Outreach begins with our own church family. Holy Cross is a relatively small church with a friendly, welcoming atmosphere. Members of the congregation receive cards on their birthdays and anniversaries. Flowers are sent in times of crisis and bereavement. A coffee hour after the Sunday service provides an opportunity to welcome visitors and new members. The Vicar visits our sick and shut-in members.
Helping those in need, both spiritually and physically, is an integral part of Christian living. Holy Cross Church has a dynamic and dedicated outreach program for helping our community. Since our church is small, our parishioners work on a very personal level, generously giving of their time, talent and treasure in an effort to help those less fortunate.
Our church has been instrumental in the growth of Harford Family House, which supplies transitional housing for families without homes. By providing basic housing, we help needy families get back on their feet. The church sponsors an apartment by stocking it with basic supplies, furniture, and doing the necessary work to prepare the apartment for the next family.
Holy Cross helps those in need of food by contributing to the Mason Dixon Food Locker, and by supplying food baskets at Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter to local families. We also support other programs that assist people in need of food such as the Crop Walk.
The Church helps those who are struggling with personal problems by supporting organizations such as SARC (helping abused women), MANN (halfway house for recovering alcoholics), and the Highland Emergency Fund (local community crisis services).
The church assists both the young and the old. Contributions are made to the Children’s Center of North Harford and the Bishop Claggett Conference Center. Holy Cross is well known in the community for its monthly senior luncheons featuring fantastic homemade desserts. Once a month, members of the congregation bring the church service and communion to the seniors at Hart Heritage.
The questionnaire, upon which this profile is based, indicates a very strong desire to continue our outreach programs, and the majority of those responding were willing to help in some way. Respondents also indicated they would appreciate the Vicar visiting our sick and shut-in members.
