CrossroadsUCC

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Crossroads United Church of Christ an open and affirming congregation Pastor: Julia Tipton Rendon

Crossroads United Church of Christ is an open and affirming congregation of the Iowa Conference of the United Church of Christ. We believe that we are called by God, as Christians, to gather people into community, build them in a relationship with God, and send them into ministry. We try to make our congregation a place where you can be yourself, and we believe that the practice of hospitality helps us learn the mind of God.		PO Box 811, Indianola IA 50125 worshiping at Smith Chapel, Simpson College More about worship and Sunday School Can I read your bylaws? Who's on what work teams? What's coming up?
We are "the church you didn't know you were looking for"-- a small but active congregation that is focused on mission, spiritual growth, and community involvement-- that doesn't take itself too seriously. Visitors are always welcome. If you're looking for a church home, or you're just curious, please come worship with us!		This is us at the Pride Parade in 2005, when we remembered to take pictures.
Activities We serve two meals a month at the Catholic Worker House in Des Moines. We also serve a free meal on the last Thursday of each month at the county administration building. We find that eating together in a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere feeds more than just the body. We go together to the Ames Theologian in Residence every year and discuss her/him hotly. Every Sunday night several members meet in another home to eat pie and read a thought-provoking book or discuss spiritual issues. This is known as the Pie Group. All who have time after worship eat lunch together at Hy-Vee. Every year we sell our famous bread pudding at Dickens of a Christmas on the Square in Indianola. We march in the Gay Pride Parade in Des Moines every year, and last year we also handed out cups of cold water! We visit our friends at the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota every summer. Want to see some pictures? Every once in a while our church band/choir constitutes itself for worship. All are welcome!		Where to find us We are in Indianola, Iowa, a community of 14,000 just 12 miles south of Des Moines on Highway 65/69. Crossroads UCC does not own a building. We meet in Dirlam Lounge in Smith Chapel at Simpson College. Here is a campus map. Here is a Mapquest map. Map of W Clinton Ave & N Buxton St Indianola, IA 50125, US Here is our mailing address: PO Box 811, Indianola IA 50125 Why no building? Oh, where to begin? We like the flexibility of being able to do more ministry and mission, not having to maintain a building. We like it that our rent goes to the good work that Simpson College does. We like not having to spend meetings talking about what color carpet to buy for the parlor. Is that why you never answer your phone? (515-961-9370) Yes. Actually we have an answering machine, and our pastor checks messages every Sunday before church.. You can e-mail her at pastor at crossroadsucc.org. Really it's all one word, and you use the "at" symbol, but when we write it out this way we elude spammers.
Here are pictures of our October 2007 retreat at the Annett Nature Center with Marilyn Johns of the Summer Collegium for Pastors of Small Congregations at Virginia Theological Seminary