Letter from Bill Krispin

Dear Friends,

I would like to introduce myself to you and to officially welcome Coz and Joyce Crosscombe to our organization, CityNet Ministries. My name is Bill Krispin and I have been involved in ministry in the city of Philadelphia for over 40 years. During this time my service to the Lord has taken many forms including church planter, pastor and seminary founder and President. Mostly I have been a student of the city and a connector of people. I believe that together we can reach the city and that God has blessed the body as a whole with the gifts and resources necessary to do this work. These gifts and resources do not lie with one church alone, but with many who do His work. We must learn to do it together in fulfillment of Paul’s call to the church “one body, many parts, members together” (I Corinthians 12:12-27). With this in mind, CityNet was founded 6 years ago in order to strategically saturate Philadelphia with Christ focused churches, training people to do God’s work and to help people work together. In 6 years we have planted 6 churches and have assisted others in the planting of many more throughout the region. In addition, we have had more than 30 students in our ministry training program and conducted training in many churches. CityNet has 19 official member churches and have a relationship with a couple dozen more. As we have grown, we have struggled to develop ministry within certain sections of the city, especially the Latino community and some of the most economically disadvantaged areas. With this in mind Coz and Joyce were asked to join our team.

I first met Coz and Joyce many years ago as they served at Bethel Temple. They were two of the first people to complete CityNet deacons training and have had close ties with a number of our network churches. More than that they have been serving amongst Philadelphia poor for 15 years and are considers veterans of one of the nation’s toughest communities. Coz has a natural ability to understand communities, how they function and how churches work within those communities. He knows our target community in a way few others do and is known and respected by many throughout the area. Coz has been able to form strategic relationships throughout the years between people and churches in his community and those in the Philadelphia region, other parts of PA and especially in Michigan. We believe his ability to strategically form relationships is a huge asset to our organization and ministry in Philadelphia as a whole.
Although Joyce has no official position with our organization, we know her and Coz are an integral team and feel blessed to have her wisdom and devotion as a part of our mix. Joyce has been a real pioneer for women ministering in Philadelphia and brings passion to see women mentored in ministry as well to continue her service to women and children in crisis.

CityNet is a project funded organization and as such require Coz and Joyce to raise all their own support as they have in the past. CityNet believes those in ministry, like others should be provided for in a comprehensive way. The board set Coz’s salary and housing allowance as a combined total of $ 50,000. Coz and Joyce have never had been provided with medical or retirement benefits and we would like to see that changed. We are asking them to raise an additional $20,000 for benefits and ministry expenses. The total goal of $70,000 is significantly more than they previously raised ($40,000). We are trusting in the Lord that this will be achieved in the next year. If your have been a financial supporter of Coz and Joyce, we would encourage you to continue giving and consider increasing that amount. If you are not a financial supporter, I would like to ask you to pray and seek the Lord to see if He may be leading you in this direction.

As excited as we are about Coz and Joyce joining us, we know that it is also a blessing to receive you as a part of our team. We see the part that you have played in their ministry in Philadelphia as one of the things that have made their ministry so fruitful. Coz and Joyce often talk of how involved their supporters have been in their lives and what a blessing you have all been to them.

We look forward to our partnership with you, through Coz and Joyce, in order to impact the city of Philadelphia.

With gratitude for you and to our great God,


Bill Krispin
Executive Director
CityNet Ministries, Inc.


PS. Contributions toward Coz and Joyce’s support should be sent to CityNet Ministries, Inc.; P.O. Box 35189, Philadelphia, PA 19128. Include a note designated support to “Crosscombe support.”