Crystal Springs as a family
Crystal Springs is a rural, welcoming, resilient congregation located a few miles southwest of Harper, Kansas. Given their smaller size, they function in many ways as a small group or large family. Words and phrases like “family,” “participate,” “a lot of grace,” are used by the members to describe themselves. When Pastor Josh Patterson was asked to describe his role in pastoral care, he said, “I work with others on that. When someone gets sick or needs something, we all show up.”
Josh has been serving the congregation since 2010 and was licensed for ministry in the summer of 2017. He is the IT professional for the Chaparral School District and teaches courses in forensics, speech and debate, along with entrepreneurship. Josh was named the Teacher of the Year at the Big Idea Conference for Youth Entrepreneurs of the Central Region in May.
A recent example of the hospitality and care of the congregation is Janice Knox, who served as the County Attorney and found her church home at Crystal Springs for several years before moving to Oregon. At Crystal Springs, she found a sense of community that allowed her to express her unique gifts and perspectives while contributing to others. She is joining the Plymouth Congregational Church in St. Helens, Oregon, where Pastor David Hutchinson recently reported that she is a blessing to that church and wishes to continue her close ties to Crystal Springs.
–Howard Keim
Regional Conference Minister
Posted on May 25, 2018 in Weekly Word