Holy Cross Lutheran Church

Sermon | "Who is My Neighbor?" | September 29

The Parable of the Good Samaritan asks us to see others through the lens of compassion. In a world where it’s easy to be busy and distracted, how can we slow down enough to notice the needs around us? This week, we’ll explore what it means to be a compassionate friend—someone who, like the Samaritan, is willing to pause, help, and care for others in their time of need. We’ll reflect on our own lives and relationships, learning how to be emotionally available and genuinely supportive, just as Jesus calls us to be.

Bible Study | September 22

Sermon | "The Seeds of Our Hearts" | September 22

The Parable of the Sower teaches us about the different ways we receive God's Word. Are we allowing His words to take root in our hearts, or are we distracted by the noise around us? This week, we'll focus on becoming expectant listeners—those who are ready and eager to hear God's voice and let it transform us. Just as seeds need good soil to grow, our hearts need to be open and receptive to God's truth. Together, we’ll learn how to cultivate a heart that’s ready for God’s ongoing work in our lives.

Bible Study | September 15

Sermon | "The Oriented Life" | September 15

Jesus emphatically says that He is the WAY; the way to experience full and abundant life. This abundant life will only happen, Jesus says, if we abide in Him. In other words, to experience the "surprisingly better life" one must orient their life to the Person of Christ Jesus - to both His words and His ways. Jesus is inviting us to the simple and difficult task of cultivating a life with Him.

Bible Study | September 8

Sermon | "The Better Life" | September 8

We're all on a journey. The question is, 'a journey to where?' Pastor Andy Stanley likes to say, "Everybody ends up somewhere, some people end up there on purpose." We're on a journey. And, whether we like it or not, we're being led. The question is, 'by whom?' To put it bluntly - we are either being led by the Good Shepherd toward goodness and life or we're being led by the world toward death and destruction. The irony is - most people are chasing what the world says is 'good.' But there is a surprisingly better life; a full and abundant life promised and delivered by our Savior and Shepherd. 

Sermon | "The Joy of Work" | September 1

There's a bit of folklore that Martin Luther was once asked if a shoe maker should somehow mark the shoes with Christian symbols. Luther's reply was "the best way to honor Christ is for the shoemaker to make good shoes." In other words, when we offer to back to God, in service of our neighbors, the gifts He has first given us - this is the way we honor Christ through our work. On this Labor Day, we rest from work in order to appreciate the varied gifts of people in our community. When you work in retail or in hospitality, the medical field or in the government, in education or as a first responder -- whatever your vocation - when you offer the best of you to that work and to the Lord - He is glorified.

Sermon | "Graves into Gardens" | August 18

The narratives of the Old Testament are rife with promises: that God can turn a valley of dry bones into an army for His work, that He can part a sea and make a way through it, that He can protect His people...even in a den of lions. Today's song is a strong reminder that God has always kept His promises - so why look anywhere else.

Sermon | "My Hope is Built on Nothing Less" | August 11

When all feels lost, when the world is shaking, when it seems the light of a new day will never come - we need HOPE. Hope is what lies in the gap between 'what is' and 'what could be' - of the world we experience presently and the one we will experience when Christ comes again. As followers of Christ Jesus, our HOPE is built on Him. In a world that clamors for our attention and affection, today's hymn reminds us where our attention and affection should live.