Monday, October 26, 2009

Chili Cookoff and Halloween Party



On Saturday, October 24th, Messiah Lutheran Church conducted their annual Chili Cookoff and Halloween Party.



The kids came in costume and paraded through the dining room. There were some great and creative costumes.



The Jr. Youth lead the younger kids in contests and games for prizes. Sonja led them in a bone hunt etc. They had a great time!!



All of the usual Halloween suspects were present including cowboys, space men, princesses and monsters.



Some of the adults even dressed up for the occasion.



Of course the main event of the evening was the chili eating and judging.
  • First prize was a tie between Anita de'Jong & William Strand
  • 2nd place was William Strand
  • 3rd was a tie between Paul Zutter and Anita de'Jong 
  • The Hottest Chili Prize went to Sonja Peterson.



The Chili Cookoff and Halloween Party are hosted each year by the fellowship committee of Messiah Lutheran Church. If you would like to see some of the other great fellowship activities that are conducted at Messiah, please visit the Fellowship Page on the Messiah Website.





Older Wiser Lutherans (OWLS)



This month's gathering of the Older Wiser Lutheran's was conducted at Terranova's Italian Restaurant in Huntsville, AL. Approximately 20 members of the OWLs attended the gathering including a few who were there for the first time.  The OWLs enjoyed some fellowship while savoring some tasty Italian dishes including appetizers, soups, salads, chicken, seafood, steaks, pizza, pasta, and of course dessert.



Terranova's, provided the group with a wonderful Italian ambiance in which to enjoy some fellowship. The restaurant is decorated with bona fide Italian antiques, artifacts, and memorabilia, all of which made for a delightful evening for the OWLS.



The OWLS are a loosely knit group of folks (over 50 years of age) who get together once a month for an activity. These activities vary from a potluck at the church, Sunday brunch at a restaurant, miniature golf, a visit to the Botanical Garden, to attending the "Living Christmas Tree" concert. Both men and women are welcome.



If you would like to learn more about the OWLS, contact Jan Murphy or the Messiah Lutheran Church Office at (256) 721-0041. You can also check out the OWLS Page on the Messiah Website.




Sunday, October 25, 2009

The A-Maiz-ing Tweens


The Tweens of Messiah Lutheran Church conducted an outing to one of the local corn mazes.  Everyone had a good time and no one was permanently lost in the maze.  It was a great day to be outside with a blue sky and just enough chill to make it feel like fall. 

The Tweens are one of the youth groups at Messiah Lutheran Church.  They are made up of children in the 3d, 4th, and 5th grade.  They usually conduct an activity each month.  If you would like to learn more about the Tweens, please contact the Messiah Lutheran Church Office at (256) 721-0041. 

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Handmade Market


 (Click on Picture to Enlarge)

On October 17th and 18th, Messiah Lutheran Church held a Handmade Market.  Twenty Six Artisans and Craftsmen donated over 800 items to the Hand Made Market. 100% of the proceeds from the market will go to support Lunches For Learning.  Lunches for Learning is a non-profit organization that raises funds to purchase food for elementary school children in poverty stricken areas of Honduras.  The program which is only a few years old, has had tremendous success so far.  Children who previously would have spent the day looking for food to eat are now in the classroom learning. One of the key benefits of the program is that it helps break the cycle of poverty in Honduras.  The children come to school because that is where the food is, but they getting something even more important.  An education.

Messiah Lutheran Church has undertaken the mission of sponsoring the Benito Montoya School in Honduras.  Click here to view a slide show of the Benito Montoya School.

So far, the Handmade Market has raised over $3000 in support of the Lunches For Learning Mission.  God is truly working through the volunteers and craftsmen who made this event possible.  The remaining items from the Handmade Market will be available for sale between church services on Oct. 25 and Dec. 6.  Please contact Jackie Myers or the church office at (256) 721-0041 if you would like to help support the Handmade Market and Lunches For Learning.





Sunday, October 11, 2009

Senior Youth Canoe Trip




On Sunday, 11 October, the Senior Youth and several adult leaders of Messiah Lutheran Church traveled to the Elk River in Kelso Tennessee to take part in a water adventure.


The first stop of the journey was the canoe outfitter where we made arrangements to rent the required equipment for our expedition.



After everyone had been properly outfitted with life vests and paddles, we loaded into vans for the trip up the river to the entry point.



We then paired everyone up in canoes.  This was the first time that some members of our group had been canoeing.  There was a little bit of a learning curve at the beginning of the trip, but by the end of our adventure, everyone had mastered the basics of paddling a canoe.



Our entire journey was about 7.5 miles and took about 3 hours.  The weather was perfect.  It was a great opportunity to reflect on our lives and witness the beauty of God's creation.



About half way through our journey, we took a break and ate the picnic lunches that we brought with us.  It was a great chance for fellowship and a rare opportunity to break bread together as a group while enjoying the great outdoors.



Sadly the trip finally came to an end, but some members of the group could not resist a few more antics in the frigid water while waiting for our transportation.  Everyone in the group said that they really enjoyed the trip and couldn't wait for the next event.  If you would like to learn more about the Messiah Lutheran Church Senior Youth Group, please visit their page on the website, or speak with John Shriver.




Sunday, October 4, 2009

Blessing of the Animals


On Saturday, October 3rd, Messiah Lutheran Church conducted a Blessing of the Animals Service. At Messiah Lutheran Church, along with many other churches, it has become the custom to bless pets on St. Francis day.



St. Francis enjoyed a legendary relationship with animals, and stories about his experiences with them abound. It is said that St. Francis loved animals so much that he regularly bought captured birds and freed them.


Perhaps the best story about St. Francis concerns a wolf that was terrorizing an Italian town. St. Francis convinced the townsfolk to feed the animal regularly in exchange for its friendship. Though there were no wolves at Messiah's Blessing of the Animals Service, there were 11 dogs and 2 cats.  All of the animals were on their best behavior.



Do you give special thanks for the animals who share your home? Do you count them among the blessings of this life?


Gracious Lord, thank you for the gift of animals.  Thank you for making these dear creatures which have become blessings in our lives.  May we see in them your unfailing love, and may we share with them your boundless compassion.  Amen.