MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church

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MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church
APRIL 2021

        MESSIAH MESSAGE
                                        Love God. Love People. Serve Others.

Blindspot
“A salad with all the vegetables!” That’s my Subway lunch order. More often than I care to admit, I pop over to
Subway throughout the week around noon. It can sometimes be a strain on the wallet, and to be honest, the
meal is nothing to ride home about. So, what keeps me going back? The answer... Margie. A sweet older woman
who wears her sanitation gloves past her elbows. She works the counter nearly everyday during the lunch hour.
As she prepares my order, she lets me complain about the struggles that I am going through. On occasion, she’ll
tell me about the current drama in her kid’s lives. Mostly though, it’s me venting. Without realizing it, I’ve almost
turned my lunch break into therapy. It’s the relationship that we’ve developed that keeps me coming back for a
visit.

Once the pandemic hit, I stopped going to see Margie for almost a year. Unlike most other relationships, I really
didn’t miss Margie. At least, I wasn’t aware that I did. I felt a heavy loss when forced to skip family gatherings.
There was a deep hole created not seeing my Messiah family. At some level, that hole still exists. Those losses
were di erent because they were obvious and heavily felt. For Margie, however, I wasn’t even aware that I
missed our conversations. The rst time I walked into that Subway again, it was like a light switch went on and I
suddenly became aware of how meaningful it was to have a nonjudgmental and empathetic listener in my life.
Being unaware that something is wrong or missing is an example of a blindspot. Our lives are lled with them.

Do you ever feel a perceptually unsettled? It feels like something isn’t right, but on the surface, you have control
over everything in front of you. I’ll bet, there’s a blindspot. Blindspots are problems, issues, or concerns that we
have that are brought on by an unknown source. What makes them “blind” is only feeling the side e ects while
being unaware of the cause. It’s nearly impossible to address a problem when you can’t identity its root. Many
may already know this, but spiritual directors, therapists, and pastors never really o er solutions. Rather, we are
tools for helping people help themselves. Once you can name it and claim it, only then, are you able to address
whatever is causing that uneasy feeling.

Blindspots not only exist in our personal lives, but they also exist on a societal level as well. Both as a society,
and as individuals, we must ght against the impulse to say “there’s nothing wrong.” Of course there is, we
know, because we can observe and experience the side e ects. The sooner that we can be honest about our
imperfection, the sooner God can work through us. We can only be transformed into something better through
honesty. I’m not suggesting that all our problems will be solved, but trust me, our barriers are much easier to
overcome when we are aware of what they are and where they come from.

The relationship I have with Margie is how God is calling the church to live. Messiah is a place where we can be
open and honest about the struggles of life. Too often, we understand the church as a community of people that
already has everything gured out. The church has become the last place anyone would ever talk about sin
because, unfortunately, it is most often the church that is rst in line to cast the stone. My sisters and brothers,
the time has come for the church to channel our inner Margie. It’s time to listen. We cannot be the balm that the
world so desperately needs, helping society identity its blindspots, if we’re not willing to hear what the world is
saying. Because we know about the love of Christ, we have so much potential. It is God who will soften our
hearts. God will lay down our stones. God will reveal to us a love
that is radiant, unending, and lled with Grace. New life for us
is just around the corner, I can feel it!

With extra ranch!
Pr. Lucas McSurley

Email: pastor@messiahlutheran.cc
Cell: 937-725-5587
Blog: revre ections.com
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MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church
Messiah Message
                                                     At a Glance...
                          Maundy Thursday - April 1 at 7:30pm
                                 Good Friday - April 2 at 7:30pm
                    Bird House Crafting - Sun, April 4 at 9am
                                  Easter Sunday - April 4 at 10am
                                   National Day of Prayer - May 6
                                    Confirmation Sunday - May 23
                           Memorial Day Parade - Mon, May 31
                Serving Food Bank - Sat, June 12 from 8am-11am
  Living Word Learning Series - Sun, Jun 13 - Aug 29 at 9am
                                     VBS - Mon. - Fri, July 26-30

Recurring Ministries
    Monday          Tuesday                 Wednesday              Thursday              Friday     Saturday               Sunday

10am - Warm-up   10am - Bible            8am - Serving at       11:00am - Women’s                 8am - Men’s           9am - Learning
                 Study                   Green Good Neighbors
Portage Lakes             *Social Hall                          Brunch Bunch                      Bible Study           Hour    *Social Hall
                                         9am - Property                *2nd Thursday,              *3rd Saturday, FLC
                 6:30 pm Children                                          Social Hall
                                         Maintenance                                                                    9am - Choir
                 of Alcoholics                                                                                            *currently inactive
                                                                6pm - Steps Beyond
                 7pm - Boy               10am - Bible
                                                                7pm - Venturing                                         10am - Worship
                 Scouts                  Study *Online
                                                                Crew                                                             *Sanctuary

                                                                                                                        6pm - AA
MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church
April 2               Easter Morning
                 Online
                                     Bird House Building
                                 Join us online or in-person (FLC) on Easter
                 April 4             morning for a spread-out and family
                                 orientated bird house crafting event at 9am.

                                                                                April 11
                                                                                   at 11:00am
                                                                                    On Zoom
                                                                                   & In-person

                                                                Church Council
Thank you to those who brought
                                      We have one position still open for our council leadership. Please
 beauty to our Sanctuary this         prayerfully consider if God is calling you to lead our faith family.
        Easter Sunday!

        Betty Goodwin -
     Memory of loved ones           Gathering Grounds
         Beth Haas -
                                     We’ve been hard at work
   Glory of God & memory of
          loved ones
                                     transforming our Office
                                     Space into “Gathering
        Pearl Haefka -               Grounds” a place to sip
     Memory of loved ones            coffee and enjoy
                                     fellowship on Sunday
  Brad & Dorothy McGarvey -
                                     mornings. It will also
  Memory of daughter, Lynette
                                     be a nice place to
        Becky Pataki -               gather for meetings and social
       Our Lord & Savior             get-togethers. We want this space to feel
                                     like it really belongs to the Messiah
      Sue & Don Spears -             community, so if you’re looking for a
     Memory of loved ones            place to grab coffee or hangout
                                     throughout the week, consider Gathering
         Irma Studer -
                                     Grounds.
     Memory of loved ones

     Sandy & Ray Wolter -                      Open Sun-Weds, 8am-1pm
     Memory of loved ones
MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church
Memorial Day Parade                                             Con rmation
The City of Green is deliberating whether or not it will        Mark your calendars for Con rmation
proceed with the Memorial Day Parade. If it takes place,        Sunday on Pentecost, May 23rd. We
Messiah has indicated that we’re excited to participate.        missed Luke Ludrosky and Lane
The Parade will be held on Monday, May 31st. Keep               Mooney’s Con rmation last year, so we
watch for details and nalizations to come.                      have seven Con rmands: Avery
                                                                Altrichter, Rory Altrichter, Emily Hunter,
                                                                Jillian Sanders, and Evan Reed. Get
Mother’s Ministry                                               pumped to celebrate their
                                                                accomplishment!
Messiah has been collecting diapers for the last few
months. Since MOPS began, we have made an
intentional e ort to show our support for new and
struggling moms in the community. Are you feeling                Pentecost
called to donate a few diapers as we transform our
space into a focus on outreach. There is a need and               Sunday
Messiah is called to meet it. Thank you for your e ort
and donations! Now that generous donors have got the
ball rolling, we’re looking forward to launching this
ministry very soon.                                           Men’s Bible Study
                                                              Please inquire about whether we will meet in
Easter Drive-thru                                             the Family Life Center on Saturday, April
                                                              17th. Together, we socialize and chat about
We had a successful day on March 27, passing out              a faith-based topic. We’d love to welcome
goodie bags to 90 kiddos in the community. Every              you to our conversation and fellowship.
bag contained the Resurrection story, so we literally         Please connect with Mark Ludrosky with further
shared the Gospel!                                            questions.

                                                              Wednesday Morning
                                                              Bible Study
                                                              Now that Lent is over, on Wednesday’s at
                                                              10am, Pastor Lucas will lead an online
                                                              Bible study live on Facebook. Mostly, this
                                                              brief study is an overview from the
                                                              devotional resource, the Upper Room.

Brunch Bunch                      WMLC
                                                               Tuesday Morning
The women of Messiah’s next meeting will be                    Bible Study
Thursday, April 8, 2021 at 11:00am. After the                  We are planning to resume in-person Bible
meeting we will order pizza from Guiseppe’s and                Study on Tuesday April 6th at 10am,
enjoy lunch for those who want to stay. All women              following Easter.
of Messiah are welcome.

Leadership Advance                                                       Christmas CD
Once a year, Messiah’s council meets for an                  Messiah has put together a holiday CD lled with
extended gathering to vision together, planning            festive music. You can ll-out a form on the website
long-range goals for Messiah. We’ll gather on               (www.messiahlutheran.cc) to receive a copy. We’re
Sunday, April 25 from 11am-2:30pm. Stay tuned              accepting donations that will go towards our music
and get excited to hear about our discussions!                                  ministry.
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MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church
Living Word                                                                      Learning Series

      How do Lutherans read Scripture? Together, we’ll explore what it means to understand the Bible as the living,
      breathing, and inspired Word of God. If God is not done speaking to us, how do we know what God is saying?
      Come learn, dialogue, and wrestle with tough questions.

      Typically, we do not gather for a Learning Hour during the Summer, but we’ve had a long enough break.
      Remaining physically distant in the Family Life Center, we will meet on Sunday mornings at 9am, from June 13 -
      August 29. Open to all ages, we’ll prioritize youth and adapt the curriculum based on who is present.

Co ee Collection
As always, Messiah continues to
collect coffee for Haven of Rest.
Don’t forget to bring coffee with
you on Sunday or drop it in the
Narthex during of ce hours.
Thank you for your generosity!

     Covid Update
     Although we have returned to in-person Worship on                 Family Life Center
     Sundays, Messiah leadership will remain attentive,
     diligent, and hold safety as our highest priority. You            We have begun renting the FLC, making
     will always be able to join us for Worship online at
     10am on Facebook Live or at our website,                          sure our guests adhere to Covid
     www.messiahlutheran.cc. Please do not attend if you               guidelines. Usually 4-5 nights of the week,
     feel uncomfortable, if you have been exposed, or feel             a small team gathers for basketball. They
     even the slightest bit abnormal. Other ministries will
     gather in-person at the discretion of that group and              are extremely grateful to use our space.
     its leaders. Masks must be worn at all times in the
     church building. Messiah hopes to continue to see
     our folks receive the vaccine. The sooner this                                            Messiah is scheduled
     happens, the sooner we can get back to church life                                         to serve at the Food
     as we prefer it. On our current trajectory, by May, all                                   Bank on June 12 from
     adults are to be able to receive the vaccine. If you
     need help signing up, Messiah can get you in touch                                          8am to 11am. They
     with someone who can help.                                                                have adjusted to make
                                                                                                 sure volunteers are
                                                                                                  regularly washing
      WE CAN DO THIS!
                                                                                               hands, wearing masks,
        For those that are                                                                          and keeping a
          comfortable                                                                                 distance.
      gathering, the better
     we are at adhering to                                                             Save the Date!
     safety measures, the
         sooner we can                                                  National Youth Gathering in Minneapolis.
       implement familiar                                                          July 24-28, 2022.
     community practices.
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MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church
Easter Greetings                                              Mission Support
From the ELCA Presiding Bishop
                                                              Did you know that ELCA members in more
I try to imagine what it must have been like on that rst
Easter morning when there wasn’t the knowledge of the         than 8,900 congregations in the US give
Resurrection. When, instead, it was all about death and       approximately $1.7 billion in regular o erings
disappointment. And I imagine Mary Magdalene coming           annually to support ELCA ministries in their
to the tomb in order to care for Jesus’ body, to prepare it   local communities and worldwide? When
for burial. The story was over. The hope was gone. And        members give through their congregations,
then someone shows up in the garden, and Mary can’t
                                                              about 5.5% of that money is shared with the
recognize him. Thinking that he’s the gardener, she says,
“Sir, tell me where you’ve taken the body so that I may       local synod, which then shares a portion with
bring it back here.”                                          the national churchwide o ce. Thanks to the
                                                              faithful and generous support of ELCA
Imagine a woman, literally, thinking that she could carry     congregations, the Northeastern Ohio Synod
the deadweight of a man. All of that grief, the heaviness     was able to share $583,865 in direct Mission
of that physically as well as spiritually, and just then
                                                              Support for ELCA churchwide ministries.
Jesus speaks her name. “Mary,” he says, and her eyes
are open. And she can see Jesus because she has been
seen by Jesus. Her name has been called by the risen
Lord, and now she is part of the Resurrection story that
happens for all of us in baptism. Jesus has called all of
us by name and knows every one of us. And we too now
are part of the Resurrection story. Her mourning was
turned into dancing

Happy Easter, dear Church
The Rev. Elizabeth A. Eaton
             .

                     .

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MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church
Endless Possibilities!
                                                                          Messiah Lutheran Church
What would you like to see happen with Messiah’s overgrown                   Council Meeting Agenda
backlot? Below are some brainstorming ideas. Whatever we                        March 28, 2021
do, it’s important to understand our mission as being for the
surrounding community.                                              Devotion: Laura

                                                                    Treasurer/Generosity Report:
                                                                       - Looks like we’re a little behind, but
Garden                                                                   nothing to panic about.
Our Boy Scouts are already off to a great start!
                                                                    President’s Report: (Kirk)
                                                                       - April’s Council meeting will be our
                           Walking Track                                 extended “advance meeting” April 25,
                           Many times, we’ve seen mothers                lunch provided.
                           walking our building while their            - Council installation that day in
                                                                         worship as well.
                           kiddos play basketball!
                                                                    Property: Jack (on vacation)
                                                                       - Jennifer, Ray, Bill, and Pastor are
  Pavilion                                                               working hard to transform co ee
  Picnics and church life go hand-in-hand!                               room. Flooring was $730.
                                                                       - Painting at least two more handicap
                                                                         parking spots
                                                                       - We have a couple people willing to
                          Playground                                     donate AED,who should get
                          Talk about family-friendly!                    certi ed, any reason not to move
                                                                         forward?

                                                                    Social: (Laura)
 Food Forest                                                          - A ton of Co ee and Diapers were
 A low maintenance “let it grow” garden!                                donated
                                                                      - Continuing to explore Family Promise

                                                                    Fellowship: (Mark)
                                                                       - Planning Spaghetti Dinner for the Fall
                           Solar Panels                                - Easter birdhouse building
                           Imagine our church helping a
                           neighborhood with energy bills, likely   Worship:
                           national media coverage!                   - Holy week coming up
                                                                      - Slowly incorporating regular liturgy
                                                                      - Covid protocol going well

         How is the Spirit speaking to you?                         Discipleship:
                                                                       - Con rmation is May 23rd
                 Let’s get creative!                                   - Vacation Bible School July 26-30
                                                                       - When to begin Sunday School hour?

                                                                    Evangelism:
 Military Service Wall                                                - Easter drive thru was success!
                                                                      - Messiah’s calls are now being
 Messiah is in the early stages of looking                              forwarded to Pastor
 into honoring those who have served
 our country by displaying a military                               Pastor’s Report:
 service wall indoors. Eventually, we’ll                              - Dates he’ll be out of town.
 add memorial bricks to our garden
 outside. You will receive an email
 outlining more details about the wall and                          Prayer
 how to add a family member to the wall.
 THANK YOU to those who have served!
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MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church
Worship Attendance                                                 ANNIVERSARIES                                    APRIL
                                                                                                                2   Florence Putz
February                           March                                                                        3   Don Spear
                                                                             APRIL
  7 - 123 online                   7 - 109 online                                                               5   Brittany Zager

                                                                                                                                       HAPPY BIRTHDAY !
14 - 116 online                         24 in-person                  27 Bill & Vikki Schmeidel                 9   Allison Hughes
17 - 91 online                     14 - 75 online
                                                                                                                    Avery Sanders
      10 in-person                      29 in-person
 21 - 73 online                    21 - 90 online                                                             10    Presley Reed
       28 in-person                     37 in-person                                                          14    Tyler Pellikan
28 -101 online                     28 - 71 online                                                             15    Jaclyn Cain
       24 in-person                     42 in-person
                                                                                                              17    Kelly France
                                                                                                                    Ralph Burkey
                                                                                                              19    Courtney Bennett
                     Messiah Lutheran Church Finances January - February 2020                                 20    Seth Stennett
                                                Income   Expense    Income - Expense                          23    Kelly Ward
 $250,000                                                                                                           Jordan Pellikan
                 Income is $12,300 less than budget.                                                          24    Kayla Levers
                 Expense is $500 under budget.
                 Balance is $11,800 deficit vs budget.                                                              Erin Jackson
                                                                                       $224,300   $224,300
                 Projected Balance of $19,000 deficit at end of year.                                         26    Owen Cain
                                                                                                              29    Kelly Sanders
                                                                                                              30    Bill Freund
 $200,000
                                                                                                                    Bob Porter

                                                                                                               April Readings
                                                                                                             4 Isiah 25:6-9
                                                                                                               Acts 10:34-43
 $150,000                                                                                                     John 20:1-18

                                                                                                             11 Acts:4:32-35
                                                                                                                1 John 1:1-2:2
                                                                                                                John 20:19-31

                                                                                                             18 Acts 3:12-19
 $100,000
                                                                                                                1 John 3:1-7
                                                                                                                Luke 24:36b-48

                                                                                                             25 Acts 4:5-12
                                                                                                                1 John 3:16-24
                                                                                                                John 10:11-18
  $50,000                                                $45,000
                                $37,400                            $37,900
                     $32,700

                                                                        $7,100

                                                                                                        $0
            $0

                                     ($4,700)

                                                                                                                Yard Signs
 ($50,000)
                        Year To Date Actual                Year To Date Budget              Annual Budget       Available in the
                                                                                                                Church O ce!
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MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church MESSIAH MESSAGE - Messiah Lutheran Church
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