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Parish Ministries & Organizations |
Lay leaders of the community share in the ministry that has been entrusted to the Parish Priest and lay members of the church. Members must be in good standing with the church for at least one year and are elected for a two-year term. In their capacity as Parish Council members, they also share in the special task of Church management, the planning of future projects of the parish, and bringing into action and cooperation as many members of the parish as possible.
Philoptochos - or the "Friends of the Poor"
An organization of Orthodox Christian women dedicated to providing service and assistance to both individuals and groups in need. Much of the philanthropic and benevolent work associated with Holy Cross falls under the umbrella of our Philoptochos Chapter. From scholarships to family assistance, outreach, and international philanthropy, the Philoptochos of Holy Cross continues to set a standard to be emulated. The Philoptochos Board meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7:30 PM. Dates of general meetings and other Philoptochos events are announced in the Sunday Bulletin and Cross Currents.
The Social Welfare Committee of the Holy Cross Philoptochos shares the good news of teams formed to serve the elderly, lonely, and/or sick with visitation, phone calls, transportation to doctors or to church, etc. If you would like to take an active role in our efforts, please contact our chairmen.
The Benevolence Fund was established to assist individuals or families who are in need of financial aid. Those in need may speak in confidence to our pastor. The fund is administered by the Benevolence Committee which is composed of community members and members of the Parish Council.
The Outreach Program was
established to focus our attention on another aspect of Christian living and
giving. We have provided well for ourselves and Outreach allows us, as a
Christian community, to reach out to others and share our blessings. Food,
shelter, and clothing are the most basic of all human needs. Unfortunately,
there are people who are unable to provide these necessities for themselves. The purpose of the Holy Cross Outreach Program
is to help those in dire need. Outreach works closely with the Samaritan House
and the Receiving Home for Children in
Family Sharing Program Program
Each December, the Church of the Holy Cross sponsors a Christmas food and toy collection drive called "the Family Sharing Program." Last year, we adopted 80 very needy families in our area. Everyone in our community is urged to help by bringing canned and other foods or monetary donations to church to insure a wonderful Christmas for our brothers and sisters in need. Also, a special Gift Tree is set up in the Hall with ornaments with the names of all the needy children of the families we care for. To make this program as personal as possible, our parishioner families are encouraged to choose a child's name from the tree and buy that child a special gift. A few days before Christmas, parishioners gather to help sort and package the donations. The close of the program comes when we visit the families to disburse the food and gifts. Warm smiles and impromptu caroling often highlight these visits.
ORA (Order of Respected Adults)
An active and eager gathering of
many of our members in their most gifted years, ORA provides
an opportunity for fellowship, companionship, and Christian Support. On the
second Tuesday of each month, there is the opportunity for all of our seniors
to gather in a coffee house setting on the church grounds. ORA
meets the first Tuesday of the month at 11:00 AM. ORA Board meets the second
Tuesday of the month at 10:00 AM.
Orthodox Christian Fellowship(OCF)
at Stanford. 
The Orthodox Christian Fellowship at Stanford is a campus ministry that provides spirituality and fellowship for Eastern Orthodox Christian students. OCF provides us the opportunity to discuss issues and topics of interest, to interact with fellow Orthodox Christians, and to participate and pray in various worship services. The goal of OCF is simply to keep you connected and involved with the Orthodox Church and your Orthodox family while you are at Stanford.
This organization of teachers, youth group advisors, dance directors, and athletic coaches meets to plan future events of and discuss topics relevant to the parish youth. The Youth Council meets the first Wednesday of each month at 7:00 PM.
The youth ministries at the Church of the Holy Cross center around four elements : Liturgy, Worship, Service, and Witnessing. The youth groups seek to provide an environment within the Orthodox church for our children to develop and expand their understanding of their faith and know they always have a home in the church. Four different groups offer activities and programs designed to foster fellowship among Orthodox Christian youth. Activities include monthly meetings, retreats, dances, ski weekends, beach parties, community outreach, and other events.
· HOPE : grades 1 - 2
· JOY (Junior Orthodox Youth) : grades 3 - 5
· Junior GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth) : grades 6 - 8
· Senior GOYA (Greek Orthodox Youth) : high school
· YAL (Young Adult League) : 18 years old and up
JOY, Junior GOYA, and Senior GOYA meet on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month at 7:30 PM. Call for the schedule of YAL meetings. Visit our new Holy Cross Youth Web Page!
Find out more about our new Young Adult ministry - a fellowship of young adults who, together, explore their rich past: Scripture, liturgics, councils, canons, hymnography, iconography, and prayer.
Boys and Girls basketball league, Adult basketball league, Adult and Girls volleyball and tennis and golf tournaments are on the athletic agenda.
Mothers, fathers and grandparents with their pre-schoolers meet weekly for a morning of socialization and interaction through art projects, story-telling, movies, puzzles, outdoor play, and field trips. The toddlers bring their parents, yia-yia and papou to play group usually once a week, usually in the mornings (call the church office for details).
Following each Sunday's worship service, and hosted by Philoptochos, the coffee hour offers parishioners a chance to meet and to socialize with one another. All proceeds from Coffee Hour benefit the Kids 'n' Cancer Program.
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Christian & Cultural Education |
Youth Religious Education (click here to go to the YRE website!)
Students are instructed in the teachings and traditions of Eastern Orthodoxy. The importance of living an Orthodox Christian life-style is emphasized and participation in the Divine Liturgy is strongly encouraged. Sunday School meets during the academic school year on Sundays.
Young men wishing to assist the Priest in the Sacramental worship of the Church are given the opportunity to serve as Acolytes from the age of 12 years.
Six levels of classes (including adult conversation classes) offer all aspects of modern Greek language, including reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary building with emphasis on conversation. Greek school meets during the academic school weekdays : Monday & Tuesday at 4 PM; Wednesday at 4: 30 PM; or, Thursday & Friday at 4:30 PM, depending on your program. Adult classes meet on Wednesdays at 5:00 PM (another day is possible if decided by consensus).
The Choir provides the important service of liturgical accompaniment and chanting during Sunday Divine Liturgy, Holy Week, and special Feast Days. Parishioners are encouraged to contact the choir director if they are interested in participating in this most important ministry. The Choir meets the first three Wednesdays of the month at 7:30 PM in the Choir loft.
Young people grades 3 through high school learn music fundamentals, liturgical hymns and fun songs while preparing to sing for Liturgy, the annual Diocese Choir Conference, the Holy Cross Community Christmas Program, and more.
Budding stars and stagehands learn what it takes to present two major productions a year. A modern play based on Greek mythology is performed in the outdoor Holy Cross amphitheater during the Festival, and a contemporary play about the real meaning of Christmas is performed in The Oaks as part of the Community Christmas Program.
A Christmas present for the whole community! An evening of theater and music as we celebrate our Savior's birth, plus a Christmas carol singalong and a special visitor from the North Pole!"
Our young people have the opportunity to learn traditional Greek dances which they perform in authentic dress both competitively, and in performances for the greater community. Our dance groups practice throughout the year. The dance season culminates with the Folk Dance Festival in February.
Studies in the Faith, and Bible Study
Throughout the year, classes for those desiring a greater understanding of Orthodoxy and Scripture are conducted by the Priest and Assistant Instructors. Announcements for these classes are listed in the Sunday Bulletin and Cross Currents.
A week long program at Saint
Nicholas Ranch and
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