Dear Brothers and Sisters at Messiah,
Our next outdoor worship service, the Divine Service with Holy Communion, will take place this coming Sunday, July 19 at the new time of 9 am. We will be bidding a fond farewell to Pastor Blain, as he brings his time with us to a close.
A few reminders:
To help our elders, ushers and altar guild prepare for the service, please RSVP (for both attendance and communion) by Saturday, July 18 or earlier. You can RSVP by calling the church office at (616) 363-2553 or by completing the RSVP form at Messiah's website.
Please feel free to bring water, sunscreen, hats, umbrellas, or anything else you may need to stay hydrated and comfortable. Bottled water will be available on request.
Please plan to arrive early to park, receive your service folder and give your offering. You'll have two options for seating, both incorporating social distancing:
Sit in your car with windows down, parking as directed by elders and ushers. (The audio for the service will be broadcast to car radios on 102.7 FM.) Or;
Bring portable outdoor seating.
The restrooms in the fellowship hall foyer will be open for use as needed.
Holy Communion will be distributed as follows:
When the usher directs your family to take communion, proceed to the sanitation area and use the hand sanitizer. Please keep social distance if there is a waiting line formed in this area.
When the elder invites you to receive the Lord’s Body, please move to the line in front of the first communion table. The elder will place the Lord’s Body, for each individual, on a plate. Move forward and receive the Lord’s Body and move back to the line in front of the second communion table.
The pastor will place the individual cups of the Lord’s Blood, for each individual, on the table. Move forward and receive the Lord’s Blood. The pastor will dismiss you to return to your seating area.
All individuals who are physically able are encouraged to walk forward to receive communion. Near the end of distribution, communion will be brought to those who request it.
In the case of inclement weather, any necessary decisions will be made by 7 am on Sunday the 19th; notices will be posted ASAP on Messiah's website & Facebook page, and also communicated via WOOD-TV and WZZM-TV.
Along with recognizing Pastor Blain for his faithful service to us during the past 18 months, we also congratulate our sister in Christ Theona Gee, who celebrates her 90th birthday on Sunday, July 19!
Also, online Bible studies will resume the weekend of July 25-26, focusing on the appointed Psalm for each Sunday. Watch for more details next week!
As always, I look forward to receiving God's gifts of Word and Sacrament with you, then responding to His love with prayer and praise this coming Sunday. In the Epistle for July 19 (Romans 8:18-27), St. Paul reminds us that even as we suffer, we are promised that "the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God." He points out that "hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience". And he repeats God's glorious guarantee that "the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." Whatever we are wrestling with or enduring in our daily lives, I pray that we meditate on these inspired words, finding in them peace, strength and eternal joy!
Yours in Christ,
Rick Krueger, Parish Assistant
