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In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:
Queer Board Games
Reformation Sunday
Tolmie Regional Youth Group
Care of Communities Phone Calls
Welcome Abby Corpus
Threshold Housing Society
Karren Stinson bursary
Welcoming those who are new
Video Study Group
You are invited to a year of reading the Bible!
Call for Photos
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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.
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Queer Board Games originally scheduled  for this evening, October 15 is postponed until Thursday, October 29, 7:30 PM.
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Reformation Sunday – October 25 – 10 AM
 We once again commemorate this festival of the Lutheran Church, a red Sunday! (feel free to wear red for worship wherever you are) upholding our central Lutheran understanding of living in the Spirit of God’s grace through faith in Christ Jesus. We do not celebrate divisions in the Christian Church that resulted since the time of the Reformation. But instead work for ecumenical and multifaith understanding and cooperation and by God’s grace to continually reform as God’s people in a changing world. Blessed Reformation Sunday!
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Tolmie Regional Youth Group (High School) Meeting in Person
 The youth group is meeting for the month of October at St. Luke's Cedar Hill.
Just a reminder that we have youth group this Sunday October 18th! We will be meeting from 7-8:30 pm at St. Luke's Cedar Hill. As always, please wear a mask and let us know if you can attend by 5pm on Sunday.
In November we will be meeting on the 1st, 15th, and 29th. We are still finalizing location, so stay tuned for more details! As you may realize, our gatherings are a bit shorter this year than they have been in the past. Due to COVID-19 regulations, we are not allowed to provide any food/beverages and so we won’t be having a snack break anymore. However, feel free to bring your own food/beverages. We are going to see how the 1.5 hr time seems to the youth, and then decide on the length of future youth groups after that!
Please know that we will be following all COVID-19 safety precautions while at youth group, including having an individual from our leadership team in charge of monitoring social distancing, sanitization, and general cleaning procedures. We believe that seeing each other in person is so important, and so we are hoping to keep planning socially distanced in person gatherings for as long as possible. Obviously, should the COVID-19 situation change, we will make the necessary arrangements to move online. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask!
All the best,
Liz & Jaime
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
EMAIL: try@bc.anglican.ca or contact Pastor Lyndon or Pastor Lyle with questions or to receive youth group emails.
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Care of Communities Phone Calls
 The Board of Care of Communities is beginning another round of phone calls in the next couple weeks, not of the whole congregation, but for people who are more Isolated. We are now six months into the pandemic, so the board thinks it’s a good time to check on folks especially who live alone or may need some extra care. If there is someone who you think the board may not be aware of please let any of us in the church office know and include full name and contact info.
Nicky (admin): lutheranchurchofthecross@shaw.ca
Pr. Lyndon: pastorlyndon@shaw.ca
Pr. Lyle: pastorlyle@shaw.ca
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Abby Corpus had a great first Sunday as Choral Scholar.
Welcome Abby!
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Join Threshold Housing Society for a virtual screening of the documentary 19 and Homeless.
The documentary 19 & Homeless captures two years in the lives of a group of former foster youth as they age out of care and transition into adulthood. This documentary includes a Threshold graduate’s journey from aging out of foster care to being supported by the Threshold program. This film captures youth navigating their challenges, barriers, their trauma, as well as their moments of joy.
In British Columbia, when a youth in government care turns 19 years old, they often lose access to essential support services, such as their housing, social worker, mental health services, and financial support. Youth age out of care, whether they are ready or not – at an age that is often already challenging and stressful.
This can result in major risk factors contributing to future experiences of homelessness in adulthood and increased risk to illness, injury, assault, substance dependence, mental health issues, and death. There is an over representation of Indigenous people experiencing homelessness, which can be directly linked to the over representation of Indigenous youth in government care. This is an outcome resulting from the ongoing legacy of colonialism. We want to highlight and bring to the forefront the various challenges, barriers, and trauma youth aging out of government care often face. In hopes of creating positive changes to our system and for youth aging out of care.
The screening will virtually take place on October 7th, 16th and 23rd, 2020 at 7pm.
Please register here - https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/19-homeless-documentary-virtual-screening-tickets-123060843295
Threshold Housing Society prevent adult homelessness by providing safe housing, support services, and community to at-risk youth. We serve youth who are aging out of government care, fleeing violence and abuse in the home, and/or experiencing homelessness. We envision a community where all youth have an opportunity to thrive.
Our donors have helped provide 100’s of safe homes and brighter futures to the at-risk youth in our community. We could not do this work without their support, without you, and we hope you will consider supporting us by donating. Please visit, www.thresholdhousing.ca/donate to help provide a brighter future today.
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Karren Stinson bursary
We celebrate the 30th.  Anniversary of the Karren Stinson Bursary this year. It is hard to believe that so many years have passed since its inception. The first applicant to receive the bursary was our own bishop, Susan Johnson. Since that time, awards have been made to deserving candidates in memory and honour of Karren Louise Stinson.
Karren was the parish worker at church of the cross for six years. She resigned that position to enter the University of Victoria’s school of social work. Unfortunately, her dream was quickly dashed at the age of 32 years when she was stricken with a burst aneurysm, just as she had begun her studies. To honour Karren’s dedicated spirit, a bursary was established in her memory.
The Bursary Committee invites the congregation to tell friends, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, etc. About the bursary. Encourage them to seek an application. Applications can be obtained from the church office or from the church website. All applications must be received by October 31st.
Blessings and with thanks,
Catherine Krock
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Welcoming those who are new – Reformation Sunday, October 25 – 10 AM
 One of the many challenges of the pandemic has been a delay in recognizing and welcoming those who are new and wish to join the community of Church of the Cross. Two or three times a year, we have provided this opportunity though Affirmation of Baptism together. Having not been able to do so yet in 2020, we want to begin preparing for this in October. If you would like to be part of joining the congregation through Affirmation of Baptism, or if you have not been Baptized and wish to be, or if you have any questions, please contact Pastor Lyndon or Pastor Lyle. Everyone who shares a sense of connection and belonging in this community is welcome.
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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.
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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.
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Call for  Photos
We are looking for photos for our 2021 Eternity for Today cover series! Eternity for Today is a printed publication of daily devotions from rostered leaders across our church. For next year's covers, we are looking for ELCIC members to share their photos and selfies of them reading the Bible as part of our emphasis on the Living our Faith Bible Book Club. Please consider how you might be able to help and send your photos to info@elcic.ca.
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Covid-19 Update/In-person Worship continues – Sunday, October 11 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.
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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.
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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.
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Read ahead: 20th Sunday after Pentecost
- Sunday, October 18, 2020 Exodus 33:12-23
Psalm 99
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Matthew 22:15-22
Worship Bulletin: CLICK HERE for Worship Bulletin
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This Week at Church of the Cross
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