|
|
|
|
|
If you have a Mac or the links are not working,
please try clicking on 'View it in your browser'.
|
|
|
|
|
|
In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:
Marie Green Funeral
2021 Pledge Drive and Giving Envelopes
Refugee Sponsorship Update
Announcement
Angel Gifts 2020
St. Luke's Prescription
Thank you to many
Survey on Racism
Video Study Group
You are invited to a year of reading the Bible!
|
|
Covid-19 Update/In-person Worship continues
Holy Communion continues every Sunday
Continuing Ways to join worship on-line
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.
|
|
|
Marie Green Funeral
Thank you for everyone who participated in Marie Green’s funeral on Thursday, November 5. The worship livestream is still available to view on the church web-site and streaming platforms. Good that Marie’s family could gather in mourning and love.
CLICK HERE for Bulletin
https://youtu.be/IvjhGdguWlo
 
|
|
|
2021 Pledge Drive and Giving Envelopes
 As 2020 nears a close it is time again to start our Pledge Drive and distribute 2021 giving envelopes. Due to COVID 19 concerns, the plan this year will be to mail out stewardship information, pledge cards, and giving envelopes around mid to late November. You will receive a stamp addressed envelope to return your pledge card to the church or simply drop it off at the church if you prefer. If you do not want your giving packaged mail to your home and would prefer to pick it up at the church please let us know and we will place it in your mail slot at the church. To do so please contact the Financial Secretary Barry Walker at bhwalker@shaw.ca, 250-381-1698 or the church office at lutheranchurchofthecross@shaw.ca 250-477-6222.
Your generous support has been unwavering during this difficult year and has allow the church to continue its work during a difficult time for all. Thank you.
|
|
|
Refugee Sponsorship Update
 On October 28, our council members approved a recommendation by the Social Justice Committee (SJC) to enter into the sponsorship of a 28-year-old sub-Saharan African woman and her 3 month old child. Due to her situation and living conditions, she is considered ‘vulnerable’. The SJC thanks the council for their support, and you, for your generous donations to the Refugee Fund – together we are working to save the lives of this young mother and her child. We will be working with other community members, and along with the Inter-Cultural Association of Greater Victoria (ICA), we will be applying for matching funds to help finance this good work.
Our sponsorship of Haile and Timhirt – uncle and nephew – will be completed in mid-December. They quickly became very independent, found jobs and began English classes. They continue to thank us for helping them to join their family living in Victoria.
COVID has all but stopped the application processes in most parts of the world. Merhawi, brother to Feruz whom we sponsored 2 years ago, continues to wait for the good news that he has been accepted to immigrate to our country. According to Feruz, he is safe and well but is eager to join his sister in Canada. We hope to welcome him in 2021.
Samuel and Kibreab are cousins to each other, and cousins to a young woman we sponsored nearly 8 years ago. Lutheran Church of the Cross has entered into this sponsorship as co-sponsors. The family has submitted all funds in trust with the ICA. The applications were submitted earlier this year, but as with Merhawi, the slow down in processing will increase the waiting time for these 2 young men.
We continue to pray for the health and well being of these, and all refugees – especially during this time of COVID. Again, thank you for not only your financial support, but as importantly, for your encouragement and prayers for the work the SJC is doing with helping those seeking a new and safer life in Canada.
|
|
|
Dear Church Family,
It is with great pleasure that we announc e to you the arrival of Theodore Francis McDonald, born at home on Oct. 5, 2020. His older brother, Julian, is a big help and very caring. Thank you all for your prayers, support, and messages of encouragement. We are richly blessed to be a part of the LCC community, even though we are not able to physically gather with many people at this time.
In Peace,
Candyce, Nathan, Julian, and Theodore McDonald
|
|
|
Angel Gifts 2020
 It has been our tradition for the past several years to take part in the Our Place “Angel Gifts” program. After meeting and discussing how the COVID pandemic might affect this day of joy and celebration for the Our Place family, the society’s planning committee has come up with a plan to continue this important mission, following all safety and health guidelines.
As before, we will be joining other organizations and faith communities in providing gifts for these good folks. We have received the names of 25 people who could certainly use a message of friendship from an “Angel” in the form of a Christmas gift and greeting card.
Some of the process has been changed to avoid unnecessary person-to-person contact situations. Here are the details:
- A sign up sheet is in the church hallway. As before, you may sign up in person OR contact
Nicky in the church office by email or telephone to request the name of a person. You will also receive information regarding gender, size and age and their gift number.
- Purchase a gift (suggested ideas are new outer wear, a chocolate bar, a gift card for a downtown store or coffee shop) with the approximate value of $40.00
- Wrap the gift and write the gift number (not the name) using a black marker on the outside of the gift. We will not be distributing Angel cards as in the past. No bows, cloth bags or shiny paper please. Gift bags should be taped closed and string handles tied together. If you wish to include a personal message or Christmas card, please put it inside the gift.
- Gifts will be blessed in our worship service on December 6. If you are not comfortable dropping the gift off at church, feel free to contact Sherry Coughlin by December 2 – she will be happy to arrange to pick up the gift from your home and deliver it to the church by the 6th.
- If you choose to deliver your gift to the church, you may drop them off during office hours, or leave in them in the sacristy.
Thank you to all who have taken part in the “Angel Gifts” program in the past. More now than ever, there is important work for Angels to do during this time of COVID -19.
Thank you!
The Social Justice Committee
|
|
|
St. Luke's Prescription
Fall 2020 Issue of St. Luke's Prescription is now posted at the  Prescription page of St. Luke’s website: (https://www.stlukesvictoria.ca/pages/prescription)
It's been a different year this year as we know and so we didn't stick to our usual timelines. The summer and fall issues were combined into this one fall issue. That's just how it went this year....
You can save this version of the Prescription to your computer and/or share this link with others. We send the link out to our parishioners and others who are interested - some people prefer to read it online and it also means that it is easy to share.
|
|
|
Thank you to many!
 A word thanks and appreciation to many people who have been caring for various things around the church building over the last while, including working in the gardens, repairing a sewer blockage for Luther House and the church, re-covering chairs used in the Rotunda, cleaning out and packing up everything in the kitchen in the Lower Hall, moving all the worship fabrics and supplies to the storage space, replacing the washroom door handles and repairing an “escape hole” through the drywall in one of the washrooms! We won’t try and name you all, but thank you! to everyone for your care and work and stewardship in these and many ways.
|
|
|
Survey on Racism
The following is a letter from the Intercultural Association of Victoria and Florentien Verhage inviting participation in a survey about racism in our community. Florentien added: “We really want to hear from everybody because this concerns all of us, even if you have very little exposure to racism or hardly ever witness it.” Please consider filling out the survey to help our community and our own learning together.
Download letter here
GVLIP Racism Survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FHKZVSS
|
|
|
Video Study Group “Pro-Future Faith” Tuesdays - 7PM on Zoom
Those who are interested are welcome to drop in on the video study group, Tuesdays at 7 PM on Zoom for an 8-session course titled, “ProFuture Faith – the Prodigal Species Comes Home” with lecturer Rev. Michael Dowd. To register, contact the church office. If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Lyle or Pastor Lyndon.
|
|
|
You are invited to a year of reading the Bible!
ELCIC National Bishop Susan Johnson invites you to form a Bible Book Club with members of your church, your friends, family or others from your community as a way to study scripture and discuss the Bible together.
September 2020 marks the second year of the Living our Faith initiative, to which our emphasis has shifted from prayer to reading. Each month we will focus together on a different book of the Bible. Our first month, September, has us reading the book of Genesis. Form your Bible Book Club, use the introduction taken from the Lutheran Study Bible, read the appointed book, download the prepared questions and join in the discussion.
|
|
|
Covid-19 Update/In-person Worship continues – Sunday, November 8 at 10 AM
 Worship continues to be limited to 35 people in the congregation plus those leading and assisting. We have been less than this number every Sunday so there is room for anyone who wishes to join in-person worship. Please email or call the church office, and pastorlyle@shaw.ca, pastorlylndon@shaw.ca to indicate your intention to be present. Worship will continue to be livestreamed as well.
Those who join in worship should expect the following:
- Everyone is asked to wear a mask while in the church building, if you do not have one, one will be provided.
- You may have to line up at the front doors as you arrive using the spacing marked in chalk on the walkway.
- You will be asked to sanitize your hands, sign in, and then be ushered to a seat in the sanctuary
- Seating will be distanced except among family/contact groups
- A worship folder will be provided including the text of the songs. The congregation is asked not to sing, but welcome to hum the melodies. It is an opportunity to meditate/reflect on the words being sung.
- At the time of Holy Communion, the presider(s) will go out to wash their hands. Ushers will invite you forward if you wish to commune, the bread will be placed in your hands by the presider, and you will be invited to pick-up a glass of wine/grape juice which are spaced in the trays. The empty glasses are then placed in the next tray before you return to your seat.
- At the end of worship, you will be ushered outside where people may visit at a distance, if they wish.
The Covid-19 Leadership Team continues to monitor the local conditions and recommendations of the Health Authorities and to adjust our practices as needed.
|
|
|
Holy Communion continues every Sunday
As worship includes Holy Communion every Sunday,  those who wish to join in celebrating Holy Communion at home are invited to prepare a small amount of bread and wine (or grape juice if required) on a plate and in a cup, prior to worship. You may also wish to light a candle(s) as part of worshipping at home. At the time of Holy Communion, you are invited to have the elements in front of you, join in the words of thanksgiving and to lift the bread and wine at the same time as the presiding minister. At the time of Communing, share the bread with yourself or with one another with the words: “The body of Christ given for you.” and “The blood of Christ shed for you.” After Communing, or following worship, please consume the remaining bread and wine. This invitation is for those who wish to and feel comfortable joining in Communion at home during worship. Those who do not feel comfortable are welcome to observe Holy Communion celebrated at the church as we trust in God’s Spirit and gifts of grace offered to all as and where we are. If anyone has any questions or concerns, please contact Pastor Lyndon or Pastor Lyle.
|
|
|
Continuing Ways to join worship on-line:
Sunday Worship Livestream, 10 AM PDT:
Go to website: www.lutheranvictoria.ca and click on the livestream link.
Copies of the bulletin/worship order for each Sunday are available for download, and printing if you wish, on the website.
View past worship videos by visiting “About/Videos” tab of the website:
https://www.lutheranvictoria.ca/about
View Sunday School videos and activities here:
https://www.lutheranvictoria.ca/kids-youth-students/childrens-ministry-sunday-school
Tuesday Morning Prayer continues each week at 8:30 AM PDT
On Facebook Live and you can view past videos here:
https://www.facebook.com/lutheranvictoria/
You do not need a Facebook account to view the church page.
|
|
|
Read ahead: 23rd Sunday after Pentecost
- Sunday, November 8, 2020 Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25
Psalm 78:1-7
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
Matthew 25:1-13
Worship Bulletin: CLICK HERE for Worship Bulletin
|
|
|
This Week at Church of the Cross
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
