PARISH EVENTS
By vote of our Congregation Council, all events listed below will be conducted virtually on either Facebook Watch, our website or Zoom unless otherwise noted.
Community Meditation
Thursdays, continuing September 24th at 6:30pm
https://zoom.us/j/92213668480
Join us for a virtual half hour of community meditation led by Pastor Dustin, who is beginning training in the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction method with the UMass Medical Center this fall. As we face the coronavirus together, these virtual half hour meditation gatherings are intended to help our members, friends and neighbors cope with anxiety, relax, and work through the collective trauma we are all experiencing.
Our Antiracist Calling
Sundays, beginning September 27th at 8:45am
https://zoom.us/j/94311937514
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to be anti-racist. Period. But what does that mean exactly? Through this fall, we will continue our course during our regular Sunday morning adult education hour at Messiah addressing that very question. Each Sunday will feature discussion of both a Bible passage and various resources that address racism and can help ground our understanding of current events through the lens of the Christian faith. The Zoom link is https://zoom.us/j/94311937514 or you can even call in via phone at 929.205.6099 and then dialing 94311937514#. Here's our assignments for the week ahead:
Mass for the Fourth Sunday in Creation: "Action"
Sunday, September 27th at 10:15am
This Sunday in the Season of Creation we focus on the relationship between faith and action as discussed in Jesus' parable of the two sons in the vineyard in Matthew 21:23-32. We also reflect on how we're called to steward our life giving waters with a very special sermon from Lake Michigan! Pastor Jonathan will preach and Pastor Dustin will preside.
Children's Sunday School
Sundays, continuing September 27th at 12:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/94695686497
Kiddos age pre-k through middle school and their families are invited to join us for the kickoff of another awesome year of Children's Sunday School at Messiah! After an awesome opening with Pastor Dustin, kids will separate into three Zoom Rooms by age to work with their Sunday School Leaders through an awesome project and conversation on the same texts we discussed during worship. This Sunday we'll be talking about the theme of "generosity" through the story of the First and Last in the Vineyard in Saint Matthew 20:1-16. You might have a friend or neighbor whose looking for an opportunity to help their kids learn good values in such a complicated world. Please invite them to Children's Sunday School at Messiah! To register your child for Sunday School, or any of our ministries for young people, please fill out our new, convenient and HIPAA compliant online form for each child/ youth here: https://form.jotform.com/Gpastor/mlcyouth.
colaborate: A Community Confirmation Class for Middle Schoolers
Sundays, continuing September 27th at 6:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/92815271554
All middle school aged children in our local community and their families are invited to join us for our weekly virtual Confirmation Class program using the colaborate curriculum from Sparkhouse! This fall every week we'll watch a video, engage in brief Bible study and have a conversation about how to make sense of the complicated world we're living in through the lens of the New Testament. This week's theme will be a basic introduction to what the New Testament is all about! To register your youth for Confirmation Class, or any of our ministries for young people, please fill out our new, convenient and HIPAA compliant online form for each child/ youth here: https://form.jotform.com/Gpastor/mlcyouth.
Autumn 2020 New Member Class
Sundays, continuing September 27th at 4:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/93010793117
Gosh, there's A BUNCH of folks who have expressed interest in joining our congregation whether they heard about us through family members, are looking for meaning and purpose amidst such difficult times, or simply found us online! If you're one of those folks, this virtual offering is for you!!! Over the course of seven sessions, Pastor Dustin and a bunch of volunteers will introduce you to Messiah and Luther's take on the Way of Christ through the short classic work "Baptized We Live," an incredible resource by Rev. Daniel Erlander. Participants are encouraged to attend each week, although occasionally scheduling issues over this longer course are no problem at all! The class will begin on September 20th at 4:00pm for about an hour and continue on 9/27, 10/18, 11/1, 11/8 and 11/15. A copy of the short work "Baptized We Live," an incredible resource by Rev. Daniel Erlander, will be delivered to households who express interest. Please confirm with Pastor Dustin by using our new handy dandy virtual (and secure) registration form here: https://form.jotform.com/Gpastor/mlcnewmember. Our Fall 2020 New Member Class will be welcomed in as official members of our Spirit filled congregation during a very special Mass for the Feast of Christ the King on Sunday, November 22nd.
Lutheran Youth Hangout
Sunday, September 27th at 2:00pm
Collins Park in Scotia, New York
It's worth reconnecting in person for once (at a safe distance of course) while the weather is still warm and we're outside! All Schenectady area middle and high school aged Lutheran youth and their friends are invited to join folks from Our Redeemer, Good Shepherd and Messiah Lutheran Churches for an afternoon of games and snacks in the park! Social distancing guidelines will be followed and we'll make sure to distribute food in a safe and sanitary manner. We'll also briefly reflect on what the last six months has been like and take some time to reflect on heading back to school this fall. For more information contact Pastor Dustin Wright at pastor@messiahschenectady.org.
LUTHERANS STUDY THE BIBLE!
More and more during the year of COVID19, we're all realizing Christ's Church is so, so much more than buildings and individual congregations. As one way we're living into this new world together, Messiah, Good Shepherd and Our Redeemer Lutheran Churches are teaming up to offer three different options for Bible study this fall. Each course will be offered at the same time five weeks in a row beginning on the dates listed below. We hope folks will be able to choose a time and subject that particularly calls to them and that folks from all our congregations will get to know each other better. Some courses will be offered with an in-person option while all courses will have a virtual option. If successful, we may continue offering similar faith formation opportunities in the months ahead!
The Preacher Still Speaks: A Look at Ecclesiastes 3 NOT at a Funeral!
Led by Pastor Dan May of Our Redeemer, Scotia
Sundays, beginning September 27th at 6:55pm
103 South Reynolds Street in Scotia, New York
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89118533295?pwd=SFRtT20zbGZINVMrQVFINzRzY3NzQT09
Let’s look at Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and listen to those words while thinking about our current lives and situation. What does this say about life and death, Covid, social justice, or our upcoming election? Please let Pastor Dan know you're interested ahead of time for this hybrid in-person and virtual offering at pstrdan88@gmail.com if you'd like to participate!
The Most Popular Sermon Ever Given: The Sermon on the Mount
Led by Pastor Deron Milleville of Good Shepherd, Glenville
Mondays, beginning September 28th at 7:00pm
547 Saratoga Road in Glenville, New York
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87252771527?pwd=SXVlZzFhZ29HY0VnMEI5d3BlOTJHZz09
Dive into the Biblical background of this influential message from Matthew 5-7 with Pastor Deron! Each session will have a video to begin our discussions! This is a hybrid in-person and virtual offering. Please give Pastor Deron a heads up at pastorderon@goodshepherdglenville.com if you'd like to participate!
Feast of Michael and All Angels
Tuesday, September 29th at 6:00pm
Michael the archangel, captain of the heavenly hosts, is remembered on this day along with the other angels and archangels. The word "angel" means messenger, and in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, these beings have a fully spiritual nature and no physical body. Join Pastor Dustin for a brief reflection on the role of angels in the Bible with a focus on Revelation 12:7-12.
The Prophets: Then and Now
Led by Pastor Dustin Wright of Messiah, Schenectady
Wednesdays, beginning September 30th at 11:00am
https://zoom.us/j/96312464865
Grounded in Abraham Heschel's classic work "The Prophets," Pastor Dustin leads us through a five part course on the prophets of Hebrew Bible from a joint Christian/ Jewish perspective. After an introductory day on the prophetic tradition with local Rabbi Matt Cutler, we'll spend an hour each week digging into Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and The Twelve in that order. All days will also connect the issues the prophets were speaking about with contemporary social justice issues of our time. Only an NRSV Bible is needed and participants without Zoom capabilities can also call-in by dialing 19292056099, putting in Meeting ID 96312464865 and then pressing #. This is a virtual only offering. Please give Pastor Dustin a heads up at pastor@messiahschenectady.org if you'd like to participate!
Mass for the Commemoration of Francis of Assisi
Sunday, October 4th at 10:15am
During the final Sunday in the Season of Creation we focus on the message of Saint Francis and all the ways God has created us to live in a relationship of mutuality with our pets and other animals. With a focus on Saint Matthew 21:33-46, we also welcome one of our awesome young adults Hanna Avery to kickoff our Fall 2020 Mission Support Campaign to discuss how our beloved animals AND our faith community have helped so many of us get through so much over the last six months of COVID19! Pastor Dustin will preach and Pastor Jonathan will preside.
Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 4th at 4:00pm
Calling all dogs, cats, fish, turtles, lizards (with leashes and their owners, of course!) to our fifth annual and IN-PERSON Blessing of the Animals Service in our beautiful Parish Yard! Set on the commemoration day for Saint Francis of Assisi, known as the patron saint for animals, this brief, fun and contemporary service will be a great way to celebrate all those pets who provide so much joy and support in our lives. Messiah's own Parish Dog, the one Willard Excelsior Bear, will serve alongside Pastor Dustin and Pastor Jonathan as we gather together to conclude the Season of Creation! Due to COVID19, social distancing guidelines will be STRICTLY enforced and all participants will be asked to bring their own chairs and wear face masks out of concern for their fellow worshipers. Entry points to the Parish Yard will be from our Guilderland Avenue parking lot and from the front yard of the parsonage in order for folks to receive a brief health screening from our two volunteer Safety Teams. Restrooms in our church building will not be open and bulletins will not be provided. In the event of rain, worshipers are invited to participate in a drive-up blessing of their pets by parking near the Oak Street entrance of our building from 4:00p - 5:00p.
Not My Idea: A Children's Forum on Race and Whiteness
Wednesday, October 14th at 7:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/95508935100
Especially for white parents and guardians who aren't sure how to talk to their kids about race, this forum might be the perfect starting point! During this virtual forty-five minute conversation Pastor Dustin will read the beautifully illustrated picture book, Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham and link the idea of white privilege to some of Saint Paul's teachings in the Bible. No need to rsvp... simply join us on Zoom and feel free to invite friends, family and other loved ones for such an important conversation!
Lessons from the Holy Land with Rev. Khader Khalilia & Karin Brown
Tuesday, October 20th at 7:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/92075628472
Did you know that there are Lutheran congregations in Palestine and Jordan? Join Reverend Khader Khalilia, ELCA Director of Arab and Middle Eastern Ministries and a good friend of Pastor Dustin's who grew up in Palestine and now serves as a pastor in Brooklyn, for an evening of conversation about what is currently going on in the Holy Land, the many ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and what lessons we can learn from that church's witness amidst our own divisions here in America. Karin Brown, Director of the ELCA's Peace Not Walls Ministry, will also join us to discuss how as Lutherans together we are all working to build a just peace in the Holy Land. All are encouraged to join us on Zoom but the event will also be broadcast on Messiah's Facebook Watch page.
To view our complete parish calendar, click here.
Community Meditation
Thursdays, continuing September 24th at 6:30pm
https://zoom.us/j/92213668480
Join us for a virtual half hour of community meditation led by Pastor Dustin, who is beginning training in the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction method with the UMass Medical Center this fall. As we face the coronavirus together, these virtual half hour meditation gatherings are intended to help our members, friends and neighbors cope with anxiety, relax, and work through the collective trauma we are all experiencing.
Our Antiracist Calling
Sundays, beginning September 27th at 8:45am
https://zoom.us/j/94311937514
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to be anti-racist. Period. But what does that mean exactly? Through this fall, we will continue our course during our regular Sunday morning adult education hour at Messiah addressing that very question. Each Sunday will feature discussion of both a Bible passage and various resources that address racism and can help ground our understanding of current events through the lens of the Christian faith. The Zoom link is https://zoom.us/j/94311937514 or you can even call in via phone at 929.205.6099 and then dialing 94311937514#. Here's our assignments for the week ahead:
- View "The Choice 2020: Trump vs. Biden," Frontline, September 22, 2020 (full film, 1 hour 54 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Icu6qupf40
- Read "Why Donald Trump still appeals to so many evangelicals," The Conversation, August 24, 2020: https://theconversation.com/why-donald-trump-still-appeals-to-so-many-evangelicals-143232
- Read Sean Illing, "Is evangelical support of Trump a contradiction?: Vox, July 12, 2020: https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2020/7/9/21291493/donald-trump-evangelical-christians-kristin-kobes-du-mez
- Read Eddie S. Gaulde, Jr., "We Need to Begin Again," The Atlantic, July 18, 2020: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/07/why-we-need-begin-again/614326/
- Read the following Bible passage: Amos 5: 21-24.
Mass for the Fourth Sunday in Creation: "Action"
Sunday, September 27th at 10:15am
This Sunday in the Season of Creation we focus on the relationship between faith and action as discussed in Jesus' parable of the two sons in the vineyard in Matthew 21:23-32. We also reflect on how we're called to steward our life giving waters with a very special sermon from Lake Michigan! Pastor Jonathan will preach and Pastor Dustin will preside.
Children's Sunday School
Sundays, continuing September 27th at 12:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/94695686497
Kiddos age pre-k through middle school and their families are invited to join us for the kickoff of another awesome year of Children's Sunday School at Messiah! After an awesome opening with Pastor Dustin, kids will separate into three Zoom Rooms by age to work with their Sunday School Leaders through an awesome project and conversation on the same texts we discussed during worship. This Sunday we'll be talking about the theme of "generosity" through the story of the First and Last in the Vineyard in Saint Matthew 20:1-16. You might have a friend or neighbor whose looking for an opportunity to help their kids learn good values in such a complicated world. Please invite them to Children's Sunday School at Messiah! To register your child for Sunday School, or any of our ministries for young people, please fill out our new, convenient and HIPAA compliant online form for each child/ youth here: https://form.jotform.com/Gpastor/mlcyouth.
colaborate: A Community Confirmation Class for Middle Schoolers
Sundays, continuing September 27th at 6:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/92815271554
All middle school aged children in our local community and their families are invited to join us for our weekly virtual Confirmation Class program using the colaborate curriculum from Sparkhouse! This fall every week we'll watch a video, engage in brief Bible study and have a conversation about how to make sense of the complicated world we're living in through the lens of the New Testament. This week's theme will be a basic introduction to what the New Testament is all about! To register your youth for Confirmation Class, or any of our ministries for young people, please fill out our new, convenient and HIPAA compliant online form for each child/ youth here: https://form.jotform.com/Gpastor/mlcyouth.
Autumn 2020 New Member Class
Sundays, continuing September 27th at 4:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/93010793117
Gosh, there's A BUNCH of folks who have expressed interest in joining our congregation whether they heard about us through family members, are looking for meaning and purpose amidst such difficult times, or simply found us online! If you're one of those folks, this virtual offering is for you!!! Over the course of seven sessions, Pastor Dustin and a bunch of volunteers will introduce you to Messiah and Luther's take on the Way of Christ through the short classic work "Baptized We Live," an incredible resource by Rev. Daniel Erlander. Participants are encouraged to attend each week, although occasionally scheduling issues over this longer course are no problem at all! The class will begin on September 20th at 4:00pm for about an hour and continue on 9/27, 10/18, 11/1, 11/8 and 11/15. A copy of the short work "Baptized We Live," an incredible resource by Rev. Daniel Erlander, will be delivered to households who express interest. Please confirm with Pastor Dustin by using our new handy dandy virtual (and secure) registration form here: https://form.jotform.com/Gpastor/mlcnewmember. Our Fall 2020 New Member Class will be welcomed in as official members of our Spirit filled congregation during a very special Mass for the Feast of Christ the King on Sunday, November 22nd.
Lutheran Youth Hangout
Sunday, September 27th at 2:00pm
Collins Park in Scotia, New York
It's worth reconnecting in person for once (at a safe distance of course) while the weather is still warm and we're outside! All Schenectady area middle and high school aged Lutheran youth and their friends are invited to join folks from Our Redeemer, Good Shepherd and Messiah Lutheran Churches for an afternoon of games and snacks in the park! Social distancing guidelines will be followed and we'll make sure to distribute food in a safe and sanitary manner. We'll also briefly reflect on what the last six months has been like and take some time to reflect on heading back to school this fall. For more information contact Pastor Dustin Wright at pastor@messiahschenectady.org.
LUTHERANS STUDY THE BIBLE!
More and more during the year of COVID19, we're all realizing Christ's Church is so, so much more than buildings and individual congregations. As one way we're living into this new world together, Messiah, Good Shepherd and Our Redeemer Lutheran Churches are teaming up to offer three different options for Bible study this fall. Each course will be offered at the same time five weeks in a row beginning on the dates listed below. We hope folks will be able to choose a time and subject that particularly calls to them and that folks from all our congregations will get to know each other better. Some courses will be offered with an in-person option while all courses will have a virtual option. If successful, we may continue offering similar faith formation opportunities in the months ahead!
The Preacher Still Speaks: A Look at Ecclesiastes 3 NOT at a Funeral!
Led by Pastor Dan May of Our Redeemer, Scotia
Sundays, beginning September 27th at 6:55pm
103 South Reynolds Street in Scotia, New York
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89118533295?pwd=SFRtT20zbGZINVMrQVFINzRzY3NzQT09
Let’s look at Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and listen to those words while thinking about our current lives and situation. What does this say about life and death, Covid, social justice, or our upcoming election? Please let Pastor Dan know you're interested ahead of time for this hybrid in-person and virtual offering at pstrdan88@gmail.com if you'd like to participate!
The Most Popular Sermon Ever Given: The Sermon on the Mount
Led by Pastor Deron Milleville of Good Shepherd, Glenville
Mondays, beginning September 28th at 7:00pm
547 Saratoga Road in Glenville, New York
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87252771527?pwd=SXVlZzFhZ29HY0VnMEI5d3BlOTJHZz09
Dive into the Biblical background of this influential message from Matthew 5-7 with Pastor Deron! Each session will have a video to begin our discussions! This is a hybrid in-person and virtual offering. Please give Pastor Deron a heads up at pastorderon@goodshepherdglenville.com if you'd like to participate!
Feast of Michael and All Angels
Tuesday, September 29th at 6:00pm
Michael the archangel, captain of the heavenly hosts, is remembered on this day along with the other angels and archangels. The word "angel" means messenger, and in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, these beings have a fully spiritual nature and no physical body. Join Pastor Dustin for a brief reflection on the role of angels in the Bible with a focus on Revelation 12:7-12.
The Prophets: Then and Now
Led by Pastor Dustin Wright of Messiah, Schenectady
Wednesdays, beginning September 30th at 11:00am
https://zoom.us/j/96312464865
Grounded in Abraham Heschel's classic work "The Prophets," Pastor Dustin leads us through a five part course on the prophets of Hebrew Bible from a joint Christian/ Jewish perspective. After an introductory day on the prophetic tradition with local Rabbi Matt Cutler, we'll spend an hour each week digging into Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and The Twelve in that order. All days will also connect the issues the prophets were speaking about with contemporary social justice issues of our time. Only an NRSV Bible is needed and participants without Zoom capabilities can also call-in by dialing 19292056099, putting in Meeting ID 96312464865 and then pressing #. This is a virtual only offering. Please give Pastor Dustin a heads up at pastor@messiahschenectady.org if you'd like to participate!
Mass for the Commemoration of Francis of Assisi
Sunday, October 4th at 10:15am
During the final Sunday in the Season of Creation we focus on the message of Saint Francis and all the ways God has created us to live in a relationship of mutuality with our pets and other animals. With a focus on Saint Matthew 21:33-46, we also welcome one of our awesome young adults Hanna Avery to kickoff our Fall 2020 Mission Support Campaign to discuss how our beloved animals AND our faith community have helped so many of us get through so much over the last six months of COVID19! Pastor Dustin will preach and Pastor Jonathan will preside.
Blessing of the Animals
Sunday, October 4th at 4:00pm
Calling all dogs, cats, fish, turtles, lizards (with leashes and their owners, of course!) to our fifth annual and IN-PERSON Blessing of the Animals Service in our beautiful Parish Yard! Set on the commemoration day for Saint Francis of Assisi, known as the patron saint for animals, this brief, fun and contemporary service will be a great way to celebrate all those pets who provide so much joy and support in our lives. Messiah's own Parish Dog, the one Willard Excelsior Bear, will serve alongside Pastor Dustin and Pastor Jonathan as we gather together to conclude the Season of Creation! Due to COVID19, social distancing guidelines will be STRICTLY enforced and all participants will be asked to bring their own chairs and wear face masks out of concern for their fellow worshipers. Entry points to the Parish Yard will be from our Guilderland Avenue parking lot and from the front yard of the parsonage in order for folks to receive a brief health screening from our two volunteer Safety Teams. Restrooms in our church building will not be open and bulletins will not be provided. In the event of rain, worshipers are invited to participate in a drive-up blessing of their pets by parking near the Oak Street entrance of our building from 4:00p - 5:00p.
Not My Idea: A Children's Forum on Race and Whiteness
Wednesday, October 14th at 7:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/95508935100
Especially for white parents and guardians who aren't sure how to talk to their kids about race, this forum might be the perfect starting point! During this virtual forty-five minute conversation Pastor Dustin will read the beautifully illustrated picture book, Not My Idea: A Book about Whiteness by Anastasia Higginbotham and link the idea of white privilege to some of Saint Paul's teachings in the Bible. No need to rsvp... simply join us on Zoom and feel free to invite friends, family and other loved ones for such an important conversation!
Lessons from the Holy Land with Rev. Khader Khalilia & Karin Brown
Tuesday, October 20th at 7:00pm
https://zoom.us/j/92075628472
Did you know that there are Lutheran congregations in Palestine and Jordan? Join Reverend Khader Khalilia, ELCA Director of Arab and Middle Eastern Ministries and a good friend of Pastor Dustin's who grew up in Palestine and now serves as a pastor in Brooklyn, for an evening of conversation about what is currently going on in the Holy Land, the many ministries of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and what lessons we can learn from that church's witness amidst our own divisions here in America. Karin Brown, Director of the ELCA's Peace Not Walls Ministry, will also join us to discuss how as Lutherans together we are all working to build a just peace in the Holy Land. All are encouraged to join us on Zoom but the event will also be broadcast on Messiah's Facebook Watch page.
To view our complete parish calendar, click here.