Holy Cross
Episcopal Church
Weekly E-blast
Our Mission:
“Making Christ Visible in
God’s Community”

REMINDER

-There will be NO Wednesday evening or Friday morning Eucharists this week! The office is closed on Thurs and Friday for Thanksgiving!
-There will also be NO Children's Chapel on Sun the 28th
Announcements & Upcoming events
Masks MUST be worn at ALL TIMES when in ANY Holy Cross building.
This is in effort to keep our community safe. The mask mandate is not up for discussion or available for any exceptions. If you are over the age of 5 a mask is REQUIRED. This will help us be able to continue to worship together in person. Thank you for your understanding. -Lori
November 5, 2021
Dear Holy Cross family:
Imagine having a job and not knowing how much you would be paid. How would you know what you can afford? Could you create a budget for your family? How would you plan for your future?
This is what a pledge campaign does for every church. Our pledges tell Holy Cross how much money the church can expect to have in the year ahead, allowing the vestry to plan for everything from staffing and utilities to music and hospitality. Until I served on vestry, I didn’t understand the importance of letting the church know how much I planned to give. I just gave money whenever I was able to. Now, I know how vital pledging is to the life of Holy Cross, especially now.
For a variety of reasons, from the pandemic to Father Mike’s pending retirement, Holy Cross is living in liminal space: that threshold between the “what was” and the “what is to come.” These transitions, while unnerving, can be powerful if we are willing to live into them and be fully present to the uncertainty. I have a feeling that some of us are taking a “wait-and-see” approach since we are being asked to invest in something that doesn’t quite exist yet. However, as the search committee and the vestry work hard to find the person who God is calling to be our next rector, it is more important than ever that we have promised income that the church can count on. This is the only way we can create a solid budget for 2022. Simply put, withholding pledges can impact our search process and how we make the transition into the next era of Holy Cross.
As someone who has attended this church for the past four decades, I know for certain that Holy Cross is where my family lives. You all are my family. And now is the time for us to lean in and trust that God is at work here. It’s time to see Holy Cross with new eyes.
Right now, the vestry has received about half of our projected budget, and we are grateful for each and every pledge. During our December meeting, we will be making some hard decisions about how to cut that budget. I know that none of us like to talk about money when it comes to the church, but the reality is that your pledge—in any amount—is essential to what Holy Cross will become in this new era. The vestry will begin making calls toward the end of November, and my heartfelt request is that you make a pledge, in whatever amount you choose, by November 16 so that we can assess where the pledge campaign stands during our vestry meeting that night. Every pledge truly does matter.
If you haven’t pledged yet, please go to holycrossep.org, click “Giving” in the top right corner, and then choose “Make a Pledge.” Pledge cards are also available outside the sanctuary, or you can call the church at 967-7470 and ask to speak with our financial secretary.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I am willing to listen to why you pledge or even why you don’t. I look forward to continuing to share the journey with you as we live in this threshold moment together.

Sharon James
Holy Cross senior warden
864-918-4066                           
Advent Reading Materials 2021
Reading material to enrich your Advent will be available in the narthex this Sunday!
As in years past, seasonal reading materials were purchased using funds from the Children’s Ministry budget. Donations to offset this cost are encouraged but not required.
 
·       $1 offsets the cost of a pamphlet
·       $3 offsets the cost of a booklet
·       $6 offsets the cost of a bound book
·       $2 offsets the cost of mailing material to a shut-in
 
There’s a vase with a purple ribbon next to the material where donations can be left. Thank you in advance for your generosity!
For those that can't make it in to grab an ornament with a tag, we have an online list. Simply select what you'd like and drop it off or have it shipped. If you are having it shipped 
PLEASE SEND IN C/O GIVING TREE

https://holycrossep.ccbchurch.com/need_detail.php?need_id=179

Contact Jennifer Hellams 864-872-3724 with any questions.

NOTICE: All Giving Tree gifts should be brought in to the church no later than Dec 12. Thank you!
This year at Holy Cross, we are collecting money for poinsettias with which to decorate the sanctuary for Christmas. You may give a poinsettia in memory of a loved one or in thanksgiving for blessings received. However, rather than expending all the funds on flowers and greenery, we are hoping to purchase an appropriate number of poinsettias for decoration and use the balance to purchase Food Lion cards to give to families in need here at Holy Cross and around the community. We will have a complete list of donors in our Christmas bulletin, but much of your funds will go to caring for those in need. Please help us “Make Christ Visible” this Christmas.
 
The deadline for ordering poinsettias is Sunday, December 20. The cost is $20. Order forms available from the secretary. Please turn your check and the order form in by that date. You may either drop them in the offering plate, give them to the church secretary, or put them in the secretary’s box in the vesting room. Please remember to mark your check on the memo line: Christmas Flowers.
†Vestry Nominations Open Through December 7†
 
Do you feel called to serve Holy Cross in a deeper way? Are you interested in collaborating with a team of creative people to help guide our church as we live into our mission of making Christ visible in God’s community? If so, perhaps vestry is the place for you!
 
The vestry is charged with carrying out the financial and temporal affairs of the church—in other words, conducting the business of the church. However, serving on vestry is about much more than simply doing business. We are strategic visioners who are working together to map out the short-term and long-term goals for Holy Cross.
 
Helpful gifts include the following:
  • A love for Holy Cross and its people
  • An openness to differing viewpoints
  • An ability to work with others toward a common goal
  • Flexibility during times of uncertainty
  • A willingness to speak up, to listen, and to learn

A nominee must be at least 18 years old and a confirmed, active member of Holy Cross for at least the past 12 months. If you feel called to this work, please reach out to Sharon James, senior warden, at sharonwputman@cs.com. New vestry members will be elected at our annual parish meeting in January.
If you have a ticket for the party and are not able to attend I kindly ask you to let me know ASAP. We are completely full with a waiting list, if your plans have changed I would love to give someone else the opportunity to celebrate. 
Again, if you have a ticket but are choosing not to attend please call or text Jennifer 864-872-3724 ASAP.
Thank you all so very much!
Looking forward to seeing you all! 
Adult Forum Resumes
A study of Luke/Acts


Our study of Luke/Acts continues at 9:15 on Sunday in the parish hall (please wear your mask).
If you would like to join us from home, use the Zoom link below.
Michael Flanagan is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
 
Topic: Luke/Acts Bible study
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime
 
Join Zoom Meeting
 
Meeting ID: 825 8709 5941
Passcode: luke


Beginning Sunday, September 26, at 9:15, we will gather in the parish hall (with masks and socially distanced) to begin an 11 week study of the gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles. We will study these together because they are actually a two volume set written by the same author.
I will be sending out a study sheet the Tuesday prior to Sunday’s gathering, so you are able to prepare if you wish. However, the reading will not be mandatory, it is for your benefit for the discussion.
If you miss a week, please feel free to return as soon as you are able.
September 26 – Week one - Introduction to Luke/Acts
October 3 – Week two - Luke 4:16-30
October 10 – Week three - Luke 10:25-37
October 17 – No Class - Coffee and Conversation
October 24 – Week four – Luke 12:22-34
October 31 – Week five - Luke 16:19-31 and preview of Luke 24:13-35
November 7 – Week six – Acts 1:1-11
November 14 – Week seven – Acts 6:1-7
November 21 – Week eight – Acts 9:1-22
November 28 (Advent 1) – Week nine – Acts 11:1-18
December 5 – Week ten – Acts 15:1-31
December 12 – Week eleven – Acts 16:16-40 and preview of Acts 28:23-31
If you would like to look ahead, the entire study can be found here:
It is downloadable for free.
Stewardship Update for 2022

Seeing Holy Cross with New Eyes!

For the 2022 stewardship campaign, we now have a pledge amount of $341,639 towards our goal of $560,000. That puts the church at sixty-one percent of the amount we need to meet our budget. At the present time, the number of families that have pledged is ninety-six. I want to thank everyone who has pledged so far. For those of you who have not pledged yet, do not procrastinate as we really need to know we have the full support of the church members for the next year. Remember you can pledge online by going to www.holycrossep.org and clicking on giving at the top of the website. You will see a line for making a pledge which you can click on and it will take you to where you can make your pledge for 2022.
John Ackerman
Stewardship Chairman  
Fr. Mike is starting a zoom class entitled “Habits for Eternity”. We will be exploring the habits that we can develop here on earth that will wear well in eternal life. Habits like patience, authenticity, love, kindness and mercy are habits that will “wear well” in eternity. We will meet on Wednesdays from 5:45-6:30pm beginning Wednesday, October 13. I will also make every effort to record our sessions so if you are unable to join live, you can watch the interaction at your convenience. Please join us!
Link is below:
Michael Flanagan is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
 
Topic: Habits for Eternity
Time: This is a recurring meeting Meet anytime
 
Join Zoom Meeting
 
Meeting ID: 839 5662 7477
Passcode: habits
The bulletin for every Sunday will be sent out via Eblast on Fridays.
With social Distancing strongly recommended and our odd office hours we are asking everyone to send their pledge checks to the church P.O. Box.

Holy Cross
P.O. Box 187
Simpsonville, SC 29681

You can also contribute online through My Holy Cross.

Please continue to give as you can.
Counseling service offered by
Holy Cross
We are proud to announce that Bobbie Godwin has agreed to offer counseling services to Holy Cross members for a reduced fee of only $50 per hour. Bobbie is a SC Licensed Professional Counselor and SC Licensed Addictions Counselor with over 20 years of experience.
You can schedule an appointment with Ms. Godwin by contacting her directly at 843-287-3760. Due to the current covid-19 pandemic, sessions will be held outside at our pavilion or in the Meeting Hall with masks and appropriate social distancing.
If you would like to submit anything for the weekly

announcements please email
[864-967-7470]  [secretary@holycrossep.org]  [holycrossep.org]