March 6, 2020
The Call of Abram – In this Sunday’s Old Testament reading, Genesis 12:1-4a, the Lord instructs Abram (he is later called Abraham) to leave his country, his tribe, and his father’s house to “the land that I will show you”. Abram sets out into the unknown. He trusts in God’s promises for the future as he, his wife, Sarah, and his brothers son, Lot, walk out into the desert.

Do you ever feel as if you are setting out into the desert, not knowing what tomorrow will bring, not even knowing how to prepare? I think we all have felt that way and I know I certainly have. Trusting is hard. Trusting in God is very hard. But hopefully we have come to know God loves us unconditionally. And knowing that, we can trust that God cares for us and walks with us no matter what. By faith we come to trust that all things work together for good.

After sixteen months of uncertainty and perhaps feeling a bit like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness, last Sunday we announced we have called the Rev Richard Hogue as our new vicar; Finally! We have a new vicar. That announcement comes with all the excitement and hope for our future together that it should. Getting to this point took patience, grace, prayer, and trust. Trust that God was guiding our profile and search committees, as well as the bishop’s committee, in seeking the best clergy match for Holy Cross’ future. Trust that God would lead candidates to feel called to discern with us. Trust, that even when it seemed like nothing was happening, the process was still proceeding.

We look forward to welcoming Rev Richard and Maura to the Holy Cross faith family, and to celebrating their first Sunday with us on Palm Sunday (April 5 th ). I trust they will feel not only the radical welcome Holy Cross is known for but also, that they have found their way into a community that believes it is stepping forward by faith and trust in God, into a future held by God. 

Shalom,

Karen
 Sr. Warden
Daylight Saving Time. DST. Wall Clock going to winter time. Turn time forward. Abstract photo of changing time at spring.
Spring Ahead this Sunday!

Just a reminder to set your clocks ahead by 1 hour before going to bed Saturday night. Daylight savings time begins this Sunday.
Meet our soon to be new Vicar
The Rev. Richard Hogue

The Reverend Richard Hogue Jr. grew up in Northern Wisconsin where he was deeply rooted in the Episcopal tradition and the natural beauty of wilderness. Before ordination, some formative experiences shaped who he is as a priest today, including volunteering in the slums of South Africa and as a lay missioner in the Diocese of Newark. He then attended seminary at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkeley.

Most recently, Rev. Richard has been serving as the Associate Rector of St. Andrew’s in Encinitas. Rev. Richard will continue to serve St. Andrew’s in a ¼ time position as Associate Priest where he will continue to focus on their Community Organizing and Young Adult ministries.
 
Rev. Richard and his wife, Maura, are both lifelong Episcopalians. The Hogue’s, and their dog, Tigger, reside in La Costa, just a few short miles from Holy Cross.
 
Richard is most excited about the openness and flexibility of Holy Cross, and he’ll seek to deepen the congregation’s ministries in Christian formation, outreach, community and leadership development, and pastoral care. He is joined in ministry by his wife Maura—also a lifelong Episcopalian—who has a bachelor’s degree in Theology and Christian Leadership and a master’s degree in Historical and Cultural Studies in Religion.

Rev. Richard's first Sunday celebrating with us will be April 5th - Palm Sunday.
Lent
Lent is a special time set aside for us to study how we live together – with God, with others, and with ourselves. As the Book of Common Prayer (our worship book) guides us through the year, it invites us to go deeper in the life of faith. The Ash Wednesday liturgy extends an invitation to the observance of a holy Lent in these ways: self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting and self-denial, and reading and meditating on God’s holy word.

Here are some questions that may help you reflect on these observances; you may want to take one per week:

  • Self-Examination: What does it take to take a good look at myself?
  • Repentance: Am I happy with the direction I’m headed?
  • Prayer: Am I talking to the ceiling?
  • Fasting and Self-Denial: Why do I need to give up something?
  • Reading and meditating on God’s word: Are these old words trying to say something new to me?
  • Holy Week: What makes this week holy?

Our worship and the Lenten programs and resources outlined below are offered as ways for you to explore your own answers to these questions. Take some time, wrestle day by day. We hope you will take the Prayer Book up on its invitation and that you will take the journey of discovery during Lent to grow your faith and prepare for the celebration of Easter. May you have a blessed and holy Lent.
Lenten Programs
Lenten University
More in Common than We Think
Wednesdays March 4th through April 1st
6-8 pm at St. Bart’s in Poway

Each Wednesday a guest speaker from another faith tradition will be welcomed - each will answer the same four questions about faith. Register for the program here. If you are interested in attending and carpooling please contact the church office at 760.930.1270 or holycross@holycrosscarlsbad.org.

There will be a special program for children age 4 through 5th grade. Register for the children's Lenten University program by emailing children@stbartschurch.org .
Jesus’ Last Week [1]
Sundays March 22nd and 29th
at Holy Cross following Holy Eucharist

Join us as we examine the sequence of events in Jesus' last week on earth - the days from Palm Sunday to Good Friday, as recorded in the Mark's Gospel.

Sunday, March 22
Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, and Holy Tuesday

Palm Sunday : Why did Jesus ride from Bethany to Jerusalem, go to the Temple and immediately turn around and return to Bethany?

Monday : What did the story of the fig tree mean? At the Temple, to whom was Jesus’ anger directed? … The money changers? … The dove sellers? … Or someone else?

Tuesday : The fig tree revisited. How did Jesus answer the doubts and charges of the Temple and religious authorities?

Sunday, March 29
Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday

Wednesday:  Who is at fault for the betrayal and death of Jesus? Who was the woman who anointed Jesus? Why did Judas plot to betray Jesus?

Maundy Thursday:  What is the meaning of the tradition of foot-washing? Why does Jesus celebrate the Seder? What importance does Jesus place on meal-sharing? What is the significance of the Gethsemane story?

Good Friday:  The stories of Jesus’ criminal trials and death.

[1] Based on The Last Week: What the Gospels Really Teach About Jesus’s Final Days in Jerusalem , by Marcus J. Borg & John Dominic Crossan, Harper, 2007, and Conversations with the Bible: The Gospel of Mark , by Marcus J. Borg, Moorhouse Publishing, 2009, pp. 89-107.

Ministry Leader: Bob Meloon
Additional Lenten Resources
Lent 2020: A Call to Prayer, Fasting, and Repentance Leading to Action
An Invitation from Presiding Bishop Curry to Turn and Pray on Behalf of our Nation: to view click here.

Living Compass: Offers a free Lent Devotional that can be downloaded in PDF format or sign up to receive each days reading via email. Click here for their website.

Episcopal Relief & Development Lenten Resources: click here for information on daily Lenten Podcasts, the Forward Movement daily devotions booklet and additional resources for Lent.

Signs of Life - Why Church Matters: Beginning on Ash Wednesday, join the Brothers of the Society of Saint John the Evangelist (SSJE) and the Department of Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary in a study of the Signs of Life throughout the holy season of Lent. For information and to sign-up to receive emails click here.

What to expect: Beginning this Sunday, March 1st, you will receive an email with a link to that weeks video, the practices and podcast. On Tuesday's there is a Facebook Live event that previews the next Sign. Each weekday “ Brother, Give Us a Word ” will include a short written mediation and a daily practice for further reflection on the weekly theme. 

The Signs of Life - Why Church Matters reader in a printable PDF format is available here.

The Signs of Life Lenten Calendar with daily practices for each day during Lent is available in PDF format here.
Upcoming Ministries, Special Services, and Events
Service Times
Sunday 9 am
Holy Eucharist* Rite II
Godly Play and Nursery

* Eucharist comes from the Greek and means thanksgiving. It is central to our worship. It is also called Communion, Mass, the Lord's Supper and the Divine Liturgy.

This Weeks Readings
Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7
Romans 5:12-19
Matthew 4:1-11
Psalm 32

Weekly Gospel Reflection

Listen to Services
(audio)



This Sunday - Camp Stevens Sunday
Our March Outreach

Last Year, at Diocesan Convention, we passed a resolution designating the second Sunday of March each year as Camp Stevens Sunday.  This Sundays loose plate collection is designated to support the Camp Stevens Campership Fund.
 
This fund provides camp scholarships to disadvantaged children throughout our diocese who might otherwise not have the opportunity to attend summer camp allowing more children and teens the chance to encounter the transformative power of God's love in Christ through the Episcopal camp experience. It also provides all campers the chance to meet someone different than themselves.

Camp Stevens is our diocesan camp, a sacred space where children and adults from all walks of life can experience the radically inclusive love and acceptance of the Christian faith in the Episcopal tradition.

We invite you to help make a positive difference in the faith formation of children, youth and young adults within our diocese by making a donation to the Campership Fund. To make a donation please make your check out to Holy Cross and note Camp Stevens on the memo line and place it in the collection plate this Sunday (or any Sunday in March) or drop it off at, or mail it to, the church office. If you donate cash, please put it in an envelope marked Camp Stevens .

To learn more about Camp Stevens click here.
Neighbors in Faith
Update - Great News!!

In continuing our partnership with local groups in Carlsbad that work to feed the homeless, we have been asked to start providing a Monday night meal on a once-per-month basis in Magee Park. This is a big step for us, because currently there are no other groups that are providing a meal on Monday nights. This brings the vision of our interfaith partnership even closer, which is to be able to have a hot, healthy meal available for those in need, free of charge, every night of the week in the downtown Carlsbad area. This will also give us the opportunity to expand on our original vision for the ministry, which is to provide not only a meal, but a safe place for prayer and fellowship for those who might not feel comfortable in a traditional church setting.

The Monday evening meals will begin in March, and we will be serving on the last Monday of each month. We ask for your continued prayers as we forge ahead --- and volunteers who want to help us with food preparation and/or serving at the park are always welcome! 

Our next date to provide the meal for Picnic in the Park at Magee Park is Monday March 30th. Please contact Brian Petersen if you would like to help serve or prep the meal before hand.
Our Neighbors in Faith ministry sharing a meal of chili and rice, mac and cheese, sandwiches, salad and dessert to approximately 50 individuals at Magee Park last week. Socks and t-shirts were welcome takeaways from our homeless friends as well. Thank you to Wendy, Joyce N, Jack, Brian and Tom for serving and Joyce W and Kelly for the food prep from home. They were supported by representatives from other faith groups.
Ongoing Ministries and Services
Mass (Holy Eucharist)
Sundays 9 am  (Godly Play)
Wednesdays Noon -
service on hold until we call our new vicar
Bishop's Committee Meeting
3rd Wednesday of the month
March 18th
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm in Multipurpose Room
All Saints Cemetery
Tuesday, March 10 & 24
9:30 am - 10:30/11:00 approx
200 Peyri Road in Oceanside,
next to Heritage Park
Contact Katie Ho for more information
Wounded Warrior Battalion West - Camp Pendleton
2nd & 4th Wednesdays of the month
March 11 & 25
contact  Tom Mauro to participate
Coffee Hour
Sundays following Worship
Monthly Birthday Celebration -2nd Sunday
of month
Sign-up sheet to bring  light  refreshments* is in the Tietge Room.

*Holy Cross provides coffee and juice, we suggest items such as fruit, muffins, bagels, cookies, cheese and crackers. Please know this is not meant to be a full brunch but rather, a simple offering enabling us to sit and break bread together as we visit.

Neighbors in Faith
Next Picnic in the Park March 30th
last Monday of the month
5 pm - Magee Park in Carlsbad

Neighbors in Faith provides a simple meal to our homeless friends at Potluck in the Park in Magee Park, Carlsbad.

Meal preparation will take place at the church in the afternoon before the meal - this is a great way to get involved with the ministry if you can't make it out to the park. Contact Brian Petersen if you are interested in volunteering, either at the church or at the park. 
Please hold all on our prayer list in your prayers:
prayer candles in a church
Prayer for Discernment:
Brian Petersen and his Discernment Committee as he continues to discern if God's call for him is ordained ministry.

Prayers for Comfort:
Fr. Atwood, Tom & Wayne, Nancy, Arlene, Peter, Mary, Sandy, Tom & Ann, Barbara, Julie, and all who have no one to pray for them.

Prayers for the Departed : 
We commend to God all who have died, especially Dominic Messina (Cathy & Jim Zolner’s neighbor), and those who have given their lives for freedom’s cause.
If you would like to be added to the Prayers for Comfort, or would like to add someone else (please get their permission first) or add a family member to the Prayers for the Departed , please contact the church office at: email holycross@holycrosscarlsbad.org or 760.930.1270. Please mention 'Prayer List' in the Subject line and include whether the prayer request is for "Comfort" or for the "Departed".

Individuals will remain on the prayer list for 4 weeks. Please contact the office if you wish to have someone added for another 4 weeks.

Note: If you have lost a member of your family and would like us to include your loss in "Notes of Care" please provide the name and relationship of your loved one, the date they entered into glory, and the address of where you would like notes of care sent.
Notes of Care
Thinking of you. Humming bird watercolor card illustration
Please keep in your thoughts and prayers those who are unable to be with us in worship and reach out to them to let them know they are missed.

Fr. Theodore Atwood Room 228
c/o St Paul's Senior Services Nursing and Rehabilitation
235 Nutmeg Street
San Diego, CA 92103
 
Arlene Cull
4714 Athos Way
Oceanside, Ca 92056
Arlene welcomes cards and visits (please call first to schedule a time to visit).
If you would like to be added, or suggest someone to be added (please get their permission first) to Notes of Care please contact the church office at: holycross@holycrosscarlsbad.org or 760.930.1270.
particles and sacred objects - Eucharistic cup
Eucharistic Visits

This ministry is an extension of our Celebration of the Eucharist each week - bread and wine that has been blessed on Sunday is reserved for our Lay Eucharist Visitors to take to those who are unable to join us.

To arrange for a Lay Eucharistic visit please contact the church office at 760.930.1270. Muriel Wahl, our lay Pastoral Ministry leader, will be notified of your need and she, or a member of the team, will contact you to make arrangements for a visit. Please let the office know if you wish to have a visit on Sunday following worship or another day of the week.
By Christine Sine at  Godspace.
Stewardship
Health and Wellness at Holy Cross

Please hold in your prayers those who have been infected by the coronavirus, those who are in quarantine with potential exposure, caregivers, those who have lost loved ones to the virus, and health professionals and authorities who are working on combating the illness. 

At Holy Cross we are incorporating some basic public health guidelines and suggestions from our Bishop's office, particularly with regard to our liturgical practices.  This includes a change in how many of us receive communion.

  • At the peace, please consider touching elbows, offer a polite bow, or wave and extend verbal greetings of peace rather than shaking hands or hugging.

  • If you are ill please stay home and encourage others to do the same - our Lay Eucharistic ministers are available to bring the Sacrament to people at home or in the hospital, please let the office know if you would like to receive a visit or know of someone who would.

  • Please make it a practice of washing your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds – this is especially important for those who serve as Eucharistic Ministers at worship or as Lay Eucharistic Visitors.

  • During Communion, many people prefer to intinct (dipping the bread into the wine at communion) rather than drinking from the common cup. While it may seem counter-intuitive, according to the CDC, this practice is much more likely to introduce germs than sipping from the cup.** We ask that you NOT intinct, and that you consider sipping directly from the cup – if you prefer not to sip from the cup please know that a person who chooses to receive communion in only one kind (bread or wine) is considered to have received the full benefits of communion.

As a reminder, Holy Cross provides hand sanitizer throughout the facility: at the entrance; at the altar for those distributing bread and wine; in the kitchen and the Tietge room; in the Godly Play room; and, at several locations in the back of our worship space.

We will continue to review and evaluate public health guidelines, particularly in relation to our liturgical practices and various ministries, and will keep you updated on changes. Our desire is not to add to anyone's unease or anxiousness about the spread of this disease, rather we want to take some common sense steps to help minimize exposure as we gather together each week around God's table.

Please do not hesitate to reach out if you are ill and would like a Eucharistic visit or if you need assistance. You may contact the church office at 760.930.1270 or contact Karen, our Sr. Warden, at 808.494.0558.

Heavenly Father, giver of life and health:
Comfort and relieve your sick servants,
and give your power of healing to those who minister to their needs,
that those for whom our prayers are offered
may be strengthened in their weakness and have confidence in your loving care;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever. 
BCP page 459

** For decades the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) has found no documented transmission of any infectious disease traced to the use of a common communion cup. The consensus of the CDC is that a theoretic risk of transmitting infectious diseases by using a common communion cup exists, but that the risk is so small that it is undetectable particularly if appropriate safeguards are in place – that is, wiping the interior and exterior rim between communicants with a clean cloth and rotating both the cup and cloth between communicants. Holy Cross already follows this safeguard. The CDC has maintained this position through past epidemics such as HIV/AIDS, MERS and SARS. In summary, the CDC suggests that indirect transmission of infection by sipping from a common cup is rare and, in most instances a much greater opportunity exists for direct transmission by other means.

The risk from intinction (dipping the host in the wine) comes from the host having been held in a communicant’s palms, then fingers, and then dipped into the wine. Also, some individuals inadvertently touch their fingers in the wine when dipping. There is a far greater opportunity for transmission of a virus in this manner, particularly since there is no way to use the appropriate safeguard of rotating the cup and using a clean cloth to wipe the rim.
Bishop's Committee

Bishop's Committee meetings are open to anyone who would like to attend. Any church member may ask any BC member to speak on their behalf or on behalf of a proposal they wish to forward. Meetings are held the third Wednesday of the month from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm. The next BC meeting is Wednesday, March 18th. Please note: at its last meeting, the BC changed the start time of future meetings to 6:30 pm (from 6:00 pm).
*Ministry and Finance reports are posted on the bulletin board in the kitchen.
Support the Mission and Ministries of Holy Cross
Year of Discipleship 2020
Following the Way of Love
An Invitation from our Bishop
The season of Lent is the perfect opportunity to turn and reorient yourself toward Jesus.

On the Way of Love, we don’t only practice turning away from destructive things, but also turning ourselves toward God – like a flower setting its face toward the sun. In our daily lives, we are called to reorient ourselves to Jesus and his loving, liberating, life-giving Way.

Learn more about Discipleship 2020 and hear Bishop Susan's invitation to the season of TURN on  this special episode of the Faith To Go Podcast
(available now on all your favorite podcast apps)
In the Diocese and Wider Community
Called to the Wall
Saturday, March 28

Everyone in the diocese is invited to Called to the Wall. This bold expression of our support for immigrants and refugees brings Episcopalians from the Dioceses of San Diego and Los Angeles to the US-Mexico international border. There we sing songs, break bread and celebrate the memorial of our redemption, recalling that our Lord and the Holy Family were once refugees in Egypt. Stay tuned for dates and details.

Thursday April 9
Episcopal Church Center & St. Mark's

Wash the feet of people experiencing homelessness, and share the joy of providing new shoes, socks, and connections to services.

  • Episcopal Church Center, 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd: Worship, 9 a.m. Footwashing and shoe giveaway, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. lunch, toiletry kits, haircuts, vet visits, dental and medical clinics, prayers and more

  • St. Mark's, 4227 Fairmount Ave. 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. including Showers of Blessings, 12 - 1:30 p.m. footwashing, shoe distribution, blessing bags and lunch
Summer Camp Registration Now Open

Wonder and adventure await! Through Camp Stevens’s unique  Adventure Group model , which offers a dynamic schedule, dozens of activity options, a 1:3 staff to camper ratio, and unparalleled access to nature (and away from screens!), no week at Camp Stevens is ever the same — and we love it that way! Whether playing a lawn game, on a sunset hike, or taking a shot at archery, every moment is an intentional opportunity to make friends, develop self-esteem and confidence, and safely experience the outdoors. Check out the  daily schedule  and  sample menus , and  be in touch with any questions  about the one-of-a-kind Camp Stevens summer camp experience.

Additional information about camp programs, Camperships (financial assistance) and a link to register are available here.
Humor Corner
Cartoon from St. Swithin’s, by The Rev. Jay Sidebotham, copyright © 2002 The Church Pension Fund.
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