Thank you to all of you for your prayers and expressions of support for Deborah during her knee replacement surgery on Friday, August 22nd.  We sure experienced God’s uplifting hands through you!  Her surgery went well and she came home on Monday the 25th.  Recovery will include a lot of therapy, but Deborah has already made a lot of progress and keeps taking ever stronger steps forward in her recovery effort.

 As I look at fall plans at Messiah, I see a vibrant congregation also taking strong steps to move forward in ministry.  At its best, an interim time in a congregation offers a God-given opportunity to evaluate mission, assess needs, affirm gifts and plan for the future.   

 In this spirit, the Council, at its August meeting, approved a comprehensive set of plans for Messiah extending through the fall and beyond, based on the recommendations of the Action Planning Team (a part of the BridgeBuilder process).  You can find a summary of these focus items and plans on pages 3 and 4. 

  One of the next steps in that interim plan includes holding three Congregational Call Process Gatherings between September and November.  All confirmed members are invited. See the front page of this newsletter for the schedule and more information.  The Call committee will help facilitate these Gatherings and each will include a meal or light refreshments.  Please plan to participate and share your ideas.  Your input matters!

 In conjunction with these events, I also plan to offer a sermon series and a coinciding adult Sunday School class based on Kelly Fryer’s excellent and thought-provoking little book, “Reclaiming the ‘L’ Word; Renewing the Church from its Lutheran Core.”  As you might guess, the “L” in the title stands for “Lutheran.”  The sermon and study series will begin on Rally Sunday, September 7th, and focus on refreshing our understanding and appreciation of our heritage and God’s amazing grace as we proceed through the fall.

 Oh, don’t worry, you won’t need to read the book to follow the sermons!  However, copies of the book will be available for anyone interested, including those who attend the related adult Sunday School sessions.  I am also looking at possibly scheduling an additional time for discussing the book and sermon series.  Please let me know if you cannot attend the Sunday School sessions but would like to participate in such a class.  

 When I became acquainted with Messiah, I learned of your motto: “The faith of our heritage in the language of our children.”  I like that.  To me it suggests, in part, that you desire to build your ministry on our strong Lutheran heritage, even as you keep evaluating ever new ways to pass along and celebrate that life-giving heritage in ways that meaningfully “connect” for people today.  This book and sermon series will focus on helping all of us to meet that goal! 

 I look forward to seeing you at worship, Sunday School and other church events! 

 Peter Rupprecht, Interim Pastor