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MESSAGE FROM THE PASTOR

 

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The family of Holy Cross greets you this day and welcomes you to this site. We come together regularly to worship and celebrate as a community, and to give thanks and praise for the blessings from God’s almighty hand. We are glad that you are here and hope that you enjoy your time with God and with us.

Our mission statement is "Helping people know and share the love of Christ."  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 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.

If we can be of any assistance to you or your loved ones, please be in touch with us.

 

Yours in Christ’s Love,

Rev. Claudia D. Raggie

 

We celebrate 75 years of  ministry as Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Lake Ronkonkoma, NY.  Many years ago people in the area had a vision to plant a Lutheran church here in Lake Ronkonkoma, a bustling destination spot for "city folk" and a growing rural Long Island community.  Together with 98 people Holy Cross took shape;first in a small room in Liberty Hall on Ocean Ave., April 25, 1948.  Later it moved to its current location when a small wooden church building was erected in 1949.  As suburbia extended eastward on Long Island, the next iteration of Holy cross took shape.   Bricks were laid, the sanctuary expanded, the old parsonage was moved off the property, blacktop was poured, classrooms added, and the Fellowship Hall was created.  Next came the office wing and the expanded narthex.  Then the preschool came about as a way to serve the community.  The more recent innovations to the ministry came with our store being created, Crosswords & Gifts; a very significant expansion of our ministry into the community and beyond.  Then came the Rock Solid Vision Plan (R.S.V.P.) which had 4 phases.  The church family commitment to RSVP over many years allowed us to reconfigure the worship space (sanctuary) to be multi-functional for creative worship as well as meeting and classroom space (sorely needed).  The organ was moved down front from the balcony, which brought the choir down front so we could see them and engage with them in worship.  The altar area was reorganized to draw us together as a worshiping church family.  Medias was added to enhance the worship and educational experiences.  Holy Cross has also been important in serving the local community as we have opened our doors continually to special groups such as NA, AA, Soup Kitchen, Grief small groups, Alzheimer's Support Groups, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Blood drives and more.  Pastors have come and gone helping the shape the ministry.  People have come and gone, always singing, praying and serving.  Families have been shaped by this ministry.  People's lives have been changed.  All because God has been doing His work through this church family, using people to extend His grace, forgiveness and salvation to all who seek to know the glory of God.

Restaurants and vendors who support us...so many businesses were generous in their support of our 75th Celebrations.  Please consider supporting them.  Let them know you are from HCLC and appreciate their generosity.  First and foremost we thank Tom and Angela from Colonial Florist for their generosity in supplying the centerpieces; they were stunning.

Colonial Flower Shop, 304 Hawkins Ave., Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

Benkert's Bakery, 2216 Middle Country Rd., Centereach, NY  11720

Glenn Wayne Bakery, 1800 Artic Ave., Bohemia, NY  11716

Panera Bread, 136 Portion Rd., Lake Ronkonkoma, NY  11779

Long Island Beverages, 400 Hawkins Avenue, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY  11779 

Stop and Shop, 425 Portion Road, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

Akropolis Greek Restaurant, 127 Smithtown Blvd., Suite 6, Nesconset, NY  11767

Carrabba Italian Grill, 730 Smithtown Bypass, Smithtown, NY  11767

Ginos of Nesconset, 248 Smithtown Blvd., Nesconset, NY  11767

Ginos of Ronkonkoma, 214 Portion Rd., Ronkonkoma, NY  11779

Mesoyios Greek Restaurant, 472 Hawkins Ave., Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

Nesconset Bagel Cafe, 248 Smithtown Blvd., Suite9, Nesconset, NY  11767

O Sole MIo, 2194 Nesconset Highway A, Stony Brook, NY  11790

Philly Pretzel Factory, 601 Portion Road, Lake Ronkonkoma, NY  11779

Pizzaiolo Gourmet Eatery, 4532 Sunrise Highway, Oakdale, NY  11769

The Pizzeria, 606 Montauk Highway, Bayport, NY  11705

Maria's Mexican and Latin Cuisine, 211 Smithtown Blvd., Nesconset, NY  11767

Uncle Giuseppe Market Place, 95 Rt. 111 Smithtown, NY  11787

Central Islip Fire Dept. ,97 Carlton Ave., Central Islip, NY  11722

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