About Cross Roads Church (formerly John Calvin Presbyterian Church)
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What We Believe
The word "presbyterian" comes from the New Testament. The root word means "elder" and describes one of the models of church leadership in the Bible. In a Presbyterian church, it is elders - elected by the congregation - who provide spiritual oversite and governance. Our History John Calvin Presbyterian Church was built by people with a purpose. They had a vision of the future and church with a purpose for them and their community. 50 years ago that vision became John Calvin Presbyterian. That spirit is still alive in this church. On Palm Sunday 1966, a group of interested Christians gathered in a temporary location in Windcrest known as the "bomb shelter." Rev. T.O. "Top" Perrin, Presbytery’s organizing evangelist, led the worship. By autumn of that year, attendance had grown to 100, and these dedicated believers petitioned Presbytery to organize their fledgling church. And so it came to pass on October 9, 1966, that John Calvin Presbyterian Church began ministry in this community. The following January, the church formally called Rev. Perrin as its first pastor. Presbytery donated five acres of land for the building, and ground was broken in December 1967. The new facility was dedicated in October 1968. The second pastor, Duke Kilgore, arrived in 1971, and subsequent growth made the existing building inadequate. The facilities were expanded in 1977, and a second service was added to relieve overcrowding. In 1987, the congregation called David Renwick, and the church began to look seriously at its future. There followed a Long Range Plan, adopted in 1988, with visionary recommendations. As John Calvin began its 25th year, the congregation entered an ambitious expansion program—a new sanctuary and a classroom building, dedicated in October 1993. With a continuing need for classroom space, however, the congregation voted again to "rise up and build," making plans for a Christian Education and Youth building. John Calvin’s most recent installed pastor, Malcolm McQueen, arrived in February 1996 and presided at the dedication of this new facility in October 1998. The upstairs Youth Center was completed in August 2001. With the departure of Malcolm McQueen in 2014, John Calvin Presbyterian began the “New Beginnings” process as it began its search for a new Pastor. Like its humble beginnings in 1966, the church still felt it had a vision for the future and for being a church with a purpose for the city of San Antonio. In the spring of 2016, John Calvin Presbyterian Church celebrated 50 years of mission and ministry together with God. Later in 2016 through prayer, discernment and by congregational vote with a bold plan, John Calvin Presbyterian Church became Cross Roads Church. May 2017 Congregational Press Release Dear Cross Roads Church Family: As you know, our church has been on a thoughtful journey of discovery and development. This journey has brought us to a wonderful time of new beginning. In that spirit, we are thrilled to present you with our new name and unveil our new logo. To all of us, this is so much more than just a new name and logo. It represents a fresh start and a vibrant future - a future that is welcoming to our increasingly diverse congregation and community - with a fresh look to our physical place of worship. Many churches offer worship and programs, but our congregation has a unique gift for loving and caring for one another. Because of this, Cross Roads Church is here not only to stay, but to flourish as the destination for anyone seeking to experience the love of God more deeply in their life. We look forward to courageously exploring new ways to demonstrate and share our strengths more creatively within our greater community, using our awesome campus for fruitful ministry. On Behalf of the Session, Pastor Peter, Interim |
