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In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:
Men’s Breakfast
Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner
Ash Wednesday Worship
Lenten Soup Suppers and Evening Prayer
Sunday School
To Mask Or Not To Mask
By Heart books arrived
2022 Tax Receipts
Need a Ride - Give a Ride
The Unforgotten
Devotional Edition podcast
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Care of the Earth Events
Saturday Afternoon Board Games
Reflections
Emergency Appeal
Black History Month
Ukraine Prayer Vigil
In-Person Worship
Read Ahead
This Week at Church of the Cross
The deadline for all Crossroads submissions is Wednesday at 12 noon.
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February Men’s Breakfast
 The next Men’s Breakfast will be on Saturday, February 18th, 9:30 - 10:30 AM at Church of the Cross. Michael Coughlin, president of the congregation and Grant Froyland, head trustee, will provide updates reflecting on the year past and what is ahead in the life of our community. This is an opportunity to get better acquainted and an opportunity to ask questions.
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Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner, February 21, 5 PM
 We will be hosting the annual Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner together with St. Luke’s on Tuesday, February 21 at 5:00 pm at St. Luke’s Cedar Hill. St. Luke’s is located across the street from Church of the Cross. We gather in the hall which is at the top of their parking lot. Maple syrup will be provided; however, you can bring other toppings to share. Gluten-free pancakes and sausages will also be available. Please add your name to the sign-up sheet or call the church office to let us know you are attending. For more information please contact Janice Nelson at jbnel13@gmail.com.
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Ash Wednesday Worship, February 22 – 7 PM PST
 Everyone is invited and encouraged to begin the season of Lent together with Ash Wednesday worship on February 22 at 7 PM at Church of the Cross. This shared worship with St. Luke Anglican will include Confession and Forgiveness, Imposition of Ashes, and the sharing of Holy Communion together. Worship will be in-person and livestreamed. God bless us with a Holy Lent.
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Lenten Soup Suppers and Evening Prayer – Thursdays at 6 PM and 7 PM PST
 Join in the spiritual practise for Lent of gathering weekly for a simple meal of soup and bread and for Evening Prayer together. Beginning March 2, and each Thursday in Lent, the supper will begin at 6 PM in the church entranceway, followed by Evening Prayer from 7 – 7:30 PM. If you are able to help with bringing soup or bread for the meals, there is a sign-up sheet outside the church office, or you may contact the church office by email or phone to sign-up. God bless our Lenten practise together.
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Kids are welcome to join us for Sunday School on February 26.
Transfiguration Sunday, Feb. 19 falls on Family Day Weekend, a time many families are away. We will provide crafts for kids to do at the kids table in the worship space on Sundays there is no Sunday School.
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"To Mask Or Not To Mask?"
That is the question we continue to ask ourselves and others. The Church Council discussed this question again in our meeting last night. We support those who choose to wear a mask and those who choose not to wear a mask. For our church at this time, wearing a mask is optional and a matter of personal choice in all our activities, including worship, fellowship time, meetings and office hours. This personal choice includes all those involved in leading our services, including presiding ministers, worship assistants, musicians, choir members and ushers. Please see a member of the Council if you have any questions or thoughts on the matter.
The latest guidance from the BC Center for Disease Control is helpful. "Be respectful of everyone whether they choose to wear a mask or not. It is important to be kind and respectful of other people's choices." That's good advice!
Church Council
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By Heart Books Arrived!
The By Heart books are here. You are welcome to pick up a copy you ordered this Sunday after worship or stop by during office hours, Monday through Thursday, 9 AM to 3 PM PST.
We are looking at beginning the Zoom small groups on Tuesday, Feb. 28, 7:30 PM
and on Wednesday, March 1, 10 AM PST.
We will be sending e-mails next week directly to people who registered for the small groups. If you do not receive an e-mail by Feb. 23 let us know and we can add you to the list.
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2022 Tax Receipts
2022 Tax Receipts are now in your mailbox at church, or have been mailed to your home address. Email receipts have been sent to those who requested them.
Any receipts not collected from church mailboxes/slots by 23 Feb will be mailed to your home address to ensure the church complies with CRA regulations for issuing of receipts.
If you have any questions please contact the Lutheran Church of the Cross Financial Secretary, Barry Walker at 250-381-1698 or bhwalker@sjaw.ca
Thank you for your continuing support of Lutheran Church of the Cross and its work.
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Need a Ride - Give a Ride
 Have you stopped driving? Are you uncomfortable driving at night? Want to attend worship in person on Sundays, special worship times like Lenten vespers, special events at the church? Are you someone who could give a ride to someone in the congregation who needs one?
Resource Stewardship is hoping to develop a ride matching service for those who need a ride or could offer a ride. If you are offering a ride you would only be doing so when your are able too. If you need a ride you will be connected with a member who can provide you with a ride to the church for worship or special events.
If you need a ride or can give a ride, write Craig at craigrknight@gmail.com or call the church office at 250-477-6222.
Resource Stewardship Committee
Engaged to Serve
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The Unforgotten
The Unforgotten is a powerful short video produced and directed by Indigenous people from across Canada. It shows the past and present realities of the suffering, struggles and resiliency of Indigenous people from BC to the Inuit in the far north. If you are wanting to better understand the Indigenous experience of living in Canada, this is a film to not miss.
Click on this link here to view The Unforgotten
Truth and Reconciliation Committee
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Devotional Edition podcast from Denise
 Latest episode of Story of Faith - Devotional Edition podcast. Denise Pawliuk is a diaconal candidate with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC).
Just click on the link here and you will be taken to the podcast. Please also feel free to share with others.
Denise Maier Pawliuk (she/her)
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Care of the Earth Events
On Tuesday, February 21 at 1:30 PM, MP Laurel Collins, opposition critic for the environment and climate change, will be at Church of the Cross to share her work as a member of Parliament on climate issues and ways we can address concerns for the environment. She will only be able to be with us for a half hour. This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about ways we an respond to climate change and find out what government is doing to address our concerns.
United for Old Growth Forests
If you are concerned about the future of our old growth forests in BC and want to learn more about the issues around preserving old growth trees, consider attending a march and rally on Saturday, February 25. The event begins at Centennial Square at 12 noon at Victoria City Hall with a march to the legislature at 1:30.
Care of the Earth Team
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Saturday Afternoon Board Games – February 25, 2023
 Saturday Games Afternoon - February 25th, 3:00 to 5:00 pm. Join Women in Faith for an afternoon of games for all ages. We will have some games available, however you are invited to bring your favourite game. Dessert, coffee and tea will be provided. Contact Janice for more information.
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Reflections
Music and Words to Close the Day
Sunday, February 26, 2023
7:00 - 8:00 pm in St. Luke's Church
Your friends at St. Luke Cedar Hill invite you to Reflections - Music and Words to Close the Day, Sunday, February 26th at 7:00 pm. This month’s Reflections will feature the Bourdons, an early music ensemble, and the theme is Ancient music, Ancient words. This Reflection time will include prayers from some of our ancient faith ancestors. Before the reading of each prayer, a very brief bio of the saint will be read. The readings, prayers, and music of this special Reflection Time will calm your spirit and soothe your soul.
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Emergency Appeal - Earthquake in Türkiye and Syria
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) joins with our partner Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR) in calling for prayers for those affected by the earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria and to give generously to support their urgent humanitarian needs. Among those affected are millions of refugees and displaced people living near the border of Syria and Türkiye (commonly known as Turkey, but whose traditional name has been recognized by the international community since 2022.) The situation for these already vulnerable and displaced populations has been made almost inconceivably worse, as their makeshift camps are not equipped to withstand an earthquake of this magnitude, and many have lost their homes during a cold snap with overnight temperatures below freezing.
Individuals and congregations wishing to support relief efforts can donate as follows:
- Make a designated offering for "Türkiye and Syria Earthquake" through the congregation.
- Call CLWR at 1-800-661-2597 (locally at 204-694-6502) to donate or go online to clwr.org/earthquake
- Send a cheque made payable to CLWR and mailed to CLWR, 600-177 Lombard Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R3B 0W5. Please indicate that you wish to contribute to "Türkiye and Syria Earthquake"
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World Council of Churches Shares Message of Love
 The World Council of Churches (WCC) is sending a message about healthy relationships: "Love Heals, Not Hurts". The campaign now in its fifth year, is part of the WCC Thursdays in Black global movement for a world free from rape and violence. The special Valentine's message, also shared via social media cards, is an annual tradition that's part of the WCC's work toward gender justice. In a video reflection, WCC general secretary Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay noted that the Bible tells us that love is the greatest of all spiritual gifts.
To read the full news article, please click here.
Give It Up for the Earth
As in past years, For the Love of Creation (FLC) will partner with Citizens for Public Justice on "Give it up for the Earth," a Lenten initiative. This annual campaign runs from February 22 to April 8 (Easter) pledging personal actions and supporting FLC's advocacy goals from COP27. A webinar on Biodiversity and COP15 will also be held in March. Details will be shared as it becomes available. The 2023 programme will be available throughout February. Please sign-up to CPJ's newsletter for updates.
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February is Black History Month
This week we lift up Louise Rose
From Norristown, Pennsylvania, Louise Rose has been a police officer, a Baptist missionary, and a sociology teacher, and an accomplished musician. She has served as a vocal jazz clinician, composer, recording artist, and more. She received an honorary doctorate from University of Victoria in 2001 in recognition of her extraordinary contribution to the community.
“Louise Rose is extraordinarily gifted as a music maker. She has studied and worked with many familiar (and famous) names; among them, Aretha Franklin, Oscar Peterson, Ray Charles, Leonard Bernstein. Louise is treasured for her skills at arranging - and that might owe something to her studies with Duke Ellington at Tanglewood - but it also owes a great deal to the arranger herself...While Ms. Rose's association with high-powered and splendid musicians has surely benefited her (and them!); and while she teaches, arranges and performs across the North American continent; and while she has been the host of the top-rated, nation-wide Vision Television program, Let's Sing Again, it is through the particular lens of her work in Victoria that we may come to understand better the nature of the life to which she commits herself.” (Excerpt from “Awards” at lrose.com)
 The Heritage Rose Window in the Alix Goolden Performance Hall of the Victoria Conservatory of Music is dedicated to Louise Rose in recognition of her contribution to music. As Louise says, "The dedication of this window acknowledges and validates the connection that art, culture and spirituality have in common."
Louise Rose also has an ELCIC connection, serving as the keynote speaker for the Canadian Lutheran Youth Gathering “Bridges” held in Winnipeg in 1994.
Prayer: God of song, we give thanks for the melodic beauty you gift us with through the music of Black musicians. Raise up Black voices and flourish their song. Bless the work and life of Louise Rose and inspire others through her. In Jesus we pray, Amen.
Click here to download the above
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Ukraine Prayer Vigil - Feb. 24th with ZOOM link
The following notification is being sent from the BC Synod office on behalf of the Vigil for Peace team
February 24th will be the one year anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine. We continue to pray for peace in Ukraine and to worry for the people who continue to live there and fight. We invite you, on Friday, February 24th at 7pm on Zoom, to join in a candle-light vigil for peace in Ukraine. We will gather to hold space in honour of those who have died, to pray for peace, and to remember the struggles that so many continue to face.
May the peace of Christ be with you,
Pastor Brenda Nestegaard Paul,
Pastor Katrina Vigen,
Pastor Kristen Steele,
Pastor Jane Gingrich
Vigil for Peace Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86318923824?pwd=cStXUXdOeHhTdzZFNmwwemgwajRDQT09
Meeting ID: 863 1892 3824
Passcode: 956380
Dial by your location +1 778 907 2071
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In-Person Worship, Sunday, February 19, 10 AM PST
Covid-19 and Worship
- We offer worship in both live (in-person) and livestream (online) formats.
- We rejoice in the gift of vaccination and encourage everyone to be / stay vaccinated & boosted if you are eligible.
- We support those who choose to wear a mask and those who choose not to wear a mask. For our church at this time, wearing a mask is optional and a matter of personal choice in all our activities, including worship, fellowship time, meetings and office hours. This personal choice includes all those involved in leading our services, including presiding ministers, worship assistants, musicians, choir members and ushers. Please see a member of the Council if you have any questions or thoughts on the matter.
- If you test positive, or have symptoms for Covid-19, please stay home (and worship via live-stream)!
- The Church Council reviews our COVID protocols and practices on a regular basis and will amend them when needed.
Church Council
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Read ahead:
 Sixth Sunday after Epiphany
February 19, 2023 Exodus 24:12-18
Psalm 2
2 Peter 1:16-21
Matthew 17:1-9
Worship Bulletin: CLICK HERE for Worship Bulletin
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Church office will be closed on Monday, February 20.
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