Over the years, God put the pieces together to make this dream come true. He gave me a church family who was willing to contribute support to this new church, and fellow team members to help get Crossbridge Community Church off the ground. It had been a long time coming, but that “one day” arrived in September of 2005 as my family and I moved down to Woolwich, New Jersey, the fastest growing community in the Northeast, for the express purpose of starting a church!

Since that fall, Crossbridge Community Church has continued to welcome people from the area into its doors. We are a church for the unchurched–a healer of hurts and a builder of dreams. If you live in the area or would just like to find out more about Crossbridge, drop me an email or call me at (856) 381-6047.

God Bless,

Mark

About God
We believe there is one God, the Creator and Ruler of the universe, who has existed eternally in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Genesis 1:1, Deuteronomy 6:4, Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 13:14)

About Mankind
We believe man was created in the image of God and to be in community with Him. However, because of sin, people have become alienated from God and are unable to enter into a right relationship with Him through their own effort. (Genesis 1:27, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 59:1-2, Galatians 2:21)

About Jesus
We believe Jesus is both human and divine. He lived a sinless life and voluntarily paid for our sins by dying on the cross. He resurrected from the dead, ascended into heaven, and will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. (John 1:1, Philippians 2:6-11, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Titus 2:13)

About Salvation
We believe salvation is a gift from God to man, and we receive forgiveness of our sins by grace through faith in Jesus Christ’s death on the cross. (Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 6:23, 1 Peter 3:18)

About the Christian Life
We believe that every Christian partners with God in the process of becoming more like Jesus and needs to be involved in those practices, environments and relationships that aid in that pursuit. (Romans 8:29, 1 Timothy 4:7, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Ephesians 5:18)

About Eternity
We believe man was created to exist forever in either eternal separation from God by sin, or eternal union with God through Jesus. (John 3:16, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23, John 5:28-29)

Our Mission

Our mission is to connect people to God and others while empowering them to serve and influence.

Our Values

The Bible
The Bible is God’s word and thus is the final authority for our beliefs and behaviors.
(2 Timothy 3:16, 17)

Question: Are you reading and aligning your life with God’s words?

Prayer
When we work, we work, and when we pray, God works – prayer will be the heart and soul of everything we do personally and corporately. (Mark 11:24)

Question: How have your conversations with God been?

Leadership
Leadership is crucial in the life of the church – we will work on apprenticing new leaders in the
church. (2 Timothy 2:2)

Question: Who are you developing?

Love
The greatest of these is love and should mark everything the church and her people do with one another and with those in the community. (John 13:34, 35)

Question: Are you loving others by your words and actions?

Relevance
The New Testament Church ministered in 1st century ways – we are committed to minister
in 21st century ways, in everything we do. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)

Question: Are we speaking the language of the people around us?

Excellence
We believe God deserves our best – therefore excellence will be sought after and great effort given to do everything with high quality. (Malachi 1:6-14)

Question: Is the part you play done to the best of your ability?

Our Vision

We envision a church where Jesus Christ is exalted in every aspect of the ministry and all glory and honor go to Him.

We envision a church where seekers find a safe and accepting place in having their questions answered and their needs met.

We envision a church that brings healing to those with relational, emotional, psychological, spiritual, financial or physical wounds.

We envision a church where community is cultivated, friendships are valued and meaningful relationships are valued.

We envision a church where people are encouraged to mature in their faith and imitate Jesus in every aspect of their lives.

We envision a church where people’s unique gifts and abilities are valued and utilized in advancing the Kingdom.

We envision a church where children are looked upon as treasured possessions and seniors are major players in the Kingdom.

We envision a church where marriages are mended, wise money management is taught and families are brought together.

We envision a church where people are trained in sharing their faith and regularly see their friends, co-workers and relatives come to Christ.

We envision a church that reproduces itself and starts 10 more churches both locally and globally.

Crossbridge is a bible-believing church that desires to communicate God’s truths through numerous creative ways such as movies, music and multimedia. Our goal is that we would be as “user-friendly” as possible to people who aren’t used to going to church, while at the same time not compromising God’s plans and desires.

So what’s next?
You’ve been coming out to Crossbridge for a while now. You’d like to get more involved but you’re not sure what’s available to you or what your next step should be. Here is a suggested path:

 - Small Groups
 - Baptism
 - Membership
 - Serving Others

What should I wear to church?
Whatever you would like. Most people dress casually and there are not many ties and jackets, . . . but if that is your style, go for it.

When should I arrive and where do I go?
The first thing you will experience at Crossbridge is a friendly welcome from someone on our host team. If you need childcare or help finding the sanctuary, the restrooms, or just looking for sanctuary in the restrooms, the host team will be there to help.

We suggest arriving 10 to 15 minutes early, so that you can get children where they need to be and you can visit our café and grab some coffee or a bagel. We start the service at 10:30 AM.

Our services are at Kingsway Regional High School and you can click here to find out how to get there. When you pull into the school parking lot, we are the 2nd entrance to the High School. The host team will direct you to the cafeteria where our services are held.

You meet at a high school?
We do. We want to be wise in the way we invest the money people contribute to our church. Yes, there will be day when we’ll have our own building and campus, but right now, we’ve decided that meeting in the school is the best stewardship of the resources God has given us.

Where do I take my children?
We have a wonderful KidWorks program that is available for children ages Pre-K – 5th Grade. A nursery is also available for babies and children under three years old. You can sign your children into KidWorks right when you get to church. (You will see a check-in table on your way to the sanctuary).

What are your services like and how long are they?
Our services are designed to make you feel comfortable and be relevant to real life issues that you face. We use various elements such as music, movies, people’s stories, videos and other multimedia to communicate as clearly as we can. The services last around an hour. (Any longer then an hour and 10 minutes, and everyone is free to go.)

What does your church believe?
Visit the What We Believe section of this website for more information.

Crossbridge Community Church is part of the Christian & Missionary Alliance. The C&MA exists to know Jesus Christ, exalt Him as Savior, Sanctifier, Healer, and Coming King; and complete His Great Commission.

To find out more about the C&MA, click here.

Mark Barnish
Lead Pastor
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Favorite movies: Braveheart, Dead Poets Society, The Count of Monte Cristo
Favorite books: To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee, The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard, The Purpose Driven Church by Rick Warren
Favorite food: Seafood, with a good New York Strip coming in a close second
Who are you and what do you do? I get to parent 3 of the most wonderful kids I know, Ryne, Lucy and Annie, side by side with my beautiful wife Libby. I act as the launching pastor of Crossbridge.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I like to play sports, read books, but most of all hang and have a good time with my family.

Ryan Valdiviez
Youth Pastor/Worship Leader
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Favorite movies and/or TV shows: The Office
Favorite food: Korean food, Sushi, and Hawaiian Pizza.
Favorite activities: Playing, writing, recording music. going to concerts, long-boarding, basketball, etc.
Who are you and what you do: I love Jesus with all that I am. It is my heart and passion to use music as well as  to see young people everywhere experience Him in a REAL and powerful way.

Brent McNamara
Pastor of Connection
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Favorite movies: Arthur, Moonstruck, Star Wars
Favorite books: The Purpose Driven Life by Rick Warren, The Pursuit of God by A.W. Tozer, The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
Favorite foods: Chinese, Sushi, Italian, Mexican, Seafood, Good ‘ole American steak
Who are you and what do you do? I am the husband of my lovely wife, Tricia; father of three lovely daughters (Crystal, Heather & Meghan) and the grandfather of Alyssia, Dylen, Avry and Hailey. My role with Crossbridge is that of connecting people with Small Groups and various Crossbridge ministries.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I read; I’m a rabid Eagles fan; I watch the World Champion Phillies; I like to cook; I design and deploy websites.

Jaime Lloyd
Administrator
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Favorite movies: Love Actually, Stranger Than Fiction, Spanglish, Chicago
Favorite books: Crossing to Safety, Jane Eyre, Cane River, The Poisonwood Bible
Favorite food: Sushi and authentic Mexican food are my favorites. I also can’t resist a Dunkin Donuts iced latte!
Who are you and what do you do? My husband Alan and I live in Woolwich Twp. We have two precious girls, Ada and Nora. I am the administrator of Crossbridge Community Church. Please contact me if I can provide you with any information about Crossbridge.
What do you like to do in your spare time? My favorite time in the world is any time I spend with my family. We enjoy going camping together and spending summer weekends at the shore. When I get some downtime, I also love to grab a cup of coffee and call a friend or read a great book!

Christina Kaplan
Ministry Coordinator
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Favorite movies: Pay It Forward, UP, Secondhand Lions
Favorite TV show: Everyone Loves Raymond, Undercover Boss
Favorite books: The Purpose Driven Life by RickWarren, The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg, Let Go by Shelia Walsh
Favorite food: Hibachi grilled food, sushi, seafood, and many ethnic foods.
Who are you and what do you do? I am married to my best friend, Mike. We have two children that are miracles—Alexis and Christian. I work part-time for a behavioral health child adolescent psych unit. I am a graduate of Liberty University and am currently continuing my education to become a Professional Counselor. At Crossbridge I am the Ministry Coordinator. I am responsible for helping people to get plugged in as volunteers utilizing their gifts to further the kingdom.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I like to decorate my house, exercise, cook, garden, travel and just be together with my family.

Leslie Cuthbert
Team Leader - KidWorks
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Favorite activities: Snowboarding, riding my bike and breathing in fresh air
Favorite food: Mexican
Favorite book : The Red Tent
Favorite childhood movie: The Sound of Music
Favorite Job: Managing the Cuthbert Clan
Scripture I need to be reminded of everyday: Proverbs 3:5-6
Some fun facts about me:
I once was a white water rafting guide down the Colorado River.
I miss the mountains when at the ocean and miss the ocean when at the mountains. Can’t a girl have her cake and eat it too?
My home town is Charlotte North Carolina and my blood runs Carolina blue!

Julie Smith
Team Leader – KiddieWorks
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Favorite movies: Gone With the Wind, Pretty in Pink, The Wizard of Oz
Favorite books: Anything by Shakespeare or the Brontes! I will read just about anything.
Favorite food: Eggplant Parmesan, fresh baked chocolate chip cookies….who am I kidding – anything fresh baked and chocolatey!!
Who are you and what do you do? I am a former professional ballet dancer, a current teacher of both school and ballet, a hardworking, proud full-time wife and mother of 2, the daughter of two of the most amazing parents on the planet and a dedicated Christ-follower for life!
What do you like to do in your spare time? I am an avid runner, I love to read and I love spending time with my friends. Most of all, I love hanging out with my husband and kids, even when we’re just doing nothing.

Jocelyn Villecco
Team Leader – LittleWorks
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Favorite movies: I love scary movies and anything that is an easy laugh
Favorite books: I am a fan of both Dan Brown and Jane Green (my version of a chick flick)
Favorite food: I love Mexican food, but am not terribly picky. I do love a good steak.
Who are you and what do you do? My husband Andy, my 3-year-old son Roman and I live in Woolwich Township. I am currently the Nursery Team Leader for the Children’s Ministry.
What do you like to do in your spare time? I love to be outside enjoying the weather and spending time with my family.