|
Our Busy
Ministry
“No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind can conceive
what God has
prepared for those
who love Him. ”
1 Corinthians 2:9
Click for

HOLY
CROSS CALENDAR
DEVOTIONS
We carry two small monthly
devotional booklets, THE WORD IN SEASON and OUR DAILY BREAD. In each
booklet there are short devotional stories and scriptures that magnify
the story. They are free.
They change quarterly.
Please make sure you pick one up and use it as a way to focus your day.
You can pick them up on the table to your right on the way out or at the
Information Center. God bless!
|
|
HOLY
CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH
PARISH NEWS
“Helping people to know and
share the love of Christ”
The family of Holy Cross
greets you this day. We come together each week to worship
and celebrate the many blessings God has given us. We invite
you to join us and enjoy your time with God and with us and
lift your voice with ours in praise, prayer and
thanksgiving. If we can be of assistance to you or your
loved ones, please be in touch.
|
|

OUR BUSY
MINISTRY
WHAT’S GOING ON?
WHAT’S COMING UP?. . .
Item of the Month:
Paper Goods
Red Wagon Food Pantry:
Donations needed!
Offering Envelopes for 2012:
Available in Narthex
Sunday School:
Registration is ongoing
Meal Madness:
Monday nights at 6:00 pm
Confirmation:
Monday nights, 6:30-7:45 pm
Christian CALL Concert:
Friday, May 25th
Noah’s Ark Preschool:
Excellent program. Call the office at
631-588-2942 NEW! Summer Fun Program!
FaceBook: Holy Cross is
there so tell your friends AND are you a friend?

"I am the resurrection and the
life.
He who believes in me will
live,
even though he dies; and
whoever lives
and believes in me will never
die.” |
CROSSWORDS &
GIFTS

Our CrossWords & Gifts store
is Long Island’s source for Christian inspired gifts,
specializing in gifts for your family and friends that touch
the heart and we hope you find that special gift you are
looking for.
WOW!!! Our store has lots of new items for your
shopping pleasure so stop in and take a look! Maybe you know
someone who could use a pick-me-up book or card. Maybe you
know someone who you appreciate and value in your life and
want to let them know. Maybe you want a quiet place to read.
We have that and many books for you to peruse too! Maybe you
just feel like you have a need to pray... well stop on by
and introduce yourself to our staff.
Shop our store in person! New
store hours: 10 am to 6 pm, Monday through Saturday. Open
after services on Sunday mornings. Shop our store on-line! Open
24/7.

www.crosswordsandgifts.com
|
|

AS WE
CELEBRATE HOLY COMMUNION
It is a time of spiritual renewal - a
time to give thanks for the gift of God’s Son, Jesus
Christ... a time to meditate, pray and reflect... a time to
raise our voices in praise, singing “heart” songs.
|
|
RECEIVING HOLY COMMUNION .
. . All who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior are
welcomed to the table for Holy Communion. You do not have to
be a member at Holy Cross, but you do need to be a
Christian: a believer in God the Father, His Son, and the
Holy Spirit.
F.Y.I. ABOUT HOLY COMMUNION
. . . What is intinction? It is taking the bread (Body
of Christ) at Communion and dipping it into the chalice
which contains the wine (Blood of Christ). We receive this
way because it is closer to the original intention of the
Lord’s Supper. In biblical times, bread was used to swab the
plate clean and dry out the remaining wine in the chalice.
Remember, hold on to the bread and body of Christ and IN
TINCT. It is not how we receive that gives the bread and
wine its sacredness; that comes from the one giving it,
Jesus.
KNEELING AT HOLY COMMUNION
TIME . . . We are encouraging you to take this step of
faith. After receiving Holy Communion you have time to come
before God by kneeling in prayer. Stay as long as you like.
Kneel and listen to the words being sung all around you.
Kneel and have your quiet, humble time before your God.

WE GATHER PRAYER REQUESTS .
. . before our worship begins. This helps us to care for
one another and pray for one another. It helps us to reach
out and share another’s burdens.
|
CHASUBLE CHANGE . . .
This is the colorful garment that Pastor wears over her
robe. It is used to signal the celebration of Holy
Communion. Pastor puts it on just before the celebration of
Holy Communion as a visual reminder that just as we dress up
for weddings, parties and special occasions, Pastor
“dresses-up” for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.
SINGING DURING HOLY
COMMUNION . . . This time in our worship is an
opportunity for us to raise our voices in praise of our
Savior. We use songs that are easy to learn and that seem to
“stick with us” as we leave on Sunday mornings. You may find
yourself or your children singing them throughout the day.
That’s great! We call these songs “heart songs” because they
go from the mind, deep down into the heart - committed to
memory without really realizing it. Then, in unexpected
moments, the words and the melody ascend from the heart into
the mind and are placed on our lips. Let’s praise God
together.
GLUTEN FREE COMMUNION
WAFERS . . . We now have them for those of you who are
on a gluten free diet. Let Pastor know if this would be
helpful to you. Come to the altar when the ushers come for
Holy Communion (when Pastor communes herself, ushers,
acolytes etc.)
DID YOU KNOW THAT . . .
the reason we face the cross during the Processional Hymn
when the cross is first brought into the church, and the
Gospel Procession, when the cross and the Bible are brought
to the center of the Sanctuary amidst the people, is to give
honor and glory to God for the sacrifice He has made for us
in His Son Jesus Christ, and in thanksgiving that we will
once again be refreshed and renewed with His Word.
|
|

First Holy
Communion
First Communion classes will be held Monday evenings on May
14th, May 21st and June 4th at 6:30 pm. Pastor Raggie will be the
instructor. Parents / guardians should attend with their child.
You must attend all three classes. Students who complete their instruction will receive their First
Communion during the 11:00 am worship service on Sunday, June 10th.
|
|

Christian
Artist aLLiance Concert
Friday,
May 25th
8:00 pm
The music and praise continue
to flow freely! Join us on Friday, May 25th for another
night of spirit-filled rocking and rolling as the Christian
Artist aLLiance (CALL) hosts the next of their monthly
concerts. Doors open at
7:30, the concert begins at 8:00, and is followed by a
meet-and-greet session with the artists from 10:00 to 10:30.
Come one and come all! Admission is free. A donation of food
items would be appreciated, but is completely optional.
Please feel free to spread the word (it’s ok to forward this
email).
Doors open
at 7:30 pm
|
|

2011 - 2012
CONFIRMATION
Every Monday
night following the Sachem calendar
6:30 to
7:45 pm
|
|

“For God so loved the world
that he gave his only son so that all those who believe in
him might not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16
THOUGHT FOR TODAY . . .
You are alive because God lives in you. He is more than your
helper or comforter - HE IS YOUR LIFE! “Whoever has the Son
has life.” 1 John 5:12a
______________________________

|
Did
you know that you can express your faith in a very special
way – through a carefully considered gift to the church? We
call this PLANNED GIVING. A Planned gift is one of the best
ways for you to help the church further Christ’s work. The
21st Century brings many challenges to our ministry as we
seek to reach others with the good news of a great God. Holy
cross is committed to impacting the community and to
creating Fully Devoted Followers of Jesus Christ. We believe
that the local church is the hope of the world. God has
given us many gifts including the assets we’ve received for
our material security and well-being. Managing these assets
faithfully is part of our Christian responsibility and
journey of faith. What we choose to give reflects our
spiritual values. We honor God by using what He has first
given us to support His work. Remember, how much we give
isn’t as important as the faithful regular act of giving.
Your Planned Giving gift can come from many sources:
Securities, Property, Life Insurance policies, IRA’s,
Annuities, Revocable Trusts, Collections such as coins,
antiques, art, etc., unused retirement funds (left over from
your company pension plan), sale of your home (with a
biblical tithe of 10%). YOUR ESTATE IS GIVEN TO YOU IN TRUST
FROM GOD. WHY NOT USE IT WISELY IN GOD’S SERVICE.
______________________________
WE WANT YOUR USED INK
CARTRIDGES... if you don’t want to take them back to the
store WE WILL. Bring them in and we will go to Staples to
collect Reward Dollars which are good for purchasing
products in their store.
______________________________

CHILDREN'S
CHOIR
Our HCLC Children's Choir rehearsals
have started again - 10:30 am (between services) upstairs in
the Choir room. Kids!... come add your voices in praise to
Jesus! See Eleanor Makinen or Kenny Zagare, our Director of
Music. |
|

Noah’s Ark Preschool has a
new Summer Program... Themes,
songs, crafts, games, storytime, and active play. Two
three week sessions July 2 to July 20 and July 30 to
August 17, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon. $250 fee for each
session. For children completing one year of preschool
through completion of kindergarten Located at: 307
Hawkins Avenue, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY. For information
call: 631-588-2942 or email us at:
noahsark307@optonline.net
|
|
BE AN ACTIVE
MEMBER OF HCLC
THERE ARE MANY WAYS
TO
ENJOY YOUR CHURCH FAMILY...
by volunteering to help with various
projects, you will meet people and you will be serving God.
By attending the many fellowship events, you will make new
friends. Get involved, serve the Lord, you will feel good
and grow spiritually; and have a richer more meaning-filled
life.


Our weekly Prayer Chain has grown by
leaps and bounds over the last year. It is a great way to
stay informed as to what is happening in the lives of our
Holy Cross family members, and to offer a prayer of healing,
assistance or thanks to God during the middle of the week.
We e-mail out our prayer list to over 300 HCLC members and
families, youth, college students and former HCLC members
weekly. If you would like to receive this, e-mail
tmandd@optonline.net.
______________________________
F.D.F.
BECOMING
A FULLY DEVOTED FOLLOWER OF JESUS... devoting our
lives to Jesus Christ and living Kingdom values, we turn in
our world’s lenses and exchange them for the Lord’s lenses,
His spectacles of life. Instead of seeing the world and
interpreting reality through the eyes of the world, the
CHANGE in your spirit now enables you to see reality through
His eyes. This spiritual renewal triggers a whole-life
renewal. The most important decision you will make is how to
respond to Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection in relation
to your own mortality. The second most important decision
you will make is how you will live in the light of your
first decision, responding to Jesus Christ’s death and
resurrection. Pray to God for wisdom and a discerning spirit
that guides you to know him. Make an intentional and
informed choice and pursue Jesus. If you already have
accepted and invited Jesus into your life then, go on a
journey to learn how to think like Jesus so that you may
live more like Him. Come and worship. Get involved in
learning opportunities. Read about God’s love.
______________________________
GOD MOMENTS &
YOU
We all have moments when God
just seems to break through the circumstances of life and
make himself known in awesome and wonderful ways. At Holy
Cross we call them God Moments. They are reminders that God
is with us. They come when times are darkest. They come when
it seems there is no way around a problem. They come in the
form of a hug, a laugh, a person, an easing of a problem.
There are no circumstances in life...THERE ARE ONLY GOD
MOMENTS. How about sharing your God moment with your church
family? We are asking you to take a few minutes and write
out your moment and give it to someone at the Information
Center in the lobby of the church. We will be compiling a
special God Moments Journal for our members and for guests
who worship with us. (You can email yours into HCLC, too, at
hclc@optonline.net)
|

New Council
Members
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our
Annual Congregational Meeting on November 13th. We congratulate
Neal Henshall, Bob Lewis, Virginia Ward and Bud Fritzen on their
election or reelection to the Church Council. We are grateful
for their commitment to our mission and offer prayers of success
for them as they assist in leading our ministry.
______________________________

Contemporary Christian Music Ministry
Everyone at Holy Cross knows
of the amazingly talented music ministry we are blessed to
have at Holy Cross. Ken Zagare and the choir never fail to
inspire our faith during Sunday worship services and at
special events like the Christmas Cantata. The Children’s
Choir and the Hand Bell Chorus are other inspiring examples
of God’s handiwork in our incredible music ministry. But not
everyone is aware of our extended music ministry. Growing
out of our former Reach Service, Charlie and Virginia Ward
and Eileen Hill have continued their musical faith journey
and serve together in bringing our ministry beyond our doors
to other parts of our community. Over the years and beyond
Reach, they have sung and played for Holy Cross at
confirmation classes and special events, in the Narthex
between services, and in our Crosswords and Gifts shop.
Performing acoustically as Hill & Ward, Eileen and Charlie
appear regularly at Witteridge Nursing Home and the Rushing
Wind Biker Church, and have also helped extend our ministry
to Lakeshore Nursing Home, Briarcliff College, Gospels Café
(at Holding Out Hope Church, home of WLIX Christian Radio),
Samantha’s Little Bit of Heaven, and at other local churches
throughout Suffolk, including St. Paul’s in Northport.
Eileen and Charlie also record and perform with their new
classic Christian rock band, Trinity Express. The band
includes Joe Cannone and Wayne Troisi on drums and bass, and
Holy Cross alumni Jon Riss and Robert Schulz on keyboards
and lead guitar, with Terry Espinosa in the recording studio
on backing vocals. Trinity Express features original music
written by Eileen, Charlie and Virginia. Watch for updates
on Hill & Ward and Trinity Express, our extended music
ministry.
______________________________

Donations
of AA batteries and postage stamps are always appreciated! |
|

Sunday School
Registration
Sunday School registration has begun,
but is ongoing - you may register at any time! Sunday School
goes from Preschool 3's and 4's through grade six. It is
important that you give your child a strong foundation to
build his or her life upon. Do not neglect this important
aspect of your parenting gift and responsibility. They need
you to help them grow spiritually. What better place than
Holy Cross to do this? Lauren Rogers and Toni Bandows are
our Sunday School Co-Superintendents.
|
|

Please
visit our web calendar for details on current meetings
WELCA
Evening Circle -
Evening Circle meetings for Holy
Cross’ unit of Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America are
held monthly at the church at 7:00 pm in our CrossWords & Gifts store.
All women are warmly welcome.
WELCA
Reading Circle -
WELCA Reading Circle meetings are
held monthly on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 pm at various members’ homes.
If you would like to join us or need directions, please call the church
office at 631-588-9509.
|
|

Holy Cross’ Extended Ministry
We are the CHURCH Together in Worship
Service Prayer
Holy Cross’ Extended Ministry
Sunday Worship at
LAKESHORE ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY
Lake Ronkonkoma
Holy Cross’ extended ministry
continues on at the Lakeshore Assisted Living Facility. It
is going and growing under the leadership of Deacon Chris
Thompson together with Deacon Dee Hecker. Each week the
ministry of Holy Cross is extended to the good people there
through worship and holy communion. Pastor Raggie joins them
on the non Sunday worship services. Many people help make
this a loving extended ministry of HCLC. Want to help? Be in
touch with Deacon Chris or Deacon Dee.
Holy Cross’ Extended Ministry
Saturday Worship at
THE ARBORS
Bohemia
We received a telephone call
to lead worship at the Arbors, an assisted living facility
in Bohemia. Deacon Chris checked it out and spoke with
people there and we made a commitment to extend our ministry
there too! It is a joy and a privilege to do so. Are you
interested in helping? It will be on a Saturday morning at
10:00 am one to two times a month. Let Deacon Chris Thompson
or Deacon Dee Hecker know, or call the church office. |
|
EXECUTIVE
BOARD
EXECUTIVE BOARD . . .
The Church Council is led by the Executive Board comprised
of, President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary and
Pastor. According to our church constitution and in
compliance with our national church body, this is how the
“business” aspects of the church is organized and the
“corporation” is led. Meetings are the first Tuesday of the
month. EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL 2011 . . .
Elected by the Council are the following to the Executive
Board: Valerie Barba is our Church President. Vice President
is Deacon Dee Hecker, Treasurer is Neal Henshall and
Recording Secretary is Barbara Drewes.
CHURCH COUNCIL
OF HOLY CROSS
This is a group of 10-12
people, elected by the congregation. It is the “business”
leadership body of the church. The Council meets at least
once per month: The 2nd Tuesday. At this meeting,
committees, special teams, Pastor, deacons, Noah’s Ark
Preschool, all present reports of the activities that they
have been involved in. It is a time to review the past
activities, and make plans for the future. The council sorts
through the issues that face a busy, growing ministry,
celebrate the successes and make sure that everything that
is done is put through the paradigm of the mission statement
and the philosophy of the Lutheran Church. They work with
Pastor to ensure things are done with great care for the
well-being of the ministry. Please pray for them. Council
Members are: Valerie Barba, Buck Barba, Dee Hecker, Jennifer
Hecker, Neal Henshall, Bob Lewis, Toni Bandows, Arlene
Tramazzo, Jo Williams and Pastor Raggie.
______________________________
DEVOTIONS . . . we
carry two small monthly devotional booklets, THE WORD IN
SEASON and OUR DAILY BREAD. In each booklet there are short
devotional stories and scriptures that magnify the story.
They change quarterly. Please make sure you pick one up and
use it as a way to focus your day (the table to your right
on the way out). FREE.
______________________________
WE SEND LETTERS . . .
every time you give a gift in memory of someone, in
thanksgiving for someone or something, or in honor of
someone or something, the ministry of Holy Cross sends the
gift giver a letter of thanks and whenever possible sends a
letter to the person honored or memorialized. So, if you
give a gift to the ministry through the Sponsor A Bill
program, or through the special funds and highlight who or
what it is for, letters are sent and people are recognized.
Please make sure you put in the address of the person in
your gift so we can send the letter.
______________________________
WE HAVE AN INFORMATION
CENTER . . . in the narthex (lobby) of the church. There
you will find someone to assist you with questions and you
can find brochures that explain our ministries.
______________________________
WE
ALWAYS NEED HELP . . .
in the office....Phones need to be answered, letters need to
be typed, guests need to be greeted, bulletins and the
Parish News needs to be run off, folded and collated, and so
much more. In the store....we need volunteers to keep the
costs down and thereby use the financial resources to fund
the ministry of HCLC. Quick training and a few hours a month
will really make a difference. Call Diana, 588-9540 or the
store. Around the campus always needs to be cleaned up;
papers, branches, leaves. This is your worship home.
______________________________
IMPORTANCE OF PRAYER
REQUESTS . . . Prayer requests are a great way to gather
God’s people in prayer. Each Sunday morning we solicit your
prayer requests. It is one of the most important things we
do. Prayer opportunities include:
†
Verbally requesting prayers
†
Using the prayer mailbox in
the church lobby
†
Joining the prayer community
on Wednesday nights
†
Calling the Church office to
have prayers included on our prayer chain
†
Calling the Church office to
have persons included on our written list in the Parish News
†
Email Tom Moldovan to add the
request to the weekly email list
WANT TO HOST A COFFEE HOUR?
. . .
Sign
up sheet is at the Information Center. It is a great way to
honor a loved one or memorialize someone. As a church family
we get to celebrate with all of you. Someone will be glad to
assist you and show you the ropes.
|
INTERESTED IN MEMBERSHIP? .
. . go to the Information Center. There is a card you
can fill out that will get you on the mailing list. There
are booklets there to read and someone to ask questions of.
Membership sessions are held throughout the year so watch
the Parish News (this booklet). You don’t have to make the
commitment right away. We are just glad you are worshiping
with us. Here at HCLC that is what is important. Membership
comes as you feel more deeply about what goes on here and
want to be a part of something which helps others and
reaches others with the love of Jesus.

WEDDINGS AND BAPTISMS . . .
do you need to make arrangements for Holy Cross to
participate in these special occasions? Please call the
church office first to see if the date and time is
available. Pastor will be in touch with you after you have
discussed dates and times with the office staff. Baptisms
are usually done in the 11:00am service and are done for one
family at a time (unless otherwise requested). Weddings are
based upon Pastor’s schedule and the worship schedule of the
minister.
______________________________

RED WAGON . . . A Food
Challenge! A continued reminder that the food pantry at Holy
Cross is in desperate need of non-perishable food. Your
donations of food will make a huge impact on our community.
In these tough times more and more people are coming to our
doors asking for assistance. Use your coupons and your gifts
will be multiplied. There are more needs than ever
before....so please dig deep.
______________________________
PRAYING FOR ONE ANOTHER . .
. there is a “prayer mailbox” on the table in the
entranceway to the Church (right side as you leave through
the red doors). It is there for you to request prayers for
Sunday worship, to be prayed for on Wednesday evening by the
Prayer Circle and to be included in our Parish News should
you so desire. We cannot include the person on Sunday Prayer
list unless we know who it from, so please be sure and give
your name and telephone number. We encourage you to use this
very special gift.
______________________________
OUR STORE WEBSITE . . .
is a great place to shop for that very special inspirational
gift. Is your grandchild being baptized? Are your children
being married this spring? Do your little ones need a great
Christian CD or storybook? Maybe you need a new bible or
something inspirational to read...what about a special cross
for your home?
www.crosswordsandgifts.com
OUR STORE RUNS ON
VOLUNTEERS . . . can you help? Because so many give of
their time to the store it keeps our overhead down to just
purchasing product. Since the move to the main floor and the
Christmas Craft Fair we have had a pick up in foot traffic
(as they say in the business) so we could use some extra
help. A few hours a week or a month will help greatly. You
will meet new people, listen to guests who enter our doors
and you never know who you will touch with your kind words,
your encouragement or by helping them find the right gift to
give someone. Call the church office or stop in the store
and tell them of your willingness to help.
______________________________

MISSED
WORSHIP?... CAN’T GET TO CHURCH?... OR MAYBE YOU WANT TO
STUDY THE SERMON A LITTLE MORE:
You can click the HOME button
at the top left of this page and then scroll down and click
on Sermon Podcast and you will find what you are looking for
or want to listen to! Check us out on iTunes too!
|
|
OUR
MINISTRY FINANCES
HELPING PEOPLE KNOW AND
SHARE THE LOVE OF CHRIST is what helps us to express our
ministry here in the community. Very simply stated it says
that we are about helping anyone who desires to be on a
faith journey to come to know the amazing love, the grace of
God who is in the gift of Jesus Christ, who died on the
cross for all people and then share that gift, that
understanding, that joy, that message, with others.
|
|

YOUR
GENEROSITY IS THE KEY
TO OUR
SUCCESSFUL MINISTRY
YOUR GIVING MAKES A
DIFFERENCE . . . because of you, people are coming to
know a relationship with Jesus. Because of you we have a
flourishing Confirmation program, a store going and growing,
an active volunteer core, homebound are visited, the Gospel
is preached, a rock band that has produced & marketed its
first CD, prayers are prayed and Christian fellowship is
nurtured. Please continue to be generous and remembering
from whom all you have comes.
WE RECEIVE NO OUTSIDE HELP
. . . or support. Unlike the Roman Catholic Church,
there is no money coming from a diocese or other church
organization or church body to help support our ministry.
Every dollar you give makes it possible for us to pay our
bills.
______________________________
ON-LINE MINISTRY DONATION .
. . using your bank account you can make life easier for
yourself throughout the year. Set up your online bank
account to make an automatic withdrawal for the ministry of
HCLC. It can be done once a week or monthly. Talk with your
bank assistant. It’s simple...give them your name, address,
zip, phone, account number, and have them write in the memo
section of your check, your church offering envelope number.
They will send the $$$ to HCLC. For those who feel “funny”
not having an envelope or gift to put into the offering
plate we will give you a packet of stickers that indicate
you are doing on-line donations. Go to the Information
Center in the narthex/lobby for more information or to pick
up stickers.
______________________________
A HINT ON BEING GENEROUS TO
OUR MINISTRY . . . Susie Ormand, the personal finance
guru (you may have seen her on talk shows and she’s written
a book or two), recommends that you write a check to your
favorite charity before you pay any other bills each month.
If you put off your giving until the end of the month or the
end of the year, she observes you are likely to feel guilty
or broke. Being generous up front, she says, has a way of
reassuring you that you really can survive on your income
and help those who are less fortunate. |
OPPORTUNITIES FOR GENEROUS
GIVING . . . there are many ways to give to the ministry
of HCLC thereby reflecting your giving to our God. We
provide windows of opportunity for generous giving through
your financial resources, items brought in and your gifts
and talents.
†
Pastor’s Discretionary Fund;
used to help people in need.
†
Sponsor-a-Bill; $$ go toward
paying the bill
†
Operating Budget; goes to help
pay the bills of this vibrant ministry
†
Special Ministry Appeals; RPL,
RSVP, Work Camp, Seats for Souls, major repair bills (water
main break, repair of front-way etc.)
†
Memorials; give $$ to
memorialize someone
†
Thank Offering; give $$ to
recognize someone
†
Bringing in items when
requested; monthly ministry appeal, food, clothing, seasonal
items, Meal Madness needs etc.
†
Item of the Month to keep
expenses down
†
Paypal on line at our website
for you to make donations
†
Participating and supporting
in ministry fund raisers
______________________________
YOUR
HEART & GIVING TO GOD Jesus promises that if we invest
our treasure for the work of the Kingdom of God, our hearts
will follow: “For where your treasure is, there your heart
will be also.” Maybe risking our treasures will help our
hearts go where we want them to go – into a closer
relationship with God. We won’t always feel like we can risk
a commitment. Sometimes all we feel is the anxiety. Jesus
says take the risk, trust in God. Put your treasure where
you want your heart to be, and your heart will go there. And
it’s not just about money. It is about our entire lives
being placed in God’s hands. We need to give away our
worldly security, our money, our hopes, dreams, desires,
loved ones, trusting that God has the very best in mind for
us...risking our treasures to God so that he might bless us
and those we care about. RELEASING OUR STUFF MAKES IT EASIER
TO RECEIVE THE GRACE OF GOD (his unconditional love).
HELP KEEP OUR MINISTRY
COSTS DOWN . . . This month we are asking you to bring
in PAPER GOODS of any kind; TP, paper towels, plates, cups
etc. You can go to our homepage and make a donation too!
CAN YOU DIG DEEP? . . .
every gift you give in the offering plate, using your
envelope, sending it in electronically etc. HELPS us keep
the ministry going and growing. These are tough economic
times for you and for the church. YOUR HELP IS CRUCIAL.
|
|
THE 2011
MINISTRY OF HOLY CROSS NEEDS YOU
The
CHURCH BUDGET was passed. In order to accomplish the
ministry and mission that we feel certain God is calling us
to do, WE NEED EVERY PERSON AND EVERY FAMILY of our
congregation to prayerfully consider their giving. Many
families are struggling during these economic times--our
ministry can help. We bring spiritual comfort and the
assurance that God cares...we give help in paying bills...we
are a place to receive food care packages...we offer
prayer...and more. Many of us are in a position to give a
little more, especially to make up for those who have to
give a little less as they find them selves with a loss of
employment or reduced hours or mortgages that have spiraled
out of control. But ALL of us need to remember that when we
give to Holy Cross . . .
• we are giving BACK to God that which
he has first given us
• we are trusting in God’s provision
• we are giving to God’s work through
the ministry of HCLC
• it’s OUR ministry & mission TOGETHER
for Jesus Christ and his people
We are called to be stewards of all
that God has given us. Being a steward has to do with
managing. It has to do with lovingly managing -- humbling
managing -- all that God has given us. And so we manage what
God has first given us . . . our time, our lives, our
talents, our resources which includes our finances and our
blessings. What can you give to the Lord for all his
benefits to you? You can give him your self in praise, in
prayer, in worship and in service to Him by serving others .
. . give some of your self to God’s mission and ministry
right here at Holy Cross...this is your church home and your
church family ! ! !

|
(return
to TOP of page)
|
|