Jamilah Bowden, Chair
Sherry Evans-Scaife, Co-Chair
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Mission Statement
We seek to glofiy God
through praise and worship, to bear the cross of Jesus
Christ, to make
the Bible our foundation, and to show our love for God,
neighbor, and self through dance and the arts. We minister
to the spiritual needs of the people of God wherever
the Lord leads us, and offer them His love, peace, and
righteousness. We celebrate His goodness with the instruments
of praise and worship.
Vision
We seek to engage the children of god in active praise
and worship using mind, body, and spirit through dance
and the arts. We will use dance to help bind wounds,
heal broken spirits. We seek to release the spirit
within in an expression of love, joy, faith, hope,
and peace through the power of God’s word, the life
of Jesus Christ, and the message of scripture. We will
reach children, the elderly, the homeless, those in
prison, those in churches, schools and the community.
Aim
We will praise and worship God through dance and the
arts, minister to His children and to each other in
ways that nurture our relationship with Him. We will
engage in and promote activities that seek to heal,
reconilce, educate, and draw people together in a spirit
of love, faith, and hope. We will offer His plan of
salvation through His son, Jesus Christ, for all people
and creation.
History of the Crossbearers of Hope
Liturgical Dance Ministry
Dance ministry first entered
on the scene at Hope United Methodist Church in the
mid 1980s Pastor Stewart’s
vision of allowing persons to use all spiritual gifts
in serving God. Mrs. Evyonne Scott took a group of
teen-age girls and nurtured them in the art of dance
that gave
glory to God. That ministry disbanded after several
years.
The Crossbearers of Hope Dance Ministry
began in early 1999 under the direction of Dr. Gayle
Heiskell.
She moved
to Phoenix, Arizona in July 2002 where she currently
directs a dance ministry. She birthed the Crossbearers
of Hope liturgical dance ministry in her mind, heart,
and soul. She nurtured the ministry in every aspect
for three years. At its beginning, they ministered and
evangelized
with as few as two people, one a teenager, Ellen E.
Chamberlain. Under her direction, the ministry evangelized
and offered
hope and healing during 5th Sunday worship services
at Hope UMC, held a yearly Palm Sunday concert, and ministered
at numerous local church services, nursing homes, and
community events. At the end of Dr. Heiskell’s
service, the ministry had grown, with attrition, to
nearly twenty dancers including children, youth, and
adults.
Jamilah Bowden, after much prayer, became
ministry directress
in January 2003. She had worked with Dr. Heiskell in
choreography and as dance directress of the teens prior
to accepting the call as directress for the entire ministry.
Under her tireless efforts, ministry members must fast
weekly, attend yearly training, planning, and orientation
sessions prior to ministering. Ministry members are encouraged
to attend local and national dance conferences and workshops
to bring their lives and level of ministry in line with
God’s will, perfect the art, and minister with
excellence to God.
Members must have ongoing spiritual
food because dance is not a ministry for the faint
of heart and weak in
spirit. Dancers must be taught how to repel the forces
of evil through spiritual preparation, physical fitness,
and much prayer and intercession.
Dr. Heiskell said
that “The dance ministry was
like and accordion. People come and go for all kinds
of reasons, but God always insure that there are enough
dancers to do his will”. One cannot remain committed
to dance without a strong spiritual relationship with
God. Ms. Bowden primary goal is to help each dancer
achieve a higher level of spiritual growth for each
year they
are in the ministry.
Psalm 150: 3-6 guides the ministry. “Praise
the Lord, Praise him with sounding of the trumpet,
Praise
him with the harp and lyre, Praise him with tambourine
and dancing, Praise him with the strings and flute, Praise
him with the clash of cymbals, Praise him with resounding
cymbals, Let everything that has breath Praise the Lord.
The
Crossbearers minister every 5th Sunday to our local
congregation and present at least one concert annually.
The Young Crossbearers ages 7-12 minister every first
Sunday in Jesus Junction (children’s church) and
on 5th Sunday. The ministry sponsors a fall dance festival
with other local dance ministries, and sponsors an African
heritage workshop yearly for children ages 4 – 12.
The ministry is committed to evangelism at Lahser Hills
nursing home at least quarterly, to support of Tony
Crosby week of sheltering the homeless, and supporting
other
ministries in the local church and community.
We welcome
members and non-members who desire to serve God through
dance. Ages 7 through adult, male and female,
with or without dance experience. Children ages 7 – 12
meet every Saturday at the church from 1:00 pm to 2:00
pm. Teens meet every Thursday evening from 5:30 pm to
7:00 pm, and adults meet every Saturday from 2:00 pm
to 4:30 pm. There is no time off – the ministry
is about God and not individual preferences.
As Levites
in the church, we do not wear costumes; we wear vestments
in reverence of our service to God. We
are a dance ministry whose focus is praising and worshiping
God, not a dance troupe. We do not perform, we present
God’s message through dance.
Peace and Blessings in the name of
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Crossbearers of Hope 2004 Calendar
AUGUST 2
Young Crossbearers in Jesus Junction
AUGUST 29
7:30 am and 10:30 am Services at Hope UMC
SEPTEMBER 5
Young Crossbearers in Jesus Junction
SEPTEMBER 12
Rally Date – Informational Booth and Registration for 2005
OCTOBER 2
Ministry Planning, Training, and Orientation of New Members 2:00 – 4:30
pm
OCTOBER 3
Young Crossbearers in Jesus Junction
OCTOBER 16-17
HUMC Women’s Ministry Fall Retreat in Toledo, Ohio
OCTOBER 30
7:30 am and 10:30 am Services at Hope UMC
NOVEMBER 6
Young Crossbearers in Jesus Junction
NOVEMBER 13
Fall Dance Festival with Guest Dance Ministries at Hope UMC – 5:00 pm
NOVEMBER 28 through DECEMBER 5
Tony Crosby Week
DECEMBER 5
Young Crossbearers in Jesus Junction
DECEMBER 27 through JANUARY 1
African Heritage Camp for Children Age 4 – 12
Ministry Cooperative Event
Lahser Hills Nursing Home |
