Holy Cross Episcopal Church Vision
The Holy Spirit has led several people to begin praying and
meeting for the purpose of starting a new Episcopal church in
the southern part of New Hanover County. Our desire is to become
a parish within the Episcopal Diocese of East Carolina. Our
vision is for a contemporary church filled with a community of
loving brothers and sisters of Christ following the Episcopal
liturgical tradition. Through prayer and discussion we have
adopted the following:
- To answer God's call to join with other Christians who
above all love the Lord and desire to serve Him in service
and outreach; to grow in faith by being in communion with
one another through the worship and study of His Word.
- A neighborhood church that professes the Love of Christ
and shares it freely and openly to all; a place of fun and
fellowship, but also a place to be serious in order to grow
together in the Lord to form a strong relationship that will
last a lifetime - ours and His.
- A church where pastoral care, youth and outreach are
priority ministries; where children are happy and want to
be; the priest and people are charged with proclaiming God's
Word to all, especially reaching those not affiliated with a
church.
- Music - a blend of traditional hymns from sources such
as the Episcopal Church's 1982 Hymnal and contemporary songs
from various sources, one being the hymn supplement "Wonder,
Love and Praise".
- The church building would be bright, open, light-filled,
ideally sitting on a multi-acre plot of land where parking &
growth would never be a problem.
Bishop Daniel has called us to mission by:
- Beginning a new way to reach out to those who do not
know Christ
- Each person invites a new person into the life of their
parish and the fellowship of Christ
- Worship is a time in which people expect to be
transformed by the Holy Spirit
- Parishes practice radical hospitality with keen
attention to newcomers ministry
Through the Bishop's calling it is clear to us that a great
potential to meet these needs in southern New Hanover County
exists because of the large growth that has taken place in the
last ten or more years. We as a group are enthusiastic and
excited to make this journey and collectively believe God has
led us to this mission. Our goal is to be self-sufficient,
therefore we are not asking for financial support. However, we
do seek support through prayer as we progress in this
undertaking.
A Meeting with Matt Stockard,
Canon to the Ordinary, Diocese of East Carolina
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