Solid As A Rock

For those of us who don’t have apostolic gifts, planting a church is a scary experience, to say the least. But for Sterling and Jenna Edwards, it’s the way that leads to fulfillment and fruitful ministry. They are planting on solid ground called Long Island, and they are standing (and running) firmly, solid as a rock, as they serve and lead in the life and ministry of Crossroads Church of Long Island.



Kay and I left Washington, and arrived at JFK in New York on Saturday, June 30, where we met Sterling and Sterlette (aka Emma Grace, who was covered in chocolate, and who had finger-painted the interior of the car door in shades of cocoa, too). Sterling provided a quick tour of the Island, as we drove on fast-moving, but not-too-crowded freeways for a Saturday afternoon. Jenna and Madison were waiting at the house—Jenna going about her preparations for Sunday, and Madison, hanging close by.



We found the Edwards family firmly planted in the community of faith formerly known as Farmingdale Baptist Church. It's home for them now. We had read the stories, and heard Sterling tell them too, of how God had led them to the folks at Farmingdale, and how he had blessed them with such wonderful buildings for living and for ministry, and it was fun seeing them firsthand.



Later that evening we met up with Jimmy and Chris Haynes, UBC’ers who were also visiting—not only the Edwards, but maybe more importantly—their summer intern/daughter Julie Haynes. (Melanie Hoo, the other intern, would return from Houston on Tuesday, following her visit to Houston for her mom’s surgery.) Jimmy Haynes did some “real” work, unlike some of us, helping with lighting and flooring in the Crossroads buildings. It was fun to see the Haynes family.





Back in February, when I talked with Sterling about our hopes to visit with them during Sabbatical, I explained that we wanted to do some fun things with them, to give them a break from the hectic summer schedule, and the fast-pace life of church planting. We wanted to do some things with them that it’s difficult for them to do on their own. (I know what you’re thinking—what a noble goal, Rick—playing golf, catching a broadway musical, and going to a baseball game. Okay, there were some residual benefits for us, but that’s our story, and we’re sticking to it.)



Sunday, we got to meet the Crossroads fellowship. The folks were warm and welcoming, and we had a nice time worshipping with them. Monday evening, one of the small groups that meet weekly at the Edwards home, were present, and we joined several of them for pizza afterwards. On Tuesday, the Haynes joined us for a visit to Fire Island, where we climbed the tall lighthouse for great views of the island that runs parallel to the big Island. That afternoon, Sterling and I played a little golf course where a sign on the first tee box read, “Bethpage Black is an extremely difficult golf course. Only highly skilled golfers should play this course.” We played it anyway.



On Wednesday, Sterling and I took the Long Island Express into the Bronx for a game in Yankee Stadium. (Neither one of us are true Yankees fans, but as a kid, I watched my hero Mickey Mantle, and it was a thrill to see the “house that Ruth built,”, and the place where the Mick and Roger Maris set records and won baseball games. The Yankees got beat that day, but we didn’t mind. It was a fun day at the old ball park.)

On Thursday, the Edwards and Kay and I boarded the Long Island train and made our way to Manhattan—this time to see the broadway musical “Mary Poppins” at the New Amsterdam theater. I have to say, of all the thrills that I had that week, none was bigger than seeing the excitement in the girls’ eyes, and hearing Madison and Emma talk of the flying nanny.



I mentioned earlier that Jenna and Sterling are solid as a rock in the Farmingdale community. But there’s another rock that had to be dealt with at the end of our week at Crossroads. At intermission, Jenna went out and didn’t make it back in before the start of the show. She’d been dealing all week with a kidney stone, and by the end of the week, it was really flaring up. When the show was over, Sterling and Jenna and Emma went back to the hotel (we had all planned to stay in the city), and early the next morning, the four of them made their way back to the Island, and Jenna went straight to the hospital. She spent a day or two there, went home for a day, and then went back in on Tuesday for a procedure to break it up. We’re thankful that Jenna is okay.

Kay and I walked around in the city, then made our way to a hotel at JFK, where we stayed Friday evening, before flying home on Saturday. We are so thankful that the rock has been removed from Jenna. And, we are grateful to God for Sterling and Jenna’s steadfast, solid rock, ministry to the people of Long Island.

Care-full-y,

rick