Messiah's Lost and Found Area

Please check out the lost and found items that are outside the Community Room for items you may have lost.

All of the items there will be taken to Good Will on Tuesday if no one claims them.

In the future lost and found items are always placed in that storage area right outside the Community Room.

Monona Senior Chorus Holiday Concert - December 14 at 2:00pm at Messiah

A special program of holiday music including carols, soloists and sing-a-longs.

An good-will offering will be collected to support local charities.

This year the local charity will be Elvehjem Elementary School, a Messiah neighborhood school.

Join us Sunday, December 14th - 6:30 - 7:30 pm

for an evening of cookie decorating and a white elephant gift exchange. 

Messiah will provide all the cookie decorating supplies, we just ask that each youth bring a gift (value under $10).

We will also have extra gifts.

 There will be waffles with toppings. 

The time is roughly 6:30-7:30 or 8:00 p.m. We will let the youth gage how late they can stay.

Please RSVP in order to have enough materials and food available.

Wear your silly/ugly Christmas Sweater - December 13 - Love, Laughter & Libations

Come to Love, Laughter & Libations ready to share some Holiday Cheer by wearing your silly/ugly sweater.

For those of you who do not know what Love, Laughter and Libations is.... we serve cheese, crackers, fruit, soda and wine after the 5:00 pm service on the Second Saturday of each month.

The 2026 Offering Envelopes Available for Pick Up

If you are set up to receive either Weekly or Monthly Envelopes for the new year, please pick them up in the Gathering Space on a table by the front entrance.

Thank you for your support of Messiah Lutheran Church and it's ministries.

Giving Statements for 2025 will be sent to you by email unless you have requested a paper copy to be mailed to you. The statements will be sent out during the first couple of weeks in January. If you do not receive your statement, please check your email spam folder before contacting the church office.

Visitation Ministry Retreat - January 17th, 9:00 am - 1:30 pm

Pastor Dan invites all current and interested Visitation Ministers to our annual Retreat/Workshop! This year, we will be joined by Deacon Jessica McCarty, an ELCA Rostered Leader whose focus is Visitation Ministry, to share resources, skills, and practices to help us be the best we can be. 

To sign up, click here

Ladies Lunch Bunch - January 14th - Tully's II

Please sign up on the Kiosk for the first Ladies Lunch Bunch gathering for the new year!

They will have lunch at Tully's II Food & Spirits located at 6401 Monona Dr, Monona, WI 53716 

The Ladies Lunch Bunch December gathering collected $75.00 to be put toward the Waterproof Glove/Mitten Collection for the Madison Schools.

A Thrill of Hope in a Weary World  is a weekly Advent devotional sent out by the South Central Synod of Wisconsin.

Here is the link to:

Advent 1 - A Vision of Hope

Advent 2 - Whispers of Hope

Advent 3 -

Advent 4 -

    Synod Care for Creation Team Winter Book Study - Begins January 8

       We will meet every Thursday from 6:30 pm to 7:45 pm, from January 8 through February 5.

Together, we’ll explore the book, Stewards of Eden: What Scripture Says About the Environment and Why It Matters, by Sandra Richter, in which the author provides insights into ancient Israelite society that allow us to connect with their wisdom today.

Click here to register for the Zoom. After you register, you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link. Questions? Contact Deacon Meg Nielsen, Care for Creation Committee Chair.

Racial Justice Book Study - Gun Violence

When Thoughts and Prayers Aren't Enough: A Shooting Survivor's Journey into the Realities of Gun Violence

by Taylor S. Schumann.

Please join us 9:20-10:20 AM on January 11,18 and 25 for a book study to help us prepare for our Safe Disposal of Guns event tentatively planned for March 14th.

Please sign up on the kiosk so we can get your book to you before Christmas, giving you time to begin reading. Books will be provided by Messiah with the opportunity to make a free-will donation of $10 toward the cost.

For a summary of the book from Goodreads go to the Racial Justice Webpage. 

Women's Winter Retreat at Fort Wilderness Resort

The women of Messiah are invited to join the women of St. Luke’s Lutheran (Middleton) for a Women’s Winter Retreat!

 
When: Friday, January 30 – Sunday, February 1
Where: Fort Wilderness Resort, Rhinelander, WI
Why: To praise God, grow in faith, renew friendships, make new friends, and enjoy time together

Cost: $183 per person, which includes lodging; all meals on Saturday; Sunday breakfast; and access to all camp activities. No cooking required! Women often bring snacks or beverages to share in the evenings.

St. Luke’s has been holding this retreat for many years and return again and again—it’s clearly a joyful time of connection and renewal. They have asked me to lead the retreat program this year, and I told them I would be glad to if the women of Messiah could participate as well. Their response was an enthusiastic “Yes!”

Visit the  Women's Ministry webpage for more detailed information

Check out the  Children's Ministry Webpage to learn more about:

Nursery - Sundays 8:00 - 9:20 am and 10:15 - 11:35 am

Sunday School - Sundays 9:20 - 10:20 am

Children's Choir  - at the beginning of Sunday School starting at 9:15 AM

Some future events including First Communion Instruction and Celebration, Summer Camp, Bible Blessing

Some past events including Trunk or Treat, Children's Christmas Program (pictures included).

Check out the Youth Ministry Webpage to learn more about:

YOW (Youth on Wednesday Night - Wednesday nights 6:00 pm. Check the calendar to see if YOW is online, or in person at Messiah.

Some past events including a Field Trip to UW Lutheran Campus Ministry, the Fall Retreat at Horizons, October's Activity Night, the 2025 Mission Trip, and the 2025 Confirmation Group (pictures included).

Check out the  High School Ministry Webpage to learn more about:

Waffle Wednesdays including October Pumpkin painting, and Friendsgiving (photos included)

Senior Recognition

Joan Shropshire Grant Information

Check out the  Family Ministry Webpage to learn more about:

Mardi Gras - February 26, 2026

Breadbreakers

Boundary Waters Canoe Trips

Family Camp

Summer Camp

Some past events including Trunk or Treat, Old Befana.

Check out the  Adult Education Webpage to learn more about:

Sunday Morning Adult Education - 9:20 - 10:20 am - Advent Lectionary Study

Martin Luther, The Reformation and Lutheran Heritage



Check out the Women's Ministry Webpage to learn more about:

Women’s Ministry Conversation Group  meets 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  9, 16, and 23 more information on the webpage

Ladies Lunch Bunch at Kavanaugh's Esquire Supper Club - December 10th at 11:15 am

Women's Winter Retreat at Fort Wilderness Resort  - January 30 - February 1

Check out the  Men's Ministry Webpage to learn more about:

Men's Bible Study - now through December 17th - Book of Revelation

Check out the  Senior Adult Ministry Webpage to learn more about:

7th Annual Virtual Pie Sale

SAM Christmas Party - December 17 at 12:00 noon

SAM Hikes

Volunteering at Second Harvest Food Bank

SAM Pot lucks

SAM Trips

Here is a link to Ryan's cases website if you would like to see what the organization is doing. 

CASE FOR SMILES

Learn to sew, brush up on your sewing skills

Saturday, February 14 - 8:00 am - 12:00 noon

Is your sewing machine getting a little dusty? Are your sewing skills a little bit rusty? How about cleaning both off for a good cause?

We are holding a 4 hour class on making the Hot Dog Pillowcase for Ryan's Case For Smiles | Helping Kids Cope With Cancer.

This class is open to anyone who already sews and to those young and not so young who want to learn how to sew (kids of all ages welcome). 

IF you would like to watch a YouTube to see what we will be making CLICK HERE.   

Our next dates for preparing meals for Healing House are:

December 14-20, 2025

February 1-7, 2026 

March 1-7, 2026

Check the Kiosk for Sign Ups when the date gets closer.

For more specific information about preparing meals, check out the Community Outreach Team Webpage under Community Meals.

40th Annual Holiday Blood Drive on Wednesday, December 24, 2025

at the Exhibition Hall at the Alliant Energy Center from 7am – 1 pm

The American Red Cross invites the community to give the gift of blood at Wisconsin’s largest one-day blood drive.

See more information on the Blood Drive Webpage.

Thank you again for your support of our Annual Thanksgiving Drive this year. I know it is not an easy task to gather up all 4,000 of those foil pans, but you and the folks at Messiah did it, and we are so impressed and grateful!

It has been incredibly heartwarming to see our city come together to support our community members. This fall, when SNAP benefits were halted, we were concerned that we wouldn’t have enough food to meet the surge in demand - and we almost didn’t. But thanks to your help and the collective care of our community, we’ve been able to keep our pantry shelves stocked, and provide 4,000 families with everything they needed for a Thanksgiving meal.

As the need continues, I’d love to invite you to start planning for a spring food drive ahead of our 💛💙Be the Good Annual Fundraiser💙💛 on Thursday, April 23, 2026 (please save the date!). We’ll announce the winner of our next Friendly Food Drive Competition on stage at that event.

Thank you for your care and continued support. We’re truly grateful to have you as part of our community.

Wishing you rest and joy this holiday season. I look forward to connecting again in the new year.