Organized in 1868, the Church of the Holy Cross was the first established church in the borough of North Plainfield. (In fact, the church predates the borough which was created on April 2, 1872.).  On Tuesday, August 4, 1868 ground was broken for the church in which we now worship. About a year later, on Sunday, June 13, 1869, the first service was held in the building with a dedication liturgy.  A few years later on Holy Cross Day, Thursday, September 14, 1876, the church was consecrated by Bishop Scarborough.  On the same day the church was consecrated, the corner stone of what is now known as Spooner Hall was also laid.  

The minutes of a vestry meeting held on September 11, 1876  tell of a legacy from the estate of Mrs. Jane E. Spooner in the amount of $3,000 which was to be used “…for the erection of a Parish Building and used for Parish purposes especially for a Parish school to educate poor children” and was to be called “ Memorial Hall.”  

There is a fascinating story about how the church came to be.  The Reverend Edmund Embury had visited the area, and finding no Episcopal church around felt that it was a perfect place for a church.  He personally donated the money to buy the land and build and furnish the church which amounted to about $21,000.  The Reverend Mr. Embury gave the church to the community of  faithful with one rather unusual condition. The original deed of the church includes the stipulation: “…the said premises forever upon the trust as a free church of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the
United States of America under the supervision and jurisdiction of the Bishops of said Church within whose diocese the said premises are situate: all of the sittings of which shall forever be free…”   In other words, there was to be no pew-tax. In 1878 a weekly envelope system of contributions was instituted, being one of the earliest moves toward a systematic program of church support in this country. After the church was built, the vestry called Embury on October 4, 1870 to be the first rector. In 1871 the parish was admitted into union with the Diocese of New Jersey.

Ground was broken for the Chapel wing in 1938, and the following year the outdoor Resurrection Altar was built in the churchyard.  The first Easter Sunrise Service was held there in 1945.  The present rectory was purchased in 1944, bringing nearly the entire block into the possession of Holy Cross Church.  The erection of Embury Hall in 1957 completed the complex.  The grounds comprise approximately five acres of land dotted with some rare and unique trees planted by one of the former owners of the rectory.  His botanical interest has attracted many unusual birds that live in the churchyard.  In 1980, the North Plainfield Borough Council rezoned the area around the church as the Washington Park Historic District and the “American Carpenter Gothic” church building is considered to be “centerpiece” of this neighborhood of stately Victorian-era homes.

Old pictures of the church invariably show children as a part of parish life. In the 1940’s there was a large boys' choir.  In 1956 Holy Cross Pre-School was founded and with the continuing operation has established an impressive reputation in the community.  The school is non-profit and fees are kept at a low level so that it may be a service to the community.  

Today our Christian education program continues to be an integral part of our ministry. In the 1970’s we were known for creating a curriculum fashioned around the theme of “The Wizard of Oz.”  
Currently, our Sunday school program includes children from 2 ½ years old and continues through High School.  The classes meet each week on Sunday morning and use an innovative approach called “the WoRM” (Workshop Rotation Model) that features a series of workshops in which one story from the Bible is taught for approximately 5 weeks.  The children are engaged in the story in several different ways: drama, videos, cooking, story-telling. Our 6th and 7th grade students are enrolled in Rite 13, a pre-confirmation class which is a two year program.  Our 8th and 9th grade students are enrolled in J2A (Journey to Adulthood), a confirmation class, which is also a two year program.  In every Sunday liturgy our children are given undivided attention in what has become known as “The Kids’ Chat.”  

Through the years, members of Holy Cross parish have taken an active part in the outreach of the convocation and the Diocese.  In 1962, delegates from Holy Cross introduced a resolution at the
Diocesan Convention which would allow women to serve as vestry members in this Diocese.  The resolution was ultimately adopted.

Several of our parishioners have been called to the ordained ministry. In 1966, James Heron was ordained first to the deaconate and then to the priesthood.  James Joseph (Bud) Shand grew up in
our church and is now bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Easton in Maryland .  Bud was ordained a deacon in April 1972.  He was ordained to priesthood in October 1972 and consecrated Bishop of
Easton on January 31, 2003. In June of 1968, Andrew Smith was ordained deacon and was priested in 1969; a number of years later, in 1995 he was elected Suffragan Bishop in the Diocese of Connecticut.  Mr. Carl E. Christiansen was ordained a priest in January, 1978.  Mr. John R. Dill was ordained as a member of the first class of permanent deacons of the Diocese in 1985. Another
former parishioner, Charlotte Risberg Wells, is a candidate for the priesthood.

In October of 2002, Betty’s Basement, a Thrift Shop, was opened in the Chapel Wing basement. The income from the Thrift Shop helps to maintain the church. Volunteers from our parish staff the
store which sells donated clothing, small pieces of furniture, knick-knacks, household items and children’s toys.  The store is open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

In April of 2004, nine of our parishioners were commissioned as Stephen Ministers, a program in which “Christians care for other Christians in a uniquely Christian way.”  We have commissioned
several parishioners as Lay Eucharistic Visitors, who take communion to our homebound parishioners on Sundays.

Some of our other ministries include: serving at Grace’s Kitchen, a soup kitchen at Grace Church in Plainfield; hosting a homeless dinner for guests of FISH, a homeless hospitality organization;
teaching an “English as a Second Language” class, free of charge; holding evening prayer at the Park Hotel in Plainfield on a quarterly basis.

The Church of the Holy Cross
is a vibrant Church of today with a long history

Our Chapel Alter

Outdoor alter

Our beautiful church is filled with wonders and history