Welcome to Cross and Crown Lutheran Church.

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Until the sun sets on Christmas Eve, we are still in Advent, still watching and waiting for our Lord. But soon, very soon, we will exclaim the words that we long to say and hear: "Merry Christmas!" If I don't get to see you on Christmas Eve, I want to wish you a blessed and beautiful Christmas. You are so special to me, and I love sharing this walk of faith in community with you. Thank you for being a beloved part of Cross and Crown, a people drawn together in the sacred Body of Christ for a common purpose to love God, love self, and love neighbor. Please read this excerpt from one of Martin Luther's Christmas sermons: "Let us, then, meditate upon the Nativity just as we see it happening with our own babies. I would not have you contemplate the deity of Christ, the majesty of Christ, but rather his humanity. Look upon the Baby Jesus. Divinity may terrify man. Inexpressible majesty will crush him. That is why Christ took on our humanity, except for sin, that he should not terrify us but rather that with love and favor he should console and confirm. Behold Christ lying in the lap of his young mother. What can be sweeter than the Baby, what more lovely than the mother. Look at the Child, knowing nothing. Yet all that is belongs to him. Doubt nothing. Watch him springing in the lap of the girl. Laugh with him! Look upon this Lord of Peace and your spirit will be at peace. See how God invites you in many ways. He places before you a Baby with whom you may take refuge. You cannot fear him, for nothing is more appealing than a baby. Are you frightened? Then come to him in the lap of the fairest and sweetest girl. You will see how great is the divine goodness, which seeks above all else that you should not despair. Trust him! Trust him! Here is the Child in whom is salvation. To me there is no greater consolation given to us than this, that Christ became human, a child, a baby, playing in the lap of his most gracious mother. Who is there whom this sight would not comfort? Now is overcome the power of sin, death, hell, conscience, and guilt, if you come to this gurgling baby and believe that he has come, not to judge you, but to save." . Though Martin Luther preached these words in 1521 -- 504 years ago -- we share in his faith and rejoice at the same divine infant May you celebrate his birth this Christmas and always. 

With love, 

Pastor Stephanie 

office@crossandcrownlutheran.org