20th Birthday Celebrations

September 13-15, 2024

Can you believe it? Church of the Cross turns 20 this September! We have a weekend full of ways to celebrate God’s faithfulness and multiplication in our 20 years of ministry: from our youth Confirmation service on Friday evening, a fancy brunch & celebration service on Saturday morning, and two regular services on Sunday. See below for event details.

 

Youth Confirmation in 2023

Friday, September 13

Youth Confirmation Service | 7-9pm

Everyone is invited to celebrate God's work in the lives of our youth who completed Confirmation class this year. The service looks a lot like our Sunday services but has special parts for our youth to confirm their faith and be confirmed by Bishop Stewart as he prays for them individually. A simple reception with treats will follow. We hope you can be there to support these teens! You can learn more about Confirmation here or read below.

 

  • The goal of our Confirmation class is to give our youth intentional time and space to take more ownership of their faith; it’s meant to let them consider again what and why we believe and think about their part in God’s story and God’s people.

    Our goal isn’t that they come through Confirmation just thinking everything more correctly but holding everything a little more tightly, knowing that this faith is theirs and being more excited by the responsibilities we have for each other in Christ’s body and for the world.

    The end of the Confirmation process is the Confirmation Service itself. At this service, youth, in front of the church, confirm their faith by confirming their baptismal vows--this is a powerful moment when they are, essentially, proclaiming, "I do believe this; I do want to follow Jesus and serve in his church, etc." At that point, the church actually confirms them--we agree that they are part of the body of Christ and following him, and the Bishop, representing the church, prays over them that they be filled with the Holy Spirit for the ministry and service of the Church in the world.

 

Saturday, September 14

Brunch Potluck & Celebration Service | 10am-12pm (noon)

This will be a fun, multi-generational party to remember and celebrate what God has accomplished through Church of the Cross over the last 20 years. We’ll gather for brunch in the Great Hall, followed by a short celebration service in the Sanctuary. Bishop Stewart and our first Bishop, Sandy, will be there to celebrate with us.

Brunch will be available at 10am before the celebration service begins. We will provide the main course, along with gluten-free and dairy-free options. Everyone is invited to bring a side dish or dessert to share. (But even if you don’t bring something to share, we want you to come!) If you're able and plan to bring something to brunch, please let us know on this signup.

Our celebration service begins at 11:15am. featuring a time to worship the Lord together and hear stories and testimonies from our community from our 20 years in ministry.

 

Sunday, September 15

Sunday Services | 9am & 10:45am

We will have two Sunday services, as usual, at 9am and 10:45am. Both services will include a time for Adult Confirmations with Bishop Stewart. You can learn more about Confirmation here.

After each service, we will serve birthday cake, coffee, and bouncy-house fun on the front lawn.