Holy Cross Lutheran Church stands on Helena Avenue in Nederland, Texas, and is known for two things above all: a 10:30 am Sunday worship service in its sanctuary and an early childhood program that reaches far beyond the congregation. The church's motto, "Reaching the World, One Person at a Time," frames the work of a congregation organized in 1957 that now serves children as young as 18 months and adults in their 20s.
Sunday mornings are busy at Holy Cross. Education for every age begins at 9:30 am, and worship follows at 10:30 am in the sanctuary at 2711 Helena Avenue. The invitation each week is as simple as it sounds: come and join in person to hear God's word.
Sunday Worship at 10:30 in the Sanctuary
The congregation meets every Sunday at 10:30 am in the sanctuary for worship. The service is also livestreamed on the church's Facebook each week and for special events, and an archive of older messages is kept on the church's YouTube channel, so people who cannot be in the room can still join in.
Early Childhood Education and Mother's Day Out
One of the church's most widely used ministries is the Holy Cross Early Childhood Education program, which also offers Mother's Day Out. The Port Arthur News awarded the program a "blue ribbon" as the best in the area, and more than 90 percent of the children who attend are not members of Holy Cross. Classes meet Monday through Thursday from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm for children 18 months through 4 years of age, following a modified Nederland Independent School District calendar. The program balances the development of educational skills with the development of faith, and chapel is held in the sanctuary at 9:30 am on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the school year. The pastor and a youth leader conduct chapel, and all ages are welcome to observe. Veronica Ochoa directs the program, which reaches families well beyond the congregation.
Children's Sunday School, Midweek Classes and Vacation Bible School
Children's ministry is built around a Christ-centered environment where children can grow in their relationship with God and develop a strong foundation in faith. Sunday School classes for children 3 years old through 4th grade meet at 9:30 am in the Education building's Big Room under Catherine Bruney, and a babysitter is provided for children 3 years and younger. Midweek Bible classes for kindergarten through 5th grade meet Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 pm in the Education building. Vacation Bible School welcomes children ages 3 (potty trained) through 5th grade for praise, Bible stories, crafts and plenty of fun.
Middle School Confirmation, High School Fellowship and the Youth Choir
Middle school students in 5th through 8th grade gather for Sunday morning Bible classes at 9:30 am in the Youth Room upstairs, led by Anna Shuford and AnnMarie Landry. On Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 pm they join a confirmation program built on a three-year CPH curriculum with large group instruction and discussion; 6th and 7th graders meet in the Education Building upstairs, 8th graders meet in the Family Life Center, and memory work goes home for parents to sign off.
High school students in 9th through 12th grade, ages 14 to 19, meet Wednesdays from 5:30 to 8:00 pm year-round for Bible study, sports and fellowship. Time in the Youth Room upstairs leads into volleyball in the Family Life Center, and the group competes in the annual Circuit Youth Tournament alongside other Lutheran youth in Bible quizzes and sports. Off-campus trips require a signed parental health release form.
The Youth Choir is open to any child from birth through 8th grade and rehearses Sundays from 9:30 to 10:15 am during Sunday School.
Adult Classes and a Group for Young Adults in Their Twenties
Adults have three regular Bible study options. A Sunday class meets from 9:30 to 10:15 am in the conference room with Pastor Joshua Knippa. On Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:15 pm, Pastor Tom Haas leads a study open to adult members of Holy Cross as well as their family and friends. A second Wednesday group, from 6:00 to 7:00 pm, is geared toward young adults in their 20s and led by Dannis McCullough.
What Holy Cross Believes
Holy Cross states its convictions plainly. The Bible is the Word of God and absolute truth, showing God in action. God is one God in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier. People were created in holiness but sinned, and cannot return to God by their own power. Jesus Christ, the Savior, died to save the world from sin and rose victoriously from the empty tomb on Easter.
Salvation comes through God's grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, not through good works. Repentance means sincerely regretting one's sins and asking for Christ's forgiveness and guidance. The church is all those people who believe in Jesus as Lord and Savior. Baptism is a sacrament that establishes new life in a person, and the Lord's Supper is a sacrament in which the Body and Blood of Christ are present "in, with, and under" the bread and wine. Lutherans hold that a person is saved only by God's grace through faith in Christ Jesus.
A Congregation Organized in 1957, Led by Joshua Knippa
The congregation was organized in 1957, and that continuity is still felt in the church office, where Mary Helen Terrell, who answers the phone at 409-722-1609, was one of the original members. Pastor Joshua Knippa grew up in San Antonio, Texas, and graduated from Concordia University Texas and Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. He teaches the Bible, keeps an eye on current events and culture, and sums up his calling in a line of his own: "He's just a nobody trying to tell everybody about Somebody."
Todd Shuford serves as head elder, Veronica Ochoa as early childhood director, and Anna Shuford, AnnMarie Landry, Dannis McCullough and Adam Richard as youth leaders. The church's workers describe their purpose as sharing the incredible news of the risen Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and equipping members and friends with the spiritual and practical tools needed for Christians to live and thrive. Support for that work can be given online, and the congregation's motto remains its compass: Reaching the World, One Person at a Time.