Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

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February 2019 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Inside This Issue Silent Auction Items 2 M&M Fundraiser 2 Thrivent 2 Hospitality 2 Visitation Ministry 2 Sweetheart Dinner 3 Ladies Book Discussion

3 Holy Cross Crafters 3 Young at Heart Ministry 3 Handel s Young Messiah 3 Quilting 4 Giving Tree 4 Fresh Thyme Market 4 GlenOak High School 4 Jazz Concert 4 Calling All Millennials!

1 February 2019 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Inside This Issue Silent Auction Items 2 M&M Fundraiser 2 Thrivent 2 Hospitality 2 Visitation Ministry 2 Sweetheart Dinner 3 Ladies Book Discussion 3 Mom s Group 3 Celebration! 3 Holy Cross Crafters 3 Young at Heart Ministry 3 Handel s Young Messiah 3 Quilting 4 Giving Tree 4 Fresh Thyme Market 4 GlenOak High School 4 Jazz Concert 4 Calling All Millennials! School Mission & Ministry 5 Stephen Ministry 6 Euchre Tournament 6 Guitar Club 6 The OakRidge Boys 6 I hope you are keeping warm and dry this winter! With February being the shortest month of the year, Lent will soon be upon us! Ash Wednesday is March 6 th this year. This Lenten season we will be exploring the Marks of Discipleship. Jesus called us to be disciples. It is easy for a congregation to become sidetracked on membership. It is easy only to belong to an organization. But Jesus did not call us to be members alone, He called us to be disciples. Disciples do not only belong, they are active participants following Jesus lead. It is the church s responsibility not to make members, but to form disciples. Living a life of discipleship is an active life. Disciples as Jesus explains in John 17 are not of the world, but in the world. Disciples following Jesus touch the lives of those in their lives without letting themselves be changed by the world around them. Discipleship is a full lifestyle change and is identified by six key characteristics: daily prayer, weekly worship, regular reading of God s Word, service, accountable relationships, and giving. These are the six Marks of Discipleship. That s a lot! Thankfully, it s a life of discipleship. These are things that God lets us work on throughout our entire lives. By His grace, He improves us over time, so we can be better equipped to serve those in our lives. Ultimately, it all comes back to the One Whom we follow: Jesus. Jesus knows our capabilities and is loving and encouraging towards His disciples. He enables us to grow spiritually and gives us disciples the tools and abilities to do so. This Lent we will explore the six Marks of Discipleship, and how Jesus encourages and equips us to change our lives to better serve Him and our neighbors. Have a Blessed Lent! Vicar Jake Holy Cross Pics 7

February Page 2 Holy Cross Happenings... Now Accepting Silent Auction Items for the Sweetheart Dinner!! Thank you so much for the support of your Holy Cross Youth.

Thank You! Thank You! NYG Families, please remember that you are expected to bring in a Silent Auction Item to donate. Thank you! M&M Fundraiser CALLING ALL M&M TUBES!

2 February Page 2 Holy Cross Happenings... Now Accepting Silent Auction Items for the Sweetheart Dinner!! Thank you so much for the support of your Holy Cross Youth. Your generosity is greatly appreciated! If you want to donate an item for the Silent Auction please talk to Josh Craig. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You! NYG Families, please remember that you are expected to bring in a Silent Auction Item to donate. Thank you! M&M Fundraiser CALLING ALL M&M TUBES!!! There are still some tubes not returned. We are asking that you bring your M&M Tubes back in so we can start counting coins. Thanks again for all of your donations and support! Please put the tubes in Josh Craig's Office or Mailbox. If you haven't quite filled up your tubes yet, please feel free to take a little time and bring it in when you're done. Thank You!! Thrivent Choice Dollars Directions Are you a member of Thrivent Financial who s eligible to direct Choice Dollars? Choice Dollars charitable outreach funds can make a world of difference to our congregational ministry to our community and beyond! Our 2018 results were $10, 412. See! It DOES make a difference. By directing Choice Dollars, eligible Thrivent members recommend where they feel Thrivent should distribute a portion of its charitable funds. Directing Choice Dollars is easy. Simply go to Thrivent.com/thriventchoice and click Get Started Now, log-in, and follow the prompts. Or call and say Thrivent Choice after the prompt. A representative will Hospitality Serving Opportunities! Hospitality is available from 8:45-12:30 (or when the last person is full and leaves!) So come to the Hospitality window in the Café before and after the 11:00 service to enjoy some food and fellowship! If you would like to serve in our Sunday Hospitality ministry, please sign up on the provided sheets any Sunday morning in the church Café! Training is always provided along with printed instructions. Visitation Ministry There are a number of members who cannot make it to church and would appreciate a visit once a month from a friendly face. It means so much to them. Would you consider being one of those friendly people? Common things to do/talk about include reading the Bible to them, reading a devotion from Portals of Prayer, just having a conversation about how they are doing, or doing activities like crossword puzzles or a coloring page. (Portals of Prayer and activity books are provided on the shelf next to the mail boxes in the A Hallway. Contact Katie Stiver if you re interested. katie@holycrossnorthcanton.com or

clothing according to the time period in which you were married!

The Young at Heart group would like to clarify their ministry.

monthly for fellowship, the idea is to gather with all generations!

February 11th @ 7:00 PM At the Youth House HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH 7707 Market

Mom s Group February 21st @ 7:00 PM At Audrey Wakefield s House 8893 Market Ave.

3 February Page 3 February 10th $25.00 per person 5:00 8:00 PM in the North Sanctuary Wear period appropriate clothing according to the time period in which you were married!! ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS! The Young at Heart group would like to clarify their ministry. While the group itself is typically a group of retired individuals that gather monthly for fellowship, the idea is to gather with all generations! Therefore, they will be hosting monthly events on the 3 rd Thursday that all are invited to attend. Sunday, March 3, :30P.M. February 7:00 PM At the Youth House HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH 7707 Market Ave N, North Canton, OH The book we will be discussing is, Allie and Bea: A Novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde. Barb Sautters and Sharon Ludwig will lead the discussion. All are welcome! Mom s Group February 7:00 PM At Audrey Wakefield s House 8893 Market Ave. N Come and bring a friend!! Sunday, February 24th COME JOIN US as we rejoice with God and all the angels at what God has done as we have begun to BLESS people where we live, work, and play! NO Bible Study or Sunday School. EVERYONE is invited to celebrate!! 90+ voice Chorus Free-will Offering to Benefit Orchestra & Soloists Canton Pregnancy Choices the story of God s passion for His people. HOLY CROSS EVENTS PAGE

February Page 4 QUILTING We meet on Tuesdays from 9:30 Noon in Rooms A1-2-3. All are welcome! The Giving Tree for February is Haiti Student Sponsorships.

Call or text: 330.497.0580. Email: LJEckberg@gmail.com We have 49 new students, only a few students remained in the program. We have some very exciting news!

Simply buy the Giving Bag with the Giving Tag and we will receive a $1 donation. This is a great opportunity for us to raise money simply through the sale of a reusable shopping bag!

GlenOak High School Partnership Thank you so much for your excitement and enthusiasm to serve!

4 February Page 4 QUILTING We meet on Tuesdays from 9:30 Noon in Rooms A All are welcome! The Giving Tree for February is Haiti Student Sponsorships. You can sponsor a child for 2019 for a total cost of $ $ covers tuition, uniforms, school supplies and books. $50.00 covers school meals. To sponsor a child, please contact Linda Eckberg. Call or text: LJEckberg@gmail.com We have 49 new students, only a few students remained in the program. We have some very exciting news! The Fresh Thyme store located in Canton has chosen Holy Cross Lutheran Church as a beneficiary of the Fresh Thyme Giving Bag Program! Simply buy the Giving Bag with the Giving Tag and we will receive a $1 donation. This is a great opportunity for us to raise money simply through the sale of a reusable shopping bag! Please go to the store, and buy a few bags! For more information about the Fresh Thyme Giving Bag Program, visit freshthyme.bags4mycause.com. GlenOak High School Partnership Thank you so much for your excitement and enthusiasm to serve! Due to changes to the graduation requirements by the State of Ohio, and other challenges, we have had to cancel our plans for the mentoring program this February and March. However, Pastor Emil will be meeting with student leaders and administrators in February to brainstorm ways to reintroduce something similar for late Spring, or sometime next Fall. Stay tuned!! Calling All Millennials!!! Did you know: Who: Young at Heart (& anyone who loves Jazz!) When: Wednesday, 2/27/19 Time: 7pm Where: GlenOak High School (includes 3 GlenOak Jazz Bands, Jackson HS, Lake HS, and Ohio University Jazz Band) Cost: $5 at the door Sign up in A Hallway Questions? Contact Erika Stewart # Millennials will soon be the largest generation of Americans at nearly 73 million people? Did you know that 96% of them are not in worship on an average Sunday? Do you have a heart for reaching them for Christ? Are you a Millennial (approx. age 20-36)? Teachable? Willing to try something new? Do you know someone that sounds perfect for this? Join us Sunday, January 12 noon in the Cafe for an informational meeting or see Pastor Emil or Michelle Von Debschitz about the 1000 Young Leaders Initiative. Only a few spots remain. Let us know soon!

5 February Page 5 School Mission & Ministry News... It s time to register for September preschool and Kindergarten already! Registration opened to families who are members of Holy Cross on February 4. If you want your child to attend Holy Cross next year, now is the time to contact me. On February 18, registration will be opened to the general public. If you know of any children who are Preschool or Kindergarten age whose parents might be looking for a school, please tell them about us. Our best (and only) advertising is word of mouth. Please pray for the registration process, that our school can be full so we can reach the maximum number of children with the good news of salvation. To think that one of God s children will be lost because they have never heard how much He loves them is heartbreaking. How can they know, unless someone tells them? God has poured His blessings out on us so richly. Pray that He will continue to bless us so that we can be a light pointing the way in the darkness. Pray for our teachers and staff that we may be filled with enthusiasm and the fresh calling of the Spirit each and every day. Parent/Teacher conferences were conducted on January 31 st and February 1 st. For our staff, this is not a job but a ministry. These conferences followed much prayer for every child, parent, and teacher. The teachers felt God s presence helping, encouraging them, and giving them the words to speak. During all of the conferences, the teachers took advantage of their private time with the parents to ask them about their child s (and their own) spiritual growth and to lay the foundation for giving the matter serious thought. As Mrs. Samara used to say, No one might ever talk to them about this again. It isn t going to happen in the public schools. I can t worry about what they might think of me. The two & three-year-old class spent the month of January learning about winter. They played with snow, ice, and water. They talked about dressing for winter. They learned about animals that like the cold. They heard the story of Anna and Simeon who had to wait to see baby Jesus at the temple. They talked to God and asked Him to help them wait for good things. Waiting is hard work! (Ms. Daniela Archer, Mrs. Demetra Pirovolos) The three and four-year-old children had a wonderful January. They loved learning about snowflakes and how God makes each one unique and special, just like He made us unique and special. During Bible Time, the children learned that Jesus didn t stay a baby: He grew! The children painted white snowflakes and learned that though our sins were like scarlet, Jesus washes us white as snow! The children enjoyed learning about baptism. (Mrs. Janet Eagon & Mrs. Patty Wallace) The four & five-year-old children learned that Jesus was once a child, who grew bigger every day, just like they will. He grew on the inside in His love for God as His parents and teachers taught Him from God s word, just like we grow in our love for God as we learn about His unending love for us. They began the month with the letter I, learned about the letter J and moved on to K. Mrs. (Mrs. Teri Hockman & Mrs. Sue Owens) The Pre-Kindergarten class roared into the New Year with the exciting topic of dinosaurs. They learned that God made dinosaurs on the sixth day of creation when He made all the other animals. The second week of January we celebrated winter. A unit on space and planets followed and the children learned that all the planets orbit around a big star, the sun. At Bible time they discussed how we praise God by singing, dancing and playing instruments, the stories of Adam and Eve and Jesus baptism by John. (Mrs. Megan Long & Mrs. Christina Jacobsen) The Kindergarten class is doing great at reading. They are improving their writing and trying to remember to end their sentences with punctuation. They have learned about 3D shapes. They have traveled the Midwest and are heading to the Great Plains after crossing the Mighty Mississippi. They celebrated the 100 th day of school on January 30 th. They learned that the snowman can remind them of the incredible triune God. God the Father ~ good solid foundation as the base of the snowman. God the Son ~ middle ball with arms stretched out to remind us HE died on the cross. Finally, God the Holy Spirit ~ the top to remind us He speaks to our hearts and minds. (Mrs. Angie Linsky) In His Service, Marjorie James

February Page 6 Beginning Wed Feb 6, 2019 Are you or someone you know going through a particularly difficult time in life?

Would you benefit from having a particular someone, available when you need him/her, who will listen and talk to you in confidence, and care for you non-judgmentally, while together you seek God's

For more information or to request a Stephen Minister, please contact one of your Stephen Ministry Leaders: Diane Diehl, Judy Forsythe, Rosemarie Millin, Michelle Voina, Joe Wonsettler, or Pastor Kip

After the 6 th class you will have the opportunity to play with the worship team at our 11:00 Worship Service. Classes are free, contact Lee Zacharias x114 to register.

6 February Page 6 Beginning Wed Feb 6, 2019 Are you or someone you know going through a particularly difficult time in life? Are you fighting depression, experiencing grief or loss, coping with unexpected changes in your health, job, financial situation, family relationships or spiritual growth? Would you benefit from having a particular someone, available when you need him/her, who will listen and talk to you in confidence, and care for you non-judgmentally, while together you seek God's will for your life and the lives of those you love? We are blessed to have such care-givers ready to serve you in a one-to-one caring lay ministry. Please make use of your ministry! For more information or to request a Stephen Minister, please contact one of your Stephen Ministry Leaders: Diane Diehl, Judy Forsythe, Rosemarie Millin, Michelle Voina, Joe Wonsettler, or Pastor Kip Smith. Interested in learning to play the Guitar or Bass guitar? Once again, we will offer a 6-week guitar class (club) starting Wednesday, Feb 6, 2019, 5:15-6:00 PM in the music room (M-1). After the 6 th class you will have the opportunity to play with the worship team at our 11:00 Worship Service. Classes are free, contact Lee Zacharias x114 to register. Let us know if you need to borrow a guitar, or if you have an extra guitar to loan to someone. Who: EVERYONE WHO LOVE TO PLAY EUCHRE! When: 2/21 Time: 11:30 AM 2:30 PM Where: Holy Cross Café Hosted by: Young at Heart **Light lunch provided** Questions? Contact Erika Stewart # What: Oak Ridge Boys Dinner & Show When: June 7, 2019 Time: Dinner at 6:00pm Show at 7:00pm Where: Hartville Kitchen Cost: $66 per person (Checks made to Holy Cross Lutheran Church) **16 tickets have been purchased. If there is a greater interest I will contact Hartville Kitchen to see if more are available.** Questions? Contact Erika Stewart at Sign-up Sheet is in the A Hallway

7 February Page 7 Holy Cross Pics Junior Youth Ice Skating Senior Youth Laser Tag

Holy Cross Lutheran 7707 North Market Avenue North Canton, OH 44721 Non-Profit U.S. Postage P A I D Canton, OH Permit No.

DVDs of Sunday worship services are on the counter in the north and south hallways. Audio is on the website.

8 Holy Cross Lutheran 7707 North Market Avenue North Canton, OH Non-Profit U.S. Postage P A I D Canton, OH Permit No. 123 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED is a Christ-centered, friendly, mission-minded, Bible-based community of believers who strive to carry out ministry with integrity and excellence. DVDs of Sunday worship services are on the counter in the north and south hallways. Audio is on the website. Sunday Mornings At Holy Cross 8:00 AM Liturgy of Praise Traditional Worship 8:45 AM Majestic Praise Blended Worship 8:45 AM Adult Bible Class 10:00 AM Sunday School, Youth Bible Class, and Adult Bible Hour 11:00 AM Expressions of Praise Contemporary Worship February Newsletter Deadline Sunday, January 20th Office Phone Office FAX Preschool info@holycrossnorthcanton.com Richard Kip Smith, Senior Pastor Emil Gretarsson, Associate Pastor Jake Buday, Vicar Mr. R. Lee Zacharias Worship Ministries Coordinator Mr. Joshua Craig Director of Children and Youth Mrs. Vicki Zacharias, Office Manager Mrs. Katie Stiver, Soul Accounting Secretary Mrs. Diane Diehl, Stephen Ministry Mr. Tom James, Property Manager Mrs. Marjorie James Holy Cross School Administrator

Holy Cross Connections

Holy Cross Connections Upcoming Events Sunday, January 6 Youth Event Time (TBA) 2019 Wednesday, January 9 6:30-7:30 PM Holy Cross University Begins Thursday, January 10 11:15 AM (A3) Best Timer s Committee