PARISH EVENTS
By vote of our Congregation Council, Messiah is tentatively planning to resume in person worship and other events on Sunday, June 28th, although plans may change in either direction depending on guidance from Upstate New York Synod Bishop John Macholz. Unless additional guidance is issued, all events listed below will be conducted virtually on either Facebook Watch, our website or Zoom as noted.
Adult Education: Christ and the Coronavirus
Sunday, July 5th at 8:45am
Over the last few weeks our Sunday morning adult education class has transitioned to discussing how our faith in Christ relates to COVID19 and we plan on continuing that journey well into the summer! Each week Merle Longwood leads us through a discussion of recent articles about how COVID19, our faith, and a wide variety of topics from race to public health to poverty and more all interact. Join us live on Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/913384341. Here's upcoming articles for the week ahead:
Mass for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: Rest
Sunday, July 5th at 10:15am
As we move into the heart of summer and celebrate the best of what it means to be Americans over a long holiday weekend, we reflect on the importance of rest as lifted up those famous words from Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Join us here on Facebook Watch or on our website!
Vespers
Monday, July 6th - Wednesday, July 8th at 6:00pm
What began as a brief prayer service during difficult times is rapidly growing into a virtual space for our entire local community to pray, comfort one another and engage in conversation. After a brief opening reflection on a Bible verse from the daily Revised Common Lectionary, Pastor Dustin interviews a very special guest via Zoom. The service then concludes with intercessory prayers from folks joining us online. Join us on Facebook Watch as we continue with our summer schedule of episodes Monday - Wednesday each week!
Monday, July 6th: Tonight on Vespers, Pastor Dustin broadcasts from Camp Calumet on beautiful Lake Ossipee in Freedom, NH about how growing up at Calumet helped formed his faith.
Tuesday, July 7th: Tonight on Vespers, we'll create a sacred space to remember all the people and things we've lost during COVID19 and celebrate their life and witness.
Wednesday, July 1st: Tonight on Vespers, we'll create a sacred space of thanksgiving for all the ways God has continued to bless us individually and as a faith community amidst COVID19.
"Who Is My Neighbor?" Summer Seminar Series
Continuing Tuesdays, July 7th through Tuesday, July 21st from 9:00 - 11:00am
The New York State Council of Churches, Pace University Land Use Law Center and Goldstein Hall Attorneys at Law have announced they are moving the "Who is My Neighbor?" Seminars online for the summer. From the comfort of your home (or the beach) this will be a great opportunity for you to:
1. Explore how your house of worship can reach out to your community
2. Take necessary steps to position your house of worship to use its property for mission
3. Understand your neighborhood and land use laws and how to advocate for change
4. Counter Not in My Backyard to create inclusive neighborhoods for all
5. Meet with organizations offering pre-development and development dollars and learn how to apply for those dollars
6. New case examples of small and larger projects.
There will be no charge for the seminars but we need all participants to register in advance for this meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Especially as a case study featuring Messiah and Trinity Reformed will be featured in this seminar series, we're very much hoping many members of Messiah will participate!
Faith Formation Online: Best Practices and Sharing Resources for Sustainable Digital Learning
Tuesday, July 14th from 6:30 - 8:00pm
Sign up today as we're limited to fifty participants synod wide! Limited to 50 people! Pastor Lori Kochanski, Assistant to the Bishop for Faith Formation, will begin the session with some resource sharing and best practices for sustaining a digital learning environment for your whole congregation. She will share some online resources for use in congregational and conference settings. The focus will be on providing opportunities for all generations, for children, youth and adults. After the presentation from Pastor Kochanski about best practices and sharing of resources there will be a time for questions in the large group setting. For those who want to go deeper in specific areas of learning together, there will also be small groups sessions in breakout rooms. Some of the topics for the small group sessions will be: confirmation instruction, family faith formation opportunities, children (k-2), children (3-5 grade), children (6-8), youth (9-12 grade), opportunities for adult learners, developing a culture of spiritual practice Sign up on the Upstate New York Synod website. Once registered you will be sent the Zoom link for the sessions. There is no cost to participate. Please let Pastor Dustin know if you're interested in participating!
Mass for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: Listen
Sunday, July 12th at 10:15am
As we celebrate the beginnings of our bounty from our Rev. Richard Rieger Memorial Harvest Garden, we also reflect on what it means to listen to the still small voice in each of us that is the Holy Spirit. We discuss Saint Matthew's famous Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 and are treated to beautiful previously recording music from our choir. The people of Trinity Reformed will join us for worship this Sunday with Pastor Dustin preaching and presiding.
Mass for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: Abba
Sunday, July 19th at 10:15am
We often call ourselves "children of God," but what does that actually mean? In today's focus reading from Romans 8:12-25, we hear Saint Paul's discussion of thinking of God as Abba, a loving parent, and what that might mean for us today. Trinity Reformed will lead this mass in terms of liturgy, with Pastor Dustin preaching and Pastor Jonathan presiding.
Mass for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: Parables
Sunday, July 26th at 10:15am
We listen to parables, the stories Jesus told to teach us about how God and God's wondrous creation works, but what actually makes a parable. Through two parables, the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the yeast, we spend time reflecting on how sacred stories can help us learn what the Kingdom of God is all about. Pastor Dustin will preach this Sunday with Pastor Jonathan presiding over communion.
Mass for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: Fed
Sunday, August 2nd at 10:15am
At Messiah we believe the very reason we exist is "nourishing our local community in body, mind and soul." While this takes a variety of different forms, both Trinity and Messiah operate food pantries, offer radical hospitality and "feed" our neighbors in a wide variety of ways. Through reflecting on the "Feeding of the Five Thousand" in Matthew 14:13-2, we dive deeply into what it means to be fed and to feed others. Pastor Jonathan will be preaching and presiding.
Mass for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: Blessing of the Graduates
Sunday, August 9th at 10:15am
On this very special Sunday our four high school graduates, Cal, Amaya, Kendall and Katrina, will be on hand so we can honor their achievement of graduating from high school, especially under such difficult circumstances. As we reflect on the story of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33, we also discuss how God's at work in our doubts and anxieties, especially amidst COVID19. Pastor Dustin will be preaching and presiding.
To view our complete parish calendar, click here.
Adult Education: Christ and the Coronavirus
Sunday, July 5th at 8:45am
Over the last few weeks our Sunday morning adult education class has transitioned to discussing how our faith in Christ relates to COVID19 and we plan on continuing that journey well into the summer! Each week Merle Longwood leads us through a discussion of recent articles about how COVID19, our faith, and a wide variety of topics from race to public health to poverty and more all interact. Join us live on Zoom at https://zoom.us/j/913384341. Here's upcoming articles for the week ahead:
- Matt Apuzzo, et al., "Behind the Curve: How the World Missed COVID-19's Silent Spread," New York Times, June 27, 2020: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/27/world/europe/coronavirus-spread-asymptomatic.html
- Amy Davidson Sorkin, "The Tragedy of the New Coronavirus Spikes," The New Yorker, June 28, 2020: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/07/06/the-tragedy-of-the-new-coronavirus-spikes
- "Coronavirus Live Updates: Fauci Warns U.S. Could Hit 100,000 Daily Cases, and Officials Fight Vaccine Skepticism," New York Times, June 30, 2020: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/30/world/coronavirus-updates.html
- Louis Casiano, "More Americans, especially Republicans, say coronavirus outbreak exaggerated, poll finds," Fox News, June 29, 2020: https://www.foxnews.com/us/americans-republicans-coronavirus-outbreak-exaggerated
- Paul Krugman, "World War C: The Covid-19 story, told in lies," New York Times, June 30, 2020: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/30/opinion/world-war-c.html
Mass for the Fifth Sunday after Pentecost: Rest
Sunday, July 5th at 10:15am
As we move into the heart of summer and celebrate the best of what it means to be Americans over a long holiday weekend, we reflect on the importance of rest as lifted up those famous words from Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30, "Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." Join us here on Facebook Watch or on our website!
Vespers
Monday, July 6th - Wednesday, July 8th at 6:00pm
What began as a brief prayer service during difficult times is rapidly growing into a virtual space for our entire local community to pray, comfort one another and engage in conversation. After a brief opening reflection on a Bible verse from the daily Revised Common Lectionary, Pastor Dustin interviews a very special guest via Zoom. The service then concludes with intercessory prayers from folks joining us online. Join us on Facebook Watch as we continue with our summer schedule of episodes Monday - Wednesday each week!
Monday, July 6th: Tonight on Vespers, Pastor Dustin broadcasts from Camp Calumet on beautiful Lake Ossipee in Freedom, NH about how growing up at Calumet helped formed his faith.
Tuesday, July 7th: Tonight on Vespers, we'll create a sacred space to remember all the people and things we've lost during COVID19 and celebrate their life and witness.
Wednesday, July 1st: Tonight on Vespers, we'll create a sacred space of thanksgiving for all the ways God has continued to bless us individually and as a faith community amidst COVID19.
"Who Is My Neighbor?" Summer Seminar Series
Continuing Tuesdays, July 7th through Tuesday, July 21st from 9:00 - 11:00am
The New York State Council of Churches, Pace University Land Use Law Center and Goldstein Hall Attorneys at Law have announced they are moving the "Who is My Neighbor?" Seminars online for the summer. From the comfort of your home (or the beach) this will be a great opportunity for you to:
1. Explore how your house of worship can reach out to your community
2. Take necessary steps to position your house of worship to use its property for mission
3. Understand your neighborhood and land use laws and how to advocate for change
4. Counter Not in My Backyard to create inclusive neighborhoods for all
5. Meet with organizations offering pre-development and development dollars and learn how to apply for those dollars
6. New case examples of small and larger projects.
There will be no charge for the seminars but we need all participants to register in advance for this meeting here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. Especially as a case study featuring Messiah and Trinity Reformed will be featured in this seminar series, we're very much hoping many members of Messiah will participate!
Faith Formation Online: Best Practices and Sharing Resources for Sustainable Digital Learning
Tuesday, July 14th from 6:30 - 8:00pm
Sign up today as we're limited to fifty participants synod wide! Limited to 50 people! Pastor Lori Kochanski, Assistant to the Bishop for Faith Formation, will begin the session with some resource sharing and best practices for sustaining a digital learning environment for your whole congregation. She will share some online resources for use in congregational and conference settings. The focus will be on providing opportunities for all generations, for children, youth and adults. After the presentation from Pastor Kochanski about best practices and sharing of resources there will be a time for questions in the large group setting. For those who want to go deeper in specific areas of learning together, there will also be small groups sessions in breakout rooms. Some of the topics for the small group sessions will be: confirmation instruction, family faith formation opportunities, children (k-2), children (3-5 grade), children (6-8), youth (9-12 grade), opportunities for adult learners, developing a culture of spiritual practice Sign up on the Upstate New York Synod website. Once registered you will be sent the Zoom link for the sessions. There is no cost to participate. Please let Pastor Dustin know if you're interested in participating!
Mass for the Sixth Sunday after Pentecost: Listen
Sunday, July 12th at 10:15am
As we celebrate the beginnings of our bounty from our Rev. Richard Rieger Memorial Harvest Garden, we also reflect on what it means to listen to the still small voice in each of us that is the Holy Spirit. We discuss Saint Matthew's famous Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 and are treated to beautiful previously recording music from our choir. The people of Trinity Reformed will join us for worship this Sunday with Pastor Dustin preaching and presiding.
Mass for the Seventh Sunday after Pentecost: Abba
Sunday, July 19th at 10:15am
We often call ourselves "children of God," but what does that actually mean? In today's focus reading from Romans 8:12-25, we hear Saint Paul's discussion of thinking of God as Abba, a loving parent, and what that might mean for us today. Trinity Reformed will lead this mass in terms of liturgy, with Pastor Dustin preaching and Pastor Jonathan presiding.
Mass for the Eighth Sunday after Pentecost: Parables
Sunday, July 26th at 10:15am
We listen to parables, the stories Jesus told to teach us about how God and God's wondrous creation works, but what actually makes a parable. Through two parables, the parable of the mustard seed and the parable of the yeast, we spend time reflecting on how sacred stories can help us learn what the Kingdom of God is all about. Pastor Dustin will preach this Sunday with Pastor Jonathan presiding over communion.
Mass for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost: Fed
Sunday, August 2nd at 10:15am
At Messiah we believe the very reason we exist is "nourishing our local community in body, mind and soul." While this takes a variety of different forms, both Trinity and Messiah operate food pantries, offer radical hospitality and "feed" our neighbors in a wide variety of ways. Through reflecting on the "Feeding of the Five Thousand" in Matthew 14:13-2, we dive deeply into what it means to be fed and to feed others. Pastor Jonathan will be preaching and presiding.
Mass for the Tenth Sunday after Pentecost: Blessing of the Graduates
Sunday, August 9th at 10:15am
On this very special Sunday our four high school graduates, Cal, Amaya, Kendall and Katrina, will be on hand so we can honor their achievement of graduating from high school, especially under such difficult circumstances. As we reflect on the story of Jesus walking on water in Matthew 14:22-33, we also discuss how God's at work in our doubts and anxieties, especially amidst COVID19. Pastor Dustin will be preaching and presiding.
To view our complete parish calendar, click here.