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 25^th 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

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

View recent Messiah Music Camp Musicals and photos.

Easter 2015

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
 










Click here for additional photos.

Easter, April 5, 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

UA-Birmingham Concert Choir, Bob Jones HS Patriot Singers sing at Messiah Lutheran Church

On Thursday, March 12th, nearly eighty student voices joined together in the recently expanded sanctuary of Messiah Lutheran Church.   Two exceptional choirs came together to present the  7 p.m. concert; the University of Birmingham's Concert Choir, directed by Dr. Brian Kittridge, and the Bob Jones High School Patriot Singers,  directed by Randall Fields and accompanied by Lois Graff.

Randall Fields directs the Bob Jones High School Patriot Singers
Fields is also the Adult Choir Director at Messiah Lutheran Church

The concert opened with the Patriot Singer's mens' ensemble presenting Vijay Sing's Medieval Gloria, from the sanctuary's entrance.  The women's ensemble responded from Messiah's chancel with Stroop's Lux Aeterna (from Missa).  The choir joined together for two more songs, Banchieri's Ad un dolce usignolo  and Norman Dello Jollo's Of Crows and Clusters.  

Upon completion of Of Crows and Clusters, concert attendees sprung to their feet with applause and ovation for the twenty-five City of Madison teens. Smiles blossomed throughout the three hundred seat sanctuary as the first choir took their seats, and the members of the University of Alabama - Birmingham's Concert Choir moved up to nearly fill the front of the chancel platform.   

Thursday's concert of the internationally honored college singers was the seventh performance of the group's three day, ten performance tour of Tennessee and Alabama, culminating in a concert at Nashville's Cathedral of the Incarnation, on Friday March 13th.  

Links to the concert pieces can be found at the bottom of this post! 

Dr. Brian Kittredge directing the University of Alabama - Birmingham's Concert Choir
in a March 12th, 2015 performance at Messiah Lutheran Church, Madison, AL. 

The fifty-two member choir performed nine songs, starting with Palestrina's Exalte Deo.

"Sing unto God our strength: make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob. 

Take a psalm and take up the trimble, the pleasant harp with the psaltry.

Blow up the trumpet in the new moon, in the time appointed, on our solemn feast day."

Throughout the concert, Dr. Kittredge provided comments and insights on the various works and the choir itself.  The choir, which is made up of both music and non-music majors, undergraduate and graduate, is an auditioned choir that meets weekly for hour and a half rehearsals.   According to the choir's facebook page, they are both well traveled in addition to being well honored.
"The choir recently completed a  tour of Ireland where they participated in the Fleischman International Choral Competition in Cork, Ireland and brought home the “Heinrich Schutz Perpetual Trophy.” Previous international awards include two distinctions from the 34th annual Florlilege Vocal de Tours in Tours, France: the Prix Du Ministère de La Culture, an award given for best interpretation of a French choral work, and a top award in the Mixed Choirs Category." 
It was a powerful performance of choral music. The clarity and tone of the UAB choir was wonderfully matched for Messiah's acoustical space.   The space is large enough to comfortably handle the volume of a large choral group, but not so large that the more delicate and quiet passages of the choir's works were lost in the rafters.   The choir's performance of Cantante Domino by contemporary composer Josu Elberdin,  provided an exeptional example of this - every word, every phrase so crisply delivered and received to each listener's ears.  
The grand finale of the evening saw the Patriot Singers join the UAB Concert Choir for Mortin Lauridsen's O Magnum mysterium.  After its moving conclusion, the audience was once again on their feet, in eager hope of an encore, cheerfully provided by the UAB choir performing Stacy Gibb's Ride on King Jesus. 

Messiah offers an exceptional space for choral music through the Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series and Messiah's Director of Music, Lois Graff.

The design of Messiah's 2011 sanctuary expansion enlarged the chancel area (that part of a sanctuary where worship is led) and increased sanctuary seating by 50%. The sanctuary's peaked ceiling and structural supports are surfaced in wood planks and beams, as are the two shallow transepts (one original, one new) along each side.    

It became very apparent when work was completed that the acoustical qualities of the new space were exceptional for both choral and instrumental ensembles.  Just over a year after the sanctuary was dedicated Feb 19th, 2012,  the  Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series was formed.  Lois Graff, who is Messiah's Director of Music and organist helped to spearhead the music outreach initiative with chairperson John Shriver and several church members.  An expanded sanctuary also meant an expanded church organ, and on October 26th, 2014 Messiah dedicated it's newly installed pipe organ.  

Now in its second season,  Music at Messiah's next concert is scheduled for July 27th.  It will feature up-and-coming baritone, Andrew Nalley, who is a recent University of Alabama graduate quickly filling up his professional performance schedule.  More information will be posted on www.musicatmessiah.blogspot.com as the date approaches. 

The UAB and Bob Jones HS Choir Concert was an opportunity brought to Messiah Lutheran Church by Randall Fields, who directs Messiah's adult choir.  The success of Thursday's concert, prompted many in attendance to ask, "This was terrific! When are we going to do this again?"

You tube links from the University of Birmingham's March 12th Performance:

Video Credit:  Bryan Ahern

O Magnum Mysterium - Mortin Lauridson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DmZuyT-DzPY

Salvation is Created / Pavel Chesnokov

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krCyXg3g4uc

Cantate Domino - Josu Elberdin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um2iehcSc78

Exultate Deo - Palestrina

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoBig1PHSsE

I Am Not Yours - Randall Stroope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDJF12QL2Hw

 Verbum Caro Factum Est - Hans Leo Hassler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IXmNHIBv5Y

Stetit Angelus -  Rihards Dubra

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_f8s3dnhxc

Witness arr Jack Halloran

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI3kSv41L6w

Tambur Lajos Bardos

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txdqr0mQdk4

30 Hour Famine

This past weekend, the youth of Messiah Lutheran Church along with thousands of teens from around the world participated in the annual 30 Hour Famine. The 30 Hour Famine is a World Vision event in 21 countries. It started in 1971 when 17 year old Ruth Roberts and 14 friends in Calgary, Alberta staged an event in a church basement to see what it was like to be hungry and raise money and awareness for children suffering during a famine.

The youth also led both worship services on Sunday and used what they learned to help educate the congregation.  Music for the worship services was provided by the Youth Contemporary Band and the Instrumental Ensemble.  Here are a few videos of the musical groups.





David L. Wylie, a nondenominational youth leader, jump-started the movement in the United States about seventeen years ago as a youth director of Millen Baptist Church in South Georgia. He was looking for a way to stimulate the interest of his 25-member youth group in world hunger issues when he heard the idea of a voluntary hunger strike from World Vision. His group raised $3,000 that year, $5,000 the next and was featured on CNN Headline News and Wylie was nominated by Congressman Lindsey Thomas for a Presidential Point of Light Award.

Thousands of teens across the U.S., Canada, and several other countries (including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, UK, Singapore and Australia and New Zealand) participate to raise money and then fast for 30 hours.

During the event, for 30 hours, participants must abstain from eating food, and instead they typically drink water, fruit juices, or other liquids Games, fund raisers, and other events may also take place to help teach and educate the participants and others about world hunger all over the world. It is also a time for education and awareness of world hunger, and an understanding of how people go without food for long periods of time.

Kert Reedstrom is the Director of Youth and Educational Ministries at Messiah Lutheran Church. Lois Graff is the Director of Music Ministries.

To Learn more about the Youth, Educational and Music Ministries at Messiah Lutheran Church, please contact the Church Office at (256) 721-0041 or info@mlutheran.org.

Ground Breaking and First Communion

Pictures from this morning's Dual celebration. On Feb 14th, 1993 Messiah Lutheran Church broke ground for its church on HWY 72.  We also celebrated First Communion for five young messiah members. More to follow.

Messiah Lutheran Church Cookbook

New Messiah Lutheran Church (MLC) Cookbook   In order to help commemorate MLC's 25th anniversary, we are compiling a new cookbook that will contain the favorite recipes of our congregation members.  Our goal is to have the cookbook available to purchase by Memorial Day weekend.  

We need your help!  We have lots of wonderful cooks (including guys) in our congregation. We know that because we have tasted your delicious food at our potlucks and on other occasions.  This is your chance to finally tell us what that secret ingredient is in your dish.  Please contribute 3-5 of your favorite recipes.  The cookbooks will be professionally published and will contain special pages of interest, a table of contents, an index, helpful cooking hints, and recipe category dividers.  And most importantly, your recipes will be published with your name. These cookbooks are sure to be treasured for years to come. 

Download the Recipe Collection Sheet or pick up a copy of the form at the welcome center in the narthex. Please consider contributing several of your favorite recipes to make this an excellent cookbook that we can enjoy for years to come.

The cookbook committee includes Kimberly Dennig, Barbara Azzam, Cheryl Byers, Bonnie Webb, Toni Daniel and is chaired by LeeLinda Baggett.  If you have questions, let us know. We are ready to type your recipes into the cookbook so bring on your favorite ones.

Wheelchair Ramp Build, 31 Jan 2015

Completed Wheelchair Ramp

2 Corinthians 9:7 

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

What an awesome day!

It started with a need.  A woman in Harvest, Alabama needed the ability to safely enter and exit her home.

A community came together to make that  happen.

Messiah Lutheran Church in Madison, Alabama in cooperation with CASA of Madison County organized a team to build a wheelchair ramp for this woman.  This was not the first wheelchair ramp built by the carpenters of Messiah Lutheran Church.  This was the 30th Ramp built by this group.

And even though a lot of work was accomplished today, it hardly felt like work at all.  The enthusiasm of this group was overwhelming and spiritually uplifting. It started at 7:00 in the morning when the group met at a restaurant for breakfast and continued throughout the day.

And it was also a day of passing on our ramp building skills to the next generation of ramp builders who had such a positive attitude and worked so hard.

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.

We give special thanks to Jim Fossum and Thrivent Financial for providing lunch for the team and for their ongoing support of our community activities. Thrivent Financial is a financial services organization that helps Christians be wise with money and live generously. We offer a broad range of products and services – including life insurance, annuities and mutual funds – along with guidance from financial representatives nationwide. For more than a century we've helped our nearly 2.4 million member-owners make wise money choices that reflect their values. And we provide opportunities for them to be even more generous where they live, work and worship.

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.

Messiah's church-wide "E100" begins.

Messiah Lutheran's church-wide "E100:The Essential One-Hundred Bible Reading Plan" kicked off for all ages during the January 11th Sunday School hour.  

"E100," which has an accompanying guidebook for both adults and children, guides participants towards deeper knowledge and understanding of the world's greatest book, through daily weekday readings, prayer, personal reflection and discussion.  

Every Sunday, adult participants will gather during the Sunday School hour (9:45 to 10:45) in the Parish Hall where Pastor Scott Peterson will begin with a brief introduction and period of instruction along with some Q and A.  The later half of the hour will feature small group discussion and reflection.  The children's text follows the same reading schedule as the adult's text and will extend the learning through richly illustrated guidebook and craft activities.   Individuals may also study along independently.

Note: The adult "E100 Challenge Guide" book was made available to participants for a suggested donation of $8.00 each.  If you are interested in the course and need a guide book, please let the church office know as additional books will likely be ordered soon.   The January reading schedule is posted on page 3 of  the January 2015 newsletter and will be sent out to the membership in this week's E-News.

Messiah marks 25 years of its Charter opening and welcomes newest members!

(excerpt from Sunday Bulletin, Dec 14th, 2014)

On December 17th, 1989, after worshipping for eight months,  the mission start at Messiah Lutheran took that first critical step toward being an organized Congregation.  Then worshiping in the United Rubber Workers' Union Hall Auditorium, 113 brave souls signed their names or inked their fingers (if they were infants/toddlers) on the membership charter.  The membership charter was open three more Sundays in the months that followed and closed on May 20th, 1990 with 159 charter members. 

On Sunday December 14th, Messiah celebrated the charter opening in a most fitting way by welcoming  fifteen new members to the Messiah Lutheran Church congregational rolls.  

During both services charter members in attendance were asked to stand so that they could be recognized. Post service receptions in the Fellowship Hall saw  Messiah members "young and old" enjoy the multitude of treats brought by volunteers. The reception was coordinated by the 25th Anniversary committee members, Judy Starkloff (who is a charter member) and Greg Kilby, who currently serves as Messiah's Fellowship Chair.

The next  25th Anniversary event will be on February 15th 2015, when Messiah marks the February 14th, 1993 Ground-Breaking for the church.  

New member photos and details about upcoming 25th anniversary events can be found in the upcoming E-news and newsletter.

Article and Photos by Meredith Kilby 

The sounds of Christmas resonate at Ring and Sing 2014

Messiah's 16th Annual Ring and Sing Concert took place on Sunday, December 14th.  The concert featured the musical talents of Messiah's several handbell groups, the adult choir, the Luthermen quartet and the vchurch's instrumental ensemble.  The event was emceed by Rhonda Gaede, who also serves as the director for the church's handbell choir, Notabella.

Notabella, which is comprised of youth and adults, started things off with "The First Noel" and were joined by flutist Michelle Bono on "Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming." 

While  ringing was very much the center stage of the event, there was plenty of singing, too!  The audience sung several traditional Christmas Carols accompanied by the church orchestra and newly installed pipe organ.  Lois Graff, who is Messiah's organist and Director of Music Ministries, directed the instrumental ensemble which is comprised of youth and adults musicians.

The Adult Choir performed "Away in the Manger."  Messiah member Dick Azzam arranged the familiar tune to four parts for the occasion and also directed. 

The Luthermen, an all male quartet, sung "Silent Night" with the addtion of Messiah's Beth Gloe. The foursome also sang the spiritual "Rise Up, Shepherd and Follow."

The Cherub Choir,  led by Messiah's Outreach Director, Claire Strand,  sang and rang  "Jingle Bells" and sang "Happy Birthday" to Jesus.   Messiah's youngest choir expanded it's numbers greatly this past year and sported brand new choir robes for their performance.

Along with a handbell trio, the handbell quartet returned to play "Caroler's Hoedown"  complete with cowboy hats.  This challenging and humorous piece never fails to delight the youngsters in the audience.

Another tradition of Ring and Sing is the audience participation segment.  Notabella players distributed the octaves of chimes and their corresponding Christmas Carol music books. "If the word is circled, you ring... if it's underlined... you stop it from ringing. It's as simple as that!"  explained Ronda Gaede to the audience.

The family friendly and light hearted evening ended with a Christmas Cookie reception put on by church volunteers.  The event is sponsored by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans.  Donations were collected to benefit the Madison Public Library.

To view additional pictures from the evening:

View additional photos from Ring and Sing 2014

Submitted,

Meredith Kilby

Organ Dedication - October 26th

Messiah Lutheran Church's Dedication of Pipe Organ and Organ Recital was held Sunday October 26th at 3:00 pm. Messiah's recently expanded sanctuary was once again filled with the beautiful tones and melodies that can source from a pipe organ.  A tremendous number of folks came out to celebrate the long awaited day!

Messiah Lutheran celebrates the newly installed pipe organ (shown upper left)
dedicated into service on Sunday, September 26th, 2014

The Dedication featured several readings of scripture and a dedication prayer.   Bob Gustafson talked on the mission and construction of the organ.   Pastor Scott Peterson led the Organ Search Committee working closely with Bob, Messiah's Director of Music Ministries, Lois Graff, along with the expert consultation of Mark Moorehead, principal organist at Trinity Methodist Church of Huntsville. The Organ features over 800 pipes and is located within the upper level of the east transept of the newly expanded altar space.  

Pastor Peterson spoke on the joyousness of the occasion, connecting Psalm 46  to Martin Luther's writing the hymn "A Mighty Fortress is Our God."    Psalm 46 was then sung (without accompaniment) by the congregation which then led directly into Mark Moorehead's jubilant introduction on the organ of that most famous of Luther's hymns, complete with trumpet played by Bryan Page. Singing hymns accompanied by organ had officially returned to Messiah Lutheran Church! 

The dedication continued with a talk on "Music and Martin Luther" given by Dagmar Miller. Messiah's Notabella Bell Choir, led by Rhonda Gaede,  performed  "Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken" by Haydn.   Messiah's choir, directed by Randall Fields,  was wonderfully rounded out by volunteers from All Saints Lutheran Church of Huntsville.  The choir performed Wood's Jubilate Deo (Psalm 100) and concluded with Mendelssohn's  Verleih uns Frieden. 

Organist Joshua Coble performing on Messiah Lutheran's
newly installed pipe organ, built by George Miller.

Finally it came time to feature the newest pipe organ in Madison County.  For the recital, Messiah secured the remarkable talent of organist Joshua Coble .  Coble, a Huntsville native, is a current candidate for the Doctoral of Musical Arts for Organ Performance at the University of Alabama.  Coble, who serves as the principal organist at Mountain Brook Baptist Church in Birmingham, presented several works that would provide the listeners an opportunity to listen to the wonderful range and capabilities of the newly installed organ.  He performed four works, clearly demonstrating the fitness of the instrument for future recitals and performances.

After the Dedication and Recital concluded, a reception was held for all in attendance. The reception was coordinated by Mary Ann Stasiak with the generous help of Jan Murphy and many many others.

Indeed, arriving at this day was the result of countless contributors and answered prayers and now that it is place, it will continue to bless our mission, our ministry and the music at Messiah Lutheran Church! 

We hope you will come to Sunday Services to hear this wonderful Instrument in Action.

You can also hear more this Saturday Night, Nov 1st.  The Music at Messiah Classical Concert Series will feature the choral ensemble "Huntsville Collegium Musicum" who is presenting Thomas Luis de Victoria's  Officium Defunctorum,  at 7:30 pm at Messiah Lutheran.  Organist Betty Augsburger will be playing several pieces just for organ as well.

Photos by Joe Stuart

Messiah's Family Friendly Halloween Party Held Oct 25

Fourteen Chili Recipes Competed for Annual Trophy

The annual Messiah Lutheran Chili Cookoff featured fourteen delicious recipes made by members and youth in the congregation.   Upon their arrival to the Parish Hall, the entries were carefully numbered in the kitchen so that judges could sample and also mark their tasting cups to track which chili was which. The variety of flavors that were brought were astounding and each recipe stood on its own as being delicious! Thanks to all who brought the chilis and various sides that were also donated.

In what was a very close decision, it was Amy McCarthy's chili recipe that took the coveted trophy for Best Overall Chili.   Bridie Ryan's chili was selected as the Runner Up.  Melanie Mooneyham's chili recipe was awarded the Spiciest Chili Award. 

An assortment of characters made up the costume contest this year.

After enjoying some games led by members of Messiah's Youth Program, the costumed children were brought back into the Parish Hall for the costume contest.  Each was introduced to the audience by Larry Ryan, who "officiated" the Saturday evening event.     The winners in the various age categories are shown above.   (Additional photos will be posted soon)! 

Older Wiser Lutherans (OWLS)

The Older Wiser Lutherans or OWLS as they are known 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, a visit to the Botanical Garden, to attending the "Living Christmas Tree" concert.  

OWL packing bags for Weekend Food Program

Sometimes the OWLs work on outreach projects like a recent event where they enjoyed a potluck dinner and then helped pack bags of food for the Weekend Food Program.  This program provides grocery bags full of nutritious food and snacks for scores of hungry Madison school children. The bags contain lots of food items, ranging from fruit and vegetable cups to cereal and soup to ensure that the children don't go hungry during the weekend.

A recent report released by the Food Research and Action Center (frac.org), said 23.4 percent of respondents in Alabama said they didn't have enough money to buy food at some point. The report said Alabama is the second hungriest state in the nation.

OWLS at Oktoberfest

And sometimes the OWLs get together just for fun and to enjoy each other's company like their recent Oktoberfest.

If you would like to learn more about this group or would like to attend one of their events, please contact the Church Office at (256) 721-0041.

Click here for more photos of OWLs Events