"With God All Things are Possible"
MESSIAH CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF SERVICE
2013 Marks our 40th Anniversary - Let's Celebrate!Messiah celebrated our 40th Anniversary in the year 2013. The name Messiah was chosen for the merger of two Washburn churches in March of 1973. Emanuel Lutheran was founded by Swedes. Christ Lutheran was founded by Norwegians. The Messiah in Hebrew means the one who was to be their liberator. In Christianity, Jesus is the anointed one who is our Savior, our Messiah. We focus on the risen Christ, who continues to call us to reconcile with one another.
The Norse/Swede “marriage” took several years. Many details had to be ironed out including whose alter and whose candle sticks were to be used. Norwegians and Swedes have not always gotten along so well. Now we eat lutefisk and lefse together and laugh about how it used to be looked down on for Norwegians and Swedes to marry. Now these mixed marriages happen quite often. Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded by Swedish settlers who met in a local school with Pastor J.D. Nelsenius. He was the first Lutheran pastor to preach in Washburn. On February 7, 1887 the church organized and became a member of the Augustana Synod. A building was erected in the summer of 1888 which is now Humble Bee. The Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized on March 23, 1887 with Pastor G. Horme of Eau Claire presiding. A new building was dedicated on October 13, 1891. The congregation affiliated with the Norwegian Synod which later merged with two other Norwegian bodies to become the United Norwegian Synod in 1917. They later changed their name to the Evangelical Lutheran Church, the E.L.C. In 1938, the church changed its name to Christ Lutheran as it had expanded its membership to include many who were not Norwegian. The Emanuel church became part of the Lutheran Church of America, the L.C.A. in 1958 and Christ Lutheran became a member of the American Lutheran Church (A.L.C). Messiah is now affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Our Anniversary Committee is busy planning special events to help commemorate this milestone in our Church history. We would like to invite everyone to participate in our Anniversary Celebration this year. We have several events planned. Check this site often for the latest Messiah 40th Anniversary celebration information. |
Anniversary CommitteeThe following have volunteered to serve on the 40th Anniversary Committee:
Pastor Nancy, Keith Holm, Jan Bergman, Shirley Haugen, June Steel, Maren Overby, Joan Bratley, Lorraine Young, Dawn Bellile, and Wendy Murphy. If you are interested in serving on the Committee or helping with any of our planned events, please let us know. All are Welcome! Share Your Messiah Memories!The Anniversary Committee encourages everyone to share their Messiah Story! In addition to publishing member stories in our 40th Anniversary commemorative booklet, we invite everyone to share their stories here on Messiah's 40th Anniversary web site. It's easy to do, just click on the Share Your Story button above to get started or fill out the My Messiah Story Form. "If you were around when the merger happened, what do you remember most about it?" "Do you have a favorite Messiah memory? (Maybe a special event in your life, a special event at the church, a holiday service, a potluck, etc.?" "If you joined the church after the merger what was it that drew you to Messiah?" "What would you like to see the church do or accomplish in the next 40 years?" This is your
opportunity to share your story! Let's start sharing! |
Coming Together in Christ
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Faith of Our Fathers, by Tom CookThere’s an old Hymn that was sung in the Swedish and Norwegian churches named “Faith of our Fathers.”
It was the Faith of our Fathers that gave the pioneers the courage to leave the lands they loved and moved to Washburn. It was the Faith of our Fathers that gave the settlers strength to haul the 2 x 4’s from the sawmills, sometimes on their backs, to build two beautiful churches. It was the Faith of our Fathers that helped them learn the hymns in English. In the wintertime they would gather in the dirt floor homes and have to sit on the tables and beds to keep their feet from freezing. It was the Faith of our Fathers and God’s Holy Spirit that enabled the churches to flourish and bless our community. When lean times came for one church, the other embraced it and opened its hearts and doors wide. It was the Faith of our Fathers and a combined kindness and love that made it work. In forty years two congregations who were involved have almost disappeared. I look out now on all of you faithful beloved Christians and realize that you are the Faith of our Fathers living still. |
Singing with the Lutherans
By Garrison Keillor
I have made fun of Lutherans for years – who wouldn’t if you lived in Minnesota?
Bui I have also sung with Lutherans and that is one of the main joys of my life, along with hot baths and fresh sweet corn. We make fun of Lutherans for their blandness, their excessive calm, their fear of giving offense, their lack of speed and also for their secret fondness for macaroni and cheese. But nobody sings like them.
If you ask and audience in New York City a relatively Lutheranless place, to sing along on the chorus of “Michael Row the Boat Ashore,” they will look daggers at you as if you had asked them to strip to their underwear. But if you do this among Lutheran they’ll smile and row that boat ashore and up on the beach! And down the road!
Lutherans are bred from childhood to sing in four-part harmony. It’s a talent that comes from sitting on the lap of someone singing alto or tenor or bass and hearing the harmonic intervals by putting your little head against that person’s rib cage. It’s natural for Lutherans to sing in
Harmony. We’re too modest to be soloists, too worldly to sing in unison. When you’re singing in the key of C and you slide into the A7th and D7th chords, all two hundred of you. It’s an emotionally fulfilling moment.
I once sang the bass line of Children of the Heavenly Father in a room with about three thousand Lutherans in it; and when we finished, we all had tears in our eyes partly from the promise that God will not forsake us, partly from the proximity of all those lovely voices. By our joining in harmony, we somehow promise that we will not forsake each other.
I do believe this: These Lutherans are the sort of people you could call up when you’re in deep distress. If you’re dying, they’ll comfort you. If you’re lonely, they’ll talk to you. And if you’re hungry, they’ll give you tuna salad!
The following was list was compiled by a 20thcentury Lutheran who, observing other Lutherans, wrote down exactly what he saw or heard:
1. Lutherans believe in prayer, but would practically die if asked to pray out loud.
2. Lutherans like to sing, except when confronted with a new hymn or a hymn with more than four stanzas.
3. Lutherans believe their pastors will visit them in the hospital, even if they don’t notify them that they are there.
4. Lutherans usually follow the official liturgy and will feel it is their way of suffering for their sins.
5. Lutherans believe in miracles and even expect miracles, especially during their stewardship visitation programs or when passing the plate.
6. Lutherans feel that applauding for their children’s choirs would make the kids too proud and conceited.
7. Lutherans think that the Bible forbids them from crossing the aisle while passing the peace.
8. Lutherans drink coffee as if it were the Third Sacrament.
9. Some Lutherans still believe that an ELCA bride and an LCMS groom make for a mixed marriage.
10. Lutherans feel guilty for not staying to clean up after their own wedding reception in the Fellowship Hall.
11. Lutherans are willing to pay up to one dollar for a meal at church.
12. Lutherans think that Garrison Keillor stories are totally factual.
13. Lutherans still serve Jell-O in the proper liturgical color of the season and think that peas in a tuna noodle casserole add too much color.
14. Lutherans believe that it is OK to poke fun at themselves and never take themselves too seriously.
And finally, you know you’re a Lutheran when:
“It’s 100 degrees, with 90% humidity, and you still have coffee after the service.”
“You hear something really funny during the sermon and you smile as loudly as you can.”
“Donuts are a line item in the church budget, just like coffee.”
“The communion cabinet is open to all, but the coffee cabinet is locked up tight.”
“When you watch a ‘Star Wars’movie and they say, ‘May the Force be with you,’ you respond, ‘and also with you.’”
“And lastly it takes 15 minutes to say "Good-bye.”
May you wake each day with His blessings, Sleep each night in His keeping, And always walk in His tender care.
Note: We’re not exactly sure where this came from, but thank June Steel for finding it and sharing it with us.
Bui I have also sung with Lutherans and that is one of the main joys of my life, along with hot baths and fresh sweet corn. We make fun of Lutherans for their blandness, their excessive calm, their fear of giving offense, their lack of speed and also for their secret fondness for macaroni and cheese. But nobody sings like them.
If you ask and audience in New York City a relatively Lutheranless place, to sing along on the chorus of “Michael Row the Boat Ashore,” they will look daggers at you as if you had asked them to strip to their underwear. But if you do this among Lutheran they’ll smile and row that boat ashore and up on the beach! And down the road!
Lutherans are bred from childhood to sing in four-part harmony. It’s a talent that comes from sitting on the lap of someone singing alto or tenor or bass and hearing the harmonic intervals by putting your little head against that person’s rib cage. It’s natural for Lutherans to sing in
Harmony. We’re too modest to be soloists, too worldly to sing in unison. When you’re singing in the key of C and you slide into the A7th and D7th chords, all two hundred of you. It’s an emotionally fulfilling moment.
I once sang the bass line of Children of the Heavenly Father in a room with about three thousand Lutherans in it; and when we finished, we all had tears in our eyes partly from the promise that God will not forsake us, partly from the proximity of all those lovely voices. By our joining in harmony, we somehow promise that we will not forsake each other.
I do believe this: These Lutherans are the sort of people you could call up when you’re in deep distress. If you’re dying, they’ll comfort you. If you’re lonely, they’ll talk to you. And if you’re hungry, they’ll give you tuna salad!
The following was list was compiled by a 20thcentury Lutheran who, observing other Lutherans, wrote down exactly what he saw or heard:
1. Lutherans believe in prayer, but would practically die if asked to pray out loud.
2. Lutherans like to sing, except when confronted with a new hymn or a hymn with more than four stanzas.
3. Lutherans believe their pastors will visit them in the hospital, even if they don’t notify them that they are there.
4. Lutherans usually follow the official liturgy and will feel it is their way of suffering for their sins.
5. Lutherans believe in miracles and even expect miracles, especially during their stewardship visitation programs or when passing the plate.
6. Lutherans feel that applauding for their children’s choirs would make the kids too proud and conceited.
7. Lutherans think that the Bible forbids them from crossing the aisle while passing the peace.
8. Lutherans drink coffee as if it were the Third Sacrament.
9. Some Lutherans still believe that an ELCA bride and an LCMS groom make for a mixed marriage.
10. Lutherans feel guilty for not staying to clean up after their own wedding reception in the Fellowship Hall.
11. Lutherans are willing to pay up to one dollar for a meal at church.
12. Lutherans think that Garrison Keillor stories are totally factual.
13. Lutherans still serve Jell-O in the proper liturgical color of the season and think that peas in a tuna noodle casserole add too much color.
14. Lutherans believe that it is OK to poke fun at themselves and never take themselves too seriously.
And finally, you know you’re a Lutheran when:
“It’s 100 degrees, with 90% humidity, and you still have coffee after the service.”
“You hear something really funny during the sermon and you smile as loudly as you can.”
“Donuts are a line item in the church budget, just like coffee.”
“The communion cabinet is open to all, but the coffee cabinet is locked up tight.”
“When you watch a ‘Star Wars’movie and they say, ‘May the Force be with you,’ you respond, ‘and also with you.’”
“And lastly it takes 15 minutes to say "Good-bye.”
May you wake each day with His blessings, Sleep each night in His keeping, And always walk in His tender care.
Note: We’re not exactly sure where this came from, but thank June Steel for finding it and sharing it with us.