Theology Pub
Theology Pub is an informal gathering to discuss culture and faith in a PUBlic setting. The group meets on the third Thursday of each month at 7:00 pm at a location pre-determined by participants. Please call the church office or watch bulletin announcements for the next date and location.
Tuesday Morning WELCA Bible Study
The WELCA (Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) Bible Study meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 10:00 am in the church library. The theme for the 2012-2013 year is “Gathered by God.” All women are invited to join the lively group discussions led by Doris Featherston.
Messiah’s Book Group- All Welcome
Messiah’s Book Group welcomes all. Books are chosen by participants of the group and will, hopefully, appeal to many. There are no rules. You can come and join the discussion even if you have not read the book. The group meets every other month during the year. For a current list of dates and books, please see the latest edition of The Messiah Messenger.
Via de Cristo: “The Way of Christ”- A Spiritual Retreat
A three-day Via de Cristo spiritual retreat is held each Spring and Fall. During the three-day weekend participants live, study, worship and commune together daily. Fourteen talks are given, nine by lay people and five by clergy. Following each talk, small round-table discussions focus on the main points of the talk and a poster is completed. The talks, in an overlapping fashion, present the Christian life, based on the person and teachings of Jesus Christ. The titles of these talks indicate their content: Ideal, Piety, Study, Sacraments, Action, Obstacles to Grace, Leaders, Environment, Life in Grace, Christian Community, and Total Security. There is music and singing, food and fellowship, a time for laughter and for prayer.
Cost for the weekend is $160, which covers all expenses including lodging, meals, snacks, drinks and materials. If you are unable to pay the fee, please discuss it with your sponsor and/or pastor. Scholarships are available for anyone who is financially unable to pay. All scholarship requests are kept completely confidential.
Contact Georgia Phillippi at gbphillipp@aol.com or by phoning 865-385-8586 for reservation information.
Youth Ministry
All ministry for and with the children and youth of Messiah Lutheran Church is designed to empower them with a living faith and a firm foundation as disciples of Jesus Christ. We believe that the home is the first and primary center of faith formation, and all of our church-based formation activities exist to foster community and fellowship, and to empower parents to bring their children up in faith.
Sunday school instruction is offered at 9:45 on Sundays. The Preschool and Elementary students begin with 15 minutes of Music, then spend the rest of the hour in their separate classes. Middle School and High School classes meet for the entire hour. At the end of a unit, everyone meets in the Fellowship Hall for a cross+generational celebration.