Messiah Weekly News
November 8 - November 15, 2025
2025 Saturday worship server schedule
2025 Early Sunday worship server schedule
2025 Late Sunday worship server schedule
Worship Schedule
Saturday
5:00 pm
Sunday
8:15 am, 10:30 am
Thanksgiving Eve Worship Schedule
Wednesday, November 26
5:00 pm
Christmas Schedule
Christmas Eve - Wednesday, December 24
4:00 pm & 7:00 pm
Christmas Day - Thursday, December 25
10:00 am
This Week at Messiah
Tuesday, November 18
NewBridge Senior Meal 11:30am
New Information or Upcoming Events
YOW Field Trip to Lutheran Campus Ministry at UW- Madison
YOW October Activity Night
At our in-person activity night in October we had a presentation by Jessica Mathis from Porchlight.
She shared about the different Porchlight programs and did a wonderful interactive overview of the poverty situation in Madison. The youth were engaged and had many questions and thoughtful responses. The average age of someone who is homeless in the Madison area is 12. You can imagine this hit home for the youth and definitely piqued their attention.
After the presentation, the youth assembled care kits for the men’s shelter that included socks, toiletry items, and a couple of treats. The youth also made some crosses with hopeful messages to be included with the kits.
YOW Retreat - November 15-16, 2025 at Bethel Horizons in Dodgeville
The YOW Retreat is next weekend, November 15 - Sunday, November 16 at Bethel Horizons in Dodgeville.
Please be at Messiah by 9:00 a.m. We will return by 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.
This is a really important opportunity for the youth to grow as a community. We have some wonderful activities planned.
I NEED TO KNOW IF YOUR YOUTH IS ATTENDING ASAP so that we have enough materials, food, and beds.
We also need drivers. Please let me know if you can assist.
Packing List:
· Sleeping bag & pillow (they provide beds)
· Water bottle
· Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste , etc.)
· Pajamas
· Change of clothes
· Jacket and weather appropriate outdoor gear
· Closed-toe shoes
· Bible
· Snack to share (We will have a community snack table. Please no items with nuts as we have some allergies)
SAM Last Hike of the Season
SAM members brave the cold and wind chill that made it feel like 22 degrees for the last hike of the season.
Thank you Barb and Walt Herrod for being our leaders for a great year of hikes.
Call for Used Coloring Books
If your family has any new or lightly used coloring books that you would like to donate, we can use them for the nursery and the activity bags children use during the services.
Please bring them to the office with a note designating them for the nursery. Thank you!
Habitat for Humanity Volunteer Opportunities
Information recently went out to the Messiah Habitat for Humanity Team about some opportunities. We recently were contacted by Habitat for Humanity with two important opportunities:
Donation Processing
Help out at our ReStores, (unloading, sorting donated items, assembling /repairing items, merchandising the store floor)
Construction:
Help to build habitat houses that our homeowners will live in!
For more information on these opportunities and contact information in the
Habitat for Humanity section of the
Community Outreach webpage.
Check out the Women's Ministry Webpage to learn more about:
Women’s Ministry Conversation Group meets November 20, December 18th at 10:30 am -12:00 noon
Women’s Book Study - beginning Thursday, January 8, 2026 -
We will begin reading and discussing Philip Yancey’s book, What’s So Amazing About Grace?
Divine Yoga Dates - December 2, 9, 16, and 23
Ladies Lunch Bunch at Kavanaugh's Esquire Supper Club - December 10th at 11:15 am
Sunday Morning Adult Education
We offer Adult Education on Sundays from 9:20–10:20 a.m. (between services), on Sunday morning except for the fourth Sunday of the month.
Then, beginning on November 9, we will begin a five-part series on “Exploring the Lectionary.” During these sessions we will explore such questions as, “What is the Lectionary?” “How was it put together?” “Why do Lutherans use a Lectionary in worship?” “How do the lessons relate to each other?” During these sessions, we will read together parts of the Sunday morning lessons and discuss them as a group, using ancient and modern techniques to explore the texts and apply them to our lives.
Click to go to the Adult Education Webpage for information about other topics.
Human Trafficking Awareness Speaker - November 29 & 30
Jennifer Ginsburg, Director of Safe Harbor Child Advocacy Center, will speak at all the services on November 29 & 30, 2025. Jennifer will also have a chat session Sunday, November 30 from 9:20am-10:20am in the Social Hall.
The mission of Safe Harbor is to reduce trauma and promote healing for children and adults with intellectual disabilities who are victims of or witnesses to crime. Safe Harbor provides a trauma-informed, safe, child-friendly environment for best practice forensic interviews; immediate and ongoing advocacy for affected children and families; coordination and support of multi-disciplinary investigations and responses.
Targeted Food Collection - Now-November 26
Thank you for donating to the special Triangle Ministry food collection to help bridge the gap in their November SNAP benefits.
We are collecting through November 26th , Thanksgiving Eve.
Canned items in glass jars or with pull-tab-to-open lids (people don’t have can openers):
- Canned meat: Spam, chicken, salmon & tuna (also in pouches)
- Canned meals: chili, ravioli, spaghetti, stew, baked beans, pasta sauce
- Canned veggies: red beans, black beans, corn, green beans, etc
- Canned fruit: applesauce, pineapple, pears, peaches, etc
- Canned soup – any kind
Dry goods (not hamburger helper, as there is no hamburger):
- Rice-a-Roni
- pasta
- Ramen
- peanut butter
- jam/jelly
- crackers
- granola bars
- protein bars
No refrigerated or frozen items, please.
We are asking you to consider bringing 1-2 items each time you come to church from now until Wednesday 11/26, the night before Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for, so let's share that with Triangle residents.
Thank you for supporting TCM in its ministry to some of our country’s most vulnerable people.
Virtual Apple Pie Sale - Now through November 30
Check out the SAM Webpage for more information about the Virtual Apple Pie Sale.
The total so far for the Virtual Apple Pie Sale is $13,576. The sale runs until November 30.
The proceeds of this sale will be matched by the Gundlach Fund and then that total will be matched by NBC15's corporate sponsors at the Share Your Holidays Grand Finale in early December.
Each $1.00 you donate will become $4.00.
2026 Flower Chart
Last year we returned to the use of our flower chart. Please sign up on the chart for flowers for 2026.
The chart will be placed on an easel in the Gathering Space on November 1st for people to begin to sign up.
We will only have slots for 2 bouquets each week. Please put only your name on the chart.
Cost of flowers is $35.00 which can be paid by check or online
The office will email/call those signed up the month prior to find out the bulletin message but you are welcome to contact the office at any time to let us know 608-222-3833
ourchurch@messiahchurch.com
Christmas Collections
Bath Towel and Wash Cloth Collection
for Triangle Ministry
Items being collected for residents are:
Bath towels & wash cloths
(light weight and dark colors)
Waterproof Glove and Mitten Collection
The Community Outreach Team will be collecting ONLY waterproof gloves and mittens for several elementary schools in Madison.
If you would prefer, you could make a donation to "Mitten Collection" and we will shop for the gloves and mittens.
Pudding Collection
The Community Outreach Team will be collecting LARGE boxes of INSTANT pudding (all flavors) to be included in the Christmas food boxes for the East Madison Community Center.
Our goal this year is
200 boxes.
Road Home Christmas Collection
now through November 30
The Community Outreach Team will again collect money to provide gift cards to individuals through the Road Home.
Whether they choose a gift card from Woodman's, Walmart, Kohl’s, etc., this may be one of the few gifts these individuals receive for the holidays. You may donate online at Messiah by using the Christmas Fund button or by check with “The Road Home Christmas” in the notation line so it gets to the appropriate place.
This collection will run through the month and end on November 30.
Thank you for your continued generosity to The Road Home!
Karen Verhagen – Project coordinator
Urgent request from St. Stephen's Food Pantry
We are in need of laundry soap again this year!
LARGE, UNSENTED laundry detergent is best.
Your donations last year were so helpful and so appreciated!
Place your donations in the St. Stephen's Food Pantry rolling cart in the Collection Area.
Printed copies are available on the rolling counter by the Care Notes
Messiah Lutheran Church supports St. Stephen’s Food Pantry.
There are several volunteers already, but more are needed to cover “open spots.”
With the rise in grocery prices and the need for increased food for those who are food insecure, we expect the pantry to get extra-extra busy these next couple months. Beth would like to get more volunteers signed up and ready to help. Job descriptions are listed below–some need people NOW, others just need subs to fill in as needed.
High Needs Right Now:
- Daily Client Volunteers - some spots needed now and at the start of the year
- Sub Client Volunteers - as needed
- Sub Food Pickups - as needed
Craft & Bake Sale
The Craft & Bake Sale made $5,606.75 ($1,400.00 more than last year). This total will be matched by the Gundlach Fund and the proceeds divided three ways.
The proceeds go to Babies & Beyond, Briarpatch and Movin' Out. Each organization will receive $3,738.
Bake Sale - $2,163
Gift Baskets - $830
Kris Kringle - $1,018
Craft Vendor table rental - $1,500
Misc.- $95.75
Thank you so much to all who donated to the Madison Area Jail Ministries’ request for items to assist inmates as they transition out of the jail during the cold months of winter. We received many, many blankets, personal care items, socks and underwear.
Your caring is very appreciated!
