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The Rev. Dr. Martin K. O'Rourke Rector If the alumni of my graduating high school class gave an award to the person who ended up in the least likely job, I believe I would win. As a teen, I was constantly trying to prove myself through sports and by being accepted by others. It is alarming to consider where I would be today if the Lord Jesus Christ had not changed my life. I am still amazed that the Lord called me to be a pastor, and my passion is to see lives transformed by Jesus Christ. My first call in ministry is to trust and love the Lord with all my heart. I am also called to love my wonderful wife as Christ loved the church, and to be a godly father to my four children and two grandchildren. I am very thankful for God’s call on me to be a pastor, serving the people of Messiah. We seek to make disciples who in turn make disciples by emphasizing mentoring relationships. I am very encouraged by the growing diversity in our church as people connect across generations, ethnicities, economic and social backgrounds, and with those who have disabilities. We also serve our community by providing Joyful Noise Club, an outreach to young people with disabilities; having a companion relationship with a church in Portsmouth that has a ministry to the poor; and participating with other ministries, including CAST, a ministry to the homeless, Heart of Compassion, and Serve the City. I have a heart for building fellowship and unity among local church pastors, so Messiah holds a monthly gathering for ministers from various denominations. God used my heart for local church pastors to develop a training titled Guard Your Heart , designed to equip Christian leaders to walk in purity. For fun and exercise, I ride my bike five days a week with my wife, and two days a week I play racquetball. Before coming to Church of the Messiah in 1995, I served as Rector at Church of the Resurrection near Akron, Ohio; as Associate Rector at St. Martin's in Monroeville, Pa.; and as Youth Advisor to the Diocese of Pittsburgh.

Prayers for Personal & Corporate Pentecost Prayer for Personal Pentecost Father, I am thirsty and dry and I need the refreshment of Your Holy Spirit. Fill me to overflowing that streams of living water might flow from within me. I want to grow more deeply and intimately acquainted with You, Lord. I desire to worship You in spirit and in truth with my whole heart, soul, mind and strength. I need a drink from Your well of living water that never runs dry. Create in me a clean heart, O God. I invite You to do in me that which You need to do in order to do through me that which You desire to do. Send Your Spirit to lead me into all truth and understanding that I might serve You with a glad and sincere heart and that I might use the gifts You have given me to serve others. Lord, here I am. I am Yours. Help me to love my neighbors as You love them. Give me opportunities to share the good news of what You have done in my life with those who are hurting and those who are searching for truth. Clothe me with Your power, Lord, for my desire is to take hold of that for which You have taken hold of me, and I can only do so in the power of Your Spirit. Lord, thank You for loving me, forgiving me, equipping me, and sending me. May all I say and do bring You honor and glory. In the precious name of Jesus I pray, Amen. Prayer for Corporate Pentecost Father, we celebrate Your goodness. We delight in Your Presence. We remember the wonderful things You have done and we thank You for Your continued patience with us and provision for us. We come to You now in faith asking You to rain down Your Spirit on us once again. Baptize us in a fresh outpouring of Your love and power. Drench us. Refresh us. Revive us. Lord, we can only be who You’ve called us to be in and by the power of Your Holy Spirit. So, send Your Spirit of wisdom and revelation upon us now that we may fulfill the hope to which You have called us. Empower us by Your Spirit to go where You send us, sharing the good news of Jesus with all who will listen. May Your streams of living water flow from within us to all with whom we come in contact. Thank You for the bountiful resources that will enable us to do all that You’ve called and equipped us to do. Freely we have received, Lord. Freely we will give. By the power of Your Spirit we will be steadfast, unmovable, and always abounding in the work to which You have called us for we know our labor is not in vain because we have the victory thorough our Lord, Jesus Christ. And it is in His mighty name we pray, Amen! PRINTABLE VERSION

Listen to different speakers share practical ways to experience Lent during deeper explorations of topics from the sermon series, "Abiding in the Living Word ." 2/25 "Praying Through the Scriptures" Fr. Dominick Hankle Watch | Slides 3/4 Going Deeper Vivian Hayes Watch | Slides 3/11 What Are My Plan Options? Pastor Nile Gomez Watch | Resource Sheet 3/18 The Big Story Ken Shomo Watch 3/25 Prophecy Fulfilled Theresa Newell Watch Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Module 4 Module 5 Module 6

PRINTABLE VERSION Liturgy for the Ritual of Morning Coffee Meet me, O Christ in this stillness of morning. Move me, O Spirit, to quiet my heart. Mend me, O Father, from yesterday’s harms. From the discords of yesterday, resurrect my peace. From the discouragement of yesterday, resurrect my hope. From the weariness of yesterday, resurrect my strength. From the doubts of yesterday, resurrect my faith. From the wounds of yesterday, resurrect my love. Let me enter this new day, aware of my need and awake to your grace, O Lord. Amen From Every Moment Holy by Doug Mckelvey PRINTABLE VERSION

SERVING THE COMMUNITY Our Lord has called us to serve those around us as Christ has served us. Messiah is involved in a number of seasonal and year-round ministries to our local community. If you would like more information about any of these ministries, please contact the church office . Chesapeake Area Shelter Team (C.A.S.T) For a number of years, Church of the Messiah has provided a week of shelter and meals for the homeless during the winter sheltering season from November through March. CAST week is an all-church effort, as host churches provide and serve meals, play cards and board games with guests, entertain children, stay overnight to ensure a restful night for our guests, and perform daily cleanup. No special skills or experience are necessary to get involved with this compassionate ministry. Inreach/Outreach Committee The Outreach/Inreach Committee serves to minister to those in financial need in our local and extended community. Messiah supports a number of Christian-based organizations, and also seeks to minister to those within the congregation who are experiencing temporary financial difficulties. Operation Christmas Child Operation Christmas Child, sponsored by Samaritan's Purse Ministries, brings joy and hope to children in desperate situation worldwide through gift-filled shoe boxes and the Good News of God's love. Church of the Messiah collects items such as small toys, school supplies and hygiene items each fall, then, with the help of our children, packs the boxes to be shipped all over the world. Hope Charitable Services Church of the Messiah has a close relationship with Sanctuary of Hope, a pentecostal church community in Portsmouth. Messiah is involved in several of Sanctuary of Hope's outreach efforts to the poor in their local community. Joyful Noise Club Our club for young people with disabilities currently meets in person the second Tuesday of the month and online via Zoom the fourth Tuesday of each month. In-person meetings start with pizza, then Club members hear a special message and enjoy a fun game or activity. Online meetings include a teaching or message, followed by a time of discussion and sharing. A game or activity is often included, where participants are asked to bring a special item or topic to share with everyone online. Everyone is welcome to join the fun! For more information, contact the church office.

Worshiping In Spirit and In Truth "Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth." (John 4:23-24) September 25, 2016 Worshiping in Spirit and in Truth Pastor Jim Brown October 2, 2016 How to Engage in Worshiping God Pastor Marty O'Rourke Slideshow Presentation October 16, 2016 Why the Eucharist in Worship? Pastor Marty O'Rourke & Pastor Jim Brown Slideshow Presentation October 23, 2016 Why the Spirit in Worship Rev. Mark Cartledge October 30, 2016 Why the Arts in Worship? Marsha Staples November 6, 2016 Worship and Right Relationships Pastor Marty O'Rourke Slideshow Presentation November 13, 2016 The Sacrifice of Worship Pastor Marty O'Rourke Rev. John Dooley Vivian Hayes November 20, 2016 Continual Worship Pastor Jim Brown Slideshow Presentation Please reload

Francis Chan: Forgotten God SERMON SERIES WINTER 2013 What Are You Afraid Of? February 24, 2013 | Pastor Jim Brown Theology of the Holy Spirit 101 March 3, 2013 | Pastor Marty O'Rourke Why Do You Want Him? March 10, 2013 | Rev. Mark Cartledge A Real Relationship March 17, 2013 | Pastor Marty O'Rourke Lord, Forgive the Judas In Me March 24, 2013 | Pastor Jim Brown Forget About His Will For Your Life! April 7, 2013 | Ashley Plunkett Supernatural Church PowerPoint Presentation April 14, 2013 | Pastor Jim

FOREIGN MISSIONS The Foreign Missions Committee oversees the financial and spiritual support we provide to missionaries and organizations outside the United States, as well as to individuals from our congregation who go on short-term mission trips to other countries. The list here describes some of the areas we support. If you feel led to donate to any of our foreign missions, please click here . If you would like more information about any of these missions, please contact the church office . Africa: Rev. Bisoke Balikenga Beginning with providing for two wells in a conflict-torn and impoverished village in central Africa, Church of the Messiah has developed a close relationship with Rev. Bisoke, Provincial Youth Coordinator for the Anglican Church in this region. Eastern Europe: Aaron & Winnie Aaron and Winnie have been working with teens in Eastern Europe since 2009. Their youth center ministers to middle- and high-schoolers through music, drama and the arts. Israel: CMJ (Church's Ministry Among Jewish People) CMJ has been serving the Jewish people in the biblical land of Israel for more than 200 years, serving both Jew and Arab, Israeli and Palestinian to demonstrate the love Jesus the Messiah has for all the nations of the earth. Middle East: Betsy & David David and Betsy have ministered for over 20 years to a small but growing Christian community. They have also responded to the desperate needs of refugees from Syria by seeking out ways to welcome in and care for these refugees and provide medical aid. Central America: His Love in Action School for the Deaf Since 1989, His Love in Action School and Vocational Training Institute in Honduras has been educating and training hearing impaired children.

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"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23 The Rev. Dr. Marty O'Rourke has served as a local church pastor for over 35 years in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Medina, Ohio; and Chesapeake, Virginia. He is passionate about equipping Christian leaders to finish well. While researching sexual misconduct in the church for his Doctor of Ministry dissertation, he discovered that prevention training of leaders reduces the likelihood of moral failure. Most prevention training has primarily a psychological approach, whereas the "Guard Your Heart" prevention training that Pastor Marty developed is grounded in the Scriptures and the social sciences. Many Christian leaders do not finish well. Paul, who finished well, writes to his spiritual son, Timothy: "Set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity" (1Timothy 4:12). The primary purpose of this training is to empower pastors and Christian leaders to finish their race well, by understanding the unique temptations leaders and their families face in a culture where temptation, especially sexual, abounds. Click the link above to watch the opening session of the Guard Your Heart training. Escaping Sexual Sin Before It's Too Late , By Rev. Marty O'Rourke. Click here to view article published on CBN.com Contact: Rev. Marty O'Rourke Church of the Messiah 816 Kempsville Road Chesapeake, VA 23320 (757) 436-2545 morourke@churchofthemessiah.org Marty has presented the Guard Your Heart training numerous times to the Convocation of Anglicans in North America (CANA); M.Div and D.Min. classes at Regent University; chaplains at Portsmouth Naval Hospital; the Falls Church staff in Falls Church, VA; Mid-Atlantic Christian University, and hundreds of pastors and church planters in Kenya, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. What others are saying about "Guard Your Heart" As an Executive Pastor I had my staff attend the Guard Your Heart workshop led by the Rev. Marty O'Rourke. I have been a pastor for over twenty years, and my wife and I have been in ministry in several different churches over the years. I have also had my staff take several different workshops on prevention of misconduct of various kinds. I found the Guard Your Heart workshop to be the most helpful in addressing issues straightforwardly, but from a positive Christian point of view. (The Rev. Dr.) Frederick Wright Senior Associate Rector, The Falls Church Falls Church, Va. 22046 We are greatly privileged to have such an experienced, encouraging, well-equipped presentation. You know whereof you speak, making it accessible for students to understand and practical to apply. I have no doubt that you prevented problems in our students' lives and ministries, and equipped them to serve others better. Mark A. Jumper, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Theological and Ministerial Studies School of Divinity, Regent University The Guard Your Heart training seminar is an asset to any ministry or organization, one of the most powerful tools available today is a preemptive strike against the problems of integrity and sexual misconduct before they happen. My opinion should be an essential part of all leadership preparation I strongly encourage you to consider this seminar for your ministry or organization. I would be delighted to comment further on this seminar resource contacted by phone or email. Sincerely, Dr. James T. Flynn Associate Professor of Practical Theology Director of the Doctor of Ministry Program School of Divinity, Regent University jamefly@regent.edu 757.352.4527 My husband and I have been married for 33 years. We have been in ordained ministry for 28 of those years. Entering parish life after seminary was something we were not prepared for. The demands of "The Church" and the demands of a family can become overwhelming. I wish we had heard this teaching before leaving Seminary. There are so many "mine fields" in the ministry. Rev. O'Rourke shared practical ways to prevent getting "blown away." His message was proactive, like the Priests having an accountability partner, and letting your wife know about all your appointments, especially when women are involved. There were many other great suggestions. Penny Rauh Church of the Epiphany-Anglican Herndon, VA To: Whom It May Concern From: Charles J. Cunningham Jr., Lt Gen, USAF (Retired) Joint Forces Staff College Subject: Improper Behavior, Temptation, and Avoiding Trouble This is my personal endorsement of, and professional judgment regarding a very important program designed by the Rev. Dr. Marty O'Rourke to prepare leaders to do the right things when associating with others, especially those under their leadership.

FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES Spending time together is an important activity for any family, and it's no different for the Messiah family! Forming and developing relationships with each other helps all of us grow spiritually as we eat, play, serve and work together in a variety of ways. Here are just a few of Messiah's fellowship opportunities. Coffee Hour Grab a cup of coffee, a cookie or pastry, and chat for as long as you like after service every Sunday! Do you have the gift of hospitality? Think about joining the coffee hour crew! Community Bible Study In addition to in-depth study of the Word of God, Community Bible Study (CBS) is a great way to meet people and fellowship on a weekly basis. Messiah hosts a Women's CBS class on Thursday mornings during the school year, a co-ed class on Thursday evenings, as well as virtual onlne classes. For more information on CBS, click here . Joyful Noise Club Our club for young people with disabilities currently meets in person the second Tuesday of the month and online via Zoom the fourth Tuesday of each month. In-person meetings start with pizza, then Club members hear a special message and enjoy a fun game or activity. Online meetings include a teaching or message, followed by a time of discussion and sharing. A game or activity is often included, where participants are asked to bring a special item or topic to share with everyone online. Everyone is welcome to join the fun! For more information, contact the church office. Men's Minstry Men need to form real and deep relationships with other men that will foster growth in Christ. Join the men of Messiah at 10 am every first Saturday of the month for a time of learning, discussion, prayer, and fellowship. The group meets outside (weather permitting -- bring a chair!) or in the Fellowship Hall. Women's Ministry Messiah's Women's Ministry focuses on building relationships and getting to know each other on a personal level, so we can truly walk with each other, carry each other's burdens, and develop lasting and supporting relationships with our sisters in Christ. Monthly meetings include Bible studies, discussions about life and God, prayer and encouragement to help all women grow in their walk with the LORD. The Women's Ministry hosts events throughout the year for women to come together in fellowship. Past events have included a Spring Tea, Fall Brunch, and Christmas Lunch. These are wonderful opportunities to meet and visit with the ladies of Messiah. Fellowship Events We like to spend time together! In addition to the groups and occasions listed here, Messiah hosts a number of church-wide events throughout the year.* These provide a great chance for people to come together to coordinate and attend celebrations that are open to all. Some of these events have included: Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper Seder Passover Meal Pentecost Picnic Joyful Noise

Sermon Series | Fall 2019 September 8, 2019 The Lord Receives Glory, Honor and Power for Creating All Things Pastor Marty O'Rourke Slideshow Presentation September 15, 2019 In the Beginning ... Word Became Flesh The Rev. Dr. Mark Cartledge Slideshow Presentation September 22, 2019 Let Light Shine Out of Darkness Pastor Marty O'Rourke with Dr. John Adam Dr. Adam's Slideshow Sermon Slideshow September 29, 2019 Created in His Image in an Image Driven Culture Pastor Marty O'Rourke Slideshow Presentation October 6, 2019 God Created Them Male and Female Pastor Marty O'Rourke Slideshow Presentation Testimony by Shelly James October 13, 2019 What Is the Way of Cain? Rev. Mark Cartledge October 20, 2019 Old Adam -- Christ Our New Adam Pastor Marty O'Rourke Slideshow Presentation October 27, 2019 Are We In the Days of Noah? Deacon Nile Gomez November 3, 2019 Abraham: Is Anything Too Hard for the Lord? Pastor Marty O'Rourke November 10, 2019 Our Mission with Jesus Bishop John Guernsey November 17, 2019 Isaac on the Altar Slideshow Presentation November 24, 2019 Joseph: Trusting God's Greater Plan Pastor Nile Gomez Please reload How did the universe come to be? Why did God create us in His image? How did evil, sin and death enter His creation? What is God’s plan to accomplish His original purpose for us? Paul said the fullness of this plan was a mystery revealed in Christ Jesus. To understand this unfolding plan—connecting the creation of the heavens and earth in Genesis with the new heaven and earth in Revelation—we must start at the beginning. This sermon series will explore this plan and examine why Genesis is alluded to about 200 times in the New Testament.