July 15th Update

Written By Rick Krueger

Dear Brothers and Sisters of Messiah,

A reminder to members of our Special Voters' Meeting this coming Sunday, July 19th after the Divine Service, to act on recommendations from the Board of Trustees' new Safety Team. Contact Rick Domine, Joe Buss or Rick Cunningham if you have questions or would like more information before the meeting. If you're interested in First Aid/CPR/AED Training on Saturday, July 25th from 9:00 am to 12 noon, contact Rick Cunningham as soon as possible.

Weekly services and Bible classes continue through the rest of July. Since other activities around Messiah are fewer until we pick up the pace again in August, the latest "What's New and Next" also highlights upcoming events sponsored by other local LCMS congregations and schools, and our District President David Davis gets the closing slot via one of his recent blog posts.

WORSHIP AND CLASS SCHEDULE

  • Our regular Sunday schedule: 

    • Divine Service at 10:00 am.

    • Bible Class at 9:00 am.  We continue the Bible study Christ Is Risen Indeed, based on 1 Corinthians 15. This is the official study of this summer's upcoming Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod convention. (Sunday School is in recess for the summer.)

  • Livestreams of our Sunday services can be found at:

  • Monday night Divine Services will also be held through August 31st at 7:00 pm. 


WHAT'S NEW & NEXT
Our July newsletter is online; click here to view or download a copy! Paper copies are available at the Welcome Center.  We post the newsletter (including monthly calendars) and our weekly announcements online at www.messiahgr.org; calendars are also online separately at www.messiahgr.org/calendar.  Be sure to check these sources regularly for updates on the events listed below and more!

  • Pastor Eric and Rick will lead a service for the residents of Bishop Hills Assisted Living (located at 4951 11 Mile Road NE in Rockford) on Sunday, July 26th at 3:00 pm. Why not join with these brothers and sisters in Christ for worship that afternoon?

  • The new online Women's Reading Group: A Feast of Fine Things continues. The group is reading Parents and Children by Charlotte Mason over the summer. Their next in-person meeting will be held at church on Wednesday, July 29th at 6:30 pm.

  • West Michigan Lutheran High School is hosting a Basketball Camp for boys and girls entering grades 5–8 on Monday through Wednesday, July 20–22 from 5:45–7:45 p.m. The camp will be held in the gym at St. Mark Lutheran Church in Kentwood. The cost is $30 per student and includes a t-shirt. To register, contact the school office at office@wmlhs.org or (616) 455-2200.

  • Jonah Keup and Andrew Zerull from Immanuel Lutheran Church are inviting other Lutheran Young Adults in West Michigan to join them Wednesday, August 12th at 6:00 pm at VanderMill Cider (505 Ball NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503). Enjoy playing music bingo or simply come along to meet new people over some food and drink. We hope to see you there! Questions? Contact Jonah or Andrew at w.mi.walther@gmail.com.


Yours in Christ, Pastor Eric & Rick Krueger


FROM DISTRICT PRESIDENT DAVIS
"Years ago, I led a sectional at a pastors’ conference. The committee asked me to talk about meeting the needs of our communities in these difficult times. (This was years ago—the times are always difficult.) While ministries like coat distribution, food pantries, an after-school youth center, and so on meet some of the needs, there is another way to look at what the community needs from the Church."

"Maybe the following will give you something to think about."

"The community needs us to:

  • Read our Bible.

  • Pray - a lot.

  • Tithe plus (i.e. trust in God instead of money).

  • Quit talking like political pundits.

  • Quit expecting non-Christian people to behave Biblically.

  • Behave Biblically.

  • Love its children.

  • Quit selling Jesus.

  • Be in proximity.

  • Love each other in the Church."

"This world and your community have many needs. Chief among them is the need for the Christ-centered, hope-filled ministry of Christians and their congregations."

(Click here to unpack each item on the list.)

Rick Krueger Messiah Lutheran Church
Next

June 30th Update