Join us For Worship
WEDNESDAY NIGHT SERVICE – Wednesdays – 6:00pm
CONTEXTUAL WORSHIP ~ Another era of our church which, oddly, looks an awful lot like an old era. In seminary, they challenged us to think about the ancient past as well as the future when planning ahead. Tradition, as GK Chesterton would say, is the “democracy of the dead.” The values, the practices, the culture we uphold is what they have voted for and what we practice. In considering this, we are encouraged to look at the early church. In the book of Acts, they were never worried about the carpet color, the clothes they wore, or the candles being lit. They themselves were on fire for the Lord. They met in houses, eating together, worshiping and praising His name in their homes, hidden in the midst of their adversaries. As the Church grew and it welcomed in different tribes and different nations, the pattern of their traditions evolved… eventually welcoming altar rails, pews, and organs… this was to reach the context that the Church was given. And, today, we still meet our context and our culture, by retaining the traditional elements of Sunday worship in order to allow for a time that we are seen as separate from the world, holy, and sanctified. This is filled with customs like albs, pulpits, and an immutable liturgy. Now, on Wednesdays, we will be able to address the context and the culture that sees the need for discussive community and fellowship. This will allow for a time and place to practice praying for and with each other; addressing personal and serious issues; communing as they had as a family on Maundy Thursday. We will have the Church together much like they did at first, in the Fellowship Hall. If you’re curious, questioning, or have someone to invite.
TRADITIONAL SERVICE – Sundays – 9:00am
Traditional Service is held Sunday morning. Our traditional worship follows the historical, liturgical form of worship. Worshipers use the Lutheran Service Book. The service is led by Pastor. The congregation says and sings responses in the liturgy from the service book. Hymns are taken from the Lutheran Service Book, scripture is read from the appointed lectionary for the day, and the Gospel is proclaimed in a sermon. We have corporate confession and absolution, and confess our faith in one of the historical creeds of the church. We receive the Lord’s Supper every Sunday in this service. If you are a member of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod and wish to commune with us, pastors and elders are available to speak with in the church office fifteen minutes before service.
HOW SHOULD I DRESS FOR CHURCH – Wear what you feel is comfortable and appropriate. People at Messiah wear a variety of clothes. Some of the guys wear jeans or khaki pants and a polo or button up shirt, while others fill more comfortable in a shirt and tie or suit. The ladies will wear dresses, skirts, pants or shorts and blouses. When a person dresses out of love for the Lord, the choice of dress – casual or more formal – is acceptable to God…and us.
CHILDREN – Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me…” Children are welcome at all services and Pastor has a Children’s Message during the service. It can be difficult to keep your children quiet for a period of time. If your young children get restless you may take them to the narthex or the cry room were there is room for them to roam. You are still able to hear the service through speakers in these areas and you can see through the sanctuary doors from the narthex or the through the window in the cry room. Everyone loves to have the children here and will help you in any way possible.
TO STAND OR SIT – There are certain parts of the service where you will be invited to stand. Sometimes, “wrestling” with children, or a personal health condition makes standing uncomfortable … please know: It is okay to either stand or sit. Both are appropriate. Please, make yourself comfortable, receive the gifts God loves to give and BOLDLY sing his praises.
“THE LORD’S SUPPER – If you are visiting with us here or have not been instructed in the unique Lutheran teaching regarding the Lord’s Supper, we kindly ask you to speak to the Pastor before communing. Thank you.”
GOD’S MISSION FOR US – “Preaching and teaching the truth to His expanding kingdom, reaching out to all!” Our first destination on the journey towards His Vision for us is to “Increase, unify and involve membership through caring outreach and loving in-reach while efficiently managing God’s resources and expanding effective facilities.
We believe, teach and confess that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord, and that through faith in Him we receive forgiveness of sins, eternal life and salvation. We confess that “our works cannot reconcile God or merit forgiveness of sins and grace, but that we obtain forgiveness and grace only by faith when we believe that we are received into favor for Christ’s sake, who alone has been ordained to be the mediator and propitiation through whom the Father is reconciled”.
We believe that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven and that all who die without faith in Him are eternally damned. We believe that those who believe in Christ will enjoy a blissful relationship with Him during the interim between their death and His second coming, and that on the last day their bodies will be raised.