June News & Updates

Screen shot 2015-06-01 at 2.02.40 PMAnnual Camp Pioneer Golf Benefit

Friday, June 5th , at the Diamond Hawk Golf Course in Cheektowaga. Registration begins at 10:00 a.m. Proceeds of the benefit will assist children of our military enjoy a week at Camp. Our quota of 120 golfers was reached in May! Plan ahead for next year if you are interested in joining us!


Applebees_Breakfast_LogoApplebee’s Flapjack Fundraiser

Get your tickets if you haven’t already! Our third annual Applebee’s Flapjack Fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, June 6 from 8-10 a.m. at the Applebee’s on Transit Road (Walmart Plaza). This has been a wonderful fundraiser for us in the past and brings together our Holy Cross community for good food and fellowship. Please help us by spreading the word beyond Holy Cross. Let’s fill the place and put our youth to work!


163New Summer Devotional

Starting on Sunday, June 21st, there will be a 4-week summer devotional between services from 10:15-10:45am (June 21 & 28, July 12 & 19).  We will be studying and reflecting on John MacArthur’s “The Way to Heaven.”  Please join us for fellowship and digging into God’s Word! It’s been said the best way to spot counterfeit money is to become so familiar with the genuine article that the false is obvious. While no one wants to be left holding phony currency, imagine discovering that the gospel you cling to is a fake. Couldn’t happen? Jesus Himself warned that many will deceive themselves into thinking they’re going to heaven when they’re really on the path to hell. Are you familiar enough with the genuine gospel to recognize a counterfeit? Many today are misled and don’t even know it. Don’t be one of them. Learn how to recognize the true door from the fake ones in this fascinating study from Matthew 7. Sign-up in the Narthex, email Dave Chalmers, Scott Brooks, Francis Cote or Peter Olsen, or call the Church Office at 634-2332


Screen shot 2014-05-31 at 7.16.30 AMHabitat Buffalo

Thank you to Holy Cross for the April benevolence of $184.  Habitat continues to show love and concern to the family as it moves into its house to insure success as a homeowner.  We hold the no-profit zero-interest mortgage and help the family in its homeowner learning curve and with challenges it faces over the years. Our annual golf outing is Friday, June19, right here in Clarence Center/Akron at Rothland Golf Course.  Register now to swing a golf club instead of a hammer and still help build a house!  Call the Habitat office at 204-0740 x 105.


WWVBSartV11-1024x536VBS News

Join us this August 2015 for WILD WEST VBS!  A fun, cowboy-country theme with wonderful bible studies, knee-slapping music and the ever-popular “general store” will be back from years gone by!! Mark your calendars for August 3rd – 7th, 2015 • 9am – high noon The Lord blessed us with the opportunity to reach 70 kids during last year’s VBS!  We hope to reach even more this year, so please help spread the word.

Thank you to our VBS Team of Servants who faithfully use their gifts to share the love of Christ…

The “Wild West” VBS registration form is on the linked page above.


Heritage Home

The Heritage Home visit will take place on Sunday, June 28, at 10:15 when we will have he Bible story of “Jesus Stills a Storm,”  Matthew 8:18-27.  This is a good summertime story with rain storms and boat ride experiences, and always Jesus and His care for us. We sing, pray, and make a simple craft along, this time, with talking about Four of July and its meaning.


sick visitVisitation Care

If you are or will be hospitalized or homebound and desire Christian care from the Holy Cross staff please phone the church office at 634-2332 and/or email holycrossclarence@gmail.com to let us know. Please do not assume that we know your situation because for many reasons we often don’t. We will do our best to visit you, and if homebound, see that you receive communion.


Women’s Bible Study

The Women’s Bible Study group will be starting a summer project involving restoration of the needlepoint kneelers.  Starting date for this is Tuesday, June 2nd in Krampitz Hall at around9:30 am.  Following dates for working on the kneelers are June 16th, 23rd, and 30th, if needed. The coffee pot is on and the “goodies” are there to go with it.  So please join us when you can!


image001We look forward to our new Pastor’s arrival!

We are so pleased and excited that Pastor Jeffrey Nickel has accepted a call to our congregation. Between finishing up his studies and other logistics, he expects his ordination and installation to happen on Sunday, July 26th.  In the meantime, here is an abridged biography and a picture of Jeffrey &  his wife, Rachel, along with Rev. Wicher (right). We welcome the Nickels to our Holy Cross family with love and friendship!

Biographical Data:

Mr. Jeffrey (Jeff) Nickel is 52 years of age, is married, and is from Alpena, MI.  His mother lives in Lancaster, PA, and his father is deceased.  Jeff is a lifelong LCMS Lutheran.  His wife is Rachel, nee Niemi, 52 years of age.  Her parents live in Stevensville, MI.  Rachel was United Methodist before she became an LCMS Lutheran in 1994.  This is the first marriage for both Jeff and Rachel.  They have been married for 20 years and have two children, Natalie (18) and Laura (14).  Jeff and Rachel prefer that their children attend Lutheran school.  Jeff enjoys sports, travel, and languages.  Rachel enjoys flute, piano, vocal music, cooking, and travel.

Educational Background and Job Experience:

Jeff received a BA in Government from Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, in 1985 and a JD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, in 1988.  Rachel received a BS in Music Education in 1985 and an MA in Music Education in 1992, both from Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI.  Jeff has worked as an associate attorney in a large law firm and as a senior attorney and senior vice president/general counsel/corporate secretary for two large corporations.  In college he spent one summer as a congressional intern.  Rachel has worked as a music teacher and as a choir and hand bell director.  She currently works as a first grade teacher.


Holy Cross Organization Chart:

In an attempt to communicate all the different “missions” that Holy Cross is involved in, please take some time to review the Organization Chart below.  The Council knows that this looks more like chaos, then organization, but that is intentional.  It is important to note that none of us are more important than others.  That we are all equally supporting our church’s mission, the great commission; that is sharing the Good News of Jesus, with each other, our friends, our community, and anyone else that might listen.  Whether our “mission” is Acolyting  or chairing an Evangelism team (which is open), we are all using our gifts to reflect Gods love to our community through our service.  It is also important that we all know the work that our brothers and sisters are doing, much of it goes ‘unsung’.  And lastly we hope this will serve us by directing us to the right person, either with our need, or to offer our help.  Since this is the first draft, there will undoubtedly be errors of omission and commission.  Please see anyone on Council and we can get the record set straight. Thanks! Screen shot 2015-06-10 at 10.05.25 AM