Ministries

12- Step Programs: A variety of 12-step programs meet regularly at St. Cross. Please look at the calendar for programs and times.

Acolytes: Fifth graders on up are welcome to help lead the St. Cross liturgy with their acolyting skills. See the Rev. Mike Olsen for more information.

AIDS Lunches: On the second Tuesday of each month, join us at 9:00 in the parish hall kitchen to make sandwiches that will be delivered to an AIDS clinic in downtown Los Angeles.

Altar Guild: Saturday and Sunday mornings will find the altar guild busy at work, preparing for and cleaning up from the Sunday services. They polish, they wash, they iron, they arrange…they are irreplaceable. See Susan Tsutsumi for more information

Belize Ministries: An active ministry here at St. Cross helping to support the community of our sister church, Santa Cruz, in Selena, Belize.

Bible Study: Sunday mornings at 9:00 in the new Adult Ed Room #5 in the education building.

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd: Sunday school curriculum for primary aged children. This scripture based program supports the child in developing a personal relationship with God. Meets from 9:00-10:30.

Centering Prayer Group: Centering prayer is a silent form of prayer, beyond word and thoughts. All are welcome, instruction provided. Meets Wednesday mornings at 9:00 in the chapel.

Christian Education for Adults: In addition to Bible Study and EFM we sponsor forums on a variety of topics throughout the year.

Coffee Guys: Sunday morning coffee is prepared by the St. Cross men on a rotating basis; a great ministry for those new to St. Cross, or those who have been here their whole lives. See the Rev. Mike Olsen for more information.

Eat, Drink, and Be Merry: Three times a year this dynamic group throws a dinner party for you and your neighborhood friends. A local chef comes in, prepares the meal with you and a local wine merchant will pair the wines to go with the meal; a night of pure dining, fellowship and fun.

Enduring Hearts: Each Monday a group of parishioners and guests who are dealing with loss in their lives come together to share their experiences and to study and pray. All who need a close loving group are invited.

Episcopal Church Women (ECW): Parish, diocesan and national organization for all women interested in service, study, worship and fellowship. Our local chapter has guest speakers, fundraisers, and yearly retreats.

Education for Ministry (EFM): Bible study and more for those seeking a deeper understanding of theology and scripture. Groups begin in September of each year, see Susan Tucker or Carol Reznichek for more information.

Flower Ladies: Early each week the altar flowers are made into smaller bouquets and are taken to those in the hospital, shut-ins, or those ill at home.

Front Porch Greeters: Making sure that newcomers are welcomed and made to feel at home at St. Cross.

Gardeners: These special people make sure that flowers and beautiful shrubbery grace our St. Cross grounds no matter the season.

History: This committee works to preserve the history of St. Cross with photographs, written history, and artifacts.

House and Grounds: Working hard to keep the St. Cross plant in good repair year round!

Journey to Adulthood (J2A): Program for youth 6th-12th grade. Developing spirituality, discovering where God is in their lives, and journeying together toward adulthood in the church.

Las Familias: Collecting snack food throughout the month (see the cart in the back of the parish hall) which is delivered to the Las Familias childcare center in Los Angeles once a month.

Men’s Fellowship Group: Program fostering social relationships between men of all ages and backgrounds, to develop trust and encourage true friendships. Our monthly gatherings are held in various social settings and include several retreats during the year. Activities include skiing, bicycling, hiking and focused conversations on topics of mutual interest.

Music Programs:

The Chancel Choir (adult): Practice is Wednesday evenings at 7:30 pm in the choir room.
The St. Cecilia Choir for children is on hiatus and will resume if there is interest.
Bell Choir: For more information talk with John Tveit, our organist.
The Beach Bells: Our youth chimes choir practices on Wednesday afternoons during the school year.

Neighbor to Neighbor: First Thursday of each month from 3:30-7:30 (broken into two shifts). Volunteers from St. Cross buy, prepare, and serve dinner to the needy people of all ages from the South Bay.

Peace and Justice: The name says it all. The activities of P&J range from building houses, coordination the CROP walk, peace marches, and book groups to discuss the issues of peace and justice in our community and abroad.

Prayer Circle: A devoted group of parishioners who pray for those with special needs. If you need a prayer fro yourself or someone else, call the office during business hours and you will be put in touch with this important ministry.

Sewing Guild: Meets every Tuesday at 9:30 to sew new vestments, banners, linens used in the service, and linens used in our Catechesis atriums.

Sinks & Dinks: This group of 20-40 (ish) single and couples without kids, gather to go hiking, enjoy social time together, and other activities as we see fit.

Sociable Seniors: This lively group meets twice monthly on Fridays at 11:30 for fellowship, lunch, programs, and/or field trips around the Los Angeles area. Call the office for more information.

Softball: Come out and join one of St. Cross’s two summer softball teams. Call the office for more information.

St. Clare’s Guild: A group of women, mostly mothers of young children, supporting children oriented activities in the church. This group normally meets on the first Sunday of the month between services.

St. Monica’s Guild: This skilled group of women serves at wedding and funeral receptions.

United Thank Offering (UTO): Pick up your UTO box at the office. Every time you are thankful for an event in your daily life drop a coin or bill into the box as a way of saying thank you. When your box is full, bring it back and we will mail it to UTO who uses the funds for world mission work.

Prayer Shawl Ministry: The Prayer Shawl Ministry reaches out to those in need of comfort and solace. Many blessings are knitted into every shawl. The knitter begins each shawl with prayers for the recipient. When the shawl is completed it is offered a final ritual before being sent along its way. Shawls can be knitted, crocheted, woven, sewn, quilted, machined knitted, etc.