Messiah's Church Ministries

Prayer Shawl Ministry

The Prayer Shawl Ministry is a wonderful ministry that provides handmade shawls, shawls that are knitted, crocheted, or quilted for people who are in need of healing.  The Prayer Shawl Ministry serves a great  community need.  More crafters are desperately needed.  Please call Nancy Koss at 715-373-5789 for more information.  Or stop by the church office for patterns.

Worship Ministry

The Worship Ministry group plans and oversees the worship activities at Messiah Lutheran Church.  The ministry is responsible for the worship resources including the Pastor’s leadership, the music leadership and the various function coordinators.  The group consists
of one or more council members, the Pastor, the choir director, the organist, and the function coordinators (assistant liturgists, acolytes, readers, and ushers).  The Worship Ministry group invites anyone who has interest in any of the worship areas to please contact Pastor Nancy or a member of the church council.

ABC Thrift Store

The Thrift Store in Washburn is run in partnership by a volunteer
Board of members from Messiah Lutheran, St Louis Catholic Washburn Methodist, and Washburn Assembly of God churches. 
The store has served a need in the community for 24 years and returns all profits to worthwhile service projects in the area. 
This includes discretionary funds for each church to help individuals or families in need.  All workers are volunteers and many are need for each week.  Please consider adding your name to the list of volunteers for this worthwhile organization.

Heaven's Helping Hands

Any one of us may find ourselves need at one time or another.  Your church has caring people who have volunteered to help out with these Heaven's Helping Hands ministries:  Elder Assistance, Meal Ministry, Transportation, Home Touch Newsletters and the Member Visit Ministry. They are looking forward to helping where they can.

Living the Questions

Join us for this DVD series called Living the Questions.  These adult education study Groups meets Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.  Please check the church calendar for exact meeting dates.

Mary/Naomi Circle

The Mary Naomi Circle meets the 4th Wednesday of month at 1 pm at Lakeview Terrace for fellowship and bible study. All are welcome.  Contact Shirley Haugen if you would like to attend.

Church Garden Ministry

This ministry attempts to keep the flower gardens around the church looking good.  There are currently three members who help out with this endeavor. If you like to get your hands dirty and would like to help beautify our gardens, please contact Bob Leis.

Support Ministry - Building and Grounds

Building and Grounds is responsible for maintaining the church and parsonage.  We deal with making recommendations for such things as roof repairs, cleaning and painting.  We also manage the janitorial duties for our church.  Thus far janitorial duties have been carried out by volunteers.  If you would like to volunteer for church cleaning there is a sign-up sheet in the narthex at the front of the church.  We are always looking for creative ways to finance our maintenance projects.  We welcome member participation on our Committee!

Wednesday's with the Word

Wednesday's with the Word provides religious instruction for children from preschool through High School on Wednesday nights. It meets from 5:30 to 7:00 pm with supper and fun activities for all. We gladly welcome new faces to join the group.  Come for part of the evening or all of it.

Loving Hand Quilters

The Loving Hands Quilters Ministry involves sewing and tying quilts that are given to many in need including graduating Messiah high school seniors and missions around the world. Meets Wed. at 9:00 am; Sept.-May.

Serving Groups

Messiah is blessed to have three serving groups.  Our serving groups are responsible for serving food at funerals and some other special events.  They organize the annual chicken dinner in the park, salad luncheons and they help with the annual lutefisk dinner.  There are also pot luck dinners after annual meetings and potlucks to raise money for a variety of causes.

Altar Guild

Messiah’s Altar Guild is responsible for preparing the worship
space for services.  This includes preparation for holy communication, preparing the sanctuary, seasonal decorations, etc.  The Altar Guild would like to thank all of those who have donated flowers throughout the year.

Wired Word

The Wired Word is a discussion group that started in 2011.  It meets from September to June every Sunday after the worship service at Messiah.  There is usually between six and twelve people in attendance each week.  The discussions center on a topic pulled from the headlines with a series of thought provoking questions and biblical text to provide guidance.  Every week a new topic is presented so that it is not necessary to attend every time. All are welcome to join the group discussions as they are thought provoking, often humorous and always informative.

LGBTQA Circle

Messiah's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, those with questions and friends and family gather together the first Thursday of the month to share God's message.  All are welcome to attend.  We are pleased that this ministry is having an impact.  You can read letters from attendees here.

Church Cleaning Ministry

Please consider being a church cleaner starting in January.  After thousands of hours of volunteer cleaning, Bill Luckenbill will soon retire. Our church has saved over $20,000 in these 4 years. MANY Messiah folks have taken their turn in church cleaning. Thank you all so much! There are four areas to clean:  1) sweep and mop downstairs tiled room  2) vacuum upstairs worship area 3) clean bathrooms  4) vacuum the upstairs hallways and rooms. Please consider cleaning one of these areas which will take you two hours or less per week. To get your name on the list, call the church at 373-5378; or sign up on the Church Cleaning Ministry sheet on the bulletin board posted near the church front door. The time you choose to clean is up to you and the church calendar.

More Church Ministries

Bible Studies Tuesday and Thursday.  Meet with Pastor Nancy Tuesday afternoons or Thursday mornings at the parsonage.

Blood Pressure.  Blood pressure measurement by the parish nurses is provided monthly following church service, usually the second Sunday of the month.

Ecumenical Youth Activities.  Various ecumenical activities are conducted by the youth in conjunction with area churches including the Christmas shoebox gift outreach.

Prayer Chain.  If you have, or know of someone who has a concern, please contact the church office or one of our Prayer Chain initiators.

Star Raft.  The Star Raft forms a group of people that commit to share the care around one person.  This model can be very useful for people with special needs by building a support network of friends, family and caring individuals from their church and community.

Darts.  Provides fellowship and fun at different area churches every other Monday at 7:30pm. 

Card Ministry.  Sends cards from the church to members for a new baby, milestone birthdays and anniversaries and to let people know that the church is thinking and praying for them.

Cherish our Children.  This is a congregation-based ministry of prayer, education, relationship building and action to implement the ELCA Message on Commercial Sexual Exploitation.

Northern Lights Care Center Ministry.  Communion and worship service provided on the 4th Tuesday of the month at 2:00pm at Northern Lights.

Sharing Book Shelf.  This provides for the sharing of spiritually edifying books.  The book shelf is located in the basement of the church.

Survivors of Suicide (SOS) Support Group.  This group meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:00pm at the Church.  Questions?  Call Diane Heapy.

Ping Pong.  Weekly event that provides fellowship and exercise to members of the church and community.  Ping Pong'ers meet Monday and Friday mornings at 9:00am at the church.

Food Donations.  Messiah is one of the area churches that covenant with the Brick Food Shelf in Ashland.  Food donations can be dropped off at any time at the church.

Lutheran World Relief Coffee.  The LWR Coffee Project ensures that more of the money you spend on coffee reaches the farmers who actually grow it.  Fair Trade coffee means the difference between surviving and not surviving for small-scale coffee farmers.

Second Thursday Group.  Fellowship and coffee on the second Thursday of each month at North Coast Coffee at 1:00pm.  All are welcome.

Sunday Coffee Fellowship.  Coffee and treats after the church service.  This opportunity for fellowship is appreciated by all that are able to attend.  If you would like to sign up to host, you will find a sign-up sheet in the Narthex.

Visitor Ministry.  Messiah sends guests who sign the guest book in the Narthex a thank you and provides them with information on events and activities at Messiah.

Play Group.  The Play Group gives parents and young children the opportunity to come together for support and fun.  The Play Group meets Tuesdays at 9:00am.