Dear Brothers and Sisters at Messiah,
August is almost gone? It's true - which means September is not far behind! Plenty of updates follow below.
PASTORAL VACANCY/CALL PROCESS UPDATE
Rev. Jason Peterson of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Rockford continues to serve as Messiah’s day-to-day vacancy pastor. He's in the office at Messiah 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.
Thanks to all those who submitted nominations for our pastoral call list. These nominations have been forwarded to President Davis’ office at the Michigan District. If all goes well, we hope to receive our call list around mid-September. Thanks as well to the members who have agreed to serve on our Pastoral Call Committee: Tammy Ahrens, Mark Altemann, Gina Griffis, Kristen Kaminski, Melanie Kirchhoff, Rick Krueger, Michael Kutch, Ken Martin and Peter Tessin.
WORSHIP AND CLASS SCHEDULE
Continuing into autumn, there will be 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 pages as our livestreams.
Bible Class is also livestreamed at www.messiahgr.org/adult-bible-class.
Thanks to Pastor James Blain for leading our Divine Services and Bible classes during September.
SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER (PLUS WHAT'S NEW, WHAT'S NEXT)
Our September 2023 newsletter is now available online! Click here to preview or download it in its entirety. A reminder that paper copies of the newsletter are available for members and guests at the Welcome Center. (We also continue to mail the newsletter to homebound members. If you want to receive the newsletter this way, please contact the church office to make arrangements.) We also post the newsletter (including monthly calendars) online at www.messiahgr.org/news; calendars are also online separately at www.messiahgr.org/calendar.
The newsletter (and our upcoming weekly announcements) have details on these upcoming events:
Last minute donations for our annual Garage Sale? Please bring them by this Thursday, August 31st! Contact Sandy Hoffman or Lori Kearney to arrange a drop-off outside of office hours.
Senior Choir practices resume Wednesday, September 6th at 7:00 pm in the sanctuary.
The Garage Sale will be held Friday, September 8th from 5:00 to 8:00 pm & Saturday, September 9th from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Contact Sandy or Lori if you'd like to help!
NEW! Ice Cream Social sponsored by the Board of Education Sunday, September 10th after the Divine Service.
The fall session of LifeLight: Galatians/Philippians/Colossians begins on Tuesday, September 12th at 10:30 am. Dwight Anderson and Shirley Hoese will be team teaching this 9-session course. Copies of the study guide are now available; learn more about the course by clicking here.
Church/Preschool Movie Night on Friday, September 15th. Church and preschool families are invited to a special free showing of The Lion King. Bring beach chairs or blankets for a "drive-in" experience; popcorn will be provided.
Pastor Steven Mahlburg, Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod missionary, and his family will visit for our Mission Festival on Sunday, September 17th. Join us for Bible Class, the Divine Service and a festive potluck (bring a dish to pass). A freewill offering will also be taken to further support the Mahlburgs' ongoing ministry.
Every One His Witness: Witnessing to Adult Children is set for the morning of Saturday, October 7th. Join us for this free video-based workshop sponsored by the Board of Outreach. Register at the Welcome Center, in Bible Class, on our website (click here) or by calling the office.
NEW! Harvest Dinner sponsored by the Parish Service Guild Sunday, October 15th after the Divine Service.
LOOKING AHEAD
Last week, I came across an article by the president of our neighboring Indiana District of the LCMS, Pastor Rick Stuckwisch, with an intriguing title: "The Caananite Woman and the Call Process." I found it encouraging and decided to share it with you! Some excerpts follow:
The reality is, though, that the Call process can sometimes take a long time – not always, but sometimes. There are congregations that issue multiple Calls, only to have them declined, one after another. That experience is frustrating and discouraging, and it can bring to the surface worries and concerns, such as, “What’s wrong with us?” ... More often than not, there’s nothing “wrong” with the congregation, aside from the common afflictions of sin, death, and the devil, which every congregation bears in this body and life. There was nothing “wrong” with the Canaanite Woman and her request, either, other than the very real need that she faced in the case of her poor beleaguered daughter.
The Lord already knew what He would do for that woman and her daughter, just as He already knows the pastors He will send to each and every congregation of His Church on earth – just the right men at just the right time for the accomplishment of His purposes. Meanwhile, the time He takes to answer the prayers of His people is not without purpose; He’s not taunting or teasing but teaching His people, strengthening them in repentance and faith, and fixing their hope in Him. ...
The example of that woman from the region of Tyre and Sidon is set before us, that we should continue to pray, to call upon the Name of the Lord, to cry out for His mercy, and not to lose heart. We persevere in prayer, not on the basis of what we see or feel on the surface, but by faith in the Word and promises of God. “For He says, ‘In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
You can click here to read President Stuckwisch's entire article. In the light of his words, may our Lord strengthen us in faith and in fervent prayer throughout the month to come!
Yours in Christ,
Rick Krueger, Parish Assistant
