Holy Cross
Episcopal Church
Weekly E-blast
Our Mission:
“Making Christ Visible in
God’s Community”
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                           
Now Forming: Ecuador 2022 Mission Team
 
Holy Cross will be part of a diocesan-wide mission team going to Ecuador in the summer of 2022. Registration and a $200 non-refundable deposit are due by November 15. Details are below: 
 
  • Where: Quito, Ecuador with an optional four-day work project on the coast in Esmeraldas City
  • When: June 20-30, 2022
  • Who: high-school youth, young adults, and adults from churches in the Diocese of Upper SC
  • Estimated cost: $2,400 (This includes airfare, a charter bus to the Atlanta airport, all lodging, all meals, and all transportation in Ecuador for 10 days.)
Requirements:
  • Proof of COVID-19 vaccination
  • A valid US passport (must be valid through January 1, 2023)
  • Monthly team meetings (place and dates to be determined, typically on a Saturday starting in December)
  • High school students must have completed 9th grade before summer 2022.

Note: Ecuador has done an excellent job curbing their COVID-19 infections with rigorous mandates, much more stringent than here in the US. The vaccination rate in Quito is around 85%. Education Equals Hope is monitoring the infection rates and will reschedule teams if it is too dangerous to travel in June. All team members will also have travel insurance in their name. 
 
Questions? Contact the Holy Cross team coordinators: Sharon James (sharonwputman@cs.com) and Anne Smith (bamaanne@aol.com).














Happening is a Christian experience, presented by teenagers, intended to renew the Christian Church in the power of the Holy Spirit, so that the church may more readily respond to its call to spread the Kingdom of God throughout the world. 
 
Happening #85 will be held at Camp Gravatt November 19th - 21st. We have several young people as staff.
 
One way you can share in their journey is through Caritas. There is a bag in the church office to gather Caritas. Please have Caritas dropped off by noon Thursday, November 18th. Please feel free to reach out to Michelle Brewer if you would like to know more about Caritas (864-603-7813). Below is a list of our staff representing Holy Cross. There are 24 candidates attending if you are interested in sending them something.
 
Caroline Jennings
Nick Hill
Cam Bish
Liz Haigler
Michelle Brewer
Dear Holy Cross Family,
UPDATE:
Retirement party update:
We have officially sold all available tickets.
We have decided that the best way to say thank you is to create a media memory book. There will be an interviewer at the party who will record your messages for Father Mike. It will be made into a special video that he will receive before his last service with us. There will also be a videographer at church on Sunday, November 14, from 9:00 to 1:00 to record messages from those who are not able to attend the dinner. Please take one of these opportunities to express your heartfelt thoughts to Fr. Mike.


Sincerely,
Carol Cain
Heather Lutz
Marsha Jones
Pam Keown
Retirement Celebration Committee
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 pledge campaign we have 81 families who have pledged $289,649 of the $560,000 goal. That puts us at 52 percent of the amount we need to operate Holy Cross for another year. The Vestry will be meeting soon to finalize the budget. If we do not get more people to pledge, we will have to severely curtail operations at the church and drastically cut expenses. We have no more money from the Payroll Protection Plan which we have used the last two years. There is no safety net available. The budget we proposed for 2022 has a minimal staff with only a 2 percent raise which does not cover inflation. Without more support we will not be able to adequately compensate our new rector. I urge you to use the www.holycrossep.org website and click on the giving section at the top and choose make a pledge.

You can make your pledge by returning the pledge cards or going to the PLEDGE LINK
You will get a confirmation to your email account when you pledge on line and save a stamp!
Thanks for your consideration,
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]