Cross to lead children’s ministry at The Way

A familiar face at The Newton Church of the Way is now going to be around a lot more.

Jenn Cross recently started as the Family and Children’s Ministry Director, the first to hold the position overseeing the entire portion of the ministry.

“It has been really good so far,” Cross said. “It feels really natural, like I am supposed to be here, this is what I am supposed to be doing right now at this time in my life.”

Cross starts in the position after working part-time in the church ministry for 2.5 years. She originally came to the church just to give it a try but soon found it was a place her family was going to call home.

“My husband and I went to The Way on New Year’s Day, we just wanted to try it out and we knew right away that it was where we were suppose to be,” Cross said. “I told myself from the beginning that I wasn’t going to get involved, but within six months I was teaching every other Sunday and after that I was teaching every Sunday. I think God just had a much bigger plan for me.”

Cross starts at the church as it going through big changes with the addition of the a new worship center. The addition will mean big things for children’s ministry, as they take over the previous worship space in the original church.

“We will have much more room to spread out. We have a new curriculum to use and the space will make it so much easier to move around, have more kids and continue to grow,” Cross said. “Our future really revolves around the new building.”

The ministry itself is also growing by adding a family piece Cross thinks is very important and has been a goal of the church for a long time.

“We wanted to be able to have some kind of consistent mid-week or every few weeks have families come in, have a meal, get a review of what the kids have been learning and receive some action steps for the parents to take home for the kids,” Cross said. “That will help the parents to be the main disciples in the kids’ lives, not so much the children’s ministry people at the church but something for the families to take home to help teach their kids during the week, also.”

Along with new ministries, Cross will also be in charge of day-to-day operations at the church including planning events, coming up with emails and communications to the families, regular Sunday morning activities, the lessons, the worship and the small group activities.

“I do not have a teaching degree. In fact, I was a project manager for a printing company for the last eight years,” Cross said. “But oftentimes, God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called, and I am so excited for him to use me in his plans for The Way.”

Children and youth ministries at The Way have seen substantial growth throughout the past several years. Cross said she will be managing a staff of between 15 and 20 volunteers who will be working with about 100 kids who attend activities each week.

“We’ve had a lot of babies being born at our church, which I think is a really great sign,” Cross said. “As our church continues to grow, parents and families see our church as a safe place and the kids absolutely love our programs. More families are coming with more kids and those kids are bringing kids and then those kids are bringing their families back.”

“I am really excited to be a part of what is happening at The Way.”

Contact Jamee A. Pierson
at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534
or jpierson@newtondailynews.com