East Zorra Mennonite Church
Volume 69 Sunday August 23, 2026 No. 34
Sunday August 23, 2026 – Join Sunday Worship Zoom at 10 a.m.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83137404938?pwd=hcotNxuDaoj9icACblTui3Jcsx9aOK.1
Meeting ID: 831 3740 4938 Passcode: 415319
Dial in using your phone: +1 647 374 4685 OR Toll-free 855 703 8985
Prelude/Accompanist: Laurie Yantzi Song Leader: Caleb Leis
Worship Leader: Sheryl Leis Audio/Visual: Todd Bender/Brian Wagler
Coffeetime: Carol & Owen Cook
Prelude
Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship & Opening Prayer
Songs of Gathering & Praise
VT #129 “O Worship Our God”
VT #76 “Holy, Holy, Holy!”
Offering – Leadership
Time with the Children
Scripture Reading: Philippines 2:1-11
Message Bevin Witmer
Song of Response
VT #719 “Jesus, Help Us Live in Peace”
Prayer of the Church Sheryl Leis
Sending Song
VT #840 “God Be with You Till We Meet Again”
Benediction
Postlude
Today
Coffeetime in the basement immediately following the worship service. Everyone is welcome. We would ask that everyone provides their own mug to help simplify the preparation and clean up time. We will provide mugs for those who forget theirs or who come as guests on a Sunday morning.
This Coming Week
Monday August 24th
- 7 p.m. Walking Club
Thursday August 27th
- Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese Tour – All adults are invited to participate in the cheese tour and lunch. Meet at Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese for 11:15 a.m. Learn how Gunn’s artisan cheese is made! The tour is an hour plus long and is doable with a walker. At the end of the tour you will have the opportunity to sample 3 types of cheese. Cheeses and other local artisan products are for sale. (Bring an insulated bag or small cooler if you want to purchase some cheese!) The tour is $15 per person. (Please pay Susan Schmitz for the cost of the tour.) Following the tour we’ll head to Sunrise Pho Binh Thanh restaurant to have fellowship over Canadian or authentic Vietnamese cuisine! Excellent accessibility and there is lots of parking at both locations. Please sign up on the sheet in the lower foyer as we need a fairly accurate head count for the cheese tour and reservation at the restaurant.
Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese address: 445172 Gunn’s Hill Road, Woodstock
Sunrise Pho Binh Thanh address: 882 Dundas St.Woodstock.
Friday August 28th
- 9 a.m. All items for the Sunday August 30th bulletin are due. Please send to Pastor Ray at ray@ezmennonite.ca. Thanks so much.
Next Sunday – August 30, 2026
Prelude/Accompanist: Bethany Zehr Song Leader: Susan Schmitz
Greeter: Nicole & Duane Swartzentruber Worship Leader: Caleb Leis
Audio/Visual: Greg Pye/Larry Kropf Offering: Maintenance
Coffeetime: Megan MacDonald & Russ Schumm Sharing by: Michelle Shartun
Extending God’s Love
Please pray for those affected by the devastating earthquake in Colombia, including communities where Mennonite congregations are present. Pray for comfort for those grieving, strength for rescue and relief workers and wisdom for leaders responding to the disaster. Pray that neighbours and communities come together in compassion and generosity as they face the days ahead.
Please pray for that many families in the City of Ottawa and the Niagara Region who have experienced destruction and disruption to their homes due to significant flooding this summer. Pray also for Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) volunteers who have been serving in both areas.
EZMC Announcements
Church Directory Update Page
We will not be printing a new church directory in 2026. A Church Directory Update Page will be distributed later in the Fall. If you have any changes to your home address, phone number, or email address since the December 2025 EZMC Directory please send to Lisa by September 18th at office@ezmennonite.ca. Thanks so much.
If you receive the Rejoice or Salt & Light magazines, you will find them in your church mailbox.
Wednesday September 2nd – Community Campfires at East Zorra Mennonite
6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Green Space. Everyone of all ages is invited to bring a lawn chair, a snack, and a refreshment to drink and join us this Summer in our Green Space around the campfire for a time of fellowship, conversation, and fun. There will be no set agenda and children will be free to use the equipment and play. We look forward to enjoying each other’s company.
Where taste meets impact – For nearly 80 years, MCC has been canning meat and shipping it to countries facing food insecurity and hunger crises. Now you can cook up recipes with a can (or case) of your very own. From now until September 1, place an order for a can of delicious chicken breast, fully cooked in its own juices with just a pinch of salt. Every can purchase directly supports future shipments of meat to neighbours in Ontario and around the world. Visit any of the six Ontario Thrift shops today to place an order or download the form (see July 10 EZMC bulletin email) and send it directly to dylanyantzi@mcco.ca. Paper copies are also available on the main bulletin board.
Tavistock Fall Fair Parade
On September 12th at 11am, East Zorra Mennonite Church will be participating in the Tavistock Fall Fair Parade again this year! Theme is: Autumn Leaves and Pumpkins Please.
There is a sign-up sheet on the main bulletin board for those who would like to attend the day of the parade float on September 12th at 11am.
Attention Young Adults, we have a fellowship event planned for September. We will be meeting at Brian and Heidi Wagler’s place for a wood-fired, pizza oven feast and fellowship night. We have chosen September 19, 7:30pm, for the event, with a rain date of the following Saturday, September 26.
Put it in your calendars and more details will follow.
Beyond Our Church Community
Interfaith Counselling Centre is thankful for funding they received through the Waterloo Region Community Foundation – Neighborhoods Grant. With this funding, they are upgrading furniture in 3 of their counselling rooms. REQUEST – Does anyone have a connection with a local furniture company? If so, please reach out to Matthew Isert Bender or Kristin Oliver.
Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp is looking to hire a part-time LINC Staff member. They will support the LINC Coordinator in running our programs for young adults with special needs from September to May. For more details, visitwww.hiddenacres.ca.
Bucket of Thanks – Save the Date
Saturday August 29th 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the MCC Hub in New Hamburg.
From the MCC Hub, thousands of kits and cans of meat are shipped worldwide to people in need. At Bucket of Thanks, it’s your turn to roll up your sleeves and pack a kit that will be shipped overseas. In addition, you can sample and purchase canned meat and enjoy family-friendly activities like face painting and a bouncy castle. Gather some friends and participate in a competitive Soap Structure Contest. Learn more here.
The August edition of On the Level is now available from Mennonite Disaster Service
In this edition, you’ll read about MDS volunteers responding in the Niagara region of Ontario, which was hit by three large storms that dumped over 300 millimetres (one foot) of rain on places like St. Catharines, Jordan, Vineland, Camden, Beamsville, and surrounding areas. You will also find updates on our national project in Denare Beach, as well as a release about Clair Good who was hired as the new Executive Director MDS U.S.
Read On the Level: https://conta.cc/4x8Iz3x
The MDS Ontario Unit is responding to historic flooding in the Niagara region.Anyone looking to volunteer to drain and muck-out basements is asked to contact Daryl Martin at darylmartin.cows@gmail.com or (519) 505-6639.
Want to learn more about volunteering with Mennonite Disaster Service? Join our Zoom call on Monday August 24 at 7:30 pm EST. This Zoom meeting provides an opportunity for prospective volunteers to learn about MDS and the many available volunteer opportunities! Register by August 19 at https://mds.org/event/ways-to-get-involved-with-mds-2/.
Repurposing Textiles at MCC Thrift on Kent
At MCC, a new pilot project is underway. Quality materials that cannot be sold at MCC Thrift are being given a second life as industrial rags, while creating local opportunities for people facing barriers to employment. Perfect for garages, workshops, manufacturing facilities, farms and projects around the home, our rags are now for sale. Purchase packages of 10 rags for $3.00, 5 lbs for $8.00 or 24 lbs for $24. For sale at MCC Thrift on Kent or contactjodivannord@mcco.ca for quantity purchases.
Project Ploughshares, originally begun by a Mennonite and a Quaker, is turning 50 this year, and is inviting worshiping communities to join them on Monday, September 21st at 6 p.m. at Federation Hall, University of Waterloo. This Gala fundraiser will include a dinner and a keynote from the honourable Lloyd Axworthy. This fundraiser will support the continuation of our important work for global peace, needed now more than ever.
Tickets are $70 and can be purchased online or by contacting our office at 1-888-907-3223 or email plough@ploughshares.ca
MCC Ontario Annual General Meeting
Tuesday, September 22, 2026, 7:00 p.m., on Zoom
The 2026 AGM is our opportunity to share with MCC Ontario constituents and supporters our financial results and strategic progress, while empowering congregational delegates to participate in decision-making through voting on key organizational matters. We warmly invite you to join us. Register here.
Join us Friday, September 25 for Rockway’s BIG Night Out at the Tapestry Hall in Cambridge. For more information and to get your tickets, visit rockway.ca/events.
Silver Lake Mennonite Camp | slmc.ca
Join us this fall for three exciting opportunities at Silver Lake!
- Weekday Wanders: Northern Bruce Trail Hikes (Sep 8 – 11) – Enjoy a multi-day series of loop hikes along the northern Bruce Trail. A complete list of hike locations is available at slmc.ca/retreats.
- Men’s Retreat (Sep 18 – 20) – Relax at camp and spend time with old and new friends. This retreat will be guided by Thomas Reimer and Matt Tiessen, with a mouthwatering menu prepared by David and Josh Lobe.
- Weekday Wanders: Fall Colours Hike (Oct 19 – 21) – Join Karen for beautiful autumn hikes along the Sydenham section of the Bruce Trail. Hikes range from 10 to 18 km per day.
Space is limited. Visit slmc.ca/retreats for more information & registration details.
Job opportunity: Are you a highly organized community builder with a talent for communication and event logistics? The Kindred Centre for Peace Advancement (CPA) at Conrad Grebel University College is looking for a Coordinator to help animate and support this vibrant peacebuilding ecosystem.
Interested? Application deadline: August 24, 2026. Details and full job description:uwaterloo.ca/grebel/careers
Join the MCC team!
We are excited to announce new opportunities to join our team and make a meaningful impact in communities across Ontario. If you are passionate about community engagement, collaboration and fostering belonging, we invite you to apply.
- Community Engagement & Outreach Associate (Part-time) – Kitchener
- Thrift Team Member (Full-time, 3-month contract) – Elmira
For full job descriptions and to apply, visitmcc.org/serve.
Join the Soup of the Month Club!
The Raw Carrot Soup of the Month Subscription is available for preorder. By joining, you will receive one of 10 delicious, exclusive soups each month (from September 2026 to June 2027). Purchases support the Raw Carrot program and provide meaningful employment to individuals with disAbilities. For more information or to preorder, visit the website.