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Contents

• From the Pastor
• Saint of the Month
• What and Why?
• VBS 2026
• WOA: Plesion
• What is Your Gift?
• Life-to-Life Evangelism – Matt Kay
• FDR Prayer
• Convocation Committee
• Outdoor Worship & Picnic
• Nazareth Days
• Giving Service to the Lord
• Church Council Meeting Minutes

A Month of Mission
While I was away in June, Deacon Michael preached a sermon that reminded us that we are all part of the work God is doing around here. No, we don’t all preach sermons, run committees, or serve on Council, but as 1 Corinthians 12 reminds us, God has given us all gifts for the building up of the ministry of His Church… nobody is without a gift, so nobody is off the hook in regards to using them to make the church stronger and reach the world with the love of God in Jesus Christ.
“Go therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” So says Jesus as He prepares to ascend to the throne of heaven, from where He rules the world invisibly through His body, the Church, until He comes again in glory to judge the living and the dead. While everything the Church does important, apart from worship, nothing is as important as sharing the good news of God in Jesus Christ with the world, for “there is no other name under heaven whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
Our Sunday School program is an example of making new disciples for Jesus, but that largely serves children whose parents are making sure they know the story of Jesus–it is helping parents fulfill the promises they made at their children’s Baptisms.
Three other ministries at Holy Cross are more direct examples of fulfilling Jesus’s command: inviting someone new to church, telling the story of Jesus to a friend or family member, and reaching new young people through Vacation Bible School. Inviting someone new to church just takes a little courage. On July 12th, Matt Kay will return to help us with the skill of telling Jesus’s story more directly, and from July 20-24, our congregation will be offering VBS to our local community.
Plan to be part of at least one (or maybe all!) of these ministries by attending, assisting, or praying actively for the people God has lifted up to lead these important ministries!

Like St. Paul, Lutherans refer to all those in Christ as “saints,”
and we look to the great ones as role models in the faith.

This month we are remembering. Johann Sebastian Bach on Tuesday, July 28th. He was born on March 31st, 1685, in Eisenach Germany. He was born in a very musical, Lutheran family, and was the youngest of eight. Bach became an orphan at age ten, so he went to live with his eldest brother, who encouraged him to study music. He served as an organist before becoming a cantor at two churches in Leipzig, where he composed many of his works. Bach also trained in theology and studied Luther’s translation of the Bible. He believed that music was a way to worship God, and he signed his manuscripts with S. D. G.(Soli Deo Gloria)—to God alone be the glory. Bach wrote many cantatas to follow the church calendar, but many of his compositions have been lost.
One of St. Bach’s famous quotes include, “the aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of God and the refreshment of the soul.”

As we read this, let us remember 1 Corinthians 10:31, which states:
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”

Last month, following Holy Trinity Sunday, one of our congregation members confessed, “I am having trouble with this whole Trinity, three-in-one, one-in-three thing.”
Not to worry. The smartest people the Church ever produced don’t understand this perfectly. After all, if we can fit an idea into our little brains, it is probably too small to accurately portray the infinite God!
That said, there is power in the name. The Trinity is not a puzzle to be solved by us humans, but the One who claims us as His own. In Numbers 6:24-26, God instructs the High Priest Aaron to bless the people by placing His name (YHWH, translated as “Lord”) upon them three times. God’s name blesses and protects the people from spiritual harm. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus instructs the Church to “make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name (singular) of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” YHWH is the name of God. So is “Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.” We begin our worship by recalling God’s name that we may be blessed and remember that the God who is beyond our understanding has in His goodness claimed us as His own.

Plesion is a non-profit organization (formerly Lehigh Valley Foster Care) dedicated to the support of the Office of Children and Youth in Northampton and Lehigh Counties.
Their purpose is to supplement and assist the Office of Children and Youth with a focus on families in need so that they do not become homeless and their children taken from them for the sole reason of their poverty.. The need is real. Some families, even working full-time, cannot afford to pay rent, utilities, and buy food.
The gift cards that were given so generously by this Congregation last Christmas, were used by the case workers to buy food, diapers, formula, clothes, and Christmas presents for families in need. The need continues.
Women of Abundance is asking your help to help families in need. WOA is proposing to start an ongoing collection of gift cards to be donated to Plesion. The gift cards would be given to caseworkers to purchase necessary items.
Gift cards for Giant, Weis, Aldi, Walmart, or Target would be appreciated. If you are able to purchase a gift card, please include the gift receipt or mark on it the amount and place in the Christmas box in the Narthex.

Matthew 25:40 – Truly, I say to you, as you did to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.

What is Your Gift?

The season of Pentecost revolves around the power of the Holy Spirit, who works within the Church to bring us to faith, and empower us to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling.” (Phil 2:12) In 1 Corinthians 12 and Ephesians 4:11-16, St. Paul helps us understand that the Spirit’s activity to build up the Church is not exclusively or even primarily through bishops, pastors, and deacons, but the Spirit works through the entire Body of Christ, gifting each of us to contribute something special to the life of the Church, something that nobody else can do.
This is what the Bible is talking about when it says, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10, ESV) Sandy is gifted at quilting, and we can all be thankful that she used that gift to beautify our worship space and so draw our hearts toward God.
What is your gift? For what good works in the life of the Church did the Spirit give you that gift? Where is the Spirit calling you NOW to offer your gift to our common life together in Christ? When you discern the answer to these questions, you will discover where your deepest joy in living the Christian life lies… and we all be the better for it!

JULY 12, 2026

“Staying With People Through Their Objections”
If you attended the Life-to-Life Evangelism sessions during Lent, you were privileged to have some great conversations and hear some great teaching, but what happens when people don’t welcome your witness? When they come back at you with objections to the Christian faith or even anger that you would share the gospel with them?
This is when it becomes crucial to listen and love well… not just as Jesus would, but in the power of Christ Himself. Join us for the final presentation in this series, a “deep dive” into loving well through tense moments with those for whom the gospel is not “good news” but rather, is felt as an attack on their own self-understanding, relationships, or worldview.
Join us for Matt Kay’s final session on July 12, 2026 after the 9:15am service. All are welcome! It’s okay if you weren’t able to attend previous sessions. This one is stand alone.

FDR Prayer for D-Day: June 6, 1944

In honor of the 250th anniversary of our Republic, we are printing this prayer by
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, offered before the D-Day landing in World War II.
Alongside the Civil War, WWII was one of the greatest threats to the ideals of our founders that our Republic has ever faced. This prayer is as appropriate today as it was when it was offered.

Almighty God: Our sons, pride of our Nation, this day have set upon a mighty endeavor, a struggle to preserve our Republic, our religion, and our civilization, and to set free a suffering humanity.
Lead them straight and true; give strength to their arms, stoutness to their hearts, steadfastness in their faith.
They will need Thy blessings. Their road will be long and hard. For the enemy is strong. He may hurl back our forces. Success may not come with rushing speed, but we shall return again and again; and we know that by Thy grace, and by the righteousness of our cause, our sons will triumph.
They will be sore tried, by night and by day, without rest-until the victory is won. The darkness will be rent by noise and flame. Men’s souls will be shaken with the violences of war.
For these men are lately drawn from the ways of peace. They fight not for the lust of conquest. They fight to end conquest. They fight to liberate. They fight to let justice arise, and tolerance and good will among all Thy people. They yearn but for the end of battle, for their return to the haven of home.
Some will never return. Embrace these, Father, and receive them, Thy heroic servants, into Thy kingdom.
And for us at home—fathers, mothers, children, wives, sisters, and brothers of brave men overseas – whose thoughts and prayers are ever with them – help us, Almighty God, to rededicate ourselves in renewed faith in Thee in this hour of great sacrifice. . . .
And, O Lord, give us Faith. Give us Faith in Thee; Faith in our sons; Faith in each other; Faith in our united crusade. Let not the keenness of our spirit ever be dulled. Let not the impacts of temporary events, of temporal matters of but fleeting moment let not these deter us in our unconquerable purpose.
With Thy blessing, we shall prevail over the unholy forces of our enemy. Help us to conquer the apostles of greed and racial arrogancies. Lead us to the saving of our country, and with our sister Nations into a world unity that will spell a sure peace a peace invulnerable to the schemings of unworthy men. And a peace that will let all of men live in freedom, reaping the just rewards of their honest toil.
Thy will be done, Almighty God. Amen.

Convocation Committee Forming

This year, Holy Cross has been chosen to host the annual theological conference, Women of the NALC gathering, and Convocation of the Atlantic Mission District. On October 8-10, our humble church building will be home to Lutherans from Boston to Virginia, gathering together to learn more about God’s Word and how to better live the Christian life in the 21st century.
A team of Holy Cross members is forming to coordinate our hosting of this event under the leadership of Elder Cindy Bonney. The first meeting of this group is at 10am, Saturday, July 11th. If you are interested in being part of this ministry, please contact Cindy at cindybonney1055@gmail.com or (610) 704-1266… or just show up on July 11th as the team begins its planning.
If you have never been involved in a church committee before, this is the perfect opportunity because the committee will dissolve in 3 months, when its task is complete. It also gives you an opportunity to connect with the larger NALC and see it in action… which is a treat if you have only had experiences with other, less healthy church organizations.
So come on out and be part of a fantastic event happening right here at Holy Cross!

SAVE THE DATE

Nazareth Days, July 18

Holy Cross will have a booth at Nazareth Days on Saturday, July 18.
Volunteers are needed to help staff the booth and share information about
Holy Cross with the community. Please consider donating
an hour or so of your time to help support this outreach effort!
See Anita Zaso with any questions.

COMPLETE Church Council Minutes are posted on the bulletin board in the Narthex. Attachments are filed in the church office with the originals.
The meeting minutes summarized here are pending Council approval at next month’s meeting.
Meeting Highlights for June 10, 2026

Nine members present.
Absent: Lois Iasiello & Tom Riger
GUESTS: N/A
Review of Reports:
Secretary’s Report – Facility Use Request Laura Longley Room 2B every other Tuesday starting 6-23-26 and ending 12-22-26 for a women’s bible study. Amy Riger requested the use of 6 tables for pick up on June 24, 2026 to be returned around July 1, 2026. Approved.
Treasurer’s Report – Category Overview provided, month by month. Richard also ran a budget vs actual report. Giving is down and expenses are down. Electric and Snow removal are exceeding the budget.
Pastor’s Report – Summer is here, and with it my vacation season. The weeks away are front-loaded in June, so July will be focused on catching up with shut-in visitation apart from the Sr High youth/VBS week. Amanda Osbun is going to serve as a chaperone for this week. Graduating senior Elizabeth Misiti is working with both of us on the planning for the week. New member Jen Peterson is helping us set up service projects within our community in addition to the youth leading VBS. Does the Council have any service projects they would like to see the youth do around the church during that week (July 21-24)? Council will be purchasing paint and supplies to start painting classrooms. Thank you to President Lewis for joining Michael in worship while I was away. We have at least three additional people we will be training for this responsibility over the summer, but I would encourage Council members to pray about whether they are called to the ministry as well. Having a cadre of well trained lay leaders strengthens a congregations’ life, and leadership in the congregations’ spiritual life can profoundly inform the administrative work of council members. As confirmation is close to wrapping up for the year, overall response to the curriculum the congregation asked me to develop continues to be good. Next school year will see the completion of the curriculum and an evaluation of its additional (intended) use for adult catechumens.

Committee Reports:
Christian Education: See hard copy of minutes.
Property: Meeting was held June 11. Minutes to follow.
Social Ministry: See hard copy of minutes.
Women of Abundance: See hard copy of minutes.
Other Committee Reports: Quarterly Committee Heads: See hard copy of minutes. VBS: See hard copy of minutes.
Old Business: Church Directory: Pastor met with Steve and is reviewing several proofs for review. The pastor will make a recommendation. 5-13-25 Pastor has a proof of the directory. Review of the draft identified some additional work is still required. 6-10-2026 Carry. African Children’s Choir is confirmed 10-3-2026. Holy Cross T-Shirts: Design was approved WOA is going to buy a few T-Shirts for display prior to ordering. A contract for Tri-Works was executed for maintenance and service of our old HVAC units. Burkholders has been working with Richard in repairing and/or replacing the Sanctuary splits. These items are under warranty. Regarding discussions on Church Envelopes, we received a letter from the CEO of Cathedral explaining the delay and supply chain issues they had. We are no longer pursuing other vendors at this time.
New Business: Additional counters are needed.

The next regular meeting is scheduled for
Wednesday, July 8, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.