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In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:
Congregation’s Annual General Meeting
AGM Lunch
Time Change
Sunday School
With Sadness & Thanksgiving
Truth & Reconciliation
Breakfast
Book Group
Murder Mystery
Prayers for Healing and Wholeness in Lent
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Lenten Soup Suppers and Evening Prayer
New Staff Member - BC Synod
Anawim House Lenten Project
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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 Congregation’s Annual General Meeting
The Congregation’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Sunday, March 12, 2023 following 10 AM worship. An invitation to the meeting and annual report has been sent by email prior to the meeting.
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AGM Lunch
 Prior to the AGM on March 12 following 10 AM Sunday worship, a light lunch will be provided. If you are able to contribute sandwiches, finger foods or dessert please sign up on the list outside the church office.
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Time Change
Daylight saving time:
Please make sure adjust your clocks forward an hour on March 12, 2023.
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Sunday School March 12, 2023
Children are welcome to join Sunday School which takes place following the children’s time through until holy communion, when children return to the sanctuary. Other Sundays there is a children’s table available in the sanctuary so kids can colour and do crafts in the worship space.
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With Sadness and Thanksgiving
It is with sadness that we announce the death of Fred Jauck on Wednesday, March 1 at Luther Court with family around him. And we give thanks for Fred’s life of 104 years and his returning to Luther Court in his last weeks where he served as the first Administrator. A memorial and celebration of Fred’s life will take place on Saturday, March 25 at 2 PM at Church of the Cross with a reception to follow. All are welcome.
Rest eternal grant him, O God. And let light perpetual shine upon him.
Photo Credit: Vancouver Island Free Daily (2021)
Read the story here.
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Truth and Reconciliation Committee: March 15, 1 PM
The TRC will meet via Zoom on Wednesday, March 15 at 1:00 pm. Everyone is invited to join in our discussions and learnings about Indigenous traditions, teachings and current issues.
To joint the conversation use this Zoom meeting link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85486445277
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Breakfast March 21
 You are invited to the Men’s Breakfast on Tuesday, March 21 at 9:30 am in the Upper Hall at Church of the Cross. Bring a friend. Pastor Lyndon Sayers will be speaking on his experiences as a pastor and organizer for the First Annual Martin Lutheran King Jr. Community Parade in Lexington, Virginia. It was a time of great turmoil and unity. The parade took place around the same time as Donald Trump’s inauguration, which also served as a catalyst for white supremacist rallies and violence in nearby Charlottesville.
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Women in Faith Book Group - March 29th
The Book Group will meet on Wednesday, March 29th at 1:00 pm by Zoom. We will be discussing "Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest" by Suzanne Simard. For more information please contact Janice (jbnel13@gmail.com).
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Murder Mystery Afternoon - Saturday, April 1st
 Join us for an afternoon of murder and mayhem beginning at 3:00 pm in the Upper Hall, LCC. This an event for all ages. You will have an opportunity to either be a suspect or a detective. Please contact Janice (jbnel23@gmail.com) if you plan on attending.
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Prayers for Healing and Wholeness in Lent
 As part of Sunday worship throughout the Season of Lent, the Board of worship has decided to offer the opportunity for individual prayers and anointing for healing. Those who wish to may go to the area near the corner window before or after Communion to kneel or sit or stand to receive an individual prayer and the sign of the cross with oil on your forehead. This early Christian practise of prayer and anointing the sick is spoken of in the Christian Testament of the Bible. We offer this practise trusting in God’s grace to give wholeness and healing together with the gifts of medicine and science and not in expectation of miraculous cures. If you have any questions or concerns, please speak with Pastor Lyndon or Pastor Lyle, or a member of the Board of Worship.
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Lenten Soup Suppers and Evening Prayer – Thursdays in Lent
Soup at 6 PM
Evening Prayer at 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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Announcing a New Staff Member at the Synod Office
 I am delighted to announce that recent graduate and first call candidate Elina Singh has agreed to join our BC Synod office staff to serve as an Executive Administrator. (.75 Full Time Equivalent) We know this will be a temporary position however it will allow us to continue moving forward with a number of our projects, including work in the east central Fraser Valley. Elina will work out of the BC Synod office in New Westminster. Her new email address is esinghbcsynod@gmail.com and she can also be reached at 604-524-1318. Please join me in extending her a warm welcome!
Bishop Kathy
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Anawim Companion Society’s history:
 Since the beginning of Lent, we have learned about various aspects of Anawim Companion Society’s (aka: Anawim House) work. What are the origins of this organization?
It started in the 1980s when volunteers at St. Andrew’s soup kitchen envisioned a new model of support for homeless persons who talked about their powerlessness and inability to break out of their cycle of poverty. The new model was to help the target group move beyond being recipients of charity-providing services. In 1987, the Society was registered as a non-profit charitable organization in 1987. Through the support and generosity of churches, various service clubs, the local business community, and many individuals from Greater Victoria, a tiny house was purchased at 973 Caledonia Avenue in 1991.
Within two years, Anawim House was meeting its patrons’ basic needs, within an alcohol and drug-free environment. Now the greater challenge of addressing the underlying causes of abuse, betrayal, addictions, emotional and mental illness, had to be addressed. By June 1994, again with the help of community support, the house was greatly expanded to become a multi-functional space. The expansion allowed additional services to address some underlying causes of poverty and added much needed bedrooms for the residential program. Today, Anawim House has a family size kitchen, dining area, a large living room and entertainment centre, shower and laundry facilities, a library/board room, offices, an arts and crafts studio, computer work stations, a workshop, cold storage and ample space for food and clothing supplies. Anawim House also offers private bedrooms for seven residents.
During Lent, the Social Justice Committee invites you to support Anawim House by donating needed products. A collection box is available inside the front entrance. The products needed are toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, combs, hairbrushes, men’s and women’s underwear, feminine hygiene products, new and slightly used towels, wash cloths, chocolate bars, granola bars, reusable water bottles, $5 or $10 gift cards to Tim Hortons, McDonalds, Subway, or Burger King.
If you have questions about this project, contact Craig Knight (craigknight@gmail.com) or Sherry Coughlin (sherry_coughlin@yahoo.ca)
The Social Justice Committee thanks you!
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Urgent Update re dates of Hazara Crisis events in Duncan and Victoria
Hi friends,
Unfortunately we have had to postpone the March 18th and 19th Hazara education events planned in Victoria and Duncan.
This is a collaboration between Hazara refugees already in BC and local allies. Our purpose is to support Hazara refugees and build awareness about their difficult history in Afghanistan and elsewhere.
If you have circulated the flyer, please forward this email as a follow up. We will send out more details once the new date is set.
In the meantime we will be continuing to expand our new network.
Please contact us if you have any questions or want to join our organising group.
Our email is: Hazara.initiative@gmail.com
Best wishes,
Robert Oppenheimer
Hazara Refugee Crisis Initiative
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In-Person Worship, Sunday, March 12, 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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Third Sunday in Lent 