OWLs Outing, April 20, 2012

The Older Wiser Lutherans (OWLs) of Messiah Lutheran Church in Madison Alabama went Mini Golfing on April 20, 2012. They followed up this adventure with tasty treat of frozen yogurt at 32 Degrees.

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 Church Office.  

Church Council 2012-2013

From 2012

Congratulations and Best of Luck to Messiah Lutheran Church's 2012-2013 Church Council Members.

Mother's Day Fondue Luncheon

Today the ladies of Messiah Lutheran Church celebrated Mother's Day with a Fondue Luncheon and some very cool looking painted glassware. Thanks to the Fellowship Committee for putting together this very special event.

Lunches for Learning Mission Trip

Here are some photos from the Pastor Scott Peterson and Gerard deJong's mission trip to visit our Lunches for Learning sponsored school in Honduras!

Milestone Christian Academy

This week, Claire Strand, Messiah Lutheran Church's Outreach Coordinator delivered a donation check to the Milestone Christian Academy.  This check represents a portion of the offerings made during Lenten services.  The $1,500 presented to Miss Sherry of the Milestone Christian Academy will be used to improve their kitchen facilities.  


Milestone Development Inc., was founded in 2008. It is a Christian based nonprofit organization that began as a small after school program serving only 25 children's in Huntsville, Alabama. It has now expanded to a new facility, and is licensed to provide service for over 100 children. 


Thanks to everyone who donated this money to help some special children.

Lunches For Learning Fundraiser

Today, the congregation of Messiah Lutheran Church enjoyed a wonderful and authentic Honduran meal while raising money to help the Lunches for Learning Charity. Lunches for Learning Inc. is a nonprofit organization program that provides and supplements a daily lunch for elementary school children by utilizing the cooperative efforts of individual contributors, corporate sponsorship, and the government of Honduras.

Did you know that 60 to 70% of the people in Honduras live in poverty and 20 to 30% of elementary school children drop out so they can search for food? Messiah Lutheran Church in support of the Lunches for Learning Program is working hard to change this statistic. We have adopted the children of the Benito Montoya School. We provide the food and the parents of the school prepare a nutritious meal each day so that our children can concentrate on learning.

We also visit the children of our school several times per year. Just this week, Gerard deJong and Pastor Scott Peterson visited the Benito Montoya School. Check out some pictures from their trip. 

Many thanks to everyone who helped prepare the delicious food for today's meal and to everyone who donated to the cause! Your efforts are making a big difference in the lives of some very special children.

Landscaping

 Have you noticed all of the landscaping changes around the new Sanctuary? Over a two week period, a small Army of volunteers exercised their green thumbs. Through their efforts the ground was prepared, the watering system was installed,  hundreds of plants were planted, edging was installed and a ton of much was moved. Many thanks to everyone who helped with all of this work! And many thanks to everyone who donated to the plant fund at Christmas and Easter!

He Is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Check out some great moments from this year's Easter Celebration.

"When It Was Yet Dark"
 

"Jesus Christ Is Risen Today"
 

"Minuet"
 

"Alleluia, Praise the Lord Most Holy"


"Christ is Risen! Alleluia!"
 

"Crown Him with Many Crowns"
 

Holy Week 2012

Messiah Lutheran Church kicked off Holy Week with a Palm Sunday procession. Palm Sunday celebrates the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem, the week before his death and resurrection. Here are the other services this week:

Apr 4 (Wed)
6pm Seder Potluck Dinner and Learning About Passover Seder Meal

Apr 5 (Thu)
7pm Maundy Thursday Service with Lord’s Supper

Apr 6 (Fri) 
7pm Good Friday Tenebrae Service of Darkness

Apr 8 (Sun) Resurrection of Our Lord 
8:30 am Worship
9:00-11:00 Easter Breakfast
9:45 am Sunday School
11:00 am Worship

Thrivent Builds 2012

Our Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity Project is coming along nicely and everything is on schedule. The Johnson family is really getting excited as they are seeing the home they have dreamed about for so long becoming a reality.  Here are some of the highlights of the progress so far:


• Roof—tar paper is all on, drip edge done, roofers finished shingling today
• Brick pockets are done, ready for brick to be installed
• Pull-down staircase is done
• Platform for AC is built
• Front door is in as well as all the windows
• Back door concrete work is done, back door will be installed Thursday
• Porch is built
• Vinyl starter strips are done; J channel will be finished Thursday
• Hurricane clips, blocking, and deadwood done
• Bird boxes are built; baffles installed
• Rough-in plumbing is complete
• Gable ends have vinyl up; volunteers from Heath, OH, helped with that
• Gable bracing done
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers will rough in the electrical/HVAC on Sat. Once approved,
insulation will be installed. Plans are to insulate the garage ceiling, walls, and door.
• Work for Saturday includes vinyl installation, soffits, and fascia, utilizing multiple teams
• Side walks and patio will be poured soon

Construction of this home will continue through June.  Please consider joining us on a Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday.  No special skill, training or tools are required.  For more information, please contact Susan Burrer or Gerard deJong.

Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity is a homebuilding and advocacy alliance between Thrivent Financial for Lutherans and Habitat for Humanity. This alliance seeks to increase Habitat's capacity to build more homes and promote donations, volunteerism, and worldwide homebuilding trips by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans' members.

Habitat For Humanity 2012

Today Messiah Lutheran Church began work on our annual Thrivent Builds with Habitat for Humanity Build. Messiah Lutheran Church participates in this ministry along with a number of Lutheran Churches in the Huntsville area. Our team is sponsored by Thrivent Builds.

Last week the lumber for the project was at Messiah so that congregation members could sign their name and send blessings to the project.

This week we used that lumber to construct all of the wall sections in the Habitat Warehouse.  Next week we will meet at the building site to raise the walls.  No special skills are required.  If you would like to participate or learn more about our Habitat Ministry, please contact Virgil Burrer or Gerard deJong.

Here are a few photos from last year's build.

Stephen Ministers Visit New Hospital

Last Sunday amid much excitement, Messiah's Stephen Ministry and friends, pictured here with Madison County Commissioner Dale Strong, attended the ribbon-cutting Grand Opening of the Madison Hospital.  The 60 bed facility (all private rooms) officially opened Tuesday morning.  Messiah's Stephen Ministries hope to begin hospital visits at the new hospital and decided to take advantage of the ribbon cutting to visit the new state of the art facility.

A Stephen Minister is a congregation member who is recruited, selected, trained, commissioned, and supervised by Stephen Leaders to provide one-to-one Christian care to persons in need on behalf of the congregation. Stephen Ministers typically are assigned one care receiver at a time and meet with that person for about one hour each week. Stephen Ministers usually serve for two years, which includes an initial 50 hours of training followed by twice-monthly supervision and continuing education sessions. Stephen Ministry began in 1975. The Stephen Series is now in more than 11,000 congregations from more than 150 Christian denominations, in all 50 states, 10 Canadian provinces, and 23 other countries. More than 60,000 pastors, church staff, and laypersons have been trained as Stephen Leaders (those who oversee and direct Stephen Ministry in the congregation) at a Stephen Series Leader's Training Course. More than 500,000 people have trained as Stephen Ministers in their congregations. More than a million people have received care from a Stephen Minister in a formal one-to-one Stephen Ministry caring relationship, and millions of others have received care from Stephen Ministers in informal ways.  If you would like to learn more about Stephen Ministries at Messiah Lutheran Church, please contact Claire Strand.

Sanctuary Dedication, Feb 19, 2012

On Feb 19, 2012, the congregation of Messiah Lutheran Church in Madison, Alabama celebrated completion of our newly expanded Sanctuary. This event marked the culmination of a multi-year effort. Many thanks to everyone who worked so long and hard to make this day a reality. Many thanks to God for making this all possible.

The Great Piano Caper

Many thanks to everyone who help build the ramp and move the baby grand piano back into the Sanctuary. Moving a 750 pound piano up stairs is no trivial task. Having it sound just as good at the end of the move is a minor miracle. The piano move is just one of a hundred tasks taking place across the Church community as we prepare for Sunday's Sanctuary dedication. Everyone has been working very hard to get the Church ready. After several years of planning, fund raising and hard work, we are all ready to see the culmination of our efforts. Just three more days. Don't forget that there will be a work day on Saturday to put the finishing touches on the Church!

Wheelchair Ramp Number 4

Today the Messiah Carpentry Team built their 4th wheelchair ramp. This ramp was built for a very nice lady in Gurley, Alabama. She is 92 years old and has not been out of her home since October. Or rather I should say she had not been out of her home until today. She was able to roll down her new wheelchair ramp into the front yard.  Previously, the only way should could leave her home was to be physically carried down the stairs.  She was absolutely tickled by her new ramp and told us repeatedly how much this means to her. We were very happy to help her out.

Despite being a really cold day, we had an incredible time using the gifts that God gave us to help out someone in need.

The Messiah Carpentry Team is part of the Outreach Ministries of Messiah Lutheran Church. This team builds wheelchair ramps in support of CASA of Madison County. Madison County Care Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound (CASA) 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. Their 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.