Holy Cross Episcopal Church

Richard Harbour (second from left) takes a break from cooking at the chicken barbecue.

I’ll begin by taking you back to 1935.   I was a Roman Catholic.  My Mom and Dad were French Catholic all their lives 90 some odd years. Then when I became a young man and I wanted to have a family of my own, I wanted them to go to the Roman Catholic Church.  That lasted 24 years until I got divorced.   Which changed my life.

 A couple of years after that I met Ellie and she changed my life again - for the good.  But in my mind there was a big void in my life, I went on with day-to-day life, but didn’t have a church. Then, Ellie and I decided to go to the island of St. Martin in the Caribbean.  We’d gone to several other islands and enjoyed them, but the first night we were there, we walked to a restaurant, which you could see from the hotel and we heard a roar come up behind us and a man jumped out and put a 9 millimeter gun in my belly and demanded all of our money.  He grabbed Ellie’s bag off her shoulder.  

When we got back to Rhode Island, where we were living at the time, we were asking,  “Why did it happen to us?”  That man wanted to shoot me, but he didn’t.  We felt we had an angel on our shoulders, And decided it was time to find a church.  We went to St. Matthias and met Father Morgan and it was so close to the Roman Catholic Church, I felt very comfortable with it.   Ellie and I became part of that church family for about six years, and enjoyed doing things for the Church. 

Then we decided to move back to New Hampshire.  We searched about 20 towns and ended up in Hillsborough, of all places.  Then, it was time to search for a church.  Hillsborough didn’t have an Episcopal church, so we tried a couple of Episcopal churches in nearby towns, but they didn’t feel right for us. Then we heard about Weare.  Ellie’s brother had helped move the old church from East Weare to Weare Center years ago, and bragged about that, so we had that connection.  A couple of days later Father John was sitting in our living room, explaining things to us about Holy Cross.   I enjoy Father John and his sermons very much.

I feel apart of our new church building because I worked on it  … painted the posts, and am proud that I was asked to help build the Altar and built the kneeler in front of the icon.  I feel good about mowing and raking the lawn because it’s for the church. 

We have some great people here… talented people here.  In Rhode Island, I was the only one that would read the lessons and here there are a dozen and more people who read – not that I want to read, you all do fine.   I’ve met some wonderful friends – John Heckman, Don and his wife, Marge, and all of you are great friends.   I’ve seen kids grow up … mothers brought them in cradles and now they are practically grown up … I think Laura Arvin was one of the mothers.

I’m proud to be a part of Holy Cross

Tammi is a sixth grader at Weare Middle School.

Hello! When I got asked to do a ministry minute I was really nervous. Then I really thought about it and thought to myself, it’s church, nothing to be afraid of. Church is an extremely big part of my life. Every Saturday night I know I have church to look forward to in the morning. I would have to say my favorite part of church is the Atrium [our children's formation program, a Montessori-based approach]. The first time I went to church I remember Atrium was downstairs. I was so scared when my mom left me and my younger brother Garrick down there. After a while I grew more comfortable. Then we moved upstairs and I was in the Level I a little bit longer.

When I moved up to Level II Atrium I was with my older brother Ryan, but Garrick was still in Level I. That’s when I met Anne [her catechist or teacher]. She was so nice and still is. That’s also when I learned what an acolyte is. I was jealous of Ryan and couldn’t wait to become one. When I went through the training, I was surprised Ryan didn’t get confused, because I was. Then I finally got it. I will never forget how nervous I was the first time I was an acolyte. I also really enjoy doing the collection. Although it may get very confusing, it’s fun to walk around carrying the basket.

What definitely makes our church unique is that we have breakfast. It’s a great opportunity for everyone to socialize and have fun. I love that here people know my name and I know everyone else’s name. At my old church people didn’t really know anyone so they just kept to themselves. But overall, church is one of my favorite places to be.

We’ve added a new twist to the pledge campaign, thanks to the imaginative Mike Goulet. When you pledge you will receive a raffle ticket. If it’s a new pledge, or you increase your pledge from last year, you will receive two tickets. Tickets will be drawn at the parish potluck supper celebrating the conclusion of the campaign, Saturday, November 14. As winners are drawn, they can select from donated prizes — continuing until all prizes are claimed. Wouldn’t it be great if we had enough prizes so everyone could win? (Just like those birthday parties you went to when you were a kid.)

Pledge today and win Bishop Robinson answering your phone!

So what have people been donating? Well, perhaps the “prize” prizes so far have been donated by Bishop Gene Robinson and by  Thom Thomas. The Bishop has donated his voice on your answering machine, presumably reading a message of your choice. Thom has donated an antique clock. He writes: The clock, pictured below, dates from 1892 and strikes the hour and half hour. It was made by the Welch Mfg. Company of Forestville, CT. Just imagine: if you increase your pledge or pledge for the first time, you might get both the Bishop and the clock!

This 1892 clock strikes the hour and half hour.

And then again you might prefer knitting lessons, Thanksgiving pies, meals prepared for you, pet care, gift baskets, gift certificates, Christmas cookies, Tai Chi lessons, car washing, a day’s worth of manual labor (!), a bagpiper for the event of your choice, notecards with Weare photographs, handwoven or crocheted items, trucking services, a hot air balloon ride next summer with Fr. John as your fellow passenger (is this a plus or a minus?) . . . and, oh, so much more. The list is still growing, so if you haven’t donated something, please take a moment to think what you might give. Suggestions: child care so young parents can have a night out, leaf raking, day trip to your camp on the lake, a home-baked cake, trip to the movies for someone’s kids, trip to the Boston Science Museum . . .

Here’s a list of prizes to whet your appetite:

There is one word that encompasses my reasons for being here at Holy Cross – that word is “Balance”  The last few years of my life have been like sitting on the low end of a see-saw, kind of stuck, not moving, just sitting there on the ground, not getting a chance to really enjoy the ride.

I came to Holy Cross to find “balance”.  Now, I hover a little higher on the see-saw and sometimes I even get to soar to the top. I enjoy the sermons, the wonderful people, the parish itself, and its history. 

Being here at Holy Cross helps me to unload the week’s trials, the past that still hovers, the pressures of life and to give myself this time to reflect and to find the balance I seek. 

“I spent a long time trying to find my center until I looked closely one night and found it had wings and moved easily in the slightest breeze, so now I spend less time sitting and more time soaring.”

Holy Cross and the people I’ve met here at this parish have helped me rediscover those wings.

Note: Kathleen has been battling a rare form of cancer. Her courage and determination to give to others even as she works to heal herself has been an inspiration to all of us.

A: I’m glad John asked us both to talk this morning about support for Holy Cross. You have to go back fifty-five years to understand where we’re coming from.

R: We were married at Christmas time in 1954, took a wedding trip for three days, and moved to a new apartment. Then I went back to complete my senior year of college.

A: We had our first argument during that trip. As I remember, it was about how to organize our kitchen. Up to then, you had never cooked a meal in your life.

R: You would remember that! But I could read a cookbook. And who were you to talk, living in a bachelor apartment? Besides, on your salary, which was $3600 a year, we had to settle for a $10 a week food budget, which meant an awful lot of casseroles.

A: The best thing we ever did, young and untested as we were, was to make a decision that has shaped our life ever since. We would tithe our income – the top ten percent would be returned to God, first through the Church and then by other charitable giving. We’ve stuck to that, and then some.

R: It hasn’t always been easy, especially in those years when both our children were away in school and I was working on a master’s degree. But somehow we managed, even in hard times.

A: Putting God first in respect to family income means having to plan carefully what is done with the rest. So what does tithing have to do with Holy Cross? Why here, and not somewhere else?

R: When we retired to New Hampshire, we were weary of being at the center of the huge diocese where you were bishop. So we looked for the biggest nearby church, hoping that no one there would ask us to do anything, such as serve on committees. We had enough of being leaders; it was time to be members. So we joined St. Paul’s in Concord. And the bonus was that I could practice on their organ, my first love after Arthur.

A: Then John arrived.

R: His energy and vision made us want to come here. We appreciate this imaginative building, good liturgy, John’s preaching (when we listen), even the way he sheepishly apologizes when he makes gaffes. There’s a diverse mix of people. We celebrate the wonderful ways that young people and their families are made welcome. We marvel what Anne and her colleagues have made of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. And we love the gifts of people of all ages, and Holy Cross’s outreach. In short, this is our home. The top part of our tithe goes to Holy Cross.

  “Ministry Minutes” are presented each week during the fall pledge campaign.

I don’t have a story about how I helped bring the church out of the economic struggles in the ‘90s because at the time I was just learning how to tie my shoes. I don’t have a story about how I came to Holy Cross and fell in love with it because I’ve come here all of my life. I can’t tell of a life changing experience after listening to a sermon because quite honestly, I can’t focus for that long. I do know that I keep coming back after all these years and there has to be a reason for that.

What does Holy Cross mean to me? Well, to start off, Holy Cross is my church. But what does it mean? The phrase “my church” is possessive so therefore it must mean that I can keep part of it with me at all times, but so can the other millions of people that go to their church. Which is a good thing, I guess, because generally at church we learn how to be good and live in God’s light. But why do I come to Holy Cross and not a different church? I think it is because of the environment. Church is the only time I can think of where I can just let my mind wander and not have to worry about anything. Of course I listen to the sermons, but I also let myself relax and enjoy the peace. These few hours of peace are certainly appreciated in the high-stress world we all live in.

The other reason I come to Holy Cross is the people. The environment we create makes this church a welcoming, happy place. When I tell my friends that youth group usually consists of playing basketball, they all look at me in shock and tell me that is not what their youth group does. No, I cannot say that we are the most stereotypical group of people, but we do know how to enjoy life in the light of God. And now I realize what Holy Cross means to me: a place to teach me how to love myself and everyone around me and have a heck of a time doing so.

When writing my ministry minute, I was trying to think about why Holy Cross is meaningful to me.  And I realized it comes down the three things:

The Atrium. Children are welcomed and cherished in the Atrium.    The whole idea is for children to fall in love with God and Jesus at a young age and to nurture that relationship.  And how do they do that?  Through meditative “work,” where things unfold and are not rushed.  Where they wonder about God and Jesus.  The kids love it because it’s meaningful and true.

Holy Cross is a place that grounds us as a family. It reminds us how to prioritize things in our lives.  It reminds us what’s truly important on a weekly basis.  The rest of the world seems crazy and consuming and sometimes I feel I’m losing myself in it.  Then I come to church and it’s like taking a deep breath.  It’s humbling . . . and simple.

Holy Cross is a community. At Holy Cross we are part of a community, a consistent group of people that we see each week because we want to, not because it’s an obligation. We gather for the purpose of worship in Jesus Christ, but also find friendship and support.  Some of the people here at Holy Cross . . . I still don’t know their names, but I know their faces and their friendly smiles and I look forward to seeing them each week (and getting to know their names :) ).

I asked my kids, why is Holy Cross important to you? Maddy said, “It’s like a celebration for God.” Alex said, “It means that we’re praying.  We’re talking to God and giving thanks.  Maddy added, “Because we honor God and Jesus.” Alex said, “It’s because we like the baptism activity in the Atrium.”

I thought to myself, it’s because we are all a part of Holy Cross and we depend on it.  And Holy Cross depends on us too.