Ministry Update
Tim and Susan Heinrich
Crossroads Baptist Church, Tracy, CA
April 2024
Multiplication Whiplash
As we sat down to write this prayer letter, we looked back at the prayer letter we sent one year ago, to see how God had answered the prayers over the past year.
Reading that prayer letter and reflecting on one year at Crossroads caused us to have multiplication whiplash. Our theme for 2024 has been multiply and God is doing just that.
Worship: God has added musicians to our worship team. Liz on the keyboard and Jim on the guitar have added a depth to our singing that is palpable. But, nothing compares to the sound of voices raised, acapella, in praise to our God. The past few weeks the singing in our little building has been so vibrant that some would need earplugs to decrease the volume. When the loud, low voices of the men blend with the high voices of children singing, it is a sweet, sweet sound. Add to that the accents of the multiple language groups represented, and it must be a sneak peek of what heaven will be. Many in our church are also growing confident in their ASL and join Joyce as she signs the songs. We are packing the main auditorium area and praying that in the next few weeks, we will need to expand to the foyer/overflow area. We joined with our sister Spanish Church for a Good Friday Service. We had seats down the hallways and people standing everywhere. Susan and a couple of helpers frantically prepared extra communion trays during the scripture reading. The sky was dark. It was windy and raining outside, and the people just kept coming and coming. Praise God for the blessings of multicultural worship. Also, praise God for visitors from the homeschool co-op that meets at our church.
Outreach: For the first time ever, we did not do a large community egg hunt this year. Instead, we took our popcorn popper and our face-painters, and free copies of “The Case for Easter” into our neighborhood park. Please pray for some young Indian (probably Hindi or Muslim) fathers who asked a LOT of questions about the scientific case for Jesus’ Resurrection.
We plan to continue these popcorn pop-ups throughout the spring and summer. When people smell the popcorn, we quickly gather a crowd that likes to talk while their children get their faces painted.
Our next big outreach is Vacation Bible School July 8-12. We are busy prepping to have a float in the Fourth of July Parade and praying that God will pack our building with children who need to know Jesus. If you are looking for a local missions trip, we can definitely put you to work!
Discipleship: If you walk by our building on a Wednesday night, you might really wonder what is happening inside. We have a LARGE group of loud teenage boys who love to roughhouse and dig deep into the word. They keep multiplying. Praise God for salvation and that some of them are planning to be baptized this spring. Pray for wisdom and patience for Keith and Jacob as they tackle tough topics from God’s word.
Our men are continuing with Leadership Journey. The women are finishing a college-level course in theology and plan to start the ladies’ version of LJ in the fall
Fun Story: Mike and his son Miguel started visiting Crossroads in the fall. A few weeks ago, after Sunday worship had started, a large African family walked through the doors. Miguel’s jaw dropped to the floor. Susan saw this, from the piano and was trying to figure out why Miguel was so shocked. The service ended and Miguel bolted across the sanctuary and bear-hugged the youngest child in the family. He shouts, “You moved away and I thought I’d never see you again, and now you show up AT MY CHURCH!!” It turns out that these two young men had attended middle school together in the Bay Area and now both families live in Tracy. They were so excited to reunite. Joseph’s family comes from the Congo. The father was a Baptist Pastor there. They have now regularly attended Crossroads with their five teen and young adult children. And Joseph immediately felt at home with the guys in the youth group, thanks to Miguel. These are connections that only God can make.
Family news: If the church news isn’t whiplash enough, let us share what’s going on with our family.
Susan is part of a group of local community band musicians who are performing at Carnegie Hall in April. We are looking forward to this once-in-a-lifetime trip. While we are gone, praise God that all aspects of the ministry are being covered by Crossroads members.
We will travel to Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan this summer for Tim’s Chaplain Conference and to visit supporting churches and family.
Talitha will be home soon for the summer. She is looking for work, as the company she previously worked for has closed. Samantha’s health continues to improve and she is enjoying a return to a more normal life. Janae, who is currently living in Texas, and Alyssa, who is currently living in Riverside in Southern California, have both accepted teaching positions in Tracy for next school year. Alyssa, her husband Zac, and Janae will all be moving back to Tracy this summer. There has been a flurry of activity as we all look for new options for housing. Please pray that God will give clear direction and put us all where we can have the most impact for the gospel. Also, praise God with us for the blessings they will bring to Crossroads.
HUGE answer to prayer: Our curb appeal has been tainted by an old abandoned office/ classroom trailer that we have been trying to get removed for several years. This spring we were given permission to tear it down. Workers came from sister churches and in one LONG day, the entire trailer was demolished and removed. Now you can see our building from the parking lot which is a huge improvement, especially for visitors. We now have two nice visible parking lots and we are praying that God will fill them both this year.
KEEP Praying: We have several men who attend without their unsaved wives. The women of Crossroads have been fervently praying for God to soften their hearts and help us reach these women, and in some cases, their children.
Praise God that Marie and Tami have both attended services this month and seem interested in making connections. Continue to pray for them and also for Joanna and Windi.
