February 19, 2009
by Toya Richards Hill

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."

Presbyterian News Service