Sunday Worship on Rindge Road
Messiah Lutheran Church gathers each Sunday morning at 10:00 AM at 750 Rindge Road in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, just past the rotary and up the hill past Sizer school. The congregation is part of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, a national body of roughly two million members across six thousand churches. The 10:00 AM service follows a traditional liturgical pattern shaped by the church's Confessional heritage, with the pastor preaching from Scripture and the congregation joining in historic creeds and hymns.
For those who cannot attend in person, every service is broadcast live on Facebook Live. A toll-free dial-in line, 1-877-568-4106 with access code 436-383-101#, lets listeners follow along by phone. Past services are available for replay on the church's Facebook page.
What Messiah Believes
Messiah Lutheran confesses the historic Christian faith in the words of the three ecumenical creeds - the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian - and the eight Reformation-era documents that make up the Book of Concord. The church teaches that the Bible is the true, inspired, and inerrant Word of God, that there is one God in three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), and that Jesus Christ is true God begotten of the Father from eternity and true man born of the virgin Mary, crucified, died, buried, and raised again in body on the third day.
Salvation is by grace alone, through faith created by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit works through the means of grace - the Word and the Sacraments of Holy Baptism, Absolution, and the Lord's Supper - to create and sustain saving faith. The Small Catechism, written by Martin Luther so fathers could instruct their children, is held up as a concise summary of the Ten Commandments, the Apostles' Creed, the Lord's Prayer, Baptism, Confession and Absolution, and the Lord's Supper.
Bible Study and Christian Formation
Christian formation at Messiah is not limited to Sunday morning. Adult Bible Study meets at 9:00 AM with Pastor Jacoby, working through the Book of Daniel. A parallel Sunday School hour at 9:00 AM offers a survey of the Old Testament for younger students.
Sunday evenings at 6:00 PM, a youth group studies the Gospel of Matthew. On Wednesdays at 11:00 AM, Pastor Jacoby leads an online study of Acts through GoToMeeting, with the link distributed by email each week. Thursdays bring two more gatherings: a women's devotion and fellowship time at 8:30 AM at Identity Coffee, 35 Main Street in Fitchburg, where ladies work through Christa Kinde's Praying With Power; and an online study from 7:00 to 8:00 PM led by LCMS New England District President Robert Beinke on the Scripture readings for the coming Sunday.
New member classes are organized in the fall for anyone interested in formally joining. The congregation also underwrites materials and bulletin advertising for anyone willing to start a new small-group Bible study, with the stated goal that every member be part of a regular Bible study.
Messiah Lutheran Preschool and Learning Center
For more than thirty years, Messiah Lutheran Preschool and Learning Center has nurtured children from six weeks old through Pre-K in a Christ-centered environment. The school is staffed by state-licensed early childhood teachers and is fully licensed by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education.
Jesus is at the center of the program: a daily Jesus Time is built into the schedule, and Pastor Jacoby leads a weekly chapel. The campus includes two playgrounds, walking trails, and a large indoor gym for rainy-day obstacle courses and bike riding, with themed play areas in each classroom. The preschool enrolls children from eight weeks to five years old. Families can schedule a tour by phone at 978-345-5954 or by email at mlc_learningcenter@verizon.net, and complete registration through online enrollment forms.
Camp Pineshore: A Lutheran Bible Camp Since 1947
In nearby Westminster, Massachusetts, Messiah Lutheran Church owns and operates Camp Pineshore, a Bible camp and campground of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod located at 12 Camp Pineshore Road off Highway 2. Established in 1947, the camp brings together Lutheran youth from across the region for weeks of Biblical teaching, singing, swimming, games, and fellowship.
Each session is led by Camp Chiefs who are pastors in the LCMS, and the schedule weaves together solid Bible teaching with high-energy camp games like Romans vs. Christians, Counselor Hunt, Capture the Flag, Real Life: Among Us, and karaoke nights. Camp Pineshore is known as a singing camp, with campers learning hymns, camp songs, and choir pieces together. The camp complies with Massachusetts Department of Public Health regulations, employs trained lifeguards and camp nurses, and requires background checks and orientation training for all staff and volunteers working with children. Pastor Jacoby serves as camp director.
Parents surveyed in 2023 named the top three reasons they love Camp Pineshore: a Christ-centered summer experience, the chance for their children to meet other Lutheran youth, and visible spiritual growth after camp.
Mission Partnerships
Messiah Lutheran supports mission work beyond Fitchburg. The congregation partners with Care Net of Fitchburg, a local pregnancy resource center, and members connect with the Lutheran Women's Missionary League through the New England District newsletter. The church also supports missionaries including the Tinos through Global Lutheran Outreach.
Joining the Congregation
Visitors are welcome at 750 Rindge Road. Sunday morning begins with Sunday School and Adult Bible Study at 9:00 AM, followed by the worship service at 10:00 AM. The church office is reachable at 978-343-7397, the preschool at 978-345-5954, and Pastor Jacoby at 978-516-6963 or davidjacoby65@hotmail.com. Donations can be made online through Tithe.ly or mailed to the church. A church calendar, newsletter, and live video meeting space are available through the church's online resources.