Helping Students Keep Warm and Stay in School

Tulsa, Oklahoma - I would like to introduce you to Sarah W. Sarah is one of our High School students at Highland Park. She is actively involved in HPyouth. She is smart, athletic and a follower of Jesus Christ. And she is doing something extraordinary.

Last summer, we took our students to a CIY Move conference in Macomb, Illinois. Move is a week-long conference that aims to change youth and change the world. Sarah, along with many of our students, was challenged throughout the week to advance her faith and grow stronger in her commitment to follow Christ.

One video and challenge in particular hit her hard. The story of Ruby. Ruby is a High School student that chose to give up her birthday to raise money for a family to have a new house in South America. At the end of the week, we challenged our students to consider what they could do this next year that God was laying on their heart. Sarah decided that she wanted to do something like that.

After returning home, she shared with her parents what was on her heart and in her mind. Together they decided on a plan. Sarah would use her birthday in January 2015 to impact many poor underprivileged children in the Tulsa area. Project Elf is an amazing organization dedicated to helping children get the basic things they need for life and school. They provide them with coats, pencils, toothbrushes, combs and more. Sarah wants to help them.

So, in January 2015, Sarah is attempting to get many donations to help Project Elf be an even bigger impact than normal. The Children’s Ministry at Highland Park has already gotten behind her. The Middle School students of HP took time out of their Christmas party to go shopping for donations to surprise Sarah. Maybe by this point, you’re wondering how you could partner with her too? On Sunday, January 11, there will be a box next to the HP Caboose (the student information table in the downstairs lobby). In that box, bring any of the items in the list that follows to help support Sarah and Project Elf. This will also underscore to our students that they too can change the world for Christ.

 

Items needed:

• Tennis Shoes
• Socks
• Underwear
• Backpacks
• Heavy Coats
• Winter Hats and Gloves
• Composition Books
• Pencils
• Binders (2 in)
• Markers
• Pocket Folders with Brads
• Tri-Fold Science Project Boards
• Toothbrushes
• Money and Wal-Mart Gift Cards can also be given.

HPYouth Harlem Shake Edition

So after watching CIY's new Harlem Shake CIYmove Edition our Youth Group created this:

Here's the CIY version too:

December 2012 Newsletter

Here's our December 2012 Newsletter. Right click on any of the pics below and choose "save link as..." to download the pdf.

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QR code scanning info -
* What is a QR code? It's kind of like a bar code but it can contain much more data, contact info, web addresses, etc.

* How do I scan this on my device?

• Windows 7 Phones with 7.5 (mango) update can use the bing vision search. [if you don't have this update try PhraseMeme Scanner (found on the windows marketplace)].
• Android phones/tablets try QR Droid (found on the Android marketplace).
• iPhone/iPad try QR-Reader (not tested personally).
• Blackberry try QR Code Scanner Pro (not tested personally).

* How do I read it on my device? You'll need a reader with pdf support (PDF reader).

A Mind Divided

As you've read in my previous post, I am in the middle of a transition. Angie and I have been vocationally part of Team Expansion for thirteen and a half years, now I am starting as the Youth Minister for Highland Park Christian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This month, I am playing double duty. I am still full-time with Team Expansion (but also planning to use some of my remaining vacation days) until December 31, 2012, but also beginning my role at HP. Some days, I feel like my mind has multiple compartments in which my neurons keep racing back and forth. My day may start with me working on Team Expansion transition tasks and then I move onto planning for HP. Then after lunch, I might go to a meeting then finish the day working on administration/financial details for the eventual closing of the books for Team Expansion.

Because my time with Team Expansion has meant so much, I do want to make sure I live in the moment of my exit as a vocational member of a great missions organization (you might remember I'm staying on as a volunteer to continue some of the projects I've been working on). I don't want to wake up in February and think, wait...it's already over? So, I am trying to remember the years and milestones of which we have been a part.

Of course, certain things come to mind readily....the first stages of planning for the work in Ancona, going through the arduous task of learning another language (and yes, I still practice it from time to time), the first gathering of believers in Ancona, the first outreaches, the first short term group, seeing a church formed in Ancona, the planning for the work in Verona, the survey trip to several potential and spiritually needy cities in Northern Italy, working on several creative resource projects for different countries around the world and on and on.

Other things, less monumental, stand out too, eating panserotti at Etrusca in Perugia, going to my first soccer game in Perugia, eating pizza by the slice at Pizzeria Centrale, watching the American style football team "The Ancona Dolphins" play in a 2000 year old stadium in Ancona, laughing with various team members over the years, fellowship with Italian Christians, walking down ancient alleyways and taking literally thousands of photos. Our memories cannot be contained within one post, short or long. I keep thinking of more like, going to the beach in Ancona, eating at Desiderio (all time favorite restaurant)

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As I paused writing this post and walked into the kitchen, I was happy to learn that Angie was making homemade pizza! She had already made the pizza dough earlier and was rolling them out. While this isn't Desiderio, it's pretty close. I miserably tried to help her throw/roll one of the pizza doughs, but apparently I need more practice and Angie fixed it for me.

With pizza prepping to go in the oven, and us getting ready to watch the DVR'ed Survivor finale, I'll close this post. Throughout the month, you'll continue hearing from us and seeing changes on our website and social media. Thanks for reading and caring about us.

Crossers' Update: Important Announcement

To the friends, family and ministry partners of Matt and Angie Crosser, Team Expansion Missionaries…

For 13 ½ years Angie and I have been working for Team Expansion, a mission agency that seeks to reach the least reached people and plant biblical churches in those places. With Team Expansion, Angie and I have travelled to three cities in Italy and back to the states again, pouring our lives into missions and creating missions resources along the journey. That journey is coming to a close.

Yesterday, I was confirmed to become the new Youth Minister of Highland Park Christian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Highland Park has a love for the surrounding community and heart for missions. In fact, for the past decade, Highland Park has been our largest supporting church and we have been they’re largest supported mission.

We’ve been with Team Expansion since leaving college, so it will be sad to close this chapter of our lives, but exciting because I intend to remain partners with Team Expansion as a volunteer. This will allow me to continue working on several of the long term projects of which I’ve been involved in the past few years.

Art always has been and will continue to be one of my passions, but another passion for the past 20+ years has been youth ministry. That is why I actually went to Ozark Christian College, so that I could receive training to do youth ministry. After two part-time youth ministries in college, I started my post college phase doing international youth ministry with Team Expansion in Ancona, Italy. So, I will continue pursuing both of these passions, art and youth ministry, as I seek God and His desire for my life.

I will remain full-time with Team Expansion through the end of 2012 and tie up loose ends in January 2013. If you are a supporter or supporting church, we ask that you continue supporting this ministry through the end of December. In January, we will finish up the 2012 annual finances, create our final newsletter and mail out year-end reports to all supporters along with IRS receipts.

I have been volunteering as a youth sponsor at Highland Park in various capacities for the past year or so. I will start with some part-time hours in December and begin full-time hours in January 2013, as Highland Park Christian Church’s new Youth Minister.

Angie and I request your prayers as we navigate this transition over the next couple months into the beginning of the New Year. Thank you to all of you who have partnered with us in prayer, financial support and encouragement. We have made life long bonds with many of you and are humbled to have been partners with you during the past 13 years of this adventure.

We will continue to dialogue with you throughout this transition and really do hope you will join with us in our excitement to start the next chapter of our lives.

In Christ and for His Kingdom,

Matt and Angie Crosser