Worship & Music Corner

Greetings to all the friends of Holy Cross Lutheran Church! This is the official launch of the
“Worship & Music Corner” of our new and improved Website! This “corner” is designed to
inform all who read it about different aspects of our Worship Services.
Holy Cross is a Lutheran Church under the banner of “Lutheran Churches in Missions for
Christ” or LCMC. Because we are a Lutheran Church we use many tools in which to enhance
the worship of our Lord Jesus. Tools such as musical instruments, candles, different color
banners and paraments (cloths on the altar), vestments (robes on the Pastor), etc. Color has
been used in many traditional Christians churches throughout the ages. Color helps to
enhance our worship experience and has been used to represent different aspects of our
liturgical year.
We just celebrated the Baptism of our Lord Sunday. We had the white paraments on the altar
because white is symbolic of innocence. Through Baptism our sins are washed away and we
become ‘clean’ because of Jesus Christ. His purity before His Father becomes our purity.
For the rest of the Month of January we will be celebrating Epiphany. This word comes from
the Greek word, epiphaneia which means “appearance” or “manifestation.” It is at this time of
year that we celebrate the coming of our Lord and Savior, Jesus, into the world. Epiphany
begins with the arrival of the Magi. Matthew, in his Gospel, tells us these kings of the East
followed a star and delivered gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus.
Epiphany is the celebration of Jesus and His coming.
This season begins on the Day of the Epiphany (January 6 of this year) and lasts until Ash
Wednesday. The liturgical color is green, which represents the green things of God’s creation.
When spring breaks forth and things become green again, we see the health and beauty of
God’s work in the world. May you grow in your walk of faith as God leads you through this
new year.