Major Changes Coming to Wednesday Night Services

Church of the Messiah is excited to announce that there will be major changes coming to our Wednesday night, mid-week services beginning this Wednesday night, November 6th.  The most significant change is that the Youth Group will be taking over Wednesday Nights.  The Youth will have the run of the service from 7 o’clock until 8:30 in the main sanctuary while everyone else attending church in the evening will be attending Bible studies elsewhere in the building.

When Church of the Messiah first relocated to our current location in 2013, we began having Wednesday night services which had previously been impossible while we were worshiping at Jacksonville University.  In 2018, Casey Harlow was appointed as the Youth Pastor of Church of the Messiah and our Youth Group began meeting during our regular mid-week services.  As our Youth Group has grown, however, fitting everything needed for a youth meeting, into the time we had previously allotted for the Youth simply became unmanageable.  After prayer, and in consensus with his Rector’s Council, Fr. Looker made the decision to cede the mid-week services entirely to the Youth Group.  This decision gives them triple the time that they previously had for their meetings and more than enough room to grow and thrive.

Those who are over eighteen are not left out in the cold.  We will be leading a series of Bible studies for those adults who are attending church on Wednesday night.  We will start off with Max Lucado’s Anxious for Nothing in the church conference room this Wednesday at seven o’clock.  It is not necessary to purchase anything to participate in the Bible Study, however, if you would like to do so, you may buy copies of the individual book by clicking this LINK.

We will still have childcare for children who are younger than fifth grade and we will still honor our commitment to be out by 8:30 so that everyone can get home in time to prepare for work and school the following morning.  While this means that Wednesday nights will not regularly be Eucharistic services, we will occasionally join with the youth in having special Eucharistic services.  The first of these services will be November 27th, when we celebrate Thanksgiving.

 

Mid-Week Services Resume September 7th!

worship_musicAfter a Summer hiatus, Church of the Summer will restart mid-week services this Wednesday night, September 7th.  The night will get started at six o’clock with our soup supper dinner.  We will have a variety of soups and bread along with a kid friendly meal for the younger taste buds.  Supper is served from six o’clock to 6:45 and then the service begins at seven o’clock.   To kick off the mid-week services for the Fall, the first service will be a night of extended musical worship and intercession.   In addition to Church of the Messiah’s phenomenal Praise & Worship Team, on this Wednesday night we will also be joined by our old friend Mel Fannin on the saxophone.  This service, along with all our Wednesday night service, is a Eucharistic service.

Childcare is provided throughout the service time.  The service will end by 8:30 in order to allow for those who need to prepare for work or school the following morning to return home in a timely manner.  The service is open for all to attend, so please feel free to invite your friends.

Celebrate Pentecost with a Night of Praise and Worship

Coptic Pentecost IconThis Wednesday night, May 18th, starting at seven o’clock, Church of the Messiah will continue to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost with a night of extended praise and worship.  While we have spent the last six weeks in the series “Preparing for Pentecost”, we celebrated the feast on Sunday and it was an incredible celebration indeed.  Refusing to limit the celebration to just one day, Church of the Messiah is going continue the celebration by spending a night worshiping the Lord by lifting our voices and praising the Lord all evening long.  Fr. Scott Melanson has even arranged special guests to come alongside and assist and worship team.  The extended praise time will have all of the time normally dedicated to praise and worship plus all of the time usually reserved for teaching and preaching.  We will, of course, still include time for prayer and the Holy Eucharist.  This service is preceded by Church of the Messiah’s weekly soup supper from 6:00-6:45.  Childcare is provided during the service and the service will end by 8:30 in order to accommodate those who have to prepare for work or school the next morning.  Everyone is welcome and invited to join us as we worship the Lord and give thanks for the harvest and breakthrough in our members and in our community.

“Preparing for Pentecost” Continues Tonight

Preparing for Pentecost BannerChurch of the Messiah’s Easter teaching series continues tonight, Wednesday, April 20th.  In previous weeks Fr. Looker addressed what the Jews expected from the Feast of Pentecost and the overall structure of I Corinthians 12-14 as St. Paul addressed “spiritual matters.”  Tonight Fr. Looker will address I Corinthians 12 in detail, focusing on what it meant to the Corinthian church as well as what it means for us today.

“Preparing for Pentecost” is part of Church of the Messiah’s mid-week worship service.  The service begins at seven o’clock and includes praise and worship, prayer time, as well as the Holy Eucharist. The service is preceded by a soup supper from 6:00 to 6:45.  Childcare is provided for the service and the service ends by 8:30 in order to accommodate the needs of those who have work or school the following morning.  Everyone is welcome.  Join us this Wednesday night as we learn about our spiritual heritage and what Pentecost means today.

“Preparing for Pentecost” Begins this Wednesday Night

Preparing for Pentecost BannerThis Wednesday night, April 6th, Church of the Messiah will begin their new mid-week teaching series entitled “Preparing for Pentecost.”  As part of the Charismatic Episcopal Church, we believe in the power of Pentecost, but it has been a long time since we participated in a thorough study of the things of the Spirit.  This study help everyone to understand what the outpouring of the Holy Spirit means and how it empowers us today.

“Preparing for Pentecost” is part of Church of the Messiah’s mid-week services and is included in the context of praise & worship, prayer, and Holy Communion.  Prior to the service, from 6:00-6:45 there is a free soup supper for any who wish to attend the service.  Childcare is provided during the service and we are committed to ending the service by 8:30 so that those who have to prepare for work and school the next day may do so.

Join Church of the Messiah Wednesday nights in April and May as we begin “Preparing for Pentecost,” so that, when the great day comes, we are fully ready to receive the power from on high which Our Lord promised.

Mid-Week Soup Supper Focuses on Prayer this Week

Renewed BannerWednesday night, March 2nd, Church of the Messiah will continue its Mid-Week services which began Ash Wednesday.  Throughout the season of Lent, Fr. Scott Looker will be hosting a series titled “Renewed” and taking its title from the words of St. Paul in Roman 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”  The series focus on transforming how we see our spiritual life and renewing our walk with the Lord.  This week we will the teaching will focus on prayer and changing the way we look at our prayer life.  The service itself begins every Wednesday night at seven o’clock and is preceded by a soup supper from 6-6:45.  Everyone is welcome to attend and childcare is provided.  In order to ensure that everyone is able to attend, we are committed to ending by 8:30 in order to accommodate everyone who needs to have children home and prepare for work and school the next morning.

Wednesday Night Worship Services Continue

Priest in Green Anointing WomanLast Wednesday Church of the Messiah began a new format for our Wednesday night worship services throughout the Easter season.  This format is modeled loosely on the tremendous success of Fusion and more fully incorporates all three streams of Convergence Worship into our mid-week service, something which has been lacking in the past.  The services include readings from the Holy Scriptures and a brief homily; times of prayer, intercession, anointing, and ministry; and praise and worship as well as Holy Communion.  Our first service was wonderfully powerful and the worship will continue again this week beginning at 7 o’clock.  Childcare is provided during this service (though children are welcome for worship and communion), and the service ends by 8:30 for those needing to get home to prepare for work or school on the following morning.  We invite everyone to join us this Wednesday and Wednesdays throughout the Easter season as we celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord in this powerful way.

 

Tonight We Celebrate the Annunciation!

annunciation-illustration-for-the-life-of-christToday is an incredibly special day.  Yes, though still technically in the middle of Lent, it is the highest feast this side of Easter.  Today is the Annunciation of Our Lord to the Virgin Mary.  It is officially nine months until Christmas today!  Today is the day in the Church when we celebrate the Archangel Gabriel’s announcement of the coming birth of Christ to the Virgin Mary.  This was a day in the history of the world when everything began to change.  This was when the Word actually became Flesh.  This is one of the greatest feasts of the entire Church year and tonight we have an opportunity to gather an celebrate it together.

Please join us tonight at seven o’clock for a special Eucharistic service to commemorate the angelic proclamation which changed the world forever.  Childcare will be provided and we will end in plenty of time to have everyone home in time for work and school in the morning.