A History Of Service To Those In Need
In 1988 a group of local churches through the Marion Area Ministerial Association started an outreach program to address some of the housing needs in Marion, Virginia. It was developed under the direction of Reverend Harry Howe. By the end of 1988, there was realized the need for a full time program to coordinate available resources and church volunteers. In 1989 the program began working with local agencies and by coordinating activities with local churches was able to do far more to meet the needs in the community.
In the fall of that year the process was begun to develop that program as a full time ministry. At this time the ministry was known as “Helping Hands Ministry” and served only Smyth County. The program continued to grow and develop over the next three years to include two additional counties in its ministry. Those counties are Washington and Wythe, which border on Smyth County. During this time a Board of Directors was formed and churches from other areas and states began to participate in the ministry.
In October of 1992 this new ministry was incorporated as an ecumenical mission under the name of Project Crossroads. A Board of Directors was established to set up the program and give it direction. We needed a name that reflected our ministry as an outreach of the church. Thus Project Crossroads was selected because it emphasized the spiritual nature of our calling to missions. As we serve those with need, we are serving Christ, and His presence is made known in that encounter. The presence of Christ is made known in those with whom we serve. In July 1993 Project Crossroads became a full time mission of the Holston Conference of the United Methodist Church and under the umbrella of the General Board of Global Ministries as a Church and Community Project.
Through the years Project Crossroads continues to grow in outreach and ministry to meet the needs of those in our communities. Churches, civic organizations and businesses as well as individuals have partnered with us through the years, and these partnerships have helped us serve more families than we could have otherwise. Look over our opportunities of service and see how you or your organization might partner with us to better serve those in need. Whether financial, in-kind donations or volunteering your time and talents; together we can continue to make a difference now and in years to come.
RECENT UPDATES
We have been involved in collecting and delivering relief supplies in response to recent hurricanes. The churches of the Holston Conference has put together almost 2,000 cleaning buckets and over 4,000 hygiene kits as well as almost 1,300 school kits. Under the direction of Jim Fetzer and the Holston Conference Disaster Committee we picked up these supplies from the district offices and prepared them for delivery. This fall we made two deliveries to the Sager Brown UMCOR Depot in Baldwin, Louisiana of cleaning bucket and hygiene kits that ultimately were sent to Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico.
We delivered the school kits as well as some hygiene kits to Kissimmee, Florida for the children from Puerto Rico. Rev. Jose Nieves is coordinating the dispersement of these supplies to children who are in Florida to continue their education while their schools are unable to operate due to hurricane devastation.
The combined effort is a testimony that the “connection” works, especially when we respond to those in need during natural disasters. We are proud to be a part of that connection and the disaster response team of the Holston Conference.
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