What We Do

Worship

The chief purpose of the Church is the worship of Almighty God. Whatever else we might do, everything is in pursuit of that purpose. At Holy Cross, we worship God together using the forms and rites of the Book of Common Prayer. Our worship of God is steeped in the very best of the Anglican tradition, which stretches across time and the world.

Service Videos

Rejoice through Music

In the course of our worship, we include various musical selections from the hymnal and other anthems. The inclusion of music in worship is of the utmost importance to us. As Psalm 150 says, “Praise him with string and pipe.”

In addition to music during our worship services, we host several musical events, musicians, and performers throughout the year.

Music Videos

Serve our Community

St. James tells us that faith without works is dead. We believe him. And so we endeavor to love God and our neighbor through serving those in our community as best we can. Whether it’s providing food or long-term housing or just a listening ear, we are committed to doing what we can where we can when we can.

Ministries

Engage and Celebrate

Soup Days

Holy Cross women have from the beginning been active in caring for the church and the community. Perhaps our oldest traditions at Holy Cross are those of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW). Soup Days and the Fall Festival provide funds for the ministries our women support in the communities of Bossier City and Shreveport. People from all around look forward to Soup Days on the Wednesdays of Advent and Lent. The warm fellowship in our Undercroft has become the venue for reunions between those who come for lunch and the people of Holy Cross. Homemade beef vegetable soup, crackers, homemade dessert, and coffee. What can be better on a cold day in December or February or March?

Fall Festival

EACH NOVEMBER, the ECW’s Fall Festival has grown out of the women’s original fundraiser, the church bazaar. Yearly, the Undercroft is turned into a shop for lovely gifts and a place for a hot bowl of soup, a good dessert, and some fellowship. Funds from the Festival and Soup Days make possible the ECW’s support of ministries in our community and church.

Continuing Feast “First Sunday”

No one remembers when the Continuing Feast began. But everyone is sure glad it did! On the first Sunday of each month, we gather in the Undercroft for a pot luck lunch after the 11:00 service. Of course, everyone knows that the dishes that appear for pot luck are the very best from each kitchen. And there’s hardly ever a shortage of food or good conversation.

As important as the meal is the table fellowship, a time for the people of Holy Cross to come together and welcome Visitors, visit, find out what’s going on in each home and life, and care for one another. Most months, we are also joined by some of our homeless neighbors, and we take this chance to get to know them better.

Hope House Anniversary

Every October, we celebrate the anniversary of the founding of Holy Cross Hope House. We invite the whole parish and the people, churches, and organizations that help Hope House over the year to a block party complete with food, drinks, music, and games. It’s how we say thank you to everyone who helps Hope House help the community.

Halloween Vigil

The Eve of All Hallows’ or Halloween is a time when we face our fears through joy, humor and prayer. The Halloween Vigil is a special service from the Book of Occasional Services and also includes a blessing of the graves at Oakland Cemetery. By facing down the ghosties and ghoulies and long leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night, we witness to the power of Christ over death and the grave. 

 

Pride Mass

The Pride Mass is an annual celebration with the LGBT community in Shreveport. The goal of this event is to celebrate the freedom we find in Christ to be who God has created us to be. Some will disagree, but we proudly declare what the LGBT community has long known: God’s love is for all.