June 2026 – Digital Newsletter

Click HERE to download full printable PDF

Contents

• From the Pastor
• Saint of the Month
• What and Why?
• 2026 Graduates
• VBS 2026
• WOA Craft Workshop
• Yard Sale
• Adding Our App – Instructions
• Giving Service to the Lord
• Church Council Minutes

Our Beautiful Worship Heritage
Earlier this month, I was asked by a group of non-denominational pastors to share with them the riches of the way we worship at our Holy Cross–the structure and meaning of the Western liturgy.
Lutherans put a particular “spin” on that order of worship, but when people visit us from Anglican, Presbyterian, or even Catholic backgrounds, what they mostly say to me is, “This isn’t much different from what I’m used to.”
The pastors who asked me to share our worship life with them felt exactly the opposite. While their churches used a lot of the same contemporary worship that our congregation enjoys when the band plays, the structure of their worship lacks the Biblical depth and dramatic flow of the historic Western liturgy. One of the most powerful testimonies I ever heard given was of a professor of Bible at a Baptist seminary who shifted into a liturgical Christian tradition after finally visiting a worship service of the people that he was taught when growing up were the “spiritually dead Christians.”
“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “Most of the words were Bible quotes and all of the worship actions were from the Book of Revelations.” Of course, most of us who have the privilege of worshiping in this way every week never learned what was obvious to that professor at first sight; the logic and Biblical nature of our worship.
So, it is time for us to grow in that way. For the next several months, a regular newsletter feature will be titled What and Why? Each month I will give a short explanation of one part of our worship service, where it comes from in the Bible, and why it is used in the way it is within our worship to shape our faith Biblically.
If you have been a Christian for more than a week, you know that our feelings about our faith come and go. The liturgy is meant to shape us when feelings fail, and help us be faithful to God at all times.

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 St. Anthony of Padua on Saturday, June 13th. He was born in 1195, in Lisbon, Portugal, and named Fernando Martin de Bulhom. He was also known as the “Hammer of the Heretics,” and the “Wonder Worker,”. At age fifteen, he joined the Abbey of Santa Cruz in Coimbra, where he learned theology and Latin. He later joined the newly settled Franciscan Order hermitage, dedicated to Saint Anthony of Egypt. This was when he changed his name to Anthony. St. Anthony became known for his preaching, and traveled throughout Italy.
He preached against the Cathars and heretical Albigensians. Once, he tried to preach the Gospel to the heretics, but they refused to listen. Instead, he went outside and told his message to the fish. After seeing the fish gather to hear St. Anthony preach, the other men decided to listen, too. He also reformed the city of Padua, abolishing the debtor’s prison and aiding the poor. In 1231, he suffered from exhaustion and dropsy, then collapsed and died on June 13th, 1231.
St. Anthony was known for many miracles, which is why he is called the “Wonder Worker,”. These miracles include when he preached in the rain, but the people remained dry, and when he raised a man from the dead to be a witness in a murder case. He is also a Doctor of the Church.
As we read this, let us remember Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

One of the favorite quotes I learned from a fellow pastor who had been a basketball player. His high school coach had always said, “Practice does NOT make perfect. Practice makes PERMANENT. Only perfect practice makes perfect.”
Perfect practice? Pretty high standard. No, impossible standard. But when it comes to our faith, we want to become perfect. “Be ye perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect,” said Jesus. (Matt 5:48) How are we supposed to do that?
With perfect practice of course. That is why the people of God developed the liturgy; they wanted to practice as perfectly as possible.
The saying they used to guide them in this endeavor was Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi, which means “the rule of prayer is the rule of faith.” By carefully crafting Biblical prayers that would be repeated week after week, they sought to make permanent in their hearts and minds the Biblical truths of our faith.

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 May 13, 2026

Ten members present.
Absent: Tom Riger
GUESTS: Pastor Jenkins
Review of Reports:
Secretary’s Report – The PA State Sales Tax Exemption for the church expires in December of 2026.
Treasurer’s Report – Category Overview provided, month by month.
Pastor’s Report – The final session of Matt Kay’s workshop on Life-to-Life Evangelism will be scheduled for a Sunday in July, following worship. The first organizational/training meeting of the congregational elders was held April 30th. I am extremely excited about working with them to develop a ministry that will serve the life of this congregation for years to come. They in turn seem excited about the ministry and are already beginning to develop a vision for how this can serve the broader ministries of Holy Cross. We infrequently get requests for me to perform non-member funerary services. In order that we should not become known as “the cheap church” to contact for this sort of ministry, I have consulted with John Simons, and am asking that honorariums for such services be according to his schedule: $175 for cemetery committal only, $250 for funeral home service only, $300 for both.
Committee Reports:
Christian Education: See hard copy of minutes.
Fellowship: See hard copy of minutes.
Property: The smaller water heater was leaking and was deemed faulty. In lieu of replacing, we re-piped the larger tank. The church currently has a single water heater. Aerators in the small bathrooms were replaced as a result of the change and sediment entering the lines. The heater in the fellowship hall was faulty. After review it was found that the power was incorrect. Changes were made, and the equipment is operating as intended. We are reconsidering a HVAC service Agreement. Also consider pest control.
Social Ministry: Plants and treats were delivered to shut in members on Palm Sunday and the week after. Members receiving the gifts were extremely grateful. On April 16, 2026, Social Ministry visited Gracedale with Jello treats. The next visit is scheduled for May 14.
Spiritual Care Team: Per Barb Sarley: The team members continue to send thinking of you cards, sympathy cards, and birthday cards. Barbara continues to do Home Communion.
Women of Abundance: See hard copy of minutes.
Other Committee Reports: CCCN: 7 graduates on Tuesday, May 12, represents the largest graduating class. Planning on starting 9-1–26. Approximately 72 kids signed up for next year. Approximately 20 people helped with a property cleanup.
New Business: T-Shirts or sweatshirts. Designs presented to the Council for approval. Christian Ed to poll the congregation. Council made a recommendation. Pastor suggested splitting the special gift envelope to World Hunger for ½ a year and some other organization for the other half of the year. Council agreed to classify the envelope as Local Mission. Council to come up with a list of missions to donate to. Council agreed to continue to utilize the weed and leaf control team for the outdoor maintenance of the church grounds. Laura to put out a sign up sheet. Sunday School’s last day is this Sunday May 17, 2025. This summer we will be going back to one service starting at 9:15. This will be from June 7 thru August 30. Two services will begin on September 6, 2026. We are currently soliciting prices for HVAC service agreements. Burkholder has provided a price in the amount of $4,140.00. They will clean all units twice a year, replace fan belts, and replace filters. We received a quote from Tri-Works $3400.00. Motion made by Rich S Second by Tim K to accept Tri-Works. No opposed, Andy abstaining. Motion carried.
The next regular meeting is scheduled for
Wednesday, June 10, 2026 at 7:00 p.m.
Financial Stewardship
Offerings received during the month of May as of 5/26/2026 totaled $18,122.90
Thank you for your generous
support of Holy Cross!