| New Church Development CrossRoads Chartered
By Dr. Montfort C. Duncan Jr.,
Executive Director, New Church Development
 Nov.
17, 2002 was a special day for CrossRoads United Methodist Church in
the Tampa District. After several years of planning, praying,
community outreach and visitation, CrossRoads was chartered and
organized as an official congregation of The United Methodist Church.
This new mission was sponsored and supported by the Tampa District
Board of Missions and Church Extension.
As you entered the parking lot, you could detect
an air of excitement and enthusiasm as people moved toward the
auditorium at Paul Wharton High School. This had been their recent
meeting place. Those in attendance were mostly young adults, with many
children. The stairs in the front of the auditorium were filled with
children as the Rev. Greg Freeze, the church’s pastor, shared the
children’s moment with them.
Tampa District Superintendent the Rev. Dr. Bert
Blomquist received the 132 charter members into the family of The
United Methodist Church and into CrossRoads, in particular. There were
219 in attendance that morning. As the north Tampa community continues
to grow, CrossRoads will be intentional in reaching out to the
unchurched in this area.
The Florida Conference is thankful for the
pastoral and lay leadership that made this new community of faith a
reality. This is what can happen when we dream big visions about what
God can do in our midst if we are faithful to God’s calling.
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