Menu
Advent and Christmas Season Schedule
Circuit Wednesday Evening Advent Services:
6:00pm Soup Dinner, 7:15pm Hymn Sing, 7:30pm Service
• Dec 5th @ St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Cheektowaga
• Dec 12th @ Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Clarence
• December 19th @ Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Buffalo
Holy Cross Lutheran Church Christmas Season Schedule
We would love to have you join us! We are located at 8900 Sheridan Drive in Clarence.
Sunday, December 23rd – Divine Service at 8:00am • Children’s Program at 10:00am
Monday, December 24th – Evening Lessons and Carols at 4:00pm, 7:00pm, & 10:00pm
Tuesday, December 25th – Christmas Day Divine Service at 10:00am
Children’s Christmas Program Practice Schedule
Sunday December 16th – Program rehearsal during Sunday School hour
Saturday December 22nd – 9:30am-11:30am Dress Rehearsal
Sunday December 23rd – Children’s Christmas Program service at 10:00am
* Children should arrive by 9:15am in Krampitz Hall to get into costume and for final instructions
I will have music for you at the first rehearsal. Please let Sue Tichy know if you can or cannot play asap. Holy Cross Hosting Wednesday Evening Advent Service: On Dec 12th Holy Cross will be hosting the Advent Dinner Soup and Sandwich. There will be a sign up sheet for sandwiches and desserts in the Narthex Dec 2nd and 9th. Thank you in advance for your donations!
Semi-Annual Voters Meeting, Sunday December 16th After Second Service:
Please plan to attend this very important Voters Assembly Meeting (VAM) on Sunday, December 16th, immediately following the second service. There are many important issues to be considered and or approved, that include:
- Review of 2018 financials
- Update on our Internal Financial Auditing
- Review of Visioning process outputs with the following proposals
- Recruiting a Director of Christian Education (DCE) Intern in 2019, with the vision of a full time called DCE in 2020
- Share initial ideas for a major renovation of Krampitz Hall, including the use of the restricted “Dream Fund” started 7 years ago.
- Adoption of 2019 Operating and Building Budgets
- Election of 2019 Church Council
Gift Card Fundraiser: It’s that time of year again when we get ready to celebrate the Christmas season. As we’ve done for the past several years, we are selling gift cards through the Great Lakes Scrip program to help fund raise for our youth attending the 2019 National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis. For those that may be new to this program, it’s quite simple and unique. In the Narthex there is a list of available gift cards for purchase – many of which come in multiple denominations. Next to each retailer is a “rebate” amount – generally ranging from 2-13%. You simply mark off the cards you want to purchase (either for gift giving or for your own personal use) and you pay Holy Cross the face value of those gift cards. Holy Cross earns the rebate amount on the face value of the cards you purchase. For example, you buy a $25 gift card to Panera Bread (rebate amount of 8%). You will pay Holy Cross the full face value of $25, but Holy Cross only pays Great Lakes Scrip $23 for the card – thereby keeping $2. As you can see, there is tremendous potential in this program the more gift cards we sell. So please consider asking friends and family to participate as well. Feel free to print out the attached order form (or pick one up in the Narthex) and submit your order with check payable to Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Please put your form and payment in the “Wiepert” mailbox. This year, all orders are due by Sunday, Dec. 9. They will be processed and cards delivered back to you by the following Sunday, Dec. 16. I hope you will consider this fundraiser for all your gift giving needs this Christmas season. If you have any questions, please contact Andrea Wiepert at thewieperts@gmail.com.
Holy Cross Communications: Each week, we send out Holy Cross info via email…this a great reminder of upcoming events and also prayer requests. If you would like to be added to this, please contact Laura Scarantine at scarantine@msn.com
Radio Ministry: Upcoming Radio Ministry Broadcasts: Dec 23rd. If you are interested in serving as a reader of God’s Word for a broadcast and/or sponsoring a future broadcast, please see Rev. Nickel.
Website and Social Media Volunteers Needed: If you have a desire to help with the vision of Holy Cross and would like to volunteer to help with keeping our website updated please see Pastor Nickel.
SAVE THE DATE: On Sunday December 16th, we will have our December Voters Assembly immediately following the 2nd service. Attendance is encouraged as we need a quorum. We will discuss a major renovation project, “K-Hall Reimagined”, renovations in the Sanctuary, as well as the 2019 budget and plans to hire a Director of Christian Education Intern. Please make every effort to attend. Any questions please see a council member.
DCE (Director of Christian Education): If you are interested in working to develop a recommendation for a DCE resource, please see Pastor Nickel or Wendy Shelton. As we think about the many ministries we have currently and those we want to explore, the DCE role could be an important resource.
63rd Annual Christmas Candlelight Vespers: Candlelight Procession with many choirs including Holy Cross Children’s Choir. Music and Choral Director David Werth. December 2nd at 4:00pm & 7:00pm at First Trinity Lutheran Church, 1570 Niagara Falls Blvd., Tonawanda, NY. Free Will offering
2018-2019 Sunday School Mission Project: School for Pastors in South SudanSince the Lutheran Church was established in South Sudan/Sudan 25 years ago, more than 200 congregations have been formed. But there are only 66 pastors to serve these churches. Some churches have to wait weeks or months for a pastor to come baptize their babies and new Christian believers. In Yambio, South Sudan is the Concordia Lutheran Institute for the Holy Ministry. During their 4 years of seminary studies the men leave their wives and children behind to work the family farms. The seminarians need help covering the costs of their travel to the seminary, their books, supplies, food and housing. With our Sunday School offerings we can help the seminarians complete their studies and become ordained pastors so they can serve the ever-growing number of Christian believers in South Sudan/Sudan.
Weather Related Closings: In the unlikely event of a weather related closing, Holy Cross’ closing and delays will be announced on WGRZ, Channel 2, and online at www.wgrz.com/closings
Please see the rest of the news in the emailed newsletter or in the back pages of your weekly program at church.
Have a wonderful Advent season!
