Several events are on the calendar for January:

• January 5, 2025 – Noisy Bucket Offering
• January 8, 2025 – Dinner Church @ 6:00 pm
• January 12, 2025 – Mission Sunday – learn about all of our outreach opportunities, the upcoming Summer Mission Trip, and more!
• January 19, 2025 – January is the 15th Anniversary of Cross & Crown’s vote to leave nor remain in the ELCA after the 2009 Churchwide Decision on Sexuality. On Sunday, January 19th after worship, those who wish can join Pastor Ed outside as we burn the ballots from that vote. They have been saved in storage since 2010.
• January 20, 2025 – Annual MLK Service and Lunch
• January 26, 2025 – Cross & Crown Annual Meeting

The January book for the C&C Book Group, Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson, is available outside the office. The discussion will be On January 27, 2025. For questions about the book group contact Alice Miley.

Join Pastor Ed on the Sundays of Advent from 9-10 AM, as we follow an Advent Word Study from The Bible Project: Christians have long observed the Advent season by meditating on peace, hope, joy, and love. 

Reach out to Pastor Ed to receive emails and video links at pastored@cclutheran.com. You can also find all four word studies and videos at https://bibleproject.com/explore/category/advent-series/. 

Children's Sunday School

Sunday School for kids ages 3 – 6th grade is at 9:15 am. We need 3 volunteers each week to help lead our Sunday school classes. Click the button below to see dates and times that volunteers are needed. Snack signups are included as well. Volunteers are welcome to lead just once or on a more regular basis. Any time you can offer is valuable! 

If you have any questions, or would like more information about volunteering, please contact Lisa at lisastocks@cclutheran.com.

SEE VOLUNTEER SLOTS & SIGN UP

Angel Tree Gifts

The Salvation Army is looking for volunteers to help with their annual Angel tree gift collection. Tasks include greeting people dropping off gifts, sorting gifts, setting up for their toy shop, and more. Volunteers are needed at the Castleton location very close to church, Eagle Creek, and Whitestown. If you have a few hours to donate, please visit:

Donation Info (username is crossandcrown and password is CrossandCrown1)

If you have any issues signing up, please contact Lisa. 

Paper Doves

Help us create paper doves for the MLK, Jr. service. Visit the table in the narthex to fold one (or more) paper doves to help us decorate for our annual MLK, Jr. service. If you have any questions, please contact Lisa.  

All Paws In!

The Cross and Crown Youth Group needs your help! We are collecting items for the Indy Humane Society as part of our Christmas service work. We are looking for donations of:

• New, unexpired canned cat and dog food (most urgent need)
• Soft cat and dog treats
• New cat and dog toys
• Bags of dry cat and dog food
• New or gently used blankets, towels, sheets and wash clothes

Please drop off donations in the Narthex. Thank you for your help!

In previous years, many of our members have created artwork for each Sunday’s reading. It was featured on bulletin inserts, sanctuary screens, and the hall bulletin board. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Our community has been deeply blessed by this creative and faith-filled art!

For 2024/25 we are excited to announce a new opportunity for artists of all ages and skill sets within our community! Pastor Ed has proposed a new Narrative Art Project: “to enhance the worship experience at Cross & Crown…to journey through the overarching story of Scripture.”

Overview of Two New Approaches to Our Artwork

1. Seasonal Bulletin Covers: With background information given from Pastor Ed, artists will consider the biblical and liturgical themes and images for their designs on bulletin covers (Reformation, Advent, Lent, ‘Ordinary Time’ etc).
2. Bulletin Doodles: Artists will create their original small drawings for personalized touches throughout our worship bulletins (Gather, Psalm, Creed, Blessing, etc).

Your artistic talents can bring these themes to life and enrich our worship experience.

Sign Up

If you feel called to contribute, please join our 2024/25 Design Team! Sign-up poster in the Narthex. Specifics for artists will follow in the coming weeks.

Questions? 

Ask Pr. Ed, Carolyn Ramsey, or Pam Ruble

Thank you to all who signed up to provide Christmas gifts to our Christmas families! We still have a few open items, so please have a look at the following list of links.

Also, we still especially need folks to deliver gifts! See links below. Any questions, please contact Mary Jean Woods.

Deadline to bring your gifts to church is December 12! Please wrap or bag gifts and label them with the recipient name and family name.

Tamica Seats - view 1 item remaining

daughter - Taylor, age 14

son - Kyrie, age 8

Brillion Bolden - view 2 items remaining

Daughter - Blessing McClure, age 2

Delivery links:

We urgently need drivers to deliver gifts. Tyrone Payton and Brillion Bolden are in need of deliveries! 

SIGN UP TO DELIVER

Becoming a Stephen Minister is a life-transforming experience…an opportunity to serve God, help others, and grow in faith. Through a series of regular articles in the Connection, we will share what it means to become a Stephen Minister.

What Do Stephen Ministers Do?

Stephen Ministers make a real difference in the lives of people who are hurting. They walk alongside people going through life challenges like grief, divorce, a medical crisis, job loss, and more. They offer care, support, and encouragement, connecting hurting people with Christ’s healing love during some of the hardest times in their lives.

Stephen Ministers see God at work through their ministry. While trusting God is at the core of their ministry, Stephen Ministers regularly say how their faith deepens as they experience the training, learn to use distinctively Christian caring tools, and witness God at work in the lives of their Care Receivers.

Upcoming Classes

Stephen Ministry classes begin the week of Sept 9 and will conclude the first week of January, 2025. A list of the class topics are posted on the Stephen Ministry bulletin board in the hallway. The daytime classes will last approximately 90-120 minutes with some homework. Breaks in classes will be made for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you are interested please speak with Pastor Ed or Ron Hanson.

Learn More

For more information about becoming a Stephen Minister please contact Pastor Ed at (317) 849-4500 or Ron Hanson, Stephen Leader, at (317) 430-2173 for a confidential conversation. Classes will begin in September at Cross & Crown.

It takes financial resources to accomplish the work God has called us to do. Your generous offerings enable Cross & Crown to fulfill its mission to grow in faith, serve all in need, and gather every person to Christ. Our giving funds the daily operations of the church, fuels special projects, and supports our many core and outreach ministries. Remember our offerings are an important part of our worship even though we are not meeting in person.

Giving Options

• Cash or Check - Checks should be made out to “Cross & Crown Lutheran Church.” At in-person services, checks or cash can be put into the offering basket. You can also mail your offering to Cross & Crown Lutheran Church, 5233 E. 79th St., Indianapolis, IN 46250.
• Electronic Giving -  If you would like to give via regular automated withdrawls, you can find more information and a sign up form here. Complete the form and mail it into the office along with a voided check.
• Donate Online - We also offer secure online donations via our tithe.ly site. Click on the button below to make an online donation.