HOLY CROSS LUTHERAN CHURCH NEWSLETTER CROSSROADS JANUARY 2014 Services of Worship Sundays @ 9:30 am www.holycrosslivermore.org The Power of a Simple Act of Kindness One of the most difficult things in sharing the details of a good deed done is how best to capture and communicate its impact and on the lives of others. I have been preoccupied with finding a way to express how far the good deeds of the Holy Cross Christmas Giving Tree have actually reached, but I find myself unable to see just how far out your kindness and generosity has traveled. So, in lieu of having a crystal ball, here is what I would like to share with you now. Because of your generous giving through the 2013 Holy Cross Christmas Giving Tree and your commitment to service: LARPD Senior Services was able to host one of the best events in town the Senior Christmas Brunch with help from 6 of Holy Cross finest volunteers. The event saw a record number of seniors participate this year, with 140 seniors in attendance. The Tri-Valley Haven was able to provide gift bags of blankets, lotion, playing cards, scarves, gloves, stockings filled with candy, and Christmas cards to more than 50 seniors who rely on the Haven s monthly services to help make ends meet. The House of Dignity, a ministry of Operation Dignity, was able to provide socks, t-shirts, wallets, toiletry items, gloves, knit caps, and blankets to more than 40 veterans. Five of Holy Cross faithful made the trip to Oakland to deliver the items, lead a Christmas carol sing-a-long with the veterans, and be present with our very own Sally Trautwein, who was honored with the distinguished Jefferson Award for community service. Axis Community Health, via their prenatal service program called Bundles of Joy, was able to provide 11 mothers to-be with a new diaper bag filled with diaper wipes, baby wash, lotion, powder, ointment, bottles, outfits, baby booties, socks, bibs, rattles, pacifiers, cloth toys, stuffed animals, and gift cards. By my calculations, our tiny narthex Christmas Giving Tree delivered truly life-changing results for more than 230 individuals. That s amazing! And if we had a way of measuring the impact these 230 individuals will have as a result of our simple, but profound gesture, the number could be upwards of 500 lives changed for the better. Well done, Holy Cross family! You never cease to amaze me in your generosity and kindness. The Christmas Giving Tree is an excellent spring board into the new year, and one that I believe will be characterized by even greater feats of love, kindness, generosity, and compassion. A blessed Epiphany season and Happy New Year to you all! Pastor John Bost
Page 2 Volume 54, 1 Issue Stewardship As a Way of Life The Stewardship 365 Report In the December 2013 Crossroads, you were introduced to a new ministry resource that will be available for 2014. It s called Stewardship 365. This new ministry resource considers the many ways that we can be good stewards of all that God has given to us our lives, our time, our treasure, and our talents (passions, skills) and it does this in such a way that reminds us that every moment of every day is an opportunity to live generous lives. The 365 in Stewardship 365 speaks to this very fact; that everything we do year-round is a stewardship response. Stewardship 365 January Season: Epiphany Theme: Light The month of January brings to the church calendar the season of Epiphany. The word, epiphany, literally means manifestation. GOD S CREATION OUTSIDE OURSELVES FINANCIAL HEALTH SPIRITUAL GROWTH MINISTRY SPOTLIGHT The season of Epiphany celebrates the arrival of the magi at the manger of Christ. The season also celebrates the light of Christ that leads the way in and beyond the darkness. The Gospel of Matthew captures the importance of this light: Jesus said, You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one lights a lamp to put it under a bucket, but on a lamp stand where it gives light for everyone in the house. And you, like the lamp, must shed light among your fellow sisters and brothers, so that they may see the good you do, and give glory to your Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16). We are people of the light; the light of Christ that shines from within us. How do we let that light shine out in to the world? How do we shed light on the path for others? In our Baptismal Covenant, we promise to seek and serve Christ in all others. Epiphany is a time to reflect on how, where, and to whom we are sharing the light of Christ. As we begin the new ministry of Stewardship 365, may we be prayerful about how we are using our gifts and our resources to shine the light of Christ in our communities and beyond. Here are some ways to share in the light of Christ this month Spiritual Growth: One of the skills needed to share the light of Christ with others and to experience it for ourselves is to cultivate the gift and skill of listening. Some are better listeners than others, but we can all become better listeners. Here are some online resources to help you increase your capacity and understanding of what makes for a good listener: Listen to Learn: Ten Commandments of Good Listening by David Gray (http://communicationnation.blogspot. com/2005/11/how-to-listen.html) How to Be a Better Listener by Marshall Goldsmith (http://www.businessweek.com/managing/content/sep2009/ ca2009091_365549.htm) Listening in a Marriage: The Gift of Listening by H. Norman Right (http://www.eldrbarry.net/marriage/clas/bm05.pdf) Ministry Spotlight: This month we will focus on Worship and Music ministry at Holy Cross. Week-in and week-out, we have talented musicians offering the gift of music and worship leadership. One of the ways to help celebrate these musicians is to hear in their own words why music and worship leadership mean so much to them. Each Sunday in January, we will have a Q & A time at the beginning of worship to hear from four individuals who are involved in making worship so special at Holy Cross. Please plan to be here on Sunday mornings at 9:30 am to hear from these amazing individuals. Financial Health: Join Ed Heuer on the first two Sundays after worship (1/5 and 1/12) for a special adult forum class on writing your Personal Money Biography. This class will fill up fast, so be sure to arrive early for both sessions. Outside Ourselves: There are many ways that Holy Cross helps shine the light of Christ. Two of the most visible ways that we are light-bearers is through our service in support of Open Heart Kitchen (OHK) and the Livermore Homeless Refuge (LHR). Currently, Holy Cross folks serve the very first Wednesday of every month at Asbury United Methodist, 4743 East Ave., Livermore. For more information on how to be a part of this vital ministry, contact our OHK coordinator at Holy Cross, Audrey Sato (audrey@holycrosslivermore.org). To volunteer with the Livermore Homeless Refuge, visit them online at www.livermorehomelessrefuge.org. God s Creation: Give your Christmas tree a second life. Have it recycled into pine mulch. Plant a tree in the forest to replace your cut Christmas tree. Check out 6 Ways to Recycle Your Christmas Tree. (http://treesandshrubs.about.com/od/topiarybonsai/tp/recyclingchristmastrees.htm). Clean out your closets and donate clothes or other household items. Call your local scouting troops, many of whom will pick up your Christmas tree for a small donation to their troop. Commit to some New Year s green resolutions with 15 tips that actually make a difference. (http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/greenliving/ways-to-go-green) Stay Tuned: Be on the look-out for email blasts with additional ideas of how you can live Stewardship 365 this month. Next month we ll take a look at how to live a more centered and sacramental life with a special ministry emphasis on all Leadership and Support Ministries at Holy Cross. Living and thriving in the love and grace of God, Your Stewardship 365 Team 365 STEWARDSHIP
Page 4 Volume 54, 1 Issue Mesi ampil thank you for your recent support of the St. Joseph School for Boys in Haiti! Holy Cross raised $346 through the recent artwork and coffee sale. Is learning a new language one of your New Year s resolutions? What about Haitian Creole! Planning is underway for several Haitian-related events in 2014 for youth and adults and learning Creole may be one of them. If you have suggestions for events or topics or would be interested in learning more about Creole please let me know. Bonn Ane/Happy New Year! Donna Pontau pontau@comcast.net, (925) 443-2047 HCLutheran School News Happy New Year! May this coming year bring you blessings, health, happiness, and peace. We were very pleased to welcome all of our families to our Christmas performances last month. The children were very excited and proud to share all their hard work with their families. The children enjoyed singing several songs, including their favorite, Tingalayo. We also celebrated Jesus birthday with a special cake. The children sang Happy Birthday to Him. During December, the Godly Play story focused on Advent. This lesson helped the children to anticipate the mystery of Christmas. We moved toward Bethlehem with the prophets pointing the way. We arrived at the birth of Jesus and the lighting of the Christ Candle. We are having an Open House on January 15th from 4:00 7:00 pm for all interested families. Following the Open House, Holy Cross Lutheran School will be hosting a seminar on the new Common Core State Standards for Kindergarten. The seminar will also cover what we do at school to prepare children for kindergarten and what parents can do at home. The seminar will include kindergarten teachers from the Livermore School District and Holy Cross Lutheran School staff members. Registration for the 2014-2015 school year begins at the end of January. Registration for currently enrolled families is on a firstcome basis and will take place January 29th & 30th. Alumni and church member registration is also on a first-come basis and will take place January 31st. Open registration is by lottery and will take place on February 4th. Many of you will recall hearing about our annual ice cream social at this time of year. It will take place on March 24th. Our ice cream social is one of our biggest fundraisers. We are seeking donations from businesses and families for our raffle. If you would like to donate an item to our fundraiser, please contact the school office. We hope you will mark your calendars for this fun event and join us in the festivities. Happy New Year! Jenifer Montgomery, HCLS Director
Page 5 Council President s Message For the past few months, we have been on a journey with Nehemiah. We have been exploring the lessons of this Old Testament leader and how his style of leadership pertains to today. We are discovering that these qualities still relate to our roles and purpose within our church family. We have discussed so far that God s leaders: care enough to be informed, understand the importance of working together and build teams. Our HCLC family has done so much in these areas within the past few months. In this Crossroads edition, I just want to make it short and take the time to say that effective leaders give credit where it is due. Credit should be given to all of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church/School members for working together, building teams and caring for each other. Most of all, as we celebrate this most joyful season of Christmas, we give credit to the child who was born unto us. I hope all of you had a wonderful and blessed Christmas. Bill Miller Council President The Power of Prayer As a congregation, we do much to interact with each other. We share worship, fellowship, music, education and responsibilities. We care for each other in the good times and in the not-so-good times. This has really been front and center for me as I ve recuperated from emergency surgery and a super bug infection over the past several weeks. Receiving love and care in the form of visits, card, calls, food, and especially prayer, has been a very touching and humbling experience for me. The power of prayer is felt so strongly when we find ourselves in need - and the more who pray the better we become. For many years we have had a strong group of prayer warriors here at Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Each time there is a special need for prayer, we receive a prayer request via email and those who need prayer - for whatever reason - are brought to our attention. We keep those families and individuals in our prayers - praying for God to listen to our humble requests. Imagine how many more prayers would be said, how much more powerful it would be, if the entire congregation received those prayer requests? Soon, providing you have an email account, you will be receiving email entitled Prayer Request in your inbox. Please take a moment to read the request and take a moment to ask God to be with those who are in need of prayer at that time. For your convenience, there will be an opt-out option at the end of the prayer request email messages. Holy Cross Lutheran Church Financial Report for November 2013 Ministry Spending Plan Category Receipts Expenses/Outgo Current Operating (Salaries, facilities, debt reduction) $26,484 $ 21,901 Benevolence Miscellaneous (i.e. World Hunger, ELCA Disaster, HCLS, etc.) Goal: $1,000 per month $ 1,791 $ 1,788 Mission Support (Synod) Goal: $833 per month $ 829 $ 829 Emphasized Benevolences Haitian Timoun and Open Heart Kitchen Goal: $1083 per month $ 1,563 $ 1,563 As of November 30, 2013 we have a bank balance of $ 28,178. This balance is above our starting balance on January 1, 2013. We were above our budgeted monthly goal of $1000 for Benevolences by $ 791. Giving for Mission was below our budgeted goal of $833 per month by $ 4. Haitian Timoun Foundation giving was under our budgeted monthly goal of $833 by $ 63 and donations to Open Heart Kitchen were above our monthly goal of $250 by $ 543. Thank you for your donations!
Check our website for specific times and locations. www.holycrosslivermore.org JANUARY 2014 SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 1 New Year s Day - CHURCH OFFICE CLOSED -HCLS Holiday Break 2 -Church council meeting -HCLS Holiday Break 3 -HCLS Holiday Break 4 -Men s Ministry 5 -Worship Celebration -Spiritual Formation Groups 6 -HCLS Holiday Break 7 -Moms in prayer -Music Team -Stephen Ministries 8 -Mid-week forum -Choir rehearsal 9 10 11 -Men s Ministry -Thrivent meeting -Prayer shawl ministry 12 -Worship Celebration -Spiritual Formation Groups 13 -Troop 999 meeting 14 -Moms in prayer -Music Team -Book Club 15 -Mid-week forum -Choir rehearsal 16 -Venture Club 17 18 -Men s Ministry 19 -Worship Celebration 20 -Troop 999 meeting -Martin Luther King Holiday - OFFICE CLOSED 21 -Moms in prayer -Music Team -Crafty Ladies -Finance 22 -Mid-week forum -Choir rehearsal 23 24 25 -Men s Ministry 26 -Worship Celebration -Spiritual Formation Groups 27 -Troop 999 meeting 28 -Moms in prayer -Music Team 29 -Mid-week forum -Big band rehearsal -Choir rehearsal 30 31 Lutheran Magazine Subscriptions Subscriptions for The Lutheran magazine are increasing in price to $8.95 in 2014. Please indicate your wish to maintain or to become a new subscriber to Kate in the church office. Also, make sure she has your correct address. Checks should be made out to Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Please indicate Lutheran Magazine in the memo line of your check. sunday school Junior High Youth Ministry senior high Youth Ministry Jan. 5 Jan. 12 Jan. 19 Jan. 26 10:45 am Youth rooms 10:45 am Youth rooms 10:45 am Youth rooms 10:45 am Youth rooms A Crossroads Reminder The 15th of each month is the submissions deadline for the Crossroads Newsletter. Do you or a ministry you are in have something to share? Does your family have a life event they would like to announce? Please send, bring or email your news to the church office. admin@holycrosslivermore.org Thank you for keeping us updated!
Page 6 Volume 54, 1 Issue AMONG family & friends Members in Our Prayers Bev Coutts Gloria Wallace Carole Kehl Anna Sundberg Jeannie McCabe Donna Mapes Mike Bennett Donna Vickroy Bill Bormolini Sue Bormolini Please keep Holy Cross informed about births, deaths, weddings, graduations, hospitalizations, or a special recognition in your household by calling the church office at 447-8840. Friends & Family in Our Prayers Lois Anderson, sister of Donna Mapes Dorothy Harder, mother-in-law of Ruth Devon, grandson of a friend of the Gullifords Martha McInturf, friend of Sally Trautwein Peg Quesada, friend of Sally Trautwein Natalie, friend of the Vickroys Lois Rye, sister of Carole Thorngate Military Deployment: Joshua Saucier, to Afghanistan - grandson of Dick & Jean McCabe To my church family at Holy Cross- I would like to thank you all for the many prayers, cards, calls, and food that you have provided to me during my recent accident, surgery, and recovery. As a member here for more than 44 years, you are all so very special to me, and I thank you all for your caring and support. God bless you, Carole Kehl $ Giving Talk $ Members and friends, please pick up your envelopes in the narthex. Those who have been regular visitors we provide with envelopes as well. We try to help you by tracking your giving for your donations throughout the year. If you want more information on using the Simply Giving (direct deposit) approach, there are applications in a box in the center of narthex. Withdrawals are made directly from your bank account on the 1st and/or the 15th of the month or on Mondays. For those using pledge forms, you should have received the information in the mail. You are able to start using direct deposit through Simply Giving at any time during the year by filling out the application and submitting to Ken Trautwein, Financial Secretary. Any questions or concerns may be addressed to Ken at (925) 449-0436 or email (preferable) at Trauty1@gmail.com.
Page 7 INcelebration JANUARY Anniversaries Glen & Gloria Oberg 1/12/1966 Bonnye & Jim Burns 1/24/1960 JANUARY Birthdays 3 Cooper Hahn 4 Jeanette Kuneli 7 Bill Miller 8 Mitzi Kuhn 11 Lita Schaffer 12 Ted Midtaune 13 Patricia McBride 16 Debi Rauch 19 Mona Furnberg 21 Sebastian Kirby 22 Mary Taber 23 Michael Hasaka 24 Leona Bingaman 24 Kimberlee Montgomery 26 Judy Bird Harriett Olivotti 29 Brian Estabrook Mario Rivera 31 Mark Howard Men s Ministry Join us every Saturday at 7:30 am 9:00 am at Holy Cross. DATE 1ST READING 2ND READING GOSPEL JAN. 4 Jer. 31:7-14 or Sir 24:1-12 Eph 1:3-14 John 1:[1-9] 10-18 JAN. 11 Isa 42:1-9 Acts 10:34-43 Matt 3:13-17 JAN. 18 Isa 49:1-7 1 Cor 1:1-9 John 1:29-42 JAN. 25 Isa 9:1-4 1 Cor 1:10-18 Matt 4:12-23 We discuss the readings for the following Sunday worship service.
1020 Mocho Street Livermore, CA 94550 Phone: 925.447.8840 FAX: 925.447.4937 www.holycrosslivermore.org ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED CROSSROADS DEADLINE for next month s issue is January 15, Wednesday. Please email your articles to Kate Valley at admin@holycrosslivermore.org or bring to the Church office. Remember to send your change of address or email to admin@holycrosslivermore.org or call 925.447.8840 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 CROSSROADS Organist Susan Peterson Crossroads Production Cheri Brewster & Ronnie Kiefer Custodian Weston Nale A monthly publication of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Livermore, CA