Holy Cross Evangelical Lutheran Church
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Cor. 1:18 )
Welcome to Holy Cross!
Holy Cross is a confessional and liturgical Lutheran church in Peoria, Illinois.
Holy Cross exists for one purpose: To be faithful to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ by making disciples of all nations by baptizing and teaching everything our Lord commanded (Mt. 28:18-20).
For this reason we celebrate the historic Divine Service every Sunday, in which the Law and Gospel are preached and the Sacraments are administered according to Christ's institution. We also offer Bible Class every Sunday, in which we dive further into the teachings of God's Word and develop an appreciation of the faith which has been handed down to us.
We encourage you to reach out with any questions and would love to have you visit us!
Weekly Schedule
Sunday Divine Service: 12:00 pm
Sunday Bible Class: 1:15 pm
Worship
Holy Cross uses the Common Service, as contained in The Lutheran Hymnal (1941). If you are not familiar with the historic Lutheran Divine Service, you may find yourself a bit overwhelmed the first time you visit Holy Cross. Don't worry if you get lost or don't understand what is going on. Everything we do has a good reason and is grounded in the faithful practice of the Church. Just watch, listen to God's Word, and ask lots of questions. We will be right there to help guide you!
In accordance with the command of God and the practice of the apostolic Church, our congregation practices closed communion (1 Cor. 1:10; 10:14-17; 11:27-29). We welcome to the Lord's Supper those who are baptized, confirmed, and members of a church in fellowship with Holy Cross. If you wish to commune at Holy Cross, please get in touch with Pastor Henson prior to the service.
Weekly Schedule
Sunday Divine Service: 12:00 pm
Sunday Bible Class: 1:15 pm
Teachings
We believe that Holy Scripture is divinely inspired, free from error, and profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16).
We believe, teach, and confess that The Christian Book of Concord (Dresden, 1580) is a faithful exposition of Holy Scripture. Holy Cross is committed to teach and do that which is in complete harmony with the Lutheran Confessions that are contained in that book, including:
The Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds
The Unaltered Augsburg Confession
The Apology (Defense) of the Augsburg Confession
The Smalcald Articles
A Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope
Luther's Small and Large Catechisms
The Formula of Concord
If you are unfamiliar with Lutheran teachings, Luther's Small Catechism would be a wonderful place to start.
About Us
Holy Cross has been serving the greater Peoria area for over 55 years. In 2008, Holy Cross's desire to remain faithful to our Lord's teaching led her to withdraw from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LC-MS). On May 22, 2008, the pastor of Holy Cross, Rev. Douglas Handrich, was accepted into the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America (ELDoNA). On July 29, 2023, after over 30 years of faithful service, Pastor Handrich retired and now serves as pastor emeritus.
Rev. Benjamin Henson was then called to serve as pastor of Holy Cross. Pastor Henson was ordained on July 2, 2023 and installed as pastor on July 29, 2023. Pastor Henson graduated from St. Ignatius Lutheran Theological Seminary in Malone, TX with his Master of Divinity and Master of Arts degrees in June 2023 and was accepted into membership by the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America after examination by its members.
Holy Cross is in fellowship with all the churches served by members of the Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America. For more information about our fellowship, visit https://eldona.org/
