Church of the Holy Cross
2455 Gallows Road
Dunn Loring, VA 22027-1225

(703) 698-6991 or 7676
FAX (703) 698-1561

Vacation Bible School: Egypt, Joseph’s Journey

July is just around the corner and so is Vacation Bible School. I hope that your calendars are marked for July 18 – 22 for Joseph’s Journey to Egypt. There we will be with Joseph in prison and find out when the Pharoah puts Joseph in charge. We will get to experience Joseph leading Egypt through famine and forgiving his brothers. We will end our journey with Joseph when he settles in Egypt with his family. It will be a wonderful week! We are looking for lots of participants, children ages 31/2 to 12 years. We will also need lots of helpers ranging in age from 13 on up. Our needs range from helping decorate before the fun-filled week to helping with crafts to preparing a simple dinner. Oh yes, dinner! This journey will take place in the evening, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. There will be a dinner provided, so please come hungry!

Interested? Please plan to come to our table on Youth Sunday, June 6, where we will have lots of information available including registration forms and volunteer opportunities. Even if you can only give an hour or two of your time, we can use your help! If you want to pre-register, see the registration form included in this month’s newsletter. Any questions, please contact . Now, get ready to pack for a great journey with Joseph!

Woodworkers and Other Crafty People

This fall we are transitioning our 3-7 year old classroom to Godly Play. In order to be ready when classes start we are going to need help from the people of the parish. We need to obtain or create various learning materials. If you can paint, sew, work with wood, or are just plain creative, we can use your talents. Some of the items needed in a Godly Play classroom are: baskets or trays to hold the stories, small rugs for the children to sit on during work time, books related to the stories, religious artifacts such as cloths in liturgical colors, and different types of crosses. There is also a need for pieces of felt cut into shapes in various colors, work with construction paper and laminating. If this sounds intriguing, contact Kate Golden Hayes. We hope to have a more detailed list of needed items shortly.

Child Care

Holy Cross provides child care for infants and toddlers from 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon every Sunday. The Nursery is staffed by professional child care workers and overseen by dedicated volunteers. Age-appropriate toys and activities are available, and the nursery is equipped with a silent pager system so that parents can feel comfortable knowing that they will be contacted if the need should arise.

Children’s Choir

The children's choir sings about once a month in church and for special events such as the Blessing of the Animals. All children are welcome, but it is especially geared to kids from 2nd to 6th grade.

Please contact Mary Morreale, Director of Music Ministries to find out more.

Sunday School

Holy Cross provides religious education to all children Pre-K to high schoolers on Sunday
mornings. Sunday School begins with a “Children’s Chapel” at 10:00, children are then divided into classes and provided age-appropriate lessons and activities. The children join their families in the service in time to participate in communion.

Sunday School is held most Sundays from September through June. Parents are asked to register their children in September at the beginning of the school year, but children are welcome in Sunday School at any time.

During the summer months, a summer story time is offered, in which children begin the service with their families and step out before the Gospel reading for a short story and lesson, returning to the service to participate in communion.

Sunday School is taught by adult volunteers who teach in 3-4 week rotations under the supervision of the Director of Children and Youth Ministries.

Youth Group

Youth group is open to all 6th to 12th graders, and meets about twice a month on Sunday evenings. The youth group plans its activities with the supervision of adult volunteers, which includes fund raising activities, field trips, and movie nights.

The youth group has traditionally hosted the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper, and wrapped Christmas gifts for residents of nearby Iliff Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Youth are invited to attend any and all meetings and activities, and adults are invited to act as chaperones for Sunday meetings and other outings that are scheduled throughout the year. Contact Kate Hayes for information.

Children & Families

Lemonade Stand

Once again this summer, the children and youth of Holy Cross will be running a lemonade stand each Sunday after the 10:30 service. The children thank you for supporting their fund raising efforts. All funds raised will go to supporting Heifer International.

Heifer’s mission is to end hunger and poverty while caring for the Earth. For more than 65 years, Heifer International has provided gifts of livestock and environmentally sound agricultural training to improve the lives of those who struggle daily for reliable sources of food and income. Since 1944, Heifer has helped 12 million families-- 62 million men, women and children--through training in livestock development and livestock gifts that multiply.

Every gift of an animal provides direct benefits such as milk, eggs, wool, fertilizer, as well as indirect benefits that increase family incomes for better housing, nutrition, health care and school fees for children, especially girls.

Recipients Pass on the Gift of offspring of their cows, goats and other livestock as well as education and training to others in an ever-widening circle of help and hope.

Heifer provides 28 types of animals to families in need in more than 50 countries, including the United States.

Come support us! After all, who doesn’t love a refreshing glass of lemonade and a sweet treat after the service?