Our Services
Sunday: 10:45am
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Messiah Lutheran Church
Rejoicing together in Christ's love + Sharing it with others
Who We Are
We are located in Mechanicsville, Virginia, serving Hanover County and the greater Richmond area. With a very warm and active membership, Messiah Lutheran Church's mission is "To share the good news of Jesus Christ and to invite all to join us in faith, worship, and service." Our congregation is a member of the Virginia Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). As our fellow child of God, we invite you to come and grow in grace with us. Messiah Lutheran Church is handicap accessible. Visit us anytime or see our website to learn more!
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Pastor Lou
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What to Expect
What are services like?
As Lutherans, we believe the congregation should actively participate in our worship. Our worship bulletin has information in it about when we stand, when we sit, what songs we sing, and even the day’s scripture passages and announcements. This is done to make worship with us as simple and easy to follow as possible. We are a liturgical church, which means we follow worship practices dating back to the earliest Christians, but we are open to new worship styles and variations if it helps people grow in faith. Our early service is more traditional, and our late service is extra kid-friendly with a mix of modern and contemporary music. Among our many rituals and worship styles used, we practice two sacraments commanded by Christ, Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We believe these serve as a means of grace. If you would like to learn more about our liturgy, our rituals or the sacraments, or even membership, please contact our pastor by calling 804-746-7134 or email him at MessiahMechPR@gmail.com.
What is the community like?
If you visit, you will find a very friendly group of people from all ages, races and walks of life. We welcome visitors, and we do not wish to place any expectations upon you. You are welcome to come to church or any classes or special programs to see what life is like in our community without any obligation. Ultimately, we desire only to help you discern the congregation to which God is calling you to, whether at Messiah or another faith community. It is important that you find a faith community where you are not only comfortable but are also spiritually fed.
What if I'm not a Christian?
EVERYONE IS WELCOME! We are prepared to meet you wherever you are in your search for meaning and God. Ask questions and share your doubts and struggles with faith. It is unlikely that you are the only one to have ever felt that way. We won't badger you, but instead, we encourage you to explore the Christian faith as you feel comfortable in doing. We have lots of reading material we can share with you to help you on your journey, and the "about us" section of our website (http://www.MessiahMech.com) has many informative links and videos to explore.
About Us
Denomination:
Lutheran (ELCA)
Language:
English
Size: Small
Music:
Passionate Reverent,Traditional Hymns,Contemporary,Blue-grass,Jazz
Vibe:
Casual, Spirit-filled, Friendly, Young families, Creative, Multigenerational, Neighborhood-focused, Inclusive
Programs:
Community Service, Youth Group, Young Adults, Choir, Missions, Nursery, Adult Education, Food Pantry, School, Social Justice, Children's Ministry
Website:
Visit Website
Founded:
1968
Our Services
Sunday 10:45am: Blended traditional and new music; liturgical
Church Leader
Lou Florio
The Rev. Louis A. Florio, Jr. (or “Pastor Lou”) was called to serve at Messiah Lutheran Church by congregational vote on Reformation Sunday, 2007. Previously, Pastor Lou served approximately six years with the City of Alexandria (Virginia) Police Department – primarily on midnight patrol; including as a field training officer and as part of their community policing efforts. Pastor Lou left police work to volunteer with the Ecumenical Community of Taizé in France and discern his call to full-time ministry. This led him to later serve as a house parent and lay missioner at St. Joseph’s Indian School in Chamberlain, South Dakota for three and a half years. As he finished seminary studies and awaited his first call as pastor, Pastor Lou worked as a chaplain with Mary Washington Hospice in Fredericksburg, VA.
Pastor Lou is a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute (BA, English) and concurrently earned a Master of Divinity degree from Union Theological Seminary & PSCE (now Union Presbyterian Seminary) and a Master of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Virginia Commonwealth University. Additional studies for ordination were completed at the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg.
Currently, Pastor Lou’s volunteer outreach in our community includes: leading ecumenical worship at Hanover Adult Center; acting as a spiritual adviser with the local L’Arche project’s planing group; participating on the Faith Relations Committee of Hanover Habitat for Humanity; and serving as a law enforcement chaplain. His wife, Kristine, is employed with the federal government.