2021 IMPACT Magazine FALL/WINTER EDITION

IMPACT FALL/WINTER 2021

Crossover Community Impact Magazine

Restoring Our Community

2021 Fall/Winter Edition

I M PA C T

Volume 5, Number 9 2021 Fall/ Winter Edition

EDITOR Rondalyn Abode, Director of Development

ART/DESIGN Janice Roberson Connolly, MBA Director of Marketing & Design

BOARD OF DIRECTORS PHILIP ABODE K. MICHELLE BARNETT JEAN BARRETT JOHN HOLLIDAY, JR REBECCA MARKS-JIMMERSON ROBERT MARSHALL DON MILLICAN SAM RADER CHRIS THRUTCHLEY ANGIE WALKER O.C. WALKER DR. LAUREL WILLISTON

ABOUT US IMPACT is published two times a year: Winter and Summer.

Crossover Community Impact 940 East 36th Street North Tulsa, OK 74106 (918) 856-5377 www.crossoverimpact.org info@crossoverimpact.org

2021 has turned into an exciting year for the Crossover family! We are closer than we have ever been to starting construction on the Crossover Community Center. We launched the Crossover Prep Girls’ School with a special group of sixth grade young ladies! Crossover Health Services is expanding to two locations. Crossover Development Company now has 2 crews! As the Crossover family continues to grow, I am constantly humbled by the fact that I get to be a part of all of this. Even though there is still much work for us to do as an organization, I look forward to seeing God’s work in us and through us here in our community.

In this edition of the IMPACT magazine, you will get to read stories of some of the amazing folks that God has brought to be a part of the Crossover family. Even though God has done more than we can ask or imagine over the past nine years of Crossover Community Impact’s existence, His goodness to us is most clearly seen in the people that He has called to join us in this work. I am sure that you will see exactly what I am talking about when you get to read their stories. Hearing how this work impacts them and seeing their impact on others always encourages me.

My hope is that as you read this current edition of our magazine, that you will share my excitement for the amazing work that God is accomplishing in our community! When I look at everything He has done, there is no way that any of us can take credit for it. I am so thankful for the great team of folks who truly believe that God is up to something special in our community.

I want to thank you for partnering with us in this most important work.

Your prayers, financial support, and volunteer hours have played a key role in the life of Crossover. The stories in this magazine are your stories too. Please be encouraged as we seek to restore our community through reconciliation, love, and justice.

Grateful for you,

FOLLOW US FACEBOOK facebook.com/crossoverimpact INSTAGRAM instagram.com/crossover communityimpact TWITTER twitter.com/crossoverimpact

Philip Abode Co-Founder Crossover Community Impact

Coffee & Convo at Crossover Preparatory Academy

What’s Inside Features 4. Crossover Community Impact 6. Crossover Scholarship Fund 8. StreetLeader Program 10. Crossover Kids Program 12. Crossover Sports Association

We would love the opportunity to get to know you and to treat you to coffee at Crossover Prep.

14. Crossover Bible Church 16. Crossover Development Company

Please join us for convocation and a tour to learn about how you can make an impact in north Tulsa.

18. Crossover Preparatory Academy 20. Crossover Health Services 22. End of Year Campaign

Cover Photo:

Crossover Prep Academy’s STEM Center Scholars

Every Wednesday and Thursday 8:15-9:15 a.m.

5424 N. Madison Ave Tulsa, OK 74106 RSVP 918.694.4916 Derrick.Hill@crossoverprep.org

We are a Christian organization committed to restoring our community through reconciliation, love, and justice.

Crossover Community Impact

by Justin Pickard

Y

esterday, I had just finished a zoom meeting from home and return to these neighborhoods. Although in this case, I felt pretty had a few minutes before someone would pick me up to take me much as powerless as this kids’ stepdad, there are so many situto the next meeting. There was a knock on the door and the stepations where I see that I have ways to help because of what God dad of a kid, who was in the same class at Hawthorne Elementahas given me. Still, it tore me up thinking of what I would try to ry as our son Isaiah, was standing there. He told me that he and do if my son, Isaiah disappeared. I reached out and drove around his wife had taken the bus somewhere, the neighborhood more with him. They returned, and found that their son was had filed a police report, posted on sogone. They had been very careful to quarcial media- doing everything they could antine during COVID and their kids were think of. Fearing the worst, I reached out The power of Proximity is in online school, and even though it had to a friend who is an IT expert to see if that it puts us where God been a long time since he had played at he could get in his computer and find our house with Isaiah, he was hoping he any communication that would provide can use us.” was here. I told him I hadn’t seen him and a clue. By God’s grace our worst fears offered to drive around with him to look were not realized when he was found by -Justin P. for him – but we couldn’t find him. police that night asleep, unharmed in someone’s yard.

Dr. John Perkins, the founder of Christian Community Development, convinced us at Crossover a long The power of proximity is that it puts us where God can use time ago of the power of proximity. Bringing the change under-reus. Although I wasn’t particularly helpful in this situation, I was sourced neighborhoods need is best done when in proximity – able to get to know this kid’s parents better and because God has that is why Dr. Perkins encourages people to relocate, remain, or given me a wife with a gift of counseling and training to become

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Pictured above: Justin and his family building community within the Hawthorne Neighborhood.

a licensed professional counselor, I suggested that their son come over and talk with her as well as play with our son. Hopefully, this is something God uses.

Another example of the power of proximity is seen on Saturday evenings when we pray for our neighborhood and street. We have been praying for a Christian teacher who heard of the dire need for teachers in Tulsa Public Schools and had started teaching at Hawthorne Elementary. He recently lost his co-teacher and has close to thirty 5th graders he is teaching all subjects by himself. Needless to say, it is a difficult situation – probably more accurately described as impossible and an injustice. Well, God has given me the privilege of being the Executive Director of Crossover, and so, when I hear something like this, I will pray as well as act. I have helped highlight this concern at Crossover Bible Church. I am also able to highlight the need right now on social media and in Crossover’s publications. I asked the counselor at Hawthorne which positions are missing, and he said that in addition to another fifth-grade teacher, they are missing a fourth-grade teacher and multiple teaching assistants. Please spread the word.

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Isaiah 1:17 says “learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” It struck me a long time ago (at least 11 years ago since we named one of our sons Isaiah) that God doesn’t just call us to stop doing injustice, but to actively seek justice and bring it to the most vulnerable.

Justin Pickard, who was born on his dad’s first day of Law School, was rightly named because his name means “defender of justice.” God has used him and his family mightily to seek justice on behalf of individuals in north Tulsa since 2008 when they decided to make north Tulsa their home. He has been married to his amazing wife, Leah, who loves to see people experience true healing for 20 years, and together they have four children who serve the community alongside them. Their kiddos are Rochelle better known as Ellie (18), Ian (16), Augie (13), and Isaiah (11).

Please go to www.crossoverimpact.org to learn more about Crossover Community Impact and the great community development work the team is doing!

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Crossover

STEM Education

by Quincy Brown

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was first introduced to Crossover Prep when I asked my friend Joseph what school he attended, and I found out he went to Crossover Prep. I shadowed as a 6th grader, and during the shadowing process, I went to the Science Class. At this point, the school was still meeting at John 3:16’s Youth and Family Center. I came into Science Class and the teachers seemed really nice; they even had snacks for the students! I didn’t decide to attend Crossover Prep as a seventh grader, but I am so glad that I was able to become a student as an Eighth grader. I am also beyond grateful that I was able to be one of the first students in the Crossover Prep STEM Center.

Crossover has had a big impact on my education- the level of education and the schoolwork has made a huge impression on me.

Having teachers who will help me personally achieve my academic

Pictured above: Quincy (far left) and his CPA brothers, being announced as 2021-2022 Thunder Fellows.

Crossover has had a big impact on my education.’

-Quincy B. goals with things like study hall at lunch or coming in after class to get help, has helped me stay on top of everything. The staff has also introduced me to new ways to grow academically.

One day my STEM Teachers, Mrs. Long and Mrs. Stocksen, introduced the group of STEM Center guys to the Thunder Fellows program. They described the prestige of the program, and they described how we could become members of this program. I had to go through the application process that had many steps

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Scholarship Fund The Crossover Scholarship Fund provides a tuition-free education for the students at Crossover Prep!

Pictured left (above): Quincy with the Inaugural Thunder Fellows Class. Photo credit courtesy of Thunder Fellows.

Pictured Right (below): CPA students lining the hallways congratulating Quincy and the other CPA students chosen for the fellowship.

including an interview. When I got to the interview, Sam Preste (the GM for the Oklahoma City Thunder), was in the group that was interviewing me! We talked about my 2K strategy when he asked me about how to build a team. He asked me about draft picks and other strategies for team building- I told him “it’s vital that you are careful not to trade your present for your future”. After the interview, I along with the other two STEM Center members who applied, had to wait weeks that felt like years to find out the results.

As we all waited to find out whether or not we had been accepted into the program, we were pulled out of class on what seemed like a random Tuesday. We were told we needed to put on masks to go outside and meet some important donors. When we got outside, we saw blue and white balloons and found out that we had made it into the program! After celebrating, we walked back in Edurec and the whole school was lining the hallways cheering and clapping for us! Since starting the Thunder Fellows program we have been working on data and analytics projects as well as talking to heads of companies about how they use data in what they do. We have also discussed how to build our social media platform and how to be good stewards of our online reputations. The program is giving us training and connecting us with our future career STEM plans. I am thankful that Crossover introduced me to the Thunder Fellows, and I am so glad to be a part of Crossover Prep and the inaugural class of the STEM Center!

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Quincy Brown is a Freshman at Crossover Prep. He is a member of the STEM Center, and he and two other members of the STEM Center are Thunder Fellows through the Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball Organization. In all of Tulsa, only 26 students were selected to be a part of this program, and Quincy was able to impress the General Manager of the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Team! He is a gifted student who continues to be a “Crossover Man of the Month” and a member of the “Executive Director’s Honor Roll” (4.0 for the Trimester). As a “Crossover Man” he exemplifies high Academic, Attitude, Attendance, and Activities Achievement. He is well on his way to change not just his community but the entire world. He has 2 siblings, one older brother and one younger sister, and parents who create an incredible support system for him.

To learn more about the Crossover Scholarship Fund and the most IMPACTful state tax credits available, please go to http://crossoverscholarshipfund.org/.

StreetLeaders StreetLeaders work as counselors, tutors, and mentors for our elementary age students within the Crossover Kids program.

Pictured above: Sarah with the StreetLeaders, College Interns, and Crossover Kids.

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Growing with God

by Sarah Smith

I

remember when I first came across the StreetLeader Program with Crossover Community Impact. It was a simple link to an application that took me moments to complete. Who would ever think “Crossover” would be a significant part of who I am today?! I certainly had no idea. HI! My name is Sarah Smith, and I am a StreetLeader in the Crossover Kids Program!

Crossover hasn’t just helped me perform better in school, but it has also helped me grow in my relationship with God. Being with Crossover and bonding with the other Street Leaders, I am able to freely express my beliefs candidly. We are also able to ask questions to gain understanding. I even have the opportunity to teach the bible to the 4th graders on Wednesdays. I am better focused as a student, and I am even able to spend the last hour of the school day working with the Crossover Kids for my internship! I have been working with my friend, Priest, for almost a year now, and I enjoy mentoring him and helping him.

He has Autism, so I have learned a lot about ways to help him understand his homework, and I have learned to keep him engaged socially with others!

I believe Crossover Kids isn’t just a place; its existence is from what dwells inside the leaders of the program who love it! It isn’t just limited to a building or a bunch of people even. Crossover for me is something that ranges from all over the world and is forever spreading and ever growing. It’s a movement!

Being a StreetLeader is so much more than just a job: it is an opportunity to celebrate every day! It’s an opportunity to learn positive ways to teach kids, to watch them grow in and develop their

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Pictured above: Sarah with Crossover Kid, Priest Abode.

Crossover hasn’t just helped me perform better in school, but it has also helped me grow in my relationship with God.” -<Sarah S. skill sets! I have been amazed by their achievements, and most importantly I have had a number of opportunities to show elementary age students that there is someone who will forever love them unapologetically and that God always has his hands around them to guide them.

Crossover Community Impact

Sarah Smith is the Senior class Valedictorian at McLain High School, and she has worked in the StreetLeader Program since February of 2021. She was hand-picked to work with Priest, an 11-year-old who is full of energy and who happens to be on the Autism Spectrum. Sarah loves all of the children well, and she is respected amongst her peers and adults alike because of her calm demeanor and her exceptional problem-solving abilities. Anyone who meets her would describe her as sweet, and she plans to become a Teacher in the future to continue to grow in her love for teaching and working with kids.

To learn more about the StreetLeader Program, please go to http://crossoverimpact. org/streetleader/.

Crossover Kids Our Afterschool and Summer Enrichment STEAM-based Program at Hawthorne Elementary School.

Pictured above: Jakylah with Mrs. Elizabeth Holman, Crossover Kids Staff, and fellow Crossover Kids celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.

AFTER-SCHOOL PROGRAM

by Jakylah Willis

H

ello! Today I will be writing an article for Crossover’s IMPACT Magazine. Let me introduce myself, I am Jakylah Willis, I go to Hawthorne Elementary School (It is a wonderful school!)! I am in 5th grade, I have 1 sibling, and I have a million favorite things to do so I am going to list my top 5: 1. Seeing/ hanging out with family, 2. Praying/ Going to church, 3. Singing/ dancing, 4. Going to School/ Crossover, 5. Playing/ watching sports or movies!

I first learned about Crossover a few years ago when I was in the 3rd grade. I wanted a fun after school activity, so I asked my mother if I could attend the Crossover Kids Program. She said, “Are you sure you want to go to Crossover and be in Wise Moves?”

“Yes!” I said emphatically. The next day, at the end of the school day, it was finally Crossover time! The minute I stepped into the cafeteria I felt a positive, amazing energy, and everyone was and is so nice. On top of that, we learn about God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit and to me and some of the other students, it is important to learn about Christianity.

Crossover has taught me about Christianity more, and I have learned to be more open-minded. People say I can be rude, loud, and mean, and Crossover has taught me that it is good to be nice and generous to others because you never know how what you do today might come up in the future (Parents teach you this also).

I love Crossover! It is so fun! Crossover has the most positive energy every time you step in the door. They teach us Math, ELA, STEAM, and they teach us about Christianity from the Bible. We also have recess where we can socialize with each other and have specials where we play and talk to each other also.

The thing I love most about the people at Crossover is you can tell them ANYTHING and they won’t judge you or think any less of you. My relationship with Crossover is so strong and you can go there for Summer School and even there you will find

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someone you can talk to about anything. It was actually the second day of Summer School last year when I realized I feel really close to Miss Ellie, a former StreetLeader and current College Intern, and the Holliday brothers, Mr. Jamin (but I call him Mr. Jamie) and Mr. Josiah Holliday, a College Intern. They feel like my family like my other big brothers and sister. I think that’s the best way to describe the Crossover Kids Program, it feels like a family.

Thank you for reading this article for the Crossover IMPACT Magazine. I hope you have a good rest of your day and please remember Crossover can be your next big thing!

CROSSOVER HAS TAUGHT ME ABOUT CHRISTIANITY MORE, AND I HAVE LEARNED TO BE MORE OPEN-MINDED.” -Jakylah W.

Jakylah Willis is a 5th grader at Hawthorne Elementary School, and she has been a part of the Crossover Kids Program for 3 years. She sees the Crossover Kids Program as an extension of her family. We hope that she will continue to be a part of the Crossover Family by attending Crossover Prep as a 6th grader.

To learn more about our STEAM-based After-School and Summer Day Camp at Hawthorne Elementary School, please go to http://crossoverimpact.org/crossover-kids/.

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CROSSOVER

LIONS

We are committed to producing athletes that excel both on and off the field.

Pictured above: Crossover Community Center Fitness & Weight rooms

Adult Sports & Excerise

by Rondalyn Abode

O

ne of the things I have learned about having a toddler as a 40-year-old mother is I often reflect on how similar or dissimilar Baby Truth was to Baby Temple. Temple was my first baby and Baby Truth make me feels like I’ve become a first-time mother all over again because as she celebrated her first birthday on September 4th, her big brother, Priest, celebrated his 11th birthday on September 16th, and her big sister, Temple, celebrated her 14th birthday on September 20th. Yes, they all have September birthdays, and no I’m not quite ready to have one birthday party for all three kids! But I digress.

More than anything, I remember Baby Temple toddling around in her walker at the Crossover Men’s Basketball League in 2008.

Now, the Crossover League was aptly named, because it was the best Men’s Basketball League in the Tulsa metroplex. The men had team names and jerseys and there were championship games, and guys that I saw play in the Elite 8 for the University of Tulsa during my time as a student came out and put on an incredible show even though they too were graduates with families of their own. One of the things that gets me most excited about the Crossover Community Center will be the addition of Adult Sports to the Crossover Sports Association’s offerings.

We have had to put a lot of our youth sports on hold because

SPORTS The possibilities for helping adults become more active seem to be endless with the addition of the Crossover community center!”

-Rondalyn a.

Pictured above: Crossover Community Center Gymnasium we do not have our own facility. It had become very difficult to find practice space for 8 basketball teams, and even now, our all-boys’ school does not have a functional gym. The girls have “gym class” at the YMCA, but they do not even have a permanent space for their volleyball games. All of this changes with the Crossover Community Center! Not only will we have space for youth sports, but we will have space for adults to be active too! I look forward to the Men’s League starting anew, and I would not be disappointed if there was a Women’s League as well. I hope that Crossover is able to bring back its Volleyball team of old!

We were a force to be reckoned with in the Adult Recreational League through Tulsa Parks. My husband, Philip, and I, might even come out of retirement!

I anticipate the Adult Exercise classes to help adults become active and physically fit, including Dance Fitness Classes or Strength Training classes! North Tulsa could benefit from a CrossFit class or two in a “box” in our community. I will be most excited about seeing the “Prescriptions for Exercise” from

Crossover Health Services put to use at the Crossover Community Center. The possibilities for helping adults become more active seem to be endless with the addition of the Crossover Community Center!

The first element of our vision to “restore our community” is seeing north Tulsa become a community that is full of healthy individuals. The Crossover Community Center will go a long way to help individuals in our community become physically fit and wholistically healthy.

Rondalyn Abode is passionate about bringing God the most glory, and she believes that her role as the Director of Development for CCI is instrumental in her doing just that! She has been married to her “Honey,” Philip Abode, for 19 years, and she has the sheer joy of watching God transform him daily. She is most inspired by her three little people, Temple, Priest, and Truth, and she often despises the “baby dog,” Rocky. As a sports enthusiast, she has waited patiently for the day that Crossover Sports would also include adult sports.

To learn more about Crossover Sports Association, please go to: http://www.crossoverlions.org.

Restoring our community by making disciples while loving and serving our neighbors.

Crossover Bible Church

by Denise Lopez

Christ calls us to “go”, but everyone’s “go” looks different. ” -Denise L.

A

s the Director of EveryDay Ministry, I often have the opportunity to talk about living on mission. Christ calls us to “go,” but everyone’s “go” looks different. Some Christ followers will “go” overseas, and some will “go” across the street. So, I should not have been surprised that God’s call to “go” for my husband, Carl, and I along, with our youngest daughter, would be to north Tulsa.

But nothing could’ve been more of a surprise!

My friend, Holly, introduced me to Rondalyn Abode (Ronnie) in

the spring of 2017. To know Ronnie is to love her, and I was instantly drawn to her outgoing personality and love for the Lord. Over the next several years we would keep in contact through an occasional text or even lunch. I knew of Crossover Community Impact, but I was completely unaware of all that God was doing through this non-profit. It wasn’t until a few years later when I interviewed Philip and Rondalyn for our podcast, Every day with Denise (their story is episode 25), that I fully understood that it all centered around a local church, Crossover Bible Church. And that resonated with my heart; I absolutely love the local church!

On the morning of Tuesday, May 26, the entire country woke up to the news that a gentleman named George Floyd had been killed. Racial strife was real, and the sin of divisiveness was coming to a head once again. I knew that I had friends on both sides of the issue. While I knew that neither side was 100% right, I also knew that I had brothers and sisters in Christ of color who were hurting.

I knew nothing else to do but to go be with them. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 12:26 “... so if one member of the body suffers,

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Pictured above: Denise with her youngest daughter, Austin, and husband, Carl. (middle) Denise with Rondalyn Abode. (right) Carl Lopez with the Pickard family at the Lopez’s new home.

all members suffer with it.” So, on Sunday, May 31st, we drove from our home in South Tulsa to our first Crossover Bible Church service at the North Mabee Boys and Girls Club. We were total strangers and in a completely unfamiliar setting, but we clearly sensed the presence of the Lord.

Over the years I have learned that God calls us both to places and to causes to serve him. As the Lord begin to speak to our hearts about serving him in racial reconciliation, he began to make a few things clear. If we truly felt called to being peacemakers and building bridges then it would require that we be relationally intentional, somewhat uncomfortable, and sacrificially inconvenienced. Over the next few months, we would see this play out in our family. They were words to be obeyed and taken seriously and that obedience came with great rewards and blessings. While God was stirring our hearts to consider the cost, we had no idea of the growth and the joy it would bring to us to be a part of the Crossover family.

In every call of God to “go,” there is a simultaneous call to leave. In

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order to go to be a part of Crossover, we had to leave our Battle Creek Church home. The church where we belonged for 17 years, 10 of which I served on staff and absolutely loved my job!! But for everything we have left behind we have gained far more than we could have ever expected. In my wildest imagination I never thought that I would call north Tulsa home. But here we are, and we could not love it more!

We are so grateful to be a part of what God is doing in north Tulsa! We are thankful to be able to strive to live out the mission statement of our church: Restoring our community by making disciples while loving and serving our neighbors.

Denise Lopez is the Director of EveryDay Ministry, the former Women’s Ministry Director for BattleCreek Church, and the fragrance of Christ to this world. She and her husband, Carl, have been married for 28 years, and they have four amazing adult children. They are eagerly anticipating their first grandchild, and they see opportunities to love, celebrate, and serve others in ways that makes a tangible difference daily.

To learn more about CBC’s “gather, go, grow, gospel works” model, please go http://crossoverbible.org.

Revitalizing our community through economic and housing development.

by Tyler Warner

M

y Crossover story begins in early 2021, with an introduction to Justin Pickard, the Executive Director of Crossover Community Impact.

I had been meeting with my mentor, Mike Sares, in Colorado about finding where I “fit” in ministry. We had only been meeting a month before I was told about the job opening at Crossover Development Company. It seems God moved fast once I had accepted the call to do his work. I was excited to hear from Justin, all that God was doing through the ministry, the plans for the Crossover Community Center and all of the other ways Crossover is serving the community. I finally felt a landing spot to do ministry after years of trying to figure out how God could possibly use me.

My family and I made the trek from Colorado to Tulsa, and we haven’t looked back! We have been so blessed to be a part of the Crossover family. Our boys are fortunate enough to attend Crossover Prep, and they are loving it. The emphasis put on studying God’s word as well as having mature Christians in positions of leadership has been so great.

Our Mentors at Crossover Development Company teach and guide us every day, offering wisdom along with an amazing crew of men and women with touching stories of how the Lord has worked in their lives.

I am really honored to be a part of the process of not only restoring homes in the Hawthorne community, but to see and experience the restoration and growth in my life and in the lives of those I work with.

We have shared many heartfelt moments as we read God’s word at the start of every workday. I really can’t imagine not being here and not meeting all of these amazing people in the Crossover world. While being here, the Lord has already been at work on my heart, and He has been helping me to be the servant he designed me to be.

Pictured above: One of the CDC Home revitalizations in progress.

I am excited to see where we are headed and the lives that will be impacted along the way. The development company is young and growing, and I am excited to use what God has given and taught me to best serve the community we live in.

Tyler Warner is the newest Foreman at Crossover Development Company. He has been married to his beautiful wife Emily for 20 years. They have three kids Abbie (18), Reese (16), and Elijah (12). Their family is a reminder of how God wants to use everything He puts in your hands.

Tyler left a very successful development company that he built from the ground up because his desire was to go where God led him. Everyone who meets him and his sweet family is so grateful for their faithfulness and for them answering the call to come to Crossover.

To learn more about the Crossover Development Company and its revitalizing work in the Hawthorne neighborhood, please go to http:// crossoverimpact.org/crossover-development-company/.

Our Mentors at Crossover development Company teach and guide us every day, offering wisdom along with an amazing crew of men and women with touching stories of how the Lord has worked in their lives.”

-<Tyler W. Pictured above: Tyler Warner with his family

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CrossoverPREP

We are committed to developing educated, godly young people who love north Tulsa.

Home

by Avarice Holman

Pictured above: Mr. Holman with his wife, Elizabeth.

T

ulsa is not my hometown, but I have lived here for my entire adult life. “Do you ever plan to move back home?” is a question people have been asking me since 2014. My wife and I have no relatives in the Tulsa area. Most of our family lives in Maryland and New York. So, you can probably imagine why this question has been such a popular one. For several years, my response to that question was the same: “We’ll be here until the Lord tells us otherwise.” Before we get too deep into this story, allow me to introduce myself...

My name is Avarice Holman, Jr. and I am so grateful to be a part of the Crossover family. My wife and I were officially introduced to Crossover

in July 2017. We were attending Kids Across America during the same week a group from Crossover was attending. Jeremy Williams, the StreetLeader Coordinator, introduced himself and was eager to share with us the IMPACT Crossover was making in the community. We loved all that we heard, but it would be another 2 years before we hopped on the Crossover bus to join in on the work God was doing here.

My wife and I joined Crossover Bible Church in April 2019, and I joined the staff of Crossover Preparatory Academy four months later. I had recently entered a season of transition in my life, and I wasn’t quite sure where God was leading me. To be honest, I wasn’t thrilled about the job offer initially because working at a school had never been on my radar.

After much deliberation, there were still some uncertainties in my mind, but I hoped that God would be able to use me in some way at Crossover Prep to make an IMPACT in the lives of young men for His glory.

In my current role as Dean of Students, one of the things that I have learned is that it is impossible for me to IMPACT a student’s behavior on my own. A student’s behavior will only be changed if his heart has been transformed by God. One young man, for example, had an apathetic attitude which affected his academic performance and behavior. Even after numerous conversations and interventions with me and other staff members, things seemed to get worse. Recently, this young man expressed to us that things have changed and he is ready to move

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Crossover has become more than just “community” to me.

Crossover is family.”

-<Avarice H.

Pictured above: Mr. Holman with Dr. Lepine returning from the Manhood hike.

Pictured Top Left: Mr. Holman and the other Crossover Men after the first Manhood Hike Pictured Above: Mr. Holman speaking at Convocation.

forward with a new attitude and focus. God is, indeed, using our hard conversations and behavioral interventions. More than that, we are trusting Him to do the deep work that only He can do. This is why praying for and with our students and pointing them to the message of the Gospel is critical in our work.

As I look back on the last few years of my journey with Crossover, I come back to the question I started with: “Do you ever plan to move back home?” For several years, Tulsa has been my “home away from home”. For a long time, I have felt a sense of community that has helped ease the pain of being 1,800+ miles away from home. But Crossover has become more than just “community” to me. Crossover is family. So, today, when people ask, “Do you ever plan to move back home?” my answer is, “We are home.”

Avarice Holman, Jr. is the Dean of Students at Crossover Prep, and he also helps to lead worship at the school and Crossover Bible Church. He is a gifted musician and communicator, but he is most recognized for his ability to love others well. He has been married to his amazing and beautiful wife, Elizabeth, for 7 years. Together they have been creating a healthy foundation of trusting God for young people in north Tulsa for years, and they are beginning to see the fruit of their labor.

If you would like to learn more about Crossover Prep Academy, please go to http://crossoverprep.org.

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Crossover Scholarship Fund

These students are our future health professionals, social workers, teachers, policy makers, and military men and women—they are the future of our nation.

We must do more. And with your help we can. If you would like to learn more about the Crossover Scholarship Fund, please go to http://crossoverscholarshipfund. org.

We are committed to living out Christ’s compassion, dignity, and healing in our community through healthcare.

Crossover Health Services

by Cyndi Schneider

Having somewhere for people to come and see a physician right here in our community is truly a blessing.”

-Cyndi S.

I

get to work at Crossover Health Services (CHS) as a Dietitian and Diabetes Educator! What I do is not what’s most important though. It’s what people do to help themselves and their family using information about food or diabetes. In the world of Nutrition, we make around 200 decisions about food every day (Mindless Eating, Wansink). My job, with God’s help, is to

encourage good food choices to promote good health. Yes, food works like medicine! There is a connection of eating 2 fruits and 3 vegetables every day to having a longer life span (Harvard Public Health, 2021). It takes time and a community of support to make changes though. CHS and a larger community support organization called Crossover Community Impact all strive to help support north Tulsa in this important way!

Coffee is my initial link to Crossover Health Services. In 2014, a coffee buddy went to meet Dr. Kent Farish to learn about a health clinic in north Tulsa. So, my coffee group prayed for what turned out to be Crossover Health Services. I was involved in prayer support only for several years. I watched CHS grow and flourish while I worked as a Dietitian at a Diabetes Center elsewhere. It was often said, “we sure could use a Dietitian at Crossover!” When my Diabetes Center closed in 2019, I came running. I thought I was coming to help, but I have been the one who has been blessed. Crossover Health really strives to love on every person who comes walking through the doors.

Crossover Community Impact

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Pictured above: Cyndi enjoying healthy living and her family.

Working in Nutrition/Diabetes has always been my love!

I am glad I can bring this help to those who are unable or who prefer not to travel from north Tulsa. Nothing is more fulfilling than when we see how food along with exercise and medication really can work to heal.

The community of Crossover Health extends out to my own family and even further. Coffee came into play again last month while sharing a cup with my new neighbor. She asked what I did so I told her about CHS. She had heard of the Crossover Lions’ football success through Crossover Sports Association! Amazing! I told her about Crossover Community Impact and mentioned that there was also a school. Now, her 2 older children go to Crossover Preparatory Academy!

I never would have thought that I would be working in a small Family Practice Clinic. The patients and staff I have

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met at Crossover have been a blessing to me, and I pray my love for healthy food overflows into the lives of others!

Cyndi Schneider is the Dietician and Diabetes Educator at Crossover Health Services. She has been on staff since 2019, and she has been an integral part of the Tulsa FreshRx “Food is Medicine” Pilot Project. As someone who has Type 1 Diabetes, her passion for helping others leads to realizable change. The first component of Crossover’s vision to “restore our community” is seeing north Tulsa become a community of “healthy individuals.” Mrs. Cyndi helps make this vision become a reality with her love for people and food. She has been married to her husband, Kirk, for 37 years, and they have 3 adult children who all support her efforts to make a tangible change!

To learn more about Crossover Health Services and its work to eradicate health disparities, go to crossoverhealthservices.org.

EOY Campaign 2

021 has been an incredible year of growth and stretching for the Crossover Family. It has been amazing to see so many dreams become a reality, and it has been humbling to see God do the heavy lifting. Crossover Health Services grew to two locations. Crossover Preparatory Academy grew to two schools. Crossover Development Company grew to two crews. And most importantly, we are close to raising all of the funds to begin construction for the Crossover Community Center!

We see inklings of our Vision to restore our community come to fruition as we are faithful to our Mission of restoring our community through reconciliation, love, and justice. We can envision north Tulsa being a community full of healthy individuals, faithful families, peaceful neighborhoods, and thriving institutions as the number of patient visits at Crossover Health Services grows. When we see someone’s A1C score decrease, we are reminded of how much of a difference a healthy lifestyle truly makes. Being able to strengthen families through Crossover Prep and Crossover Bible Church or even witnessing people become first time homebuyers gets us one step closer to our goal. And seeing people be on mission to see this community transformed through their vocations will truly bring about thriving institutions.

We have only been able to make these strides in community transformation because of you. We are so grateful for every way that you have partnered with us; you have made this Community Development work possible. We hope you will partner with us again! Would you join us through giving a gift to one of the programs you have read about in this magazine? We are raising $100,000 to continue to support the community that we love.

Grateful for grace and you,

Rondalyn Abode Director of Development www.crossoverimpact.org P. S. Your support makes all of the things in this magazine possible! Please consider partnering with us as we prepare for 2022!

Thank You Ambassador Christian Center Associated Mortgage Corporation Ayco Charitable Foundation Boomtown Athletics, LLC BOSISTA LLC Butterfield Memorial Foundation Cherokee Nation Christ Presbyterian Church Christian Chapel Coldwell Banker Select Crossover Bible Church Cyntergy AEC, LLC Devon Energy Elpis Foundation Executives Title & Escrow Company, LLC Fazel Family Foundation First Evangelical Free Church of Franklin County First Presbyterian Church George Kaiser Family Foundation Gibbs Christian Education Foundation Harris Harper Family Foundation Helmerich Trust Helping Hands Ministry Inc. HollyFrontier - Tulsa Refinery J. E. & L. E. Mabee Foundation

Jordan Law, PLLC Kathleen S. Craft Foundation Kirk of the Hills Mervin Bovaird Foundation Mitchell Bonds, PLLC Morningcrest Healthcare Foundation Morningcrest Healthcare Foundation National Christian Foundation Network for Good NFL Foundation Oklahoma Medical Billing Inc. ONEOK Foundation Inc. Paul C Rosburg Insurance Agency PCA Foundation PELLOW TEAM LLC Phoenix District Development Council Pinkstons Turf Services Praise Incorporated Quik Trip Corporation Fund RBR Partnership Real Estate Insurance Solutions Regent Bank REMARC REALTY LLC Roof Hawk LLC RUDY UPSHAW STRATEGIES Shaw Homes Oklahoma

St. Andrew Ministries Steadfast Foundation Stitt Charitable Foundation Target The Robinson Foundation The Steve Oliver Real Estate Academy Tulsa Community Foundation Tulsa County Commissioners United Way of Greater Kansas City Zarrow Family Foundations: Commemoration Fund

Also, a special thank you to those who personally made an IMPACT through your donations, time, and resources! We couldn’t do this without you!

Happy New Year!

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Crossover Community Impact

Our Vision for 36th S. North

Our Dream for the Future...

When you invest in the vision, you do more than touch individual lives... every contribution ripples outward to create “social return” —the positive impact on north Tulsa and the entire Tulsa community.

For more information: (918) 856-5377 x106 www.crossoverimpact.org