It is that time of year again when everyone and everything seems to be busy, including the church. I heard someone comment recently about how difficult it has become to find an evening to schedule a meeting. What a great problem to have! There is a lot going on at Holy Cross, with many different people participating in the life of the church in many different ways.

There is also a spirit present at Holy Cross, a Holy Spirit, breathing into our hearts and minds, giving us enthusiasm for ministry, care and compassion for others, and joy and peace, even amidst the heartaches and personal struggles and illnesses and crises of faith and our sinful nature. Among other things, there has been a tremendous outpouring of gifts for those in need, from a simple backpack for a homeless child, to donations of money and resources to homeless hurricane victims, to the repair of a family home where major health problems prevail, to the contributions that feed hungry people in homes across the world, to the building of local homes through Habitat for Humanity.

In our self serve culture which values individualism and materialism, our church community tries to reflect the values of Jesus, values which are about community and loving and caring for one another and for those in need. Yes, we sometimes fail to live by those values through neglect and hurt of one another. But the cross changes everything for us and allows the Spirit to work in our hearts and lives and community of faith. In 2Peter 2:5, we read you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Keep praying with me that God's Spirit would continue to work in us as we build this spiritual house together.

The New England Synods annual workshop event, "Rooted for Life  Journeys of Faith," will be held on Saturday, October 15th at Trinity Lutheran Church in Worcester, MA. Forty-five different workshops will be offered, covering many aspects of faith journeys, led by leaders from other synods, seminary faculty, and local synod staff, pastors and lay persons. The fee is $30 for electronic, $35 for paper registration, This includes continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks as well as four workshops. Registration details can be found at www.nesynod.org. or on the board in the Narthex. Last date to register is September 30th.
See Karen for further information.

The parents of Holy Cross children recently gathered for a relaxing evening away from children, enjoying a candlelight dinner in Luther Hall. Thank you to the Young at Heart members who provided the food and helped to setup, serve and cleanup the meal. Also thanks to Warren for the dinner music and to Pastor Rich for games. The group has decided to have ongoing events about every 6-8 weeks, rotating responsibility for planning the activity. Suggestions were made such as game night, progressive dinner, bowling, etc. A signup sheet is posted on the board in the Narthex for 2-4 people to plan/host an event in late October and again in January. Once the leadership for the event is established, further information will be distributed about the particular activity that they plan.

On the third Sunday of each month, this group goes to a local residential facility to bring joy through song and friendship. We encourage those residents who are able to sing along with us or to just listen or tap their feet!. Our repertoire includes old favorites such as On Top of Old Smoky and Darlin Clementine as well as beloved hymns like Amazing Grace and Blessed Assurance. Anyone is welcome to join us, whether to sing or to help the residents turn pages or hold hands. You do not need any particular musical skill  just a kind heart. The residents especially love to see young people, and children are always welcome. In October we will be returning to the Atria on October 16th from 3:00-4:00. Join us and help us to share the joy. See Karen for more information.

There is a nip in the air and the promise of cooler days and nights. This leads to more indoor time and time to pick up the knitting needles. Susan Gordon Ludlow, author of "the Knitting Mantra" says that through out history, handcrafts have often been fashioned with the aid of prayer, one prayer for each bead or each stitch. The motion of knitting needles is well suited to the practice of prayer or contemplation.

The Prayer Shawl Ministry came about from two graduates of the Women's Leadership Institute at the Hartford Seminary. Shawls, made for centuries, have been worn to comfort, cover, give solace, warmth and beautify. They are unconditionally loving. Some recipients have gone on to knit a shawl for another. They have been given to people in great pain, physically or mentally, to those nearing death, nursing mothers, in celebration of an event, someone anticipating surgery or homebound for a long period.

Holy Cross has had this ministry for about four years and has given out about a dozen shawls to both members and friends in most of the above areas. We need you help to keep this an ongoing ministry. It is a very simple pattern; most any yarn will work. We do have some funds to supply yarn if needed.

Please call the church office if you have a person you think has need of a shawl. If we have one available we will try to have you deliver it or one of us will. Thank you! Helen Rotvig

Fall is upon us again and many exciting things are occurring here at HolyCross. First of all, choir is now in full swing but of course there is always room for more. We rehearse on Thursday evenings at 7:00 in the sanctuary. You do not have to know how to read music just a desire to sing praises to God. "Make a Joyful Noise"

On Thursday evening Oct 20, the Vokalkreis Grossenhain (the choir is from Grossenhain, Germany) will be performing for us in the sanctuary. There is no cost to us but we need people to house them for Thursday night. There are approximately 30 in the choir, some speak English some do not. If there is anyone here who can speak any German please consider taking in a few of the choir. There will be a sign up sheet in the Narthex.

Healthy Living will be meeting on the first Tuesday of each month from 6-7 pm. The focus of this class is to make small, but significant changes in our lives that will result in a healthier lifestyle. Everyone is invited to attend. At each class a Bible passage is reflected on, educational material is discussed, and support and encouragement is given as we strive to improve our lives. Next meeting: Oct. 4th

They have transferred to Holy Cross from First Lutheran Church in Portland, Maine. Paula's father and grand father were Lutheran pastors. Bob and Paula live on Kennebunk Pond in Lyman. Their home site was a camp for Paula's family for many years. After completing renovations, the couple moved there from Portland two years ago. Paula is VP of Human Resources at Maine Medical Center and Bob is a contractor/ builder. They have been married for three years and have eight children and four grand children

I WONDER AS I WANDER

Fifty years ago I was a child living in the South, with segregation a pretty much accepted fact of life. I came to realize that my parents did not believe this was right, but at that time, few people (even liberals) did anything about it. As the civil rights movement heated up just around the time we moved north, awareness grew in many minds about past injustices, wrong thinking, and how many of us were complicit by inactivity with all that had been and was going on. Then when Boston tried to desegregate its schools with forced bussing, we realized that not all rednecks lived in the South.

My parents recommended a book to me that they had both read  Blood Done Sign My Name, by Timothy Tyson  a memoir of a white man who grew up during that time, at times telling how his Methodist minister father tried to open peoples minds in their small Southern town to reach across racial divides, pushing for small changes, more justice and trying to change hearts hardened by learned and visceral prejudices about race. Its an uncomfortable book to read, but well worth it.

Just as I was reading it, the news came from the ELCA about the votes on sexual orientation. I read one statement from the deliberations about the importance of staying together as a church as we face tough questions about another minority. Someone else said that this church is not ready to change. It struck me that many times during history it has been the lone voices who have prophesied, and that churches as bodies have followed instead of leading in changing society. Many lone voices were later understood to have spoken truth to power. Martin Luther, Martin Luther King, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and certainly Christ, all spoke counter to the status quo of the bodies and groups with which they were identified. If we had been there at the time, would we have considered them upstart troublemakers? Given the Lutheran tendency toward conformity and good order, along with generally a conservative mindset, I wonder.

It has been 50 years since my experiences in the racially segregated South (followed by more experiences in the prejudiced North) and I know I have carried and still carry prejudices of which I am not even aware, and I wonder always how they color my daily and life-time decisions. I would hope that as Lutherans (but Christians first) we will continue to challenge our own thinking about many difficult issues, just as Luther did when led by his faith in a loving God and His Son, Jesus Christ. I pray that we will continue to wrestle with difficult issues and not put unity ahead of more important priorities.

The Social Concerns Committee invites everyone to come join in the fun of Applefest! Applefest is a fundraising event celebrating the apple harvest and benefiting Habitat for Humanity. We will be picking apples on Sunday, October 2nd after the second service. Then on Friday, October 21st, we will have a bake-a-thon to prepare the apple-baked goods. The next day, Saturday, October 22nd will be the grand event of Applefest. We will have a bake sale, apples for sale and a used tool sale. Half the money raised will go to the local Habitat office and the other half will go to the national Habitat office to help with the hurricane victims. Thrivent has graciously agreed to provide matching funds.

If you would like to pre-order apples or come apple picking, there will be sign up sheets on the board in the Narthex. If you would like to donate baked goods and can not come to the bake-a-thon, there will be a sign up sheet for that posted a few weeks prior to Applefest. If you would like to donate used tools, please see Ron Donovan or a member of the Social Concerns Committee. Habitat will be playing a HUGE role in the re-building of hurricane ravaged areas not to mention providing homes to those who wouldnt have a home in our own state. Lets do what we can to help this valuable organization and enjoy the blessings God has provided us in an abundant apple harvest.

Thank you! Marilyn Anderson

The Logos Program for Holy Cross is ready to begin the 2005-2006 school year. This program, for students in 4th-6th grade will get underway on Wednesday, October 5th. Students in 4th-6th grade will meet from 4:15 to 7:00 p.m. 7th-8th grade students will meet from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. A parents meeting to discuss this program was held on September 14th. Parents who missed this meeting can call Deadra D'Addeo with any questions they might have.
*Parents please note: the first term fees (October-January) are due by October 15th. Fees are $65 for the Confirmation age group and $35 for 4th-6th grade group. Please make checks payable to Holy Cross Lutheran Church, with LOGOS in the memo line. These checks should be given to Deadra D'Addeo.

Beginning on Tuesday, September 27th from 7:00-8:00 pm, there will be an eight week Bible Study on Mary, Mother of Jesus, to be held in the downstairs Sunday School Area of Luther Hall. This is a study for all ages and is not just for women. We will meet about three times a month, ending in early December. This is a great way to spiritually prepare for the holiday season. The study will be led by Karen  see her for further information.

On the Sundays of Oct. 2nd & 9th, Pastor Horner will continue teaching the adult study hour on Sunday mornings (9:30-10:30am) . His topic is Luther and the Ten Commandments. The four week class will focus on the first four commandments, although additional commandments may be covered as well, as time permits. Many of you learned about the commandments in confirmation classes, studying Luther's Small Catechism. In this class we will go more deeply into each commandment by studying what Luther has to say in his Large Catechism. The intent when Luther wrote the Large Catechism back in 1529, remains the same even now: to be strengthened in what we know about the Christian faith and in how we practice the faith. Please take advantage of this opportunity to learn and grow.

The remaining Sundays in October will be lead by our Stewardship Committee. As Christians we are to live and act in faith. How does that relate to stewardship? Barbara Weldon-Morin and Mike Scott will begin answering that question on Oct.16th. These classes will challenge you to answer - What is God's purpose is for your resources: yourself, your time and your possessions - signs of His gracious love.

Thank you to Pastor & Warren for making my Dads memorial service very meaningful and beautiful. Also, a big thank you to Karen Indorf & Judy Avy for coordinating and working on the reception following the service. The service and reception were just what my sisters, brother and I wanted for our Dads memorial service. Thank you so much! Marilyn Anderson & family

On September 30th we will be having breakfast and viewing the Fall foliage from the windows of the Potting Shed in Acton. This has been an old favorite of this group for anyone 55ish or older. Meet at church at 9:00 am to carpool.

In an effort to have a more hands-on effort to help the victims of the hurricanes down south, we are collecting items to be sent to Ascension Lutheran Church in Jackson, MS. Ascension Lutheran has agreed to be a collection and distribution point. They have a specific list of items that are needed and that list is posted on the board in the Narthex. It includes cleaning supplies, baby items, food items and new clothing. There are boxes in Luther Hall to put the items that are purchased. Spencer Press has agreed to ship everything free of charge so we will be making one shipment towards the middle of October. If you have any questions, please see a member of the Social Concerns Committee.

Every organization needs to follow some basic procedures to function safely and efficiently. Occasionally we need to be reminded of some of those things that Someone needs to do. Following are a few items of day-to-day business that need attention. If you are Someone please make note of those things that pertain to you.
Bulletin Deadline- The deadline for submissions and announcements for the Sunday bulletin is noon on the prior Wednesday. Earlier submission is always encouraged. Mail, email, or deliver items to Beverly in the church office. Please note if an announcement is intended for more than one Sunday.

Doors and Windows- There have been many occasions lately when the doors to the church and Lord Street House have been left unlocked, sometimes overnight. It is very important for the safety of all that all buildings be securely locked by the last person to leave after a meeting or event. All windows must be closed and latched, if possible. When you leave please pull or push on the door to be certain that the latch catches. Also, please check that all appliances and lights are turned off.
Purchasing and Expense Reimbursement- Ordering and purchasing items for the church or church programs should be approved by the appropriate Committee Chair, the Treasurer, or Council before placing an order or making a purchase. Request forms are available in the church office. If you are not sure which committee to go to ask Julie Clapp, the Treasurer. Purchasing without prior approval may result in your receiving a thank-you note from Holy Cross for your generous gift.

The sanctuary piano is again available for sale. Please see Ann Scott, Council President, or Mike Scott, Worship Committee Chair. The piano is in good working order and is no longer needed, having been replaced by the Clavinova.