Welcome to Messiah!

Messiah is a community of Christians seeking to live face to face with God, with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and with the most vulnerable. Our faith and our life are rooted in the central Christian practices of every time and place: worship, prayer, celebrating holy baptism and holy communion, helping children grow in faith and knowledge, ministering to our community and the world, speaking for justice and wholeness in our lives and in the world, and inviting anyone to come and be a part of it all.

We worship at three times every weekend:

On Saturdays at 5 p.m. we celebrate Holy Communion in a casual, intimate atmosphere with piano and hymns. This service takes place in our Luther Center and lasts about 50 minutes.

On Sundays at 8 a.m. we celebrate Holy Communion with a diverse mix of music and instruments. This service takes place in our sanctuary and lasts about one hour.

On Sundays at 9:30 a.m. we celebrate Holy Communion with a diverse mix of music and instruments. From the second weekend in September until Memorial Day, Sunday School begins after the children's sermon. This service takes place in our sanctuary and lasts about one hour and ten minutes.

Additionally, on the first Wednesday of every month at 10:30 a.m. we celebrate Holy Communion at Wauconda Care and Rehabilitation Center.

You are welcome here, because God welcomes you.

What's Happening Right Now

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

"ROAR: Life is Wild, God is Good" is happening June 17-21!

Click here for the registration form.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Our new season of PADS--Providing Advocacy, Dignity, and Shelter--is starting up this weekend! You can sign up here to take a shift with this powerful ministry with homeless adults.

Messiah has 170 spots at Feed My Starving Children on Saturday, March 2 from 2 - 4 pm. We filled an entire session last year and we plan to do it again! A "Thank You For Serving" dinner will follow back at the church. Contact the church office for more information.

EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES

Sunday School, for children ages 3 through 5th grade, begins in worship each week at 9:30am. To register for Sunday School click here for the form. Contact our Christian Education Director, Kristin Isom for more information.

Christian Basics, a small group for seekers, people interested in membership, adults wishing to be baptized or confirmed, and parents planning to baptize a child, is back this month! This six-session group matches each participant with a sponsor and provides opportunity for asking questions, sharing faith experiences, and learning about important topics in Christian faith and life. The group will meet on Wednesdays at 6:30 pm starting February 27. Depending on interest, another group may meet on Sundays at 11 am starting March 10. Child care will be provided for both groups. Contact Pastor Ben for more information.

"Challenges in Christian Care" Adult Education Series will run Sundays March 3 - April 7. God calls us to love our neighbor - every neighbor - but this is not always easy. Series topics include: our unconscious bias, understanding loneliness, diversity of thought, the problem with charity, and immigration.

Calling all Middle Schoolers!

Join us for Pathway, Messiah's 3-year Confirmation program designed to prepare middle school students to affirm the promises to affirm the promises that were made for them in Baptism. Wednesday nights during the school year we enjoy Bible lessons, games, retreats, service projects, and small groups. To register for Pathway click here for the form. Contact our Youth Ministry Director, Jessica Wallwin for more information.

Calling all Almost Middle Schoolers!

5th graders are invited to come for a Taste of Pathway on Wednesday, February 20 from 7-8:30 pm as an introduction to the next step of their faith journey.

LET'S PARTY

Messiah's FREE Community Meal is coming up on Wednesday, February 20 from 5:30-7 p.m. RSVP here or just show up! February's theme is "We Heart Our Neighbors" and will include an Immigration Education event after the meal.

Gala in the Garage at Smith's Central Garage in McHenry will be held on Saturday, April 6 from 7 - 10 pm! This is a fundraiser for preschool scholarships, making our building more accessible, and enhancing our nature-certified playground. We are also seeking corporate sponsors and auction donations for this event, such as gift cards, products or services, unique experiences, children's toys, etc. Contact the preschool for more information.

NEED MORE INFO?

Join our email list for more updates (2-3 times per month).

Click here for a full calendar of events.

Council Nominees

Ashley Rabe (nominated to a three-year term)

We have been worshiping regularly at Messiah for a year and a half, ever since we moved back to the area. I am the 6th grade girls Huddle Leader at Pathway and I sing in the adult choir. My other hobbies include reading science fiction/fantasy and baking for my friends.

My husband Phil went through Pathway growing up, and we got married at Messiah seven and a half years ago. We are looking forward to expanding our family in the next few years!

It was a natural choice to worship at Messiah when we moved back to Lake Zurich in 2017 from Champaign, IL. We often went to church when we visited his parents, especially the midnight service on Christmas Eve.

I work at Howe Technology in the Lake Zurich industrial park as their customer service representative. We are a distributor of thermometers and pressure gauges.

I am looking forward to learning more about everything Messiah is doing as I join church council. Volunteering as another passion of mine, so my hope is to get more involved!

Curt DeCaro (nominated to a three-year term)

We've been worshiping at Messiah since 2014. Jackie and I have been worship readers, and I have been a communion assistant and worship assistant for a little over a year now. I've sponsored new members in Christian Basics about a half dozen times. Ian is also in the pre-K program in the preschool.

We have lived in Wauconda since late 2013; we have a lot of family in Chicagoland but not in the immediate area. Jackie and I married in 2013; Ian was born March 2014, and so far he's our only.

I work at Harper College in Palatine; I'm the physical science lab manager and an instructor of physics here. I typically teach the first year introductory sequence in physics and conceptual physics for career and technical students. I graduated from NIU with a Ph.D. in physics in 2012, and started at Harper in 2013. Jackie teaches AP Biology at Antioch Community High School, and she's been there for 16 years. We both graduated B.A. in science from Monmouth College in western Illinois. I first met Jackie's brother at Monmouth, and we met through him.

We first came to Messiah looking for a place to baptize Ian and raise him with a knowledge of the Christian faith. We're still here because we think there's a lot of truth to be found in both Pastors at Messiah; we think it is a good faith home for our family. I'm looking forward to working with the other council members to solve whatever problems the church is facing and to assist our ministries to do the best work they possibly can. I'm particularly excited about working on Adult Education in Messiah.

Elizabeth Greenup (nominated to complete the third year of an unexpired term)

I have worshipped at Messiah for just over 2 years. I have assisted in Christian Basics. I have been married to my husband, Steve, for 13 years. We have a beautiful, energetic daughter, Natalie, who keeps us on our toes!

I am the Assistant Director at the Wauconda Area Library. I have been with the library since 2004. I love serving the community and having the opportunity to help people every day.

My daughter attended Pre-K and Kindergarten at Messiah. She asked about going to church about mid-way through Kindergarten. So we began to attend services, and she tried Sunday School. We loved it. I grew up Methodist and had a great religious upbringing. I wanted the same for Natalie. I didn’t realize at the time how much I needed to attend church services for myself. It’s been wonderful to be a part of such an accepting and welcoming congregation.

I look forward to serving on the church council to learn about how the church runs day to day. I hope I can be a support to Messiah’s mission.

Nominated for a Second Council Term

Sarah Theriault (elected 2016)

My husband Scott and I live in Lake Zurich with our two children, Tatum (8) and Bennett (4). While worshiping at Messiah over the last 12 years, our family has truly enjoyed the opportunity to explore ministries dedicated to the service of others. We are also grateful for the Christian education offerings made possible by the dedicated Sunday school and VBS volunteers at Messiah each year. I’m honored to serve on the Generosity committee, Council and assist with additional projects as needed to help further the vision and support the needs of our congregation and wonderful staff. During the week you will find me at Northwestern Medicine serving as Philanthropy Director with the Northwestern Memorial Foundation and grasping at joy and moments of laughter among the chaos of everyday (real) life.

I look forward to the opportunity to continue my service alongside fellow leaders and dedicated members of Messiah and our thriving faith community in 2019.

Greg Sellers (appointed in 2018 to an unexpired term)

My wife Liz and I have been at Messiah for about a year and a half. I’ve been involved with finance. We’ve helped out here and there. Liz and I have been married for three years and have a wonderful newborn son I am the director of engineering for a structural rack manufacturing firm.

We listened to sermons online and really liked the messages. We’re looking for ways to serve the church.