What is the most common excuse for parents to not plug into small groups?  “My kids!”  

Well, not at Crosspoint.  God has given us a unique strategy for family discipleship.  While moms & dads are pursuing growth together in a small group, they don’t have to wonder if their kids are okay up in an overcrowded bonus room with a babysitter or if their teenage son is actually doing his homework back at home.

To make Connecting Points as accessible as possible, we’ve provided a 2 ½ hour window each Sunday night from 4:45 – 7:15pm where kids & youth are plugged into a healthy environment fostering their spiritual growth.  We call these environments Kids Connection (3yrs – grade 5) & Awaken (grades 6-12). These kids & students are being shepherded and challenged in the Word each week while childcare is also provided for infants & toddlers.

Another very practical way we serve these parents during this time is by feeding their kids! As the coordinator of our Sunday night food, I’d like to give you a glimpse behind the scenes of this fun component of family discipleship at Crosspoint.

As God has increased the numbers of kids & youth participating on Sunday nights, we’ve had to develop simpler, more efficient methods for feeding this many healthy & good food. No longer is a busy, overwhelmed parent asked to plan, organize, shop, cook & clean for this many.

A new and improved Sunday Night food system made its debut this past August, implementing evaluations & feedback. There are three key changes we made this year.

• Leadership:  All of the preparation for the evening – the schedule, the menu, the purchasing – is now centralized to one person, rather than being delegated weekly to different volunteers. This has alleviated the stress that used to fall on an ill-equipped or busy parent to plan a meal for 200 and made everyone’s service more enjoyable.
• Organization: There is now a five-week rotation of well-balanced, predetermined meals (see meal schedule below).  Not only have we selected meals that are simple and healthy, but we have also saved a lot of money by being able to buy in bulk and become experts on these menus (and boy, can our high school boys eat lots of spaghetti!) .
• Community: We have capitalized on the purpose of our Connecting Point groups to “pursue growth together.” Rather than random people serving, we are redeeming the Sunday night food preparation by allowing groups to serve together in community. These shared experiences deepen relationships and help foster biblical community.

I can’t tell you the number of positive testimonies from group members this year members who have served in both old and new contexts, parents of kids & students in the ministry, and of course, our kids & students themselves.

So there you have it… a behind the scenes look at Sunday night food at Crosspoint Church.  Want to know more?  Feel free to email me, Lauren Pippen.  Better yet, join a Connecting Point group (if you’re not already a member of one) and come check things out for yourself! Contact Sean Alford to get connected with a group. I hope to be serving with you soon! 

Sunday Night Food Meal Rotation:

#1 – Grits, scrambled eggs, & cinnamon toast
#2 – Chicken noodle soup & grilled cheese
#3 – Hotdogs, baked beans, & carrots
#4 – Baked spaghetti & garlic toast
#5 – Tacos, corn, chips & salsa

Posted By:
Lauren Pippen
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