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In this week's Crossroads, you will find information on:
Covid-19 Update/In-person Worship continues
Holy Communion this Sunday
Read ahead
Praying Friends 2020/21
Video Study Group beginning this Fall
Season of Creation
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Threshold Housing 30th Anniversary
Continuing Ways to join worship on-line
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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Covid-19 Update/In-person Worship continues – Sunday, September 6 at 10 AM
 Worship is limited to 35 people in the congregation. Last Sunday there were 12 people 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.
Thank you to those who were able to join in the Dessert and Dialogue last Tuesday evening. About 25 people participated and shared their experiences of Sunday’s worship, both in-person and the livestream. A number of suggestions were made to the Covid-19 Leadership Team and we also discussed possibilities for other gatherings in the future. Additional feedback, comments and questions are welcome. Contact the Covid-19 Leadership Team or the church office.
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 with 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 and put on a mask. 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.
- If you need to use the washroom please observe careful handwashing practises.
- At the end of worship, you will be ushered outside where people may visit at a distance, if they wish.
The experience of those who participated in in-person worship is that it felt both familiar and good to be/commune together, and different, with a sense of loss at the limited contact and especially not being able to sing together. We recognize and respect some will be comfortable with in-person worship following the guidelines of our provincial and local Health Authorities and some will not. We will therefore offer both in-person and online opportunities to worship together. 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 this Sunday, September 6
As part of worship this Sunday we will celebrate Holy  Communion. 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.
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Read ahead: Season of Creation - 14th Sunday after Pentecost
- Sunday, September 6, 2020 Exodus 12:1-14
Psalm 149
Romans 13:8-14
Matthew 18:15-20
Worship Bulletin: CLICK HERE for Worship Bulletin
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Praying Friends 2020/21
 The Praying Friends program is an initiative that occurs every year at the Church of the Cross. It aims at pairing every participating child with an adult praying friend, who will pray for their designated child during the school year. One of the program’s objectives is to let our children see and believe that they are cherished and an important part of our church family. Likewise, it will offer paired adults the opportunity to cultivate the practice of praying for someone, which is both a spiritual exercise and a perfect gift we can offer someone.
Thiago Hinkel is helping organize the program this year. To aid in the process of pairing families, two different surveys have been created. To participate as a praying friend, both new and returning, please complete this survey (CLICK HERE). To include you children, both new and returning, please use this other form (CLICK HERE). To add more than 2 children, please complete the second form as many times as necessary. These surveys will collect and store information in servers inside Canada and information will only be accessed by the program organizers and pastors.
If you have any question or concern, please contact Thiago Hinkel at thiagohinkel@uvic.ca.
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Video Study Group beginning this Fall
 Following the good practice of the DVD and online lecture study groups that has been in place for the past ten years, we are beginning again with a lecture-based study group this fall. It will continue on Tuesday evenings. The gathering will take place over Zoom. The 8-session course this fall is 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. The intended start date is Tuesday, September 22 at 7:00 PM. Past and new participants including people not previously connected to the congregation are all welcome.
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Season of Creation – September 1 – October 4, 2020
 We once again celebrate the Season of Creation as part of our worship and activities at Church of the Cross. In worship, the fabric and liturgical/musical setting have changed along with themes in the prayers and preaching. In activities, everyone is encouraged to consider ways of changing our daily practices, joining in advocacy and learning more about caring for creation through various information sources including at this link: https://seasonofcreation.org/. You are also encouraged to view this video invitation by Bishop Greg at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wHKhQ_VpvW2G2T80MRDL4KsLi9O-3eR2/view
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Season of Creation Devotions by the Leaders of Four Churches
The leaders of the Episcopal Church (US), the Evang elical Lutheran Church in America, the Anglican Church of Canada and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada have prepared Sunday devotions for the Season of Creation. You can find more information and a link to the devotions here: https://www.elcic.ca/news.cfm?article=575
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Threshold Housing 30th Anniversary
Threshold  Housing provides housing and programing for homeless youth ages 16-24. 30 years ago a group of laypersons from St. John the Divine Anglican Church decided to do something about homelessness in Victoria.
Today, THS manages 4 homes for youth, and 14 independent apartments. A full range of teaching services are provided, things such a financial planning, food preparation, life planning and being a renter are among the courses offered. THS receives some funding for individual youth from the Ministry of Children and Family Development, some grants, and results of fundraising.
On Saturday 12 September, the 30th Anniversary will be celebrated by a gala dinner and program and you are invited to participate. This will be a “celebrate at home event”. A Gala box is available to ticket holders. It contains a 3 course meal a bottle of wine and a gift. The Gala boxes are to be picked up from 1 -4 pm on the 12th, the program runs from 6 to 7:30 on Zoom. Tickets are available from Eventbrite (CLICK HERE) at $125 per person, a $50 income tax receipt will be issued for each ticket purchased. If you want further details, contact THS office, ask for Jasmine, 250-383-8830.
Hope to see you at the Celebration, Don Storch, Secretary of Board of Directors.
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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://m.facebook.com/lutheranvictoria/
You do not need a Facebook account to view the church page.
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This Week at Church of the Cross
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