Welcome
Dear Friends in Christ,
Grace, mercy and peace be unto you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Amen! Thank you for allowing me to share a few brief words with you. Messiah is a member of and follows the beliefs and practices of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. We here at Messiah Lutheran Church are excited about our lives and our church. There is a friendliness that exists among our people which we feel is quite contagious, and we don’t mind sharing. It is here that the Word of God is read and proclaimed! It is here that the Sacraments are administered according to Christ’s command. It is here that sins are forgiven in Jesus’ name.
If you are looking for a place where you can grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and enjoy fellowship with caring, committed, compassionate Christians, then Messiah is the place for you! We would love for you to become a part of our church family. If you are interested in becoming a part of our church family, I would be pleased to meet with you in person to discuss the various avenues whereby one becomes a member. My door is always open.
In Christ’s Love,
Rev. Kevin C. Zellers
Pastor, Messiah Lutheran
What We Believe
GRACE ALONE: We believe that we are saved by grace alone and that man cannot earn any part of his way into God’s favor. Grace is the undeserved love and favor of God who sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to take our place under God’s law and to suffer and die to pay the penalty for our sins. Whoever believes in Jesus Christ, who shed his blood for their sins, shall not perish but have everlasting life.
FAITH ALONE: We believe that man was originally created by God to be holy but later rebelled against God and is now, by his nature, spiritually blind and spiritually dead. Only when man is brought to faith by the Holy Spirit working through the Word of God is it possible for man to be saved. Faith is God’s work, not man’s, and comes by hearing the Word of God. Man is justified before God by faith alone in Jesus Christ and not by any of his own efforts.
SCRIPTURE ALONE: We believe that the Holy Scriptures in their entirety are the inspired Word of God without errors. The Holy Scriptures are the only source and norm for what we teach, believe, and confess. We believe that the Bible is complete and requires no additions from any other source and that it clearly reveals God’s plan of salvation for mankind. Accordingly, the Bible is the final authority for the Faith and life of a Christian.
CHRIST ALONE: In addition to the three Reformation principles listed above, we believe that we are saved by the shed blood of Christ and Christ alone. Christ Jesus is the Savior of the whole world. In Christ we have the sure and certain hope of the forgiveness of sins, as the catechism states: “Where there is the forgiveness of sins there is also life and salvation.”
Word and Sacrament
“Through the reading, hearing, preaching, and receiving of His Word, we find forgiveness, grace, and eternal life. Through the sacramental gifts of the Lord’s Supper and Holy Baptism, the Word is given in tangible form and our faith is given a physical reality.”
Our way of worship is both historical and liturgical. In fact, many sections of the worship service are thousands of years old. For example, the Aaronic benediction, the placing of God‘s holy name on God‘s people, dates all the way back to the time of Moses. Indeed, most of the psalms were written one thousand years before the birth of Christ and were most certainly used by Jesus. Therefore, our worship connects us with all the saints and angels who have come before.
Our way of worship is called the “Divine Service” because it is here, in the Divine Service that Christ our Lord serves us through His Word and His Sacraments. It is here, that Christ comes to us. It is here, that Christ speaks to us. It is here, that we receive the forgiveness of sins in the holy absolution and all the present blessings of salvation in the Sacrament of Holy Communion. Our way of worship is not centered on man but rather it is centered on Christ. Christ alone is the object of our worship and devotion.
In short, our traditional way of worship teaches the faith handed down to us throughout the ages and does so in an orderly fashion. Therein, we find a tremendous blessedness each and every time we worship. If you would like to learn more, please feel free to speak with Pastor Zellers.