Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Messiah Lutheran Church
14920 Hutchison Road
Tampa, Florida 33625
Non-Profit Organization
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Tampa, FL.
Permit No. 3341 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Statement of Mission
We, the members of Messiah Lutheran, in grateful thanksgiving for the blessings of forgiveness, life and salvation through
Jesus Christ our Lord:
~ Consecrate ourselves to grow in faith
~ Devote ourselves to grow in service
~ Dedicate ourselves to grow in witness outreach
Praying this year you find
Hope
Joy
Peace
Love
through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior
Happy New Year! Jeremiah 29:11
Messiah Lutheran Church JANUARY ~ 2016
14920 Hutchison Rd. Tampa, Florida (North of Ehrlich) 33625-5507
Rev. Gil Kuehn - Vacancy Pastor 629-6070 (C) [email protected]
Tammy Nunes, Office Administrator 961-2182 (Office)
[email protected] 968-8895 (Office)
Fax 961-0592
Abby Moss, Family Life Minister 789-7143 (C)
www.messiahtampa.com
Jody Schweichler, Preschool Director/Teacher 968-9534
Kim Capsas, Minister of Music/Organist 948-2767 Worship:
8:30 AM (Holy Communion 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays) Christian Education:
9:45 AM Contemporary (Holy Communion 2nd, 4th and 5th Sundays) 9:45 AM
11:00 AM (Holy Communion 1st, 3rd and 5th Sundays)
“By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who
had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even
though God had said to him, ‘It is through Isaac that your offspring will be
reckoned.’ Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a
manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.” Hebrews 11:17-19
Trust is a difficult thing. We know we are to have it. We know God is the only one worthy of trust and is perfect at keeping it and not breaking it. We have seen examples such as the one listed above, and yet we still wonder if God will come through for us? It amazes me that Abraham who had waited so long for a son offered his son as a sacrifice to God. His reason-ing is cited above, that even if God asked Isaac from him, God would provide in some way to keep the promise of descendants as numerous as stars. Abraham reasoned if nothing else, God would raise his son from the dead. Abraham trusted in God’s sovereignty and that all things would work out. I admire that kind of faith. More often my faith fits in with Matthew 14:25-33 where it says, “Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.’ ‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me! ’Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’ And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’” The disciples were afraid, Jesus calms and assures them. Peter takes a huge step of faith and gets out of the boat. I admire that. Unfortunately he lets all the stuff around him get to him and starts to doubt. Jesus saves him. Even with the best of intentions, Peter still needs Jesus, he can’t do it on his own. His heart was willing but his flesh was weak. But even this circum-stance led the disciples to grow in their faith. The passage ends with them in awe of Jesus and worshipping him as God. They failed but grew because of it. No matter where on the continuum of willing to sacrifice it all for God or hiding in the boat corner your faith is at, know this, He is worthy of your trust. God works all things out for good. There is a purpose for the seasons of calling us to action. There is learning and forgive-ness and grace when we fall short. May we all strive in this New Year to live out our faith boldly and to follow where and how God leads.
CONTINUING SERVING MESSIAH IN JANUARY
8:30 AM 11:00 AM
PROJECTIONISTS
3: 8:30…Michael Cox 9:45…Annette Ryan 11:00…David Pergande
10: 8:30…Kevin Garriott 9:45…Nathan Nester 11:00…Kathy Larson
17: 8:30…Teresa Klicker 9:45…Annette Ryan 11:00…Mark Lemke
24: 8:30…Michael Cox 9:45…Nathan Nester 11:00… Michael Bohren
31: 8:30…Kevin Garriott 9:45…Kathy Larson 11:00…John Lloyd
COFFEE:
3 Donna Bartholomew
10 LWML
17 Ernie & Gail Munzen
24 Lu Heine
31 Thrivent
CONTEMPORARY SERVICE 9:45 a.m.
USHERS: ELDERS ACOLYTES
3 Floyd Skeins Bob Harrigan Lily Aldrich
10 Volunteer Needed Tim Hohl & Paul Riffel Angelina Dial
17 Ron Dial & Sarah Parker Bob Harrigan Aryn Nester
24 Steve & Gaylene Gay Bob Harrigan & Paul Riffel Angelina Dial
31 Floyd Skeins Bob Harrigan & Tim Hohl Emma Irwin
SERVING MESSIAH IN JANUARY
8:30 AM 11:00 AM
ACOLYTES:
3 Emma Munzen Julia Wall
10 Aiden Skeins Emma Heidelberg
17 Emma Munzen Jake Amerson
24 Lily Aldrich
31 Emma Munzen Francesca Aldrich
ALTAR GUILD: Dick Erickson & Kathy Wagner Janet Booth & Allyson Kessler
ELDERS:
3 Mike Mekelburg & Ed Picillo Bill Meyer & Gary Weber
10 Mike Castro Dale Laxton
17 Dan Carlson & Erik Peterson Dale Laxton & Gary Weber
24 Erik Peterson Bill Meyer
31 Dan Carlson & Ed Picillo Dale Laxton & Bill Meyer
GREETERS:
3 Jack & Cheri Jensen Bruce Noyes
10 Earl & Dixie Meyer Barb Packer
17 Bob & Diane Wawrzyniak Beverly Petts
24 Tom & Sandi Windsor Bob & Sandra Robertson
31 John & Linda Dufresne Lu Heine
January Birthday Blessings!January Birthday Blessings!January Birthday Blessings!January Birthday Blessings!
“...For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future…” Jeremiah 29:11
1 Pam Beaver
Rudy Cabina
Nancy Lemke
Teddy Rose
2 Emma Decker
Beverly Hladky
Steve Ruth
3 Robert Harrigan III
4 Joan Brannan
Emily Gafur
Steven Turke Jr.
Becky Vollrath
5 Dennis Gafur
7 Ginger Derenthal
Jimmie Rice
8 Frank Scalise
Christopher Smith
9 Wayne Plager
10 Alex Kessler Julie Scheidter
11 Nicky Nicol Jr.
Matthew Wood
12 Margaret Rudsinski
Barbara Walters
13 Stephanie Hernandez
16 Walt Halfmann
Mary Marrs
Rodney Swilley
17 Donna Rozell
Chuck Sumpter
18 Keith Bakalyar
Barbara Bellott
19 Jacob Amerson
Paul Smith
22 Peyton Simspon
Jan Skeins
Nathan Watters
23 Marilyn Link
24 Brittny Buckner
Nicholas Daniel
John Lloyd
25 Avery Burnett
Tony Gain
Roger Rice
Nancy Umbaugh
26 Linda Keyes
27 Lu Heine
28 Debra McGuire
Grant Walters
29 Emil Vollrath
30 Jackson Beaver
Tim Schultz
31 Elaine Parnow
Angel Stitches, Messiah's crocheting, quilting and crafting club will meet Sun-day, January 10th at 2pm in classroom 1 of the CLC. We will continue our work on new attendance registers for the pews and exchange ideas for community out-reach projects. All are welcome and refreshments will be served. Please contact Lynn Turke 833-9598 or Mary Plotkowski 360-9220 if you have any questions.
Morning LWML Meeting ~ Tuesday, January 12th at 10:30 a.m. in the CLC.
Evening LWML Meeting ~ Thursday, January 21st at 7:30 p.m. at Cathy Most’s home.
Carrollwood Care Center Birthday Parties ~ The monthly birthday party for this month will be held Wednesday, January 13th at 2:15 PM at Carrollwood Care Nursing Home (located right behind Messiah). Any questions? - call Mary Plotkowski at 813-960-9220.
Newsletter Information ~ All directors, committee members, and anyone else desiring to place announcements in the February Newsletter, please e-mail to Tammy at [email protected] by Friday, January 15th.
Senior adults will meet for lunch at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 28th at Bally Hoo on 7604 Ehrlich Rd. Please have your reservations in by Monday, January 18th to Dorothy Biegert at 961-0659 or Lois Dworkin at 727-648-4365 or email at [email protected].
Portals of Prayer for January ~ March are available on the table in the nar-thex. These devotionals are helpful to your spiritual growth. Please take home a copy and read the devotional for each day. Large print editions are also available.
New Year’s Eve Worship ServiceNew Year’s Eve Worship ServiceNew Year’s Eve Worship ServiceNew Year’s Eve Worship Service w/Holy Communionw/Holy Communionw/Holy Communionw/Holy Communion
5:00 p.m.5:00 p.m.5:00 p.m.5:00 p.m.
Semi-Annual Congregational Meeting will be held on Tuesday, January 12th at 7:30 p.m. Agenda items include:
● Constitutional & By-Laws Revisions
● Approval of 2016 Ministry Work Program
● Reports from staff and committee directors
Ministries & Activities
Adult Bible Study (Sunday 9:45 a.m.)
Mark Lemke - “Books of the Bible” - Ministry Center Room 201
Bible Study - CLC - Middle - Teen & Adult Summer Video Series “Foundations”
Altar Guild - Lois Draper, 961-8287
American Heritage Girls - CLC - Sheri Irwin, 766-7766
Angel Stitches - CLC - Room 1 - Lynn Turke, 960-7289
Assimilation - CLC - Conference Room - Bruce Noyes, 264-0760
Bakalyar’s Neighborhood Bible Study - At her home - Beverly, 300-3085
BAMOMS - CLC - Middle
Boy Scouts - Ministry Center - Room 204 & Gym
Choir - Sanctuary - Monday - Kim Capsas, 598-8160 or Facebook
Christian Education Mtg. - Copier Room - Loraine Eden, 732-3078
Cub Scouts – Pack 18 - CLC - Middle - Joe Bartolotta, 933-9245
Feed Your Neighbor - Bobbie Packer, 614- 937-4005
Florida Suncoast Decorative Artist - CLC - Middle
Girl Scouts - CLC Room 2
Handbells - Sanctuary - Monday - Kim Capsas, 598-8160 or Facebook
LifeLight Bible Study - CLC - Conference Room - Wednesday @ 10:00 a.m.
LWML - Nancy Lemke, 264-5095
Memorial Garden Committee - Cry Room - Lu Heine, 569-9377
Men’s Bible Study - CLC - Conference Room ~ Wednesday Morning 7:00 a.m.
Messiah’s Followers Forever - Ministry Center ~ Barbara Packer, 428-6204
Narcotics Anonymous - Ministry Center - Youth Room
Pinochle - contact David West at 972-8861 or [email protected]; play monthly
Preschool Fellowship - Ministry Center - Gym
Senior Adults - Lois Dworkin, 727-648-4365 or Dorothy Biegert, 961-0659
Social Ministry - CLC - Conference Room
Stephen Ministry Support - Ministry Center - Rm. 201- Walt Halfmann, 792-8406
Trail Life - Ministry Center - Joe Gabriel, 765-2196
Wednesday Evening Adult Bible Study ~ 6:45 - 7:45, Ministry Center #201
Young Adults 20’s - 30’s - Abby Moss, 789-7143
Youth Choir/Flag Team - Contact Kim Capsas @ 598-8160 or Facebook
Youth Sunday Afternoon - Ministry Center - Gym & Youth Room - Abby Moss, 789-7143
TAMPA BAY OFFICE OF THRIVENT
We are blessed to have Michael Joeckel joining Pamela Hansen in the Tampa Bay Office of Thrivent Financial. Michael brings over twenty five years of insurance and investment ex-perience, working with Families and small business owners to plan for their futures. He began working for Thrivent when it was known as Aid Association for Lutherans (AAL) until the merger with Lutheran Broth-erhood! He has relocated recently from Connecticut with his wife, Mi-chelle to the Tampa area. He will bring additional areas of expertise into our office, particularly in the area of investments and Medicare supplement planning as well as retirement planning techniques to maximize assets and opportunities.
Blessings, Pam Markle Hansen, ChFC, RICP, CLU Financial Associate
2016 ~ Flower Charts
Flower Charts for 2016 have been posted on the portable bulletin board. If you would like to mark a celebration, honor a loved one or want to place flowers in memory of someone, you may do so. You can also give the eternal candle for the month by signing the line under each month. We ask that you please give us the following information:
● Please print your name (legibly)
● The Occasion
● If the line is taken, please choose another date.
The cost for each flower arrangement is $20.00
The cost for the eternal candle is $15.00
Make checks payable to “Flower Fund ~ Messiah Lutheran”
Did your family have an infant/toddler baptized in the last two years?
Then, please contact our Director of Family Ministry, Abby Moss. This year, we would like to commemorate Baptism of our Lord Sunday and make this a special family milestone celebration. We want to invite your family to join us on Sunday January 10th at 12:15PM (or right after the 11AM service) for a time of food, family fellowship, and exploring the best ways to encourage faith development in infants
and toddlers. RSVPs are encouraged for food planning purposes. Abby can be reached at [email protected] or 813-961-2182.
Adult Inquirer’s Class - If you are interested in becoming a member of Messiah Lutheran Church or just want to learn more about what we as Lu-theran Christians believe, teach and confess, Messiah is offering an Inquirer’s class.
• Saturdays 10 – 11:30 a.m. in upstairs classroom #202 in the Ministry Center beginning January 9th through February 13th.
A New Member Orientation class for all who desire to join Messiah including by transfer or reaffirmation of faith, will be held Saturday, February 20th, 10 a.m. in that classroom #202.
New Member Sunday is scheduled for March 6th. If you are interested in attending the Inquirer’s Class email or call our church office, [email protected], 961-2182, so materials can be prepared for you.
"Feed your neighbor” We are looking toward our January
"SOUPER BOWL"
As the football fans look toward the
NFL and AFL Super Bowl, we are look-
ing toward our January “Souper Bowl!”
You may not be aware that on Super Bowl Sunday there is more
food consumed in America than any other day of the year. There
are many people that can't even have a bowl of soup that day.
All across our country churches collect soup to share with food
pantries in their communities. Our church will also participate
in this event by having a SOUPER BOWL event. Please bring in
cans of soup each Sunday for the month of January. Let's see
how many cans we can collect by the Super Bowl football game.
All the soup collected will be taken to the Kaye Prox pantry
and other pantries in the area to help feed our neighbors.
Women of Messiah - LWML
The Advent by Candlelight event was great. We had a good at-tendance and the CLC was decorated so lovely. Thanks so much
to the table hostesses and anyone who helped with this year’s event. Special thanks to Amy Mathews who did a wonderful job with the entertainment. She sang beautifully and made a video with inspiring pictures to go along with her program. It was awesome. This year we were able to get funds through Thrivent’s Action Team program. We collected baby food for Helping Hands food pantry. If you are a Thrivent member you can do two projects per year, so think of a need at Messiah or in the community and sign up to have an Ac-tion Team. Go on-line and check it out, it’s not hard. If you are not a Thrivent member but have an idea for a project, find a member to sponsor your team. In January, the LWML morning group will meet on Tuesday, January 12 at 10:30 a.m. in the CLC conference room. The evening group will meet on Thursday, January 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the home of Cathy Most, 7103 Halifax Ct. We hope you can attend one of the meetings. All ladies are welcome.
Kid Sit Registration Form
Suggested donation of $40 for the evening per child (or $8/hour if not staying the
whole time) or 2 children for $60. (Discounted rates for pre-registering to attend
ahead of time by turning in this form are $30 for one child or $35 for 2 ($5 for each
additional child). Registrations must be turned in by Wednesday January 20th
to qualify for the pre-registration. Thanks for your support!
Parent’s Names: _______________________________
Contact Phone Number: ___________________
Emergency Contact Name: _________________________
Emergency Contact Number: __________________________
Child Name: ___________________ Age:__________
Allergies/Medical Conditions: __________________________
Child Name: ___________________ Age:__________
Allergies/Medical Conditions: _________________________
Child Name: ___________________ Age:__________
Allergies/Medical Conditions: _________________________
Child Name: ___________________ Age:__________
Allergies/Medical Conditions: _________________
Kid Sit is back!
Our next event will be Saturday January 23 from
5-10PM in the Christian Life Center.
Children must be potty trained and between 3&10 years of age to attend.
Since this is a fundraiser, we are going to encourage a specific donation
as well as an RSVP ahead of time (for food planning purposes) but will
not turn anyone away that cannot contribute at our level or joins us last
minute the night of (discounts available for pre-registering).
Evening Schedule:
5PM-6:30PM Arrival Playground & Bike Riding Time
If you have a bike/trike and helmet you would like to bring from home,
we have a great open parking lot space for some riding. If you prefer to
leave the bike at home there will be plenty else to do. (We will not ride if
weather is inclement).
6:30-7PM Dinner
Menu for January will be Chicken Nuggets, Mac N Cheese & Carrots
If you would like to provide your own food because of allergies or
dietary restrictions, please feel free.
7-8PM Free Play & Organized Games
8-8:30 Craft & Game Time
8:30-10PM Movie & Popcorn (PJs &/or sleeping bag a good idea)
10PM Everyone Goes Home
This is offered by youth & parents partially as a youth fundraiser.
Emergency Preparedness and Defense Orientation
For
Ushers, Elders and Congregants
Violence in church can be analogized as a lightning strike. It rarely hap-pens, but it is out there and it does happen. There have been several nota-ble incidences of church violence around the country and in other loca-tions where crowds gather that should cause us to prayerfully consider, assess and manage this type of risk. On Thursday January 14th, at 6:30 P.M. Ted Sames II, owner of SISS Training will offer a presentation on personal and church security. His ob-jective on this day is to provide us with the information needed to consider an ongoing and comprehensive Church Security Program. Ted Sames is well known in the military and law enforcement community and is well acquainted with consulting various houses of worship on defensive mat-ters. Depending on the wants and needs of the congregants/congregation, Ted will make available a wide array of training sessions that may encompass: personal security weapons training, church security and advanced training and concealed weapons permit training classes. You will find Ted’s pres-entation to be, at the very least, informative and thought-provoking. Please sign up to attend by emailing me at [email protected] for this free orientation so that we may have adequate seating available. Please include the term “emergency preparedness” in the subject section of email.
Blessings Mike Castro
A prayer for your personal witness outreach in 2016:
Lord, lay some soul upon my heart,
And love that soul through me;
And may I nobly do my part
To win that soul for Thee.
~ Tucker
Constitution By-Laws Proposed Revisions The Constitution and By-Laws of Messiah Lutheran Church were last revised June 22, 1997. Since that time, practices or procedures have been created, evolved, and been revised to ensure proper operation of the church. Some of those practices have been in conflict with or not covered by our constitution or by-laws. Seventeen (17) By-Law amendments are proposed by the Parish Planning Council to correct and update our by-laws. These proposed amendments will be discussed at the January 12, 2016 Voter’s Assembly meeting. Article X of our Constitution provides for amendments of the constitution by a “three-fourths majority vote of the votes cast in a properly convened meeting of the Voting Membership.” The proposed amendments are too long to print here, however, a copy of them may be found in the church narthex, and on our website: www.MessiahTampa.com.
Stamp Collection for Prisoners Outreach Project
We will begin collecting first class postage stamps between now and the end of February 2016 that will be distributed to women housed in Hernando Correctional Institution.
Hernando Correctional Institution is the first prison established by the State of Florida that is fully Faith and Character based. It currently houses nearly 500 women and they need our help. For many of these women, their only contact outside of the prison is through
correspondence with friends and relatives.
How can you help? You can drop unused first class postage stamps in the box in the Nar-thex marked “Stamps for Prisoners”. Once we are finished, the stamps will be delivered to
the prison for distribution to the inmates.
If you have questions or would like more information please call either Mark Lemke (264-5095) or Terry Picillo (920-1226).
Playgroups at Messiah
Playgroup Registration Form 2016
Child’s name DOB
_________________________________________________________ ___/____/____
Home church (if any): ___________________________________________
Adult participating with child in playgroup _______________________________________
Child’s Address Home Phone Number
_______________________________________ _____-_____-_____
_______________________________________
Mother’s Name Contact Number
________________________________________________ _____-_____-_____
Father’s Name Contact Number
_________________________________________________ _____-_____-______
Allergies, Medications or limiting conditions that we should be aware of for the safety of your child ...
___________________________________________________________________________
Emergency contact Name Phone Number
_________________________________________________ _____-_____-______
I give permission to use photos of my child and myself in future promotional literature (circle one) YES NO
I give permission for my child to participate in Playgroups at Messiah.
Parent Signature ______________________________________ Date ____/____/____
Email address: _________________________________________________
Attention High School Juniors & Seniors
REAL LIFE: College Faith is on January 15-17
Weekend Details: We will depart from Messiah at 6:30PM on Friday January 15th. Please eat dinner before you come. We will be doing a variety of activities both in-side and outside so dress for the weather and pack layers. A pair of gym shoes is a must. We should return to Messiah Sunday January 17th between 3:30 and 4PM.
Event Registration: You may turn in a registration until Sunday January 3rd. The fee is $70.00 (Includes all weekend events, lodging, and food). Let us know if cost is an issue as we don’t want that to be the reason not to attend.
Housing: We will likely be staying at Holiday Inn: 1250 W. University Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32601.
Check out : https://www.facebook.com/events/116496115382480/ for more infor-mation and additional weekend schedules and information.
This is for students thinking of attending college at UF or anywhere. Come and en-joy and learn about real life, real faith, from real college students.
*Contact Abby with any questions or concerns or to register!
MESSIAH SOCIAL MINISTRY wishes to thank all members and friends who partici-pated in the annual Hope Children’s Home Christmas outreach and party. Because of your generosity, eighty-nine sweet children at Hope Children’s Home were recipi-ents of beautiful gifts which were delivered to them on December 15th. The gymna-sium at Hope was filled with excitement and happy smiles as the children opened
their gifts after enjoying a few sweet treats and punch. We Social Ministry servants and friends were then treated to a mini-concert of Christmas songs performed by the kids. Your gift selec-tions from each child’s own “wish list” brought bright smiles and much joy to these special kids. Thanks for your expressions of love. Please keep Hope’s children and staff in your prayers. Thanks and praise to God for His many blessings which allowed us to care and share through this and other MESSIAH SOCIAL MINISTRY outreach opportunities in 2015. Be watching for Messiah Social Ministry and other Messiah Ministry project plans as they unfold throughout 2016. Our abiding faith in God’s help along with your love and continued support will ensure success.
PRESCHOOL NEWS
On December 16th, family members and friends attended our annual Christmas presentation. What a wonderful program it was! We wish to thank you parents and grandparents for attending and also give a spe-cial thanks to our wonderful students for such a great performance. Our
Silent Auction was also a huge success. We want to extend a special thank you to the church members who donated goods and services for our auction. We appre-ciate your support! Registration for the 2016/2017 school year will begin Monday, January 25th at 8:00am for members of Messiah Lutheran Church and for the students already en-rolled or their siblings. Open registration will begin on Wednesday, January 27th at 8:00 a.m. This year we will be offering a 3 day program for three year olds which will meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and a 2 day program for three year olds that will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Our 5 day a week program will be offered to four year olds eligible for VPK. Beginning in January we will be offering tours of the school on Fridays at 10:00 a.m. Please call Jody Schweichler at (813) 968-9534 to schedule your tour. This will be our eleventh year participating in Florida’s VPK program. Children who will be four by September 1st, 2016 will be eligible to participate in the VPK program. Parents need to attend registration to fill out enrollment forms. Preschool classes fill up quickly. We cannot guarantee placement for your child for the 2016/2017 school year until registration is completed. If you have any questions please call Director Jody Schweichler at (813) 968-9534. Our next school board meeting will be January 5th at 7:00pm in the Ministry Cen-
ter. New members are needed and always welcome.
THANK YOU!
The Memorial Garden Committee wishes to thank everyone who made a donation
toward the purchase of poinsettias to beautify the sanctuary and sidewalk ap-
proaches for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services. The acknowl-
edgement of your poinsettia gift in memory or honor of your loved one
(s) was posted in the Christmas Eve service bulletin. Thanks for your
participation this Christmas season at Messiah.
STRATEGIC DIRECTION
Messiah Lutheran Church Tampa, Florida
Mission Statement We, the members of Messiah Lutheran, in grateful thanksgiving for the blessings of
forgiveness, life and salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord: ~ Consecrate ourselves to grow in faith (Colossians 1:10)
~ Devote ourselves to grow in service (1 Corinthians 15:58) ~ Dedicate ourselves to grow in witness outreach (Matthew 28:19)
Vision Statement
Messiah is committed to quality Bible based Christian worship, education, and out-reach that is engaging and relevant for every stage of life.
Messiah Lutheran Core Values
1. Christ-Centered Messiah is committed to making Christ the center of all we do. This includes mod-eling Christ by involving our members in stewardship and by being loyal witnesses to the values we profess.
2. Word and Sacrament Messiah’s values are founded upon God’s perfect, holy Word, by His eternal gift of Grace through His sacraments of Holy Baptism and Holy Communion that are cru-cial to the very life and being of our congregation.
Continue on next page
After much work, prayer, and discussion of members and leadership of Messiah, the following Strategic Direction has been crafted to reflect where we feel God is directing our ministry path. The Strategic Planning Committee and the Parish Plan-ning Council are seeking congregation approval of the below statement of Strate-gic Direction at the January 12 congregation meeting. Following approval of this statement, our Boards and ministries will be setting min-istry goals, objectives, and strategies (i.e., ministry activities and programs) that reflect our Mission, Vision, Values, and Outcomes to guide us as we seek to do God’s will in the community He has placed us.
Playgroups are coming to Messiah! Monday Mornings, 9-10:30AM
In Messiah Preschool Yellow Room in the Ministry Center
January-May 2016, 1/25/16-5/23/16
Activities are designed to be readily accessible to two-year- olds. We could have
children from newborn to 4, depending on the group dynamics.
Our philosophy focuses on providing an environment that fosters opportunities for
young children to develop social skills of sharing, helping, and interacting with each
other with support of their parents and teachers. Ultimately, it is our objective that
children see themselves as special individuals created and loved by God.
WINTER JAM: January 16
Winter Jam is an awesome Christian concert where a bunch of Christian artists and bands like For King & Country, Matthew West, Crowder, New Song, Side Walk Prophets, Lauren Daigle, Stars Go Dim, Red, and more converge. The best part is it is open seating and only costs $10 at the door! This year it is at Times Forum or Amalie Arena in Tampa. Seating fills up fast and we have to get there early. We will meet at Messiah at 12PM and depart. We will do a tailgate dinner in line and just hang out as a group. Feel free to bring card games, a beach blanket, or a Frisbee. Doors will open a little before 5PM with the pre-concert entertain-ment. The concert starts at 6PM. We will return to Messiah between 10:45 & 11PM. Parents, we need drivers/chaperones for this event. All participants need to sign-up ahead of time so we have enough rides. This event is open to all 5th-12th grade youth or interested adults or families.
************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************
Special Thanks to those Volunteers who helped with youth
activities During the Month of December. Open Gym Helpers: Paul Dworkin, & Steve Jones
Special Event Helpers: Paul Dworkin, Joe Gabriel Claudia & Jeff
Bohren, Heather Dial, Marc Thacker, Tim Schultz, and Gwen Salt
We appreciate you and couldn’t do it without you!
*******************************************************
Youth Sunday Afternoon Open Gym & Youth NightYouth Sunday Afternoon Open Gym & Youth NightYouth Sunday Afternoon Open Gym & Youth NightYouth Sunday Afternoon Open Gym & Youth Night For youth grades 5For youth grades 5For youth grades 5For youth grades 5----12 12 12 12 ----Sundays from 4pmSundays from 4pmSundays from 4pmSundays from 4pm----6pm ~ 6pm ~ 6pm ~ 6pm ~
We begin with a short devotion. Parents we need your help as chaperones, Open Gym dates for January are 3, 10, 17, 24, & 31
Senior High, join us for the 2nd Sunday of the Month Senior High, join us for the 2nd Sunday of the Month Senior High, join us for the 2nd Sunday of the Month Senior High, join us for the 2nd Sunday of the Month Senior High Only Night! Senior High Only Night! Senior High Only Night! Senior High Only Night! Let ’ s get together on Sunday the 10th at 6:30PM at Messiah for food and fellow-
ship. Bring a salad, side dish, or dessert to share, main course/drinks provided! Senior High, the 4th Sunday of the Month Senior High, the 4th Sunday of the Month Senior High, the 4th Sunday of the Month Senior High, the 4th Sunday of the Month Senior High Only Night Senior High Only Night Senior High Only Night Senior High Only Night will be will be will be will be
Sunday the 24th.Sunday the 24th.Sunday the 24th.Sunday the 24th. Join us at Mission BBQ at 5602 W Waters Ave. Tampa, FL 33634 at 6:30PM. Bring at least $5 to contribute to the bill. Please RSVP if you can so we can reserve a large enough table.
Confirmation and Middle School Youth, SAVE THE DATE OF
Saturday January 30 for the Holy Land Experience!
All youth grades 5-8 join us for a day of experiencing the Bible in a new and interactive way. We will meet at Messiah at 8AM and
depart for a day of sights and experiences in Orlando. We will return around 9PM. Cost is
$20 per person (discounts and assistance avail-able). Adults if you would like to attend and drive, we will be happy to take care of your
ticket. Sign up or talk to Abby to attend.
3. Worship, Prayer, and Christian Education Messiah expands our relationship with God through confessional and liturgical worship, prayer, and Bible-based Christian education that engages all ages in a variety of uplifting approaches and styles.
4. Music Messiah uses music and the arts as key parts of worship to inspire and motivate each other. Our joyful music and dance praises God and honors our tradition while being open to new forms of art and music that are pleasing to God.
5. Friendly/caring Our church values a Christ-centered environment of fellowship that is welcoming, friendly, and caring to people of all ages.
6. Youth & Family Messiah makes a difference in the lives of all people by appreciating the worth and contribution of youth and young families by helping them to cope with their unique life and faith challenges, while honoring and supporting older individuals in their evolving challenges, life changes, and faith journey.
Strategic Outcomes Worship Messiah worship services are true to God’s Word and are inspiring and relevant to move people to active participation in worship, prayer, Bible study, and service in their daily life.
Outreach Messiah is a church with an ever-increasing number of active, passionate, bap-tized members who demonstrate care and compassion for all God’s children in the community by discovering needs and mobilizing its resources to action.
Youth & Family Messiah provides a warm and welcoming church home where youth and young families are consistently nurtured and guided. Youth and families are inspired to be Christ centered and confident in their faith in order to be positive role models for their peers.
Pastor Candidate Visits
As announced, your Call Committee has arranged for four pastors to visit Messiah in January on the following dates:
January 5 – Rev. Mark Adrian
Community of Christ at Memorial Lutheran Church, Bremerton, WA
www.communitychrist.org
January 13 – Rev. James Martin Richardson
Crown of Life Lutheran Church, Colleyville, TX
www.crownoflife.org
January 21 – Rev. Gregory Prauner
King of Kings Lutheran Church, Chesterfield, MO
www.kokstl.org
January 28 – Rev. Joshua Hatcher
Trinity Lutheran Church, Memphis, TN
www.trinitymemphis.org
A congregation member meeting will take place in the church sanctuary at 7:30 pm each of those dates so you can meet the pastors. To ensure a fairer comparison amongst all four pastors, these meetings will not be an open Q&A format. A Call Committee member will be asking each pastor the same questions or having them address the same key concerns. We are asking you to submit questions or concerns you would like the pastors to address, to the Call Committee or church office by 4:00 pm Tuesday, December 29. On Sunday, January 31, at 12:30 pm, in the Ministry Center, we will hold a con-gregation meeting to call a pastor. Please continue to pray for Messiah Lutheran Church, that God would lead us to call a pastor according to His will, and that God would be with each pastor as we work through this process. Your Call Committee
New All Church Opening Starting January 10th! As our congregation continues to pray and seek God’s will for our congregation, many
surveys, discussions and forums have been completed by the Board of Elders, Call Com-mittee, and Strategic Planning Team on the new Pastor, on worship, and on the future di-
rection of Messiah.
In all of these discussions, common themes emerged: * that Messiah would provide meaningful and engaging worship across the lifespan,
* that we would be committed to teaching the Bible, * that we would focus on outreach outside ourselves,
* that Messiah would be a place that reaches out to and meets the needs of the congrega-tion as a whole but also the needs of children, young adults, and younger families.
It is for these reasons the Board of Elders would like to start a new "ALL CHURCH
OPENING". "Opening" has long been the term used for the short period at the beginning of Sunday
School Education Hour where all ages may come together to sing a couple songs, collect the education offering and for a leader to share the lesson theme or memory verse with
the children. However, we are changing this format for the following reasons:
* to help grow and enhance our Sunday School and Christian Education hour, *to grow and enhance the 9:45 a.m. Contemporary worship service,
*to engage and interact with families attending Sunday School but not worship, * to allow families some time to worship and engage together.
This new format will begin a trial period starting Sunday January 10th through the end of
May. Elders and Staff will continue to evaluate and tweak the opening as needed.
We are inviting all people to come together for a brief period at 9:45 a.m. each Sunday to experience the All Church Opening in the sanctuary. It is our hope this will strengthen
our congregation. Please plan to participate! Rough format could include: Opening Song
Greeting from Pastor Profession of Faith
Children's Message (which will be offered at 9:45 and 11 only going forward) Dismissal to Sunday School
Communion will be offered on the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Sundays. Contemporary service continues with inspirational music, sermon and prayer.
Thanks for your patience, support, and participation. Please direct any questions to the
Board of Elders.
