The Church of the Messiah

Church of the Messiah is excited to announce that this summer we will be hosting Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey.  FPU is a nine-lesson course designed to help participants build a budget, dump debt, grow wealth, and leave money stress behind.  Each lesson, taught by Dave Ramsey and his team of financial experts, is based on biblical wisdom and common sense. In every FPU group, participants are motivated and encouraged by others who have gone through the same struggles and have succeeded using FPU’s proven methods. Whenever someone signs up for FPU, they receive a member workbook and one free year of Financial Peace Membership, with access to exclusive online tools to help them on their journey to financial security.  The first of the nine sessions will begin Wednesday night, June 12th, starting at 7 o’clock.  To sign up for the sessions now, click THIS LINK!  Contact Fr. Scott Looker or call the parish office at 904-721-4199 for more info.

The North American House of Bishop met in Bel Air, Maryland just prior to the consecration of Bishop Rob Northwood. A great deal of the meeting centered around our morning time of prayer. Following this time of prayer, the Bishops decided to call for a year of evangelism.

Every year should be a year of evangelism. The call for a year of evangelism is not suggesting that at the end of the year we stop evangelizing. Rather, that together we are taking a year with every parish, mission, and ministry in the North American Church to pray, listen, reflect, and evaluate the churches evangelist works. Bishops have committed themselves to; teach evangelism at our clergy gatherings, to engage in conversation with every Rector/Vicar and his councils, to develop a diocesan plan of evangelism, and to engage is spirit directed evangelistic efforts. It also is calling for every pastor to engage his congregation in the work of evangelism.

They recognized that every region of North America is different and will call for different types of activity. They recognized that every parish is different with a different demographic. They recognized that every person is unique and yet, they believe that every one of us, every parish, and every region is called to evangelism. 1 Timothy 2.4 informs us that the will of God is that every person is saved and comes to know the truth.

There are many definitions of evangelism, but I think Archbishop William Temple gave the best definition. He said, “Evangelism is to so present Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit, that men shall come to put their trust in God through Him, to accept Him as their savior and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of the Church.”

Evangelism is fulfilling what our Lord Jesus commanded in Matthew 28.16-20. This is the Church’s mission statement.

I am excited about what God, in the power of the Holy Spirit, is going to do within our communion and among us as a people. I am excited because when people set their heart towards the presence of Jesus and His Kingdom, the Holy Spirit moves in miraculous and supernatural ways to fulfill the purposes of God.

Let us pray every day, a simple prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, “Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hardwood of the cross that everyone might come within reach of your saving embrace. So, cloth us (me) in your Spirit, that we (I), reaching forth our (my) arms in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of you name.”

Under His mercy,

+Craig, Patriarch, Primate

This Sunday, May 5th, Church of the Messiah is blessed to host Kim Hunter and her students from The Unity Christian Arts/JCAC.  Kim and her students will participate in the service and have a special offertory as part of the worship that morning.  Kim Hunter was the long-time head of Church of the Messiah’s Dance Ministry and Jacksonville Christian Arts Center (JCAC) was a part of Church of the Messiah for many year.  Kim’s students are also preparing for their annual Spring concert, which will be Saturday, May 11th, at UNF’s Lazzara Performance Hall beginning at 6 o’clock.  Those who come to Church of the Messiah, this Sunday at 10 o’clock, will get a sneak peek of what they can expect at the Spring Concert.  Please join us this Sunday as we welcome home Kim Hunter and watch her students praise the Lord with the dance.

This Wednesday night, May 1st, Fr. Scott Melanson will begin a new teaching series as part of Church of the Messiah’s Wednesday night services.  The series will be entitled “(Not So) Random Thoughts from Fr. Scott (the Wiser)” and will continue for four weeks.  The title of the series hearkens back to early days of COM when then “Pastor Scott” would lead choir practice on Wednesday nights and give  short homilies to the worship department that were known as his “random thoughts.”  The service will begin at 7 o’clock and will include praise and worship, reading from Holy Scripture, “(Not So) Random Thoughts from Fr. Scott (the Wiser)”, as well as a time of prayer, and Holy Communion.  During these services Church of the Messiah’s Youth Group also meets and we have childcare provided for children 5th grade and under.  Please be aware that are not having community dinners through the month of May.  The service will end promptly by 8:30 to give everyone adequate time to get home and prepare for work and school the next morning.  Please join us this Wednesday, for this wonderfully surprising teaching series.

Holy Week is the most incredible time of the year for churches throughout the world and Church of the Messiah is no exception.  We are so excited to share with you all that we have planned as we relive the events of Christ’s betrayal, death, and, ultimately, His Resurrection!  We want you to join us for all of these remarkable services.

Palm Sunday: Holy Week begins with the fanfare and celebration of Our Lord’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  We celebrate this momentous event in Jesus’ life by gathering in the church’s courtyard, blessing the palms, and processing into the church together.  During this service there is also a special dramatic reading of the Passion Gospel.  The service begins in the church courtyard at 10 o’clock

Maundy Thursday: Join with us as we commemorate Jesus celebrating the Last Supper with His Disciples on the night He was betrayed.  This deeply moving service includes the once-a-year foot washing service as well as the solemn stripping of the altar in remembrance of Christ’s betrayal.  Prior to the service we will have our regular mid-week soup supper from 6-6:45.  The Maundy Thursday service itself begins at 7 o’clock.

Good Friday:  Without a doubt, one of the highlights of the church year is Church of the Messiah’s annual Good Friday service.  From noon til three o’clock we reflect on the Passion of our Lord taking inspiration from seven different meditations each coupled with solemn prayers and contemplative songs and dance offerings.  The service also includes the reading of the Passion Gospel and the Veneration of the Holy Cross.  While the service is three-hours long, it is structured in such a way as to accommodate those who are only able to attend a portion of the service.  Come for the whole service, come for thirty minutes.  For whatever amount you can attend, you will be blessed.

Holy Saturday: While Our Lord may have rested from His labors, the abortion industry does not rest from its and Saturday is one of its busiest days.  We will take a prayerful stand for those who are condemned to die that day and pray the Liturgy for the Pre-Born outside A Woman’s Choice clinic.  We encourage everyone to join us on this very solemn occasion.

Easter Sunday: Celebrate with us the most glorious and triumphant of Feasts, the Feast which makes all other feasts possible, the Feast of the Resurrection of Our Lord!  Death has been defeated and the grave has been overthrown!  This year we are especially blessed to welcome Archbishop Craig W. Bates, the Patriarch of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church back to Church of the Messiah to preach and celebrate Easter Sunday.  Also that morning, be sure to bring spring flower for the annual “flowering of the cross.”  Help beautify our Easter cross by bring your own flowers to help decorate.  The service itself begins at 10 o’clock and, as always, we pull out all the stops for the most glorious day of the year.  Immediately following the service we will have an Easter egg hunt in the courtyard outside the church.

Everyone is welcome to attend all of our services and childcare is provided at all events.  To help facilitate inviting others to join us, we have created Facebook events for each of these services.  To find these events, simply go to Church of the Messiah’s Facebook page and click on the “events” tab or click on the each event’s bold name.

This Sunday, March 31st, at our 10 o’clock service, Church of the Messiah is blessed to welcome Archbishop Craig W. Bates, the Patriarch of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church.  Abp. Bates will be preaching during the service as well as celebrating the Holy Eucharist on Sunday morning.

Archbishop Bates began his ordained ministry in the Episcopal Church where, in 1985, he was called to serve as the associate pastor of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, in Malverne, New York. Five years later, after the retirement of the senior pastor then-Fr. Bates was called to be the senior pastors–a position he has maintained ever since! In 1994, Fr. Bates left the Episcopal Church and joined the fledgling Charismatic Episcopal Church. The following year, St. Thomas Episcopal Church became a part of the CEC and changed their name to Church of the Intercessor. On November 14, 1997, Craig Bates was consecrated the first Bishop of the Diocese of the Northeast. Nine years later, on January 9, 2008, Bishop Bates was elected the second Patriarch of the International Communion of the Charismatic Episcopal Church. In addition to pastoring the same church for over 30 years and all of his episcopal ministry, Archbishop Bates holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Franconia College, a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology from Anna Maria College and a Master of Divinity from the General Theological Seminary. Archbishop Bates is extremely active in the New York metropolitan area as a voice for church unity, an original signer of the Manhattan Declaration, and a staunch defender of the pre-born in the Pro-Life movement. He has been married to his wife for over 40+ years and together they have three grown children and a growing number of grand-children!

This Wednesday night, March 13th, Church of the Messiah will begin a new Bible Study series which will run through the the season of Lent.  This teaching series will bring back the previous “Lent with Lewis” theme and will be based on C. S. Lewis  work Reflections on the Psalms.  The Book of Psalms is the Old Testament book most frequently quoted in the New Testament.  It was the hymnal from which Jesus would have worshiped every morning and every evening.  C. S. Lewis has tremendous insights into the wonderful but rarely mined source of wisdom.  The evening begins with a soup supper from 6:00-6:45 prior to the service.  Our Lenten services will include a time of praise and worship, readings from Holy Scripture, teachings based on Reflections on the Psalms, and the Holy Eucharist.  Additionally, Church of the Messiah’s Youth Group (6th grade and up) meets during this time and childcare is provided for those too young for Youth Group.

Starting this Sunday morning, March 10th, and running throughout the season of Lent, there were will be a priest available to administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation every Sunday morning.  If you would like to have a priest hear your confession, someone will be available from 9 o’clock until 9:45 prior to our Sunday morning services.  A special place has been prepared in the first classroom during this time, or you may always reach out to one of Church of the Messiah’s clergy and schedule and appointment for confession on your own.

Beginning Wednesday night, February 6th, Fr. Scott Melanson will be leading a four-week Bible study entitled “The Holy Spirit: the Lord, the Giver of Life.”  This exciting study of the operation of the Holy Spirit throughout the Scriptures will be a part of Church of the Messiah’s regular Wednesday night worship services which begin at 7 o’clock.  Our mid-week services not only includes this powerful time of teaching from one of our talented priests, but also consists of praise and worship, prayer, and the Holy Eucharist, as well as our Youth Group (grades 6-12) and a special activity for children who attend.  Be sure to join us throughout the month of February as Fr. Scott Melanson dives into the Holy Spirit throughout Scripture and gives us insight into this incredible ministry.

This Wednesday, January 16th, beginning at 7 o’clock, Church of the Messiah will hold a Liturgy for the Pre-Born in place of our usual Wednesday night worship services.  The date for this liturgy was chosen in anticipation of the March for Life and the Feast of Our Lord and Giver of Life, both of which occur later on in the week.  Church of the Messiah has been holding the Liturgy for the Pre-Born on the last Saturday morning of every month since March of 2018, but those services have been outside A Woman’s Choice, one of Jacksonville’s local abortion clinics.  This Wednesday night people have an opportunity to experience the Liturgy for the Pre-Born at Church of the Messiah.  The Liturgy for the Pre-Born was developed by Fr. Terry Gensemer, Executive Director of CEC for Life and longtime friend of Church of the Messiah, who based the service on the service of Last Rites and intended the Liturgy to be both prayers to bring and end to abortion and memorial prayers for those children murdered by abortion who have no one to mourn or pray for them.  The Liturgy for the Pre-Born this Wednesday night will also include a time of praise and worship as well as the Holy Eucharist, two elements which are not logistically possible outside on the sidewalk.  Childcare will be provided although our Youth Group will participate in the Liturgy for the Pre-Born.  We encourage everyone to join us this Wednesday to experience the Liturgy for the Pre-Born and to pray for an end to abortion in America and throughout the world.