CROSSROADS. in Review HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH NEWSLETTER MAY 2011

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1 HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH NEWSLETTER CROSSROADS MAY 2011 Services of Worship 9:30 am The Resurrection Dance Theatre of Haiti in Review In a word WOW! I never cease to be amazed when our Haitian brothers come to be with us in the United States. For the third time since 2008, the Resurrection Dance Theatre of Haiti (RDTH) made the long journey to California. Their tour actually began back in March with their first stop in Nebraska. From there the group traveled to Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Texas, and then to California. The goal: $250,000 toward the rebuilding efforts of St. Joseph s Home for Boys and Wings of Hope home for children with special needs. Both homes were destroyed in the earthquake that struck Haiti more than a year ago. When I first learned of the dates we would be hosting RDTH, I was cautiously optimistic. I knew those dates to be the dates of Holy Week. I worried that it would be difficult to get the guys in front of others to perform, and I knew that not getting them in front of others would limit the amount of money we needed to raise for their efforts. At the same time I knew that having them during Holy Week would also mean worship that none of us would ever forget. Here s what actually happened. Performance at Granada High School in front of 500 kids 2 rehearsals with Granada High School Dance Team Worship Leadership at Maundy Thursday Service (a service that many of you said was the most moving Maundy Thursday service you d ever attended in your life) Worship leadership at Ecumenical Good Friday Service at Asbury United Methodist Church Worship Leadership at Holy Cross Good Friday Service (another inspiring and deeply moving service) Continued on page 2

2 Page 2 Volume 50, 5 Issue (continued from front page) Master Class at Dance Mission Theater in San Francisco for 70 dancers (with invitation to come on Easter Sunday to lead 140-dancer master class in Oakland) Premiere Performance at Livermore High School for over 200 people (most of them first-timers to the group) Easter Sunday Worship Leadership with performance of Godspell Shopping. Lots of shopping. Easter meal at Dick and Jean McCabe s Dessert at Mike and Miriam Bennett s Money raised? With donations, merchandise sales, and new sponsorships, Holy Cross helped RDTH raise over $8000. Not bad for just one performance. While every RDTH tour is about raising funds to rebuild buildings and lives in Haiti, I had the distinct sense that this tour took on a different feel altogether. With the group s participation in worship I felt like God had blessed us this time around with a deepened sense of worship and spirituality. By working alongside of them in so many worship settings I found myself all the more convinced of why we partner with the Haitian Timoun Foundation. These young men are family, and we have a moral responsibility to stand with them at the height of their success and in the moment of their distress. We see in these Haitians the power of God at work, shaping and molding Haitians and Americans alike into something that we could never be on our own. There is no doubt in my mind that Holy Cross is committed to Haiti not because I want us to be or other individuals want us to be, but because God wants us to be. God has placed Haiti in our path, as God has placed Open Heart Kitchen in our path, and as God will place others in our path moving forward. Holy Cross is to be commended for not forgetting its promises and commitments to Haiti, and for not abandoning our existing partnerships in search of the latest-greatest partners just around the corner. Thank you for coming out to support RDTH. Thank you for showing the guys how much we truly love them. You will never know how much your support means to them, and what it means for the future of Haiti. Living and thriving in the love and grace of God, Pastor John A big thank you to everyone who helped make hosting the Resurrection Dance Theatre of Haiti another huge success! I dare not try and name each person individually, since there were so many who helped out this year. This was my first year leading the charge to host the guys, and I could not have asked for a better team than each of you. Thank you for a wonderful week that I will not soon forget. To everyone who pitched in to help make the load lighter, thank you. I am forever indebted to you all. Kind regards, Shawnda Bost, RDTH 2011 Team Leader

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4 Page 4 Volume 50, 5 Issue It is that time of year when council elections are coming up. Please give prayerful thought to your choices. These are the leaders of our congregation. It is also important that we as members of the congregation give our opinions, our prayers and our support to the council. We are all on the same team and we need to pull together to make Holy Cross the kind of church we want it to be and that God leads us to be. To accomplish what we need to do we have to be in harmony with one another. Take the time to greet someone you don t know. Reach out to someone you ve never met. Find out something about someone that you didn t know before. We are, after all, one body in Christ. We have just come through the Easter season and we have much to be grateful for and much to build on. We can accomplish a lot in this next year if we work together. There is so much need in our community. We Presidents Message must continue our support of Open Heart Kitchen as they struggle to meet the growing needs of the hungry. (See Audrey Sato for volunteer opportunities at OHK). There are many other things we can do collectively and as individuals. There is a wonderful spiritual reward as we work together for the good of Christ Jesus. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him a threefold cord is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 All panda pals are invited to join us for PandaMania to discover that God is Wild About You! As always there will be Crazy Crafts, Treetop Treats, Movie Mania, Wild Bible Adventures, and an all around Bamboo Blast! We need VIP s Very Important Pandas otherwise known as volunteers - who are willing to ex-panda their horizons and help kids on their WOK with God. Don t be KOI, you know you ll enjoy it! Sign up on the website. We are looking for VIP s to help decorate on the 19th of June. We especially need a volunteer with a large truck to drive to Lafayette on the 19th to pick up extra decorating supplies. It would be panda-rif-ic if we could also have help to dismantle our set after VBS on the 26th of June. We are also asking for small bamboo bucks to cover inspirational gifts for our volunteer youth (i.e. itune cards, movie tickets). Call Diane Bellucci or dbellucci@aol.com or Jenny Taggart jennyrose702@comcast.net We ll see you in the forest for a week that will be stu-pandaous! What happens when a playful pack of pandas invades church? A celebration of God s unconditional love.

5 Page 5 Sunday School Snapshot In past weeks students had fun performing sound effects for a radio broadcast about walking on water, playing a human foosball game to learn about letting go of sins and not judging others, holding a pretend banquet, and examining the differences between oil and water since these two liquids are frequently mentioned in Bible stories. May is here now, and Sunday School will conclude on May 22 with activities with parents. The other lessons this month are: May 1 Love Is May 8 & 15 Fruit of the Spirit May 22 Celebration with parents Sunday School lessons now begin at 11:00 am to allow time for fellowship after the service. Lessons end at 11:45 am. Visiting family members are welcome to attend a lesson, too. Donna Pontau, Sunday School Superintendent pontau@comcast.net A wonderful start to a special Holy Week!

6 Page 6 Volume 50, 5 Issue CRAFTY LADIES LUNCHEON On Tuesday, May 3, Crafty Ladies will be having their annual luncheon. We will meet at The Railroad Café in Livermore at 11:30 a.m. If any ladies of the congregation would like to join us, we welcome your company. Please call Joyce Correia at if you would like to attend the luncheon or have questions about Crafty Ladies. outdoor play bible stories creative crafts learning activities freedom to explore and have fun! Holy Cross Lutheran School Children of God Engage In Godly Play Join us for fun-filled activities that will sure to delight your preschooler! July 5 28, 9:00 am 11:30 am Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays Tuition is $225. Holy Cross Book Club Holy Cross Book Club meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month at 10:00 am in the Music Room. In April we discussed the book The Geography of Bliss, One Grump s Search for the Happiest Places in the World, by Eric Weiner. For our May discussion we will read Nomad by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. We are not a group of scholars. We just enjoy reading and talking (about anything). All are welcome. Wednesday Morning Bible Study We continue with our look at other world religions by focusing the next two weeks on Islam, followed by a discussion of Judaism. We will then take a look at the Dalai Lama s book, Toward a True Kinship of Faiths How the World s Religions Can Come Together. The Dalai Lama focuses on the practice of compassion, a basic tenet of all the world s religions. Holy Cross Garden Is Pesticide free Plots are still available in the Holy Cross pesticide free garden behind the church. To rent a plot call Bob Kehl at or the church office at

7 Page 7 MAY 2011 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Worship Celebration -Boy Scouts -Crafty Ladies Lunch -Bible Study -Young at Heart -Men s Ministry -B.pinto-Choate class -Stephen Ministry -Venture Crew -Music Team -Choir Rehearsal -Big Band Rehearsal Mother s Day -Boy Scouts -Book Club -Bible Study -Young at Heart -Shawnda Bost event -Men s Ministry -Worship Celebration -B.pinto-Choate class -Music Team -Prayer Shawl -Daisy Troop meeting -Choir Rehearsal Ministry -Shawnda Bost event Worship Celebration -Boy Scouts -Crafty Ladies -Bible Study -Young at Heart -Men s Ministry -B.pinto-Choate class -Finance committee -Venture Crew -Music Team -Choir Rehearsal -Big Band Rehearsal Worship Celebration -Boy Scouts -Music Team -Bible Study -Young at Heart -Men s Ministry -Daisy Troop meeting -B.pinto-Choate class -Church Council -Boy Scouts Spaghetti -Choir Rehearsal Feed Worship Celebration -Memorial Day -Music Team -Boy Scouts -B.pinto-Choate class High School Youth Calendar Sunday, May 1 - SPARK Sunday School. Sunday, May 8 - Mother s Day - No Sunday School Sunday, May 15 - Home Huddle Sunday, May 22 - Sunday School Sunday, May 29 - No Sunday School

8 Page 8 Volume 50, 5 Issue { There is a food bin in the Parish Hall for collecting } non-perishable items for the Tri Valley Haven. GIVING OPTIONS Tired of writing that monthly check?? There are two ways to make periodic donations. You may use Simply Giving or the Paypal Option through our website. The differences are significant. Simply Giving gives you the option of making donations designating the direction (like to Current Operating, mission and Haiti) in quantities chosen by you. Funds are withdrawn directly out of your checking account on the day or dates that you have selected. The days selected are Mondays, Fridays and the 1st and/or the 15th of the month. Paypal gives you the option of paying by credit card or setting up an account and having withdrawals made directly out of your checking account. These deposits are made to Current Operating. If you plan to make a one-time donation and would like the money moved directly, Paypal is a better choice. This may be a good choice if you would like to make a late year donation for tax purposes for instance and didn t write a check or were on vacation. Simply Giving is recommended for on-going donations because of the flexibility in designating the direction and the cost to Holy Cross is lower. This direction keeps a more consistent cash flow for the church and allows those who pledge to meet their commitments. If you prefer to write checks and do not have envelopes, some are available. Records are kept for members and visitors that attend regularly. If you have questions or requests, please ask or leave a note in the office for Ken Trautwein. Holy Cross Lutheran Church Financial Report for March 2011 Ministry Spending Plan Category Receipts Expenses/Outgo Current Operating YTD (salaries, facilities, debt reduction) Benevolence (Miscellaneous ie. World Hunger, ELCA Disaster, HCLS, etc) Mission Support, Month (Synod and ELCA Church wide Ministries) $33,118 $29,144 $548 $349 $967 $967 We currently have a positive bank balance of $19,451. This balance is above our starting balance of $14,550. We were under our Budgeted goals for Benevolences by $461 and over of our goal for Mission by $134 for the month. Giving to Haiti was $1,273 above our monthly commitment by $23. Donations to Open Heart Kitchen were $430 exceeding our Commitment by $130. We have been blessed by our giving in the 1st Quarter!! THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY!

9 Page 9 HC Lutheran School News It has been a wonderful year and I can t believe the last month of school is already here. As the end of another school year draws near, we want to extend our gratitude to the community at Holy Cross Lutheran School who support our ministry through prayer, volunteer work, and thoughtfulness. Your care impacts our school and we are grateful for this partnership. A special thanks to Pastor John for all his support. The children really enjoy hearing the Godly Play stories from Pastor John. Summer School Registration: Summer School registration is now open. The four week session runs Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 9:00 am -11:30 beginning July the tuition is $ There is a $25.00 registration fee for children not already currently enrolled or registered for our fall program. Our themes include Around the World in 3 days, Going Buggy, To Infinity & Beyond and Surf s Up. New Garden Boxes During spring break, Kyle Bird (a former Holy Cross Lutheran School student) built new garden boxes for the playground as his Eagle Scout project. He did a great job and the boxes look so bright and inviting. What a wonderful way to give back to the preschool! The children and teachers were delighted and enjoyed planting flowers. They will be cared for until Mother s Day and given as gifts. We would like to thank everyone for their generous donations towards this project. Fall Enrollment Many of our classes are already full for the fall. We still have openings in our three year old morning and afternoon programs. We also have openings in our Tuesday-Thursday four year old afternoon program and our afternoon Jr.K afternoon program. If you know of anyone looking for a preschool program for their child, tell them about our program. We really are a unique program with our Christian atmosphere, low ratios and dedicated teachers. Our program has a wonderful reputation so often families think we are full and that they missed the chance to get their children registered. Please pass the world along. God s Blessings, Jenifer Montgomery

10 Page 10 Volume 50, 5 Issue AMONG family & friends Please keep Holy Cross informed about births, deaths, weddings, graduations, hospitalizations, or a special recognition in your household by calling the church office at In Memoriam Tom Shaw, friend of Donna Mapes Judy Bettencourt, friend of many HCLC members Nanci Navarro, friend of Barbara Anderson Carrie Thurman, friend of Sally Trautwein Richard Stark, husband of JoAnn Stark Members in Our Prayers Kristi Littell Timothy Estabrook Kari Estabrook Bill Bormolini Edna Munson Military Deployment Joshua Saucier, Grandson of Jean & Dick McCabe, deployed to Afghanistan Shaun Tighe-Barrios, USA friend of Marcia Sizemore, deployed to Iraq Friends & Family in Our Prayers John Carstensen, husband of Marilyn Phil Chavez Mike and Elaine Hinds, sister and brother-in-law of Donna Robson Gloria Louis Johnston, friend of the Hottingers Nanci Marti Nell McGowan, mother of Melony McGowan Jennifer Krueger Pielluci, former member Beverly Pierson, mother of Bob Pierson Diane Roberts, aunt of Melony McGowan Pamela Roeder, daughter of Mary Taber Jay W. Sabic, friend of the Hottingers Sarah Alice Silva, mother of Michelle Langhart who has a son in our preschool. Richard Stark, husband of JoAnn Steve Whalen, brother of Nanci Marti Lorraine Whalen, mother of Nanci Marti The following members represent you on the Council: President: Sally Trautwein Vice President: Alan Brooks Secretary: Joyce Correia Treasurer: Audrey Sato Financial Secretary: Ken Trautwein Donna Pontau, Paula Alm, Kathy Scarbrough, Lois Cornell, Bill Miller, Pat Cheney, and James Cheney (Youth representative)

11 Page 11 INcelebration Birth Announcement Trygg s daughter, Emma Grace, was born April 28. She was 7lbs 12oz and 19.5 inches. Mommy and baby are healthy, and daddy is very happy! What a blessing! MAY Anniversaries Carlos & Carla Cuadra 5/02/1977 Paul & Sharon Lemmon 5/02/1987 Terry & Kathie Lindman 5/04/1963 Steve & Heather Ceccanti 5/05/2001 Dave & Jan Olson 5/06/1994 Marilyn & John Carstensen 5/10/1958 Max & Marilyn Schell 5/12/1962 Bill & Dorothy Hurson 5/13/1989 Michael & Laura Hasaka 5/14/1983 Ted & Merry Midtaune 5/14/1960 Dale & Sue Tripp 5/14/1983 Kyle & Janet Hemmig 5/18/1991 James & Diane Belak 5/20/1984 Bill & Sherry Miller 5/31/2009 Bob & Kathy Montgomery 5/31/1986 MAY Birthdays 1 Max Schell 2 Riley Shepard 3 Cheri Brewster 4 Loyd Straight Trent Trump 7 Brian Belak Lisa Cheney Bryce Willis 8 Laura Zinser 9 John Mapes 12 Steven Becker 14 Diane Belak 15 Carlos Cuadra 17 Joyce Brooks Ron Sato 17 Diane Thompson 18 Laurie Carlson Carolyn Dittmore 19 Carl Martin 20 Mary Mantach 21 William Hahn 23 Dave Jones Rick Roller 24 Paul Lemmon Cook Story Elena Woolsey 26 Brenda Schmiegel 27 Timothy Shepard 29 Joseph Cheney 30 Peggy Johnson Collin Trump 31 Doris Gonzalez Tim Hurson

12 The Ministers: The people of Holy Cross Senior Pastor: John Preston Bost Office Manager: Kate Valley Director of Music: Susan Peterson HCLSchool Director: Jenifer Montgomery Organist: Susan Peterson Crossroads Production: Cheri Brewster Custodian: Daniel Pierson CROSSROADS Deadline: Please submit articles for next month s issue by May 15, Sunday. Cheri Brewster at brewsterdesign@sbcglobal.net or bring to the Church office. Remember to send your change of address or to admin@holycrosslivermore.org or call Mocho Street, Livermore, CA Phone: FAX: