Church Council and others continue to work to see that in-person worship is safer for everyone. Our current practises for in-person worship meet all present requirements. Changes in the pandemic continue to raise concerns for health and safety, and we will adjust our plans as health orders change. 
 
Being vaccinated against COVID-19 is the best protection for the health of yourself and others. We strongly encourage everyone who is eligible to be fully vaccinated.
 
We will continue to livestream worship each Sunday.  
 

• If you are not feeling well and experiencing any Covid-19 related symptoms or if you are not vaccinated, please stay home and participate in worship online.  
• Wear a mask when entering the building and throughout worship and Sunday School.  (This is required of everyone age 12 and older. Children under 12 are encouraged to wear a mask.)
• Observe social distancing.
• Sanitize or wash hands as needed.
• You are welcome to sing, but masks must be worn.
• We will greet one another and share the peace at a distance.
• Holy Communion will be served with bread and individual glasses of wine that are spaced in the trays. You may commune with bread or wine alone if you wish.
• You are invited to greet and talk with others after worship with masks on.
• It is not required that people register for worship ahead of time or sign in as you arrive.

Ministry Evaluation - Please complete Today

The Mutual Ministry Committee is asking for the your input for a Ministry Evaluation. You can fill out the online form here or respond by printed copy, which can be returned to the church office.  We would love to have the feedback by the end of February, and will report the results to the congregation and use this input as part of setting church’s Vision and Priorities. If you have any questions please contact Johann Kuntze at 250-886-8193 or jlkuntze@gmail.com.
 
Thanks, Johann

Congregation’s Annual General Meeting

The Congregation’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Sunday, March 13, 2022 at 1 PM on Zoom. An invitation to the meeting and annual report will be sent by email prior to the meeting.

AGM Q&A Zoom Sunday, February 27, 11:30 AM PST.
Zoom link will be sent separately via email.

AGM Q&A In-person, March 6, following worship (around 11:15 AM PST) in the Sanctuary.

Shrove Tuesday Zoom, March 1, 6 PM PST

Join us for this Zoom gathering with a brief time of prayer with burning of palms (20 min). You are invited to make pancakes at home should you wish and share greetings with one another this Shrove Tuesday.

Shrove Tuesday is a time of celebration before Lent begins. Why did Shrove Tuesday get associated with eating pancakes? Read about it here.

Zoom link will be sent in a separate e-mail.

Ash Wednesday Worship, March 2, 7 PM PST

Join us in person or online as we begin the Lenten season with Ash Wednesday, March 2, 7 PM PST.

What is Ash Wednesday? Check out this article from CBC Kids.

Amazing Journey Day Camp 2022

Save the dates July 4th to 8th, 2022 for this year's Amazing Journey Day Camp. Fully vaccinated children aged 4 to 12 will be eligible to attend. We will also be looking for middle school students to be Leaders in Training and High School students to be small group leaders. Registration will open in April. Additional details will be available in the coming weeks.

Jam Session Thursday, Feb. 24, 7:30 PM in the Sanctuary

Do you play an instrument? Ever wondered what that song would sound like with a "little more cowbell"?

You are invited to join Nathan McDonald and some other musicians from the congregation in a "Jam Session". There will be a JAM session this Thursday, Feb. 24, at 7:30 pm in the Sanctuary, led by Kantor Nathan McDonald. All are welcome, no experience or instruments necessary (but bring them if you've got them!) We will explore music from our Global Lutheran traditions in a variety of ways. 

We will focus on exploring different ways of singing/experiencing well-known hymns and similar music with an emphasis on creativity and experimentation. Come check it out!

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP to Nathan at mac.nathan@gmail.com so we have an idea of numbers.

What’s in a Name?
 
As we turn one year old, the former Greening committee is thrilled to announce their new name: the “Care for the Earth” committee. We believe this name change encompasses all we hope and strive for in our work and prayers as we Care for the Earth.
 
 A Lenten Challenge
 
Industrialized meat production is a driving force behind deforestation, biodiversity loss, water overuse and infertile soil. While there is no denying the nutritional value of meat, the Care for the Earth committee challenges you to find new ingredients that will provide the same benefits while eating meatless and commit to eating at least one meatless dinner once a week during the season of Lent.  Are you up for the challenge?
 
To help and inspire you, each week you will find a vegetarian (no meat) or vegan (no animal products) recipe in Crossroads, submitted by some familiar and maybe not so familiar names from our LCC community. As a bonus, each article will also contain a link to an instructive video of the LCC chefs at work in their kitchens preparing their master-dishes!
 
We hope you’ll join us in this Lenten challenge! Let us know if you have a favorite vegetarian or vegan recipe you’d like to share!

the who, what, when, where of
Homelessness
and a way we can help
 
In 2020 it was reported that there were over 1,500 homeless individuals living in Victoria.  After two years of the pandemic and the havoc it has created, we can only imagine what the actual number might be today.  As heartbreaking as that is, there is some good news – the city of Victoria has many programs to help those living without the means to provide them and theirs with food and shelter.
 
Want to learn more?  Check out:
Victoria - Homelessness 101
 
The Social Justice Committee gives a nod and big thumbs up to the organizations we regularly support –but realize there are many other amazing programs in place.  Some of these are familiar to us and some we have just become aware of.  To share this information with you, we will be highlighting a different (and maybe or maybe not new to you) program in Crossroads each week during Lent. 
 
As we talk with coordinators and staff of these shelters and programs, we have become aware of a small need that WE can help with!  While kitchens and shelters strive to provide healthy food and meals, what is missing is SNACKS.  Chips. Goodies.  Sweets.  We are inviting you to help us in providing some individually wrapped snack items (granola bars, pudding cups, chocolate bars, cup of soup, small bags of chips, etc).  All items must be store-bought and individually wrapped making them easy to store and hand out.  What we collect will be divided up and distributed to the shelters and programs in our spotlights.  Will you join us?  There is a basket in the Narthex, waiting to be filled with much needed and desired high calorie, energy giving, put-a-smile on the face munchies!
 
With thanks,
The Social Justice Committee

Prayer Around the Cross

Lenten Evening Prayer at Church of the Cross
Thursdays in Lent, 7:00 PM PST, In person & livestream (25 min.)
5 Thursdays: March 10, 17, 24, 31, April 7

Simple liturgy of word and music including invitation to light candles and place them around the prayer wall.

Your friends at St. Luke Cedar Hill invite you to Jazz Vespers in St. Luke's Church on Sunday, March 6th. Jazz Up Your Sunday Evening with a Jazz Vespers service starting at 7 pm. This hour long service will feature lots of jazz along with contemporary prayers, poems, and readings. Come and see and hear what it’s all about!

BC Synod Doctrine of Discovery Lenten Series

As part of your Lenten Spiritual Practice join us on Zoom for 6 weeks starting March 3rd as we take an in depth look at the Doctrine of Discovery, a document that has shaped western attitudes towards Indigenous people for the past five centuries. 

6 Thursdays: March 3, 10, 17, 24, 31, April 7
7:00 to 7:20 PM PST Evening Prayer
7:30 to 8:30 PM PST Video Discussion
All sessions over Zoom

Organized by the Journey Towards Reconciliation Group (on which Pr. Lyndon serves) each evening will start with a 20 minute Lenten Evening Prayer led by different congregations in the BC Synod (Church of the Cross will be leading one of the Evening Prayer sessions). Then we take a short break before we dive into a one hour discussion with video on the Doctrine of Discovery, a documentary produced by the Anglican Church of Canada. 

Come to one or all of them. This is a great chance to start or continue your journey of reconciliation with your Indigenous siblings both as individuals and as a congregation. We invite people to sign up on Eventbrite so we can get an idea of how many people are coming. Below you will find the Eventbrite Link and links to two videos that you can use to promote this event in your congregation.

Eastern Synod Black History Month
Week 4: Systemic Racism



Check out Week 4 Resources for Black History Month.

Scroll down the page to view each week.

National Anglican Lutheran Assembly July 2022 Postponed, ELCIC Still Meeting

Lutherans and Anglicans had been planning a joint Annual Convention this July in Calgary, but the organizing committee has made the decision to postpone the joint assembly until a later date in either 2023 or 2024. Read the announcement here.

Nevertheless the ELCIC will still be gathering. More details to come in the coming weeks what format that will take.