Crossover Community Center

Crossover Community Center

One day, I hope to work alongside a crossover student who was inspired to pursue architecture or engineering through these interactions.

-Michael P.

From Dream to Impact

by Michael Phelps

John Perkins, co-founder of the Christian Community Development Association, said, “In America, education and quality of life are directly related. Lacking a good education means lacking, among other things, access to the very doorway that leads to a wholesome lifestyle. Education is not a luxury in modern American society—it is essential for survival.” Crossover is a ministry that focuses on providing education opportunities and increasing quality of life in the community they love. The upcoming Crossover Community Center will further Crossover’s ministry possibilities by providing a home for Crossover Prep Academy and a place for the community to engage in health and wellness activities.

In 2004, after finishing college, my wife and I moved to Tulsa. We attended Christ Presbyterian Church (CPC) where a group of families, including Justin and Leah Pickard, through the influence of John Perkins and his book, Restoring At-Risk Communities, began moving to north Tulsa neighborhoods to live and invest in the community. Through the encouragement of those families, I was invited to help with their community projects and observe their growing love and passion for north Tulsa. This was my first introduction to a ministry that would eventually join with Pastor Philip Abode and Crossover Bible Church to impact north Tulsa.

In 2017, Cyntergy, the architecture, and engineering firm where I work, had the privilege of master planning the 9-acre site adjacent to the Crossover Health Services building. In 2018, I became directly involved as the project manager for the Crossover Community Center design team. Through that role, I was able to see how the dream to impact north Tulsa had grown into a multi-faceted ministry making an impact through health care, education, student mentoring, youth sports, Crossover Bible Church, and a development company. The ministry had grown to the point that a facility was needed to allow it to make a bigger impact in the community. It is a powerful story of God’s faithfulness to use his people to move mountains.

Even before construction began, the Crossover Community Center project had already become a learning opportunity for Crossover students in the Crossover Kids and StreetLeader programs. Through Crossover’s initiative, Cyntergy provided office tours, job shadowing, and STEM presentations on architecture, interior design, and engineering. Our discussions included architectural design, interior finish selection, soil types, structural, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC systems. During one presentation, ceiling tiles were removed in the classroom at Hawthorne Elementary to reveal the building’s engineering systems to provide the students with a real-world example of the topics being discussed. These interactions exposed students to multiple career possibilities and illustrate Crossover’s long-term vision to build up the community. One day, I hope to work alongside a Crossover student who was inspired to pursue architecture or engineering through these interactions.

Crossover has persevered through fundraising, a global pandemic, and rising construction costs to maintain its focus on making an impact in north Tulsa and to keep the Crossover Community Center project moving forward. Their faith that God will provide has been steadfast. The number of people that attended the groundbreaking shows how many people believe in its mission to meet the real needs of the community.

Pictured above: Groundbreaking ceremony. Pictures by Blair Williams Photography.

Mike Phelps is a Principal at Cyntergy, which is an Architectural and Engineering firm in downtown Tulsa. He is a licensed mechanical engineer and serves as the Director of Project Management. He has been married to his wife, Jennifer, for 18 years, and they have two children: Hudson who is 14 years old and Megan who is 12 years old. Mike’s commitment to excellence has been an encouragement for the Crossover team, and his partnership in this great work reveals the beauty of God’s grace and faithfulness.

To learn more about the Crossover Community Center and all of the amenities it will add to the community, please go to www.crossoverimpact.org/crossover-community-center.