OUR STORY

Kendal, our lead pastor, tells the story…
 
I’ve always loved helping people discover the hope that breaks out when you let God ‘mess up’ your life. I like nothing more than helping others take the next step in their journey to meet and follow Jesus! But if you had told me years ago we’d be doing that in Florida, I’d have laughed out loud!
 
Not that I had anything against Florida. It’s just that my wife, Sherry, and I were quite content leading a church we started in Wisconsin. Along the way, we “parented” a couple churches. And the plan was to continue in that direction.
 
Spring 2004 some friends invited us to consider parenting another church, this time in the Orlando area. Sounded like fun, so I flew down to check it out. But then they asked us if we’d consider moving here to start the new church ourselves!
 
First reaction? Nope! Not interested. But it was the idea that wouldn’t go away, and it soon became apparent God was in it. So in February 2005, we packed up our family and moved to Clermont, where we knew exactly zero people. Scary!
 
At first it was five Andersons and a hamster! But God began gathering the team, and on March 3, 2006, the Crossing Church was born. In a dance studio. Mirrors on every wall. Not an ‘A’ list facility. But it worked…
 
Our second Sunday in existence, we were homeless–but that’s a whole ‘nother story! By the third Sunday, the door opened at South Lake Charter School, and in 2010 we moved into the Auditorium at East Ridge High, where we currently meet Sundays at 10am.
 
In 2017, we started a ‘daughter’ church, Hope Community, in Wildwood, and are now looking to do it again!
 
A few years ago, we finished paying for our 18-acre grapefruit grove property (go check it out!) And yes, it is a semi-working grove, which means we’re farmers 🙂 We have begun the development process and plan to be in our new home by Christmas 2021!