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Growing Through Charity, Compassion, and Justice

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Project Layout Click image for full project details		Factoria Outdoor Community Project In the summer of 2011 Holy Cross teamed with the Pomegranate Center to develop a shared community space using the Holy Cross orchard. The objective of this project is to build a public gathering place. Public gathering places are vital to community health. These are the places where we bump into each other, meet our neighbors, connect to the place we live. Our gathering place model puts residents at the center – they are a critical part of designing, building and stewarding the gathering place. We work with communities, not for them. *

Immigration Reform Sharing God's grace with all The four principles we hold on immigration reform: Uphold family unity. Current immigration is focused on deportation, ignoring the impacts on family. Provide just processes for documentation, citizenship, and safe immigration. Current immigration policy is focused on exclusion. Respect human rights. Current immigration policy violates human rights and the U.S. Constitution. Address root causes of migration and respect the integrity of the earth. Current economic policies are a major cause of migration.		Since 1939 Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service has been a champion for migrants and refugees. LIRS helps newcomers who have been forced to leave their homes and begin anew. Holy Cross Lutheran joins with LIRS in welcoming newcomers, and advocating for just immigration laws. (Picture comes from the LIRS web page.)

The Holy Cross Earthkeeping Team teaches how and why to protect the emerging fruit using organic techniques. This technique uses "footies" to prevent insects to lay their eggs in the fruit, improve the fruit production. Here's the link to tThe Seattle Tree Fruit Society website which provides more details on these maggot-barriers. Scroll down to get the whole story! Fascinating, check it out! http://www.seattletreefruitsociety.com/maggot-barriers Contact Janet Farness jkftahiti@comcast.net with any questions.		EARTHKEEPING AT HOLY CROSS! Eathkeeping is an affinity group that is focusing on: Expanding our ability to grow food in our Orchard and Pea-Patch. Improving our care of the environment on our own church grounds and with our waste management processes. Educating ourselves and our neighbors to earthkeeping and sustainability concepts. Infusing our worship with earthkeeping sensibilities. Collaborating with neighboring faith communities on earthkeeping projects. Developing awareness of earth care in the greater community. Becoming involved in Advocacy to make a difference. See the Earth Keeping blog for additional information. Holy Cross, through the Earthkeeping Affinity Group's efforts, has become a "Greening congregation," through Earth Ministries. Contact Jan Starr or Janet Farness, or call Holy Cross for more information to get involved in Holy Cross' Earthkeeping.

WORKING TO END HOMELESSNESS! Holy Cross has been dedicated to addressing issues related to homeless for many years, starting with serving dinners for Congregations for the Homeless. We provide dinner and conversation for men in the "Congregations for the Homeless" program. As a continuation of that work, Holy Cross became an "endorsing congregation" in 2006, a part of the King County 10-year plan to end homelessness. Holy Cross continues to work on implementing the plan by working with the Interfaith Task Force to End Homelessness. Holy Cross has developed a plan to use a portion of the property to address the issue of homeless and the shortage of affordable housing. This plan has been under development for several years, and is written with the 10-years plans developed by King County and Eastside cities. To support a community forum, a set of questions were identified and answers provided. To get involved in working to end homelessness or in helping to build affordable housing, send a message to Lee Wimberly or Karen Wimberly. Finally, Holy Cross advocates for the homeless through the Faith Advocacy Day and through the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance. You are invited to join Holy Cross and carpool to Olympia on Friday, February 12 for the Housing Advocacy Day. To get involved in advocating for the homeless, contact Lee Wimberly. Several times a year, Holy Cross provides meals to Tent City 4. In addition to providing meals, Holy Cross is willing to partner with other faith organizations, helping them gain confidence in serving meals themselves. To assist other groups, Holy Cross provides: A signup sheet for serving tacos, which is popular with Tent City 4 residents. A signup sheet for serving stew to Tent City 4. To get involved in serving meals at Tent City, contact Lee Wimberly.		Serving at Compass Center Serving at Tent City 4 Holy Cross serves dinner, provides a dessert, and joins in worship at the Compass Center several times a year. The Compass Center is a ministry of the Compass Housing Alliance, providing a wide range of services and housing options for homeless and low-income individuals and families in the Puget Sound region. Members of the Church of the Steadfast Love, residing at the Compass Center, have worked with members of Holy Cross Earth Keeping to prune the trees in our orchard. To get involved in serving at Compass Center, contact Lee Wimberly.

Being a voice for the "least of these," per Matthew 25 Paul Benz speaking to audience		ADVOCACY Holy Cross is an "Advocating Congregation", sponsored by the Lutheran Public Policy Office. We advocate for a just society as taught by the prophets of Hebrew Scripture and contained in the wisdom and teaching of Jesus. In addition to the Lutheran Public Policy Office (LPPO), we work with the Washington Association of Churches, the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, and Earth Ministries to be a voice for: The homeless. The immigrant. The environment. As an advocating congregation, Holy Cross supports the resolution passed by the Northwest Synod for "A More Just and Equitable Tax Structure in Washington State." During the course of the year members of Holy Cross: Attend the annual LPPO fund raiser dinner and auction. Donate items for auction at the LPPO fund raiser. Participate in several advocacy days in Olympia. Invite fellow advocates to participate in discussion of advocacy.

“PENNY JAR” During the celebration of God's gifts, the children of Holy Cross donate their coins putting them in the penny jar, located at the front of the sanctuary. The money collected in the Penny Jar set up a "Fair Trade Market," which is on-going. Each year, a new charity is selected. By selling through Fair Trade, farmers and artisans build a better future for themselves and their communities. By supporting Fair Trade, we affirm human dignity by promoting: fair wages, children's rights, women's rights, the right to organize, environmental rights and indigenous rights.		Selling Fair Trade Producs

Symbol of commitment to helping others		FOOD BANK DONATIONS As a reminder of seeing Christ in the world, as stated as you do it to the least of these, you do to me, Holy Cross keeps a cart in the narthex. Donations placed in the cart are given to the food bank at HopeLink.

MUSTARD SEED CHILD CARE Mustard Seed is a Holy Cross ministry that is making a difference in young lives with quality teachers and high standards. Enrollment includes children 12 months through 1st grade. Mustard Seed is open 6:45 AM-6:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Mustard Seed Child Care: (425) 643-6639. Please visit the Mustard Seed web site for more information. To find out how to get involved with Mustard Seed, contact Mustard Seed.		Mustard Seed Director: Carmella Bowen

Holy Cross Lutheran Church † ELCA 4315 129th Place SE Bellevue, WA 98006-2047 Phone: (425)746-4848 Fax: (425)746-4848 Email: hclcchurch@comcast.net Updated: Tuesday, October 9, 2012		"The church in the orchard"