FR. VICTOR NOVAK TO CELEBRATE THIRTY YEARS OF MINISTRY ON SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 28TH

On Sunday, September 28th, I will celebrate thirty years in the ordained ministry. Thirty years! Time has flown by, but God has blessed my wife and I, and our ministry together, in so many ways. On Sunday, September 28th, we will celebrate a Solemn Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist at 10:00 AM in thanksgiving, followed by a catered luncheon in the parish hall.

Holy Cross Orthodox Church is located at 7545 Main Street, in the Ralston suburb of Omaha, Nebraska. We are a Western Rite parish of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR), and were received into the Orthodox Church from the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) in June of 2013.  

For more information call (402) 573-6558, e-mail me at venovak@hughes.net, or visit our parish website: www.holycrossomaha.net. There is no charge for the luncheon. Holy Cross Orthodox Church warmly invites all the friends of the parish and the general public to attend.

Holy Cross is a faithful, friendly, active and welcoming parish. I hope that you will join Matushka Cheri and I to celebrate our thirty years of Christian ministry together, and  in prayer that the next thirty years of ministry will be blessed and fruitful. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you at the Holy Eucharist on Sunday, September 28th, at 10:00 AM, and at the catered luncheon following the Liturgy. God bless!

UPCOMING EVENTS AT HOLY CROSS PARISH

SUMMER CHURCH PICNIC

Sunday, September 21st

This coming Sunday, September 21st, is our annual SUMMER CHURCH PICNIC!!! This is always a wonderful event with plenty of delicious food and fun for everyone. The forecast is for beautiful weather: mostly sunny, with temperatures in the low 70s. It will be a great day!

PLEASE NOTE that Services will begin one half hour earlier on Sunday, September 21st. Matins (Morning Prayer) will be at 9:00 AM, followed by the Holy Eucharist at 9:30 AM. Our Service schedule will return to normal the following week. 

We will leave for Halleck Park in Papillion immediately after the Liturgy, where we have a covered pavilion reserved for our use until 2:00 PM. Halleck Park is only a short drive from the church, and our Women's Group president, Tari C., will have directions to the park for you on Sunday. Those unsure of the route can caravan.

Meat for grilling will be provided and we already have expert grillers who have volunteered to do the cooking! Everyone is asked to bring a covered dish or two and/or a drink to share potluck-style. Feel free to invite family and friends. As always the event is free and a good time will be had by all. See you at the picnic on Sunday!

FR. VICTOR NOVAK TO CELEBRATE THIRTY YEARS IN MINISTRY

Sunday, September 28th 

On Sunday, September 28th, I will be celebrating thirty years in the ordained ministry. I can hardly believe that three decades have sped by! We will be combining the celebration of our parish feast day, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, and the thirtieth anniversary of my ordination, on September 28th. As the day approaches, this anniversary has come to mean a lot to me and I hope that you will plan to be at church on Sunday, September 28th, to celebrate the day with me. The day will begin with Matins (Morning Prayer) at 9:30 AM, followed by a Solemn celebration of the Liturgy of the Holy Eucharist at 10:00 AM, with a catered luncheon in the parish hall following the Liturgy. There will be no charge for the luncheon. Come and join me in giving thanks to God for thirty years of Christian service and in prayer that the next thirty years of ministry will be blessed and fruitful. Thank you!

ADULT CHRISTIAN EDUCATION RESUMES

Sunday, October 5th

Adult Christian Education class will resume on Sunday, October 5th, at 9:00 AM. The class will be on apologetics. With the news full of opposition to Christianity and persecution against Christians, this is a class that you will not want to miss. I'll be looking forward to seeing you there.

FALL HAYRACK RIDE, BONFIRE AND POTLUCK

Saturday, October 25th

Our annual Fall Hayrack Ride, Bonfire and Potluck will be held on Saturday, October 25th, at Santa's Woods. Please plan to arrive no later than 5:30 PM. Santa's Woods is a working farm and the hayrack ride will carry us through newly harvested fields where we will have an opportunity to see the wildlife. After the ride we will be taken to a secluded site where a roaring fire will be awaiting us. There will be picnic tables and electrical outlets for coffee and crock pots. This is not a parish fund-raiser, but there will be a nominal cost to cover what we are charged by Santa's Woods. I'll get you more information as it becomes available. Please be sure to invite family and friends to this annual fun event. They will have a great time.

The Christian life is indeed the Good Life at Holy Cross Orthodox Church. We are a faithful, friendly and active church, and we have a place for you!

V. Rev. Victor E. Novak

Rector

HOLY CROSS ORTHODOX CHURCH

7545 Main Street

Ralston, Nebraska 68127

www.holycrossomaha.net

Rectory: (402) 687-9458

Church:  (402) 573-6558

PARISH WEBSITE UPDATE

Dear friends in Christ,

The website of Holy Cross parish has been updated with even more helpful information, and I invite you to visit it. I want to especially direct your attention to the Sidebar where you will find a Letter To An Inquirer. I hope that the other texts found on the Sidebar and throughout the website will be interesting to you as well. The Sidebar also contains a Recommended Reading List. These books will bless you and deepen your spiritual life. I know, because that is what they have done and continue to do for me. 

On our website you will find a link to Fr. Novak’s Blog. On Father Novak’s Blog you will find theological writings, and updates on the life and ministry of Holy Cross parish. My latest post is my take on recent events in Anglicanism titled, Nunc Quo Vadis? - Where Goest Thou Now?

The slideshow on the Photo Gallery page of our website shows the interior of our church, our congregation at worship, the visit of Bishop George of Mayfield (ROCOR) in May of this year and the ordination of our longtime lay reader as an ordained reader.

The News page of our website will update you on upcoming events. 

Holy Cross is a Western Rite parish of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia (ROCOR). Holy Cross parish was received into the Orthodox Church from the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) in June of 2013. Twenty years ago Anglicans made up the second largest number of converts to the Orthodox Church. Today, they may well be the largest. The reception of so many Catholic Anglicans into the Orthodox Church is the fulfillment of the Vision Glorious of the Oxford Movement and has been a tremendous blessing to us. Large numbers of former Anglican clergy are now serving as Orthodox priests, and at least three ROCOR bishops are converts: two from Anglicanism and one from Roman Catholicism. All in all, about one third of the Orthodox clergy in the United States are converts.

Our parish website address is: www.holycrossomaha.net. I hope that you will visit it.

Wishing you every grace and blessing,

Fr. Victor Novak+

Rector