PEORIA MAGAZINE October 2023

Crossroads recently became a Global Methodist Church, a growing denomi nation across the world. “Worship passionately, witness boldly and love extravagantly,” Woolever said in describing his church’s new ethos. FATHER, SON AND DON’T FORGET THE HOLY SPIRIT Crossroads’ major focus is on the Gospels of Jesus, said Woolever. In stead of preaching on more topical and contemporary issues, the messaging and exploration is rooted in the books of the Bible, he said. Additionally, Crossroads places a special emphasis on the Holy Spirit, the third person in the Holy Trinity — alongside God and Jesus — in which the majority of Christians believe. Often overlooked or forgotten, the Holy Spirit is central to Crossroads, Woolever said, with congregants being trained in matters of the Spirit. “Our vision is to be a congregation that is Spirit-filled, Bible-teaching, soul-saving, church-planting and glob ally minded,” Woolever said. “Some of those things are aspirational, and some of those things are who we already are.” While the traditional worship service on Sunday morning still draws in a good crowd, the modern service that follows at 10 a.m. commands the majority of attendees from the 650 people that typ ically go to Crossroads every Sunday. At the modern version, Lee presides over a number of audio, visual and mu sical accompaniments to the hour-long service. That can range from organizing the volunteer musicians and singers, set ting up the microphone audio and pro ducing the online version of the service. Lee gets to take some risks and em ploys some improvisation to keep a wor ship service fresh. He fires up Google on his laptop during the sermons de livered by Woolever or Associate Pastor Megan Hoenig in case a piece of the subject matter can be represented in an exciting way visually. In one particular sermon, Woolever was relaying his love for 1980s metal music and hearing a Quiet Riot song on the radio with his daughter .

Crossroads Church lead Pastor Jason Woolever

an interfaith commemoration with the City of Washington. Washington Mayor Gary Manier certainly remembers the critical role that Crossroads played in the storm’s aftermath. “The Red Cross and The Salvation Army are really trained to do all this relief work. But when churches step in, there’s no blueprint for that. They just went ahead and went to work,” said Manier. “It got really cold in the days after the tornado, with sleet and rain. It was a nice warming center for peo ple to go to, and then they started to provide meals.” Crossroads really became something of a Disaster Relief Central, with insur ance companies setting up in their park ing lot to help people with their claims and government agencies doing so, as well, with their assistance programs. Meanwhile, Crossroads has been not just a ‘beacon of light’ but a survivor in its own right, still standing after endur ing not only Mother Nature’s wrath but a Civil War, economic depression, two world wars and multiple pandemics. “I think it’s a pretty special place,” Woolever said.

“And then this live Quiet Riot video started playing without me knowing it,” Woolever said, laughing. “You’ve got to give people context,” Lee said with a wry smile. Another priority for Crossroads is implemented and led by Emily Rus sell, the director of children’s ministry. She coordinates Sunday School and the Awana Club, which is an extension of Sunday School held on Thursday nights for children from age 3 through fifth grade. She also oversees Vacation Bible School every summer, which brought in more than 300 kids this year. In each of these programs, the children are encouraged to come with a friend, a practice echoed from the pastors’ messaging to parents and other adults in the congregation to bring friends or members of the community to Crossroads services and activities. “It’s open to anyone, any kids who want to bring a friend,” Russell said. “That helps grow … in their relationship with God and grow their community with other kids. So, when they go into difficult times in their life, they have that fellowship with their friends that will keep them on the right path.” ‘A PRETTY SPECIAL PLACE’ Despite the significant role it played in the aftermath of the 2013 tornado, there is no special event in the works to mark the 10th anniversary this fall. However, Woolever will participate in

Thomas Bruch is a writer and editor based in Peoria Heights. He has worked for the Peoria Journal Star, Peoria Public Schools and Bradley University

OCTOBER 2023 PEORIA MAGAZINE 79