A Message from our Ministry Center Coordinator
This quarter has been filled with growth, connection, and impactful ministry! We successfully launched our Reach Team, adding three families to our meal delivery program, ensuring they receive not just food but encouragement, conversation, and prayer. Our community events, including a Family Night and Gaming Tournament, brought families together in fun and meaningful ways.
We also expanded opportunities for spiritual growth by adding new small groups, including our first two Catalyst Groups at the Ministry Center—a welcoming space for people to build relationships and grow in faith. We have a group meeting at our center, nearly every day! In addition, we participated in TBRI training, equipping volunteers and families with essential knowledge on trauma-informed care for children from hard places. Additionally, we took steps to extend our reach beyond foster care, launching nursing home visitations at Crestwood Care Center, providing companionship and encouragement to residents.
Looking ahead, we are eager to build on this momentum with more family outreach, discipleship opportunities, and ways to serve our community. Thank you for being part of this journey!
– Matt Stacy
Ministry Spotlight - Opportunities for Mentorship
At Crossroads Ministry Center, we are excited about a budding relationship with Advantage Family Outreach and Foster Care aimed at supporting teen boys currently residing in their foster homes. Representatives from the organization recently visited our facility to explore opportunities for mentorship, engagement, and connection with the teens in their program.
Located conveniently in Shelby, our center provides an ideal setting for these teens to gather, interact, and build relationships with trusted adults in their community. After a thoughtful and productive conversation, it became clear that there was a significant opportunity for us to step in and offer formal mentorship.
Our first steps were to meet the youth in the program, give them a tour of our facilities, and spend quality time together. This initial visit was a meaningful and insightful experience, giving us a deeper understanding of their needs and goals. Following the visit, we sent another invitation to the CMC for a dinner prepared by our Mission Department Intern, Alison Stephens!
Moving forward, we are eager to introduce formal mentorship for these teens—helping them navigate the challenges of aging out of foster care and encouraging their growth in maturity and personal development.
Offer our space for personal time: We will offer “visiting” hours at the CMC during the summer, allowing teens to spend time in a safe, supportive environment.
Recruit mentors to spend an hour per week with a teen or two: We are looking to train mentors to build relationships with these teens by meeting weekly, providing guidance and support, and offering encouragement for their future.
Involve them in our Workshop Program: Teens will learn life skills while being mentored by dedicated adults who can guide them through practical projects, such as building beds for foster, adoptive, and kinship families in need!
This partnership holds the potential to create lasting, positive change in the lives of these young men, and we are grateful to be part of this journey.
Events
Our Center is coming to life with plenty of opportunities to engage and build community!
Our first Crossroads Gaming cross-center tournament happened this month. Our kids played Rocket League® on Nintendo Switch ™ for bragging rights as well as the right to display a custom 3-D printed Crossroads Gaming Trophy at their Center. Team Unity at the Mansfield City Center stole the night with a solid defeat of Team Nexus at the Ministry Center Champs, but the pizza helped keep the spirits up!
Our Family Game Night was a boom with a intense battle of Guesstures™, Slapzi™ and more! If you’re looking for a fresh and exciting time with others, this is the place to be.
Want to stay connected with all that’s happening at Crossroads Ministry Center in Shelby? From exciting events to volunteer opportunities our emails keep you in the loop! Don’t miss out on the latest news—sign up today and be part of what God is doing in our community.
Make sure to Follow Our Calendar OR Sign Up for Our Emails to stay in touch.
Upcoming
There are exciting things coming in the next quarter.
- A Functional workshop on our second floor will lead to mentorship opportunities as well as the production of beds for families in need. An exciting update: A partner in ministry has developed plans, built a prototype, and provided a template for the beds we plan to build for needy families. This individual has even sourced the materials and provided details on cost! Were ever closer to making this a reality!
- Pioneer Career & Technology Center students will be volunteering their time to help us restructure some of our space to use for future events and services in Shelby!
- We will continue to host Crossroads Gaming Events at the Center. Stay tuned for which games and dates are added to our calendar.
- We are planning a summer community gathering series at Blackfork Commons. Outdoor games, live music, BYOFood and devotions meant to encourage families.
- Our Spring Break Day Camp was a fun and exciting event. A Summer Break Day Camp will take place in June as well.
- Our Easter Egg Hunt on April 12th will be featuring a helicopter dropping 1000 eggs for kids to collect! Breakfast and registration will begin at 9:00 AM and the event will include music, games, and the Egg Hunt at 10:15 AM
Measuring Our Impact
Here’s a quick look at our impact this quarter:
- Families Supported: 6 foster and adoptive families received material support, guidance, and connection through Family Foundations.
- Volunteer Involvement: Over 8 volunteers engaged in resource delivery, event coordination, and care support for our family-centered ministries totaling nearly 80 hours of involvement.
- Community Outreach: Over 100 people served through our ministry programs at the Ministry Center, including visitations, counseling, education, and bed deliveries.
- Event Highlights: We hosted 8 small groups weekly, 4 community events, and visited a care center 1 time.
Each statistic represents a story of growth, resilience, and transformation, made possible by our volunteers, supporters, and leadership at CMC.
Get Involved
JOIN THE REACH TEAM AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
The Reach Team is looking for compassionate individuals and families to serve foster families in our community! This is a simple yet powerful way to connect, encourage, and support families who are caring for children from hard places.
By serving just once a month, you can:
✅ Deliver a meal to a foster family
✅ Offer encouragement through conversation and prayer
✅ Be a consistent source of support for those who need it most
We’ve made it easy to get started—just contact us at the Crossroads Ministry Center, and we’ll walk you through the simple process. This is a great opportunity for couples, families, or small groups to serve together in a meaningful way!
Are you ready to make an impact? Reach out today and join us in being the hands and feet of Jesus to these families!
Thank You
A heartfelt thank you to all supporters and a call to action to continue the support. Share this report with your friends!
