Monday, April 27, 2015

MLC Celebrates First 1989 Service and Announces 25th Anniversary Schedule of Events for May 23rd and 24th, 2015.

Congregation to celebrate journey from a rented union hall to established community church.

Messiah Lutheran Church will celebrate its 25th anniversary on May 23rd and 24th, 2015.  Events will highlight a unique journey for the Lutheran congregation and its Pastor, Reverend Scott Peterson. Leading up to this weekend celebration, MLC has observed other milestones in its church history since organizing as a congregation on May 20th, 1990. The theme of this year-long celebration is “God’s Word is our Great Heritage.”  
All are invited to celebrate the 25th Anniversary Weekend events:
Saturday, May 23rd

  • 2:30 PM - Visit to the former Union Hall, light snacks served
  • 4:30 PM - Youth led activities and sharing of history at Messiah Lutheran Church
  • 5:30 PM - Casual Barbeque picnic supper outdoors (if raining, in Parish Hall)
Sunday, May 24th
  • 8:30 AM - Service of Worship with Lord’s Supper
  • 9:45 AM - Reception for Confirmands (Fellowship Hall)
  • 11:00 AM - Service of Worship with Confirmation and Lord’s Supper
  • NOON - Celebration Dinner (Parish Hall) 

Celebrating Messiah's Very First Service

Mementos from the April 26th, 2015, reception celebrating MLC's first worship sevice
from April 23rd, 1989. The family of Pastor Scott Peterson is shown.
On April 26th, 2015, Messiah Lutheran observed and celebrated 26 years of worshiping in Madison. The 11:00 a.m. service featured a special re-creation of the first service of April 23rd, 1989, following the same order of worship, special music and included most of the same hymns. Even the same font was used in the printed program (see photo). Thankfully missing Sunday was the smokey aroma that permeated the rented Union Hall space where the congregation worshipped its first four years. Two receptions after each of the April 26th services allowed members to share stories, laugh and remember moments in Messiah's history. Members can also submit personal reflection on Messiah's history in a special "Messiah Memories" display which will hang in the church narthex through the celebration weekend.

A brief history of Messiah Lutheran Church, its mission and message.

The story began back in the mid 1980's when the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America recognized Madison as an excellent mission field for planting a new church.  In the fall of 1988, Pastor Peterson accepted the call, moving from Minnesota with his wife, Bonnie Jane, and their three young children. Six months of knocking on about 3000 doors seeking the unchurched in the Madison area and multiple interest meetings, culminated in Messiah’s first service of worship on April 23rd, 1989. 115 people attended that first service, meeting in the auditorium of the United Rubber Workers’ Union Hall.  


In the following years, like Madison, Messiah Lutheran grew.  On February 14, 1993, ground was broken at 7740 Highway 72W for a church home.  The initial 11,000 sq. ft. building was largely built through the volunteer labor of members and friends. It was dedicated on March 13, 1994.  Subsequent additions for more education, fellowship and worship space were completed in 2005, 2006 and 2012, respectively.  The sanctuary, which seats 300, dedicated a new pipe organ on October 26, 2014.  Services of worship in a variety of styles are 8:30 and 11:00 a.m. each Sunday with Sunday School for all ages starting at 9:45 a.m.
Pastor Scott Peterson, center of photo wearing blue, helps raise
one of the first walls of Messiah Lutheran Church with other volunteers

Commenting on the core of MLC’s mission and message, Pastor Peterson stated, “In north Alabama nearly everyone has heard about Jesus.  Yet, many have never heard about the grace of God.  Messiah Lutheran continues as a mission dedicated to celebrating that the God revealed in the Bible is gracious and merciful.  Responding in gratitude to God’s love keeps us busy caring for children, building homes for families, and sharing the good news locally and around the world.”  

About Messiah Lutheran Church.  Organized as a congregation in 1990, Messiah Lutheran Church seeks to live by its mission statement: God’s People, Reaching Out.  Information about MLC may be found at www.mlutheran.org.


All media inquiries for Messiah Lutheran may be directed to Meredith Kilby, Communications and Media Coordinator, communications@mlutheran.org

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Messiah Lutheran Announces Music Camp June 1 - 7, 2015



Martin Meets Grace -  Messiah Lutheran Church - Music Camp 2015  

Messiah Lutheran Church will conduct its popular, annual Music Camp June 1- 7 for all interested school-aged children Kindergarten through Grade 9.   Campers this year will learn and present Martin Meets Grace, an original musical written by Pastor Scott Peterson and composed by Director of Music, Lois Graff.

The camp (M-F, 9am to 4pm) features five full days of engaging activities.   Morning sessions include music, drama, arts & crafts, snacks, and recreation. Campers bring their sack lunches.  Afternoon activities include bowling, swimming, rollerskating, movies, and hands-on outreach activities.  The camp concludes with a morning dress rehearsal and morning presentations of Martin Meets Grace  at both services of worship.  Martin Meets Grace is an engaging depiction of how, through God's Word,  Martin Luther was gripped by the grace of God -- which"changes everything!" Through the singing and acting of Martin Meets Grace campers will gain a deeper understanding of the grace of God and discover ways to share God’s good news.
2014 Campers present the musical, "Man With a Mission."
This is the twenty-second annual Messiah Music Camp, which began as an extension of Messiah Lutheran's Music Ministries. The annual camp is a team effort with roughly 25 adults and 20 youth assistants involved in teaching, mentoring, assisting, producing, and chaperoning the approxiately fifty campers.

The cost of the week-long camp is $75 per camper.   For additional campers in the same family, the cost is $65.00 for the second child, and $55 for the third.  Scholarships are available. Each child will receive the classic official 2015 Music Camp T-shirt.

Parents are encouraged to pre-register their children.   Camp registration forms are located at Messiah Lutheran's Welcome Center in the narthex of the church, church office. You may also download the registration form, print and mail in the pre-registration.  
 Phone inquiries can be made by calling the church at (256) 721-0041, M-F from 8 am to Noon.  Additional information at www.mlutheran.org

Saturday, April 4, 2015

Wheelchair Ramp, 4 Apr 2015



2 Corinthians 5:17 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 

Messiah Lutheran Church in Madison, Alabama in cooperation with CASA of Madison County built another wheelchair ramp today.  That is not unusual, because Messiah Lutheran Church has built a lot of wheelchair ramps during last few years.  We did however branch out into a new endeavor on this build.  Wehad to build a new gate to allow the family to safely access their backyard where the ramp is located. First we demolished the old fence and gate, we recycled the old wood, set new fence posts in concrete, and the built new fence and gates from the ground up.  



Thanks to the team that supported today's build.  You did an awesome job!

Messiah Lutheran Church builds these ramps in partnership with CASA of Madison County.

CASA (Care Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound) is a non-profit agency located in Huntsville, Alabama that provides services to individuals age 60 and older and to the homebound (wheelchair and bed bound) of all ages.

CASA's mission is to provide needed services to aging/homebound individuals that allow them to remain at home and age in place. Our programs are designed to enable the elderly and homebound to maintain their independence, dignity, health and safety by providing services that specifically address their special physical and emotional needs.


If you would like to participate in a future wheelchair ramp build, please contact the Messiah Lutheran Church Office at 256-721-0041.

Click here for some additional photos of today's build.



Wheelchair Ramp April 4, 2015