to visit Liberia in what is considered to be the largest crusade in December 2005. This time it will be held in the City of Gbarnga.

Written by:
Bro. David M. Kolleh, evangelist
Gbarnga Church of Christ
Gbarnga City, Bong County, Liberia

Recap from Liberia, chapter 1

2005-07-18T08:25:00.000-05:00

The following is the first of two excerprts from a report written by Bro. David M. Kolleh, Evangelist, Gbarnga Church of Christ
Gbarnga City, Bong County, Liberia, about Don and Martha's trip this spring. He gave the report to them when they were returning home and asked them not to read until they were back in Oklahoma.

Bro. Don and Sis. Martha Bryant, Missionaries with the Cross & Crown Mission of Oklahoma City, OK, Return from a Mission Tour to Liberia

Nearly 20 years ago, American missionaires traveling to Liberia had only stopped in Monrovia. But the Bryants braved the storm when they arrived in Liberia on April 17, 2005, at the invitation of the Suakoko Church of Christ where Bro. Fungbeh D. Karmue works as a missionary. Bro. Karmue and his wife, Sis. Neyor, are members of the Argyle Church of Christ in Jacksonville, FL.

After a two-day rest at the Karmue's residence in Monrovia and a visit to the American Embassy near Monrovia, the Bryants and their host drove up country on April 20, 2005, some 123 miles from the capital city of Monrovia. They were welcomed by a jubilant crowd of believers who had come to receive them. Immediately upon arrival, an intercessory service was held.

Traditionally, the local government official represented by the clan chief welcomed Bro. Bryant and his wife, Martha. As a token of purity in line with tradition, a white kola nut was presented to the American missionaries indicating that they were now citizens and should feel free and do whatever they have come to do in Liberia. The Chief appealed to Bro. Bryant to pray for non-believers, especially the Muslims, that they would come to know Jesus as their personal Savior.

In a brief remark, Bro. Bryant expressed his delight an appreciation for the reception accorded him and his wife. He said that they were glad to be in Liberia despire the horrible and discouraging news they had to overcome at home before making the trip. He promised to take back what he had seen and heard as well as the love and willingness of the people of Liberia to serve God despite their suffering.

At the end of the intercessory service, the Bryants got to business by catering to the little children. Sis. Martha Bryant, who has a great love and interest for children, bought two tarpaulins to spread on the ground to host a VBS for hundreds of kids in five days from morning to evening. She distributed VBS materials and gift items. In response to the physical needs of these kids, the Bryants made available a 100-pound bag of rice and carton of fish to prepare meals for the kids in five days. This gesture was the first of a kind in the history of any religious gathering in the country. The feeding of these kids relieved parents who hardly can provide for their households. Sis. Martha, who was never too busy to fulfill her God given task, conducted a three-day VBS with an orphanage on Sugar Hill in Gbarnga, which brought together over eighty kids. She participated in the graduation program where several of the kids received awards. On Sunday, May 1, 200, she had a good time with the kids at the Lofa Road Church of Christ and the Gbarnga congregation. Play toys were distributed to over two hundred kids.

For his part, Bro. Don Bryant addressed the delegates of the Crusade on April 22 at which time he admonished all members to work together as a team to accomplish mission work. He pointed out that for mission work to be successful it requires the full involvement of each members irrespective of their function, adding, "every part of the body is important without which the whole body cannot function." He spoke on the theme, "The Importance of MIssion work in Soul winning."

In line with his mission strategy, the Bryants and the Karmues set up an emergency clinic where delegates attending the crusade and over one thousand residents of Suakoko benefitted. About USD $1,000 worth of drugs were distributed free of charge. This gesture by our American missionaries clearly demonstrated the Christ-like spirit. Truly, compassion and proclamation work together.

Next post: The Bryants Tour the Interior of Liberia

Prodigal

2005-07-11T20:26:00.000-05:00

Prodigal
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

This is part of the props to the Prodigal Son story that was part of VBS at Cross and Crown (thanks to Terrell and Cheryl Sanders and friends from Quail).

It's also a nice spot for a quick nap.

Cool

2005-07-11T20:20:00.000-05:00

Alex
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Alex's cool outfit.

Guess who's here?

2005-06-28T23:56:00.000-05:00

Guess who's here?
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Isabella Tess Hooten
Born June 26, 2005
Oklahoma City

Proud Parents
Doug and Judy

Psalm 37
4 Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart's desires. 5 Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. 6 He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

Dirt today, concrete tomorrow

2005-06-27T22:13:00.000-05:00

Ground
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

After months and months, planning and replanning, zoning battles ... and with prayer and trust in God all along the way, dirt has broken for the new Rock Island, across the street from Cross & Crown on the SW corner of NW 9th and McKinley.

It's the first new construction this neighborhood has seen for a generation or two.

Thanks to Urban Contractors for the dirtwork. The slab will be poured on Tuesday, June 28.

Praise God.

The plan is to build the two story structure to house a children and youth ministry for the youth in the neighborhood.

There is an occasion for everything,
and a time for every activity under heaven ...
a time to tear down and a time to build. Ecc. 3

Peace

2005-06-26T15:58:00.000-05:00

Peace
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Enjoy these pictures of The Underground, Rock Island's summer youth program.

Paint, a slide, a concrete floor (that's easy to clean from sticky messes), cool colors, theatre seating, a wall full of video games, an area to serve lunch and snacks ... the work that transformed the basement of Cross & Crown into this safe and super fun haven for kids.

It's open Mon - Wed from 11:30 - 3:00 pm.

At least 40 kids come everyday!

Art

2005-06-26T15:54:00.000-05:00

Art
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

From Psalm 27

The LORD is my light and my salvation – so why should I be afraid?

Theatre style seating!

2005-06-26T15:53:00.000-05:00

Theatre style seating!
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Featured movie: Finding Nemo

Beautiful

2005-06-26T15:52:00.000-05:00

Beautiful
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Raise Your Hand!

2005-06-26T15:51:00.000-05:00

Raise Your Hand!
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Is there anything you are afraid of?

Storms
Dark
Monsters

Remember this ...
"I command you – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Potatoes

2005-06-23T07:51:00.000-05:00

Chandy tells this story about the way her day ended at the mission yesterday.

She helps run the children's program during the summer. On average, about 45 kids a day are coming to the "Underground" for lunch, Bible study, connect time, and playing.

More about that cool program later, this story has to do with potatoes, or maybe gold.

A Food Bank delivery yesterday afternoon included sacks of potatoes that needed to be distributed quickly (because they were close to rotten).

The potatoes were offered to the kids going home. Some took a couple in each hand. Some hauled off five pound bags.

One five year old boy dragged two bags all of the way home. How many times have I dumped a potatoe from my well-stocked pantry because of a sprout or because it was a little too soft?

Potatoes or gold?

Chandy was left with the image of standing at the corner of 9th and McKinley watching kids walk home in every direction, with their gifts of potatoes to their families.

..."If you have food, share it with those who are hungry." Luke 3:11

Liberia

2005-06-22T08:17:00.000-05:00

Don and Martha have been back for more than a month, but it's hard to get them to sit down to get all of the details of their trip because they never take a break from serving others in Jesus' name. They are back here at the mission, serving and ministering to those they love.

We have heard that it was a God breathed journey. His presence was felt through their protection, and in the many ways they ministered to men, women and children while they were in Liberia. Praise God.

One story involves how a gift of a 100-pound bag of rice helped get medical treatment for an orphan who was living with a family that already had five children.

There are other stories of orphans who were sleeping on concrete with only a thin piece of cotton for padding and cover. Those children now have mattresses.

Talk to Martha and Don about the plan for the new church building, medical clinic and orphanage and how you can help.

New Numbers from the Census Bureau

2005-06-09T18:23:00.000-05:00

It seems relevant to share the following information released today (June 9) by the US Census Bureau ...

Hispanic Population Passes 40 Million,
Census Bureau Reports

The nation’s Hispanic population reached 41.3 million as of July 1, 2004, according to national estimates by race, Hispanic origin and age released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Hispanics, who may be of any race, accounted for about one-half of the national population growth of 2.9 million between July 1, 2003, and July 1, 2004. The Hispanic growth rate of 3.6 percent over the 12-month period was more than three times that of the total population (1.0 percent).

The Census Bureau estimates the number of Asians in the United States at 14.0 million, up 3.4 percent. (Unless otherwise specified, the data refer to the population who reported a race alone or in combination with one or more other races. The tables show data for both this group and those who reported a single race only.)

Following Asians in rate of growth were native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders (1.7 percent, to 980,000), blacks (1.3 percent, to 39.2 million), American Indians and Alaska natives (1.0 percent, to 4.4 million) and whites (0.8 percent, to 239.9 million). The population of non-Hispanic whites who indicated no other race increased 0.3 percent, to 197.8 million. (See Table 1. Excel | PDF)

The total number of preschoolers (under age 5) in the United States in 2004 was estimated at 20.1 million. Nationally, 7 percent of the population was under age 5. By race and Hispanic origin, this proportion ranged from almost 11 percent for Hispanics to 6 percent for single-race non-Hispanic whites and for American Indians and Alaska natives. (See Table 2. Excel | PDF)

Meanwhile, the number of elementary school-age (5 through 13) children in the nation totaled 36.4 million. Nationwide, 12 percent were in this age group, with the corresponding proportion ranging from 17 percent for native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders and Hispanics to 11 percent for single-race non-Hispanic whites.

There were 16.8 million high school-age (14 through 17) children. Children in this age group comprised 6 percent of the total population. The proportion of people in this age group ranged from almost 8 percent of American Indians and Alaska natives and native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders to 5 percent of single-race non-Hispanic whites.

Other highlights:

Working-age adults (18- to 64-year-olds) totaled 184.0 million. Nationally, 63 percent were in this age range. The proportion who were members of this age group ranged from 66 percent for Asians to 61 percent for blacks and Hispanics.

There were 36.3 million people age 65 and over. Nationally, 12 percent of the total population was 65 years and over, with the corresponding proportion ranging from 15 percent for single-race non-Hispanic whites to 5 percent for Hispanics.

A total of 4.9 million people were in the “oldest old” category (age 85 and over). Almost 2 percent of the total population was a member of this age group, ranging from slightly more than 2 percent of non-Hispanic whites reporting only one race to about one-half of 1 percent of Hispanics.

Future Eagles

2005-05-22T00:39:00.000-05:00

Future Eagles
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Take a look at these Boy Scouts.

These guys spent their Saturday morning at the mission helping a crew from Urban Contractors complete a shelter outside the entrance to Cross & Crown.

From Boy Scout Troop 78 (not in order from picture)
Colton Newby
Patrick Beauchamp
Wylie Parrish
Kenny Relsweber
Alex Loessberg

This awesome project will help these guys toward qualifying for an Eagle Scout.

That's community service where it makes a difference. In the hot summer or the frigid winter, this structure, when completed, will provide shelter from the elements as those who come to the mission for prayer and services. Most days, the queue begins several hours before 11:00 a.m. when the mission opens.

A Prayer for Children

2005-05-19T22:32:00.000-05:00

by Ina Hughs, 1995

We pray for children
Who put chocolate fingers everywhere,
Who like to be tickled,
Who stomp in puddles and ruin their new pants,
Who sneak Popsicles before supper,
Who erase holes in math workbooks,
Who can never find their shoes,

And we pray for those
Who stare at photographers from behind barbed wire,
Who can’t bounce down the street
In a new pair of sneakers,
Who never “counted potatoes,”
Who are born in places we wouldn’t be caught dead.
Who never go to the circus,
Who live in an X-rated world.

We pray for children
Who bring us sticky kisses and fistfuls of dandelions,
Who sleep with the dog and bury goldfish,
Who hug us in a hurry and forget their lunch money,
Who cover themselves with Band-Aids and sing off key,
Who squeeze toothpaste all over the sink,
Who slurp their soup.

We pray for those
Who never get dessert,
Who have no safe blanket to drag behind them,
Who watch their parents watch them die,
Who can’t find any bread to steal,
Who don’t have rooms to clean up,
Whose pictures aren’t on anybody’s dresser,
Whose monsters are real.

We pray for children
Who spend all their allowance before Tuesday,
Who throw tantrums in the grocery store and
Pick at their food,
Who like ghost stories,
Who shove dirty clothes under the bed,
And never rinse out the tub,
Who get visits from the tooth fairy,
Who don’t like to be kissed in front of the carpool,
Who squirm in church and yell in the phone,
Whose tears we sometimes laugh at,
And whose smiles can make us cry.

And we pray for those
Whose nightmares come in the daytime,
Who will eat anything,
Who have enver seen a dentist,
Who aren’t spoiled by anybody,
Who go to bed hungry and cry themselves to sleep,
Who live and move, but have no being.

We pray for children who want to be carried
And for those who must.

For those we never give up on
And for those who don’t have a second chance,
For those we smother
…and those who will grab the hand of anybody
Kind enough to offer it.

Pray Their Brains are Comfortable

2005-04-16T15:54:00.000-05:00

Don and Martha
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

From Oklahoma City to Liberia - Don and Martha Bryant began a journey today. They embarked for a three week mission trip to this west African nation that is ravaged from 14 years of civil war that ended in 2003.

The Bryants met a Liberian Refugee at their son and daughter-in-law's congregation in Florida and began an immediate friendship. Martha and Don are taking her home fir a visit. While there, they will minister with their words, their hugs, their joy and their faith.

Martha asked that we pray that their brains are comfortable. They will not be staying at a comfortable American-style hotel. They know they will be dirty, might not have water to bathe or drink safely. They will eat different food, they will be physically put to the test. It's definitely not a posh safari trip they are taking as Martha fulfills her lifelong dream of journeying to Africa.

Pray their brains are comfortable and that their heads cope with the physical challenges of the trip.

While we're at it, let's praise God for their hearts and willingness to obey his will in their lives. Everyone at the mission will miss them for three weeks, but they are taking the Cross and the Crown with them to share God's love in the same way Don and Martha share it everyday at 9th and McKinley in Oklahoma City.

Shepherd's Voice

2005-04-12T08:29:00.000-05:00

P1010446
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

This article appeared on Sunday, April 10, in the Quail Springs Church of Christ bulletin where Dan Vann is an elder.

In this picture, he's on the right, praying with Kent Taylor, another volunteer, and a child of God (not Mary).

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. (2 Corinthians 1: 3-4)

I can't remember her name. I only spoke with her twice. l call her Mary. I met Mary on one of the Wednesdays that I volunteer at the Cross and Crown Mission and she was living proof of the passage above.

I was in the prayer room that Wednesday when Mary came in and I was introduced to her. She seemed embarrassed, perhaps a little frustrated, that she had to sit through an "interview" before she could be assisted. (When someone comes for the first time, they are briefed on the "guidelines" for help, the spiritual focus of our efforts, when the Mission is open, how often they can get assistance, how we can help, etc.) She only wanted "some groceries to tide her over" until she got on her feet financially that month. Initially, she was distant and curt in her responses - that is, until I asked her how I could pray for her - specifically. I'm sure the Holy Spirit was at work convincing her I was sincere because she really opened up about her children and especially her grandson. Her concern was over his health, his friendships and her desire for him to grow up and "follow Jesus."

I shared with her about our grandsons and our similar concerns, and then prayed with her for a few minutes, assuring her that I would be praying for her during the week. When we finished, she hugged me and told me how encouraged and hopeful she felt. The Holy Spirit had once again proven the above passage. Countless times I had been encouraged about our grandsons (by many of you!) and the Lord used me to do the same to reach someone in need.

Time and space don't permit me to share the blessings I've received volunteering at Cross and Crown, but He always seems to redeem the time. Plus, I get to see His mercy at work through the volunteers and staff that work there faithfully. Your schedule may not permit time to physically go to the Mission, but you can spend time in prayer each week for the Mission and the people God brings to them. Here are a few specific ways you can pray:

Rock Island House: located across the street from the Mission, the goal is for it to be a "safe haven" for homeless or hurting teens. Pray for all planning/zoning issues to be quickly and completely resolved so construction can begin soon.

Currently the Mission offers very low cost medical, dental and eye care. Many who could not receive care otherwise have been helped through this outreach. Three of our members (Curg Laughlin, Scott Wyatt and Larry Olsen) volunteer their time each week to serve those who qualify. Paul Whitmire told me recently that this is a very fast-growing need. Pray that more doctors, dentists and clinicians can step forward to expand these services. Specifically pray that God will open the way to have dental facilities â€œon siteâ€ at the Mission in the future.

"Pray that there are adequate volunteers each week to meet the Mission's needs.

Occasionally we sing about "taking Jesus to the streets." Pray that the hurting and impoverished who come to the Mission see Him when they get there.

Dan Vann

Taking a break

2005-04-12T08:23:00.000-05:00

Unc
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

This is Scott's nephew, Grant.

Actually, Scott was working, and Grant was pestering.

No Not One

2005-04-10T21:15:00.000-05:00

Worship
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

How long has it been since you've heard this one?

Words: Johnson Oatman, Jr., 1895.

Thereâs not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one! No, not one!
None else could heal all our soulâs diseases,
No, not one! No, not one!

Jesus knows all about our struggles,
He will guide till the day is done;
Thereâs not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one! No, not one!

No friend like Him is so high and holy,
No, not one! No, not one!
And yet no friend is so meek and lowly,
No, not one! No, not one!

Thereâs not an hour that He is not near us,
No, not one! No, not one!
No night so dark but His love can cheer us,
No, not one! No, not one!

Did ever saint find this Friend forsake him?
No, not one! No, not one!
Or sinner find that He would not take him?
No, not one! No, not one!

Was ever a gift like the Savior given?
No, not one! No, not one!
Will He refuse us a home in Heaven?
No, not one! No, not one!

Come Unto Me

2005-04-10T21:07:00.000-05:00

Come Unto Me
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Chastity is a part of the family at the mission on Sunday nights. Tonight as she came to remember Jesus in communion, the song, Come Unto Me, played in the background.

The song is from this scripture from Matthew 11.

28Â Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Â Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30Â For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

Dear Elizabeth Adams

2005-03-25T07:47:00.000-06:00

Letter
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Liz received this letter from U.S. Senator James Inhofe this week.

"Your work at the Cross and Crown Mission provides individuals everywhere with an example of the difference one young person can make through hard work, creativity and selfless dedication to helping others in their community. I am very proud of the leadership and compassion you showed as you volunteered your time and energy to this organization."

What, where, how and who!

2005-03-25T07:41:00.000-06:00

On the stage
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

This picture shows Paul before he spoke Thursday night in Tulsa. On each side of him are the longtime workshop directors Terry Rush and Marvin Phillips.

When Paul took the stage before the audience of a couple of thousand attendees, he told the story of how God led him and his family to the mission.

It was a prayer journey in which he asked God at each stage ...
what do you want me to do?
God revealed he wanted him to pray for people.

Then where do you want me to do it?
God led him to the building at 9th and McKinley.

The how?
God provided volunteers, materials, finances.

and, ultimately, who?
Though Paul himself was inexperienced to work with people with addictions, in poverty, in prostitution ... that's who God sends to the mission.

God's power in our limitations.

More about the talk later. But someone commented that he could go on the speaking circuit and never repeat the same sermon because of all the "God" stories that have happened at Cross & Crown. An endless, glorious repertoire.

Paul closed with saying God can take our limited vision and open our eyes to his indescribable glory!

His Glory in Our Limitations

2005-03-21T22:54:00.000-06:00

Smile!
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Paul Whitmire will be an evening keynote speaker this week at the Tulsa International Soul Winning Workshop. The theme of the conference, held at the Tulsa Expo, is Open Our Eyes to His Glory.

Paul speaks Thursday at 7 pm with the title of his talk, His Glory In Our Limitations. Please pray for Paul and pray that God uses him mightily to His purpose and glory.

No doubt, it is in our limitations where God gets the best and most use from us!

Family Night

2005-03-21T22:45:00.000-06:00

After School
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

The Thursday afternoon After School program is taking a break this week in order to have a family night this Thursday night from 6:00 - 8:00 at the mission. Several house church groups from Bridgeway are assisting with family night as part of Holy Week observances. Call Ron if you want to help!

(After School returns next Thursday at 3:30 pm)

Straight from the headlines

2005-03-12T14:50:00.000-06:00

The Daily Oklahoman today (3/12/05) ran this story about Elizabeth Adams, inspired by the post on this site a couple of weeks ago. Thanks God for the publicity!

Cross and Crown meeting community needs

By Carla Hinton
The Oklahoman

Elizabeth Adams could barely contain her excitement as she approached the woman holding a sign on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Interstate 240.

"I don't drink. I don't do drugs. I just want to get home," the sign proclaimed.

Adams, 16, reached into her pocket and pulled out a business card and a gift card for a local fast-food restaurant.

"God bless you," the woman said as she took the two items from the teenager.

Adams knew the restaurant card would provide a meal for the woman. However, the other card held an important link to food of a different sort — the word of God along with tangible necessities.

Adams is sending the homeless and the down-and-out to the Cross and Crown Mission by giving them business cards containing information about the ministry at Ninth and McKinley.

The teen's project brings a smile to Paul Whitmire's face every time he hears about it.

"My favorite thing about this is that she saw a need, and she addressed that need," said Whitmire, director of Cross and Crown.

"She didn't have to have a committee meeting. She didn't take it to a preacher and say somebody needs to do something about it.

"That's what God is waiting on, is for us to be available to do His work."

Countering scams with love

People with signs emblazoned with pleas for help — "Stranded," "Will Work For Food," "Need Work" — have become the norm at busy intersections, and it can be hard to determine who legitimately needs aid.

After all, it is no secret that some people on these roadside corners are unscrupulous scam artists bent on taking money from kind-hearted strangers to buy alcohol, drugs or non-necessities.

Adams, a sophomore at Classen School of Advanced Studies, created her Cross and Crown cards with all of this in mind.

The Oklahoma City teen volunteers at the mission, including working in the organization's clothing room. She and her youth group from Quail Springs Church of Christ also visit the mission Sunday nights to serve a meal and participate in the ministry's praise service.

Adams' mother, Lindy, said she and her husband have been talking to their daughter about the importance of giving back. Last year, they gave her an envelope to store money for charitable giving and were delighted with the project she created with her funds.

Elizabeth Adams said she had always wondered what she should do when she saw people asking for help at busy intersections.

"I had been thinking about this idea for a long time. I was just never able to go through with it."

Availability is key

Perhaps one of the reasons Whitmire admires Adams' idea is because it closely mirrors his experience in the neighborhood where the Cross and Crown is housed in a former church building.

Whitmire said he had a business, Suzanne's Antiques, several years ago on Western Avenue. One day, he asked a friend to drop him off at a stop sign in the neighborhood near the church. There, he planned to pray "a selfish prayer — a prayer for myself."

Whitmire said he has no idea why he chose that particular street, but he wasn't there long, praying silently, before two prostitutes ran to him asking for protection from their pimp. Whitmire said he and his friend ended up putting the women on buses headed for their relatives.

He said over several weeks, he went back to the stop sign to pray and was always interrupted by someone who needed help. Eventually he saw God's plan at work: He needed to make himself available to help people in the area.

"I think God planted us here. My ministry is here," he said, gesturing to the bustling Cross and Crown on a recent weekday morning.

Through a series of what Whitmire calls "miracles," he and a bevy of others acquired the old limestone church at NW 9 and McKinley, near the stop sign where his prayers first led him.

Prayer works

The ministry, celebrating its fourth anniversary this month, started out offering a clothing closet and food pantry for the poor. The mission has grown so that it now includes an eye clinic, medical clinic, infant room, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, computer classes and other aid programs.

Whitmire, with longtime volunteers Martha Bryant and Doug Hooten, said the one thing the mission has in abundance is the knowledge that prayer works. Funded by individual donations, the mission's needs have always been provided for by a loving God who answers prayers, he said.

Hooten, the mission's director of donations, said one of the first stops for visitors is the prayer room, where people are prayed for before their tangible needs are assessed.

"The food and the clothes is extra," he said. "The prayer — that's the main thing."

Those who find their way to the mission via Adams' cards will find a welcome, Bryant said.

"There are a lot of places you can go to get food and clothing. But this is a place where you can come and get clothed in God's love. You can get food that is everlasting — the word of God."

Paul, Jake and Jesus' hands

2005-03-07T08:51:00.000-06:00

Paul, Jake and Jesus' hands
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

People ask why the statue of Jesus in the sanctuary of Cross & Crown doesn't have any hands.

Paul explains that when he acquired the statue, it came with the hands unattached. But he did not reattach them.

"We are the hands of Jesus," he said. "It is our privilege to do his work."

Someone else at Sunday night's praise service had another idea about those hands ... "we don't see His hands, because they're covered up, holding us!"

Using their talents

2005-02-27T23:30:00.000-06:00

Band
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

The fourth Sunday "belongs" to the Quail Springs Church of Christ youth group. Volunteers who get to serve at Cross & Crown get slightly possessive (in a gentle way) about "their" week because it is such a privilege and a blessing to be able to participate in this ministry.

For many people who can't visit during the week, Sunday nights are a great time to come and see what is happening and how God is working at Cross & Crown.

This month, these high schoolers did an outstanding job in leading worship, straight from their hearts.

They led several contemporary worship songs like All in All and Open the Eyes of My Heart ... but still, nothing seems to move the members of the audience like Amazing Grace, as it did again tonight.

When it's led, everyone sings, and the deep tones of the men in the audience, some who live near the river in a camp, some who are drunk and want help, rise up above the music.

...how sweet the sound.

An extra blessing during worship on Sunday night

2005-02-20T20:15:00.000-06:00

Amazing Grace
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found;
Was blind, but now I see.

Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we'd first begun.

Let's call her Kayla

2005-02-20T19:42:00.000-06:00

Everyone has a story. Some stories break your heart. Some encourage and inspire you. Some send you to your knees in prayer.

We'll call this the yet-to-be-finished story of "Kayla."

She recently moved and changed schools. She's in seventh grade at one of the largest middle schools in the city - a school known for gangs, overcrowding and a leaky roof (but also great test scores).

Sometimes she walks home after school - more than two miles - to avoid the bus trouble.

A tear-stained face and a red welp on her cheek is how she arrived at the mission after school on Thursday.

After hugs and assurances, she began to talk. She wept about the girl who hit her on the bus. She wept about the girls who harass her continually at school. She wept about the boys at school who call her ugly and stupid.

But through her tears, her voice was strong as she said, "I tell them that I am not at that school for boyfriends. I am there for my education!"

Please pray for this precious child who is beautiful inside and out. God knows her real name and has plans to give her hope and a future. Pray for her to keep her resolve about her education and to know how special she is to God! Pray for her safety if she does walk home over heavily-trafficked streets in not so safe neighborhoods. Pray for her home life so that she is safe there, and pray for her siblings and her young mother.

Thanks.

Give

2005-02-17T21:22:00.000-06:00

Give
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

What do you do at the intersection when a person is standing there holding a sign?
"help"
"will work for food"
"stranded"
"homeless"

The thoughts hit us. Do we give money? What if they are only going to use the money to buy drugs or alcohol? How much have they made today? Should I give them a ride? Can I ignore them? How much money should I give? What should I say? Do they know that God loves them?

WILL THE LIGHT TURN GREEN!?

Liz Adams is not asking those questions. She is giving.

Her parents encouraged her to give some money each month and she chose to help the needy.

She designed and ordered business cards that she plans to give out when someone asks her for money. The signs are for the mission and say

Cross and Crown Mission
Helping People Get a Fresh Start
Our services to you (please stop by to check our schedule)
Medical Attention
Food and Clothing
Spiritual Encouragement

She also directs persons to the City Rescue Mission (where someone could stay the night).

And, Liz (who is a very busy 16-year-old high school student) is buying McDonalds money cards to hand out along with those cards.

Liz didn't wait around to get her idea approved. She didn't wonder whether it was the right thing to do. She isn't going to be bothered with wondering whether those people are telling the truth. It's not for her to know. It's God's business.

The holy spirit moved her and she obeyed, and she is blessing people in the process.

Heart of Hearts

2005-02-08T22:53:00.000-06:00

Heart of Hearts
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Jesus is at the center of Travis' heart.

Graphics problems?

2005-02-02T18:36:00.000-06:00

If you have trouble viewing graphics on the Cross and Crown site, please help us by answering the following:
1. Do you see the graphics appear at all, or do they appear, then disappear?

2. What OS are you using? Windows 95,98, 2000, Mac OS X?

3. What Browser are you using? Internet Explorer 5? 6? Safari? Firefox?

Happy

2005-02-01T23:11:00.000-06:00

Cousins
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Jesus said: "Let the little children come to Me, and don't stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." Luke 18:16

APPROVED

2005-01-27T14:43:00.000-06:00

Future Home of Rock Island
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

And it is unanimous!

The Board of Adjustment of the City of Oklahoma City has just approved Rock Island's plan for it's new home.

The picture you see here is the vacant lot where Rock Island will be built.

Here's a peak at what it will look like as soon as this summer!

Paul Whitmire and Ron Crawford appeared before the Board on Thursday afternoon. Paul explained that Cross & Crown had purchased the structure that used to be there, on the south east corner of 9th and McKinley, to either fix it or destroy it. He explained it had been a known crack house and had had a fire, and they bought the property in efforts to help restore the neighborhood to the families who live there. After destroying the building, the "planned use" (city talk) began to develop through Ron and Sue Crawford's vision for Rock Island.

They plan to build the two story structure to house a children and youth ministry for the youth in the neighborhood.

Praise God for his timing and his faithfulness.

One of the members of the board praised Paul and Ron for their thorough and detailed application - including drawings, detailed plans and explanations. The distinguished board person (I was watching on TV and they didn't show his name or face) also commented that all applications should arrive to them this way.

Paul's last word was to praise the many professionals who provided their services to help with the application to help this ministry!

There is an occasion for everything,
and a time for every activity under heaven ...
a time to tear down and a time to build. Ecc. 3

Logo

2005-01-26T10:08:00.000-06:00

Logo
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

This is the artwork you are supposed to see at the top of the page. Thanks, Stephen Bell for making it for us!

Do you see it?

2005-01-26T10:03:00.000-06:00

The top of this page is supposed to have a lovely piece of artwork, comprised of a picture of the actual stained glass at the mission, and text that reads Cross & Crown.

Do you see it?

We have received reports that sometimes the picture doesn't load. Now, it isn't loading for me either.

The work order is in, and we'll fix it soon!

After School

2005-01-24T11:16:00.000-06:00

Craft time
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

When the bell rings at the end of the school day on Thursdays, it's not long before children in the Cross & Crown neighborhood start arriving to After School.

Organized and conducted by Ron and Susan with Rock Island Ministries, the program offers a safe and fun place for school age kids.

After a small meal and homework time, most of the boys congregate to the two GameCube stations. Many of the girls assemble for the chick flick movie feature, last week was Princess Diaries 2.

A manicure station, puzzles, legos, crafts, books and cookies also are available.

Volunteers provide hugs, help with homework, cookies and lead trips to the restroom. They also read, help with crafts, listen to what's on their minds, offer love and prayer. (And, there's the occasional refereeing in the video game area - and reminder to take turns.)

Want to help? You will be blessed. Thursdays 3:30 - 5:30 pm.

By the numbers

2005-01-19T23:08:00.000-06:00

PICT0033
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Beginning a new year comes with wrapping up the last year in numbers. A lot of us are getting numbers in the mail - tax papers of how much we earned in 2004, how much we gave and what interest we earned.

Here is 2004 at Cross & Crown, by the numbers. These are more than numbers on a page - they are sweet smiling faces, and even old battered faces - and these numbers represent more than we can quantify - lives touched by prayer.

Number of new families served 1,915
Number of repeat families served 5,203
Number of repeat individuals served 5,273
Number of children served 11,224

THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING CROSS & CROWN.

The rich and the poor have this in common:
the Lord made them both. Proverbs 22:2

Best Day

2005-01-17T11:04:00.000-06:00

PICT0051
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

The man in the middle of this picture is named James, but everyone calls him "Peanut."

"This is the only day I look forward to," he said at the mission Sunday night.

He said Cross & Crown is his sanctuary and a place that draws him nearer to God.

While you wait

2005-01-14T17:50:00.000-06:00

PICT0048
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Here's a "during" picture to chronicle the latest improvement project at Cross & Crown. Work began this week on a new, more inviting entrance.

The red door and one park bench you see in this picture is the "before" and respresents the limited area people had to wait before going inside for prayer and services at Cross and Crown.

More than a year ago, Paul began the dream of building a covered waiting area, with seating, shelter and landscaping.

The dirt pile in the picture represents the dream coming into reality. Coming next is concrete removal, setting posts, building a covering, adding landscaping and providing seating.

Stay tuned.

From Isaiah 4 ... and there will be a booth for shade from heat by day, and a refuge and shelter from storm and rain

Big Roll of Red Tape

2005-01-11T22:31:00.000-06:00

Some day the vacant lot across from the mission won't be vacant. Rock Island OKC will be open.

God's timing.

And the city's too, apparently.

Rock Island has been bumped for another week from its appearance with the Board of Adjustment for a zoning change. They were suppose to appear Thursday, Jan. 13, but now the date is Jan. 20.

The zoning change is needed to get the building permit and the building permit is needed to start building.

God's timing. Ron Crawford prays that timing will allow Rock Island to be open by this summer.

Ron and Susan's dream for Rock Island is for it to be a place for youth in the neighborhood to come and hang out. There will be food, movies, video games, homework help, friends, mentors, and prayer - a safe haven to help these kids know God loves them and wants them to succeed.

Thanks to many volunteers who share this vision. There's Larry Schwab and Ron White who drew up the plans. John Davidson who is ready to serve as the contractor. And those who've donated supplies - roofing, concrete, materials (everything but the lumber!)

Please pray for this process and for God's timing to be revealed!

What does Cross & Crown mean to you?

2005-01-11T08:06:00.000-06:00

PICT0040
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Lori and Allen have been coming to Cross & Crown from the beginning. They might go away for a while, but they come back. Allen says they come back for prayer.

"When you come here, you are among people who feel what they pray," Allen said.

"This place helps you get closer to the Lord," said Lori who also volunteers at the mission.

Allen says that in addition to getting prayer for things - such as jobs, health, help - you get prayer for your spirit to grow.

"You get a hand up here, not a hand out," he said.

From Ephesians 1
15 This is why, since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. 17 I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.

Blessed Graffiti

2005-01-05T14:21:00.000-06:00

Blessed
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

This picture shows the window of a house close to the mission. It's a great lesson in perspective.

From Matthew 16
19 "Don't store up treasures here on earth, where they can be eaten by moths and get rusty, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 Store your treasures in heaven, where they will never become moth-eaten or rusty and where they will be safe from thieves. 21 Wherever your treasure is, there your heart and thoughts will also be."

Gracias

2005-01-04T08:07:00.000-06:00

Gracias
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

What do you do when January comes and there's more than a dozen decoratated artificial Christmas trees and no room to store them? Give them away.

Maria is very happy about her new tree.

How it began

2005-01-04T07:44:00.000-06:00

Here is a story that appeared in The Daily Oklahoman when Cross and Crown opened in March of 2001. When you read it again, nearly four years later, you see God's faithfulness, and note that many of the services that were part of the dream have happened at Cross and Crown. From medical services, to AA meetings and computer training, God has touched the hearts of people to make those services, and many many more, happen, in His name. It all begins with prayer. It is all about prayer.

Historic church gets new mission Cross & Crown launches city ministry
by Bobby Ross, Jr.

Peggy Garrett was scurrying out the door - leaving for good - the snowy day that Paul Whitmire and Scott Stevenson approached her at the old limestone church at NW 9 and McKinley.
The Presbyterian Urban Mission, the ministry that Garrett leads, was moving to a newer, bigger building after three decades in the old Second Presbyterian Church, built in 1911.
"She had her trash bag and she was on the way out," Whitmire said.
Suddenly, Whitmire and Stevenson stopped her.
"I can still remember the startled look on her face," Whitmire said.
She asked if she could help them. They said she could.
"Well, what do you want?" she asked.
"We don't know," they replied.
God's will?
Inside the building at 1008 N McKinley Ave., stained-glass windows overlook scuffed, wooden floors and rotting walls with yellow stains.
This place breathes history, but the years have taken a toll. The surrounding neighborhood struggles with poverty and decay. Trash and weeds abound.
Despite regular repairs, the roughly 8,000-square-foot building kept deteriorating. It didn't have space to meet the Presbyterian Urban Mission's growing commitment. The mission had blossomed from a neighborhood community center to an emergency social service agency to a ministry that today provides not just food and clothing - but also medications, utility assistance, household goods and children's programs to more than 25,000 people each year.
With the support of the Indian Nations Presbytery and individual donors, the ministry moved to a 46,000-square-foot facility at 3737 N Portland.
As Garrett left that day, her concern was that the old church not be left to deteriorate.
Ministry leaders had talked about taking out the stained-glass windows and selling some of the architecture. That would have a left a shell awaiting a wrecking ball.
But God didn't want that to happen, Whitmire and Stevenson are convinced. That's why, they believe, He led them to Garrett that day.
"Our family and Paul's family and about six other families have been meeting in a house church for about five years," Stevenson said. "This is just one of the things that has grown out of the house church."
The Edmond area families attend Quail Springs Church of Christ, Life Church East and Bridgeway Church on Sunday mornings. They meet in a "house church" each Sunday night.
Whitmire and his family have traveled on mission trips to Honduras for four years. They had prayed with the group about ways to reach out to people closer to home.
The families decided to start an inner-city ministry offering food, clothing and prayer.
But they needed a building.
Whitmire and Stevenson had just about given up finding one when they saw the Presbyterian Urban Mission sign.
"We thought, 'We'll stop and ask them for ideas about doing urban ministries and food pantries,'" Whitmire said.
They got more than advice.
They bought a building.
Stained-glass namesake
On a cold, rainy day this week, Whitmire signed closing papers to buy the old church for an undisclosed amount.
The new owners: Cross & Crown Mission Inc.
That name derived from the cross and Jesus' crown on the building's most prominent stained-glass window.
About 50 people, including ministers from several denominations, came to celebrate.
"I've often heard it said that if Jesus bodily came to a city, He probably wouldn't show up in any of our churches," said Ron McCaslin, pastor of Cathedral of the Hills in Edmond. "We'd find Him in a place like this, in a place where He would touch people right where they're living."
Lance Humphreys, pastor of Bridgeway Church, said he came to support the project and "as a show of unity among churches in Oklahoma City, in our heart to serve the vulnerable in this city and come together in doing that."
Whitmire read from Isaiah 61 in the Old Testament and prayed that God would help rebuild not only broken walls - but broken lives as well.
Already, volunteers had dug a 12-foot deep, 4-foot wide trench as they repaired the building's foundation. Other repairs, including installation of a new roof, started the next day.
"God placed all the necessary professions in our group to cover what we needed here," said Whitmire, a former youth minister who owns an antique store.
"We've got a husband-and-wife attorney team, a guy in real estate, a guy in the equipment business, (wife) Suzanne and I in ministry, a guy who is a psychologist, a heat and air specialist."
Spiritual food, too
Even before the mission officially opened, people started stopping by for food - and prayer.
All who walk in the door, from the termite inspector to the insurance adjuster, can expect to bow their head and have Whitmire direct a few words up above.
"I mean, people that are just providing services that we pay for, they have gone away with a changed heart," Whitmire said. "It's been amazing."
The Cross & Crown Mission Inc. will start as a simple food pantry and clothes closet.
But the organizers have much bigger dreams.
They hope to lead an after-school program for elementary students. They plan a store where families can bring school lists and get free school supplies. They intend to buy dilapidated homes and refurbish them.
Professionals will fix the foundations. Youth groups will paint and beautify the homes. Then a financial analyst will assess a family's need and agree on a monthly payment.
Whitmire also closes his eyes and sees a computer lab and an employment training service.
"Eventually, we'll have legal services available. We'll have dental services available and medical services available."
For 17 years, his family has lived the good life in an affluent suburb.
Now, he and the others want to give back.
"The churches in Edmond... are ready to do this kind of ministry," he said. "They need a place. We decided we would have a place for them."
Actually, Stevenson said, God decided He would have a place.
"I believe absolutely that God led us over here. We've had a steady stream of confirmations that this is what the Lord has in mind for us."

This year I will ...

2005-01-02T20:25:00.000-06:00

Carlos
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

"behave in school."

We're praying for you Carlos!

Carlos is one of the familiar faces around the mission. We tease him about behaving in school, but we are very serious about praying for him, and all of the other young people who come to Cross and Crown, either with their families on Sunday nights, during the week, or at the after school program on Thursday afternoons with
Rock Island OKC.

This particular craft time focused on making a commitment for the new year. Other children pledged to help their moms and dads with chores. We commit to continue taking their needs to God in prayer, and thanking Him for the blessing of children.

Blessed be the name of the Lord

2005-01-02T20:14:00.000-06:00

Pray
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

When you close your eyes, what name of the Lord appears for you personally?

At Cross and Crown on Sunday night, God was named ...
Quiet Place
Lamb of God
Comforter of my heart
Holy One
Holy Savior
Rock
Healer
Great Physician
Deliverer
Provider.

Blessed is his glorious name!

Maria y Maria

2005-01-02T20:10:00.000-06:00

Maria y Maria
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

In this New Year, Maria is thankful to have her mother, Maria, visiting from Mexico.

Aren't they beautiful?

Serving

2005-01-02T08:09:00.000-06:00

Serving
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD, and he will repay you!

Proverbs 19:17

Here we are to worship

2004-12-30T15:18:00.000-06:00

Worship
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Four years ago, Cross & Crown began opening its doors to its neighbors on Sunday nights for a meal and prayer time. This special time has grown and most Sunday nights brings more than a hundred individuals - some are homeless, some haven't had a meal all week, some come to find a glimpse of Jesus.

Dozens of volunteers, made up of house church groups, youth groups, families and friends volunteer to bring hot meals and interact with those who come physically and spiritually hungry.

Jesus told us that He is the living water that sustains us, and a longing became stronger to offer a more meaningful worship experience on those Sunday nights at the mission.

Paul and Suzanne Whitmire, Don and Martha Bryant and other members of the Cross and Crown board prayed that God would show them how to best utilize the time to fill the soul and the stomach.

Now, each Sunday night features a worship service with songs in English and Spanish. Volunteers lead praise and worship time, and other volunteers prepare boxes meals in the back. Still more volunteers take the children for crafts and a Bible story.

The first night, more than 100 seekers came to praise the Lord, share communion and be ministered to through prayer and worship. The crowd has grown each week. Afterwards, everyone shares a meal and individual prayer time.

What every one takes away with them is renewed hope and assurance that Jesus loves us and is always with us.

Volunteer Spotlight

2004-12-30T13:28:00.000-06:00

Volunteer Cindy Minor
Originally uploaded by Cross and Crown.

Among the dozens of faithful volunteers who give of their time, their compassion and their professional expertise each week at Cross and Crown, there is Cindy Minor, RN.

She works in the medical clinic and says many of the needs of her patients revolve around hypertension, diabetes, chronic pain, and health problems related to addiction to alcohol, drugs, and smoking.

She's there every Tuesday. She's busy, but she always has a smile for you.

She's a busy mom and a busy professional. Why does she do it?

"I come because I see Jesus here."