The Cross Guy

Before I preached my first sermon at Shalimar, a woman I didn't know snuck into the sacristy and handed me three crosses in bags. She said, "These are for you and your family." I soon learned she was Pat Gross. Pat's husband Ron has been making crosses since 2016 when he and Pat were traveling. And, as lifelong Methodists, they visit other Methodist churches on their travels.

In August, they came across a small Methodist Church in Lake Ouachita, Arkansas. As they walked in, two members welcomed them, took their crosses off, and gave them to Ron and Pat. The event so moved Ron so much he came home and figured out how to make these beautiful, simple nail crosses.

In 2018, the local paper did an article on Ron as he struggled to meet his goal of 5,000 crosses while dealing with degenerative eye disease. Today, with the help of his friends, his team has made over 16,000.

Ron wants to continue the blessings he received that day when he received the cross from the stranger. He has 1 rule–crosses must always be given away and never paid for.

When I left my church in Shalimar, one of the last things Ron and Pat said to me was, "Don't forget, we mail crosses too!" They are now gladly sending them to us, so we can continue the blessing of wearing them for the sake of giving them away.

I hope you'll consider it a blessing if you've received one. Even more so, I hope you'll consider wearing it until you can give it away. We have more, so please don't feel you have to hold on to it. I will keep getting crosses for you to bless others with them.