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.  
• You are encouraged but not required to wear a mask when entering the building and throughout worship.
• Observe social distancing.
• Sanitize or wash hands as needed.
• You are welcome to sing and you are encouraged to wear a mask.
• 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.

Thank you

Thank you to everyone who helped make the AGM last Sunday a success! It takes a lot of hard work writing and collating the various reports, creating a budget, asking candidates to serve, and getting us to where we are today. Thank you to everyone who agreed to serve on council, boards, and committees.
Link to Annual Report

Prayer Around the Cross

Lenten Evening Prayer at Church of the Cross
Thursdays in Lent, 7:00 PM PDT, In person & livestream
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.

A Meatless Recipe to Try
The third in a series of vegetarian recipes shared by the Care for the Earth Committee during Lent.
 
With three brothers, Feruz was helping her mom in the kitchen at a young age.  She has now been in Canada for 3 years, and while enjoying all that Canada offers, she continues to prepare her favorite meals that her mom taught her.  We have been pleased to sit at her table and sample many tasty (spicy!) dishes.  Alicha has become one of my favorites!
 
Give it a try!  We think you’ll like it!
Sherry Coughlin and Feruz Russom

ኣሊካ - Alicha
a traditional Eritrean vegan dish
Click here for the video
 
Ingredients:
½ head cabbage, shredded
1 bunch of kale, washed and shredded
3 potatoes, cut in wedges
2 carrots, sliced lengthwise
1 red onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 tomato, chopped (optional)
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced (optional)
¼ cup parsley, chopped
5 cloves garlic – minced
Vegetable oil
Salt & Pepper to taste
Vegetable stock seasoning (such as Knorr / Vegeta)
1 sprig Rosemary
 
Over medium heat, place cabbage and kale in a large pot and pour a generous amount of oil over the top.  Sprinkle with salt, cover and cook until cabbage begins to soften, about 5 minutes.  Push the cabbage mixture to the sides of the pot and add the carrots and potatoes in the centre, cover them with the cabbage mixture, cover and continue cooking, stirring often, making sure mixture doesn’t scorch on the bottom.  Once the potatoes have started to soften, add the onion, red pepper, tomato and celery to the pot.  Stir, cover and continue to cook.  Season with pepper and add the jalapeno peppers, parsley and garlic.  Cover and continue to cook until all vegetables are soft and cooked through.  Add vegetable stock seasoning to taste (approx. 1 tablespoon).  Add the sprig of rosemary and remove from the heat.  Alicha is best served room temperature.

Sunday School this Sunday, March 20
 
Sundays in Lent and Easter Sunday, March 6 through April 17, Sunday School will meet in person during Sunday Worship, 10 AM PDT. Contact the church office for more information. Stay tuned for special kids activities on Easter Sunday, April 17.

  

On Sunday, March 20 there will be coffee hour immediately following worship in the narthex and outside weather permitting. This week coffee hour will be hosted by Craig Knight and Lennor Stieda, with Harriet Freytag providing baking. Everyone is welcome to join as you feel comfortable. 

Dear Friends at Church of the Cross, 
 
As I know many of you know, last Easter I proposed to a wonderful girl that I met in Ottawa at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church. Through the power of Zoom, I would like to cordially invite you to attend our wedding ceremony, held on Saturday, April 2, 2022 at 1pm EDT (10am PDT). If you would like to attend, please send me an email at b.lukenchuk@gmail.com and I would be happy to provide the connection details. 
 
We would also love it if you signed our virtual guest book: 
https://padlet.com/rebeccawong948/guestbook (press on the pink "+" sign to add a message). We would love to receive your messages!
 
Sincerely, 
Ben and Rebecca

The Social Justice Committee is collecting individually wrapped, store bought snack food items for distribution to the shelters and programs that support the homeless.  There is a basket in the narthex waiting to be filled to the brim with treats that are sure to put a smile on the faces of hungry teens and adults!
 

JUSTICE VAN SOCIETY  or https//www. justicevan.com
Third in the Social Justice Lenten Series

   

This is a God driven, grassroots, CRA registered service, that goes to the homeless directly in mobile form in the evening.  Since October 2018, Frank Woods recognized that a mobile van could serve the homeless more directly for immediate needs since many homeless (some were his past soccer students) told him that they could not leave their possessions behind or go where they felt unsafe.  Frank Woods believes that it is God driven because of his inspired involvement (after seeing past homeless students and working with his daughter) and the generous support he received from neighborhood individuals, businesses, churches and other agencies in just a short time. Services include: sandwiches, drinks, snacks, shoes, clothing, jackets, tents, sleeping bags, first aid, a personal relationship that provides encouragement, support and someone to listen. Volunteers and he try to use the people’s names when serving them. The mobile van goes out about 3-6 days per week in the evening around Queen Street and Rock Bay Landing and serves about 40-50 people.  It serves men, women and youth, who are not served by others, and most people have a history of being orphaned or traumatized.
 
JVS partners with Anawim House for office space to provide ID, help with forms, get food and works with other local agencies to provide other needed services. Barb first learned about JVS when Central Middle School’s grade 8 students and teacher (a past soccer student), with help from a neighborhood church, donated backpacks filled with food and clothing that was distributed by JVS to the homeless during the pandemic.  While volunteering for the last six months, Barb has witnessed the effect when Frank and others give out the donated foods and goods and talk to them by their name.  This impacts the homeless in profound ways and they express their gratitude to JVS and the volunteers.
 
While JVS concentrates now on the immediate needs, they are beginning to offer counselling to those who want to get off the street and they have a vision of acquiring a building to offer temporary housing and provide some needed activity to keep them busy: such as fixing bikes, etc.  
 
Your donations of snacks or treats will be much appreciated.