Other Newsletters June 20, 2010 March 29, 2010 January 25, 2010 December 24, 2009 November 24, 2009 November 02, 2009 October 01, 2009 September 02, 2009 July 25, 2009 June 24, 2009 April 25, 2009 March 21, 2009 February 19, 2009 January 24, 2009 December 25, 2008 October 25, 2008 October 05, 2008 August 25, 2008 July 21, 2008 May 27, 2008 May 05, 2008 April 06, 2008 February 27, 2008 February 03, 2008 January 06, 2008 December 07, 2007 November 05, 2007 October 01, 2007 September 03, 2007 July 13, 2007 June 03, 2007 April 28, 2007 April 06, 2007 March 02, 2007 February 04, 2007 January 07, 2007 November 30, 2006 August 19, 2006 July 01, 2006 May 29, 2006 April 29, 2006 April 02, 2006 February 25, 2006 January 28, 2006 January 08, 2006 December 03, 2005 October 27, 2005 October 02, 2005 August 25, 2005 July 01, 2005 May 26, 2005 April 27, 2005 March 30, 2005 February 20, 2005 January 26, 2005 January 03, 2005 December 01, 2004 October 28, 2004 October 09, 2004 September 19, 2004 July 29, 2004 July 08, 2004 May 26, 2004 April 23, 2004 March 27, 2004 November 06, 2003 October 11, 2003

FROM THE PASTOR

I have to admit to being something of a "lane hopper."

As in coming to the tollgate on the turnpike and switching from one lane to the next because it has two fewer cars, hoping to make it through more quickly. Or during a trip to the grocery store, shifting over to another check out aisle, in the hopes it will get me out and on my way more quickly than the one where I'm currently standing. (Some stores make everyone get in just ONE line -- until the "next available clerk" signals your turn.)

Often, though, my impatience fails to work out as planned. The lane I left seems to speed up right after I'm gone; and the lane to which I've moved has a tendency to slow down once I arrive. In the long run I would have been better off to have simply stayed put.

Being at the toll gate or in the grocery check-out line are minor matters, of course, but they still serve to highlight how hard it can be to wait. We live in a culture where there is a great deal of emphasis upon instant gratification -- "now, now, now" is an apt slogan for how the modern world often works.

So its not unusual for the season of Advent to strike us as being a bit odd -- a bit out of sync with what we experience in so many other ways. We may wonder: what is the point of being patient and waiting? Why not rush ahead quickly to our celebration of Christmas?

The purpose behind patience, the why when it comes to waiting, is in order to be prepared. Not in the sense of getting all the gifts bought, all the decorations up, all the cookies baked, and all the cards sent.

But being prepared in spirit. Slowing down for some time to reflect. Pausing to ponder the profound truth of God becoming a human being. Marveling over the mystery of Jesus becoming one of us, in order to save us.

Try "staying put" this Advent. Don't hop from one thing to the next, filling the season with frantic activity that doesn't really get you anywhere. Try "staying put" with prayer, worship, and Bible study. In the long run, you'll be better off. By waiting patiently, and using the time to prepare, the true meaning and joy of Christmas will take hold deep within your spirit.

The Peace and Love of Christ be with you,

Pastor Rich

 ASSOCIATE IN MINISTRY REFLECTIONS

The Psalms are full of praise and thanksgiving to God for the wonders of his creation, for his protection and help in times of trouble, for his forgiveness and steadfast love, for his guidance and strength. Even in the hardest of times, the psalmist gives thanks and is full of hope. As we approach the coming holiday season, in times that are hard for many, may we remember to give thanks and praise to our God who gave us the priceless gift of his Son, Jesus. And may we give to others as we are able, especially the poor and destitute, as well as our family and friends. May your Advent and Christmas be filled with thank-full hearts.  In Jesus name. Karen

MESSAGE FROM A COUNCIL MEMBER

Happy Advent one and all: In the midst of your rushing to and fro trying to get the right gift, address that last card, bake the cookies, and of course pray for peace for everyone, I have a different concern to share with you.

We know a secret, actually several secrets, the most important secret that we are to share with the world is that the birth of Jesus means that God will triumph over evil and the world is beginning to be put to rights. In many ways that is so easy that it’s difficult. But that is a different letter.

The other secret is much harder. Within our Holy Cross community we are quite open with one another, often sharing our faith stories, hopes and concerns. We talk about our loved ones’ illnesses and problems, receiving the benefit of a kind heart who believes in Christ.

But here it begins to get harder, since we share so much, we sometimes forget that many of the anecdotes we learn about are confidential, meant only for us. We need to be careful as we re-share these stories that we do not break these confidences, however unwittingly.

Perhaps we are fiercely committed to a cause. We need to remember that our loyalty to Holy Cross means that we don’t share member email addresses with others, or that we don’t use our Holy Cross email list to further the goals of another group or organization, no matter how worthy; or that we send out broad secular notes to our entire email list, including our Holy Cross friends.

To help limit outside groups getting our email addresses, the office is going to begin sending out ‘blanket’ emails without listing our actual addresses. Ah, the wonders of modern technology.

All in all, I know how much each of you cares for each and every one of us. That comforting thought, along with the continual prayers of our community, has sustained many of us through some tough times. As we begin our new Church year, let us continue to reach out to the world, while we continue to love and support each other as Christ would.  God Bless Us: Everyone,   Mike Scott

THANKSGIVING

Remember the world hunger needs this Thanksgiving, Holy Cross has raised $3,000 on its $4,000 goal for world hunger this year.  The Thanksgiving offering and the coin banks are the final stages of the effort.  Thrivent will match your gifts up to the total amount of $1,600.  Use your Thanksgiving envelope from your offering boxes or the ELCA envelopes in the pew racks.  Twenty percent of the funds raised will be used for hunger issues in York County, Maine.

A LIVING NATIVITY

Come join the LOGOS Youth and The Sunday School as they

present:      

A LIVING NATIVITY

in Luther Hall between church services (9:30-10:30) on Sunday, December 21st.

Take a walk through the hall and view scenes from the visit of the Angel Gabriel to Mary, Shepherds watching their flocks, the stable where Jesus was born and The Wise Men. Hear Christmas music being played as you stroll along (to get you in the Christmas spirit). Stop for refreshments before going home or to the second service and join us in some Christmas caroling and good cheer as we celebrate the birth of Christ our Lord!

THE GIFT

A storm of rusty leaves drop

To blanket the forest floor,

Oaks and maples naked stand,

A wreath placed on our door.

Seasons change, Advent lights,

We wait with anticipation

To honor the gift of God’s Son

In great celebration!

To pay tribute, shouldn’t we

Reach out to those in need?

Each and every day we live

Give shelter, food, and plant a seed

Of Hope and Peace and Love, and

Share the bounty from our table.

Honor the gift of Jesus Christ,

Born homeless in a stable.

-- Donna Simmons

LOGOS PROGRESSIVE DINNER

On FRIDAY, December 12th our LOGOS Groups will be having a progressive dinner. We will meet at the church at 5:30 where transportation will be provided to each place we will be visiting. Pick up by parents will be at 8:30 at the church. The youth are asked to bring a wrapped “Yankee Swap” gift for a gift exchange ($10 value). Please note that the dinner is on Friday, rather than Wednesday. There will be no meetings on either December 17th or the 24th.

COMICS FOR LOGOS

Please save both the Sunday and daily comics from your newspaper for a special project for LOGOS. These can be placed in the “comic” box located in the Narthex.

CALL FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN USHERING

This past year over 13 people supported the Sunday worship services as ushers. While most of these ushers are expected to continue, we enthusiastically welcome other men, women, and high school students to participate in this mission. For information please contact Tom Moyer.

COMMUNITY EVENT FOR THE MILITARY

Pastor Horner has accepted an invitation to participate in an event being held for the community in Kennebunk on Thursday evening, December 4th at 6:30 pm at St. Martha's. This event is to benefit family members of those who are serving in the military. This is being coordinated through the Veterans Administration, and will include a pastor, a priest, and a rabbi – each of whom will talk for a few minutes on the topic of prayer in their tradition. Attendees will be given the opportunity to contribute funds that will be used to purchase Christmas gifts for military families who are in need. The congregation is invited to attend.

ADVENT WREATH 

Advent is the church season to watch and wait and to be spiritually prepared. Pastor Rich expressed the season succinctly and eloquently in an e-mail responding to our request to clarify the themes of Advent Sundays. His response was accepted with gratitude.

The first Sunday in Advent the specific theme is the Second Coming of Jesus at the end of time -- watching, waiting, and being spiritually prepared. The next two weeks of Advent both have to do with John the Baptist, and his preaching for people to be watching, waiting, prepared for the coming of the Lord, in the sense of the beginning of Jesus' earthly ministry. And the fourth Sunday in Advent focuses on the annunciation -- the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary to announce that she would give birth to God's son -- watching, waiting, being prepared for the Nativity. So the four weeks "work backward" in time, chronologically -- from the end of history at the Second Coming, to the beginning of Jesus' public ministry, to the birth of Jesus. Thank you to Pastor Horner.

The tradition of the Advent wreath has come down through the centuries and has expressed slight cultural or religious variation. Originally, purple candles were used representing royalty and repentance that also bridged to the Lenten theme. More recently, the Lutheran tradition has adopted blue for altar dress and candles of the Advent wreath believing that it is mindful of heaven and Jesus’ coming. Pink is often used for the candle that is lit the 3rd Sunday of Advent or on Christmas Eve as we remember the shepherds’ joy as they gazed at the star over Bethlehem. A white candle is often placed in the center of the wreath and is lit on Christmas Day proclaiming Christ’s birth. Appropriate scripture is read as families and friends gather around the table to worship and light the week’s candle. One source stated that some choose to replace the Advent blue or purple and pink with white candles after Christmas Day to continue the tradition of scripture and lighting through the Christmas season to Epiphany!

 FROM THE SUNDAY SCHOOL...

As many of you may know, every year the Sunday School decides what we would like to put our Children's offering towards. This year we have decided to help the Local Food Bank by having a "Can Drive Offering". We hope to help many in our efforts to fill the shelves at the pantry.

Don't forget your coins for the Lutheran World Services "Coin Drive" Every Coin helps to purchase animals for self sustaining resources throughout the world. Help us to help others.

Cans can be dropped off in the Sunday School Room in the Donation Box and Coin Boxes can be dropped off at any of the three services or to Roger Rotvig or Tammy Krampetz. Please drop off the coin boxes no later than the Sunday after Thanksgiving.

Thank You for your continued support.....Sunday School Staff and Children

 Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.

~Norman Vincent Peale

 SANCTUARY CHAIRS

  The Church Council has approved the recommendation from the Trustees to replace several of our pews with upholstered wooden armchairs similar to the one pictured here. These chairs will be reserved for worshipers who need to push on something in order to stand up. The wooden arms will allow people to push on them instead of pulling on the pew in front of them.

Three chairs are needed to replace one pew. The goal is to replace one pew near the front and one near the back of the sanctuary, with an appropriate sign indicating their purpose. We estimate that the cost will be $250 per chair. Shipping charges and discounts vary over time, so any adjustments will be made when an order is placed.

We are offering the opportunity to the congregation to purchase a chair in honor or in memory of a friend or loved one. As soon as there are donations sufficient to purchase three chairs an order will be placed. The second three will be purchased when sufficient additional funds accumulate.

If you are interested in making a donation of a sanctuary chair, place it in the offering plate or mail it to the church office with a check for $250 payable to Holy Cross. Smaller donations may also be made without a dedication. Thank you, The Trustees

SHARING THE EARTH'S BOUNTY

The York County Cooperative Extension sponsors a program called "Plant A Row for the Hungry," encouraging gardeners to share some of their produce with local food pantries. To make it more feasible, they provide tomato seedlings and assorted vegetable seeds for the gardeners. With the help of that program, several of our high school youth here at Holy Cross got together to prepare planting beds and grow vegetables for the needy. Warren and I worked with the young people to roto-till some pretty hard ground, Cathy Hammond donated additional tomato plants, and then the gardeners planted, watered, weeded, fed, and eventually harvested about twenty-five pounds of squash, lettuce, beets, carrots and tomatoes. The produce was shared among our own Share the Bounty bean suppers, the Harvest Cafe dinners, and the Kennebunk Town Social Worker's food baskets. Tyler and Alison Janiak, Tom Cherry, Teddy Nichols, Katie Anderson, and Emilie Brady are to be congratulated for their hard work and selfless efforts to support those less fortunate than themselves. We got a late start on the garden, and the cold rainy summer cut down on production, but we will be mulching the garden with compost over the winter to feed the soil, and with an earlier start in the Spring, we should be able to grow quite a bit more this coming summer. I would love to hear from any other young people who would like to help garden next summer. Jane King

CHOIR NOTES

Here it is the middle of November and preparations are under way for the upcoming Advent-Christmas season. If there is anyone interested in singing or playing an instrument for the Christmas Eve services, please let me know. The second annual Epiphany concert will be held Sunday Jan 4, 2009, here at Holy Cross, if anyone is interested in joining in on this special celebration, please let me know. We are once again combining with the Ogunquit Baptist Church in an evening of holiday songs. Peace. Warren

YOUNG AT HEART

Back by popular demand is the Christmas Progressive Dinner. It will be held on Sunday, December 28th beginning at 4:00. As we did last year, we will offer transportation to anyone needing a ride. Please sign up in the Narthex.

HOLY COMMUNION CLASS

A four week class for children in 4th grade or older who are ready to receive instruction for Holy Communion will be held beginning in January on Tuesday afternoons from 4:30-5:30. Each child will be asked to bring a parent to one of the classes. Please contact Karen or leave your name at the church office if your child is interested in attending this class.

REGIONAL FELLOWSHIP EVENTS

A huge thanks to all who hosted one of these events. They were a great opportunity to fellowship with others in the congregation, especially now that we have three worship services. Some have already talked about gathering again. The Deacons will be doing some follow up. Our appreciation goes out to our hosts: Betty and Bob Kreie, Connie and Larry Orme, Cheryl Mills, Helen and Roger Rotvig, Linda Gaidimus, Ruth and Wes Fraser, Bruce and Patti Berg Anderson, Mary and Rich Keating, Mary and Jack Bates.

SOCIAL CONCERNS OIL TANK

The Social Concerns Committee is once again placing a mock oil tank on the table in the Narthex, for donations that will support those who are having a difficult time with heating their homes this winter. We suggest that you consider giving up a cup of coffee or downsize your soda in order to contribute to this effort.

THE CRIER ELECTRONICALLY

Although we need a certain number of Criers mailed in order to receive the bulk mail rate, The Crier is available by e-mail if you have kids away at school or if you would like to receive it electronically as well as by mail. Please send e-mail addresses to Julie Clapp. Not everything in the paper edition is put in the electronic edition (I.e. the prayer list) due to privacy issues, but most of it is included and is a good source of information. Please see Julie if you have any questions. Thank You!

JOKE OF THE MONTH

Submitted by Jack Bates

At Sunday School they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam’s ribs.

Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill and she said “Johnny, what is the matter?” Little Johnny responded, “I have a pain in my side. I think I’m going to have a wife”.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. ~ Isaiah 9:6