A Welcoming Congregation in Point Place and Shoreland
Messiah Lutheran Church sits at 4703 N. Summit Street in Toledo, Ohio, in the Point Place and Shoreland neighborhood along the city's north side. Members describe the congregation as an inclusive faith community that welcomes people from all backgrounds who are looking to build relationships with God and one another. The church is rooted in mission, ministry, and being a welcoming place, and that openness shows up both in the way Sunday worship is offered and in the many smaller groups that meet throughout the week.
Sunday Morning Worship
Messiah holds one Sunday service at 9:00 am. The service follows the traditional order found in the Evangelical Lutheran Worship (ELW) hymnal, with a time for gathering, hearing the Word, sharing Holy Communion, and being sent out. Music is blended, with both piano and organ accompanying a Cantor who leads the singing. The sacrament of Holy Communion is celebrated at every service. Worship folders are available in multiple styles and fonts to make following along easier for everyone in the pew.
Come as You Are
Visitors are told to come as they are. Some members dress up, others wear jeans and hoodies, and plenty come straight from work in their uniforms. Children are welcome too, and the congregation makes a point of saying that it is okay if they make noise or cannot sit still. Kids get involved in the service through handbells, signing the Lord's Prayer or benediction, presenting scripture, and a monthly children's message. Kids aged six and up may also step out during the readings and sermon to join B.L.A.S.T., the church's children's ministry.
Getting Around Messiah
The building is wheelchair accessible. An Elevette lift is available on the right side of the main entrance at the west end of the church for anyone in a manual wheelchair or who wants to avoid the stairs. The black-top parking lot has 60 regular spaces and 7 handicap spaces, and there are entrances from Summit Street as well as from 108th Street. Visitors arriving on a Sunday can find their way easily from any of these entry points.
B.L.A.S.T. Children's Ministry
B.L.A.S.T. stands for Bible, Learning, and Study Time. It is a Sunday morning Christian education program where children aged six and up leave the pews before the scripture readings to gather at their own level for a lesson, craft, or hands-on activity, then rejoin their families after the sermon. The program grew out of a recognition that even a one-classroom arrangement matters when it comes to passing along the faith. The nursery is available for younger ones if a family calls the church office ahead of time at 419-726-0049.
Faith Formation for Adults
Adults gather for Bible Study every Wednesday at 10:00 am, led by Pastor Mark. Members are encouraged to bring significant topics they want to discuss. The Bible study sits inside a broader culture of lifelong learning that the congregation has named Faith Formation, with the conviction that understanding why the church has changed over time matters as much as knowing what changed.
Hands and Hearts: The Groups of Messiah
The life of the congregation extends well beyond Sunday morning. A crocheting group meets on the second and fourth Tuesdays of each month at 6:00 pm in the Gathering Space, where makers of all skill levels gather around hooks, yarn, and conversation. Quilters meet on the first and third Tuesdays at 9:30 am in Fellowship Hall, working to produce quilts for people living in the cold. On the last Sunday of each month, after the service, a cardmaking group gathers to create handmade cards for homebound members and friends.
Once or twice a year the Tea Ladies host a special tea and light meal, with proceeds historically going toward new paraments and additional ministries. Monday evenings bring out the dartball league, which meets at 7:00 pm downstairs in Fellowship Hall to throw regulation darts at a baseball-style board, with practice sessions, road games against other local Lutheran churches, a midseason tournament, and an end-of-season banquet. The league is open to all, and being Lutheran is nice but not a requirement.
Scouting and Youth
Messiah is home to Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Girl Scouts troops that meet through the church. Stephen's Ministry also has a presence at Messiah, offering one-to-one caring ministry for people going through difficult times.
Serving the Neighborhood
The Point Place/Shoreland area is served through several partnerships. On the first Sunday of each month, Messiah collects food, personal care items, and pet supplies for Mustard Seed, an ecumenical ministry of the Point Place/Shoreland churches. Shopping bags are available in the Gathering Space to take, fill, and return. Mustard Seed also gathers names for Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas gifts for families in the neighborhood.
Messiah also sends volunteers to help Salem Lutheran Church pack its weekly Tuesday evening community meal. Messiah's slot is the second Tuesday of the month, with volunteers meeting at Messiah's parking lot at 3:00 pm to carpool to Salem and staying until 5:30 pm.
Beliefs
As an ELCA congregation, Messiah teaches that God is the creator of the universe and the giver of life, known as the Holy Trinity, one God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Lutherans believe that all people are created in God's image and loved by God, and that God's grace is a gift given through Christ that cannot be earned. Forgiveness of sins was accomplished through the cross, and the resurrection three days later sets all people free to love and serve their neighbors, especially the vulnerable.
The mission of Messiah is to welcome and serve all people with the hope that every person may come to believe in Christ's promise of eternal life, guided by the principles to teach and learn confidently, heal lovingly, inspire others patiently, and serve prayerfully. Mission support flows to organizations including the Genacross Lutheran Foundation, Luther Home of Mercy, HomeWood Outdoors, Lutheran Social Services, Salem Lutheran Church, Mustard Seed, and Isaiah House.
Pastor Mark and the Staff
Pastor Mark Kuhlman became Messiah's pastor in November 2023. Born and raised in Findlay, Ohio, Pastor Mark first trained in automotive science at the University of Northwest Ohio and worked at his family's autobody repair shop before entering pastoral ministry. He has served in ministry for over eighteen years, including years within the West Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church in the Maumee River District. He is able to serve at Messiah because the ELCA and the United Methodist Church share a Full Communion relationship. He and his wife Amy, who pastors Riverpoint Ministries UMC in Point Place, have three adult children.
Leigh serves as Cantor, leading the congregation in song each Sunday. Tammy is the Office Secretary, Linda is the Bookkeeper, and Diana serves as an Assistant in the Office.
Office Hours, Giving, and Getting in Touch
The church office is open Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 am until 3:00 pm and is closed on Mondays. The phone number is 419-726-0049, and the office email is secretary@messiahtoledo.org. A Prayer Chain is in place for confidential prayer requests, with options to share requests in the newsletter, the worship folder, or the Prayers of the People during worship. Monetary giving is available online through Tithe.ly, and volunteering is welcomed across the church's many groups and ministries.