Sunday Worship Services are live streamed on our Instagram page

Dear Beloved Church of the Cross,

To start I wish all the men in our faith community, Happy Father’s Day!

While some are actual fathers and others are not, every single man offers to others the gentle care and tender love to children (and adults) who need a dad’s touch. And so, I pray…

Heavenly Father, as we celebrate Father’s Day, we thank you for being our Heavenly Father. In your grace and care, you are the Father to the fatherless. You are perfect, holy, and loving. We praise you for fathers who model your love and kindness.

We pray for fathers who serve and sacrifice, who comfort and live courageously, who give grace and point us to you, Holy One, we give you thanks and praise. For those who became fathers for the first time, fill their hearts with joy and their bodies with rest. For those awaiting new life and the joy of being a father next year, we pray for a healthy birth in the year ahead and great celebration next Father’s Day.

We pray for those who long to be fathers and grandfathers, but due to issues of marriage, infertility, miscarriage, or life not happening on our time, we ask for your peace and presence in their waiting, in their aching, in their yearning. Guide them into your purpose for their present and future life.

We pray for fathers who will become empty nesters in the year ahead, we pray for great memories and moments which will launch their child into the future and fulfill their joy in this new season of parenting. For those who lost fathers, we ask for your comfort and peace. For foster dads, mentor dads, and spiritual dads, we thank you for their wisdom and praise you for their love.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for your great love in Jesus the Christ. When the storms come in parenting, turn our eyes to him, so dads (and moms) can lead their families to know the Lord is always present in their lives through the Holy Spirit who guides them through the storms. In the name of you, Holy One, we pray. Amen.

“As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.” (Psalm 103:13)

May the Holy Spirit fill you with all joy and delight!



Pastor Julie

Our Credo Task Force will meet today, so look for more to come.

On Sunday, Jim L. shared a Minute for Mission from the Stewardship Team. Here are the Stewardship Teams thoughts:

Our stewardship team (Terry M., Jim B., and Jim L.) THANK YOU for your generous pledges and offerings this year. Our Stewardship theme for 2025 is “Growing in Grace and gratitude.” We pray God’s blessings and God’s grace have been growing in you and for you. As summer approaches with vacations and other activities, ask you stay current on your giving to support COTC. Our bills will keep coming over the summer and we need your financial help.

A couple of other thoughts about Stewardship. Are you aware if you make your contributions to COTC directly from your IRA or Rollover IRA, you will save on Federal taxes. You can talk to your investment broker about how to set this up on a regular basis which is convenient for you. Also, you might want to consider including COTC in your will, as a thank you for all COTC has done for all who have passed through these doors over the years.

On behalf of your COTC family, we thank you for your faithfulness and generous support. 

God Bless you,

Your Stewardship Team

The Deacons have created an Online Recipe Book.

Now they are looking for recipes from the whole Congregation! If you have a classic or favorite recipe, please e-mail it to the office(office@cotc-pcusa.org) and it will be posted online.

View the Online Recipe Book by clicking HERE. There are currently 4 different categories - Appetizers, Salads, Meals & Desserts. More can be added.

We have a request from the COTC Office and Sunday Donation Counters to please fill out all the information requested on the Giving envelopes.

We have 2 envelopes available:

1. Pew Giving envelope available in the pews
2. Monthly/Weekly Giving envelopes available on request from the Office.

We need the giver # or name of donor; account and amount - see items marked with red on the picture. Filling out the envelope will eliminate donations from being entered to wrong donors and/or accounts. Thank you!

On the first Sunday of each month we collect items for the Schaumburg Food Pantry. The most commonly needed food pantry items are:

• Canned meats
• Canned pasta
• Soup

• Juice
• Snacks and crackers
• Baking items

• Tomato products
• Paper goods
• Hygiene products

Meetings are once a month on Wednesdays at 7 pm. 

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• June 18 - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
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• July 30 - The Little Village of Book Lovers by Nina George

Contact Julie Truelsen for more details.

This is a relaxed time to gather over coffee to share conversation and enjoy each other’s company. These gatherings will be held at COTC about twice a month on Thursdays at 10 am. Next meeting: June 26

The group meets on Sundays at 11:45 am. Everyone is invited to join the study in the Gathering Place.

Join us via Zoom every Wednesday at 12 noon for lunch and bible study. We discuss scripture passages for our upcoming worship service. Contact Pastor Julie for the Zoom access information to join.

The group meets Wednesdays at 7 pm. Contact Ken Groenewold or Stu Rutter for more details.

Join us via Zoom on Tuesdays at 11 am for prayers and conversations. Contact Pastor Julie for the Zoom access information to join.