Pastor's Page

Your Messiah Tale

In the entrepreneurial community, keen ideas are often shared via an “elevator pitch”, that is, a concise story about your idea, product, or service, shared compellingly with an elevator-mate in the time it takes for you to reach your floor. Business and nonprofit leaders are also encouraged to always have an elevator pitch at the ready to share with others about why their work (and the work of their organization) is important in the world. I’ve been thinking lately about the elevator pitches we might share about Messiah, about why Messiah is the place where we have chosen to be, and how this community makes a difference in the world. It could be as simple as, “I was baptized here, and I have experienced God’s grace in a real way.” Or, “Messiah feels like a community truly rooted in the love of Jesus,” or, “I saw you on social media and liked what was happening in Sunday School, so we tried it out, and now are here almost every week.”

As the academic year begins again and the fall festivals are blooming ahead of us, I encourage you to get in touch with your Messiah story, your elevator pitch. How did you come to be an active part of this congregation? Why are you engaged here? What are you excited for in the months to come? Once you’ve got a good sense of that story, I encourage you to share it with a friend who isn’t yet part of the Messiah flock, and ask if they might be interested in checking this place out. From children’s ministry to social ministry, from lively liturgical worship and the leadership of the choir, to online connections and a remarkable midcentury sanctuary with the best stained glass around, we have a lot to celebrate here! As we say every Sunday in the Mission Prayer:

Gracious God, through belief in Christ and through the presence of the Holy Spirit within us, empower us to share the word; care and support each other in God’s community; worship as a family in Christ; and be Christ-like examples to those whose lives we touch.

Amen! May it be so.

Pastor Paul

As the academic year swings back into session, we are finalizing our plans for our multi-congregation Confirmation program. This time together helps our kiddos grow in faith and love so that they can to affirm with integrity the promises made over them at their baptism.

Our first parent-inclusive multi-church gathering begins Sunday September 20th at 2pm at Celebration Lutheran Church in Chardon. We’ll have time for introductions, an overview of the schedule, Q&A, as well as an opportunity to play games and eat pizza. Most of the rest of the year will be held on Zoom, with our final session (May 2027) in the great outdoors (location TBD). These multi-congregation classes will again be the third Sunday of each month from 2-3:30, with a break in December for the holidays.

In addition to our multi-congregation classes, we also have weekly worship (serving as acolytes), Sunday School, and many other intergenerational opportunities for you to grow in the faith here in person at Messiah. And don’t forget about completing Sermon Notes! (I can show you their location in the sanctuary if you aren’t yet familiar.) After two successful years, Confirmands affirm their baptism through the rite of Confirmation on Pentecost Sunday, usually in the late spring of their 8th grade year.

If you have questions, please reach out to Pastor Paul.

Here is the tentative schedule for the 26/27 year:

SCHEDULE - 3rd Sunday of each month, 2-3:30pm

September 20 - Kickoff at Celebration Chardon with parents (in person)

October 18 - Ten Commandments (Zoom)

November 15 - Apostles’ Creed (Zoom)

December - Holiday Break

January 17 - Lord’s Prayer (Zoom)

February 21 - Sacraments (Zoom)

March 21 - Law & Gospel / Loving Neighbor (Zoom)

April 18 - Possible Service Project (TBD)

May 16 - Holy Hike (in person, outdoors)

Prayer for Racial Healing & Service of Prayer and Lament

A Special Message (below) from Pastor Paul: "Repentance and Racial Justice"

We invite you to to CLICK HERE to read Pr. Paul's message.

Commemoration of the Emanuel 9: Special service from 6/17/20

Five years ago today a stranger was welcomed into Bible Study at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. After the study ended, he opened fire, killing 9 of the people present in the name of white supremacy. The gunman grew up and was confirmed in an ELCA congregation, and is indicative of the continued, required work needed for us to repent of the sins of racism and white supremacy.

Today, along with our entire denomination, we commemorate the martyrdom of The Emanuel Nine. We give thanks for their faithful witness, grieve their deaths, and confess our own complicity in these systems of sin and death.

Take a few moments this evening to light a candle, participate in the brief liturgy (CLICK HERE FOR BULLETIN), and remember the lives of these siblings in faith. The video is below.

~Pastor Paul

Peace and Blessings to you, Beloved Church.

Adult Bible Study - Sundays, 9am in the council room

CONFIRMATION CLASS

Confirmation Class Videos

Confirmation Class Videos

Prayer for Racial Healing & Service of Prayer and Lament

A Special Message (below) from Pastor Paul: "Repentance and Racial Justice"

Commemoration of the Emanuel 9: Special service from 6/17/20

Installation of Pastor Paul Moody

Installation of Pr. Paul Moody - 8/12/2018

Archived Sermons

Pub Theology - 6/8, 6/22, 7/13, 7/27, 8/10 & 8/24 at 6pm

Hello dear Theologians,

Cleveland’s East Side Pub Theology