About Holy Cross

About Holy Cross

About Our Church - Membership and Stewardship

Membership in the parish is, above all, a spiritual relationship among all those who make up the "Body of Christ" in the area served by the Church of the Holy Cross in Belmont. In this sense, it implies membership in the Orthodox faith - whether one was born and baptized Orthodox, or was received into the Orthodox Church through Chrismation. For a marriage to be recognized, it must be blessed by the Orthodox Church, and in the case of divorce, an ecclesiastical divorce is necessary. Membership has two further dimensions.

First, it means participating in the Church's life : applying its teachings to everyday life; worshipping regularly with the body of the faithful; taking part in the religious, social and educational life of the Parish; sharing in its programs and serving in whatever way one is best able.

Second, it means assuming a fair portion of the responsibility for meeting the parish's financial needs. In keeping with the New Testament ideal, we at Holy Cross try to meet all our budgetary needs through the Stewardship Program, that is, each household, or each individual over 18, pledge annually an amount freely and voluntarily decided upon, an amount compatible with the ability to give. "Dues" may be appropriate for a club or similar organization, but a Church is not just another organization. Rather, it is an organism, living and life-giving. It draws its financial support from the free-will giving of its individual members as they are guided by conscience and an understanding of the Christian concept of stewardship. Certainly, it is easy for us to share equally the financial goals of our community. Yet everyone is blessed differently and enjoys a different level of material wealth. The Lord teaches us to give according to the abundance we have received.

The Church of the Holy Cross was one of the first churches in the Diocese to establish this concept of Fair Share, rather than dues, to support its financial needs. This concept has provided our parish with the ability to understand the concept of giving rather than paying for our church and her ministries.

Stewardship pledges are made in November of the preceding year. This is vital, as it enables us to plan, as any responsible household must, for the year ahead. At the Church of the Holy Cross, we encourage an open pledge based on no measures or minimum. A guide to follow is one dollar per week for each thousand dollars of annual income. Thus, your gift to the church is based upon your income according to the degree that Christ has blessed you. Payment of the pledged amount may of course be made in any schedule the family finds most convenient - weekly, monthly, quarterly, lump sum, etc. All pledge information is kept confidential.

The Stewardship Committee, made up of dedicated lay men and women, are happy to answer any questions regarding our Stewardship Program. All questions should be directed to the church office.

The Church of the Holy Cross offers to its members a wide range of Christian services, family events, community outreach programs, youth groups, and activities.

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