Posted: 9/18/02

Crossroads calls new pastor

Jessica Foster
Staff Writer

After three years of searching, waiting and praying, Crossroads Covenant Evangelical Church has a senior pastor on board. Marc Peterson came to the church earlier this month and delivered his first sermon on Sunday, Sept. 8.

He spoke before a community in Christ, he said, a community of ìfine, loving, kind, good folks clearly walking in Christ.î

This is a homecoming of sorts for Peterson, who grew up in North St. Paulóthough this is his first pastoral position in Minnesota.

He comes to the Columbus Township church from Selah, WA, where he served for nine years.

Before Washington, Peterson served six years at First Covenant Church in Sioux City, IA. His first church was Fairfield Covenant Church in Haxtun, CO, where he was for four years.

Peterson attended seminary at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago.

It has been a long search for Crossroads. A search committee comprised of nine parishioners worked for three years searching to find a lead pastor after beloved pastor Bill Orris left to serve at a seed church in Illinois.

Patience is a virtue

Crossroads first expressed interest in Peterson last January. With a list of names from the Midwest Covenant Conference, letters of interest were sent.

Petersonís letter sat on the corner of his pastoral desk at Selah Covenant Church in Selah, WA.

ìI just let it sit there. I didnít want to open it. I didnít want to go. I didnít want to move,î Peterson said.

He has served the west coast church for nearly a decade. He felt at home near the Cascade Mountains. He enjoyed church life there.

Still, he opened the letteróand let it sit there again.

Back in Minnesota, Hanson said the committee had received word from other letters sent. Those who were not interested told the church that. When Peterson did not respond, there remained a glimmer of hope.

ìBeing patient is not a virtue any of us have naturally but sometimes God wants us to wait,î Hanson said.

In Washington, Peterson and his wife, Sherri, prayed about it and eventually made contact with Larrie Hanson, chairman of the pastor selection committee at Crossroads.

ìI really felt God was telling me to pursue it,î Peterson said.

He phoned Hanson and the two hit it off deeming a next step necessary.

The church flew the couple out in late Spring.

While he enjoyed his visit and the people he met, Peterson said he still didnít foresee a move to Minnesota, the state where he grew up.

Based on a great first impression, Peterson was asked to come candidate and preach to the congregation.

He preached to the 600-700 parishioners. He met the church members at a special reception. He met the staff and church elders and breathed in Crossroads spirit.

ìI really sensed Godís presence,î Peterson said. ìThe whole experience was really good.î

Here from a Friday to a Tuesday morning, the Peterson swere told Monday night they were wanted here.

In a rare vote of 163-1, the congregation called on Peterson to lead the nearly 100-year-old church.

After praying about the invitation for two weeks, Peterson called Hanson to accept.

ìHe is a very exciting kind of person and heís very eloquent,î Hanson said.

Too, Hanson said Peterson is a good fit for the church.

ìI think he is very strong in his leadership and his ability to get the church moving and excited,î he said. ìI think he has the skill set and the experience, the heart, for the ministry and he is right for Crossroads.î

Peterson said he and his family have been made to feel welcome here. From the goldfish placed in his drinking glass during the first sermon to the greetings he has received, Peterson said this is a good fit for his family.

And the staff at Crossroads have helped ease the transition.

ìThe staff is awesome here,î he said. ìThey really are neat people.î

His style

ìWe believe, as a church, in the power of prayer,î Peterson said. ìPrayer ushers us into the throne room of God who is the master of all creation and when we go there we have the ear of the one who can change anything.î

When asked what kind of a pastor he is, Peterson jokes and says he is boring, but itís not a very believable lie.

He will say he is a speaker of the Word. As a pastor, Peterson said, he is the one to deliver the message of God and he strives to be relevant and dynamic in the delivery.

He said he doesnít believe in adding bells and whistles. The Word is enough.

ìWhen youíre in Godís service, it is not about who the server is, itís about who God is through the server,î he said.

Family life

Marc and Sherri Peterson have three sons, Justin, 18, Matthew, 16 and Joshua, 14.

The family is looking for a house in the area while they stay at a parishionersí home on Clear Lake.

Peterson describes himself as an avid skier, mountain climber and plays racquet ball as often as he can work it into his scheduled.

Peterson said he looks forward to his new life here in the northern suburbs.

ìI just love life, I love people and love to be with people,î he said.

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