History

A Brief History of Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Greenbelt Maryland
April 9, 1944 – 33 Lutherans worship together on Easter Sunday for the first time in Greenbelt at the home of Adele and Edward Trumbule
June 1944 – Congregation moves its services to Greenbelt Center School
1944-1952 – Congregation is served by the Rev. Edwind E. Pieplow, Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Church, Mt. Rainier, Maryland
April 1949 – Congregation organized under the name Greenbelt Lutheran Church and purchased property at 22 Ridge Road.
May 6, 1951 – Groundbreaking service for new church at 22 Ridge Road.
April 1952 – Congregation is accepted into membership of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod.
July 27, 1952 – Dedication of the church at 22 Ridge Road
September 1952 – Kindergarten opens, Miss Audrey Graunke, teacher.
August 2, 1953 – The Rev. Edward H. Birner is ordained and installed as the first permanent Pastor.
December 8, 1958 – Name of congregation is changed to Holy Cross Lutheran Church.
May 1, 1962 – Congressman Lankford introduces a bill in the U.S. Congress authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to convey certain lands in the state of Maryland to Holy Cross Lutheran Church. This is a section of Greenbelt National Park cut off from the rest of the park by the new Capital Beltway.
October 9, 1962 – President John F. Kennedy signs HR11551 into law, authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to convey to Holy Cross upon payment of value, the property located on Greenbelt Road.
July/August 1964 – Congregation purchases new church site from the Department of Interior for $50,000
April 7, 1968 – Groundbreaking services are held at the new church site
January 12, 1969 – Cornerstone Laying Service is conducted
September 7, 1969 – New church is dedicated – cost $320,000
May 11, 1970 – City of Greenbelt purchases old church site at 22 Ridge Road and will use it to build the Green Ridge House retirement facility
May 24, 1970 – Dedication of new church furnishings including the reredos wall, altar, pulpit, lectern, communion rail, pews, and baptismal font
October 1, 1978 – Scott Wycherly is installed as Minister of Youth, Education and Music
September 1980 – Sunday morning nursery program is established with Peggy Melley as director
1980 – Stephen Ministry established at Holy Cross
October 27, 1985 – Steeple, etched windows, and cross on front of the church are dedicated to the Glory of God
January 1989 – Charles Heinemann is called to be Director of Music
April 1989 – Eunice Kuring is called as Director of Christian Education
May 5, 1991 – Groundbreaking for new addition to Holy Cross (Fellowship Hall, Sunday School classrooms, church offices, conference room)
May 17, 1992 – Dedication of new addition – Cost $530,000
September 5, 1993 – Retirement Celebration Service for Rev. Edward Birner. Pastor Birner served Holy Cross Church for 41 years, 1 year as vicar and 40 years as pastor
Fall 1993 – The Rev. Paul Dannenfeldt serves as Vacancy Pastor
November 7, 1993 – The Rev. Stephen H. Mentz is called as Pastor of Holy Cross
February 20, 1994 – Installation Service for Pastor Mentz
April 10, 1994 – Celebration of 50th Anniversary of Holy Cross
1996 – Breakfast Sunday established
1997 – Wendy Linstrom becomes Director of Family Life and Education Coordinator
1998 – Holy Cross hosts “Lift High the Cross” hot air balloon evangelism event
2000 – Handbells are purchased and a Handbell Choir is established
2000 – Kid’s Hope program established between Holy Cross and Springhill Lake Elementary School with Marie Ray as Director
April 9, 2001 – Zari Malsawma hired as Office Manager
2001 – Began yard sales – 7 scheduled for summer 2001
February 11, 2002 – Erik Meyer becomes organist at Holy Cross
February 24, 2002 – Dedication of New Organ (old organ damaged by lightning)
June 2, 2002 – Dedication of statue of Christ in narthex
August 25, 2002 First annual church picnic
December 2003 – Lydia Goldstein becomes Holy Cross Parish Nurse
May 16, 2004 – 25th Anniversary of Pastor Mentz in the ministry and 10th anniversary of his ministry at Holy Cross
February 2006 – New web site established with Jim Ittenbach as webmaster (www.myholycross.org)
February 16, 2006 – Roberto Vela Mendoza becomes organist at Holy Cross
September 3, 2006 – Holy Cross begins to partner with Christ is my Refuge (Iglesia De Dios Pentecostal) which now shares our facilities. The conference room was converted into offices for this congregation
February 1, 2007 – Thrift Store was reopened by Holy Cross - headed by Shirley Lee
June 15, 2008 – Ordination of Rev. Neil Ray (son of the congregation)
April 2009 – 65th anniversary of Holy Cross
March 19, 2010 – Funeral service for Pastor Birner
September 2011 - Lunch with Pastor begins
September 2011 – Started support for Lutheran Seminarian from Haiti – Maurisseau Sadrac Pierre
December 2011 – Pastor Mentz constructs a moveable altar out of a 100 year old piece of mulberry wood
May 2012 – Establishment of Jean S. Whittaker Memorial Scholarship
2012 – Anointing services first held at Holy Cross. Services are held on the 3rd Sunday of each month
March 20, 2015 – Began annual Palm Sunday Prayer Walks in the Greenbelt community
April 5, 2015 – Church mortgage paid off
2015 – Evangelism Workshop taught by Pastor Deddeh
August 30, 2015 – Mortgage Burning Celebration and church picnic
January 2016 – Pastor Suah Deddeh becomes Holy Cross Assistant Pastor of Welcoming and Outreach
April 8, 2017 – First Community Easter Celebration
October 29, 2017 – Celebration of 500th Anniversary of the Lutheran Reformation
November 5, 2017 – Dedication of Rev Edward Birner Memorial Cross in the circle in front of the church
December 9, 2017 – First Community Christmas Celebration
May 2018 - September 27, 2018 – Replacement of roof over Sanctuary, Thrift Store & Parlor
February 2019 – 25th Anniversary of Pastor Mentz as Pastor of Holy Cross
June 2019 – 40th anniversary of Pastor Mentz ordination into Holy Ministry
August 25, 2019 – 75th Anniversary of Holy Cross
August 2022 - James Helms Jr. installed as vicar at Holy Cross
December 31, 2022 - Stephen Mentz retires as pastor of Holy Cross
August 19, 2023 - Ordination and installation of James Helms Jr. as pastor of Holy Cross
December 24, 2025 - Last service conducted by James Helms Jr. as he accepted a call to serve as pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in McCook, Nebraska
January 4, 2026 - Holy Cross begins Sunday services using guest pastors from a suggested list provided by the Southeastern District of the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod; former pastor Rev. Dr. Stephen Mentz was the first to act in that capacity