Parish News

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Welcome! 

Holy Cross is an Episcopal Church and Member 
of the Diocese of Western North Carolina
(828) 963-4609

Donations for Easter Flowers and Memorials

Easter will soon be here, and the church will be arrayed with beautiful fresh flowers. The Altar Guild relies upon donations in order to decorate the Church. Please consider donating to the Flower Fund for Easter flowers using the envelopes provided in the pews.  Completed forms must be submitted by 3:00 pm Sunday, April 13 in order to be included in all Easter Service Leaflets.

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Requesting Candy and Eggs for Easter

Holy Cross will host two egg hunts this year. One will take place Saturday April 19 in the Valle Crucis Park and the other on Easter Morning between the services. We are requesting donations of candy and plastic eggs. Please leave these donations in the box marked "Easter Hunt" in Skiles Hall.

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Living into Lent with Katerina Whitley

For Christians, Lent is the most sacred time of the church year. It leads us into Holy Week, for which Lent should be a time of preparation. Join Katerina Whitley on, Saturday, April 12 from 10:00am - 3:00pm in Johnson Hall VCCC for a few hours of understanding the import and gravity of Lent, and prepare your heart for Holy Week in this special retreat. Katerina is a master of the nuance and beauty of what is often considered a barren season. 

Please contact the Valle Crucis Conference Center to register for this workshop,  or Click Here to register.

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Men's Night Out

Bud Gerber is hosting the next Men's Night Out (MNO) on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, from 5:30pm to 7:30 pm at the Cooper Pavilion in Valle Crucis Park. He will provide food from The Pedalin' Pig for a suggested $10 donation. Please RSVP to KeithTMartin@gmail.com by Sunday, April 13, and mention any food allergies or preferences. There may be a ceremonial shredding or burning of IRS returns at sunset, since it's tax day. Bring your beverage of choice, and be sure to RSVP. If you need a ride, let us know; we have participants from all over the High Country who can offer a lift.  Come join us!

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Holy Week Schedule

Sunday, April 13 - The Sunday of the Passion

9:00am, Holy Cross Sanctuary  - Valle Crucis United Methodist Church Service

9:45am, Skiles Hall  - Crafting of Palm Crosses

11:00am, Skiles Hall - The Great Procession from Skiles Hall into the Church, Holy Eucharist, Rite II, and the recitation of the Passion Story.   This service will be live-streamed via our YouTube Channel. 

12:30pm, Skiles Hall  - Fellowship Time

Wednesday, April 16 - Holy Wednesday

5:00pm, Holy Cross Sanctuary - Daughters of the King will be presenting "Mary's Way of the Cross". If you have never experienced this, it is essentially a "Stations of the Cross" presentation from Mary's point of view. Being from the mother of our Lord, it is poignant, emotional, and beautifully stated.

7:00pm, Holy Cross Sanctuary - We will be reading the entire gospel of Mark. This service will be live-streamed via our YouTube Channel. 

Thursday, April 17 - Maundy Thursday

7:00pm, Holy Cross Sanctuary - Agape Eucharist with foot-washing and stripping of the altar. This service will be live-streamed via our YouTube Channel. 

9:00pm - midnight, Holy Cross Sanctuary - Silent Vigil for the Blessed Sacrament

Friday, April 18 - Good Friday

12:00pm, Holy Cross Sanctuary - Walking the Stations of the Cross

7:00pm, Holy Cross Sanctuary - Solemn Liturgy for Good Friday. This service will be live-streamed via our YouTube Channel . 

Saturday, April 19 - Holy Saturday

10:00am, Valle Crucis Community Park - Easter Egg Hunt

11:30am, Valle Crucis Community Park - Joint Methodist-Episcopal Vigil 

Sunday, April 20 - Easter Sunday

8:30am, Holy Cross Sanctuary  - Festival Celebration of the Holy Eucharist, Rite II

9:30am, Skiles Hall  - Annual Parish Easter Brunch

9:40am, Holy Cross Cemetery   - Easter Egg Hut

11:00am, Holy Cross Sanctuary - Festival Celebration of the Holy Eucharist, Rite II.  Nursery care will be provided at this service. This service will be live-streamed via our YouTube Channel . 

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"A Simple Gesture" Green Bags

As you are aware, federal funding for charities is in jeopardy. It is our habit at Holy Cross to get a green "Simple Gesture" bag from the welcome room off Skiles main room and fill it with nourishing, shelf stable food for the Hunger and Health Coalition. This is a hedge against hunger for those out of work, homeless or just scraping by.  

If you are able, please pick up a bag and check out the BOGO options at your grocery store, sales, coupons etc. to fill a bag and place back in the welcome room of Skiles main room and  Judy Bondi or Kip Kingree will deliver your bounty to the Coalition.  Thank you in advance for your caring for our Watauga neighbors. In a world of not-so-great, this is an action that is great. God Sees.

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A Message from Mission & Outreach Commission

Due to the cancellation of the Valle Country Fair in 2024, we regret to announce our usual “nonprofit” grants for community projects and programs will not be offered for 2025.  Instead, we set aside $36,000 for disaster relief grants which have been awarded to local nonprofits dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Your generous donations and 2024 Fair proceeds allowed Outreach to continue its usual work for those needing help during these challenging times. Our usual non profit grant applications will reopen in the Spring of 2026 with funds from the 2025 Valle Country Fair.

Holy Cross Outreach is incredibly grateful for the love and strength of this community.  Thank you for standing together, lifting each other up, proving that even in the hardest of times, we come together for our Appalachian community.

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Holy Cross Centennial Celebration

This year marks 100 years since our community set the cornerstone of the sanctuary that would house our growing closer to God, each other, and our salvation. A small team has been working since last year to plan how we will commemorate this centennial year. We are hoping to provide historical tours, worship events, artistic engagements, storytelling, food, dancing, and celebrating with each other and with the greater community. We need your help. The fun work of planning and executing this event will require many hands. If you would like to help, please reach out to Rev Robert via phone at 423-400-0826 or email at hartmansrobert@gmail.com.

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Lay Reader/Altar Server

Have you ever considered serving at the Altar, or being a Lay Reader during our Sunday service?  If so, please contact Nina-Jo Moore at moorenj@appstate.edu or Karla Prudhomme at krprudhomme@skybest.com  to learn more about this exiting opportunity to serve at the Altar of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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Daughters of the King

Daughters of the King (DOK) meet weekly on Wednesday afternoons at 4:00 p.m. in Skiles Hall. The group invites any women of the church interested in finding out more about DOK to join them. Click here to learn more about DOK!

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Choir Practice

Choir practice is held on Wednesday afternoons at 5:30 in Skiles Hall Choir room.

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Bookies

A book group organized 20-plus years ago, would love to have new members. Call or email Judy Bondi for more information about Bookies.

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2025 Sunday Morning Worship Schedule (unless otherwise noted above):

9:00a.m. - Valle Crucis United Methodist Church holds their Sunday Service in Holy Cross Sanctuary

11:00 - Holy Eucharist, Rite II, with Music, Unctions and Children's Homily in Holy Cross Sanctuary

12:30p.m. - Fellowship Time in Skiles Hall

The 11:00a.m. service from Holy Cross is Live-Streamed via our YouTube Channel .
Click here to view our Live Streamed and previously recorded services.
Click here to view & download this week's worship leaflet.
Click here to view & download this month's Holy Cross Newsletter.

Online Giving

Online giving is now available - click here or click "Give Online" in the Navigation Bar at the top of the website.

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Weeknight Evening Worship Services offered via Zoom

Compline at 8:00 p.m. every Monday & Thursday - click  here to join the Zoom meeting

The "Virtual Waiting Room" opens 15 minutes before each service begins.
(Meeting ID: 823 3185 8185)

Contact Angela Williams or Mary Pietan if you have any issues signing on for Compline

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The Sacrament of Reconciliation: 
This Sacrament is offered at any time by appointment.

Please contact the Rector directly at (828) 963-4609 ext. 22
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