Join Us for Worship this Sunday, April 14, 2024

The Great Fifty Days of Easter

at Messiah, Myrtle Beach!

Dear People of the Messiah:

The season known as "Eastertide" is upon us. This period is the fifty days from Easter Sunday through Pentecost Sunday (May 19). From the earliest days of the church, the "Great Fifty Days" were set aside as a time of joy and celebration to rejoice in the Resurrected Christ of Easter Sunday. This period is also a traditional time of preparation for baptism or confirmation in the church. Charlie Jordan and I have discussed whether its time to offer a confirmation, reaffirmation or new-member program to prepare for the Bishop's Visitation on Sunday, July 14, 2024.

Bishop's Visitation Sunday, July 14, 2024

For those of our members who have never been Confirmed or Received into the Episcopal Church, the Bishop's annual Visitation is an excellent opportunity. Perhaps you've returned to the church after a time away and would like to recommit yourself to a life of faith. There is a ceremony called "Reaffirmation." Perhaps you'd like to mark your joining Episcopal Church of the Messiah with a special ceremony with the Bishop. If any of this interests you, please see Fr. John or Charlie Jordan, so we can design an appropriate class or preparation process for this excellent event.

This Sunday, April 14, we have a story of Jesus' post-resurrection appearance to his disciples, where Jesus himself stood among the disciples and said to them,

“Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

There are many great Eastertide stories to reflect on during the Great Fifty Days of Easter, and I hope you'll join us for worship this Sunday at Messiah!

Vicar John Sorensen

Church of the Messiah Upcoming Worship Schedule

Third Sunday of Easter, April 14, 10 am, Fr. John Sorensen

Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 21, 10 am (Vestry), Fr. John Sorensen

Fifth Sunday of Easter, April 28, 10 am, Fr. Jim Craig

Sixth Sunday of Easter, May 5, 10 am, Fr. John Sorensen

Ascension Sunday/7th Easter, May 12, 2024, Rev Jim Craig

Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2024, Rev Jim Craig

Trinity Sunday, May 26, 2024 (Memorial Day Weekend) Rev John Sorensen

First Printing of New Directories available in Church

Patty has done a first printing of pictorial directories which are on the welcome table in the back of the church. Photos were included for those who sent them to Patty. Please send a photo of you and your family for the next printing. Click here to send her an email with photos or updated information, These directories are printed by us at church, in limited quantities as needed, and are continuously updated.

Share Your Love of Our Church

Patty (Parish Secretary) is working on updating our website. She wants to emphasize what the Church of the Messiah means to individual parishioners and families so that others potentially looking for a church home can quickly feel the amazingness that we feel here. Please send her an email describing what you love about the Church of the Messiah and what it means to you! Alternatively drop a note in the offering plate or in her inbox in the Upper Room.

The 2024 Messiah Church Vestry

The 2024 vestry held their organizational meeting on Sunday, February 18, after church, choosing officers. Above, Left to Right: John Sorensen, Vicar; Jim Kiefer, Jr. Warden; Monica Orosz; Peggy Kovacs, Treasurer; Rick Stall, Senior Warden; Patrick Patterson, Clerk; John Manley; Charlie Jordan, Legal Advisor; Eileen Fairchild.

In March, 2024 the vestry made decisions aimed at upgrading our office equipment and the live worship broadcast equipment. Plans are also being made for audio sound reinforcement to help people hear during worship. In addition, a cleaning service will be cleaning our facilities twice a month! The vestry is planning hopefully for a new future!

Around the Church on Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday at Church of the Messiah. Eighty people joined us for worship, including a half-dozen children in childcare. Fr. John's family joined us from Mount Pleasant and Columbia (below). If you have a great photo of life at Messiah please email to us.

Red Doors. Red Prayer Box.

Many Episcopal churches paint their doors red to symbolize that they are a haven for emotional and spiritual healing and a place for forgiveness and reconciliation. In other words, red doors are an invitation to visitors to enter a space filled with the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately glass store doors don't lend themselves to being painted red. However, our new prayer box is red to symbolize that it is a space filled with the Holy Spirit.

Simply fill out a prayer request card and place it in the red prayer box in the back of the church and the Intercessory Prayer Team will pray for your needs.

Two Study Groups During Eastertide

Tuesday Evening Study Group

Julian of Norwich Study

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. The study for this Easter Season began on April 9^th. We will be studying Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich. Email cjordan@pearcelawgroup.com for more information, to order a book, or to receive the Bible Study emails.

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

Dinner is at 6 at 1523 Brookgreen Drive, Myrtle Beach. Dinner is served.

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. There are two Daniel lessons left after Easter, and then the group will choose a new study!

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

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 will also be employing a second childcare worker, Victoria, who is Chelsea's back-up.

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.

Our Church Secretary, Patty Tate, is in the office Tuesdays and Wednesdays. You can email her at messiahatthebeach@icloud.com. She particularly wants you to email her photos of yourself for the Church Directory, which we print periodically in the office when there are new additions or updates. These directories are available at the back of the church.

Many Blessings to you,

Fr. John Sorensen, Vicar