“By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.” (John 13:35 NASB)
One way the Lord has blessed us at Crossroads has been through the men and women of God he sent to partner with us in this home mission ministry. John Mattrick was one such person. We remember John with love having recently learned he finished his race and has gone home to be with our Lord.
We were truly fortunate to have had John as a friend and a true Christian brother. He was as genuine as they get. John, an accountant, volunteered at Crossroads by donating his accounting services. He ensured that our financial records were accurate and always up to date. Additionally, he faithfully served on Crossroads Financial Advisory Board, along with other business professionals, providing financial insight and oversight. John, also, donated 50% of any tax preparation revenues he received from a Crossroads’ supporter back to Crossroads.
As a dedicated boy scouts troop leader, John was warm and friendly, imparting nuggets of quiet wisdom whenever given an opportunity to do so. One bit of wisdom he shared that remains with me is, “If you don’t have enough time to do something right the first time, when will you ever find enough time to fix it?” I don’t know whether or not that is an original quote, but it will always be a John Mattrick quote to me. While he was not one to seek the limelight, John was very comfortable serving in our street outreaches, such as troubled neighborhood adopt-a-blocks. In this picture, you can see John in the green pleasantly engaged in conversation while preparing to man a grill at one of those events.
John and his wife Lynn sometimes made their lake cabin available to Crossroads for baptisms and out of the city outings. Here is picture of Joe (upper right) and Ernie (upper left) with a group of freshly baptized brothers and sisters in Christ outside that cabin.
We thank God for the gift he gave this world in the person of John Mattrick. He cared deeply and took Jesus’ command to “love one another as I have loved you” seriously; so he opened his heart and loved deeply all those God sent his way. My last conversation with John was about the changes in church attendance post COVID. He shared how painful it was for him personally when people left the church. He said, “I feel like they are leaving me when they leave.” That was John. We are so grateful for the privilege of knowing, loving and being loved by Him. May God be with his wife, Lynn, their three children, Karen, Jill and Keith, their five grandchildren and his other family and friends as they endeavor to navigate this life without him.
Crossroads Ministries Inc. 