Pastor Tami's eNote - December 22, 2023
Dear Messiah Family,
Christmas is about relationships. That first Christmas, God entered into human existence by putting on flesh and living among us, with hopes that humanity could see and understand who God is. God wants a relationship with us all. God comes to us all, knocking on the door to our hearts, seeking entry into our lives. God knows what God can do for us and with us. I hope you will have an opportunity to worship with us at some point on Sunday and give thanks for what God would do for us all.
Christmas is about relationships. That first Christmas, God entered into human existence by putting on flesh and living among us, with hopes that humanity could see and understand who God is. God wants a relationship with us all. God comes to us all, knocking on the door to our hearts, seeking entry into our lives. God knows what God can do for us and with us. I hope you will have an opportunity to worship with us at some point on Sunday and give thanks for what God would do for us all.
| Christmas Eve Worship We are offering four different styles of worship on Sunday. Sunday, December 24 Morning Worship Church on the Go • Online Only Instead of Sunday morning worship at regular service times, attend in your pajamas from the comfort of your home! Worship Sunday morning ONLINE ONLY, as a special Advent Week 4 Christmas Church on the Go — available beginning at 6 am as a video here or as a podcast (on your preferred app). Then join us again at 4, 7, or 9 pm, in person or online, for one of our special Candlelight Christmas Eve Services. Sunday, December 24 @ 4 pm Family Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship (Music begins at 3:30 pm) Family-friendly Christmas Eve candlelight service with the story of Christ’s birth, a pop-up Christmas pageant, and carols. This service will be in person only, no live-stream. Sunday, December 24 @ 7 pm Contemporary Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship (Music begins at 6:30 pm) Contemporary Christmas Eve candlelight service, led by The Way praise band, with contemporary music, harp, and carols. In person, online live here at , or on demand later here. Sunday, December 24 @ 9 pm Traditional Candlelight Christmas Eve Worship (Music begins at 8:45 pm) Traditional Christmas Eve candlelight service with bells, string quartet, organ, and carols. In person, online live here or on demand later here. If you will be worshiping with us online, I invite you to have a candle ready to light during the singing of Silent Night. I think you will be able to feel a part of passing the Light of Christ, pushing back the darkness together and sharing the Light of Christ with the world. |
Christmas Offering
It has long been our tradition at Messiah Church to give away our entire Christmas offering. Our mission team selected two of our mission partners as recipients of this year’s offering, Totes for Hope and Imara International:
Totes for Hope is a food shelf ministry of Messiah Church to help minimize food insecurity for Bloom Early Learning & Child Care families, located right here at Messiah. Started in 2018, this self-select food shelf is available throughout the week, all year long, allowing families to take what food they need, when they need it. Your Christmas Offering fully funds purchasing food for this program.
Imara International, one of Messiah Church’s covenant mission partners, is a US-based nonprofit working in Kenya to provide an opportunity for teenage mothers to earn a high school degree and learn marketable skills to support themselves and their children. Infants and children who are part of the Imara family are provided healthcare and early childhood education. Imara’s program is structured to teach life-sustaining skills that build strong families and communities while breaking the cycle of poverty. Your Christmas Offering will provide funds to build a fence to protect their garden crops from the elephants and monkeys, as Imara works to become self-sustaining.
If you'd like to participate in the 2023 Christmas Offering, you can do that here.
It has long been our tradition at Messiah Church to give away our entire Christmas offering. Our mission team selected two of our mission partners as recipients of this year’s offering, Totes for Hope and Imara International:
Totes for Hope is a food shelf ministry of Messiah Church to help minimize food insecurity for Bloom Early Learning & Child Care families, located right here at Messiah. Started in 2018, this self-select food shelf is available throughout the week, all year long, allowing families to take what food they need, when they need it. Your Christmas Offering fully funds purchasing food for this program.
Imara International, one of Messiah Church’s covenant mission partners, is a US-based nonprofit working in Kenya to provide an opportunity for teenage mothers to earn a high school degree and learn marketable skills to support themselves and their children. Infants and children who are part of the Imara family are provided healthcare and early childhood education. Imara’s program is structured to teach life-sustaining skills that build strong families and communities while breaking the cycle of poverty. Your Christmas Offering will provide funds to build a fence to protect their garden crops from the elephants and monkeys, as Imara works to become self-sustaining.
If you'd like to participate in the 2023 Christmas Offering, you can do that here.
Year-End Giving
To those of you who have completed your pledge for 2023, thank you. If you haven’t finished yet or if you want to make an additional gift to the church, remember that to be applied to 2023 taxes, your gifts must be physically received or postmarked by December 31.
To those of you who have completed your pledge for 2023, thank you. If you haven’t finished yet or if you want to make an additional gift to the church, remember that to be applied to 2023 taxes, your gifts must be physically received or postmarked by December 31.
And finally...
From our entire staff and some of our wonderful volunteers, may you experience the hope, peace, joy, and love that came to earth in our Savior’s birth. Merry Christmas!
From our entire staff and some of our wonderful volunteers, may you experience the hope, peace, joy, and love that came to earth in our Savior’s birth. Merry Christmas!
In Christ's love,
Pastor Tami
Pastor Tami
Tami Luckhardt
Messiah Church Senior Pastor
(763) 473-6968 ext. 103
tluckhardt@messiahchurch.org
Messiah Church Senior Pastor
(763) 473-6968 ext. 103
tluckhardt@messiahchurch.org
| Please Pray with Me... God of Love, we give you thanks and praise for your steadfast mercy, love and grace. Through faith, we trust that you are with us in all of life’s transitions and change. We trust in your goodness and know that with each ending comes new beginnings. So, come, Holy Spirit, come. Guide, strengthen, and encourage us on the journey that lies before our Messiah Church family. It’s the assurance of your unfailing love which enables us to trust you in every season of life. May your Word dwell in us richly, your peace rule in us powerfully, and may your glory be our main passion and greatest delight. In the powerful and precious name of Jesus we pray. Amen. |
| Join Us! In-Person & Online Worship Sundays Live @ 8:30 am - Organ & Choir Live @ 10:30 am - Praise Band and On Demand anytime! |