Join Fr. Jim Craig for Worship this Sunday

at Messiah, Myrtle Beach!

Dear Friend in Christ:

The collect for the this Sunday, January 14, the Second Sunday the year 2014, captures the theme of knowing or connecting with God:

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshipped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The two lessons for this Sunday describe people discovering the divine. In the Old Testament reading, the young boy Samuel is under training with the old Priest Eli at the Tabernacle in Shiloh. Samuel starts to receive visions or dreams of God speaking to him. He learns to recognize and hear the voice of God.

As we noted last week, The name Epiphany is derived from a Greek word, "epi-phanos" meaning manifestation, revelation or appearing. Keeping up that theme, Samuel, with the help of Eli is learning to discern and interpret the Epiphany of God to him. The story gets awkward when God's message is a critique of the Priest Eli! Similarly, in the gospel reading from John, Philip is called by Jesus to join his group of Disciples. Philip is impressed with Jesus of Nazareth, and he finds his friend Nathaniel, who is skeptical of the invitation and doesn't immediately see God in Jesus.

"Can anything good come out of Nazareth," he asks? Clearly, his prejudices to certain towns were preventing him from seeing the divine in Jesus. But upon meeting Jesus, and being welcomed joyfully, he had his Epiphany.

Rev. Jim Craig is preaching this Sunday at 10am at Messiah Church. There is childcare. You can find the link to the lectionary reading for January 14 at this link.

Fr. John

Thursday Morning Bible Study

A Thursday morning Bible Study on the Book of Daniel is now meeting at 10am. Cindy Craig is the leader (photo, left). There's room for You!

Church of the Messiah Epiphany Worship Schedule

Sunday, January 14, Second after Epiphany, Ten AM: Fr. Jim

Sunday, January 21, 2nd Epiphany, Annual Meeting, Ten AM: Fr John

Sunday, January 28, Fourth Sunday after Epiphany, Ten AM: Fr Jim

Two Bible Studies During Epiphany and Beyond

Tuesday Evening Study Group

There is a Tuesday Study group meeting at the home of Charles and Amy Jordan. This group, led by Charlie, hosted by Amy has been meeting for over a decade. A new study season will started January 9 for Epiphany. The topic of study is the Season of Epiphany. You can view the lessons at Charlie's Blog by clicking this link.

Charlie & Amy invite members and friends of Messiah to attend, here are the particulars for the Tuesday evening meetings:

Dinner is at 6 at 1523 Brookgreen Drive, Myrtle Beach. Dinner is served. Discussion about 6:45. Compline at 8. If you have not joined us in a while, please consider making us a part of your new year. All you will need is a bible, and if you do not have one, we have extra here. 

Bible Study on Daniel, Thursday Mornings

Cindy Craig, parishioner and spouse of Rev. Jim Craig, is inviting parishioners to join her for a Bible Study on the Book of Daniel. The Course has 11 sessions and began January 11, in the Upper Room, from 10-Noon. It is a discussion and video format, and the author of the course is the former Baptist Bible Teacher, Beth Moore. The sessions are as follows:

I.                    Choices to Make

II.                  A Dream and a Kingdom

III.                No Smell of Fire

IV.               Farewell Lessons from Nebuchadnezzer

V.                 The Handwriting on the Wall

VI.               In the Lions Den

VII.              The Ancient of Days

VIII.            Foreshadowing the Little Horn

IX.                Unexpected Answers to Prayer

X.                  Kings in Succession

XI.                Go your Way

For questions, see Cindy at Church or email her at c.k.craig@hotmail.com

Please Email your Reports by Monday, January 15 for

The Annual Parish Meeting

Sunday, January 21, 2024, at 11:30 after Church

Elections for Vestry and Annual Diocesan Convention Delegates

Messiah's Annual Parish Meeting will be held on Sunday, January 21 at 11:30 after church. The annual parish meeting is a great way to find out about the business and ministry of the church, because annual reports are part of the meeting. That will include a budget for the 2024 year.

At the Annual Parish Meeting the Parish Vestry Members are elected, as are delegates to Diocesan Convention.

Three Vestry Nominees

Nominees: This year, we have three nominees for terms expiring for Vestry Members David Martin and Monica Orosz, and the unexpired year of Alan Jeffcoat's term. Monica is running for another term, Jim Kieffer is the nominee for a full term, and Eileen Fairchild is the nominee for a partial term.

Written reports to be included in the handout at the Annual Meeting should be emailed to Patty Tate at messiahatthebeach@icloud.com. The Deadline is Monday, January 15.

Our October Visioning Retreat II Concludes with Recommendations for Building a New Messiah Church

Our second visioning retreat with Ann Fleming of the Episcopal Church Building Fund (photo above) concluded Monday afternoon, October 30, with five specific recommendations for building the new Messiah Episcopal Church on a new property in Myrtle Beach. You will be hearing more from the Steering Committee in the coming weeks, and the Vestry will consider the recommendations at their November 19 meeting. But here is a brief Summary of the Recommendations of our team, pictured above.

(1) begin the process of calling a full-time residential priest to Messiah by Summer of 2024, and provide a paid support staff for the office to support our clergy and ministry

(2) Grow and Expand the Messiah Congregation, and redevelop and improve existing parish program and ministry offerings

(3) Proceed with the purchase of a 1.4 acre lot that we believe is the future location of the Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Myrtle Beach

(4) Develop a financial and business plan to fund 1-3 above and lay out the timeline and steps that will lead to the construction of our new church within five years. This report will become our plan to be presented to and approved by the diocese for support and funding for this new future!

(5) Meet with the Diocese for acceptance and funding.

Stay tuned for more news, and keep our congregation in prayer. This will require the time, talent and treasure of each of us!

Many Blessings,

Fr. John

Messiah Sunday Children's Program

Our regular worshippers include at least three families with young children who have difficulty attending the entire worship service. Most churches consider it a part of their ministry to all their members to provide a childcare opportunity during Sunday worship. Our Fall Childcare program began September 10.

Chelsea, our new childcare person has enjoyed working with our children and will continue to do so. With your support and encouragement, Messiah will develop a quality, predictable Sunday Children's Program. This is an important component to church growth! We are can report that Chelsea will offer childcare for our 7pm Christmas Eve Service!

A Short History of Episcopal Church of the Messiah

Messiah was founded as a congregation on Sunday August 4, 2013. The church rented classrooms on 79th avenue to hold our first worship services. We had to move our furnishings in and out each Sunday. Fr. Wilmot Merchant, Rector of Saint Stephen's, North Myrtle Beach, helped us connect with the Methodists, who gave us space for over a year at their 65th avenue school property near the ByPass. In the fall of 2014 we found temporary space with the Saint Philip Lutheran Church, and in November of 2014 we were recognized by the Diocese of South Carolina as a mission Congregation, Messiah. In 2019, we moved to our current location where we have full use of our own rental property. Our next step is to partner with the Episcopal Church Building Fund and the Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina to find ourselves a new home! No one wants to be a refuge forever! That process is underway!

Dear Reader:

Messiah Episcopal Church is a congregation in transition, seeking to rebuild at a new location after losing our church property in a schism that started over ten years ago. It's an exciting time to be part of a congregation! Please join us at Church Sundays at 10am. We are located in a shopping center at 4201 North Kings Highway, adjacent to (behind) Finish Strong Fitness. To reach me directly, you can email me at lakesinai@comcast.net. Soon, the office email will be functioning as well.

Many Blessings to you,

Fr. John Sorensen, Vicar