The Messiah Minute

The Messiah Minute is a weekly message e-mail to highlight news and upcoming events. If you have a special church-related item that you would like to include in The Messiah Minute, please contact Sandy Cooper at messiahsk@gmail.com (or call the office at 598-1188) prior to WEDNESDAY.

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE Plan to attend tonight's Ash Wednesday worship at 7 pm in the sanctuary. There will be changes in the service due to the pandemic, and receiving the ashes during the service will be optional for worshippers. The service will also be livestreamed on our YouTube page. The bulletin is available by clicking here.

LENT PRAYER GUIDE AVAILABLE Pastor Talsness has written a prayer guide for Lent. For each day of Lent there is a theme, scripture and a prayer focus. You can download a copy by clicking here or pick up a hard copy from the Narthex table.

LENTEN DAILY DEVOTION VIDEOS-VOLUNTEERS NEEDED Messiah is looking for members who would be willing to record a short 1-2-minute video for daily devotions during Lent. A theme and scriptural passage will be assigned. We will take care of the technology; we just need people willing to read scripture and say a prayer. Please contact the office to sign up (messiahsk@gmail.com; 912.598.1188). Lent begins February 17.

LENTEN HUNGER WALK This week the “focus” of your walk is to include learning a new Bible verse. During your walk, try to be intentional in doing this task. Ask God to be with you as you walk. Enjoy your time!  If you want to be included, call or email the church office (912,598.1188; messiahsk@gmail.com) to be added to our list of walkers. Then, get out there and enjoy the spring weather!!  If you would like to participate by "sponsoring" a walker, send in a check!! We'll make sure it is added in.    Happy Walking!!!

EASTER LILIES AND CALADIUMS 2021 Lent is here, and Easter is just a few weeks away. To celebrate Easter, Messiah’s Sanctuary will be brimming with Easter lilies and caladiums. We invite you to give a lily or a caladium in honor or memory of a loved one. The dedications will be listed in the Easter bulletin. The cost is $13 per plant. To order, please pick up an envelope from the stand next to the entrance to the Sanctuary or on the table in the Narthex, fill in the form, enclose your check, and return it to the Church Office or in the offering plate by March 22.

OUTREACH GOAL EXCEEDED!!: 86 COATS AND JACKETS have been collected. The first batch of coats were blessed on Sunday and will be distributed to our brothers and sisters downtown on Monday.  A special thank you to all of Messiah and friends of Messiah members. WE will continue to collect jackets/coats until February 28th. The box will remain in the Narthex. BLESSINGS to you all.

MARCH FLOWER DONATIONS You may still donate flowers for March 28 (2 vases). You can sign up on the sheet in the Narthex. If you are not currently able to attend church, contact Sandy Cooper (messiahsk@gmail.com or 912.598.1188).

DONATE YOUR PLASTIC BAGS The PLARNERS need more bags!!! Please gather them up (ask your neighbors) and bring them to the church! We have an active Wednesday group that needs to stay busy! This helps the environment and is a great gift to the homeless of Savannah.

SECOND HARVEST For the month of February, we are collecting SOUP!!!

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21 WORSHIP SERVICE The next live streaming and in-person regular worship will be at 9 am on Sunday, February 21.    To attend in person, register for the service by contacting Sandy Cooper, our office administrator, no later than Friday at 9 a.m. (messiahsk@gmail.com; office telephone: 912-598-1188). You and your party will be assigned a seat in the sanctuary, which has pews cordoned off for social distancing. The usual COVID-19 safety guidelines are followed. If you have a seat reservation, please notify the office administrator if you will not be attending church. Attendance is nearing capacity, and vacant pews are needed. This service will be live streamed at 9:00 am at Messiah's You Tube page, then taped and posted to YouTube shortly after 10:30 am Sunday, for those you prefer to continue watching the service online. Messiah's YouTube page is available here. A link to the YouTube service will be posted on Facebook and messiahsi.org.  You can access the bulletin here or by visiting the website.

SERMON PREVIEW FOR FEBRUARY 21 Promise and Challenge: On Sunday we have two stories that apply to us as we begin the season of Lent: in the First Reading, God gives the rainbow as a sign of his promise to never repeat the flood again. The rainbow remains a sign of God's constant presence and promise. In our Gospel reading, Jesus is tempted in the wilderness, showing us the virtues of endurance and remaining faithful to God in the wake of temptation. Thus our lives are marked with this pattern: the promises of God with the challenges of being faithful.