Outside Safe Space -  Mikah Meyer

Mikah's 3-year, world record road trip to all 419 U.S. National Park Service sites made him the first to experience all federal parks in a single journey. His work was additionally recognized by NBC during NYC's World Pride 2019 as one of their Stonewall #Pride50 "innovators and changemakers" alongside the likes of James Baldwin and Marsha P. Johnson.

He's continued that passion in the 2020s with the creation of the Outside Safe Space Program, which provides allies a simple way of making The Great Outdoors more accessible for LGBTQ+ people. Since its launch in 2020 with a Run Across Minnesota, it has sold over 100,000 symbols, become carried by REI stores nationwide, and Mikah has raised awareness for the OSS Program through a Run Across Mississippi, Run Across Nebraska, Bike Across Oregon, and other "Across" projects. The symbol's creation has helped Mikah consult major brands on the design and implementation of their first Pride products, and spawned workshops, including keynote speaking for Kansas City Design Week, about inclusive marketing to the $1+ trillion dollar LGBTQ+ purchasing power community in the United States, and beyond.

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Join Mikah Meyer, his mentor Larry, and three friends as they journey down Utah's Green River, in Desolation Canyon, on a river rafting trip centered around friendship and joy. Canyon Chorus is a story about being your true self in the outdoors, about advocacy, and about recognizing the important people in our lives.  Watch the film HERE.

St. Stephen's Food Pantry - Item of the Month for August - Toothbrushes & Toothpaste

If  you like to support the food pantry, they are trying something a little different.

They will have a monthly focus item that they are requesting along with the other items that you give so generously to support the pantry.

If you would like to see what they will be collecting in the months ahead, there are lists on the Kiosk, above the St. Stephen's Food Pantry Collection Bin in the Collection Area, and it will be in the Column Newsletter beginning in August.

Pride Celebrations

Madison Outreach Magic Pride Festival – August 16th 1:00-6:00 pm - Warner Park

Messiah’s RIC Team is inviting you to join us at the Madison Outreach Magic Pride Festival. This is a family friendly event to celebrate our LGBTQIA+ siblings and to be a presence of love in the community. Warner Park address is 2930 N. Sherman Ave.

Guest Speaker: Mikah Meyer – August 15th & 16th. 

Messiah’s RIC team is excited to welcome National Parks Expert Mikah Meyer, a classically trained singer and award-winning filmmaker. Raised as a Lutheran preacher’s kid in Nebraska, Mikah is passionate about exploring the outdoors and helping people of divergent backgrounds find joy and common ground through their shared love of nature. This advocacy is seen through his short film Canyon Chorus. Mikah is the creator of the Outside Safe Space symbol which is sold at park gift shops and recreation stores including REI, and is currently being worn by over 100,000 people in the United States as a non-verbal signifier of LGBTQ+ allies in outdoor, rural, and active space.

269 backpacks were made and delivered to 6 schools plus DAIS and The Road Home. Thank you to Nancy Battist, Val Roman, Dave Lindorff and Kelli Weisinger for delivering them.

We have received much positive feedback and appreciation. A special thank-you to Pam Aldrich who leads this collection every year and takes so much time to pack the pencil boxes and coordinate folders with notebooks, etc.

Recycling News

Please note that the recycling and trash cans that get pulled to the curb and emptied by the city have been moved to the upper level outside the Community Room.

Please read and follow the directions on the newly posted signs by the trash and recycle cans inside the building. Of special note is that coffee cups and plates get thrown in the trash as they are compostable, not recyclable. As we learned from the recycling presentation earlier this year, “When in doubt, throw it out” because something misplaced in the recycling bin can ruin a whole batch.

Sunday School Begins Sunday, September 27th

Please use this LINK to register for Sunday School

Click HERE for the Sunday School Schedule

YOW - (Youth on Wednesday Nights) begins on Wednesday, September 30 with a Welcome Dinner

In-person time is 6:00 - 8:00 pm.

Online times are:

Preconfirmation 6-6:45 p.m.
Confirmation 7-7:45 p.m.

The schedule for the year is available at

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xubCredmkKOUZ7kStnv-JKd63KUwBK5K7GJ9J3EAYiE/edit?usp=sharing

Register Now for 2026-2027 Youth on Wednesday Nights (YOW) - Please register by September 28. Cost is $40.00.

https://forms.gle/ndnGuEpUoc9XyL8v5

The YOW retreat is November 14-15 at Bethel Horizons.

Registration QR Code

Ladies Lunch Bunch - September 9th

Tully's II

  6401 Monona Dr. Monona, WI 53716

Please sign up on the Kiosk. There will be space for 25 women this month.

Please be there by 11:15 am - 1:15 pm.    Orders will be taken at 11:30.

 For questions call Claire at 920-319-6731 or Mary at 262-716-4600

The Ladies Lunch Bunch August Gathering collected $70.00 for the Boomerang Bag Group.

Messiah has a long history with The Road Home, an agency in Madison that provides opportunities for homeless children and their families to achieve self-determined goals and affordable, stable housing.

During services on September 19th and 20th, we will have a chance to hear directly from their representatives about their programs, growth and progress. There will also be a table set up to stop by and visit with them before, after and between services.

The Community Outreach Ministry Team is excited to arrange this opportunity for the Messiah community to have direct interaction with one of our ministry partners.

Bread Breakers – Return enrollment forms to the office by Labor Day



An Adult Fellowship Opportunity for folks over 18 years of age

Barb and Walt Herrod are the organizers of the Bread Breakers Adult Fellowship Group. Here is how it works!

Assigned groups may contain 5 -8 people. You’ll each host the other group members in your home for a meal at least once roughly between fall through early summer. The host provides the main dish and beverages and asks others to provide items to round out the meal. The style of the meal is absolutely your choice when you host – brunch or dinner, cook-out/fancy/casual, on a weekend or weekday. 

New for 2026-27:  If enough people are interested, we’ll create “Snowbird Bread Breakers” groups for those who spend a significant portion of the winter away from Wisconsin. We’ll assign your special group in September, and you can decide together when you’ll start meeting. We’d suggest getting together at least once before the holidays, and resuming when you all return in the spring. The option to be in “Snowbird Bread Breakers” is on the enrollment form.

Enrollment forms are on the Kiosk now. Fill out and return to the specially marked box in the church office by Labor Day.  Include your name and the name of any person who will or may regularly accompany you. We’ll email your group assignment in mid-September.  If you want the enrollment form sent electronically, email us and we’ll send it to you.

Call Barb & Walt Herrod 608-318-2129 (landline), or email bwhfam@gmail.com with any questions.

SAM Hosts Open House at Food Bank

Have you thought about what it is that SAMies do at Second Harvest Food Bank (SHFB) and how you can join in on the fun? Well, September 21^st is your chance to stop by SHFB and see the SAMies in action.

The open house starts at 1:30 pm where you will see SAM in action prepping various foods for distribution to over 300 food pantries in 16 south central Wisconsin counties. At 2:00 pm, we have “recess” with a homemade treat from one of the volunteers. This is your chance to sit down with SAM volunteers in the break room and ask questions about volunteering at the food bank. At 2:30 pm, you will have the opportunity to take a tour of the food bank. You will be amazed at all the activity behind the scenes!

To sign up for the open house, send an email to SAM@messiahchurch.com 

SAM Season Opener Will Be Spectacular

Mark September 30, 2026, on your calendar in pen. Do that right now before you forget. Use a pen so you cannot erase it. Move your doctor appointments. This is the date for Messiah SAM’s 2026-2027 kickoff!

We will enjoy a catered pig roast with all the trimmings. Even dessert and beverages will be provided. Our caterer- Stoddard’s Meat Market & Catering, age Grove, WI. 

Then sit back and enjoy the music of Toco Beach Steelpan. Their music will make you think you are smack dab on the beach in the Caribbean. Advance registration is NOT required. There is NO sign-up. There is NO charge for this event. Your admission ticket is plenty of non-perishable food items for The Empty Table.  

Adult Choir Practice Begins - September 17th - 7:30 pm in the Community Room

Staffed Summer Nursery Hours: from Memorial Day weekend, which is May 24th, through Labor Day weekend, which is September 6th, the nursery will only be open at the late service.

Nursery attendance is very sporadic in the summer, but we want to make the option available as much as we can. Our nursery attendants staff the late service when they are available. If they are not available, you are always welcome to be in the nursery with your children and watch the stream on the TV. Also consider using the activity bags located near the coat rack in the gathering space.

Community Outreach Team Meeting - Thursday, September 24th at 10:00am

Community Outreach Team Collections

Please check out the Ongoing Community Outreach Collection webpage to see what Messiah collects to help local organiztions support their clients.

Paper copies of the Collections are available in the Collection Area at Messiah

(between the Gathering Space and the Community Room).

"Thank you" to those who provided meals for Healing House the week of July 19-25.

They served 13 people who are experiencing life-changing events as they transition to stable housing.

Our next weeks for preparing meals for Healing House are:

August 30 - September 5

Please sign up on the kiosk if you can make a meal.

Fall Work Day - October 10 -  9:00 - 12:00 noon

Pizza will be served for lunch

New Course Opportunity from the Nehemiah Center

The same people who brought us Black History for a New Day have created a NEW COURSE called Justice for a New Day. It will focus on understanding incarceration and building stronger communities, and give a glimpse into the criminal legal system we were never taught.

We would love to have a group from Messiah participate in this new opportunity, especially if you have taken the Black History for a New Day course as this builds on what was learned during that course, but everyone is invited. The format is a lecture from an all-star lineup of professors and lecturers, followed by discussion time. The course is offered LIVE and IN PERSON or over Zoom. 

All sessions will be held Monday evenings from 6:00-8:00pm on:

September 14, 28

October 5, 12, 19, 26

November 9, 16, 23

Visit the Racial Justice Webpage for details on how to attend, the cost and a course summary.