Dear Brothers and Sisters at Messiah,
We hope that these reminders of upcoming opportunities for worship, education, fellowship and service will be helpful as we head for the halfway point of May.
WORSHIP AND CLASS SCHEDULE:
On Sunday, May 14th & 21st, we'll have Divine Service at 8:30 and 11:00 am, and Sunday School and Bible Class at 9:45 am. The 11:00 am service is 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 pages as our livestreams.
Bible Class is also livestreamed at www.messiahgr.org/adult-bible-class.
From Sunday, May 28th(Memorial Day weekend – also the day of Pentecost) through Sunday,September 3rd (Labor Day weekend), there will be oneDivine Service held at10:00 am, withBible Class beforehand at 9:00 am. The Sunday morning service will be livestreamed as usual; Sunday School will be in recess for the summer beginning on May 28th. Monday night Divine Serviceswill also be held from June 5th through August 28th at 7:00 pm (with the exception of Monday, July 3rd).
WHAT'S UP, WHAT'S COMING:
(Details in our weekly announcements and our May newsletter)
Next Thursday, May 18th, we gather with our brothers and sisters in Christ at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Rockford (310 E Division St NE) to celebrate The Ascension of Our Lord. A meat loaf supper (all food provided) will be served at 6:00 pm, followed by the Divine Service at 7:00 pm; Pastor Jason Peterson will preside over the service, and Pastor Twietmeyer will preach the sermon. Rejoice in the proclamation of God’s Word, in the music of our combined choirs and in the gift of Christ's body and blood as we worship Him together!
“NOT CHOIR” is coming this summer! Join Rick Krueger weekly on Wednesdays at 7:00 pm beginning June 7th for conversation, singing tips, skill building and previews of the music for the following weekend. Like singing hymns but wish you could do it better? Wish you could like it? Love it so much you wish could do it more? Whatever your starting point, “Not Choir” is for you!
On Monday-Friday, June 19th - 23rd from 9:00 to 11:45 am, Messiah will hold our annual Vacation Bible School. This year’s theme is God’s Living Water: Covered in Jesus’ Grace! Kids age 4 as of August 1st through grade 6 are invited to join us for lessons, music, crafts, snacks, activities and more! Can you help with VBS this year? Sign up at the Welcome Center, contact Steve Ledbetter (our 2023 VBS Director) or go online to volunteer at vbsmate.com/messiahgr2023 (click on the blue “Become a volunteer” button). Our VBS Volunteer Orientation is this Saturday, May 13th, starting at 9:00 am! You can also register children or grandchildren online by clicking on the blue “Register your child” button.
WHO IS MY ELDER?
"The Board of Elders, for some time now, has had the policy of dividing up the families of Messiah and assigning them to an elder. However, as various elders join or leave the board, we have had the annual task of reassigning families to another elder. Also, the number of elders available changes from year to year requiring us to reassign families to different elders.
All of this causes people to ask who is my elder. We want to make this question as easy to answer as possible, so instead of assigning you to a certain elder, we will not assign specific families to a specific elder. Rather, we will publish the names and phone numbers of all the elders [in the upcoming new phone directory and elsewhere]. Please feel free to contact any of us about any concerns, questions, or prayer requests. We will share the spiritual care of the congregation among all members of the board by coordinating our efforts to serve the congregation.
So, in conclusion, who is my elder? We all are. Contact any of us."
Kevin Mueller
Vice Chair, Board of Elders
LOOKING AHEAD:
What does Jesus' ascension mean for us?
On Christ’s ascension I now build
The hope of my ascension;
This hope alone has always stilled
All doubt and apprehension;
For where the Head is, there as well
I know His members are to dwell
When Christ will come and call them.
Since Christ returned to claim His throne,
Great gifts for me obtaining,
My heart will rest in Him alone,
No other rest remaining;
For where my treasure went before,
There all my thoughts will ever soar
To still their deepest yearning.
O grant, dear Lord, this grace to me,
Recalling Your ascension,
That I may serve You faithfully
In thanks for my redemption;
And then, when all my days will cease,
Let me depart in joy and peace
In answer to my pleading.
-- "On Christ's Ascension I Now Build," Lutheran Service Book 492
Yours in Him,
Rick Krueger, Parish Assistant
