Special Message from

Pastor John Jacobi

My Dear friends in Jesus at Crosstown Covenant Church,

It was in 2006 that you called me to serve as your Lead Pastor.  It has been a great privilege for me to serve in this role.  Over the last 19 years, we’ve experienced incredible joys as well as extraordinary sorrows.  We have sought to be faithful to Jesus in the midst of racial injustice, political polarization and a pandemic!  Now, a fresh season awaits both Crosstown and the Jacobis.  I am announcing my resignation as Lead Pastor as I will be moving into retirement.   My final day of service will be Sunday, August 31, 2025.  

In Philippians 1:4-6, Paul writes, 

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Over the last 19 years, I have continually found these words to be true!  Following Jesus is about a journey with our Lord in which we join hands and hearts with one another.  Along the way, we discover that we’re “better together.”  Beyond this dynamic, we learn that Jesus’ power and presence is at work in us—even when we’re not aware of it!  In this “season” of time that the Spirit has given us, we’ve grown as Jesus’ disciples!  For this  “partnership in the Gospel,” I am incredibly thankful to God!!  Over the next seven months, it is my intention to “finish strong” so that Crosstown is equipped to move forward.

What’s next for Marna and John?  We’ll continue to live in Minneapolis.  For the first six months, I intend to observe an intentional sabbatical.  I’ll seek to listen for Jesus’ voice in this upcoming season of our lives.  We believe that Jesus has pathways of service for us to fulfill but we’re not yet sure what those will be.  

What’s next for Crosstown?  On the reverse side of this letter, you will find an update from our Church Chair, Heather Polhemus, and our Leadership Team.  Please read that document to learn of current plans for Crosstown’s future.  

In the Deep Love of Jesus,

John K. Jacobi, Lead Pastor

Greetings Church, 

As you have read, after 19 years of faithful service to Crosstown Covenant Church, Pastor John has announced his retirement and his final Sunday with us will be on Sunday, August 31, 2025. Pastor John shared his plans with the Leadership Team this past fall and we met with the Superintendent of the Northwest Conference, Rev. Kara Stromberg, who provided guidance and extended the support of the NWC to Crosstown as we move through this transition. During the monthly Leadership Team meetings we have held special sessions to discuss the process, steps, and timeline for this season of transition. 

First and foremost, we are seeking our Lord Jesus Christ for His guidance and direction for His church. On Saturday, February 1, we held our annual Leadership Retreat in which we spent the majority of the time praying and asking the Lord for His guidance and direction for Crosstown Covenant Church. We invite you as our congregation to join us in prayerfully asking the Lord to lead and direct us as we seek what He has in store for us. 

Per our Bylaws, we will be forming a pastoral search committee to identify and nominate our next Lead Pastor. According to Article IV and within Section 3 of our Bylaws, regarding a pastoral search committee “The Lead Pastor shall be nominated by a pastoral search committee. This committee shall be elected by the membership at a congregational business meeting. It shall be representative of the congregation and have five to nine members, including the Leadership Team chair. It shall work closely with the regional conference superintendent.” The Leadership Team will be praying over members for a Pastoral Search Committee and the nominees will be presented for congregational vote of approval at a future business meeting. 

In addition to the formation of a Pastoral Search Committee and in preparation for September 1 and beyond, the Leadership Team is also working with Rev. Stromberg and the NWC office to identify pastors to provide preaching on Sunday mornings and/or a Transitional Pastor during the interim while we search for who the Lord will call to be our next Lead Pastor. 

Our verse for the year Isaiah 43:18-19 “But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.” We look forward with great anticipation to what new things the Lord has for us and Pastor John. We are grateful for Pastor John, Marna, and his family and the blessing they have been to us these past 19 years.

Regular updates will be provided to the congregation as we move through the process. Please reach out to anyone on the Leadership Team with questions you have as we move into this next season at Crosstown.

Blessings, 

Heather Polhemus 

Leadership Team Chair

Hpolhemus@gmail.com

Kathy McGillivray

Vice Chair

gilgal63@gmail.com

Bill Weller

Finance Officer

wpweller54@gmail.com

Bonnie Overcott

Secretary

bwovercott@gmail.com

Wayne Berfeldt 

wberfeldt@yahoo.com

Bob Weides

reweides@comcast.net