Dear Brothers and Sisters at Messiah,
Alleluia! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
As we continue in what the Church has historically called the Great Fifty Days, the time of jubilation between Easter Sunday and the Day of Pentecost, we hope that these reminders of upcoming opportunities for worship, education, fellowship and service will be helpful for you!
WEEKLY WORSHIP AND CLASS SCHEDULE
Throughout April and May, 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 Facebook page. www.facebook.com/messiahgr
The most recent service is viewable on our website's front page, www.messiahgr.org
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.
In addition to Sunday Bible Class, Dan Bohlinger and Pastor Hoese are leading a LifeLight study ofJames and Jude on Wednesdays at 6:00 pm;sign up at the Welcome Center. Click here to learn more about this class.
OnThursday, May 9th,our brothers and sisters in Christ from St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Rockford will join us here at Messiah to celebrateThe Ascension of Our Lord! A meal will be served in the fellowship hall at 6:00 pm, followed by the service at7:00 pm. Pastor will preside, and Pastor Jason Peterson will preach; a joint choir led by St. Peter's retiring music director Julie Busen will provide anthems and musical leadership. The service will also be livestreamed as above.
At their April meeting, the Board of Elders set Messiah’s summer worship schedule. FromSunday, May 26th (Memorial Day weekend) through Sunday, September 1st (Labor Day weekend), we'll continue with the Sunday schedule as above. Monday night services will also be held from Monday, June 3rd through Monday, August 26th at 7:00 pm.
WHAT'S NEW & NEXT
Check the current and upcoming newsletters and our weekly announcements (accessible on our website's news page) for details on these and other events:
NEW! Mother's Day Flower Basket Sale, sponsored by the Board of Outreach and Messiah's Life Team. Proceeds will benefit the Pregnancy Resource Center of Grand Rapids. Orders can be placed through this Thursday, April 18th; contact Arlene Mansfield for details. Order forms are available at the Welcome Center and the church office.
Parent Enrichment Night for church and preschool families this Thursday, April 18th at 6:00 pm. Pizza, playtime and a presentation by Pastor Eric on God's Gift of Prayer. Everyone is welcome! More details from Pastor are below; sign up at this link.
Spring Clean-Up Day Saturday, April 20th from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon, sponsored by the Board of Trustees.
Urdu Worship Service Saturday, April 20th at 5:00 pm. Led by Pastor Afzal Masih, this service will be held in the fellowship hall, with a Pakistani meal following. Urdu services are held on the third Saturday of each month; Messiah members and friends are welcome to attend!
Prayer Pals Gathering Sunday, April 21st at 6:00 pm. Contact Deb Krueger for details about this biannual women's event.
NEW! Family Game Night Saturday, May 4th from 5:00 to 7:00 pm, sponsored by Lutherans in Fellowship Together. Contact Dave or Tammy Ahrens for details.
NEW! Vacation Bible School Monday - Friday, June 24th - 28th from 9:00 to 11:45 am. This year's theme is Celebrate the Savior: Jesus Gives Us Joy! Registration and volunteer sign-ups will begin in May; contact VBS coordinator Steve Ledbetter for details.
Rick Krueger, Parish Assistant
FROM PASTOR ERIC:
There is nothing quite like being a mother or a father, grandma or grandpa. We want what is best for our children and grandchildren, we want to shower them with love, we want them to know the love of God.
However, these very desires often lead us to worry endlessly about their future, or drive us to hover and micro manage in an attempt to guarantee their safety, or just conjure up that constant nagging question ‘Am I a good enough parent?’
In a world full of uncertainties, as parents and grandparents, where can we turn and what can we do for those we love the most? In prayer, we get to turn to the one person who loves our children more than we do, and the one person who can do more for our sons and daughters than we can.
My wife Allison and I would love it if you could join us on this coming Thursday, April 18th from 6:00 - 7:15 pmfor pizza, playtime for kids, and some time to share howGod’s Gift of Prayercan bring us closer to our children and grandkids, help us in our role as parents and grandparents, and deliver us peace during turbulent times. You can RSVP at this link. I hope to see you there!
Pastor Eric
