Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church sits on Kingston Pike near the intersection of Papermill Drive in Knoxville, just west of Bearden Hill, and has built its identity around a wide and explicit welcome. The congregation's Statement of Welcome, first adopted in 2015 and revised in 2022, names people of every age, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, family structure, political affiliation, and ability. The church has also publicly committed itself to the ongoing work of racial equity and anti-racism. As a member of JusticeKnox, Messiah partners with other congregations working on justice issues in the Knoxville area.
A Relaxed, Traditional Sunday Morning
Worship is at the center of life at Messiah, and the rhythm of Sunday is simple to follow. Coffee Hour opens the morning in the Fellowship Hall from 8:45 to 9:25 a.m., giving people time to greet one another before the service. Worship in the Sanctuary runs from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. and follows a relaxed but traditional liturgy. Communion is offered every Sunday, and the church practices open communion - all who believe that Jesus Christ is truly present in the bread and wine are welcome at the Lord's table. Visitors are told they can wear jeans or a suit and find others dressed the same way. After worship, the Learning Hour for all ages meets from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. from September through May.
Worship is offered in person and online. The Sunday service is livestreamed on Facebook Live, and recordings are posted to the Messiah Lutheran Knoxville YouTube channel for those who want to revisit a service or catch up after the weekend. Online giving is available, and offering plates are also passed during the in-person service.
A Lutheran Identity in the ELCA Tradition
Messiah is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the largest Lutheran denomination in North America, and belongs to the ELCA Southeastern Synod. The church teaches that Lutherans are Christians whose tradition grew out of the sixteenth-century Reformation and the reforming work of Martin Luther. At the heart of that tradition is justification by grace through faith: the conviction that human beings cannot climb to God or meet God halfway, but that God comes to us in the person of Jesus.
The church calls God both Father and Mother, praying to a saving God who teaches, heals, and renews life. Members teach that sin is less a list of wrong acts than a fractured relationship with God, and that humans are simultaneously sinners and saints. Baptism and Holy Communion are the two visible acts through which God pours out the Holy Spirit; Messiah baptizes infants, children, and adults. Three paths lead to membership: Baptism, Affirmation of Baptism, or Transfer of Letter from another Christian congregation.
Music That Anchors the Liturgy
Music holds a place of honor at Messiah. Singing the liturgy is the primary musical focus of worship, and strong congregational hymn singing is supported by a two-manual, twenty-five-rank mechanical action Andover pipe organ built by the Andover Organ Company of Massachusetts and installed in 1982. The organ was dedicated to Sally Nelson, who served many years as Director of Music, and a swell division and additional pedal stops were added in 1990.
Mary Phillips serves as Organist and Director of Music and leads a program that includes the Luther Choir, which rehearses on Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. and sings regularly in Sunday worship from September through May, with membership open to all singers with or without choral experience. The Wittenberg Ringers, an adult handbell choir, play on a three-octave set of Malmark bells. Instrumentalists and worshipper of every kind are invited to share their gifts by speaking with the Director of Music.
Faith Formation for Every Generation
Faith formation of all generations is described as central to the congregation's purpose. Sunday School is offered for children and youth every Sunday from 10:45 to 11:45 a.m., September through May, alongside an adult class that meets at the same time. The Discipleship team also supports Confirmation Classes, Bible Studies, Theology Pub, a Prayer Ground and Worship Wall, Take Home Devotions, a church library, and special learning events.
Parents are recognized as the primary models of faith for their children, and Messiah embraces the Faith 5 devotional practice: each night, families Share highs and lows, Read scripture together, Talk about how the reading relates to those highs and lows, Pray together, and Bless one another. Resources such as Faith Formation Journeys are recommended to help families keep the practice.
Middle and high school students in grades six through twelve are invited to the Knoxville Area Lutheran Youth Group, which meets once a month for a service project or learning event and a social time together. The group draws students from multiple congregations across the area.
Care and the Parish Nurse
Caring for one another during the milestones of life is described as integral to forming and sustaining this faith community. Pastoral care is facilitated by the pastor, and the church offers Grief Support, Eucharistic Ministry that brings communion to those in special circumstances, a Homebound Ministry with visits, mailings, flowers, and cards, and Shepherds Groups that serve as regular personal contacts for members. GriefShare materials are among the resources the church recommends.
Parish Nurse Mary Sophia Hawks is at the heart of the Care ministry. The parish nurse program grew out of the work of Lutheran chaplain Granger Westberg, who realized that patients do better after discharge when someone in the community is present to guide them. Faith community nurses work alongside doctors, home care providers, long-term care facilities, and families, offering listening, medical education, referrals, and other support to all members.
Fellowship that Brings People Together
Fellowship at Messiah takes many shapes. Sunday morning coffee is the weekly rhythm, but it is far from the only one. Brothers at Messiah (BAM) is a men's group of members and friends that meets monthly for fellowship and service projects in the community. Women of the ELCA (WELCA) gathers for worship, Bible study, fellowship, and service in the church, community, and world. Older Wiser Lutherans (OWLS) meets monthly for a scheduled speaker, health education, multicultural and fellowship opportunities, and a provided lunch. Wee Care is a group of sewers, knitters, and quilters who meet monthly to make items for area neonatal units. The Messiah Book Group meets monthly for a discussion that is open even to those who have not read the book, with meetings both in person and via Zoom. Village Vibe gathers in the evenings as a place where the village connects and community matters.
Seasonal meals also draw the congregation together, including suppers during Lent and Advent, an Easter Brunch, a Confirmation Celebration Brunch, a Stewardship Campaign Celebration Luncheon, summer brunches, and dinner groups that meet around shared tables.
Service in the Wider Community
The Serve committee functions as a clearinghouse for outreach at Messiah, coordinating and evaluating programs the church supports and considering new directions. Among the partners the church works with are Bridge Refugee Services, the Volunteer Ministry Center, Care Cuts of Knoxville, the Love Kitchen, the Compassion Coalition, Phyllis Wheatley YWCA, Tyson House, and the Pride Activities and Trans Empowerment Project. A Justice and Diversity Team guides the congregation's continuing work in these areas.
Visiting Messiah
Messiah's building sits at 6900 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, TN 37919, near the intersection of Papermill Drive and Kingston Pike, just west of Bearden Hill. Sunday morning opens with coffee at 8:45 a.m., worship at 9:30 a.m., and a Learning Hour for all ages at 10:45 a.m. The service is relaxed but traditional, with open communion every Sunday and dress that runs from jeans to Sunday best. Newcomers are invited to come as they are, to receive communion if they believe Christ is truly present in the bread and wine, and to join any of the fellowship, learning, music, or service groups that fit their season of life.