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If you have a Mac or the links are not working,
please try clicking on 'View it in your browser'.
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In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:
Sunday School
Confirmation Dates
Reformation Sunday
Common Cup
All Saints Day Worship - new time
Second Visioning Event
Welcoming those Who Are New
Anti-Racism Conversation
Stitch and Chat
Concert November 12
Salad Social Event
BC Synod AGM
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Help design the library
Victoria Hospice
World Day of Prayer
Karren Stinson Bursary
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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Upcoming Sunday School Dates:
THIS Sunday, October 30 (Reformation Sunday)
and Sunday, November 6, 20 & 27
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Upcoming Confirmation Dates:
Sunday, November 6 and 20, 7 PM at Church of the Cross
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Reformation Sunday, October 30 – 10 AM
 This uniquely Lutheran “red” festival celebrates that we are called to be ever-reforming as followers of Christ by the grace of God’s Spirit. This Sunday we celebrate the Baptisms of Sloan Hannah, child of Anna Johnson and Sean Gowitt, and Ezra Leonard, child of Kristin Johnson and Ron Boaz. We also honour Pastor Alfred Johnson’s 60th Anniversary of Ordination to the ministry of word and sacrament. All are invited to wear red if you wish and join in this festival day of celebration.
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The Common Cup will be available for Communion this Sunday.
The Board of Worship has been asked to consider including the option of the common cup for Holy Communion once again in worship. This practise was ended during the pandemic. The option will be available beginning this Sunday for those who wish to share the wine in this way. As before, if anyone is not feeling well, they are asked not to share in the common cup, and if experiencing symptoms, to stay home from worship and join online.
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All Saints Day Worship
Tuesday, November 1, 11:30 AM
A quiet time of worship to remember loved ones and other saints who have died, entrusting them to God’s eternal care. The prayer book for listing the names of those who have died from our community and that you would like remembered will be in the entranceway. Each name will be read and a candle will be lit for each one as part of the worship. For more information or to add a name to the book, please contact the Church Office by phone or email.
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November 26 - Save the Date for the Second Visioning Event
 The second gathering for determining the vision and priorities of Church of the Cross for the next 3 years will take place on Saturday, November 26, 9 am – 12 noon, with coffee beginning at 8:30 am and lunch beginning at noon. Once again, everyone who is interested is invited and encouraged to join in this important morning. Please contact the church office if you plan to attend or if you have nay questions.
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Welcoming those Who Are New – Sunday, November 6, 10 AM Worship
 The pandemic has limited our opportunities to welcome those who are new to the community of Church of the Cross. And so, we look forward to worship on Sunday, November 6, and sharing in Affirmation of Baptism and welcoming and blessing of those who are new. If you are new to the community and would like to be included or have questions about this day of welcome, please speak with Pastor Lyle or Pastor Lyndon or contact the church office.
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Anti-Racism Conversation
Thank you to those who participated in Monday night's in-person dialogue and anti-racism conversation. Special thanks to Florentien for sharing her knowledge with us and guiding our discussions on how we, as bystanders, can become more aware of racial incidents which occur around us and what we as individuals can do when we experience or witness a racial incident. We learned that racial incidents can involve discrimination or hate incidents and these incidents can be microaggressions or more overt actions.
Click here for resource links and more information on what to do if you experience or witness incidents of discrimination or hate. This link includes crisis lines, local resources, legal definitions and more.
What to do when you experience discrimination or hate:
- Make sure you are safe: Go to a public place or a trusted organization or call 911 if in immediate danger.
- Ask for help: Reach out to bystanders to help interrupt the situation or assist you in seeking help needed.
- Bystanders should ask your consent and follow your lead
- Document or record details. This an area that a bystander could also help to record details.
- Take care of yourself and Connect! Reach out to friends, family, spiritual practices and organizations for support.
Some of the key steps to take when witnessing a racial incident:
- Make sure you are safe: Assess the situation to see if you can safely intervene or should ask for help from others.
- Talk to the targeted person to Ask for consent: Maintain a respectful distance and check if the person targeted needs or wants help. Ignore the perpetrator.
- Engage other bystanders: There is safety in numbers. Say something to another bystander. A statement such as: I don't think what is happening is right. How do you feel?
- Document or record: write down as many details as you remember. It might help to share your name and number with the targeted person. If the targeted person wants your help to do so contact the police or medical services. Understand the targeted person may be hesitant to involve the police.
Experiencing or Witnessing Discrimination or Hate is upsetting. There are many valuable resources for healing. Reach out to friends, family, spiritual leaders or organizations for support in the community.
Social Justice Committee
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Stitch and Chat
- November 1st, 1:00 pm at Lutheran Church of the Cross
 Do you knit, crochet or do other hand work. Join us in the Rotunda on Tuesday, November 1st at 1:00 pm. We will have an opportunity to share what we are working on and help each other with projects. If you don't do any of the above activities but would like to have a chance to chat you are welcome to join us. Contact Janice for more information.
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Concert November 12, 2:30 PM, Church of the Cross
Lutheran Church of the Cross & Luther Court Presents:
Brian Yoon, cello
Milton Schlosser, piano
works by Beethoven, Grieg, & Chopin
By Donation (suggested donation $20)
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Salad Social Event
Date: Nov. 24
Time: 12:00 noon
At Lutheran Church of the Cross
 On November 24th, the Women in Faith are hosting a salad social at noon. Everyone is invited. Please bring a salad or dessert to share. Coffee and tea is provided. Following the luncheon, we will have a games afternoon. Please bring your favourite game, if you have one. We will have numerous games available from which to choose. You may choose to attend either the salad luncheon or the games afternoon, or both.
This event is being held in lieu of going out for lunch. We suggest that a donation in an equivalent amount be made to the Shelbourne Community Kitchen. A basket for donations will be available at the door.
Women in Faith
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Official notice of the BC Synod AGM
TO: All members of BC Synod Council, All Rostered Ministers, All Congregations FROM: The Secretary of the BC Synod
DATE: October 18th, 2022
OFFICIAL NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2022
As required by the Bylaws (please refer below to the quoted text), the Synod Council calls the Annual General Meeting of the BC Synod for 2022. It will be held Tuesday, November 29th, 2022 at 7:30 pm on the Zoom online platform.
Anyone who holds membership in a congregation of the BC Synod may vote.
Congregational leaders: Please post this notice prominently in your regular place of worship, and please announce publicly in all worship services between now and November 29th, 2022.
Agenda (first draft)
- Call to order, devotion, prayer
- Minutes of the 2021 AGM
- Business arising from the minutes
- Audited Financial Report for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2022
On behalf of the BC Synod Council,
Tarynn McKenzie
Secretary
Excerpt from the Constitution and Bylaws of the British Columbia Synod
Bylaw 10 Section 3 “ ... For the purpose of satisfying the requirements of the B.C. Society Act, one meeting of the Synod Council annually shall include the annual general meeting of this Synod which meeting shall be held within six months of the end of the fiscal year. For purposes of this annual general meeting a voting member shall be any person who holds membership in a congregation of the Synod and a quorum shall be three persons. Furthermore, thirty days written notice of this annual general meeting shall be given to every member of the Synod Council and to each congregation of this Synod. In addition members of this Synod will be informed of such meeting by posting notice where each congregation and its members regularly meet.”
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Help design the library of the future
Share your feedback, dreams and ideas for Vancouver Island Regional Library and help shape our future. 
We are reaching out to communities across Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii and Bella Coola this month for input as we shape our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. We want to know what you enjoy about the library, how we can be more accessible and inclusive and what you wish for our library five years from now. There are so many ways to have your say, from filling out an online survey, to community workshops and focus groups.
Help create the library of tomorrow!
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Victoria Hospice
 Victoria Hospice invites you to I'm Still Here, a play performed by Target Theatre. I'm Still Here is a research-based play that follows the lives of four people touched by Alzheimer's disease. The play highlights the profound effects of the disease on people living with Alzheimers and their loved ones. While I'm Still Here is moving and can be painful at times, it also offers hope for people affected by this debilitating and often misunderstood disease.
I'm Still Here was written by Vrenia Ivonoffski and based on research by Dr. Christine Jonas-Simpson at the Nursing Research Unit at Toronto Sunnybrook and Women's Hospital, and Dr. Gail Mitchell at York University.
Join us for an unforgettable performance followed by a discussion led by one of Victoria Hospices’ bereavement counsellors Betty Anderson.
We look forward to seeing you on Thursday November 3rd. Entry is by donation. Doors will open at 6:00pm and the performance will begin at 6:30pm.
The performance will occur in the Woodward Room located in the Admin Building (formerly known as Begbie Hall) on the Royal Jubilee Hospital campus at 2101 Richmond Ave. Parking is available in the visitor parkade located at the corner of Bay Street and Richmond Avenue.
If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to Marta Lefsrud, Victoria Hospice Community Education Facilitator, at marta.lefsrud@victoriahospice.org
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World Day of Prayer 2023 Resources Available Starting November 1
The 2023 World Day of Prayer (WDP) program was written by the women of Taiwan with the theme, "I have heard about your faith" based on Ephesians 1:15-19. Resources will be available online at www.wicc.org on November 1 including the planning guide, posters, music, recipes, hymn suggestions, and more. All resources will be available to download for free when you click here.
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Karren Stinson Bursary
 On behalf of the Karren Stinson Bursary Fund, we invite you to apply for the bursary. Applicants must be active members of Lutheran or Anglican congregations, have a permanent address in Western Canada (BC, AB, SK, MB, YT, or NWT), and are post-secondary students enrolled in degree programs that lead to a vocation of service (for example, as a teacher, social worker, or nurse, in ordained ministry or in a related church vocation).
The amount of the bursary varies each year due to interest rates during the year. The successful candidate can be assured of receiving at least $500.
Application forms for the bursary can be downloaded directly from the website (Click Here), or obtained from the church office.
Completed application forms must be received before 11:59 pm, PST, on October 31, 2022, to be considered. Applicants may submit them either as an attachment to an e-mail sent to lutheranchurchofthecross@shaw.ca or via regular post sent to the church address:
Lutheran Church of the Cross
3787 Cedar Hill Road
Victoria, BC
V8P 3Z4
Blessings,
Karren Stinson Bursary Committee
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 The United Church of Canada invites you to participate in the 40 Days of Engagement on Anti-Racism. This year's time of learning and exploration features brand new content for 2022. Content includes daily stories, study groups, live events, and book of the week. This program which started on October 11 will run until November 25. For more information and to access resources, please click here.
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In-Person Worship, Sunday, October 30, 10 AM PDT
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.
- To protect vulnerable persons, we currently encourage the wearing of masks during worship, especially while singing.
- If you test positive, or have symptoms for Covid-19, please stay home (and worship via live-stream)!
Church Council
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Reformation Sunday