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A Publication of the Holy Cross
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November 2017
Articles and News
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An Example of Stewardship
Last spring, a parishioner, Cindy approached me about a broken chair from one of two round tables in our Fellowship Hall. “Maybe you could check to see if it’s still in warranty.” So I carefully placed it in our Forester and took it home where I stowed it in our garage. Two months later, Saturday, I rediscovered it and armed with the name of the Home Furnishings shop and the name of the gift giver, I proceeded to check our whether it was covered under warranty. Sadly, it was already 3 years old and the defect caused by a knot in the wood had no bearing on the outcome.
My second task that morning was to visit Marilyn Smith (no relation) to bring her the Eucharist. Before I got into the house, I encountered Doug Redfield, her son-in-law doing yard work. I was invited into his garage (converted to cabinet shop storage) and into his shop where he had every conceivable power tool to make cabinets. I could not stop my drooling as he showed me around.
I finally noticed the broken kitchen chair on his work bench. I immediately showed him the chair from the church and we discussed how I should rebuild it. Since I had no tools or skills compared to Doug, he graciously took the chair off my hands.
The trip home from Bellevue took 35 minutes and already I had received a text saying the repair had been completed and he was waiting for the glue to dry.
That chair has been returned to service in the Fellowship Hall and I would defy you to identify the restored one of eight chairs!
Marty Smith
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2018 Budget Pledge Card
We hope you will faithfully consider all the blessings that Holy Cross has brought into your lives. Please fill out your card & place it in the pledge box in the Narthex or
mail to the office.
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You are invited to a
Stewardship Celebration
Potluck Lunch
We are wrapping up our 2018 Stewardship with a potluck lunch after the 10:00am service on
November 12
. Lauren Thomas will be our keynote speaker. This will be our opportunity to gather all our pledge cards as we prepare for the new budget year. The church will provide a main dish and beverages. Bring a side dish or dessert. Please join us! On behalf of our vestry, David Olsen, Senior Warden & Carol VanderVeen, Junior Warden
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Help donate & Join us for Ditty Bag Day this year!
Items due by Sunday, November 12
Our "official plea"....
Each year during the Christmas season we say thank you to the seafarers with shoe bag sized gift bags filled with practical items that love, concern, and compassion. We need your help: Ditty Bags, Bar Soap, Deodorant, Shampoo (any size). Toothbrushes/Toothpaste, Knit /Fleece Hats--find the pattern on our website at:
mts-seattle.org. Small New Testaments /Gospels of John, Playing cards,
Disposable Razors, pens, pencils, notepads, scarves, work gloves, warm socks, chap stick, shaving cream, hard candy, tic-tacs and gum. Or consider donating, each bag costs $10.00. We will bless and collect the bags and contents on
November 12 at the 10 a.m. service. Join us to pack ditty bags at St. John the Baptist, West Seattle, on Sat., November 18.
Bring a young person or two!
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St. Francis Day
Blessings
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Food Lifeline Ending Hunger Award 2017: Outstanding Food Donor of the Year! Our own Food Bank Farm & Father Jim Eichner!
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To date, 5552+ volunteers have served 16,656 hours to grow and harvest 699,617 pounds--2,800,468--servings--worth $1,049,426 retail, of healthy field-fresh produce for Western Washington food banks.
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Super Seniors Luncheon & Movie Day!
A special Thank You to Melissa Holmes for organizing all the fun senior events!
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To welcome the Fall season Holy Cross Super Seniors celebrated with a Luncheon and Movie Day on Tues. Oct. 24
th
. We gathered in the Fellowship Hall that was adorned with festive Halloween colors of orange and black complete with ghosts, goblins, pumpkins, etc. We shared a scrumptious potluck lunch of salads, hot dishes, desserts, and beverages of sparkling cider, water, and coffee.
Our featured movie was “The Shack”, released in 2017. It is a Christian drama based on the 2007 novel by William P. Young. The film stars, Sam Worthington, Octavia Spencer, Graham Greene, and others. The family suffers an unimaginable tragedy when their youngest daughter, Missy, disappears on a camping trip. Mack, her father, struggles with his anger at God who he blames for Missy’s death. He receives a mysterious invitation to meet “Papa” at a cabin in the Oregon wilderness. Mack drives to the location where he encounters a trio of strangers who welcome him. Thus begins Mack’s series of wondrous experiences with the trio who represent God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. His journey leads him to understanding God’s love for all humanity. Mack begins to learn how to forgive himself and others. Through that process he experiences a state of grace and peace. The message of “The Shack” is that God’s love for us is unfailing and unlimited forever. All we have to do is accept it. Special thanks to Audrey & John Gilbert for setting up and clean up, Kelvie Comer for kitchen clean up and others. To Fr. Jim for "movie theater setup."
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Middle School Youth Curriculum
In addition to regular Sunday meetings where they continue their studies on Fundamental Theology, this group will meet twice a month on Friday evenings to view the Harry Potter series of movies. This will provide a perfect segue into an in-depth study during the second semester of the last Harry Potter book,
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
, which has explicitly Christian themes. Our carefully chosen curriculum,
The Deathly Hallows, To Die Is Gain: Good and Evil in the World of Harry Potter
, includes mighty comparisons to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. I am very excited about this year’s curriculum and grateful to our dedicated Youth Leaders.
Here is the Friday night Movie Schedule:
November 3 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
December 1 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
January 5 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
January 19 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
February 2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
March 2 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2
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Sunday schoolers get more worship time!
Our new schedule exposes children to the beauty and richness of the Holy Eucharist which is central to our faith. Students are studying the service in small increments to add to their understanding. They will sometimes be assigned to listen for or recognize a specific part of the service. We will keep this light and fun and expect typical child-like wonder and exuberance.
The Children of Holy Cross are not the “future” of the church; they are full members of this Body of Christ. I am grateful to Holy Cross for its loving, patient and welcoming nature to one and all, old and small and I ask you to continue to welcome our dear younger members. Watch with me to see how God will bless their time with us.
We suggest that parents sit in the same vicinity each week to make it easy for their children to find them as they enter at the Exchange of the Peace. AND,
I really encourage parents to sit up front
so kids can see what’s happening! This helps keep them engaged. Please help yourself to resources at the Children’s Table in the Narthex and the green booklets in the pews.
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J
unior High/Middle School Youth Conference (JYC)
Faith-based fun for youth in grades 6-9. With lots of community-building games and activities, this is the place to find friends who will be with you through it all. Youth come together from all over Western Washington to share in music, worship, faith formation and fun. The conference runs Friday evening through midday Sunday. Themes and activities are selected and planned by the youth council.
Upcoming Retreats:
November 17-19, 2017, Fall JYC at St. Margaret’s in Bellevue. $35
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Camp Huston - All Youth Retreat!
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The Youth Retreat at Camp Huston was pretty awesome! The kiddos had a great time and had some wonderful bonding time with each other! Also, remember, if you are in High School, please feel free to come to Drop-In night on Wednesdays! We always have fun activities & snacks. So come by and have a great time, there is always a place for you here!
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Safeguarding God’s Children
The Diocese of Olympia takes its responsibility for the safety of our people seriously. The Safe Church program teaches how to identify and prevent abuse within the church community, and is conducted several times per year, free of charge. The training consists of three sessions: Safeguarding God’s Children, Safeguarding God’s People and a new Anti-Racism program. All clergy members, diocesan team members, and people in leadership (Vestry and Bishop Committee Members), all people who work directly with children, all Eucharistic Visitors and all paid staff in our congregations are required to take the appropriate training(s). Any other interested parishioners are encouraged to participate in training sessions. Certificates are valid for five years and then
re-training is required. For any questions or concerns, please contact the April Caballero, Executive Assistant to the Bishop & the Canon to the Ordinary, at
acaballero@ecww.org
.
Upcoming Trainings
Safeguarding God’s Children St. Luke, Sequim November 4, 9 AM
Safeguarding God’s Children St. Thomas, Medina, November 5, 12 PM
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Publication and Social Media
Opt Out
Form
Classroom activities and church events are often photographed. Last names are never published with the photos. If you prefer that your child’s photo is never published, please sign and return the
Opt Out
form to the Holy Cross office. Complete and return the form
ONLY
if you
DO NOT
give permission for your child’s photograph to appear in
Holy Cross Publications
including but not limited to:
The Cross (Holy Cross monthly newsletter.)
Holy Cross website, Social Media sites such as Face Book.
And
Diocese of Olympia Publications
including but not limited to:
ECWW website & Online Newsletter
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ADVENT & CHRISTMAS
JESSE TREE
This year our Advent Project will be a
Jesse Tree
created with felt ornaments to hang in the Parish Hall. Jesse Trees are a very old Christmas Tradition and first started in medieval times.
They are used to help tell the story of the Bible from creation to the Christmas Story. The name comes
from Jesse who was the Father of King David
"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots."
Isaiah 11:1
The ornaments focus on either God's thread of redemption through the Old Testament or the lineage of Jesus leading up to His birth.
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CHRISTMAS PAGEANT
The Jesse Tree is a pageant consisting of ten short vignettes tied together with the visual prop
of a large Jesse Tree. After each vignette one of the symbols is placed on the tree. We invite kids ages 0 through 18 to join us in some realm of this production. The Pageant will end as the cast sings “Sing We Now of Christmas”. Please sign up to be a part of this fun production.
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BOOK CLUB READS FOR 2017-18
DATE BOOK HOST
11/14/16
A Girl Who Wrote in Silk
by Kelly Estes
(
NEED A HOSTESS)
12/12/16
Hillbilly Elegy
by J.D. Vance
Tina Paul
1/01/18
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
1/09/18
Lucky Boy
by Shanthi Sekaran Holy Cross-
Melissa will organize group effort
2/20/18
The Gentleman in Moscow
by Amor Towles Holy Cross
*This is 3rd Tuesday due to Mardi Gras—(Dianne will organize group effort)
3/13/18
Ordinary Grace
by William Kent Krueger
Melissa, Marilyn & Vicki
4/10/18
Underground Railroad
by Colson Whitehead Sue Crossley
5/08/18
Lilac Girls
by Martha Hall Kelly Mary Shifton (probably)
6/12/18 Left open for a book still to be discovered…. Laurel
or a classic we want to read again.
7/10/18 Potluck BOOK SELECTION IDEA—TRY FOR JUNE. Submit book ideas ONE WEEK before May meeting…..then vote ONLINE by each member ranking their favorites.
Advantage: We could read one more book and everyone gets an equal vote in selection. What do you think?
OTHER BOOKS RECOMMENDED in no particular order.
A Town Like Alice
by Nevil Shute
The Falls
by Joyce Carol Oates
The Weight of Ink
by Rachel Kadish
The Bad Ass Librarians of Timbuktu
by Joshua Hammer
Belgravia
by Julian Fellows of Downton Abbey fame
A Long Way Home
by Saroo Brierley from the movie Lion
The Summer before the War
by Helen Simonson (WWI)
A Book of American Martyrs
by Joyce Carol Oates
The Paris Architect
by Charles Balfour (WWII)
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Stillwater House Thanksgiving Sign Ups
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We can help make 2017 Thanksgiving special to the residents at
Stillwater House by preparing a holiday dinner for them!
Choose a dish from the list provided in the Narthex.
Prepare the dish at home (to feed 18-20 people)
Deliver it in a disposable container to Stillwater House anytime on
Wednesday, November 22th or by 11:00am on Thanksgiving Day.
Stillwater House ~ 8705 166th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052.
Please contact the office with any questions.
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Advent Tea
Please join us in the Parish Hall on December 2, 10:00am-Noon as we begin our holiday season with delicious tea and sweet treats, fellowship, a Christmas meditation and Carols. Please RSVP to Pam Stanton-Wyman.
Pamstwy@gmail.com
or #425-765-4747.
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Women's A.M. Bible Study
Come join us on Tuesday mornings starting @ 9:30am.
Daniel, Seeking a Heart Like His. A DVD study with Beth Moore.
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Green Elephant Plant Swap ~ November 4
Rain or shine, Pacific Northwest gardeners gather to exchange and share plants, seeds, cuttings and gardenalia with all.
Whether you feel the budget crunch or just want to grow your own delicious healthy food, the vegi-swap is offered so we can exchange and share vegetable seeds and plant starts for our own Beat-the-Economy Victory Gardens. It’s too late for bare root plants but potted trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and tropicals are most welcome. If you are interested in growing your own food, you are not alone.
Swappers are free to come and go as they please. Most of the deals are sealed by 11:30 am. Arrive at 10 am for the best selection.
Tailgating Encouraged.
The format for the trade is like a tailgate party. Traders exchange expert gardening information as well as plant materials. In two hours all the deals are sealed. We have
plenty of new parking
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Free Stuff.
Many gardeners generously share plants from the abundance of their gardens—An excellent way to begin your garden. Also an excellent way to thin out that giant patch of shasta daisies, etc. There is always a pile of plants free for the sharing at the swap.
What if I have nothing to trade?
Cookies and chocolate work like money at the Green Elephant!
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A Veterans Pilgrimage—to Remember and Honor
Are you a veteran or friend or relative of a veteran, or someone who cares about vets? Please join us on Veterans Day, Saturday,
November 11
at 10:00am in the nave at Saint Mark’s Cathedral to honor those who served our country for a journey of remembrance, reflection and prayer. A light lunch will follow. Please contact Deacon Brian Wright:
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May We Pray For You?
Contact Karen Smith to be placed on the Holy Cross Prayer Chain.
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Have a blessed Thanksgiving~
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