Living in Community

Messiah's vision is to live in community: with God, with our brothers and sisters in Christ, and with the most vulnerable. In worship, fellowship, mutual support, service, and seeking justice, we are called to encounter God and each other honestly and sincerely. Church should be a place of respite from a frantic, always-connected, constantly polarized world. It should be a place where we remember how to be human again, with all of the possibility and frailty being human involves. 

...with God

Worship is at the heart of our life in Christ. Until we return to our building for worship, a service is recorded and posted on our website, Facebook page and our YouTube channel every Saturday.  We look forward to eventually returning to our previous worship schedule. We celebrate Holy Communion on Saturday at 5 p.m. and Sunday at 8 and 9:30 a.m. Children are always welcome in worship, and a tended nursery is also provided at the 9:30 a.m. service. We gather for special days: Thanksgiving Eve, Christmas Eve and Day, Ash Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and on Wednesday evenings during Lent. Check out homepage for upcoming events.


Many gifts make worship possible. You are welcome to join our vocal choir, our praise ensemble, our bell choir, strings when we return. Watch for that day, until then. Send us a message for information about any of these worship ministries.


Sunday School in church will resume after Labor Day. Until then, our Christian Education director tells a Bible story to the children every week on our Facebook page and website.  Go to our Facebook page and join your children listening to a different and exciting story every week.  The date for First Holy Communion instruction will be set as soon as plans to return to the sanctuary are announced.  Students in fifth grade and middle schoolers attend Pathway, or confirmation. Contact our your director.. Get in touch to learn more or sign up for a children or youth program.


The Saturday morning 8:30 a.m. Bible study will resume when small groups are allowed in the church.  Check this page for that day.  A women's Bible study meets on second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at 9:30 a.m. A Wednesday evening Bible study group meets at 7:00 p.m. via zoom using the Wired Word curriculum.  A men's study meets Monday's at 6:00 p.m. via zoom.

...with our brothers and sisters in Christ

Community, fellowship, and mutual support are a big part of how we live out the faith formed in worship and learning. Our middle and high school youth group meets on Sundays after church. Meditation, yoga, book clubs, Single Women In Ministry, and recovery groups all meet throughout the week. Meetings have been suspended for each of these ministries, but will resume as soon as it is safe to meet together again.


We support each other and members of the wider community in times of difficulty with trained, accountable Stephen Ministers.


Anyone seeking baptism for themselves or a child, wishing to have confirmation or first communion instruction after middle school, interested in joining the church or just wanting to learn more about Christianity is welcome to participate in our semi-annual Christian Basics small groups. These six-week groups meet on Wednesdays and Sundays in Fall and during Lent for learning, conversation, and prayer in a casual, friendly setting. Childcare is always provided. For more information or to sign up for the next group, click here.

...and with the most vulnerable

Because of COVID-19 restrictions, we are unable to host homeless men, however we provide meals one Saturday night a month from October to April through PADS (Providing Advocacy, Dignity, and Shelter) of Lake County. Anyone can sign up to help out for one of Messiah's own shifts. 


Throughout the year we work with local churches, the Wauconda-Island Lake Food Pantry, community non-profits, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, ELCA World Hunger, and other groups to meet critical needs for foster children, people with disabilities, children of incarcerated parents, and other people whose needs are often overlooked. 


Messiah's Youth Group travels somewhere, near or far, each summer to work with and learn from another community. In 2017 we participated in our first-ever adult mission trip, and more are planned for the future. 

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