Update Letter from Crossroads Resolution Group

Dear Faith Church & Faith Christian School Family,

Thank you for allowing Roger and me to serve you and engage with many of you.  It has been a joy to meet you, share the resources of the Pursuing Peace Together seminar and think with you about Biblical peacemaking principles.  We also appreciate the opportunity to talk with some of you about how these principles might assist you, your church, and your school at this time. 

We are proceeding with the next steps to help individuals prepare for facilitated meetings with us (also referred to as mediation).  We are writing this to provide you, the members and friends of Faith Church and Faith Christian School a brief update on the work underway regarding how we are addressing concerns and issues, and to provide you with encouragement and a study you can also be undertaking as you continue to hold up this important work of reconciliation in prayer.  The conciliation process we have been asked to lead is fully engaged and under way.  We have asked many from the church and school, including leadership and members to engage with us as we seek God’s will and direction.  All have been willing to accept this invitation and are working diligently to understand God’s leading in these matters and to prepare for the discussions we will be facilitating.  This preparation work has asked all parties to seek reconciliation by asking them to look at themselves and see what they contributed to the conflict.  It's Christ’s instruction to “take the beam out of your eye” so you can approach and help your brother and sister.  It's not blaming, but repentance, confession, and forgiveness.  This is hard work.  With the addressing of the personal hurts and offenses that go with reconciliation, we are also able to deal with the material issues that may need mediation.

Most of you are not involved in our work focused on specific conflict coaching and mediations.  We work in smaller groups as we begin, and work toward a more complete community (church, school, or all) meeting and processing as we help you work toward both reconciling specific situations and developing a foundation for and building of a culture of peace within your community.  Although many of you may not be immediately or deeply involved now, your participation in prayer and a common focus on God's Word is very important. 

In a time when we are experiencing severe discord and turmoil in our country and communities, along with the stress of a serious health crisis, how we reconcile with brothers and sisters in Christ, and become a witness of the Gospel to a watching world looking for a different outcome than what they are experiencing, is the ministry God call all of us to.

Your involvement, and participation in prayer support is vitally important, even if you are not directly involved or part of the reconciliation meetings.  We continue to ask that you do several things:

1. Pray for this effort and the individuals involved (even if you are not certain who they are), asking God to work his will and love in their hearts. Specifically pray Ephesians 3:14-19 for the participants on a regular basis.
2. Give encouragement to those you do know who are involved directly with assurances of prayer for them.
3. Avoid asking for details or assessments, or outcomes from them. If you have questions, or want to discuss your concerns, please contact us (david@crossroadsresolution.com).  Roger & I are available and glad to speak with you. 
4. If you have not already done so, watch the Pursuing Peace Together seminar available on the Church’s website.

We are asking you to focus on a wonderful passage of Scripture (see attached) and think together about how this passage might assist you as you live for God's glory.  We have also attached a devotional which we ask each of you to use and apply in your daily lives.

David Schlachter & Roger Duerksen
Crossroads Resolution Group LLC

503-764-9254 (office)
406-794-1770 (cell)
www.crossroadsresolution.com