Updates from congregations around the Church of the Lutheran Confession
With any congregation in the CLC, pastors come and go as they are called to serve the Lord. Congregation members continue the consistent work within our communities and, with the pastors, build our fellowship, improve our property, and proclaim the good news of salvation. We retain effective programs and projects, modify them as needed, and explore new ideas. “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory is like a flower of the field. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord endures forever.” (1 Peter 1: 24-25 EHV)
Messiah was blessed with a new hymnal this past year. The Messiah Hymnal Committee completed work on O Sing of Christ: A Lutheran Hymnal. The hymnal was delivered and put into use at Thanksgiving services in 2024. It has been a joy to have the hymnal in the pews and in use at Messiah. The next time you visit Messiah, we hope you enjoy singing praises to the Lord with us.
New hymnal produced by Messiah Lutheran Church
Our fellowship has been encouraging one another and witnessing through a number of activities. Praise in the Park: A Joyful Afternoon of Music to our Lord, was held in downtown Eau Claire at Phoenix Park this past September. What was planned for the amphitheater became an even more intimate gathering, filled with music and the joy of hearing praises to our Savior. As the music carried through the park, visitors passing by stopped to listen, drawn by the songs and hearing praise to Jesus. Scripture declares, “Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Proclaim the good news of his salvation from day to day.” (1Chronicles 16:23 EHV).
Our college-age adult Bible study group has found new leadership with Sam Oster taking the reins. The hope of “In His Word” is to bring together young adult Christians whoare pursuing post-high school degrees and at different points in life who wouldn’t necessarily have a lot in common other than our Savior, Who brings us all together. They study the Word of our Savior, sing hymns, and enjoy Christian friendship and fellowship by doing fun things together like playing volleyball, canoeing, playing yard games, and more.
An event held for the first time in 2024, which returned in 2025, was Messiah’s Trunk or Treat.
Held in the Messiah church parking lot, Trunk or Treat was a family-friendly event that served as a safer, more convenient alternative to traditional trick-or-treating. Our members and school families were welcomed to walk around to see the different vehicles and costumes. Activities included games, fall crafts, sweet treats, and live music.
Messiah Lutheran Church Trunk or Treat
The Ladies Group at Messiah has been guided by this past year’s mission:”Serve. Lead. Grow.”“Serve one another, each according to the gift he has received, as good stewards of the many forms of God’s grace.” (1 Peter 4:10 EHV) At the beginning of the year, anActivities Committeewas formed to provide regular opportunities for women to connect and share in fellowship. TheKitchen Committeecontinued to faithfully handle food needs for events such as funerals and congregational gatherings, while theCradle Roll programsupports families with children from birth to age five. New efforts were undertaken, includingsanctuary bannersfrom the Altar Committee, an”Encouragement Letter” projectfor ILC college students, and abulletin boardwith”Get to Know Members” features. Other fellowship opportunities includemeal train coordinationand aweeklywomen’s Bible study group, all striving to encourage connection, service, and growth in support of Messiah’s ministry.
The Messiah School playground was blessed with some much-needed improvements this past summer when a dedicated group of members worked to make it happen. Todd Lundquist supplied and drove a semi-truck and trailer to move equipment from Fridley, Minnesota, to Messiah. Many hands helped load and unload, remove old equipment, prepare the site, and set up. The installation process occurred over a ten-day period, being completed at the end of July. Our August VBS was the first group of children to thoroughly enjoy the new playground.
New playground equipment
The Lord has truly blessed each of us with gifts to serve in His kingdom. To that end, we introduced a new program intended to help members make the “MOST” of their God-given abilities (Messiah Opportunities to Serve with your Time & talents). The program has been successful thus far in matching talents with needs. Our various boards and committees identify tasks or roles for completion. Details, materials, equipment, skills, and timeline are identified along with a contact person. The opportunities are presented to members so they can consider how to offer their time and help. At the same time, members offer the unique talents they have, even when a need has not been advertised. Over time these talents are compiled so we know who might best fit a task that arises.
The Outreach Committee is charged with helping the members spread the Gospel of Jesus into our community and beyond. To that end, Messiah has participated in community events such as the Northern Wisconsin State Fair, parades, Eau Claire Marathon, Kids Expo, and the Downtown Fall Festival. Seminars are also advertised to the community along with information about our day school, worship services, and Bible studies.
Of course, our thriving Christian day school provides many opportunities for outreach. Of the forty (!!) adult instruction classes currently underway at Messiah, fully half of them are contacts that came to us through children attending Messiah Lutheran School. We thank God for each of these precious opportunities to proclaim the saving Gospel!
Finally, this past June a Parenting Weekend and Workshop was presented “The Family Altar: A Christ-Centered Home.” The Parenting Weekend included a Bible Study and worship service focused on what God’s Word says about the Christian family. The Parenting Workshop followed the next weekend and offered discussion on God’s Word, practical guidance for parents, and age-specific breakouts. The workshop was intended for parents, grandparents, and mentors, and focused on Christian parenting/mentoring skills and how to build a strong, Christ-centered home. This was valuable for anyone to whom the Lord has given the responsibility of raising and caring for children and helping families stay grounded in Christ.
is a member of member of Messiah Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He has served on a number of boards and committees, including the Hymnal Committee.