Congratulations Confirmands

Congratulations to the newest confirmands of Messiah Lutheran Church. Sunday marked the end of a two year program in which the confirmands built upon their faith foundation. During this two year process, the confirmands focused on many areas of their spiritual life including:

• A focus on grace, affirmation of Baptism, mission, discipleship, and vocation.
• A focus on the Bible and the Small Catechism.
• An understanding of affirmation of Baptism as a lifelong process rather than a once-in-a-lifetime event.

This year's confirmands are:

• Meggy Nazrini deJong
• James Samuel Hendrick
• Mitchell Taylor Holden
• Stephanie Taylor Holden
• Jacob Alexander Mahafza
• Mikayla Rachel Mast
• Rebecca Lynn Mast
• Morgan Nicole McDaniels
• Jacqueline Dee Stender
• Ashlyn Allegra Perry
• Kyle Aaron Thompson

Confirmation usually takes place during the 8th and 9th grades, but older students often participate.  If you are interested in confirmation, please contact the Church office.

Volunteers Needed For Disaster Response

Messiah's FEMA Form Brigade

Volunteers from the community congregations  in cooperation with InterFaith Mission Service (IMS) and FEMA are canvassing the tornado ravaged areas in our community to assist and encourage those affected to register with FEMA.  Messiah is working in cooperation with All Saints Lutheran, Eagle's Nest Ministries and Progressive Union Baptist in the Ford's Chapel/Wall Triana/ Stoval area of Harvest.  We have identified 200-300 homes in this area that have damage.  In addition to going door-to-door, we will also be hosting "Help Centers" at locations near this area where residents can come in for help with the FEMA process.  If you are interested in helping with this endeavor please contact Kay Spence, our area coordinator.  Training is provided and you can work as much or as little as you want. =)  The deadline for FEMA registration is June 27.

CHAINSAWS NEEDED  JUNE 11

The United Way is hosting a clean-up blitz on June 11 and are in desparate need of persons who will donate their chainsaw help.  There are about 500 volunteers ready to haul limbs to the curb but they need chainsaws to cut up the downed trees.  If you can volunteer some time on Saturday, June 11, please contact Marcie Williams at the United Way (marcie.williams@uwhsv.org or 256-518-8206).  You may also volunteer at www.keepvolunteering.org or check this site for the latest information on the recovery efforts, volunteer opportunities or needed donations.

Mission to Guatemala

Please pray for our missionary Lois as she travels today with a delegation from the SE Synod to the Lutheran Church in Guatemala (ILAG).

The Iglesia Luterana Agustina de Guatemala (Augustinian Lutheran Church of Guatemala) was founded in 1991 by Padre Horacio Castillo and his family. The members come from the margins of the Guatemalan society, people of few resources and are predominantly indigenous.

Guatemala suffered through a 36 year internal war. This war ended in 1996 with the signing of the peace accords. Padre Horacio Castillo helped write and later was among those who signed the peace accords.

The first churches of the ILAG were formed in Guatemala City among the internally displaced, those who fled into the City during the war, who were (and still are) living in the ravines of the City.  The ILAG also operates two elementary schools which serve children and families in these marginalized areas of the City.

As refuges began to return from Mexico, they contacted Padre Horacio as they had known him from his visits to some of the camps.  Through these contacts the ILAG grew in the rural areas of the country among the resettled refuges.

The ILAG continues to grow each year by a few mission sites and churches as communities hear that the ILAG walks with people delivering the gospel freely to all people and visits the communities regularly.

New Members

A special welcome to our newest members: DJ Warren, Randall Fields, Crystal Beard, and Hank Alewine.

Inviting Friends to Church

As I was driving down Highway 72 today in Madison, Alabama, I saw a man dressed in religious garb waving at cars. As I drove closer, I realized that the man was Scott Peterson, the Pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church. I was intrigued, so I parked my car and went over to talk to him. I asked him why he was standing on a busy highway waving at cars as they went by. He answered, "This is just a simple way to invite the thousands of people who drive past this Church every hour to stop in and visit. I know that many people are looking for a Church right now and I want each of them to know that they are welcome at Messiah Lutheran Church. I've done this in the past and I've had people visit the Church and become members simply because I stood on the road and waved at them."

As I drove home, I thought about what the pastor had said. Could it be that simple? And the more I thought about it, I realized that the Pastor was on the right track. There are many people in our community who are looking for a Church. They just need an invitation. I personally am going to look for opportunities to invite the people I meet to visit Messiah Lutheran Church. I encourage you to do the same.

We are all a little nervous, or even a little “afraid” to invite people to church. We fear rejection, the loss of a friendship, or may feel that we will “mess things” up. But God wants us to grow as a Christian Community! And if Pastor Scott can stand on a busy highway and wave at thousands of cars, I guess the least we can do is to put ourselves out there by extending invitations to our friends.

Mother Daughter Tea 2011

On May 7, 1914, President Wilson signed a resolution designating the second Sunday in May as "Mother's Day," the official day for honoring moms. In celebration of Mother's Day, Messiah Lutheran Church hosted a Mother daughter tea. This formal event provided an opportunity for all of the ladies of the congregation to join together for some quality social time. This lovely event was filled with enrichment for body, soul, and spirit and focused bolstering fellowship between mothers and daughters.

On Eagle's Wings Auction 2011

On Saturday May 7th, Messiah Lutheran Church conducted it's annual On Eagle's Wings Auction. The master of ceremonies and head auctioneer was Ken Grant. He did a fantastic job of keeping the evening lively and keeping the auction items moving. All of the proceeds from this event will be used to support the On Eagles Wings mission.

On Eagle's Wings serves more than 30 remote communities in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut from a base in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The people of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are Inuit, Metis and First Nations people who come from five different tribal backgrounds. On Eagle's Wings:

• is Christ-centered, ecumenical, theologically faithful to our denominational backgrounds and sensitive to the cultures and diverse traditions of northern Christians
• provides pastoral care to individuals and groups living in remote northern communities
• identifies, trains, encourages and mentors northern Christians for leadership and ministry within their own cultural and denominational traditions
• maintains a ministry staff that reflects the denominational diversity of the aboriginal and non-aboriginal people of the North
• is an ecumenical partnership of northern and southern Christians working together to proclaim Jesus Christ and serve the Church
• provides counselling, worship and Bible study opportunities for northern Christians
• provides Christian education programs for families, children, women and men
• produces Christ-centered Christian education curriculum for use in northern churches and homes
• is a network of prayer, spiritual, financial and human resource support of Christian people throughout North America
• reflects our core values of Respect, Integrity, Stewardship and Ecumenism

If you would like to learn more about the On Eagle's Wings Mission, please contact Lois Graff or the Church Office.

Health Kits for Disaster Relief

On Monday, May 2, 2011 the Youth of Messiah Lutheran Church gathered together to build health kits in support of Lutheran Disaster Response.  Even though these children have been without power for the last week as a result of the tornadoes, they wanted to to help make a difference.  They worked in the Church's Narthex because the Church still doesn't have power and the Narthex was the best lighted and ventilated area of the church.  It was still a warm and humid day.  Despite these challenges, they worked hard to assemble over 100 health and baby kits that will be used for disaster response.  If you would like additional news and information about how you can help the Church's Disaster Response effort, please visit the Messiah Lutheran Church Disaster Response Web Page.