Ten years ago, Crossroads Evangelical Church, Wauseon, Ohio, launched their first church, in nearby Henry County, and Napoleon became the home of a new Crossroads Church. In October, Crossroads Church celebrated its 10-year anniversary while anticipating their future.
In 2007, Crossroads, Wauseon, gathered a group of 60 people who were driving 10 miles from Napoleon to attend services. Then, they asked a former associate pastor, Wes Hoffmire, to return and lead the new church. The group launched their first public Sunday gathering on September 20, 2009. A few months later, the church purchased the facility that they had been renting.
Since their facility has ample warehouse space, they have forged community relationships by loaning out the space as often as they can to other groups like Head Start, foster care training, and a senior center. Hoffmire says, “We want to be seen as a church who loves her neighbors.” That love has welcomed people from all backgrounds and age groups, from professionals to welfare recipients.
Four years ago, they added teaching pastor Levi Stuckey. About the 10-year celebration, Stuckey wrote, “I was reminded once again that nothing is impossible. As bad as things get in the world, God is and always will be establishing His Church. We believe God’s answers to the world’s ills are found within Christ and His local Church. We’ve experienced the love of God in tangible ways through this local Church and we look forward to another 10 years.”
On celebration Sunday, Crossroads baptized five new Christians, a fitting way for the church to honor the last decade and look forward to their next one. Hoffmire reflects on Galatians 5:25, which reads “Keep in step with the Spirit.” He said, “He was one step ahead of us all the time. We just took the next step to follow Him.”
