Midweek Services – Noonday midweek worship returns! Beginning September 4, a 25-minute worship service will be held on the first Wednesday of each month at 12:00 noon. All are welcome, with a special emphasis on welcoming those who have mobility challenges. The service will include music, Word, prayer, and Holy Communion, with a large-print bulletin and an invitation to remain seated throughout the service. Following the service, a light lunch will be provided in the Gathering Area for a time to share food and fellowship together. The Care Committee will be coordinating rides to and from the service for all who desire transportation. Contact Pastor Lauren ([email protected]) or Linda Morrison ([email protected]) if you’re interested in giving or receiving a ride, or helping out with lunch.
Blessing of Animals – Wednesday, October 2 - Plans are underway for an ecumenical “Blessing of the Animals” service on Wednesday, October 2 in the evening. Mark your calendar now and join us in celebrating all creatures great and small! Jazz Vespers – Wednesday, November 13 at 7:00pm - Our Jazz Vespers will bring together scripture, poetry, prayer and music, building on our liturgical tradition of evening prayer and will be led and supported by melodious sounds of joyous jazz. Join special musical guests for a vibrant Vespers service of praise and thanksgiving! Invite your friends! A huge “Thank you!” to Bob Curry for spearheading this unique service! Check The Chimes for further information. |
175th Banquet – Muhlenberg Lutheran Church invites all who have been a part of the life of the congregation to celebrate 175 years! Join us for our “Homecoming” anniversary celebration on Sunday, September 15 in the Muhlenberg Activities Center. A reception will be held 12:15-1:00pm, and a meal and program will begin at 1:00pm. We’ll enjoy the unveiling of our 175th Anniversary “Signature Quilt,” the distribution of our Muhlenberg History Book, the premiere of our Anniversary Video Interview collection, and so much more. Watch The Chimes for how you can RSVP (by Sept. 1)
Tours - You attend worship in our beautiful church home each week, but do you know all the little stories surrounding this sacred space? In celebration of our 175th Anniversary, church tours will be offered on Sundays and at set times during the week throughout October. Trained tour guides will walk you through our campus to learn the stories that surround these spaces and memorials, and explore the opportunities for our bright future. Keep an eye on The Chimes for more information this fall. Speakers - Guest speakers will join us on Sunday mornings this fall to share about the history of our Harrisonburg and Rockingham County community over the 175 years that Muhlenberg has gathered as a congregation. Speakers include:
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Children’s, Youth, and Confirmation Classes
New Structure For Sunday School - This year we are having three classes to better serve each age appropriately.
Youth Classes on Sunday: Word and Witness
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Adult Classes on Sundays, 9:45am
Engaging with Henri Nouwen Devotionals – This year we will engage with selected devotionals from some of Henri Nouwen’s most significant writings. We will read, ponder, discuss, and consider questions - and as usual generate more questions than we have answers to. Our discussions will lead to insights, deeper knowledge, authentic relationships and maybe a spark of enlightenment along the way. Please join in person or on Zoom. Civic Life and Faith - Three different topics – Refugees, Sexuality, and Race – will be the focus of the Civic Life and Faith class this year. We will spend approximately 14 weeks on each topic. If you want to join others, in a trusted space, and explore your thoughts and questions regarding the intersection of faith with these difficult topics, then this is the class for you. Facilitators: Karen Thomsen and Brad Moyers |
Children
Kids & Nursery Children are always welcomed and encouraged to be a part of our worship services, and their presence and participation is important! Activity packs are available in the Gathering Area that include quiet activities related to worship and the weekly Scripture reading, and we also include a weekly children’s message in worship. For our very youngest, quality childcare is provided each Sunday in the Nursery 8:15am- 12:30pm, so little ones (birth – age 5) will have a safe space to be during worship and the Faith Formation Hour. Plus, there are fun events scheduled each month for our Elementary kids, so join your friends and make new friends, too! See The Chimes for details each month. Giving of the Word On October 6, as the congregation hears the story of Israel’s unfaithfulness in worshiping the golden calf, we will remember God’s Word is a gift of God’s faithfulness given to us in the midst of our own unfaithfulness to sustain and guide God’s people. Muhlenberg will join in the work of sharing God's living word through the generations. During worship we will have a time of blessing for our students who will receive new Bibles designed for students in their age group. Third Annual Muhlenberg Trunk or Treat – Sun. Oct. 27, 2:00 -4:00pm Join in a time of fun and celebration for the Muhlenberg community and our neighbors! From 2:00-4:00pm, children of all ages will have the opportunity to “trick or treat” around cars parked in the Ott St. and MAC parking lots. Adults and groups are encouraged to sign up and use their creativity to decorate their trunks and have a chance to win the “Trunk Cup.” We will have snacks, hot cider, games, and more! Plus, this year, we will include a canned food drive. Watch The Chimes for more details, and invite your friends and neighbors to mark their calendars now! Contact Ashley Saunders ([email protected]) if you’d like to volunteer. |
Music at Muhlenberg - Enhancing worship and fostering community, music is a sweet spot in our ministry together at Muhlenberg! But did you know that music is also a numbers game? It takes a village as the saying goes. At Muhlenberg, not only are you welcome to share your musical gifts, but encouraged to try something new! Many opportunities are available this fall: Celebration Singers, Sanctuary Choir, Gloria Dei Ringers Handbell Choir, Children’s Choir, Youth Ensemble and opportunities for instrumentalists.
Adult Choirs Celebration Singers (10th grade and up): rehearsals are Tuesdays at 6:30 pm in the Music Room beginning August 20. The Celebration singers lead worship at most 8:30am Sunday services. This ensemble, open to grades 10 and up, revels in a mix of unison singing and harmonies, and diverse genres. Your love for singing is the only ticket in! Sanctuary Choir (10th grade and up): rehearsals are Wednesdays at 6:30 pm in the Music Room beginning August 21. The Sanctuary Choir, open to grades 10 and up, will elevate our worship at the 11:00am Sunday service. A tapestry of melodies, from the Renaissance era to the latest in choral music, awaits you. Prior choral experience is helpful, but not mandatory. NOTE: Celebration Singers and Sanctuary Choir will sing as a combined choir in both services for our fall kickoff Sunday, August 18! Our combined rehearsal will be Wednesday, August 14 at 6:30 in the Music Room. Children’s & Youth Choirs Children’s Choir (ages 4 – grade 2) – rehearsals on Sundays, November 10 - December 22, 12:15-12:45pm - Catering to the spirited voices of our children, the cherubs, this choir led by Music Minister Matt Thomas will sing in worship on the second Sunday of Advent (December 8) and the 4:00pm Christmas Eve service. Rehearsals will be held in the Music Room. Youth Ensemble (grades 3 - 9) - rehearsals on Sundays, November 10 - December 22, 12:15-12:45pm - Under the direction of Linlin Uta, the Youth Ensemble will be preparing to play and enhance our worship on the second Sunday of Advent (December 8) and Christmas Eve. Rehearsals will be held in the Sanctuary. Handbell Choir - Gloria Dei Ringers The handbell choir is offering a 3-week “try ringing on for size” experience! Join Gloria Dei Ringers in rehearsal at 7:00 pm August 20, 27 and September 3, and ring in worship Sunday, September 8. The music will be easy, and Director Kath Wissinger is a brilliant music educator and will have you up to speed in no time! Come see if this exciting ensemble is right for you! Regular rehearsals continue Tuesday evenings, 7:00 – 8:30pm in the Sanctuary beginning September 10. If you are interested in being a part of the music program at Muhlenberg, please email Music Minster Matt Thomas ([email protected]) or show up for one of the opportunities mentioned above. Get in where you fit in and shine as you fall into Music at Muhlenberg! |
Our liturgy is, by definition, the “work of the people.” There are lots of ways to get involved in worship, and many find that serving in worship is a meaningful part of their Sunday morning.
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The Local and Global Mission Outreach Committee coordinates outreach, service, and advocacy in both our local community and around the world. All are welcome to join this ministry team and/or help with the important work of Knowing Our Neighbors and Serving with Them. The Local and Global Mission Outreach Committee meets the second Monday of each month. The time and place will be announced in The Chimes or you may contact Karen Thomsen ([email protected]) or Vicki Heitsch ([email protected]) for more information. Activities already planned for this fall include:
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Thrivent Member Brunch and Series:
Diamond Jubilee Luncheon – October 20, 12:15pm - Join us for an annual gathering and celebration of Muhlenberg members aged 75+. Want to help make it happen? Provide a ride for a senior, assist with set-up and clean-up, or help with planning and coordination. Contact Sandy Randolph ([email protected], 540-820-9654), Linda Morrison ([email protected]) or Stephanie Hudy ([email protected]). Congregational Meeting – November 24, 9:45am – Hear updates on the life of the congregation, vote on the next Spending Plan, etc. Watch The Chimes for additional info closer to the meeting date. Advent & Christmas Keep an eye out in November for a full newsletter with all the details of the Advent/Christmas season. We’ll celebrate ADVENTure Sunday, hear the Christmas story in a lively Christmas program, and more! Christmas Eve Worship, Tuesday December 24
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Muhlenberg Lutheran Church
281 East Market Street Harrisonburg, VA 22801 Vertical Divider
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