August 17 Update
Dear Brothers and Sisters of Messiah,
As we sang in yesterday's Divine Service, "The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him." (Psalm 28:7) As summer days get shorter and the school year gets closer, we continue to rely on our heavenly Father's salvation and strength, given us by His Son Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit working in Word & Sacrament!
Upcoming worship, education, fellowship and outreach events at Messiah are coming into focus, as you’ll see below!
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, the official study of last month's Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod convention. (Sunday School is in recess for the summer.)
Livestreams of our Sunday services can be found at:
Our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/messiahgr
The most recent livestreamed service is viewable on our website's front page, www.messiahgr.org
Monday night Divine Services will also continue through August 31st at 7:00 pm.
NEW! CARES (Caring, Active, Reaching, Encouraging Sisters in Christ) resumes on Wednesday, September 9th at 9:45 am, continuing their discussion of the book Come and Be Filled: Feasting with Jesus in His Word by Kristopher R. Whitby. Click here for a sample.
NEW! LifeLight also resumes in September with 9-week classes on The Epistle to the Hebrews. Classes begin Tuesday, September 15th at 10:30 am or Wednesday, September 16th at 6:00 pm. Click here for a sample.
WHAT'S NEW & NEXT
Our August 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!
NEW! Preschool begins Tuesday, September 8th! It's not too late to sign up children for this year's Terrific Threes or Fantastic Fours classes. Contact our director Vonda Smestad for details and application forms.
Summer's End Picnic Sunday, September 13th after the Divine Service, sponsored by the Board of Outreach. Our preschool families are being invited to join us at our pavilion and grounds for food (BBQ sandwiches, hot dogs, ice cream), games and fellowship. Please sign up at the Welcome Center to bring side dishes, fruit salads, or desserts (that go with ice cream)!
Lutheran Women in Mission (LWML) Fall Rally "Jesus is the Light" Saturday, September 26th, 2026 from 9:00 am - 2:30 pm at Messiah. Cost will be $10 per person; ingathering will be shirts for residents of our local Michigan Veterans Home. Sign-up sheets coming soon; contact Linda Blain for details.
Yours in Christ, Rick Krueger
FROM MISSIONARY STEVEN MAHLBURG
"For nine years the Lord allowed our family to serve among His people in Sri Lanka. Those years were marked by joys and sorrows—terrorist bombings, a pandemic, national bankruptcy, and political upheaval. Yet through every trial, Christ remained faithful to His church.
"During this time, the Lutheran believers in Sri Lanka walked a remarkable path. A congregation long separated from its Lutheran brothers and sisters was brought back into fellowship. A church body that had lost its registration began to reorganize, adopt a constitution, elect leaders, and—by God’s grace consecrate a bishop with support from Lutheran churches across three continents. Pastors and evangelists continued to grow in their calling, strengthened by faithful teachers from near and far. The church cared for the poor, encouraged children, and prepared a Tamil liturgy so that Christ’s Word might be heard clearly in the language of the people.
"It was a privilege simply to stand among them as Christ did His work—through preaching, teaching, baptizing, and gathering His people around His gifts. The Lord is the One who sustains His church. We are only servants.
"Now the Lord has opened a new door. He is sending Martha and me to Japan. For the first months we will devote ourselves to learning the language and culture, preparing to support a small but growing outreach and expat ministry in the Tokyo area. In a nation where only about 1% confess Christ, we trust that the Lord of the harvest will continue to call workers and gather His people.
"We thank you for your prayers and support during our years in Sri Lanka. We ask for your continued partnership as we follow where the Lord leads."
(Messiah supports the Mahlburgs' missionary work with a portion of our offerings, donated through the LCMS' Together in Mission network. To read the Mahlburgs' latest newsletter in its entirety, click here. To learn more about them and contribute further to their work, click here.)