HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH
307 Hawkins Avenue
Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779
631-588-9509
Rev. Claudia D. Raggie, Pastor
"Helping people to know and share the love of Christ"
The family of Holy Cross greets us this day. We come together to worship each Sunday at 10 am and celebrate the many blessings God has given us. We glad you are here to worship with us. Enjoy your time with God and with us. Lift your voice in praise, prayer and thanksgiving. If we can be of assistance to you or your loved ones, please be in touch by phone(631-588-9509) or email (hclc @optonline.net
Thoughts from Pastor Raggie
Heavenly Father,
As we prepare for the Christmas festivities during this Advent season. help us to keep the reason for this season, at the center of our preparations. Give us the will, the wisdom and the ways to set aside many of the worldly distractions and focus on the wonder of your gracious love. Help us to simplify our activites and traditions so that we may focus our celebrations on what You have done continue to do for us. In Your Name We Pray. Amen.
ADVENT SUNDAY SERIES
12/03/23 The Miracle in Our Mess: The Christmas Machine
12/10/23 The Miracle in Our Mess: John is like your embarrassing uncle
12/17/23 The Miracle in Our Mess: Great Expectations
12/24/23 The Miracle in Our Mess: Scrooge Gets a Wake-up Call
GO TO THE HOLY HAPPENINGS PAGE......
Praying for one another is a huge part of our ministry here at Holy Cross. Feel free to leave a prayer request below. Your prayer will automatically be sent to the church office.
Come visit our very own CrossWords & Gifts Bookstore.
Wednesday through Saturday
12:00pm-5:00pm
Visit their page HERE for more details!
POINSETTIAS CAN BE ORDERED @ 15.00 EACH. This is a lovely way to honor someone or thank someone or remember someone special. The flowers are blessed on the altar; they have heard the music and prayers and joy of the people -and then you take them to places where people are that you love. How great is that? People will be acknowledged in the worship bulletin for Christmas Eve. If you do not want to pick yours up on Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, pls. let us know and we will make sure it gets to a homebound person, bringing them the colors of the season. Call in your order to the church office (631-588-9509) or use the form in the pew rack to make payment. Order by Dec. 17th. THIS IS EARLY because Christmas Eve falls on that Sunday.
Dec. 10th @ 11 am
Pancakes, sausages, juice, coffee and Santa!
Adults = $8.00
Children under 12 = $5.00
Immediately after church in fellowship hall.
Caroling in the Neighborhood!!
All of us from HCLC will be caroling in the neighborhood immediately after service on 12/17/23
Hot cocoa and cookies available after we sing!
Let's keep Christ in Christmas by teaching our young ones these classic Christmas hymns and bringing joy to our neighbors!
MERRY CHRISTMAS
WHAT LUTHERANS BELIEVE
Sola Fide....Latin for "faith alone," it was one of Luther's main beliefs and opposing Catholic teachings. He believed the Catholic church misled people when they said whoever purchased indulgences would be free of their sins or at least reduce the time of sinners spent in purgatory. Luther did not believe that acts of charity or good works earned God's salvation. Salvation cannot be earned. Salvation comes only from having faith in Jesus Christ alone.
Sola Scriptura....Latin for "scripture alone," was also on the Luther's main beliefs; the Scriptures are the only authority concerning the business of faith for Christian believers. He denied the pope's authority to teach the word of God through is own interpretations that were contray to Bible Scripture, including teaching believers to pray directly to Mary and the saints. Luther accused the pope and the Catholic church of distorting Biblical truths and corrupting Christian teaching, and he came to believe that the Bible, interpreted by Individual believers, was the only true authority of faith for Christians. He believed that faithful Christians must consider the Bible Scriptures as the authentic word of God. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they can then interpret its meanings for themselves.
Sola Gratia....Latin for "grace alone," is a belief that Luther shared with the Catholic church, with this exception: the Catholic church endorsed that although salvation is made possible by grace, faith and works of people are means to sustain grace. The church was endorsing a mixture of both reliance upon the grace of God, and confidence in the merits of a believer's own works performed with love.
For the Lutheran tradition, the doctrine of salvation by grace alone through faith alone through Christ alone is the principle upon which all other teachings rest.