Welcome to Cross and Crown Lutheran Church.

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Happy New Year! I hope your year has started off well, and I hope you feel God’s peace, presence, and love for you. Eric and I ended 2025 by dropping off our daughter at her new school, and then returning to our home to begin a new chapter. On the first Sunday in January, She texted me to let me know she was excited to visit a local church in her new town. Later that day, she said she had a wonderful experience and liked meeting the new people. She mentioned that something small had gone wrong with the audio equipment during the service, but then followed it up with, "But that’s just church." She said she heard the gospel and she looks forward to returning soon. After this conversation, I was filled with gratitude for her, for God, and for you! You have nurtured her in her faith week in and week out. You have been kind, loving, and generous toward her and my whole family. You have prayed for her and taken an interest in her life. You showed her that the church isn’t perfect, and sometimes even the audio equipment isn’t working during the service, but the main thing is that the gospel is shared among us all. Because of you, when she is far away and among strangers, she feels welcome, safe, and at home. I have no idea where her spiritual road leads, or if she will continue to be part of this new church community. I believe God is with her wherever she goes and whatever she does. But I do know that she has had an incredibly wonderful example of true Christian community, and I want to thank you for that. How has God already blessed you and nurtured you this month? Look for God in both the small things and big things. May 2026 be a year where we, more than ever, will recognize God in our midst. May we see all of the blessings unfold exactly as they are supposed to, and may we continually trust God, thank God, and deepen in our faith.

With love and prayers for you, 

Pastor Stephanie