Holy Cross Returns to South Carlsbad

Holy Cross is going back home! After a sojourn that involved a lengthy discernment process and a temporary stay in Oceanside, Holy Cross Carlsbad is returning to its roots as a mission in South Carlsbad. On August 1, Holy Cross will begin its new space-sharing arrangement with Jewish Collaborative of San Diego (JCo), an independent Jewish congregation located in the La Costa Heights neighborhood. This move will be a homecoming in more ways than one – JCo’s building is just a few blocks away from the site of Holy Cross’ original meeting space at a Boys and Girls Club facility (now part of La Costa Heights Elementary School), where the church began its story more than 35 years ago! And while this move brings the congregation in touch with its past, it also puts Holy Cross in a great place to bring its mission of “Open Minds, Open Arms” into the future as a growing community.

The last several years have been a time of transition for Holy Cross, as financial difficulties related to the pandemic forced the church to leave its previous location in South Carlsbad and establish a temporary “campsite” by sharing space with Oceanside Sanctuary Church. This time at the “campsite” allowed Holy Cross to focus on its visioning and strategic planning process, looking closely at who the church is being called to serve and how it might bring its vision to life in new and creative ways while establishing sustainable growth for the future. The discernment process led to seeking out JCo, a like-minded faith community with a beautiful worship space in an area where Holy Cross has long had a presence. The partnership with JCo also fits well with Holy Cross’ history – in their previous Carlsbad location, the congregation shared space with another Jewish congregation (Congregation B’nai Tikvah) which provided many occasions for shared ministry, worship, and interfaith dialog.

The people of Holy Cross are excited to enter into a new phase of their journey as a community with this move and partnership. Their first Sunday worship service in the new location will take place on Sunday, August 7 at 9:30am. The address for their new location is 7805 Centella St, Carlsbad, CA 92009. For more information, feel free to contact Holy Cross’ Priest-in-Charge, Rev. Brian Petersen, at pastor@holycrosscarlsbad.org.