Dear Brothers and Sisters at Messiah,
There's lots to catch up on as we head toward the end of the Church Year and the start of the holiday season!
THANKSGIVING/ADVENT/CHRISTMAS UPDATE
Our annual Thanksgiving Eve Divine Service will be held at Messiah on Wednesday evening, November 22nd at 7:00 pm. We've invited our brothers & sisters and Christ from St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Rockford to join us for this service; Rev. Jason Peterson will preside and preach, our combined choirs will sing, and Holy Communion will be celebrated. We look forward to seeing you there!
During Advent, our special midweek services will focus on Jesus Christ as the true, final revelation of The Glory of God. Morning services will be led by Pastor Jason Peterson; evening services will be led by Pastor Terry Hoese. Please plan to join us on these dates:
Wednesday, December 6th at 11:00 am (Matins) or 7:00 pm (Evening Prayer)
Wednesday, December 13th at 11:00 am (Matins) or 7:00 pm (Christmas Reflections)
Wednesday, December 20th at 11:00 am (Matins) or 7:00 pm (Evening Prayer)
Note the dates and times of these other special Advent & Christmas services as well:
Preschool Christmas Program - Thursday, December 14th, 6:30 pm
Christmas Eve Family Candlelight Service - Sunday, December 24th, 7:00 pm
Christmas Day Divine Service - Monday, December 25th, 10:00 am
New Year’s Day Divine Service - Monday, January 1st, 2024, 10:00 am
Epiphany Divine Service at St. Peter's, Rockford - Saturday, January 6th, 2024, 7:00 pm
WORSHIP AND CLASS SCHEDULE
We continue with one Divine Service held at 10:00 am on Sundays, with Bible Class beforehand at 9:00 am. Services are scheduled to be livestreamed at
Our website www.messiahgr.org
Our Facebook page www.facebook.com/messiahgr.
Bulletins formatted for use with our livestream are available for downloading and/or printing at home. These are posted at least two days before each service at www.messiahgr.org/worship-resources
Readings and hymns for each service are also listed in the informational note found on the same web pages as our livestreams.
Bible Class is also livestreamed at www.messiahgr.org/adult-bible-class.
Thanks to Pastor James Blain for leading Sunday services during the rest of November and December.
Our weekly women's group CARES (Caring, Active, Reaching, Encouraging Sisters in Christ) continues on Wednesdays at 9:45 am, reading and discussing the book God’s Provision in a Wilderness World by Lindsey Hausch. Click here for a book sample.
Our vacancy pastor, Rev. Jason Peterson of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Rockford, is in Messiah's office on Tuesdays from 8:15 to 11:00 am. You can also contact Pastor Peterson by phone at 734-645-4353 or by email at revjpeterson@yahoo.com.
WHAT'S NEW, WHAT'S NEXT
Check our monthly newsletter and our weekly announcements for details on these upcoming events:
Annual Voters Meeting & Potluck, Sunday, November 19th after the Divine Service.
NEW! Adopt-A-Family Donation Drive, supporting the mothers and children served by the Pregnancy Resource Center of Grand Rapids, from Sunday, November 19th through Sunday, December 17th.
Christmas Bazaar & Cookie Walk, sponsored by the Parish Services Guild, Saturday, December 2nd from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. There are plenty of opportunities to help with this annual event; contact any Guild member to find out how!
Advent Prayer Breakfast, Saturday, December 9th at 9:30 am.
NEW! Christmas Caroling on Saturday, December 16th at 3:00 pm.
LOOKING AHEAD
During the rest of November, our Sunday Gospel readings focus on Jesus’ parables of the end times in Matthew 25, reminding us that He will return when we least expect. The Last Sunday of the Church Year on November 26th proclaims that, for those claimed by Christ and redeemed by His death, the judgment of the living and the dead holds no terrors for us – rather, it will mark our ultimate entrance into His eternal kingdom, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting! Confident in our Lord's promises, let us prepare our hearts to meet Him weekly in Word and Sacrament, where He grants all the gracious gifts we need -- faith to love Him and strength to serve our neighbors in His love!
Yours in Him,
Rick Krueger, Parish Assistant
