A Trip Home: Reflections on Melissa Crabtree’s Summer 2026 Visit to Calvin
By: Melissa Crabtree
My trip to Calvin was wonderful! Coming to Calvin really is coming home for me, and it’s important for me to stay connected.
Melissa (center) hikes with friends and colleagues at Silver Falls State Park during her visit to Oregon.
Calvin was a huge part of my life growing up. I attended preschool there, where Nancy Davis was one of my teachers. One of my earliest memories is riding a tricycle around the church parking lot! Sunday School and sermons were formative in developing my love for the Lord and my desire for others to know Jesus. Youth Group with the Kilbournes gave me a place to learn and grow in my faith, but also to stretch my leadership and organizational abilities. Church plays and presentations helped me become more comfortable with public speaking.
In many ways, Calvin was a place of both spiritual growth and life-skills growth for me. As I matured, I was confident I was surrounded by people who knew me, loved me, supported me, and gave me a safe place to grow.
Coming back after being gone for so many years can also feel a little strange. On one hand, I feel like the loved child who has come home for a visit. There are still a handful of people who knew me as a small child and a few more who knew me as a teenager. Some have been true partners with me in ministry for the entire 34 years I have been on staff.
On the other hand, there are many people at Calvin I don't know yet. Some may have seen me up front when I've spoken at church, but that means they have heard some of my story without me having the opportunity to hear theirs. Calvin is full of amazing individuals with wonderful stories, and I would love to know more of them.
This trip was especially meaningful because in addition to my time at church, I had two opportunities to spend more relaxed time with groups of people—one at the Ebys' home and one at the Andresens' home. I loved catching up with people I have known for years, but I also really enjoyed getting to know some newer people better. Between all the different visits, I was able to spend extended time with about 25 individuals. That was a real gift.
First, I want you to know how grateful I am for you. Full-time ministry is a spiritual battle, and I can't do what I do alone. I couldn't do it without the financial support Calvin provides as a church and that individuals at Calvin provide personally. But just as importantly, I need your prayers, your encouragement, and your partnership.
For 34 years, God has allowed me to serve with Cru, and today my ministry looks very different from when I began. Much of my work now happens behind the scenes, serving leaders who are serving leaders around the world. It isn't always work that is easy to see or explain, but ultimately it is about helping people and teams be healthy, strong, and equipped so that more people can hear about Jesus.
Melissa (far right) with friends and colleagues at Mount Angel Abbey.
I want you to know that when you pray for me, encourage me, support me, or simply take the time to ask how I'm doing, you are part of that ministry.
So perhaps that is what "coming home to Calvin" means to me now. It is coming back to a church that helped shape who I am, reconnecting with people who have walked with me for decades, and getting to know people whose stories are new to me.
I'm very grateful that after all these years, Calvin is still a place I can call home.
Melissa Crabtree serves as Chief of Staff to the Global Vice President of Leadership Development and Human Resources at Cru. Her team supports Cru leaders and staff around the world, helping them develop as leaders, build healthy teams, care well for their people, and create ministry environments where staff can thrive and be effective. She works closely with the Global Vice President and with leaders on the ground, helping turn Cru’s global priorities into practical plans, communication, resources, training, and action.
Much of Melissa’s role happens behind the scenes. She connects people and teams across countries and cultures, coordinates projects and leadership initiatives, plans global meetings and training, clarifies roles and responsibilities, and ensures important decisions and priorities move forward. She says, “Ultimately, my work is about helping Cru’s leaders and staff be better equipped and supported to accomplish the mission God has called them to—so that more people around the world have the opportunity to know and follow Jesus.”