Dear Brothers and Sisters at Messiah,
First, I hope you'll take a few minutes to watch my interview with this year's high school graduates from Messiah. We wish these sisters in Christ all the best going forward!
Again, I'm truly grateful to have seen so many of you at our outdoor services. The Divine Service with Holy Communion will be offered again this coming Sunday, July 5 at 10 am. We also rejoice that, on July 5, our Junior Confirmands will affirm their faith in the rite of Confirmation and receive the Lord's Supper with their families.
Here are a few reminders about our next service:
To help our elders, ushers and altar guild prepare for this special service, please RSVP (for both attendance and communion) by Saturday, July 4 or earlier. You can RSVP by calling the church office at (616) 363-2553 or by completing the RSVP form at Messiah's website.
Warm temperatures and high humidity are currently predicted for Sunday. 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! When you pull into Messiah's driveway, elders and ushers will direct you to the appropriate area of the parking lot, give you service folders (with all readings, responses and music) and receive your offering. You'll have two options for seating, both of which incorporate social distancing practices:
sit in your car with windows down, parking as directed by elders and ushers, or;
bring portable outdoor seating for the designated area of the parking lot.
During outdoor services, the restrooms in the fellowship hall foyer will be open for use as needed.
Procedures for the distribution of Holy Communion 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 8 am on Sunday the 5th; notices will be posted ASAP on Messiah's website & Facebook page, and also communicated via WOOD-TV and WZZM-TV.
Thanks to all who participated in my adult Bible study on Martin Luther's letter, Whether One May Flee from A Deadly Plague. You can now watch all five sessions of the study on Messiah's YouTube channel and download the letter from the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod website. Look for information about upcoming studies in future email updates!
Also, Messiah's July newsletter should be in your mailboxes soon; it's now available online at our website, along with July's event and service calendars.
As always, I look forward to receiving God's Word and Sacrament with you, and responding to His love with prayer and praise. As we commemorate our nation's Independence Day this weekend, I commend this prayer from Lutheran Service Book to you for your personal use:
Almighty God, You have given us this good land as our heritage. Grant that we remember Your generosity and constantly do Your will. Bless our land with honest industry, truthful education, and an honorable way of life. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion, from pride and arrogance, and from every evil course of action. Grant that we, who came from many nations with many different languages, may become a united people. Support us in defending our liberties, and give those to whom we have entrusted the authority of government the spirit of wisdom, that there may be justice and peace in our land. When times are prosperous, may our hearts be thankful, and in troubled times do not let our trust in You fail; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.
Yours in Him,
Rick Krueger, Parish Assistant
