Our Fundraising Committee has scheduled a Brunch for Saturday, March 3, from 9:00am until 1:00pm.  Please note the change in time from previous Brunch events.  The menu will not only include sausage, ham, hash brown casserole, scrambled eggs, egg casserole, biscuits and gravy, pancakes, sweet breads, fruit salad, and drinks but at 11:00am soup and hot dogs will be added for lunch.  Your generous donations will be greatly appreciated.  This event is part of our "Race to the Finish" to retire the Crossroads Center mortgage.  If you would like to help in any way contact Joyce Lemons or Kay Sealock or see the sign up sheet at the fellowship table.  Invite your friends and family to join us for Brunch at Crossroads.

The next CMF Dinner Meeting has moved from March 13 to March 6 at 6:00pm.  All men of the church are considered members of CMF and encouraged to attend.  Circle IV will prepare the delicious meal.  Sign up at the fellowship table if you plan to be there so the ladies can better plan the meal.  The 2012 CMF officers are Chair, Wayne Baughman; Vice-Chair, Michael Smith; Treas., Kevin Hittner; Secretary, Mike Boren; Devotions, Mike Boren and Richard Stauffer.  

The Vesper Choir will begin rehearsals for Holy Week starting Wednesday March 7 at 7:15 p.m.  They will be singing a special number with the kids on Palm Sunday April 1st and several numbers for Good Friday service April 6th and Resurrection Day at the 10 a.m. service April 8th.  Anyone wishing to sing in the choir for these services is welcome to come March 7.  Please call Helen if you have any questions.

Bless A Block will be this Saturday, Feb. 25.  Be at Crossroads by 10:00 am.

Family Night will be this Sunday, Feb. 26, from 5:30-8:00.  Let Pastor Luke know if you plan to attend.  We will begin with a potluck meal. 

Note that youth will prepare Family Meal Feb. 29 instead of March 7 as originally scheduled.

The Long Range Planning Committee will meet at 7pm next Monday, Feb. 27.

The Elders will meet at 7pm next Tuesday, Feb. 28.

If you are one of the few who have not picked up your church directory you may stop in the office to do so.  If you did not have your picture taken but would like a copy we were able to order a few extra and the cost for them is $5.  

Elizabeth Chamberlain received second place in the Youth Division for her vocal performance of Edelweiss, from The Sound of Music, in the Jacksonville Symphony Talent Among Us Competition Finals on Feb. 18 at Rammelkamp Chapel at Illinois College.  She was one of 13 performers chosen to compete in the final competition out of 34 auditioning from as far as Peoria.  Elizabeth is the 9 year old daughter of Jeff and Lori Chamberlain and the granddaughter of Charles & Maria Owens and Dan & Bonnie Chamberlain.

The following are excerpts from the Feb. 14, 2012 Church Board meeting: Approved a $10,000 principal payment towards Crossroads mortgage from excess operating funds, Pastor Luke will co-chair high school camp at Mississippi Valley. By the end of February the Crossroads mortgage should be approximately $107,000.

The next Coping With Loss session will be this Sunday, Feb. 26, at 3:00.  If you missed the first meeting or have any questions contact Ann Ferguson or Joyce Lemons.  

This Sunday, Feb. 26, during 10:30 service our Children's Church youth will give a special presentation outlining what they have learned in recent weeks.  

1: John Hull, Lisa Wombles, Keaton Hittner, 2: Georgia Soloway, 4: Jennifer (Lierly)Griffith, Kaitlyn Apps, 6: Megan Hittner, 9: Neval Boyd, Spencer Miller, 10: Patty Ruble, 11: Brandy Allred, 12: Alice Ghrist, Jeff Lacey, Jamie Sweeting, Emma Wombles, 14: James & Mary Davis, Ricky &Christina Collins, 15: Bre Davis, 17: Richard Rhodes, Marjorie Zimmerman, 18: Lori Schweighardt, 19: Eugene Belford, 20: Amy Casto, 22: Jennifer Miller, Chelsea Hayden, Chad Sealock, Jessica Hull, Rick Wombles, 23: Karly Losch, Mildred Doyle, 24: Vickie Tharp, Justin Pennock, 25: Callie VanAntwerp, Jake McNulty, Loyd Casto, 26: Peyton Apps, Bryce Lind, 27: Carolyn Z. Casteel, 28: Walter Lamb, Madelyn Strubinger, Virginia Tice, Ron & Teresa Bauer, Howard Staffy.

Recently changed your address, phone number, email, etc?  If so make a note in the red attendance pads located in the pew backs.  This is a great way to communicate these pieces of information with the church office so changes can be made accordingly. 

Starting Wednesday, Feb. 29, we will no longer have Wednesday Oasis.  We are researching the possibility of using that time for other events.  Stay tuned for future announcements regarding Wednesday evenings.

Camp dates for Mississippi Valley are the following: High School 6/10-15; 7-8th Grade 6/17-22; 5-6th Grade 6/24-28; 3rd-4th Grade 7/1-3; K-2nd 7/5; 1st-2nd 7/6-7; Dads & Lads 8/17-18; Family Camp 9/7-9.  Mark your calendar now. 

By the end of February the Crossroads mortgage balance will be approximately $107,000.  The "Race to the Finish" is on and we are making great strides at retiring the mortgage.  Soon the bird will fly on the board again!

The Bible Study is every Tuesday at 12:00 noon in the Long Room.  EVERYONE is invited!  

CWF has nice durable dishcloths for sale through the church office.  They cost $2.00 each.  Also please cut off and save the fronts of all your greeting cards.  There is a box outside Rebecca's office for your card fronts.  Hilda Dunham bundles and mails these card fronts to a boy's ranch in Nevada where they make and sell lovely new cards from our recycled cards.

The Outreach Committee continues to support the mission work of the following entities.  If you would like to make a contribution to any one of these mark your offering envelope accordingly.  Operation Restoration, Pioneer Bible Translators, Elijah and Kristen Brokaw Peters. 

Feb. 29:  Betty Hayden, Yvonne Stauffer, Judy Ferguson, all CYF and LIFE youth and parents.

The annual spring Volleyball League will be at Crossroads every Monday evening from March 5 through April 30.  To sign up or for more information contact Matt Sealock or David and Kate Marable by March 1.

Circle V will meet in the fellowship hall on Thursday, March 1, at 7pm.

The Christian women of Malaysia invite us, men and women, to join them Friday, March 2 for World Day of Prayer 2012.  The Pittsfield worship service will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 226 E. Adams, at 2:00pm.  World Day of Prayer is a worldwide ecumenical movement of Christian women of many traditions who come together to observe a common day of prayer each year on the first Friday in March.  For this year the women of Malaysia developed the program "Let Justice Prevail."

Last Tuesday, February 21, Bill Smithers declared his faith in Jesus Christ and was baptized that afternoon.  We are excited for Bill and encourage everyone to congratulate him on his declaration of faith.  Bill and his wife Kate have been attending Sunday Oasis for some time now.

The annual Mississippi Valley Christian Service Camp spaghetti dinner fundraiser will be Sunday, April 29, at Crossroads.  Mark this on your calendar today!

We have booked 3 banquets at Crossroads in March that all need kitchen help to prepare and serve the meal.  They are: March 5 PHS Girls Basketball Banquet, March 15 Republican Dinner, March 16 Consistory Dinner.  If you are available to help with any of these events please contact Joyce Lemons or sign up at the fellowship table.   

Once again we will offer a 24 hour prayer vigil during Holy Week.  It will begin Thursday April 5 at 7 p.m. immediately following the Guided Prayer Time service and will end at 7 p.m. on Good Friday.  It is held in the Long Room (room by Rebecca's office) and prayer times are in half hour segments. You may sign up for an hour if you desire.  Sign up sheet will be available soon and will be placed in the overflow room of the sanctuary.

The adult basketball open gym continues at Crossroads on Tuesdays at 8:00pm.  Contact Pastor Luke if you would like to join in the fun!

The Children's Church Choir is working on a song to sing with the Vesper Choir on Palm Sunday, April 1.  They are also working on a song to sing by themselves on Easter morning, April 8, and another song to sing with the Vesper Choir on Mother's Day, May 13.  All 3 songs are on the CD we sent home for them to practice.  The youth will be dismissed during 10:30 service to practice on Feb. 26, Mar. 18 & 25, Apr. 1.  They will practice with the Vesper Choir on March 28 at 7pm in the sanctuary for about 15 minutes.  Please let Teresa Bauer, Amber Apps, or Helen Earls know if your child can sing on these dates so we can adequately plan.