MEDITATION
Jeremiah 31:2-3
Thus says the Lord:
“The people who survived the sword
found grace in the
wilderness;
when Israel sought for rest,
the Lord appeared to him from far away.
I
have loved you with an everlasting love;
therefore I have continued my
faithfulness to you.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Zephaniah 3:14-17
Leader:
Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion;
shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
All:
The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
he has
cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
you shall never again fear
evil.
Leader:
On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
let not
your hands grow weak.
All:
The
Lord your God is in your midst,
a
mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over
you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his
love;
he will exult over you with loud
singing.
CORPORATE PRAYER + LORD'S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in
heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
WORSHIP IN SONG
CORPORATE PRAYER OF CONFESSION
All:
O Lord my Lord, while we bless thee, we remember our past misuse of sacred
things, our irreverent worship, our ingratitude, our cold, dull praise. We are prone to rejecting the blessings
the Lord’s Day was designed to impart. Instead of delighting in you, we fill up our hearts with worldly thoughts
and cares. Flood our minds with peace beyond understanding. Direct our vile and broken hearts to be more knit to
Jesus, who is true life, liberty, and joy. Sprinkle all our past sabbaths with his cleansing blood and may this
day witness deep improvement in us. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
PRIVATE CONFESSION
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Colossians 2:13-14
And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of
your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal
demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
WORSHIP IN SONG
ANNOUNCEmEnTS
GREETING TIME
Children are dismissed to Sunday School
SERMON
Pastor Joe Fischer
“Worship as a Way of Life”
Psalm 148
Page 493 (Pew Bible) | Link (BibleGateway.com)
Pew Bibles are available under the seats in front of you.
RESPONSE TO GOD / OFFERING
SONG OF RESPONSE
BENEDICTION
Minister
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift
up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
All
Thanks be to God!
Men's
Ministry Social - Fogo and Fellowship
Wednesday, October 14, 6:30p
Join us for an evening of good food, real conversation, and fellowship with the men of our church.
We'll gather at Fogo de Chão (400 Commons Way Set 279, Bridgewater, NJ 08807) in the bar/lounge area
for a relaxed night out. Note that we'll be dining with the discounted happy hour menu. Newcomers are
welcome - come meet some new guys, reconnect with old friends, and build the kind of friendships that
strengthen us in faith and in life. For more information, contact David Ahn (dsahn.nyc@gmail.com)
Men's
Ministry Email List
Please sign up if you want to stay in the loop about upcoming events, and ways to connect with other men in
our church. Use crossroadsnj.org/mensemail
to sign up!
Praying Moms
Thursday, October 22, 9:30a-10:30a, Online
Whether your child is 37 years old or 37 days old, they need prayer! Join other moms to go before the thone of
our loving, merciful Heavenly Father in prayer for the the children He has placed under your care. For moms of
all ages and stages. RSVP to helenwoo@crossroadsnj.org to receive the prayer meeting link.
Where Mothers Connect
Wednesday, October 28, 7:00p-8:30p, Room 103
This time is about gathering together to encourage each other in the best and hardest calling many of us face-
motherhood. Together we think through the truths of the gospel and consider what difference it can make in our
mothering. Join moms of all ages to share, laugh, cry and pray together. Sign up by emailing helenwoo@crossroadsnj.org.
Christmas Choir
We are forming a Christmas Choir to sing at both services on Sunday, December 20 and we especially need
more men! We will have 8 rehearsals to prepare. This Sunday is the last day to sign up, so please
sign up at crossroadsnj.org/choir. Adults and teens in high school are
welcome to join! If you have any questions, please contact Kristina Watters at kristinamwatters@gmail.com
Congregational Prayer Meeting
Saturday, October 17, 8:00a-9:00a
Join us for our monthly time for prayer, to pray for our church and our ministries.
Fall Cleanup
Saturday, October 17, 9:30a-11:30a
We need many hands to help with fall maintenance and cleanup around our church building (some projects include
moving/re-organizing the storage in the basement for YoungLives, organizing the kitchen, assembling shelves,
taking in hoses, etc.). This can be a fun way to serve together and get to know some other people at Crossroads!
Sign up at crossroadsnj.org/cleanup
Child Protection Policy Training
Sunday, October 18, 12:30p-1:30p, Youth Room
We need your help in raising up the next generation through our Children's Ministry. If you'd like to
serve, you must attend our Child Protection Policy training on Sunday, October 18th. Please bring a lunch or
snack. RSVP with Jenny at jennywoo@crossroadsnj.org
Wednesdays in the Word
Wednesdays, October 21, November 4, 18, 5:30p-7:00p
We will be continuing our Wednesdays in the Word series on "Why we should trust the Bible?" Dinner
will be provided and a children's program will also be provided. Sign up at crossroadsnj.org/wednesday so we can order enough food (you can
make updates for specific dates when we approach those dates if you need to change your plans). The sign-up
deadline for dinner for Wednesday 10/21 will be Sunday evening, 10/18.
Congregational Meeting
Sunday, October 25, 12:30p-1:30p
Our annual Congregational Meeting will be held after our 11am worship service. Members are requested to stay for
this meeting, but all are welcome to attend.
Infants and toddlers who are in the nursery should be picked up after the 11am worship service. The meeting will
be streamed to the nursery, so you may stay in the nursery with your infants/toddlers during the meeting.
Children PreK-Grade 5 can stay in their Sunday School rooms (you may pack a lunch/snack for them) if you are
staying for the meeting.
A Zoom link will be available for members to join and ask questions, however only those present at the church may
vote.
A pizza lunch will be provided following the meeting. Please RVSP for the lunch at crossroadsnj.org/lunch by Wednesday, Oct. 22 if you would like us
to order pizza for you. (No need to RSVP if you are just staying for the meeting. )
Membership/Inquirer's Class
Sundays, November 1, 8, 15, 22, 11:00a-12:00p, Youth Room
If you are interested in joining Crossroads as a member, or if you're new to Crossroads and are interested
in finding out more about us, our 4-week Membership/Inquirer's Class will be held in November. Please
sign up by Sunday, October 25 at crossroadsnj.org/class.
New to Crossroads? Join us for Coffee!
Sunday, November 8, 10:30a and 12:30a
New to Crossroads or looking to get to know others in our church family? Join us for our Newcomers Coffee! Meet
in the front lobby after our first or second service, and we’ll walk together to a coffee shop in downtown
Somerville. Coffee is on us!
Young Adults Thanksgiving Potluck
Sunday, November 22, 5:00p
All young adults are invited to our Thanksgiving potluck, which will be held in Bound Brook. RSVP and sign up to
bring a dish to share at crossroadsnj.org/youngadults
Crossroads Instagram
We are officially launching our social media page on Instagram @crossroads_somerville! You'll be
able to keep up with announcements, updates, and recaps of things that have been going on within the community of
our church. We will still be regularly using emails and the Facebook group to communicate with you all. We're
excited to share how God is moving within our community in this new way and be sure to look out for our first post
soon!
See our full calendar at crossroadsnj.org/calendar
Join our private Facebook group crossroadsnj.org/lifetogether to connect to our community and for informal
gatherings.
Welcome Form
If you'd like more information about our church and our ministries or would like to be added to our email
lists to get announcements, fill out our Welcome Form at crossroadsnj.org/welcome
"Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to
exalt and give strength to all." - I Chronicles 29:12
- As of September 30, 2026, General Fund Net Reserve is
$1,100,157 and the Building Fund balance is $6,445, the Mercy Ministry Fund balance is $14,550.
- Online giving available at crossroadsnj.org/give
- Gifts may be directed to our Mercy Ministry Fund, which helps meet practical needs both within our church
family and in the broader community, as we seek to reflect Christ’s love through tangible care. If you would
like
to support this ministry, please note “Mercy Ministry Fund” with your gift so it can be designated accordingly.
- Crossroads can accept non-cash gifts in the form of stocks, mutual funds, or other securities. For more
details, contact Howard Chin (chin.howard@gmail.com).
Children's Ministry
Nursery
- Nursery (Infants up through and including 3-year-olds, move up to preschool when child is 4) is offered during
the sermon. Children are cared for by approved nursery volunteers.
- A short lesson is taught for toddlers during their time in the nursery.
- A Nursing Room is located at the back of the Fellowship Hall and is available for nursing mothers.
- A Crying Room is available during the sermon in the rear of the building in the Youth Room (downstairs past
the rear lobby).
Sunday School: Preschool - Grade 5 (9:30a-10:30a, 11:30a-12:30p)
- During our weekly worship services, preschool (age 4+) and elementary-aged children join the beginning of the
liturgy along with their parents. After our call to worship and some musical worship, children are dismissed.
Parents must walk their kids to their classrooms and sign them in. Parents are required to sign their children
out upon pickup.
VBS
- Each year, we hold a one-week Vacation Bible School (VBS) during the
summer. Kids in Preschool through entering Grade 6 are eligible to participate. Registration and information
is available at crossroadsnj.org/vbs
Contact: Jenny Woo (jennywoo@crossroadsnj.org)
Youth Ministry
- Youth Group meets weekly on Friday evenings, 7:30p at the church from Sept-May, 8 weeks at a time (follows our
Small Group trimester schedule) Teens in grades 6-12 come together for a time of fun and a time of teaching. See
the church calendar for dates. During the summer, informal social events are planned. Contact Pastor Dan for
more details.
- D-Teams (Discipleship groups) offers more in-depth study and connection. These groups are divided by gender
and meet weekly on Sunday mornings at 9:30a Sept-May.
College Ministry (Reformed University Fellowship) - Rutgers University
RUF hosts Bible studies, fellowship and outreach events throughout the year on Rutgers campus.
Men's Ministry
- Monthly Affinity Group Events - Assorted events hosted by various men of the church throughout the
year to bring men together over shared interests
- Quarterly Workshop Events - These workshops provide teaching and opportunities to connect with one
another
Women's Ministry
Crossroads' Women's Ministry emphasizes two things. The first is to help Christians grow through Bible
Study, prayer and fellowship. The second is to reach out to people who are at different stages of their spiritual
journey through a variety of creative activities. Of course, whenever women get together, lots of conversation and
friendships occur that are encouraging to everyone.
- Women's Weekday Bible Studies - Wednesdays, 9:30a (at church) or Tuesdays, 7:00p (online) during
the school year, meets every 2 weeks.
- Where Mothers Connect - Mothers of all stages are welcome to join us for biblical encouragement in
our motherhood journeys - Wednesdays, 7:00p, monthly at church from Oct-June.
- Praying Moms - One hour of dedicated prayer for our children - Thursdays, 9:30a-10:30a, monthly
online from Sept-June.
- Monthly Affinity Group Events - Assorted events hosted by various women of the church throughout the
year to bring women together over shared interests.
- Quarterly Large Group Events - All women are welcome to attend these fun events that may focus on
fellowship, service, or sharing.
Contact: Helen Woo (helenwoo@crossroadsnj.org)
Young Adults
Many young adults stay for an informal lunch after service each week. Pack a lunch or bring back take-out. All
are welcome to join! We also have periodic workshops and fellowship events throughout the year.
YoungLives
If you'd like to donate items we could give to teen moms as we build relationships with them and minister to
them, please sign up at crossroadsnj.org/yldonations.
Another way you can support our YoungLives ministry is to donate toward operational costs at crossroadsnj.org/YoungLives
If you are interested in helping out in YoungLives, email Ingrid at ingridSVYL@gmail.com
Mercy Ministry
The Mercy Ministry seeks to share God's love with people inside and outside the church by meeting tangible
needs.
- If you would like to help with purchasing and delivering items for Feeding Hands Pantry (reimbursed by the
church), please sign up at crossroadsnj.org/pantry
- Volunteers needed to help out when needs arise from inside or outside the church. Sign up at crossroadsnj.org/cares
Feeding Hands Pantry
Volunteers are needed for the following areas:
- Grant Writing
- Truck Driving - Pick up food donations from stores
- Guest Care - Answer phones and set up appointments for guests
- Prayer Room - Pray with guests during food distribution days
- Volunteer for a shift unloading, sorting, or distributing food
If you can help with any of the above areas, contact Rob: rob@feedinghandspantry.org
Life Together
Join our private Facebook group, Crossroads Does Life Together at crossroadsnj.org/LifeTogether to post or join members in outings and activities.
Opportunities to Serve
God equips us for the work of ministry and to build up the body of Christ. For a list of service opportunities
within the church and to sign up, visit crossroadsnj.org/serve and for the most urgent
needs we have, visit crossroadsnj.org/signup
Other Events / Calendar
You may find additional upcoming Bible studies, activities, and information at crossroadsnj.org/calendar
Small groups are a great way to grow in your faith through the study of God's word, prayer, community, and a
shared sense of mission.
These groups are typically made up of 10-12 people who commit to meeting weekly for a 8-week trimester term.
There will be 3 terms per year (Fall, Winter, and Spring), with a 1-2 month break between trimesters. Sign up for
Fall Small Groups at crossroadsnj.org/sg
