December News and Updates

Christmas Invistation 2015DECEMBER 2015 WORSHIP CALENDAR:

Wednesday, December 2:

  • Noon Advent Devotions – K-Hall
  • 6:00 pm Soup Supper
  • 7:00 Advent Worship @ St. John’s Lutheran Church, Orchard Park

Screen shot 2015-11-28 at 7.57.41 AMSunday, December 6:

  • 8:00 am Worship Service
  • 9:30 am Children’s Program Rehearsal & Confirmation
  • 11:00 am Worship Service
  • 4:00 & 7:00 pm Christmas Candlelight Vespers, First Trinity Lutheran Church, Tonawanda

Wednesday, December 9:

  • Noon Advent Devotions – K-Hall
  • 6:00pm Soup Supper
  • 7:00 pm Advent Worship @ St. Luke Cheektowaga

Sunday, December 13:

  • 8:00 am Worship Service
  • 9:30 am Children’s Program Rehearsal & Confirmation
  • 11:00 am Worship Service
  • 12:15 Voter’s Assembly meeting

Wednesday, December 16:

  • Noon Advent Devotions – K-Hall
  • 6:00pm Soup Supper
  • 7:00 pm Advent Worship @ Holy Cross

Sunday, December 20:

  • 10:00 am Children’s Worship Program

Christmas Eve:

  • Worship times 4:00, 7:00 and 10:00pm

Christmas Day:

  • 10:00 am Christmas Worship

Sunday, December 27:

  • 8:00 am Worship Service
  • 9:30 am Confirmation make-up class
  • 11:00 am Worship Service

Holy Cross Sunday School Christmas Program Band

bandThe Holy Cross Church Band will again be participating in the Sunday School Christmas Program.

Youth 6th grade and up and adults who play band or orchestra instruments are invited to play! Please contact Sue Tichy at tichyfamily4@yahoo.com (or 685-3894) to let us know you can play ASAP.

Rehearsals are: Sunday Dec. 6 during Sunday School time Sunday Dec. 13 during Sunday School time Sat. Dec. 19 in the morning

Please bring a music stand.

The Christmas program is: Sunday Dec. 20 at 10:00 am.

~Thanks, Sue Tichy

Annual Voters Meeting and Council

Please mark your calendars for the December’s Voters Assembly Meeting, which will be held on December 13th following the second service. At this meeting we will review the 2015 results and review/approve a budget for 2016.

(To be sent before the meeting.) Also, per our constitution and by-laws, all positions except Financial Secretary are up for election this year. And this year, we are once again blessed that all the currently serving members except Council Secretary are offering and able to serve again. But, anyone seeking to run for one of the following positions is encouraged to talk to any council member or Nancy Cote, our volunteer coordinator. Thanks for your support and attendance at this important meeting.

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SoupAdventOn Wednesday December 16th 2015, Holy Cross will host the advent dinner and service:

Ted Fisk will be making his famous soup!
Dinner will be at 6pm, followed by a singalong at 7pm and Advent Service will be at 7:30pm.
A sign up sheet will be available in the narthex for those who would like to sign up to attend and/or bring sandwiches or dessert.
Any questions, see Linda Ponivas or Ellie Stevenson.

Holy Cross Weather Related Closings

In the unlikely event that Holy Cross will have a weather related delay  or cancellation, we will post notices on WGRZ, channel 2.
This information is also available on line at www.wgrz.com.

Adult Inquirers Class Beginning January 6

Do you want to learn more about the Christian faith?

Pastor Nickel will be teaching a 5-week “Adult Inquirers” class on Wednesdays from 6:00-7:00 pm beginning January 6th. We will meet in the conference room of the Holy Cross Christian Center. The class is intended for prospective new adult members of Holy Cross, adults who may have been baptized but not yet confirmed, Holy Cross members wishing a “refresher” of confirmation class from an adult perspective, and anyone in the community inquiring about the Lutheran understanding of the basic Christian faith. We will focus on the 6 chief parts of Luther’s Small Catechism (10 Commandments, Apostles’ Creed, Lord’s Prayer, the Sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion, and Confession & Absolution). This class offers you an informal setting to discuss and ask questions about what we believe, as we grow in faith together, as well as a chance to meet some new people at Holy Cross outside of Sunday morning.

Screen shot 2014-05-31 at 7.59.55 AMDash’s Receipts

Our mighty mini mission did it again! We received another check from Dashs for $250. Thanks to everyone who faithfully brings in their receipts and to Lorraine Woodman for doing the tallying. Keep up the good work!
~Thank you, Jill Carl

sick visitVisitation Care

If you are or will be hospitalized or homebound and desire Christian care from the Holy Cross staff please phone the church office at 634-2332 and/or email holycrossclarence@gmail.com to let us know. Please do not assume that we know your situation because for many reasons we often don’t. We will do our best to visit you, and if homebound, see that you receive communion.

Heritage Home

We will Christmas carol with our friends at the Heritage Home on Sunday, December 27, at 10 a.m.  The joy of the season will sound in the residents’ voices from “Jingle Bells” to “Joy to the World.”  Sue & Rudy Tichy will join us with guitar accompaniment.  And we will have cookies to munch.  Do join us in sharing the birth of our Lord Jesus with the residents and staff just west on Sheridan Drive. (For more info., contact Margaret and Ron Talboys)

church_powerpointOperation Christmas Child

Thank you Holy Cross for making this a wonderful and memorable Christmas for children all over the world! Operation Christmas Child was huge success thanks to the caring and giving of the Holy Cross family. Thanks be to God for the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and for the faithful service and mercy of this Christian organization. Have a blessed and Merry Christmas.

~Connie Donnelly