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In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:
Indigenous History Month & Day
Residential School, SK
National Indigenous Day
For Brian
Joni Mitchell Concert
Update on the Intergenerational Housing Project with Luther Court
Canadian Council of Churches
Covid-19 Update
Register Now for the 2021 National Worship Conference
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CLAY 2021 Registration is Now Open
Amazing Journey Day Camp
Vacation
Read ahead
This Week at Church of the Cross
The deadline for all Crossroads submissions is Wednesday at noon. Thank you.
Please visit our website for more information about us and our events.
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Discovery of 751 unmarked graves near former residential school
Kyrie Eleison. We continue standing and mourning with Indigenous people, given new revelations of Indigenous children and adults in unmarked graves. We continue discerning appropriate responses as a congregation and wider church.
CBC News Story
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Indigenous History Month & Day!
Engage, Celebrate, Honour and Respect! 
If you haven't already heard, June is Indigenous History Month, a time to learn about history from the lived experience of BC's First Nations! There are approximately 200,000 Indigenous people living in BC. They include First Nations, Inuit and Metis. There are 198 distinct First Nations in BC, each with their own unique traditions and history. More than 30 different First Nation languages are spoken in this province.
To learn more, a great place to start is a book by Victoria Indigenous author, Monique Gray Smith: Speaking Our Truth A Journey of Reconciliation
An excellent online resource for National Indigenous History Month:
https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/national-indigenous-history-month
Participate in the next Reconciliation Dialogue on Tuesday, June 29 at 7:00 pm when MLA Adam Olsen, a member of the Tsartlip First Nation in Brentwood Bay, will speak about the status of implementation of the BC act regarding the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. There will be opportunity to ask questions regarding recent events impacting BC First Nations. The Reconciliation Dialogue Zoom link will be sent in a separate email.
As a congregation committed to making reconciliation a reality, a helpful resource is this book: Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips and Suggestions by Bob Joseph with Cynthia Joseph.
June 21 is National Indigenous Day! Check out these online resources:
Indigenous Day Live!
https://www.indigenousdaylive.ca
BC Treaty Commission
https://www.bctreaty.ca/national-indigenous-history-month
National Indigenous Peoples Day
https://www.rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca/eng/1100100013248/1534872397533
Listen, Learn and Understand. Join in the conversation at the next meeting of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee on Friday, June 25 at 1:00 pm via Zoom. (You may contact Craig Knight for the TRC Zoom meeting link).
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National Indigenous Day - Service of Lament
Sunday, June 21, 2021
Ho sted by Carolyn Klaassen, Indigenous Representative on the BC Synod: Journey Towards Reconciliation Facilitation Team.
Click here to view “Service of Lament” worship.
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For Brian
As many will know, our congregation’s Cantor, Brian Wismath and partner Emily, will be moving to Ontario later in the summer. We are making plans to say farewell. Part of a gift to Brian is gathering cards and messages for a scrapbook that Lennor Stieda is putting together with others. Please email your card or message to lennorstieda@gmail.com or drop them off at the church office. Receiving them in early July would be appreciated. We are also gathering funds for a gift for Brian which can also be dropped off or mailed to the church office. Brian’s last Sunday with us is August 22. More information about a planned farewell will be shared soon.
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Viv & Brian celebrate 50 years of Joni Mitchell’s Blue album.
Recorded at Church of the Cross. While there were some technical difficulties in recording, feel free to check out the music which starts a few minutes in.
Click here to view concert.
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Update on the Intergenerational Housing Project with Luther Court
On Friday, June 4, we received the unfortunate news that our Intergenerational Housing Proposal with Luther Court was not included in the most recent funding from BC Housing. (More information about the project is available on Luther Court’s website Intergenerational Housing Update - Luther Court Society). Our consultant from M’akola indicated only 4 projects of almost 50 submissions on the Island were approved. 47 projects were approved in total across the province. You can read more about the funding announcement here News (bchousing.org). It was very disappointing to receive this news. But we recognize the worthiness and importance of many other project submissions including for Indigenous housing and housing for those who are currently homeless. A de-brief meeting with BC Housing is scheduled for the end of this month where we hope to hear about options for future funding. BC Housing along with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation have invested significantly in the development of this project so far, and we continue to hope this speaks well for its future. And we are looking at other funding options. The process of re-zoning and development permit approval is moving at a slow pace through the District of Saanich. We will continue this process, as these approvals are critical for funding. While this is a significant set-back, we are grateful for the hard work of many people and the strong partnership with Luther Court to envision and submit what we still believe is a very strong proposal and a project with many positive community impacts. Our great thanks to Karen Johnson-Lefsrud, CEO of Luther Court for all her hard work and commitment to this project, along with Luther Court’s Board, our consultants, and our own past and present Council and project committee members. We will continue to provide updates to the congregation. Please keep all those involved in your prayers and the hope that this vision of affordable housing for students and elders would be realized.
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Covid-19 Update
On June 6, 2021, the Provincial Health Officer (PHO) issued updated guidelines for gatherings and events including worship and other gatherings for religious communities. The update may be found here. The Covid-19 Leadership Team of our congregation has reviewed these guidelines and the further guidelines provided by the BC Synod that may be found here. It is the conclusion of the Leadership Team that the congregation not re-open for worship at this time. The restrictions are similar, with some additions, compared to last summer/fall. The requirements for pre-registering, distancing, and masks, including for worship leaders have increased. As well, we are entering the summer when both our pastors and others will have vacation times, increasing the demands on a smaller number of people to prepare and lead worship. Re-starting in-person worship, along with continuing livestreaming, adds considerably to the work involved for everyone. The Leadership Team and Council will continue to follow the announcements and guidelines from the PHO and the BC Centre for Disease Control and are looking toward and hopeful for the late summer early fall to reopen in-person worship and other programs, including Sunday School, as restrictions permit. As stated before, we will continue to livestream worship even when we re-open for in-person worship, providing people the option of worshipping online, especially those who find online worship more accessible or who are joining online worship from greater distances. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please speak with a member of the Covid-19 Leadership Team - Laura Cochrane, Craig Knight, Janet Molnar, Rory Molnar, members of Council or our pastors.
Blessings and peace,
The Covid-19 Leadership Team
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Register Now for the 2021 National Worship Conference
 Registration is now open for the 2021 National Worship Conference (NWC). Disruption and Grace: Learning Edges in Liminal Times - the 2021 NWC is all about exploring the disruptions and the graces we have experienced in the current pandemic and other unsettling circumstances. What have we learned from these experiences? This conference will take place on July 6-7, 2021. To see the full schedule, keynote speakers, and other information, please visit nationalworshipconference.org.
The Board of Worship has budgeted some funds for registration costs for the NWC. If you are interested in participating, please contact Laura from the Board of Worship or the Church office for more information.
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CLAY 2021 Registration is Now Open
August 20-22, 2021
New this year, get early-bird access to the CLAY 2021 theme song with your completed registration.
Registered Home Team Leaders will receive details about the HTL Orientation Event taking place on June 23rd from 4 to 6 pm MDT.
Before submitting your registration, please check out the Registration Booklet which will likely answer all of your questions in advance. In an effort to make CLAY 2021 as accessible as possible, the cost of participating will be pay-what-you-can. The suggested amount for every participant is $45. Home teams that can pay beyond the suggested amount are encouraged to helping those who may not be able to afford the registration fee.
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Amazing Journey Day Camp 
The annual Amazing Journey Day Camp will be happening this year August 9th to August 13th. This small group program will be held from 9 am to noon outdoors at St. George's, Cadboro Bay. The program is for children who have completed Grades 1 to 5.
Registration is now open for this year's Amazing Journey Camp. You can register online at this link.
The registration form is also available on the church website to download as a Word document or pdf. If you wish to type in the document, first save the Word document to your computer and then type in it. Once completed, print the registration form and sign it. Completed registration forms (with registration fees) can be returned to:
St. Luke Cedar Hill Anglican Church: 3821 Cedar Hill Cross Road, Victoria, BC V8P 2M6
Lutheran Church of the Cross: 3787 Cedar Hill Road, Victoria, BC V8P 3Z4
St. George’s Anglican Church: 3909 St. George’s Lane, Victoria, BC V8N 4E3
Please make cheques payable to Lutheran Church of the Cross and write “Amazing Journey” on the memo line. Completed registration forms can also be scanned and e-mailed to amazing4kids17@gmail.com.
If you wish to pay by e-transfer, please contact Lutheran Church of the Cross at lutheranchurchofthecross@shaw.ca or call 250-477-6222.
Early Bird Registration Fees are $30 - 1st child, $25.00 - 2nd child, $20.00 - 3rd and additional child.
Early Bird Registration Deadline is Wednesday, June 30th.
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Vacation
Pastor Lyle will be on vacation from June 27 until July 16 and again from August 1 – 13.
Pastor Lyndon will be on vacation July 12-26 and another week in late August (either third or fourth week).
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Read ahead: Fifth Sunday after Pentecost 
- June 27, 2021 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27
Psalm 130
2 Corinthians 8:7-15
Mark 5:21-43
Worship Bulletin: CLICK HERE for Worship Bulletin
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This Week at Church of the Cross
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