East Zorra Mennonite Church
Volume 69 Sunday July 12, 2026 No. 28
Prelude/Accompanist: Bethany Zehr Song Leader: Lindsay Zehr
Greeters: Carol & Owen Cook Worship Leader: Rick Roes
A/V: Todd Bender/Larry Kropf Coffee: Michelle & Brad Brenneman
Prelude
Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship
Opening Prayer
Songs of Gathering & Praise
VT #7 “Come, Let Us All Unite to Sing”
VT #111 “10,000 Reasons”
Offering – Mennonite Church Eastern Canada & Mennonite Church Canada
Time with the Children Hannah Yantzi
Scripture Reading: John 13:1-14
Sharing by: Sarah Ropp
Song of Response
VT #456 “Oceans”
Sharing & Prayer of the Church Pastor Ray
Sending Song
VT #558 “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian”
Benediction
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 July 13th
- 7 p.m. Walking Club – – meet at the Memorial Hall Tavistock, we’ll walk the rail trail and loop back around to the hall
Tuesday July 14th
- 7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Holy Movement Summer Series – new participants always welcome!
Saturday July 18th
- Private Party
Next Sunday – July 19, 2026
Prelude/Accompanist: Laurie Yantzi Song Leader: Connie Yantzi
Greeter: Galen Leis Worship Leader: Marlow Gingerich
A/V: Greg Pye/Brian Wagler Offering: Leadership
Coffee: Janet & Marv Yantzi Sharing by: Madilynn Cressman
Again, this summer in our message time we will hear from various congregational members who will share about their life with God. We pray that the stories and experiences shared this summer will be an encouragement, and a reminder to each of us that God is with us.
Extending God’s Love
Mennonite World Conference Calls Us to Prayer
Lord, comfort the people of Venezuela. Console the bereaved. Heal the wounded. Rescue the trapped. Minister peace to those who are anxious and suffering. Equip your people with resilience to help their neighbours and guide governments to respond with wisdom, fairness and compassion.
At this time, we call on our global communion to pray with our siblings in DR Congo and beyond amid an Ebola outbreak. We pray for the spread of hygiene information to shut down the spread of the virus. We pray for the provision of soap and gloves and other tools to protect the carers from paying a cost for their compassion. We pray for governments to be wise and judicious in their implementation of preventive measures. We pray for a stop to local and regional violence that would interfere with medical aid reaching those who need it.
Prayers for Cuba. Pray that much needed supplies will reach the island nation quickly. Pray that amid the stress of shortages added to rebuilding after November’s hurricane and more severe weather, people would take care of each other, sharing resources like the boy with five loaves and two fish (Matthew 14:19) so that everyone has enough.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In the name of Jesus, Prince of Peace, amen.
EZMC Announcements
June 2026 Donations Received Summary
Offering Schedule – $40,608.00
The Missions Committee would like to thank the congregation for its generous support of the meat canning day at the MCC Cannery in New Hamburg on June 10. A total of 22 volunteers participated, helping to produce 1,029 cans of chicken, each weighing 1.5 pounds. These cans will be sent to an MCC partner school in Chad, where they will help meet the vital nutritional needs of approximately 1,300 children.
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 attached to this email and send it directly to dylanyantzi@mcco.ca. Paper copies are also available on the main bulletin board.
Community Campfires at East Zorra Mennonite
6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Green Space on July 22, Aug 5 & 19, Sept 2.
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. Alexis will plan to provide a few organized events for the children for about 30 minutes.
We look forward to enjoying each other’s company.
Holy Movement & Walking Club summer series! Summer comes with vacation time for many & lots of opportunities to be active. This is all good, keep moving! For those interested in Holy Movement and Walking Club over the summer, details and dates are provided below. Mark it in your calendar and join when you can! New participants always welcome!
Holy Movement – 7:30-8:30 – Tues July 14 & 28; Tues Aug 4 & 18
Walking Club – meet at 7pm – will continue on our bi-weekly Monday schedule – June 29; July 13 & 27; Aug 10 & 24
Upcoming Summer Services:
Sunday August 2 Shared Worship service hosted at Tavistock Mennonite Church.
Sunday August 9 Tavistock & Area Ecumenical Worship Service in Queen’s Park.
Sunday Sept 6 Shared Worship Service hosted at Cassel Mennonite Church.
Calling all young adults! For anyone graduated from high school and under 30 we would love to get together for a time of fellowship and studying God’s word. We will meet on July 12th from 11-noon for an interest meeting in the MYF room following the service to talk about what we want to study and fellowship ideas. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Alexis Leis, Rick Roes or Rowan Dibben. We would love to see you there!
Gunn’s Hill Artisan Cheese Tour – Thursday August 27th, 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
Want to learn more about volunteering with Mennonite Disaster Service? Join our Zoom call on August 24 at 7:30pm 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/.
Volunteers Needed at MCC Thrift
Impact your community, support MCC and join a fun team as a volunteer at MCC Thrift, where every purchase is a gift to the world. The MCC New Hamburg Thrift Centre has an urgent need for volunteers. Join a community rooted in service and love. Visit here to get in touch with us and find a role that suits your abilities and interests!
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.
- Thrift Team Member – Receiving Focus (Full time, contract) – Kitchener
For full job descriptions and to apply, visit mcc.org/serve.
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.
The Art of Lied & Mélodie – Free Admission to Masterclasses and Concerts (St Andrews Presbyterian, Kitchener). This Festival/Workshop, organized by Bass-Baritone Daniel Lichti, brings together pianists and singers to explore the best of Lied. Afternoon Masterclasses (July 23,24,27,28,30, 2-5pm) and Evening Concerts (July 25, July 31, Aug 1, 7pm). Attendees are invited to contribute to the Douglas Hass Music Ministry Enhancement Endowment Fund. https://theartoflied.com/
Timmins Learning Tour – August 17-21, 2026, Timmins, OntarioWe’re excited to invite you to a unique experiential learning tour, where the focus is on building strong connections and mutual respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities. This is more than just a trip – it’s a chance to step out of your comfort zone, connect, learn, and contribute to building bridges between communities. Learn more here.
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.
Save the Date – Saturday November 7th Peace Conference: Nourishing Peace Together at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, Kitchener. Registration opens August 1st. If you’re hungry for connection, meaning and practical ways to resist despair in a world that feels overwhelming, plan to be at this year’s Peace Conference. MCC Ontario is hosting an in‑person event for people who don’t have everything figured out but who want to build peace. Attendees will:
- Learn how to practice peace in everyday life
- Hear from courageous people pursuing justice, reconciliation and care in hard places
- Share food, stories and space
- Take action, like knotting comforters and sending advocacy letters, to remind us we’re not powerless