Last Sunday, members of our congregation gathered together at our new home at the Jewish Collaborative of San Diego to share in a significant moment in Holy Cross’ history. Not only was this a chance to see and experience the beautiful new worship and community space for the first time, but it was also a chance to hear from our Visioning Team about the culmination of many months of hard work in the crafting of our Strategic Plan. After a review of the team’s work in refining and defining Holy Cross’ identity, vision, purpose, and values, we launched into a robust congregational discussion about the goals and objectives specified in the plan.

The group discussions, facilitated by members of our VT, generated a great deal of valuable feedback and ideas from our members. Some key points raised were:

I know that many of us were also anxious to hear about the action steps associated with these goals and objectives. We chose not to discuss these at the meeting due to time constraints – let’s put it this way: Holy Cross has a lot planned for the next five years! However, the congregation’s suggestions were compared with the existing actions in the plan and several minor updates and additions were made to improve the final plan. These will be shared with the congregation very shortly once the complete plan is reviewed by Bishop Susan and Canon Jason Evans. I also believe that you will find many of the questions and concerns raised in the meeting will be addressed in the specific action steps.

One other suggestion that came up frequently in the discussion was the need to reach out to members of Holy Cross that have stopped attending church. This is something that members of the VT, including myself, have been engaged in throughout the visioning process, and we will continue to maintain contact with everyone who chooses to remain on our congregational roster. I anticipate that some of these members may return with our move back to South Carlsbad. However, it is also essential for Holy Cross to grow and attract new members if we want to be able to fulfill the vision outlined in our plan. This will take the effort of every one of our current members – not just one individual or even a team, but a whole community that is dedicated to sharing our message of Open Minds, Open Arms in South Carlsbad! I want to thank all our members who attended the meeting for your openness, honesty, patience, and dedication to this community. It is that dedication that makes us who we are and fills me with confidence that we will grow into this new vision of who God is calling us to be. I hope that all of you came away from this meeting with renewed energy and a sense of purpose for the journey ahead – now let’s get it started!

Hopefully, this isn't coming as a surprise to anyone! Effective August 1^st our new home will be in South Carlsbad as we begin this next phase of our journey and our new space-sharing relationship with Jewish Collaborative of San Diego (JCo). Our physical move begins next week as we transition our office space, sacristy, livestreaming and audio equipment, and miscellaneous other items to our new location and prepare for our first Sunday service at JCo on Sunday, August 7^th. Our mailing address, phone number and office email remain the same!

Please join us for our last service and coffee hour at Oceanside Sanctuary this Sunday, July 24^th. We give thanksgiving to our hosts Oceanside Sanctuary for our time at our "campsite" as we discerned where our new home would be. This service will be livestreamed as usual.

Next Sunday, July 31^st, we will have a special Beach Mass at Buccaneer Park in Oceanside followed by a potluck brunch and beach party. Bring your beach or lawn chair and a breakfast/snack item to share (pastries, fruit, coffee cake, etc.) and join us as we celebrate summer and time together. Drinks will be provided. The service will take place in the park -- just look for our canopy. Parking is available in both the parking lot and adjacent street parking. Please note: we are unable to provide a livesteam from the park so there will be no online option this Sunday. As a reminder we offer Evening Prayer every Wednesday via Zoom.

Sunday, August 7^th, is our first service at our new home with JCo. Please note: our service will begin at 9:30am. This will be our new start time going forward as we are staggering service start times with Christ Presbyterian Church, JCo's building is on their campus. You will find parking in the lot directly across the street from JCo or on the street. (If you park on the street please be mindful to not park in front of the fire hydrant located just before the ramp entrance to JCo, and in front of the entrance to the community garden, there is no red curb but Carlsbad police will issue tickets!). We hope to have our livestream up and operating for this service!!

WOW! What a difference from last October, when we were unsure who our next clergy leader would be and where we were being called to make our home. Now, Fr. Brian is our interim Priest-in-Charge and we are moving to our new home on August 1^st. And, those who came to the Congregational Forum this past Sunday had the opportunity to hear from Visioning Team members highlights of our visioning process and the Goals and Objectives from our Strategic Plan. We are now firmly headed in a new and exciting direction.

We have spent over a year at our “campsite” and have appreciated the hospitality of Oceanside Sanctuary. But now it is time to look forward to our new home, the work to be done and new horizons to explore. Working together in loving relationships, we can, and will, accomplish much. However, it will take the support of everyone and we need your help to move forward!

It is an exciting time to be a member of Holy Cross. We hope you will join us and support us on this journey. If you are able to assist financially, please complete and return the form we mailed to your home or use the online form below. Thank you to those who have already completed your Renewal! form.

Click here to complete your Renewal! form!

Holy Cross and churches throughout the Episcopal Diocese joined St. Paul's Cathedral in the San Diego Pride Parade this past Saturday. We were happy to return after the parade and Pride festival was on hiatus for the past two years due tot he pandemic. You may see more photos here by Susan Forsburg.

Is your email cutting off the full newsletter? - If you see a message at the end of your email that says something like "[Message clipped] View entire message" click on the "view entire message" link and the full newsletter will open - you may also click on the "View Entire Newsletter" link at the top of the newsletter (it's safe) and it will open the full newsletter in a new browser.

We use a screen to project the service bulletin. If you prefer your own worship booklet please download the booklet using the button below to your phone or tablet, or print a copy at home, and bring it with you. Thank you for helping us to be better stewards of God's creation (reducing paper waste).

Video on Demand (VOD): Miss last Sunday's service? All past service video's are available on our YouTube channel here.

on hiatus for the Summer

Our sister church, St. Mark's, in City Heights, annual back 2 School Bash on Saturday August 13th, provides their neighborhood children—from refugee and low-income families–with new backpacks and supplies so that they start each new school year with pride and joy. While we won't be fundraising for backpacks this year we are looking for volunteers to help - there are two options: 1) at the day of the event, August 13 or 2) on stuffing backpacks on August 3rd at 5pm. If you are interested please contact Rev. Brian at pastor@holycrosscarlsbad.org.

The Visioning Team met on Sunday, July 10^th, for our very last working meeting! Since our last gathering in June, where we worked on Goals and Objectives, the BC was charged with working on the action steps for each of our Objectives. Spring-boarding off of that work, our first task this last Sunday was to review all of our Goals, Objectives, and Actions. Each Goal has subsequent Objectives, and each Objective has action steps. As we worked on refining these items, we found that something might seem a little off, then A-HA! someone suggests placing that objective under a different goal and it all makes sense! The team is so familiar with the material after months of diving deep, it really seems that we have developed a sixth sense as to how it all flows together. We have been dedicated to contesting concepts, listening compassionately to each other, and making sure everyone felt satisfied with our final product. To review, our Goals are: Stewardship, Communications, Spiritual Growth and Discipleship, and Outreach and Evangelism. Take special note of our expansive view of stewardship - its not just financial, but also how we take care of ourselves and the environment - being stewards of all of the gifts God has given us! 

While the Goals and Objectives are a very meaty part of our deliverables, the big report is our Holy Cross Strategic Plan. This report gives some background and financial information about Holy Cross, but most importantly helps guide us for the future. The Purpose, Identity, and Values statements that we shared with you earlier in this process are included, as well as the Vision for our future. Finally, the way we are going to carry out these ideals is detailed in our Goals, Objectives, and Actions. Together all of this information will guide us as we move forward for the next 5 years. Likewise, this report will be integral in sharing with the world who we are and how the Holy Spirit is moving within our congregation. The whole team is thrilled to have (nearly) completed this important work (there are still a few final edits occurring). 

We, the Visioning Team, are very much looking forward to our congregational meeting this Sunday, July 17^th... IN OUR NEW SPACE!! It's going to be great to share the gist of our Strategic Plan with you all and we are likewise excited to hear what you think about it. Please try to join us, it is so important to be able to exchange ideas together. And finally, thanks for staying engaged through this entire Visioning process. 

MAILING ADDRESS: 2647 Gateway Rd Suite 105 #290, Carlsbad, Ca. 92009

Bishop's Committee (BC) meetings are the third Tuesday of the month from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm. The next regular BC meeting is TUESDAY, July 26, 2022** via Zoom.

** At the June meeting BC moved future meetings to the fourth Tuesday of the month.

If there is something for which you wish to bring to the BC's attention, you may reach out to our Clergy-in-Charge, Brian Petersen, our Wardens, Karen Sanchez and Katie Ho, or any BC member. Their contact information is at the bottom of the newsletter, also in the church roster, or you may reach them at the church office: holycross@holycrosscarlsbad.org.

You may read the approved May Minutes here; Controllers Report here; Clergy-in-Charge Report here; and Sr. Warden's Report here.

If you would like to be added, or suggest someone to be added (please get their permission first) to Notes of Care please contact the church office at: holycross@holycrosscarlsbad.org or 760.930.1270

Note: If you have lost a member of your family and would like us to include you and your family in "Notes of Care" please provide the name and relationship of your loved one, the date they entered into glory, and the address of where you would like notes of care sent.

The first thing to understand is that the Book of Common Prayer is a vital symbol of the unity of the church. When the first BCP was developed by Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer in 1549, it demonstrated the hope that the Protestant and Catholic wings of the Church of England could end the conflicts of the Reformation by praying together. It was also the first time the people of England could worship in their own language, participating fully and understanding the prayers and readings. This dedication to praying in a way that people can understand and share is a core commitment of our church – which is why the Book of Common Prayer has often been revised to reflect evolving language and culture. Read More

Thinking about starting a Creation Care ministry but need more information on creation care? Consider participating in Creation Care 101, a free program, toolkit, and community-building resource designed for the church. More information here.

The Diocesan Service & Justice Coalition is a group of dedicated service/outreach and peace/social justice coordinators who gather to network and share ideas and collaborate on projects to make a greater impact in our community. More information here.

Grab some popcorn and join the Environmental Summer Film Festival on Wednesday, June 22, July 27, and August 24. More information and to sign up here.

In partnership with Christ Church Coronado, the Episcopal Diocese of San Diego is pleased to offer a Godly Play Core Training Retreat on August 19-21. Sign up here.

Read all the latest from this weeks diocesan newsletter here

Bishop: The Rt. Rev. Susan Brown Snook ***

Clergy-in-Charge: The Rev. Brian Petersen, Deacon - pastor@holycrosscarlsbad.org

Brian's+ is available for Zoom or phone call meetings on Tuesday afternoons, Thursdays, & Friday afternoons and at the office on Sundays. Please schedule at time using this link: https://calendly.com/rev-brian/. If you have a pastoral emergency please email or text him (442.320.0548). If you are unable to reach him please contact Karen Sanchez, our Sr. Warden.

Bookkeeper: Muriel Wahl

Controller: Erin Sacco Pineda, CPA - ESP Accounting

AV Tech Guru: Jack Cater

AV Tech Asst: Finley Dicus

Admin/Communications Coord: Ryan Cagle

Sr. Warden: Karen Sanchez - seniorwarden@holycrosscarlsbad.org

Jr. Warden: Katie Ho

Members at large: Mike Collier, Allen Zych

Treasurer: Grant Ford

Clerk: Robyn Hill

Church office: 760.930.1270

Church email: holycross@holycrosscarlsbad.org

Mailing address: 2647 Gateway Rd Suite 105 #290, Carlsbad, CA. 92009

*** To contact the Bishop's office or another member of the diocesan staff ("EDSD"):

EDSD phone: 619-291-5947

EDSD staff directory: https://edsd.org/staff/

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