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This story and photos available online:

www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09125<http://www.pcusa.org/pcnews/2009/09125

>Life at the Cross Roads

Merged Kiskiminetas congregation finds renewal in outreach

>by Toya Richards Hill
>Special to Presbyterian News Service

Editor's note: This is the second in a series of stories
about congregations engaged in significant outreach and
evangelism ministries, reflecting the General Assembly's
commitment to "Grow Christ's Church Deep and Wide."
[http://deepandwide.ning.com] ― Jerry L. Van Marter

LOUISVILLE ― Letting go of the past is sometimes needed in
order to make way for a new thing, and that's exactly what
the members of Cross Roads Community Presbyterian Church
did as it reorganized for ministry.

The Leechburg, PA, congregation is the result of the 2005
merger of former Calvary Presbyterian Church and Gray Stone
Presbyterian Church. Since that joining together a
completely different approach to ministry and mission has
emerged that is helping grow Cross Roads ― and the
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ― deep and wide.

Because the slate was wiped clean in the formation of the
new church, which even began with a new membership roll,
many of the ideas and actions embarked on by Cross Roads
have "bubbled up" from the members themselves, said
co-pastors Gary and Lisa Lyon. Congregants are relaxed,
empowered and reaching out in new ways, they said.

"That whole beginning phase has affected us in the way we
conduct our session meetings ... the way we worship, how we
put together worship service, how we relate to one
another," said Gary Lyon.

The church "has deeper roots, wider roots" and "personal
faith has come to the surface, bubbled up. People are
talking about their experience with faith lived out there
in the community," he said.

The genesis of this revival can be traced to the first
mission activity undertaken by Cross Roads. The merger
occurred about two months before Hurricane Katrina
devastated the gulf coast, and after the storm members led
the charge to get the church involved in the disaster
recovery, the Lyons said.

"We immediately started to get inquiries from congregation
members ... about how are we going to respond," Gary Lyon
said. They said, "When are we going?"

The church came together in a mighty way, and in January
2006 members traveled to D'Iberville, MS, as volunteers for
the post-hurricane rebuilding effort.

"That became the major fulcrum in making this church what
it is today," said Gary Lyon, who also serves as chair of
the board of directors of the Leechburg Food Bank and as
captain of the town's volunteer fire department. "People
rallied around that, they rallied around mission outreach.
It's been that way ever since."

Ministry partner and spouse Lisa Lyon concurs, saying that
one idea "encouraged them to come up with more. I think
enthusiasm just becomes contagious."

"They (the members) just come up with more and more ideas
of how to reach out to people," she said.

A range of programs and activities has emerged at Cross
Roads. The church, which has about 250 members, continues
to be actively involved in disaster recovery and often
leads the charge for Kiskiminetas Presbytery
[http://www.kiskipby.org].

In fact, the church is leading a mission trip sponsored by
the presbytery in May to Oakville, IA, which was hit hard
by flooding in 2008.

"The place where they shine is in disaster response," said
the Rev. Erin S. Cox-Holmes, associate general presbyter
for Kiskiminetas Presbytery. In addition to the upcoming
Iowa trip, Cross Roads provided leadership for another
presbytery mission trip, and also has organized drives for
clean-up buckets for other disasters.

"What makes them stand out is vision and energy in the
middle of real-time challenges," Cox-Holmes said. "They
keep taking one step at a time to keep their focus on their
mission."

Other ministries that have bubbled up from the congregation
include one called Salt of the Earth for patients
undergoing chemotherapy treatments. "We create care
packages of nutritious foods" that are easy to prepare,
said Lisa Lyon, who also is president of the local
ministerial association.

The church also has embarked on an effort called Leechburg
Creates Arts! (LCA). The outreach ministry is jointly
sponsored by the church and the Leechburg Area Community
Association, with other community members.

"Our initial goal for LCA is to help people realize the
gifts and talents they have been given by God, to encourage
their use in the arts, and then to use those talents before
the people," Gary Lyon explains in a column on the church's
Web site [www.crcpc.org].

Within Cross Roads, the pastors have formed a group called
Sacred Rhythms to strengthen and build church leaders, and
to grow individual faith deeper. If the church has
transformed people, then "God's ministry just goes forth,
it happens," Gary Lyon said.

Elder Patricia Potter said she's been especially moved by
the togetherness that has emerged in order to do ministry
since Cross Roads was created.

"The greatest asset that has come ... is actually our ability
to work together and expand on ideas," the former Gray
Stone member said. "I believe this merger was sent to us
and made available to us through God's work."

"My life has changed so, individually," said Potter, who
took a break from 15 consecutive years as clerk of session
at the end of 2008. "I certainly feel more drawn not only
to mission, but also to my church as a whole and the people
that I see there every Sunday."

"Now, even if the weather is bad I just want to go there,"
she said. "I believe we have a lot of strength."

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