Cross of Christ Lutheran Church
As a fellowship of believers, it is our mission to joyfully proclaim the gospel of Christ in word and deed, inviting people to worship together, nurturing them in the Christian faith, loving one another, and serving a world in need. We invite you to visit us.
Newest Display Case
At last the Archive cabinets are finished! A wonderful job of building them in the new addition has been done by Chuck Halvorson and his crew. The Properties Committee "Thanks" them for a great job. Chuck has a story to tell with the first cabinet, built to remind us of the hills between Cross of Christ Church and the Stone Church. Ask him about it. The cross on top of the cabinet throws a beautiful shadow when the sun hits it. The second cabinet continues with the cross theme and will hold archives from WELCA. Cross of Christ is lucky to have talented artisans who can complete these projects beautifully. We are pleased to finally have this project completed and think it adds a lot to the new addition. Thank You to all who contributed to this project in any way, large or small. It is greatly appreciated.
Karen Martinaph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It's easy.
Newest Display Case
Now that the third display case has been completed and its premier exhibition installed, it is time for a series of articles pertaining to its contents. After our new entry hallway made the formerly exterior window in the stone wall unnecessary, it was obvious that the large opening it occupied in the now interior wall was a ready-made location for another display case.
From the start we knew it would be just the right place to highlight the history and contributions of the various women’s groups throughout the existence of our congregations. And for many years we knew that the perfect theme for such an exhibit could only be:
“Du må Spandere!”
Neither of us heard this fine, old Norwegian phrase growing up, but like a great many of you we certainly experienced it. “You must Serve” was a core tenet of many rural cultures and the Norwegians both here and in the Old Country were prime exponents of its message. No visitor to a Norwegian household ever left hungry, if there was food on hand, and the same could be said for the neighborhood Kvindeforening and later Ladies Aid meetings in the homes, or larger events held at the church. Those early gatherings at the churches were incredibly challenging since there were no kitchens, parlors, or Fellowship Halls. (More on this later.)
One of our priorities after organizing the Cross of Christ Archives back in1986, was to go out and visit with the older members of the congregation to enlist their aid in identifying the Confirmation Classes and other older photos, and to listen to their stories of times gone by. Two of our favorites were the Peterson sisters, Cora and Nina, who had returned to Houston upon retiring to live in the house their father, Peter S. Peterson, had built around the turn of the century. Many of you will remember them, as well as their mother who was often called “Annie-Pete’s” (in reference to her husband’s first name) since there were at least two other Annie Petersons in Houston during her time.
During our conversation concerning hospitality Cora remembered their mother’s frequent assertion, “Du må Spandere!” What a great phrase! It pretty much sums up the activities of our church women at every period of time and in each of their fields of endeavor. From foreign missions, to religious instruction, to fall suppers, we will be recognizing the contributions of our Lutheran Church Women in this exhibit as a tribute to their past and continuing efforts.
Shelley and Jim, Cross of Christ Archives, May 2017