East Zorra Mennonite Church
Volume 66 Sunday June 11, 2023 No. 24
Worship Service – Sunday June 11, 2023 at 10 a.m.
Story of God, Story of Us: Rebuilding The Walls
Story of God, Story of Us: Rebuilding The Walls
Prelude: Bethany Klein Accompanist: Bethany Klein
Worship Leader: Tyler Yantzi Song Leader: Lindsay Zehr
Coffee Hosts: Michelle & Brad Brenneman Message: Pastor Mike
Audio/Visual: Dathan Bender/Larry Kropf Offering: MCEC & MC Canada
Greeters: Marlow & Janice Gingerich
Prelude
Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship and Opening prayer
Songs of Gathering & Praise
VT #7 “Come, Let Us All Unite to Sing”
VT #84 “To God be the Glory”
CENT Appreciation – Bethany Kropf & Jared Yantzi
Offering – Mennonite Church Eastern Canada & Mennonite Church Canada
High School Graduates – CENT
Miryam Bender, Callie Brenneman, Isaac Currah, Olivia Salese, & Hayley Wirth.
Time with the Children
Scripture Reading: Nehemiah 13
Message: Pastor Mike
Song of Response
VT #419 “Great is Thy Faithfulness”
Membership Welcome – Pastor Ray
Leader: Carol & Owen, we have witnessed your commitment to Christ,
and we recognize you as members in this congregation.
People: We welcome you with joy as companions on the journey of faith.
We commit ourselves to fellowship and worship,
service and witness,
as partners in God’s mission.
We receive you as Christ has received us.
* from VT # 961
Prayer of the Church – Pastor Ray
Sending Song
VT #813 “Heart with Loving, Heart United”
Benediction
Postlude
Today
Coffeetime in the basement immediately following worship. 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.
Sunday School classes
Youth class meets upstairs in the MYF room (Room #11)
Adult Sunday School – God’s Story, Our Story: Reading the Bible Together
Following the service and a time of fellowship, you are invited to the basement for a time of discussion as we reflect on the Bible story for the week. Using the questions from the reading schedule to guide us, we will try and figure out what each story means to us today as God’s people. We will plan to keep the Zoom link open and will have a leader to guide discussion for Zoom participants.
JCET is hosting their Year End Sunday School party this Sunday, June 11th.
We want to extend an invite to our entire church family for the BBQ following the Sunday School hour in our new green space.
Please remember to bring your lawn chairs and water bottles.
This Coming Week
Tuesday June 13th
7:15 pm Worship Committee Meeting
Wednesday June 14th
7 p.m. Finance and Facility Meeting
Thursday June 15th
9:30 – 11 a.m. E Z Play Group
7 p.m. Health Ministry Team Meeting
Friday June 16th
7 p.m. Banana Rally
Friday June 17th
Calling All Men! You are invited to BBQ at Trevor Kropf’s on Saturday June 17 beginning at 11:30am. This is a great way to build community and enjoy the beginning of summer with a group of guys at East Zorra. Old and New faces are welcome!
Bring your own beverage and join us for some meat, good company and conversation (and maybe some corn hole). Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with other men at East Zorra, space is limited so sign-up today!
Contact Pastor Mike if you are interested at mike@ezmennonite.ca or use the sign-up sheet.
Next Sunday – June 18, 2023
Story of God, Story of Us: The Hope to Come
Prelude: Heidi Wagler Accompanist: Heidi Wagler
Worship Leader: Sheryl Leis Song Leader: Caleb Leis
Coffee Hosts: Janet & Marv Yantzi Message: Pastor Ray
Audio/Visual: Greg Pye/Brian Wagler Offering: Leadership
Greeters: Bethany & Trevor Kropf
During the Sunday School hour, Mission Committee will share
Stories of Resettlement – a history of the refugee families East Zorra has supported and helped to resettle in Canada
EZMC Announcements
Student Aid Applications:
Students, are you considering a Christian school for your education for the next school year? (e.g. Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, Canadian Mennonite University, Conrad Grebel University College, Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary). East Zorra is committed to supporting individuals who consider Christian nurture and leadership development to be part of their education. Student aid applications are due June 12th for the 2023/2024 school year (Sept 2023 – Aug 2024). If you are interested in applying or would like to know more, you will find the Student Aid policy and application under the church mailboxes or contact Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca who can email the application to you. You can direct the completed applications and any questions to Finance and Facility Chair Brendan Leis at b_leis@hotmail.com.
The 2023 Camp Subsidy Form deadline is quickly approaching. Please complete and return to Dawn Zehr either by email (gdzehr@gmail.com) or mail (657173 15th line, R.R.#1 Tavistock, ON N0B 2R0) by June 15th. Forms are available by the bulletin board outside the Nursery or by contacting Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca .
If you have any questions please contact one of the Christian Education Lay Ministers – Bethany Kropf or Jared Yantzi.
Sunday June 25thEast Zorra is planning to hold a special service of Baptism followed by a congregational meal. More details will follow in the weeks to come.
If you are interested in Baptism, please speak with Pastor Ray or Pastor Mike.
Thursday June 29th 7 p.m. Adult Fellowship – Come enjoy our annual strawberry social. There will be special music and Jan Ropp will share her story of the challenges living life with Lupus. There will be an opportunity to make an donation to Lupus Ontario. Envelopes will be provided. This event will also be available via Zoom, with the link being sent closer to the date.
Adult Fellowship,
A reminder to those who have signed up to go to the play at St Jacobs on August 5th to have your payment in by Sunday June 25th. $70 per person. Cash or if paying by Cheque – made payable to Ray or Laurel Zehr. Give payment to any committee member. If anyone is wanting to go who hasn’t signed up, please let the committee know (Jim & Carol, Ray & Laurel or Philip & Shirley) and they will look into getting more tickets.
Babylon VBS Update – July 10 -14
Registration for VBS this summer is now officially open. We sent out a link to a google form for registration to all the families that pre-registered with us. If you did not receive it, please let us know or check the EZMC website where you can also find it! Our registration deadline is June 5 so please register before then. Thank you to everyone that has volunteered so far. We still need 2 people for registration Monday morning, 3-4 Tribe leaders and 2-3 people for the marketplace (crafts) each day. We are planning a Staff Training meeting at the church on June 7th in the evening for about 1 hour. Last year this was a great time of sharing ideas, plans and excitement for the week.
Can’t help during the week of VBS but still want to help somehow? We are going to have a work bee on June 21 in the evening to help prep materials, decorations, and crafts. All are welcome. Times for both June 7 and June 21 TBD.
Naomi Witzel naomiwitzel8@gmail.com
Ashley Witzel ezvbsbabylon@gmail.com
We have started scheduling greeters for Sunday morning worship time, but it is not too late to add your name. As a greeter (individual, couple, or family) you would stand at the top of the stairs outside the parent’s room and greet people as they arrive Sunday morning. We would encourage you to be here by 9:30 or shortly after when you serve in this role. Would you or your family be willing to serve as a greeter and be scheduled in for a few Sunday mornings through the year? The sign-up sheet is on the bulletin board, or email or call Lisa Suderman, our office administrator, if you are willing to help with this ministry.
An investment for you, bonus interest for what you believe in!
Kindred Credit Union offers you a unique way to invest through Community Inspiration GICs. You invest in a guaranteed investment certificate (GIC) that earns a competitive interest rate and, in return, Kindred donates an additional quarter percent interest to your congregation or qualifying charity.
The offer is for a limited time. If you are interested in investing, please contact Kindred before June 30 and consider naming East Zorra Mennonite church as the bonus interest recipient. For more information, call or visit your local branch or kindredcu.com/CI-GIC.
Beyond Our Church Community
Tuesday June 13th 5 – 7 p.m. Hidden Acres is hosting their 56th Annual Chicken BBQ & 15th Annual Pie Auction Fundraiser. Come and enjoy our delicious chicken dinner that thousands of people have come to know and love. Along with the chicken, your meal includes potato salad, coleslaw, veggies, pickles, a fresh roll, chips and an apple or fresh baked donut.
$18 Small meal (1 piece of chicken) / $22 Regular meal (2 pieces of chicken).
Please visit hiddenacres.ca for more details and to order your tickets. Tickets need to be purchased in advance.
Wednesday June 14th 7 p.m. Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario annual meeting with Len Friesen, Wednesday, at Waterloo-Kitchener United Mennonite Church. “Questions Asked & Answered: On Writing the History of Mennonites in Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union.” Details at mhso.org.
National Indigenous History Month (June) & National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21) are a time for all Canadians to recognize the rich history, heritage, resilience and diversity of Indigenous peoples and to reflect on the ongoing impact of colonialism on these communities. Visit mcco.ca/indigenous-history-month to explore resources and events to help celebrate and appreciate diverse cultures found in Indigenous communities.
Sunday June 25th 2:30 to 4 p.m. All are invited to the Detweiler Meetinghouse at 3445 Roseville Road to enjoy the music, songs and stories by the Mac Talla Road Duo. Admission is by donation. For information or questions about Detweiler Meetinghouse, see Detweilermeetinghouse.ca, Facebook or Marion Roes at mlroes@sympatico.ca .
Friday June 30th – Sunday July 2nd Hidden Acres is hosting our annual Family Camping Weekend! Bring your family to enjoy the outdoors, go swimming, canoeing and climbing on our outdoor climbing tower. Contact the camp to reserve a cabin space at info@hiddenacres.ca. First come, first served for camping spots. More information can be found on our website at www.hiddenacres.ca
See you there!
Tavistock Mennonite Church is looking to fill the position of Child, Youth and Family Coordinator. This will be a contract position with potential for permanency. The successful candidate will become a member of our Leadership Team alongside our Administrative-Treasurer Assistant and Pastor. 20-25 flexible hours per week. Contact Jayne Whetstone with questions or to see a job description at 519-475-6099. Interested individuals should email resume to tjwhetstone_5@hotmail.com no later than June 23rd.
Join our team! Do you want to make a difference in your community and around the world? At MCC we are committed to making a difference by responding to basic human needs and working for peace and justice. We have three new openings. Check them out at mcco.ca/serve and apply today.
The New Hamburg Thrift Centre is hiring! New Hamburg Thrift Centre is looking for a new Associate Logistics, supporting the logistical operation of the thrift centre. Go to mcco.ca/serve to see the job posting and to apply today!