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 Mtg. Saturday, January 26 Baby Shower 10:00 Church Cafe Inside This Issue Youth Event 2 M&M Fundraiser 2 Thrivent 2 Hospitality 2 Visitation Ministry 2 Best Timer s Meeting 3 Ladies Book Discussion 3 Mom s Group 3 Baby Shower 3 Holy Cross Crafters 3 Handel s Young Messiah 3 Quilting 4 igo Team 4 Glenoak High School 4 Calling All Millennials 4 School Mission & Ministry 5 Stephen Ministry 6 HCU 6 Thank You s 6 Holy Cross Pics 7 Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. - John 20:21 Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, Happy New Year! As we begin this New Year, we will also begin to talk about the new vision the Lord has blessed us with: Everyone at Holy Cross will be equipped, empowered and encouraged to GO B-L-E-S-S people where they live, work and play. The key to understanding that statement is the B-L-E-S-S in the middle. BLESS is what our igo! Team spends a lot of time talking about. It s has helped us understand how to more effectively reach those that don t know Jesus where we live, work and play. Here at Holy Cross, most everyone I have encountered seems to understand John 20:21. Just as the Father sent Jesus, so now Jesus is sending us. What we tend to struggle with most often is how exactly to reach them. Our staff, our leadership team, and our igo! Team want to share the BLESS model with you so you too can be blessed by it. This January and February, we will be focusing on an aspect of the BLESS model each Sunday AND on Wednesday nights during HCU. Our igo! Team will be helping to facilitate table discussions on Wednesday nights and sharing some stories on Sundays. We ll cap it all off with a special celebration Sunday on February 24. I know our lives are busy. I know the cold, winter weather often makes us long for our warm and cozy homes and beds. But God has given us something special here at Holy Cross. He has exciting plans for us! So, please make it a point to join us for as much of this as you can. I am confident you will be blessed by it. AND I am confident it will also help us do some amazing things for our community. I m excited to see the ways the Lord is preparing to send us to BLESS those where we live, work and play! I have already seen so much wonderful fruit from those on the igo! Team. But I know that we are just beginning to scratch the surface of what God has in store for the exception people He has blessed us with here at Holy Cross. Happy New Year! Happy New Vision! With Great Joy in Jesus, Pastor Emil
Page 2 Youth Event Holy Cross Happenings... There will be a Youth Fellowship Event on January 6th. We will meet at Erika Stewart s house and go as a group to Laser Quest. (laser tag) Please bring friends. Check the Announcements for further details. M&M Fundraiser CALLING ALL M&M TUBES!!! There are still many 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! 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 800-847-4836 and say Thrivent Choice after the prompt. A representative will work with you to direct Choice Dollars or you may contact Pr. Emil at church. 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? During the Holiday Season, visits are especially appreciated as some people tend to be especially lonely at this time. 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 330.417.5773.
BEST TIMERS Best Timers, formally known as Young At Heart will be having a committee meeting on January 10th @ 11:15 AM in A3 Anyone who is interested in co-chairing this group, PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND! There is NO PROGRAM planned for January. The Sweetheart Dinner is coming soon February 10th. Watch the Weekly Announcements for details. Holy Cross Crafters Page 3 Attention Holy Cross crafters, and anyone who would like to join us...i hope you enjoyed the holidays. But now, the holidays are over and it's time to once again come together to make cards for our shut-ins. Please mark your calendars for the 3rd Tuesday of each month. In January, the date is January 15. We meet at 7:00 p.m in Room M-4. Please bring a small pair of scissors and $2.00 to defray the cost of materials. Ladies Book discussion January 14th @ 7:00 PM At the Youth House The book we will be discussing is, The City of Tranquil Light by Bo Caldwell. Sharon Pifer & Samantha Rinehart will lead the discussion. All are welcome! Mom s Group January 10th @ 7:00 PM Watch the weekly Announcements for the location. Come and bring a friend!! Baby Shower There will be a baby shower for Madelynn and Josh Craig on Saturday, January 26th @ 10:00 am in the Church Cafe beginning with a cake reception. We would like to invite any adult woman in our congregation to come and celebrate with us! Please sign up in the Welcome Center of either Sanctuary by January 20th. T h e C r a i g s a r e r e g i s t e r e d @ https://www.babylist.com/baby-madelyn madelyn-craig Any questions??? Contact Heather Gretarsson. Sunday, March 3, 2019 6:30P.M. HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH 7707 Market Ave N, North Canton, OH 44721 90+ voice Chorus Free-will Offering to Benefit Orchestra & Soloists Canton Pregnancy Choices HOLY CROSS EVENTS PAGE
QUILTING Our quilting will begin on... Tuesday, January 8th, 2019 @ 9:30 AM (Rooms A 1-3) igo! Team, We Need Your Help! As we gear up for a congregation wide emphasis on B-L-E-S-S the congregation needs to hear how B-L-E-S-S is already working in your life. We need anyone willing to tell some of their story. We need table leaders to help with our HCU discussions. And possibly lots more help to be determined as we get closer. Please see Pastor Emil if you think you can help in any way as we work toward fulfilling the vision God has given us: Everyone at Holy Cross will be equipped, empowered and encouraged to GO B-L-E-S-S people where they live, work and play. Glenoak High School Page 4 Pastor Emil met with the leadership of Glenoak High School last week to discuss a partnership between them and Holy Cross to develop a program for at risk seniors. Please think about this as it relates to your personal skill set and how God may use you to bless one of these students. If you are interested, here s some necessary information: Program Dates: February 5th March 19th 2:30-3:00 Snack 3:00-4:00 Tutoring 4:00-4:30 Speaker 4:30-5:30 Meal and Mentoring January 17th Student/Leader Meeting January 22nd @ 4:00 PM Training (You will need a background check to participate) Please contact Pr. Emil with any questions and/or for additional information. Calling All Millennials!!! Did you know: 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? 1 Peter 4:10 New Living Translation (NLT) God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you know someone that sounds perfect for this? Join us Sunday, January 13th @ 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!
Page 5 School Mission & Ministry News...
Stephen Ministry 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 fifteen 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 call Pastor Kip at 499-3307 or speak to any of your Stephen Leaders: Diane Diehl, Judy Forsythe, Rosemarie Millin, Julie Nobile, Joe Wonsettler or Michelle Voina. Holy Cross University - Winter Quarter 1/9 2/27 Holy Cross University will be starting back up on Wednesday, January 9th, 2019 from 6:30-7:30 pm. I hope to see you all in our midweek studies! Let me know if you have any ideas for a class that you would like to attend and/or lead. God's Blessings, Josh Thanks for all of your help!!! Page 6 This year with the Angel Tree you served 23 families with 78 children for a total of 156 gifts given to the families at AIM and McGregor schools. We had 2,290 visitors come to Holy Cross and experience A Night in Bethlehem this year. Thank you for using your gifts, talents, and resources to glorify our Lord Jesus Christ during this past Christmas season. Thank You! I Needed That More Than You Know! I cannot thank all of you, the members of Holy Cross, enough for allowing me to take the one month Sabbatical this fall. I was so emotionally exhausted that I was very seriously considering retirement before this coming summer. The four weeks to get away, relax, enjoy family and travel a little bit provided greatly needed refreshment and renewal. I could hardly believe it when the Vision and Leadership Team offered the Sabbatical to me. But I am very, very, very grateful that they did. It made a world of difference. So thank you all again! Pastor Kip We All Thank You! Your entire church staff thanks you for all of your cards, gifts, goodies and words of encouragement throughout the Christmas season. Perhaps the greatest gift you continually share with us is the gift of appreciation. I can tell you as Your Senior Pastor, your Staff works hard to serve you and the Lord the best we can. We are blessed to be able to serve in a congregation that appreciates our labor in the Lord and is so encouraging to us in our labor. Thank you again and Happy New Year!
Page 7 Holy Cross Pics Jesus Birthday Party! Youth Christmas Party Gaga ball!!
Holy Cross Lutheran 7707 North Market Avenue North Canton, OH 44721 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 330-499-3307 Office FAX 330-499-2319 Preschool 330-494-6478 www.holycrossnorthcanton.com e-mail 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