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Crossroads 

October 4, 2020

Season of Creation - 18th Sunday after Pentecost
 
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In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:

Funeral for Britta Kuntze
Covid-19 Update/In-person Worship continues
Holy Communion every Sunday
Indigenous Youth For Wet’suwet’en
Fall Food or Fund Drive
Ottawa trying to toss out climate lawsuit from youth activists 
An Invitation  

Tuesday Morning Prayer
Dessert & Dialogue
Karren Stinson bursary 
Wedding, Friday October 9 – 7 PM PDT
Welcoming those who are new – Reformation Sunday
Video Study Group “Pro-Future Faith” Tuesdays
You are invited to a year of reading the Bible! 
CLWR's urgent appeal: COVID-19 hunger crisis
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.
The Funeral for Britta Kuntze will take place on Saturday,
October 3 – 11 AM by livestream.


Go to the Church of the Cross website
www.lutheranvictoria.ca for the livestream link. If you have any questions, contact the church office. 

We hold the Kuntze family in our prayers.  

Rest eternal, grant her, O God, and let light perpetual shine upon her.
Covid-19 Update/In-person Worship continues – Sunday, October 4 at 10 AM

Worship continues to be limited to 35 people in the congregation plus those leading and assisting. Last Sunday there were a total of 27 so there is lots of room for those who wish 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 on 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. The Team recently met on site with an Environmental Health Officer for our area to review all of our procedures and protocols. The review was very positive and helpful.  
Holy Communion every Sunday
As worship now 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 the Church office or Pastor Lyndon or Pastor Lyle.
Indigenous Youth For Wet’suwet’en

Below is a link for an article in the Christian Century which Pr. Lyndon contributed about Indigenous Youth For Wet’suwet’en, with the support of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee. The story centres around interviews with two Indigenous youth who helped organize responses at the BC Legislature. The article appears in the on-line and print edition of the magazine.
 
Note: when accessing the article on-line you may need first to click away an invitation to join the magazine’s mailing list. 

https://www.christiancentury.org/article/features/indigenous-youth-fighting-wet-suwet-en-sovereignty
Fall Food or Fund Drive – help the Kitchen provide items needed for Thanksgiving!

Beginning Sunday October 4th, a designated box and baskets will be placed in the church entranceway for two weeks for collecting perishable and non-perishable food items for the Shelbourne Community Kitchen. Since March of this year, the Kitchen has seen a 20% increase in people registering with their Programs. By the end of August 2020, the Kitchen had 688 participants including 134 new registrants.

When bringing donated items to the Church, please follow the protocols for entering the church building, including sanitizing your hands after entering, wearing a mask and signing in before placing items in the donation boxes. As well as food donations, monetary gifts are appreciated as well and help provide vouchers for the Power-to-Choose program. Options for monetary giving are available through the church including online through the website
www.lutheranvictoria.ca, mailing a cheque, e-transfer or dropping a cheque or cash off at the Church.  Thank you for your generous support of the Shelbourne Community Kitchen.
 
Suggested food items include:
Perishable items to prepare a Thanksgiving meal: onions, potatoes, other vegetables
Non-perishable items: Stove Top Stuffing, Chicken Bouillon, canned cranberry, pumpkin
Regular pantry items: canned meat or fish, peanut butter, canned beans (chickpeas, black beans, etc), canned fruits
Ottawa trying to toss out climate lawsuit from youth activists 

Catherine Boise Parker who was a guest at Church of the Cross for a Saturday “Breakfast and Dialogue” in February, and one of the lawyers who represents the fifteen Canadian youth suing the Federal Government over climate change, sent the following news update this week. We can show our support for the youth by contacting our MP or writing the Federal Government identifying our concern about the Government’s response to climate change and the lawsuit. The article is available here:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/what-on-earth-climate-change-lawsuit-children-1.5737350
An Invitation  

Reconciliation is an important theme and action for our world, earth and, for our lives. But what does it mean to reconcile the earth? According to Rev. Kenn Ward, editor of the ELCIC Canada Lutheran Magazine, reconciling is about “reconnecting people or things in ways that they were meant to be.” The August 2019 issue of the magazine explored that theme and actions taken by the National Convention that year and invited us to “journey together” toward healing.
As the Social Justice Committee, we have endeavored to include climate and earth justice in our goals, but 2020 delayed some of our plans and shifted priorities. As the world, Canada, and BC make their way toward a cautious recovery, the SJC tentatively resumed discussions on how to proceed with reconciling actions in a meaningful way.
Currently, the SJC in partnership with the congregation, is in the process of reregistering LCC with the ELICIC as a Greening Faith Community. As stated on the form, being a part of a Greening Faith Community means:
  • Setting annual goals to encourage stewardship of creation
  • Doing an annual review of environmental stewardship goals
  • Sharing storied, insights, resources
  • Registering with the ELCIC
  • Encouraging other faith communities to consider stewardship of creation initiatives or registering with the ELCIC Greening Faith Community  
I would like to extend an invitation to those interested in forming a subcommittee with me, to talk about what a healthy, sustainable faith community looks like and to stimulate ways of working toward that vision. You can contact me, Susan Beiderwieden, at 250-533-9075 or, by email at susandb@telus.net or through the church office.
Finally, I wish you a blessed fall and in these remaining weeks in the Time of Creation, encourage you to learn more about the Greening Initiative at
www.elcic.ca/GreeningFaithCommunities
 
Susan B, The Social Justice Committee
Tuesday Morning Prayer Livestream Now on Web-site
 
The Tuesday Morning Prayer Livestream, 8:30 AM PDT, can now be viewed on the church web-site, lutheranvictoria.ca, as well as the church Facebook page. You can find the morning prayer livestream the same way you find the Sunday worship livestream on the web-site, simply by going to the homepage and clicking on Worship Livestream. If you are having trouble please contact the church office or Pr. Lyndon at
pastorlyndon@shaw.ca and we can help troubleshoot during church office hours (Monday through Thursday, 9 AM to 3 PM).
Dessert & Dialogue, Wednesday, October 7, 2020, 7 PM
In Conversation with Carolyn Klaassen: Journeying Towards Reconciliation
Carolyn Klaassen, who will be preaching and leading worship on Orange Shirt Sunday, will share more of her story as an Indigenous woman who was adopted into a white family as part of the 60’s scoop. We will also have an opportunity to touch on broader topics around reconciliation and ways forward as Indigenous and non-Indigenous Christians. Carolyn is current a student in the Indigenous Masters of Divinity Program at Vancouver School of Theology. Conversation hosted by TRC, Church of the Cross.
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
Wedding, Friday October 9 – 7 PM PDT

Holly Cochrane and Braeden McKenzie will celebrate their marriage on Friday, October 9 at 7 PM PDT at Lutheran Church of the Cross. The in-person worship is limited to a small number of invited family and friends, but you are invited to join the livestream of the worship by visiting the Church website
www.lutheranvictoria.ca for the link. Please contact the church office of you have any questions.   
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. 
Video Study Group “Pro-Future Faith” Tuesdays - 7PM on Zoom
Those who are interested can still join 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. A sample lecture is available here
https://vimeo.com/322942900. To register, contact the church office. If you have any questions, please contact Pastor Lyle or Pastor Lyndon. Past and new participants including people not previously connected to the congregation are all welcome.
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.
CLWR's urgent appeal: COVID-19 hunger crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic is causing alarming levels of hunger for many of the world's most vulnerable people. If we don't act soon, the coronavirus pandemic could turn into a catastrophic hunger crisis that will last for years. Through Canadian Lutheran World Relief (CLWR), you can make sure fewer families go hungry. For more information, please go to the following website at: https://www.clwr.org/news-events/covid-19-hunger-crisis
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:   Season of Creation - 18th Sunday after Pentecost
- Sunday, October 4, 2020          Exodus 20:1-4, 7-9, 12-20            
                                                    Psalm 19
                                                    Philippians 3:4b-14
                                                    Matthew 21:33-46

Worship Bulletin: CLICK HERE for Worship Bulletin
This Week at Church of the Cross
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3787 Cedar Hill Road, Victoria, BC V8P 3Z4
  
www.lutheranvictoria.ca
 Rev. Lyle McKenzie, Co-Pastor (O) 250-477-6222; pastorlyle@shaw.ca
Rev. Lyndon Sayers, Co-Pastor (O) 250-477-6222; pastorlyndon@shaw.ca 
 Church Office (O) 250-477-6222; lutheranchurchofthecross@shaw.ca
Our emailing address is:
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