for the annual SERRV Fair!

Saturday, November 6, 9:00 a.m. to 2 p.m. Luther Hall

New this year:

Sponsored by the Social Concerns Committee

All profits from this year’s sale will be donated to the York County Homeless Shelter.

Back by popular request is breakfast at the Potting Shed on Friday, November 19th. Meet at church at 8:00 to car pool to this lovely place on a hill in Acton. In December we will be going to The Magic of Christmas in Portland. Contact Karen or Helen Rotvig for further information

A support group on Grief and Loss is meeting the 2nd and 4th Tuesday from 3:00-4:00 in Luther Hall. Anyone who is dealing with loss through death, divorce, illness, job, children leaving home, etc is welcome to attend. Through sharing, devotion and prayer, healing can and does take place. For more information speak with Donna Simmons or Karen. Childcare can be arranged.

Inspired by a speaker at a summer event at Holy Cross, a monthly sing-a-long at residential facilities in the area has been started. Betty Kreie has agreed to take the lead in this effort with help from musicians and singers. The event is being called sharing the Joy. Songbooks have been assembled and we are ready to go for our second event at Bradford Commons on October 31^st at 2:00. Everyone is welcome – you do not have to know how to sing. Just bring a kind heart and warm spirit. See Betty or Karen for more information.

A big THANK YOU to Nancy Harrison for her recent service as Congregation Council President. Her leadership has been much appreciated, and members of council were sorry to learn that Nancy needs to step down from the position due to the demands of a new job. Her letter of resignation was accepted with regret and best wishes.

The Board of Deacons is being rejuvenated for its ministry of pastoral care to the members of Holy Cross. Those who serve as Deacons assist the pastor in reaching out to all those in the congregation who are in any kind of need -- material, emotional, spiritual. Several former members of the Board are continuing to serve, along with several new members who have agreed to join in this ministry. One new effort currently under way by the Board of Deacons is a visitation program. The goal is to visit with as many members of Holy Cross as possible over the course of the next year. The purpose of each visit is to simply spend a little time together, in order to get to know people better. It is the hope and prayer of the Board of Deacons that these visits will be a blessing to many on a personal level, and at the same time a blessing to our congregation as a whole.

A new Women’s Support Group has started on Wednesday evenings, twice a month, from 7-8:30 at LSH, during the time period of confirmation. It is not at all limited to mothers of confirmands, but it is scheduled to coincide with the picking up of their children. In addition to prayer and devotion, we will be sharing the joys and challenges of being a Christian woman in the 21^st century. The next groups will meet on October 27th (no confirmation that night), November 10^th and 24^th and December 8^th and 22^nd. Contact Karen for further information.

The Bible study that meets in Luther Hall from 8:30-9:30 on Wednesday morning has begun to study women of the Bible. We have started with New Testament women, learning about the struggles and faith experienced by Elizabeth and Mary, kinswomen who bear miraculous children, John the Baptist and Jesus. All are welcome, including men.

Thanksgiving Eve Worship Service will be held at the Church on the Cape in Cape Porpoise on Wednesday, November 24 at 7:00 p.m. Area choirs have been invited to participate and all choirs present will join in the singing of a hymn at the close.   

After retiring from the professional work force, Deadra Hamilton made the decision to change her last name of Hamilton (which she used for professional reasons) to the last name of D'Addeo (her husband's last name).  In case you are wondering, the name D'Addeo is pronounced Dah-Day-O. When you see Deadra congratulate her on her retirement!

What if the Spirit of Holy God was to break through into the body of churchgoers everywhere?

What if youth and adult experienced Spirit led repentance?  Revived in spirit they would be freed to Praise God from the heart, and to enter increased worship of God, who loved us so much He gave His only Son, Jesus Christ, to live and die on earth so He could be born again in our hearts, that we might live Spirit filled lives in this world.

What if we could live in the Glory of the Living, Risen Christ...the Glory of God's grace?

What if during this Advent season, we would pray and ask that God's transforming power change each of us into the Likeness of Jesus Christ, "from one degree to another?" (2Cor.3:18) to become fruitful ministers of God's gifting, each one according to his/her calling?

Would we wait for a better offer?

On November 7^th between services, a bake sale will be held to raise money for a trip to Boston in the Spring. Please support our youth by contributing baked goods to the sale and/or by buying something to sweeten you up! On November 26h, we will participate in a Christmas Carol trolley ride in Salem, MA. On December 5^th we will carpool to Portland to a concert at First Lutheran by the now infamous group "A Bunch of Guys." This group is mostly former Calumet staff, led by Dave Piper and Knute Ogren. They made the CD "Take a Breath" which has raised over $50,000 for world hunger. The concert will feature a new CD, the proceeds all designated for hunger. This concert of Christian music is for all ages and for a great cause. For further information on any youth events, contact Karen or Barbara Horner.

The Senior High Youth will be sponsoring a Bake Sale to be held on Sunday November 7^th between services. The money raised will be used to defray the cost of a trip to Boston the Senior High Youth Group is planning in the spring. If you would like to contribute any baked goods for the sale please contact Michele Janiak to let her know what you plan to bring. Your support in this way would be much appreciated, along with the support of all those who purchase items on the 7^th.

Another event coming up for the Senior High Youth is a concert on Sunday December 5^th in the afternoon. The group is called "A Bunch of Guys" (although Catherine Corgan is also a member!) and they will be performing at First Lutheran Church in Portland. The group has already produced one CD, the sales of which have raised thousands of dollars to combat world hunger. The concert on the 5^th is free of charge, but a new CD will be available for purchase. Once again the proceeds will be used to help feed hungry people around the world. Senior High Youth should look for a sign up sheet to appear soon in the Narthex, and add their name to the list. (Adults are welcome to come along as well, both as drivers and also to simply enjoy the concert and support a wonderful cause.)

November Bible Story: Solomon – A Wise and Godly Leader

Meeting twice monthly on Wednesday from 4:30-7:00, the 4^th-6^th grade Logos program is off to a good start. On October 6^th we had our first meeting with 13 4th-6^th-grade children attending. Energy and enthusiasm was in abundance as Pastor led recreation time with balls, water balloons, relays and lots of good fun. Our new music director, Warren King, then led the group in worship skills. By the end of the period, they were all singing and sounded great. Watch for them in church, some Sunday soon! Two of our Logos alumni, Drew Horner and Casey Rayburn, led Bible time. What great mentors they are! The family time meal was held in conjunction with the older Logos group. Table parents for the 4^th-6^th grade are Jane King, Karen Indorf, Drew Horner, and Casey Rayburn. Everyone soon learned that you don’t eat until everyone is served and that saying Thank You to the kitchen crew is so important. Once a month Deidre D’Addeo will lead the group in an art project. Children are encouraged to bring friends, as one person did the first week. This was a great start for this program. The kids and leaders alike have lots of enthusiasm and look forward to a wonderful year. It is not too late to join. If you have questions, see Pastor or Karen.

Dateline October 20: A roving reporter was on the scene of a loud and enthusiastic group of Logos kids in Luther Hall. Making her way through a busy kitchen, she found 13 young people making candles under the direction of Deidre D’Addeo. After some tough questions posed by the reporter, she uncovered the following facts about this amazing group.

Doing background checks on the kitchen crew, your reporter discovered some interesting facts about these women. She concluded that they were well qualified for their jobs.

The consensus of the children attending Logos is that it is awesome! Next meeting of 4^th-6^th graders is November 3^rd from 4:30-7:00. It is not too late to join. And friends are always welcome.

The Thrivent members of Holy Cross are invited to participate in the election for Chapter officers which will be held on Sunday, Nov. 21.  A table will be set up in the narthex between services to enable you to vote. 

Both doors to the Narthex are kept unlocked when the building is open by using a small hexagonal key.  In the past year, six of those keys have disappeared.  If you took one home by accident, please return it to a shelf by either door.  Thank you.

Deadline for the December Crier will be the 17^th of November. I will be going out of the state the week of Thanksgiving and would like to get the Crier before I leave town. Please send articles to Darleen Rottinghaus.