Messiah Lutheran Church celebrates golden anniversary

Congregation reaches 50 years of worship in Charles City

By Amie Johansen | amie@charlescitypress.com

In March 1966, Messiah Lutheran Church was born.

According to congregant Dean Andrews, Messiah Lutheran Church grew initially from former members of St. John’s Lutheran Church. A pamphlet celebrating the years boasted membership to be at 337 people in 1966.

This Sunday, Messiah Lutheran Church will be celebrating its golden anniversary.

“Our normal church services are at 9:15 a.m., now this Sunday we’ll have it at 10:15 a.m. …(we’ll) follow that with a dinner and a fellowship and a luncheon,” Andrews said.

The service will include participation from current and past members alike.

“We’ve had several organists over the years and a couple of them will be back and play during the service,” Andrews said.

According to Andrews, all are welcome to join in the service and fellowship.

“Our theme is ‘Celebrate with us,’ so anybody who has any connections or recollections of Messiah are welcome to come to the church service and the luncheon,” he said.

The celebration will begin with a church service at 10:15 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28. Immediately following the service will be fellowship and a luncheon. Messiah Lutheran Church is located at the same address as when it opened in 1966: 705 3rd Avenue, Charles City.

Since its inception, Messiah Lutheran Church has grown its reputation as being a community-oriented church.

“We started the food box … in the 80s,” Andrews said. “A few years ago, Jordan River took over the administration of it.”

Many Charles City residents will also connect Messiah Lutheran Church to the annual community Thanksgiving dinner.

“We started that several years ago and now other churches do it in cooperation with our church, but it is still held at our church,” Andrews said.

Messiah Lutheran members also dedicate time to feeding those who are not as mobile.

“We’re involved with Meals on Wheels,” Andrews said. “We do that three or four times a year, we take a week of Meals on Wheels.”

Messiah Lutheran is a poll location and home to regular Life Serve Blood Donation events.

In 50 years, Messiah Lutheran Church has remained a stable element of the community.

“We’ve added onto the building a couple times (but we’ve) always been in the same location,” Andrews said.

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