CrossInGs C h u r c h o f t h e H o ly C r o s s Sharing the Transforming Power of God’s Love June 2015 Holy Cross welcomes the Rev. Denise Trogdon Rector’s Message Wish your friends Happy Birthday! Thank you all for the very warm welcome I have received in my first two weeks at Holy Cross. It is wonderful to finally be serving as your rector, and I know together we will grow and flourish. It has been a long period of transition, and I imagine you are ready for things to settle. I am looking forward to meeting with each of the ministries to get to know you and hear all about the wonderful work happening here at Holy Cross. In these first few months, we will learn about each other and begin to set our goals and priorities to best utilize our resources for God’s work in the world. Several families have graciously offered to open their homes and host dinners this summer so that in a small group setting, we can begin to get to know one another personally. I encourage you to sign up. I hope to meet each one of you! July Thomas Brown Natalie Rubeiz Jay Carroll Benjamin Kosich Ann Sibold Jordan Gehley Caitlin Burgess Evan Parker Susan Irick-Hacker Andrew Hubbard Summer is a wonderful time to slow our pace, take a deep breath and reflect upon where we are as a parish. I don’t realize how busy things are until there is a moment to breathe, and I wonder why life has to be so hectic. What creates this internal and external pressure for us to do more, achieve more, acquire more? An unrelenting, frenetic pace only leads to anxiety and spiritual exhaustion. Perhaps it is not so much about things that need to be done, but our search for meaning and worth. To be refreshed and inspired, we need to quiet ourselves, to hear what God has in store for us. Inspire means to breathe in, to be filled with the Spirit, the breath of life. If we do not exhale, how then can we take in new life, new breath, and new energy? Emily Burke Elizabeth Torla Maggie Wise Oliver Sheth Daniel Carstens Zack Haines Andy Hoskins If your name is missing here, please contact the office at 703.698.6991 or office@ holycrossepiscopal.org Let us turn our focus inward for a moment to hear the voice of God that says we are enough, we are beloved and blessed, and it will become water for thirsty souls. These words come from a deep reservoir God wants to offer us and from which we may serve others. If your well is running dry, instead of trying to do one more thing, take a moment to breathe and listen for the voice that calls you deeper, to a true place of rest. I look forward to our journey together, to build community, to hear God’s call for us and to live into all that God plans for us. “Every time you listen with great attentiveness to the voice that calls you the Beloved, you will discover within yourself a desire to hear that voice longer and more deeply. It is like discovering a well in the desert. Once you have touched wet ground, you want to dig deeper.” Henri J. Nouwen, Life of the Beloved $ Financial Snapshot as of 5/30/15 Pledging units for 2015. . . . . . . . . . . . . 106 Total pledged . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $331,425 Total budgeted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $313,589 Pledges over budget . . . . . . . . . . . . $17,836 Pledges needed to cover annual budget (balanced budget) . . . . . . . $356,530 Pledges short . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $25,105 Church of the Holy Cross YTD pledge collections . . . . . . . . . $150,465 YTD budgeted collections . . . . . . . $130,662 YTD overage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $19,803 2 • June 2015 What it all means: We budgeted for 2015 with the expectation that we would need to dip into our reserves. A number of parishioners chose to increase their pledges to help reduce that amount. At this point, we still project that our expenses will exceed our revenue, but by a smaller amount than originally anticipated. Parishioners may adjust their pledges at any time during the course of the year, or make one-time donations any time. Church of the Holy Cross Y o u t h s u n d ay June 2015 • 3 community Welcome Denise! The Rev. Denise Trogdon celebrated her first Sunday at Holy Cross on June 14, which also happened to be Youth Sunday (see pictures on previous page). Following the service, we enjoyed an ice cream social on the front porch. It was a joyful day all around! Dear Holy Cross Family, Church of the Holy Cross Thank you very much for the lovely gifts of an oil stock and a pyx so that I might start my ministry with these shiny, new tools of the trade. I will think of you, my parish family, when I use them. Thank you also for years of continued support, friendship and love. There is a reason that I did not return to my previous home parish after serving as your Interim Director of Christian Education—YOU! You all are the reason I made Holy Cross my home, and you all are the people who recognized and nurtured my call to the priesthood, and then you all sent me forward. Thank you for being who you are— a loving and giving branch of the Body of Christ. Peace and Blessings, The Rev. Jamie S. Samilio 4 • June 2015 The Rev. Jamie Samilio On June 6, The Rt. Rev. Shannon Johnston ordained Jamie Samilio and seven other candidates to the Diaconate as transitional Deacons. The service was held at the Falls Church Episcopal, and many Holy Cross parishioners were in attendance to support Jamie and represent the congregation. It was a beautiful day, full of joy and laughter. Jamie was supprounded by friends, and by one account, was floating several inches off the floor by the end of the day. Congratulations, Jamie. Many blessings to you in your new ministry. June 2015 • Church of the Holy Cross O God, most merciful Father, we praise you for sending your Son Jesus Christ, who took on himself the form of a servant, and humbled himself, becoming obedient even to death on the cross. We praise you that you have highly exalted him, and made him Lord of all; and that, through him, we know that whoever would be great must be servant of all. We praise you for the many ministries in your Church, and for calling this your servant to the order of deacons. 5 Diocese of Virginia The Rt. Rev. Shannon Johnston The Rt. Rev. Susan E. Goff The Rt. Rev. Edwin F. “Ted” Gulick Jr. Holy Cross Clergy The Rev. Denise Trogdon Rector The Rev. Robert A Becker The Rev. Jamie Samilio Deacon Staff Sonya Marsden Director of Children, Youth, and Family Ministry Sophia Morreale Interim Director of Music Ministries Maude Hales Director of Communications Lori Poli Finance Manager Megan Hoskins Parish Administrator Les Bennett Sexton Charo Guzman Housekeeper Raul Guzman Housekeeper Vestry Angie Purdy Senior Warden Ron Parnell Junior Warden Richard Adams Karen Baker Gregg Burgess Cary Casey Rob Davidson Patty Gallatin Tom Lennertz Keith Loken Laurel McGinley Glynne Reeves-Haines Addie Hayes Youth Liaison Doug Strait Treasurer Kate Achelpohl Register Church of the Holy Cross 6 • June 2015 community Meet Brianna Elder Brianna, our preacher on Youth Sunday, just graduated from George C. Marshall High School. She has been coming to Holy Cross for 15 years, since she was 3. Until then, her summer plans currently include sight seeing with her best friend who’s visiting from Italy. The rest of the summer will consist of dorm shopping, and going to Tanzania in August. She has participated in youth group and served as a senior acolyte. She has participated in the Dungannon mission trip three times, and this summer will go on her second trip to Tanzania with Holy Cross. About her free time, Brianna says, “There hasn’t been much free time for me during senior year, but I do love a good reality TV show, and when football season rolls around, find me glued to the couch to watch the Patriots play.” Brianna recently bought her first car—a Hyundai Elantra in light blue, so that was super exciting. She will be attending Elon University in the fall with a major in International Studies with a regional concentration in the Middle East. Children’s Choir Makes a Joyful Noise The Children’s Choir ended the program year by singing in church on May 31, and then having a party. Under the direction of Claudia Tielking, the choir had a fun-filled year and provided a shot of joy to the services in which they participated. The children thanked Claudia with a tote bag decorated with music notes made from their fingerprints, a cheerful reminder of the happiness that music brings to life. Stewardship Taking Us Out to the Ball Game In 2009, a parishioner decided to organize a trip to the baseball game, to see the Washington Nationals. David Robinson, a long-time member of Holy Cross, contacted the Nationals to arrange a group discount, and put the word out to the congregation. The first year, about 40 parishioners and some friends attended the game. The next year, more people joined in, and the group grew to more than 50, earning us recognition on the Nationals Park Jumbotron. have built and continue to maintain a tradition of fellowship that is truly open to all, and that allows us to show the world what fun Episcopalians are! In the years since, we have had groups of more than 100 share an evening of baseball—and some times rain and wind—enjoying America’s favorite pastime in the company of Holy Cross friends. Dave Kerrins chose to continue the tradition when David passed away, recognizing that it had become a beloved event that many in the congregation looked forward to each spring. Dave has done the legwork for the last three years to make sure we keep our great seats in the left field bleachers, and that we honor David’s desire for fellowship and fun. This year, Dave moved the date from April to June, hoping to catch some better weather. Not only was the evening beautiful, but we also had the pleasure of watching Max Scherzer pitch a no-hitter against the Pittsburgh Pirates, coming within one out of a perfect game! It’s easy to get involved! with 30 minutes a week, you can: Lead Gospel time for the kids Manage the gift card program with 30 minutes a month, you can: Make coffee for coffee hour Make sandwiches for the homeless Take pictures of events with 30 minutes a year, you can: Make an Advent Wreath Buy a gift for the Angel Tree Help with the African Team ministry sale To find out more about any of these, talk to a vestry member. 30 June 2015 • Church of the Holy Cross In giving some of their time, David and Dave 7 Service Chapel Renovation Eagle Scout candidate Matthew Hoskins took on a project to renovate our outdoor chapel. He and a team of volunteers rebuilt the altar and refinished the benches and cross. We look forward to using the updated space in the coming months. Church of the Holy Cross 8 • June 2015 learning Scholars Program Holy Cross Scholars completed its second year with a recognition ceremony at both services on June 21. In the past two years, the program has offered parish members (adults and senior youth) presentations on 34 topics (each given at least twice) in the areas of Anglicanism, Old Testament, New Testament and early Christian history, comparative religion, and spiritual practices. Participants are recognized as Holy Cross Scholars (for attending 3 of 4 presentations in any one area), Holy Cross Master Scholars (for achieving that level of attendance in three different areas), and Magisters (for preparing and making a presentation). This year, we also recognized our first Holy Cross Lifetime Scholars, those who reached Master Scholar status for each year. In another milestone, the program this year gained its first Holy Cross Scholar among our youth. 2015 Scholar Awards Kate Achelpohl Magister Richard Adams Holy Cross Scholar Nick Bruner Holy Cross Scholar Mary Hinkle Lifetime Scholar, Magister Wade Hinkle Lifetime Scholar, Magister John Hoskins Holy Cross Scholar Matthew Hoskins Holy Cross Scholar Susan Hurt Lifetime Scholar David Kerrins Holy Cross Scholar Yuri Kerrins Holy Cross Scholar Phil Long Holy Cross Scholar, Magister Jane Moseley Jennifer Santley, Mary Hinkle, Wade Hinkle, Susan Hurt, Chris Schaeffer, Matthew Hoskins, Peggy Schmidt, and John Hoskins were among those recognized for their participation in the Holy Cross Scholars program. Holy Cross Scholar Jennifer Santley Magister Chris Schaeffer Master Scholar Peggy Schmidt Holy Cross Scholar Carol Tsou Lifetime Scholar Not-Quite-the-Usual Beach Reading Looking for something a little more meaty than the typical vacation read this summer? Try one of these recommendations from Wade and Mary Hinkle, books used as sources in recent Holy Cross Scholars presentations. They are all available on either Amazon.com or Abebooks.com. those that aren’t Judaism, Christianity, or Islam. Most are vestiges of the great ancient civilizations of the region, including Persia, Babylon, and Egypt. John Among the Gospels: The Relationship in Twentieth-Century Research. D. Moody Smith. 1992. Biblical scholars of the 19th century tended to focus on the differences between John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels. Smith guides the reader through more recent scholarly developments, which stress what John’s Gospel shares with the others, particularly Mark. Church of the Holy Cross Heaven: A History. Colleen McDannell and Bernhard Lang. 2nd edition. 1988. This book does far more than trace the history of Christian thought about the afterlife; it also recounts the theological developments and social trends that underlie changes in popular and scholarly views of the afterlife. Accessible to the general reader and thoroughly researched and footnoted for those who want to dig deeper. Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms: Journeys Into the Disappearing Religions of the Middle East. Gerard Russell. 2014. This book explores minority Middle Eastern religions: June 2015 • 9 learning Reading Ahead Scripture readings for the coming weeks from the Revised Common Lectionary July 5 • 6 Pentecost Ezekiel 2:1-5 Psalm 123 2 Corinthians 12:2-10 Mark 6:1-13 July 12 • 7 Pentecost Amos 7:7-15 Psalm 85:8-13 Ephesians 1:3-14 Mark 6:14-29 Biblelympics The children of the parish in grades 3 through 5 were invited to participate in a “Biblelympics,” memorizing selected Bible passages and reciting them for their Sunday School teachers and class. memorizing all the passages. They were presented with medals and personal Bibles in recognition of their accomplishments. The passages they memorized were There were five passages chosen by the Rev. Bob Becker, and cumulative awards were given for each level of the competition. Psalm 23 Psalm 1 Psalm 100 Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 Matthew 5:1-9 Two young Holy Crossers, Micah Bruner and Catherine Hoskins, achieved the highest level, Be sure to congratulate Micah and Catherine when you see them. July 19 • 8 Pentecost Jeremiah 23:1-6 Psalm 23 Ephesians 2:11-22 Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 July 26 • 9 Pentecost 2 Kings 4:42-44 Psalm 145: 10-19 Ephesians 3:14-21 John 6:1-21 Church of the Holy Cross Sunday School teachers and helpers Pam Nicholson, Richard Adams, Darlene Parker, Evan Parker, Susan Irick-Hacker, Lee Bruner, Megan Hoskins, Cassie Rosado, Elizabeth Spinney, Nancy Colfax, and John Straub were recognized on May 31 for their work sharing our faith with the children of the congregation. 10 • June 2015 Pa r i s h R e t r e a t The parish retreat provided an opportunity for fun, reflection, and relaxation. The weather was beautiful, great for hiking and walking the labyrinth during the day and stargazing at night. The group went on a “hey!” ride, made marbled paper, walked the Stations of the Cross on a hike, and enjoyed s’mores around a campfire. Church of the Holy Cross Please plan to join us next June. The more the merrier! June 2015 • 11 Mark Your Calendar Upcoming Events S unday, July 5 Welcome Dinner for Denise 6:00 p.m. Monday, July 6 Office Closed in observance of Independence Day Holiday Wednesday, July 7 Finance Committee Meeting 7 p.m. in the Upper Room S aturday, July 11 Vestry Retreat 9:00-4:00 in the Parish Hall S unday, July 12 Congregational Meeting 9:00 a.m. in the Sanctuary Come hear a mid-year update from the Vestry and discuss the fall service schedule. We will meet between the services so that everyone can attend. Welcome Dinner for Denise 5:00 p.m. T uesday, July 14 Worship Support Meeting 7:30 p.m. in the Parish Hall Wednesday, July 1 5 Vestry Meeting 7 p.m. in the Parish Hall T hursday, July 16 Grill and Chill 6:00 p.m. on the church lawn Bring something to put on the grill and a lawn chair as we just relax and enjoy each other’s company and the summer. S aturday, July 18 Art and Soul Painting Party 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall Join us to explore your inner artist and make a housewarming gift for a family transitioning into housing from homelessness. Bring your own beverages and spend some time painting—everything you need to create a painting is provided—including some guidance. The suggested donation is $25 per person. Please email Jamie Samilio at info@ art-n-soul.net to register. appreciated. We will work until the supplies run out. S unday, J uly, 19 J uly 25 - A ugust 1 Tanzania Mission Trip Fundraising Breakfast 9:00 a.m. in the Parish Hall Come share the Tanzania mission experience by having breakfast with the mission team. You will hear stories of past trips and plans for this year, while enjoying a typical Tanzanian breakfast. Tickets are $20 per family, but your generosity will be greatly appreciated! Dungannon Mission Trip Please pray for our missioners and those they are serving during this week. Parish Lunch Line 11:00 a.m. in the Kitchen Come spend a few minutes making sandwiches for our neighbors in need. Donations of lunch meat, cheese and bread are most Welcome Dinner for Denise 6:00 p.m. Sunday, J uly 26 Outreach Committee Meeting 11:00 a.m. in the Bell Room Welcome Dinner for Denise 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, J uly 29 Pasta and Play Night 6:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall Come for a casual spaghetti dinner and games. No need to RSVP. Just stop in if you can. Summer Fun for Everyone! Grill and Chill Thursday, July 16 We’re going to fire up the grill in the back yard and relax on what we hope will be a nice summer evening. There’s no agenda, just a chance to cook out and visit—and some playground time for the kids. The grill will be hot at 6:00, so bring something to throw on, a side or beverage to share, and a camp chair or blanket to sit on. All are welcome, so bring some friends. No need to RSVP. If you can’t make it, mark your calendar for Tuesday, August 18 when we will do it again! Pasta and Play Night Join us for a simple spaghetti dinner and games at 6:00 p.m. Bring a salad, bread, or dessert to share, and your favorite board game. We’ll have games for everyone from preschoolers to OWLs. Come try out a quiet or crazy game, or just watch and learn. No need to RSVP, just show up ready for fun! Wednesday, July 29 Church of the Holy Cross + 2455 Gallows Road, Dunn Loring VA 22027 • 703.698.6991
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