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From the Parish Mailbox

Dear Chapel of the Cross Congregation,
Thank you for the lovely gifts you collected for the Chapel Hill Service League Christmas House 2001. Your generosity makes it possible for us to provide holiday presents to over 700 children. Our annual event is successful because of the enthusiastic involvement of our community. We are very grateful for your continued support.

Sincerely,
Lynne Buck

Dear Friends at the Chapel of the Cross,
Once again the Children at Thompson's [Children's Home] have been the beneficiaries of the caring and giving spirit of the parishioners at Chapel of the Cross. Both the Christmas gift drive and the winter clothing drive produced wonderful and exciting items for all the children. Needless to say, Christmas was a very special time on campus as well as a time that can be particularly difficult for the children. The gifts they received helped them to feel loved and cared for. The children were so delighted with all their gifts that would not have been possible without the support and effort of so many. With winter officially here the beautiful new clothes that arrived just the other day, will certainly be put to good use. To see the children's excitement upon receiving their new outfits is just wonderful. We are all very grateful for the continued support and thoughtfulness from Chapel of the Cross and its parishioners.

The children had a grand time playing in the snow a few weeks ago. To hear them laughing and playing is always such a glorious sound. Their laughter surrounded by our campus blanketed in snow was a true blessing.

Thank you all again for your continued support and generosity as we work together to care for the children we are called to serve.

Sincerely,
Toinette Wilkinson

Dear Rev. Elkins-Williams,
I am writing to thank you for the $4,200 we recently received to support the efforts of the Inter-Faith Council. As you know, people's needs for food, shelter, and financial assistance have been on the rise during the past year. We at Inter-Faith Council have been impressed by the commitment and dedication of local congregations to support our efforts at meeting those needs. Your generosity and support have been invaluable.

In the past year, we have been working hard to enhance our partnerships with congregations. For instance, we have established Covenant Agreements with you through the work of the IFC Clergy Committee. We have also begun collaborating with congregations, local agencies, and utility companies on how to raise awareness and additional funds for the needs community members face in trying to pay for water and heat costs. Our greatest achievement, the expansion of our Crisis Intervention hours, has been because of our partnership with North Carolina Hillel Foundation. Beginning January 16, 2002, clients may be interviewed on Wednesday evenings so that those who are employed at daytime jobs do not need to miss work. This has been a long-time need for our clients. We have received two grants to expand hours, and hope to add more evenings as we move forward. If you have suggestions for way to increase Crisis Intervention funds, we would appreciate your input.

As we look forward to the year ahead, it is with confidence and a sense of gratitude to the congregations that are our support. The concern you show for low-income members of this community enhances all of our lives.

Sincerely,
Chris Moran

Dear Mr. Elkins-Williams,
On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Community of the Cross of Nails, I thank you for the welcome we received at the Chapel of the Cross this past weekend. We appreciate the very comfortable place we had for our meetings and that you made it possible for Stephen Stanley no only to make all the arrangements but also to provide his very valuable participation.

We were fed both spiritually and physically with the periods of meditation and the worship services that Stephen so carefully planned, as well as with the fine food provided and all the arrangements he made for our lodging.

This was a very important planning conference for our board and we were able to accomplish a lot in this time we spent together.

I regularly worship with a very small mission congregation here in Maine, and it was a joy to participate at the service on Sunday with beautiful music and such a large vital congregation.

Sincerely,
Edna M. Smith

© 2002: Chapel of the Cross

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