This group is for men of faith to come together throughout the year to share their faith and thoughts about topics that are challenging. We support one another through our personal journeys. All are welcome.

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Please join us on Saturday mornings (except for July 4). Starting on July 11 we will read through The Thunder of Silence. In this book, author Joel Goldsmith presents his understanding of a spiritual life and how it radically differs from conventional living.

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Please contact Steve Oelschlager at steve@holycrosschurch.org  or Pastor Bob at pastorbob@holycrosschurch.org with any questions.

Amid sheltering-in-place and hunkering down at home, might it be possible to increase not just the quantity of time with your significant other, but also the quality? How might your relationship be strengthened by a renewed awareness of time-tested methods for enhancing intimate relationships? Can we learn or re-learn skills to refresh our appreciation of, communication with, and commitment to our most valued relationship?

Please join us as Phil Kirschbaum, LCSW, a retired counselor and marriage and family therapist, facilitates four Zoom sessions for Holy Cross. Phil co-founded the Gurnee Counseling Center and has years of interaction with the people of Holy Cross. Each 90 minute session will include time for presenting ideas, group discussion, conversation with your partner, and a few minutes of music from Dale Tippett. If you are not able to participate as a couple because of logistics, please attend anyway—the couple will reap the benefits of what you learn. You can contact Steve Oelschlager at steve@holycrosschurch.org if you have any questions. 

​Grounded in Grace is an opportunity for women of faith to connect together in fun, fellowship, and learning. There will be no meeting held in July.

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The Bible tells us to have faith like a child, but what does that really mean? Our childhood belief systems from our family of origin have significant influence on how we see and engage in the world, including our faith. In Marcus Borg Beyond Belief, a DVD series surrounding the thoughts and work of Lutheran pastor, theologian, speaker, and writer Marcus Borg, we are invited to engage in thinking alongside Borg who spent his adult life contemplating who Jesus is and what faith is all about. This all resulted in insightful perspectives and more than a few challenges to how many of us learned the faith. Come share your experiences and unpack some of the thinking that you’ve always known to be true and how your experiences have been the same or different than others. View the trailer here: vimeo.com/364098337

Please contact Pastor Sally at with any questions.

High School Youth Group:

This meeting is open to all 8th -12th grade youth.

Please contact Sarah Grayer at sarahgrayer@holycrosschurch.org with any questions.

Parent Connection Themes:

Parent Connection is open to parents of 8th - 12th grade youth.

Please contact Sarah Grayer at sarahgrayer@holycrosschurch.org with any questions.

College Students Study Break: 

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​College students, please gather via Zoom to catch up with friends (and the pastors!). We hope this will be a time for students to breathe, support each other as they navigate online classes and campus closures, and think about what faith looks like right now. We hope you can join us to reconnect and take a study break!

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Please contact Hannah Oelschlager at (847) 502-5006 or Sam Randall (408) 614-4981 with any questions.

​Materiality as Resistance is a textured teaching about who we are called to be in the world through the lens of loving God, loving ourselves, and loving our neighbor. Throughout his new book and this film series, Walter opens a discussion with us about how Christianity (its beliefs and efforts) have evolved and shifted from a center of “we” or “us” cooperative body of people to a privatized, personal Jesus for “me” or “you.” Brueggemann suggests that “the role of the church is to change the conversation away from greed, fear, and violence to one about generosity, trust, and peacemaking.” He believes that as people of faith our Biblical texts inform and support this conversation.

Join us for the video series and lively conversation!

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Please contact Pastor Bob at pastorbob@holycrosschurch.org with any questions.

MP3 topic: Self-care: Recharged & Restored

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In a few words, self-care is the key to living a balanced life. Self-care means different things to different people. It helps if each person sticks to the basics and finds their own rhythm and routine that works for them. Self-care needs to be something that each person actively and thoughtfully plans for rather than something that just happens. It helps to develop an attitude where you are aware of what you are doing to

practice self-care so that you know why it works and how it makes you feel.

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Men (21+), BYOB for social time from 6:30 - 7 pm, with special music and meaningful discussion to follow.  The evening will include both large and small group conversations (using breakout rooms in Zoom) so that we might benefit from each other’s wisdom.

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Please contact Steve Oelschlager at with any questions.

Book Club Topic for July:

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This month, the book club is discussing Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast.. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say.

Contact Deb Sherrock at DebS695@aol.com with any questions.

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Informal worship experiences via Zoom with music, prayers, scripture, and conversation. All welcome to join!

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These Saturday evening worship events will be held live via Zoom and differ from our recorded worship offerings on Sundays. The format will be casual with a variety of participants depending on those who are able to attend each week. We will have music offerings, prayers, scripture and an interactive conversation that is prompted by one of our “Weekend Visual Faith Practice” images. The level of participation during the conversation segment will be the variable that impacts the timing. The Saturday Nights “Virtually” Live events will vary in length from 30 to 40 minutes.

These offerings will not take the place of the recorded worship video messages that are available online on Sunday mornings. This will be another opportunity to connect in a meaningful way while we practice social distancing and our love for one another during this pandemic season. Questions? Contact Pastor Bob at pastorbob@holycrosschurch.org.

We are excited to offer a new Summer Sunday School series similar to our school year Sunday School. A Zoom interaction and introduction will be hosted by Pastor Sally or another member of our team. Then in the subsequent four weeks, a new lesson from within the rotation will be available weekly via Google Classroom. To wrap up the lesson, another Zoom interaction session with Pastor Sally or a member of the team will be held on Sunday, July 5 at 9:30 am.

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Current Sunday School families, please watch for an invitation for your household to join the Google Classroom that will host our Summer Sunday School Series. You will need the classroom code to enter the classroom. Didn’t see an invitation come to your email by June 4? Please contact pastorsally@holycrosschurch.org to get added to the classroom. We can’t wait to see you there!

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Summer Session #1 Schedule: Zoom introduction - June 7 at 9:30 am

New sessions available on Google Classroom: Wednesdays, June 10, 17, 24 & July 1

Zoom wrap up - Sunday, July 5 at 9:30 am

Whether we realize it or not, stories profoundly influence how we understand ourselves and the world, leading to how we make decisions and behave. Each of us as individuals has a narrative for our life, including what makes life worth living. Story helps us to make sense of our family, the organizations we work for, and our country. Story is also critical for how we think about God and the origin of the universe and life. To better see all of this, what do your stories tell you about whether God is loving or angry, present or distant? What does a hero look like and do according to accounts from your life, family, country, and faith?

Join us to consider your Story of God, including an overview of the power of story, and then three stories competing for our loyalty today: God in Heaven, Life Without God, and God in Us. Learn to be more aware of the stories shaping your perceptions and their implications for the choices you make. Session facilitators are Kenneth Dale, a retired Lutheran seminary professor, and Steve Oelschlager. There will be plenty of time for conversation and sharing.

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If you have any questions, please contact Steve Oelschlager at steve@holycrosschurch.org

As your graduate prepares to leave for college at summers end, what last steps are underway to pave the way for flourishing and well-being in their next chapter of life? Perhaps you are investing in new tools like laptops or calculators, or making sure that clothing and bedding essentials are ready to go. Have you considered what part God and faith will play in your son or daughter’s toolkit for life on campus and beyond?

Please join us (with your freshman) via Zoom on Wednesday, July 15, from 7 to 8 pm as we discuss with current college students, parents, and Lutheran campus pastors why Jesus and college faith communities matter, and the positive difference they make. Learn first-hand about pressures and challenges of college life, and what it means to be supported and affirmed by God and peers in the faith. Campus ministry is an opportunity to question, learn, and grow in faith, and to nurture authentic relationships. Faith on campus can be a blessing that is worth considering.

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If you have any questions, please contact Steve Oelschlager at steve@holycrosschurch.org

Your leadership matters more now than ever. The Global Leadership Summit is your opportunity to access a wealth of leadership insight from a world-class faculty ready to equip and inspire you—no matter where you have influence. When you grow in your leadership and use your influence for good, you can strengthen your relationships, maximize the impact of your church, business or organization, or even ignite transformation in your community!

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View the full 2020 faculty list: globalleadership.org/global-leadership-summit

This year, Holy Cross will be hosting a virtual experience of the Global Leadership Summit. Registrants will be able to watch the live presentations online in the safety of their homes on August 6-7. Your registration also gives you access to an in-person replay to happen either October 22-23 or November 6-7. Members of Holy Cross can register for $99 until July 21 at bit.ly/GLSHCLC using the promo code listed in the July newsletter.

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If you have any questions, please contact Steve Oelschlager at