Join Us Sunday July 30 with Fr. Jim

Bishop Ruth Joined us Last Sunday

Join us for Worship at 10 O'clock AM, this Sunday, July 30 with Rev Jim Craig

Bishop Ruth Stanley-Woodliff, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina, visited Church of the Messiah last Sunday, July 23 (photo above). After church, she discussed our Planning Process with parishioners at coffee hour in the Upper Room. After coffee hour, Bishop Ruth met with the vestry for more conversation about the details and financing of our upcoming process to reestablish Messiah Church at a new location. All this was follow-up to the weekend of July 16, when much of the parish membership participated in the two-day visioning retreat with consultant Ann Fleming of the Episcopal Church Building Fund.

After the vestry meeting, Bishop Ruth had lunch with our three clergy, Jim, John & George, and their spouses! In the photo, Left to right, Fr. John & Jeannine, Annie & Fr. George Welles & Bishop Ruth.

The Rev Jim Craig is Preacher and Celebrant this Sunday

Fr. Jim is preaching and leading worship this Sunday, July 30 at Ten o'clock am. Jim and Vicar John lead worship in rotation according to a schedule that is posted at the church door. John will continue working with the planning teams from home in Mount Pleasant as Kristi Burch and the planning team complete the details of the next stage of our process.

In this Sunday's Genesis story, Jacob, the cheating son of Isaac, is tricked by his Uncle Laban into marrying two wives! In Romans, Chapter 8, we hear a theology of divine providence, where Paul famously declares, "We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." And finally in the Gospel Reading, Jesus teaches the crowds from a collection of parables, including the Mustard Seed, the metaphor of Yeast, the Hidden Treasure, the Pearl and the Great Fish Catch. Jim will be preaching from these stories, and you can read the Bible Lectionary for Sunday by clicking here!

Messiah Visioning Retreat Concludes

The Parish Planning Process Begins!

Dear People of Messiah Church

Friday and Saturday, July 13 and 14, over 40 parishioners joined us for one or both days of our two-day retreat. About 35 people were with us for some or all of Friday, and over 27 finished the work with us on Saturday (photo above). I’m excited that our Visioning Retreat with Ann Fleming of the Episcopal Church Building Fund is now complete. Now, the planning work begins.

At a meeting with the Vestry and other church leaders, after church on Sunday, July 15, Ann began the process with us of taking the work of the retreat as the foundation for a planning process whose goal is the creation of a new Church of the Messiah at a new location in Myrtle Beach. We outlined 4 Teams and a Steering Committee that will lead this research and planning.

A Steering Committee organizes the work of the four teams, and assembles an application to the Episcopal Church Building Fund and the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina for the re-establishment of Messiah at a new Location in Myrtle Beach. Kristi Burch and Peggy Kovacs are the Co-Chairs of the Steering Committee that will coordinate the tasks of the 4 teams. The Steering Committee Leadership Team, which is Kristi and Peggy joined by Fr. John, Vicar Charlie Jordan and Warden Rick Stall, has been working to clarify the team tasks, goals and a time-line. A number of parishioners from the vestry and the retreat volunteered to participate on the teams. When that team-organizing work is more complete, a new Messiah e-News will be sent out to the congregation explaining the details and inviting congregational participation as needed.

When this stage of the work concludes, Ann will visit us again, perhaps in October to review that work and the application and plan our next steps.

This is an exciting time for the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Myrtle Beach. As your Vicar, I deeply appreciate the dedication of the forty or more people who spent many hours on the two-day retreat, beginning a Visioning Process for Messiah. I'm equally grateful for those who volunteered for the four teams, and for those who are waiting for an opportunity to participate. Our future is bright!

Many Blessings,

Fr. John Sorensen

Vicar