MANSFIELD — Crossroads Community Church is coming to downtown Mansfield.
Though he couldn’t announce the location yet, the church’s lead pastor Dave Vance said its Downtown Ministry Center will be located “almost exactly in the center of the city.”
He and others from the church looked at several buildings before settling on a site. Though finding such a central location was unintentional, Vance thinks it’s fitting.
“People can come from the North, South, East and West,” Vance said. “There’s so much activity in the heart of the city.”
The downtown ministry center is the first of three goals the church set for its Vision 20.20, a three-year capital campaign. The other goals are to attain financial freedom by eliminating the mortgage for its building at 1188 Park Ave. West and to reach new neighborhoods by acquiring multi-venue campuses.
“Crossroads is ready for this,” Vance said. “We are 20 years old. It’s time to figure out what we are doing with our life.”
From this new location, the church hopes to provide children’s outreach initiatives, educational opportunities and a downtown worship venue.
“It’s a renewal of our commitment to not only be in our city, but for our city,” he said.
Through the children’s outreach, the church plans to have a back-to-school/adopt-a-child program and a children’s food program, which will be designed to provide meals to youngsters who receive their schools reduced lunches during summer months.
The educational events will include parenting classes, resume writing workshops, budget keeping lessons and after-school programs for teens. Celebrate Recovery, the church’s addiction program, which now takes place every Friday night, will also be moved when the downtown location is ready.
But Vance emphasized he doesn’t want to “step on toes” in the community.
“There is a new story being written about our city. There are tons of organizations, tons of churches, tons of leaders making effective change in our city right now. We know that,” he said. “We want to be a part of that.”
Vance also wants to collaborate with others who are striving for positive change in downtown Mansfield. He’s already met with the North End Community Improvement Collaborative (NECIC), the Mansfield Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program (UMADOAP), some city leaders and other local pastors.
He looks at it like a puzzle, and Crossroads as a new piece to the puzzle.
“We can’t turn a blind eye to the need as we are recovering,” Vance said. “We’re not saying our city is in trouble. We just don’t want to miss any holes as we are recovering.”
In the video (below), Vance, who has lived in the area for about two years, addresses some of the negative things he’s heard people say about the city.
“I was quoting what people have said to me,” he said. “I’ve heard that we’re lost here in the shadow of Columbus and Cleveland… I’ve heard all these things over and over.
“Can we think differently about our city? And can we as a church be a part of the change?”
Vance explained that mission groups from outside North Central Ohio have visited Mansfield.
“Why not us?” he asked. “Let’s do, serve, and love our community.
“We believe we have the greatest message in the world, but without taking action… we are not making a connection.”
To reach its three overarching aims, the church set a goal of raising $1 million with $250,000 going towards the downtown ministry center, $600,000 toward mortgage elimination and $150,000 for the multi-venue campus. Within a month, the goal was reached.
Vance hopes to see activities begin at Downtown Ministry Center by autumn.
“My dream is that we would make the great comeback and everyone will say God must have helped us,” Vance said. “We made this difference. And it wouldn’t be about who got credit.”
