#MM342 - Church, “Do not be afraid,” Jesus speaks to his disciples as the scary waters of the Sea of Galilee appear to overwhelm them in a storm. Easier said than done! Our fears can be nigh impossible to quell, especially if danger is near. Yet Jesus meets us in these moments again and again and beckons us to trust that we are not alone, and that we have a companion amidst life’s hardships. Come listen for the good news this Sunday as we remember God’s presence with us always.

• Bulletin for this Sunday: https://bit.ly/AUG9thBulletin-MLC26

• Sunday School: Sunday School starts in September! We are looking for another teacher. If you feel called to participate in the faith journey of our youth, either weekly or as an occasional substitute, please get in touch! Talk to Sarah Dellinger, Lisa Halberg, or Allison Schreiber to learn more.

• Book Club: The book club has resumed meeting at Messiah this summer. We will next meet on August 11, 2026 at 7pm to discuss the book The Correspondent by Virginia Evans. Contact Nancy Pittard if you have questions: nlp1097@att.net

• New Member Sunday: We are hoping to welcome new members during the summer months if there is interest. Talk to Pastor Paul or another friend at the Church if you’d like to learn more!

Dear Church,

I hope this letter finds you well in the new year. As most of you are aware, Messiah has gone through some changes lately as we adjust our staffing to fit our budgetary commitments for 2025. I would like to take a moment to update you on the status of some of the different positions and how we can use your help as a congregation moving forward. 

First, Sheryl Trost volunteered to step down from the Community Faith Facilitator position in favor of focusing on Christian Education with our Sunday School program. While this will take her away from the Connections Team leadership, this has yielded a salary savings as part of the revised budget. The Connections Team will continue their mission with the existing committee members. 

Second, we parted ways with our long-time Custodian, Steve Newcomer. While we have really appreciated his years of service, the required budget cuts made it difficult to sustain a dedicated custodial position. Snow removal will continue under our current contract and the Council has an action item to explore lawn care alternatives. For inside the church, we've contracted with a professional cleaning company that will be in twice a month for a thorough review of the church. This new schedule will require a bit of an adjustment so I'd like to empower the entire congregation to take action to keep our church and building clean if you see an opportunity to do so. 

Third, the Council has authorized the search for a Property Manager/Rental Coordinator position. This new position will help coordinate the property and maintenance activities at the church as well as providing a meaningful focus on generating revenue from our outstanding facilities that will help support our congregation and mission into the future. The job description will be available in the church and online if someone you know is interested in this exciting opportunity. 

Finally, the rest of the church staff took a small pay cut so that we could maintain the important positions that directly affect worship. You may see changes to our bulletin, order of service and music presentation. I'd encourage you to reach out to the Council with any questions about these changes as we navigate our budget for 2025 and beyond. 

In order to better keep the congregation in the loop, I've started posting financial information and the Pastor's report on the bulletin board in the hallway outside the library. In addition, the new job posting can be found there as well. 

As always, your church council is available to answer any more particular questions. 

Best, 

Ben Johnson / Church Council President