Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
In this update:
Worship for Sunday, January 24
Bible Study Update: In Person and Online
Preschool Update
Pastoral Call Process Update
Worship for Sunday, January 24
Our worship services for Sunday, January 24, the 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany of our Lord, will be led by Pastor James Blain. We also join with Lutherans for Life to commemorate Sanctity of Human Life Sunday on January 24. There will be two identical services at 8:30 and 11 am. (The 11 am service will also be livestreamed at www.tinyurl.com/messiahgryoutube.)
It helps us prepare well and ensure social distancing when you let us know you're planning to attend. You can RSVP by calling or emailing the church office (616-363-2553, goodlans@messiahgr.org) or by clicking here to sign up. Plenty of spaces are available for both services.
A reminder that the following precautions are currently in place for in-person worship:
Please exercise personal discernment when it comes to your health. If you are feeling sick, waiting for COVID-19 test results, in recommended quarantine or isolation from COVID-19 exposure, in a high-risk category, or not comfortable or ready to attend in person, please stay home.
To minimize potential spread of COVID-19 in this public setting, wearing of face coverings (fabric masks) is required at all services, from when you enter the building to when you leave. If you forget a face mask or don’t have one, please don’t let this keep you from attending; we will gladly provide you with one.
Worshipers will sit on the opposite ends of alternate pews. Designated seating will be clearly marked for “8:30 (1st service)” or “11:00 (2nd service)”; other pew entrances will be roped off to assure social distancing.
Following announcements, dismissal by families will begin from the back of the church. Please be mindful of social distancing as you greet others and exit.
If you want to receive Holy Communion, but do not feel comfortable attending these services, please call (734-645-4353) or email (revjpeterson@yahoo.com) our vacancy pastor, Rev. Jason Peterson, to make arrangements to receive the Lord's Supper by individual weekday appointment, either at the church, at home, or another location that meets your needs.
General guidelines for sanitation and other current practices (complete service bulletins, simplified giving of offerings, Holy Communion protocols, nursery and kitchen closures, restroom availability, post-service sanitizing) remain in effect. Click here to see the most recent version of our current worship guidelines.
Bible Study Update: In Person and Online
At their January meeting, Messiah's Church Council approved the resumption of in-person small group Bible studies, effective immediately. Click here to read a detailed message from Messiah's new president, Dave Ahrens.
LifeLight Bible studies are now being held on Tuesday mornings at 10:30 am, Wednesday evenings at 6 pm and Sunday mornings at 9:45 am. Please contact study leaders Shirley Hoese (Tuesday), Dan Bohlinger (Wednesday) and Randy Gerke (Sunday) for details about topics. Also, please note that masks and social distancing are required for these studies. Sunday School remains closed, and regular board meetings will continue to be held online for now.
My online devotional Bible studies are continuing as well. The study for January 24th, based on Psalm 62, is already up on YouTube; click here to watch it. Please join me to explore David's reliance on God as the source his safety and honor -- and learn how trust in the Lord can strengthen us as well. Click here to read the Psalm; click here for a study guide.
Preschool Update
Enrollment for the 2021-2022 year at Messiah Lutheran Preschool is now open. Do you know any children in the area between 3 to 5 years old? We would love to invite their parents or caregivers to attend our Open House this coming Tuesday, January 26th from 6:00-7:30 pm. Due to COVID-19 this is a RSVP-only event with 20 time slots available. Please contact preschool director Vonda Smestad at 616-363-2553 or smestadv@messiahgr.org for more information or to register. Just a reminder: Messiah members receive a 50% tuition discount for Preschool.
Pastoral Call Process Update
At the January Council meeting, Pastor Peterson informed us that our new pastoral call list is close to being in our hands, hopefully by the end of this week. Please pray for our Call Committee as they move into action once again to review information from Synod and interview candidates. With the possibility of a seminary graduate also in the picture, the Committee and Council hope to expedite the process and have further information for us as soon as possible.
In closing, the core message of Holy Scripture, "Repent and believe the Gospel" is the refrain for this coming Sunday. The people of Nineveh, in garments of mourning, turn away from evil; in response, God turns away from judgment. (Jonah 3:1-5, 10) Jesus preaches the same thing; repent & believe! (Mark 1:14-20) Turning away from all sin, worldly distraction & even daily labor is difficult. And yet, we must be aware of the urgency to leave all things behind & follow Jesus, for the kingdom of God is near and time is short. (1 Corinthians 7:29-35). Liberated from sin to freely serve our neighbor, may we see how all of us are connected in the body of Christ, and how those who seem invisible to us are truly indispensable! (1 Corinthians 12:12-26)
Yours in Him,
Rick Krueger, Parish Assistant
