East Zorra Mennonite Church
Volume 67 Sunday June 2, 2024 No. 22
Sunday June 2, 2024 – Morning Worship – 10 a.m.
Prelude: Bethany Zehr Accompanist: Bethany Zehr
Worship Leader: Pastor Mike Song Leader: Connie Yantzi
Greeter: Jan Ropp Offering: Leadership
Audio/Visual: Greg Pye/Larry Kropf Message: Fanosie Legesse
Coffee Hosts: Michelle & Brad Brenneman
Fanosie Legesse, MCEC Intercultural Mission Minister will be sharing with us during worship & Sunday School.
Prelude
Welcome & Opening Greetings
Announcements
Call to Worship & Opening Prayer
Songs of Gathering & Praise
VT #11 “Mountain of God”
VT #436 “How Great Thou Art”
Offering – Leadership
Time with the children – Pastor Mike
Scripture Reading: Acts 15:1-21
Message – Fanosie Legesse
Sharing of Joys and Concerns
Song
VT #682”Lord Listen to Your Children Praying”
Prayer of the Church – Pastor Ray
Sending Song
VT #716 “God of Grace and God of Glory”
Benediction
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.
11 a.m. Sunday School classes for all ages.
This Coming Week
Wednesday June 5th
- 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Coffee and Bible Study
- Play Group Set up
- 7 p.m. Glorify Rehearsal
Thursday June 6th
- 9:30 – 11 a.m. E Z Play Group
Friday June 7th and Saturday June 8th
- MYF – Attending Conference
Next Sunday – June 9, 2024
Prelude/Accompanist/Song Leader: Glorify Greeters: Flo & Lorne Metzger
Worship Leader: Kim Leis Offering: MCEC & MC Canada
Audio/Visual: Drystan Bender/Brian Wagler Message: Pastor Ray
Coffee Hosts: Gloria & Merv Ropp
12 p.m. JCET invites you to a BBQ hotdog lunch in the green space! All ages are welcome, bring your lawn chair or a blanket to sit on.
2 pm EZMC leads a worship service at peopleCare and at 3:15 pm at the Maples
EZMC Announcements
You, the very young to mature are invited to participate in Sunday Services at The Maples and peopleCare on June 9! It’s a two hour commitment at the very most. The half hour service involves reading scripture, a poem or short story, singing and or playing an instrument followed by saying hello to the residents. The first service begins at 2 p.m. and all is done by 4 p.m. at the latest. Please reach out to Pastor Ray or Susan Schmitz. We would welcome a few more volunteers.
Refugee Resettlement Updates: Daud Tokhi and family passed their interviews May 29th! The date of their arrival is yet to be confirmed, but should be this summer! Our commitment to pay rent for their first years’ rent should begin this year. Secondly, Maryam Mosrafa Al Younes and her family of five, who we co-sponsored with TMC (Tavistock Mennonite Church),arrived safely April 4, 2024. (Following the arrival of the Nouwara & Al Younes and family in 2019, EZ agreed to co-sponsor Nouwara Younes’ sister Maryam and her five children.) Due to the increased prices in housing, the initial costs of the co-sponsorships have risen since we approved these mission ministries. Our initial commitment of $25,000 to co-sponsor Maryam Mosrafa Al Younes and her family of five, should be adjusted to $35,000.
Our commitment to cover rent for one year for Daud Tokhi and familywill increase our costs from $25,000 to at least $35,000. Please prayerfully and generously support our refugee resettlement commitments.
Dear Serve .. eh? responders,
We have gained and reviewed some valuable and helpful information that will serve our committee and other committee in helpful ways. One observation is that our sisters have so far responded in greater numbers than our brothers have. If you have not responded but wish you had, the Serve .. eh? is still open, and we encourage you to respond as soon as possible. If you would rather respond by paper copy please pick one up in the front foyer or speak to your Gifts Discernment Committee – Wayne Yantzi, Kim Leis, Kristen Cressman, or Ray Martin.
Thank you everyone!
Upcoming Adult Fellowship Events
Wednesday June 26th – Strawberry Social at 7 p.m.
Karen Bearinger will share and Special music by the Ropp’s.
Dessert and coffee/tea following the program.
Save the following dates:
Saturday September 7th
2 p.m. Play “Onion Skins and Peach Fuzz” at Blyth Theatre
Tickets are $43.00. For tickets speak to Owen and Carol Cook as soon as possible. Deadline to order is July 28th.
We will carpool to Blyth and plan to stop at Swiss Chalet in Stratford for Supper after the play. More info to follow.
Thursday November 28th
Catered Christmas Dinner by Quehls.
Entertainment – “Menno Valley Sound”
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 30th for the 2024/2025 school year (Sept 2024 – Aug 2025). 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.
VBS Important Dates
June 1st- Registration Deadline for VBS
June 12th @ 8pm- Volunteer Training and Information Night, at EZMC
June 17th @ 7pm- VBS Material and Decoration Prep evening- Join us to prepare materials and decorations.
July 8-12th- VBS Week- Hometown Nazareth: Where Jesus Was a Kid
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer during VBS, don’t hesitate to reach out to Naomi or Ashley
A reminder that the 2024 Camp Subsidy Form are due by June 15. Please complete and return to Dawn Zehr either by email (gdzehr@gmail.com) or into her church mailbox. Forms are available in the literature rack beside the main bulletin board or by contacting Lisa Suderman at office@ezmennonite.ca
If you have any questions please contact one of the Christian Education Lay Ministers – Bethany Kropf or Jared Yantzi.
Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp is once again offering two weeks of camp for Low Income single moms and their children (between ages 5 to 12) this summer.
For any single parent families in our congregation that are interested in this opportunity, please contact your pastors or any member of the Care Team. If you are aware of single parents in our community who could benefit from this, please also contact us.
If anyone wishes to offer financial assistance or support of any kind, please contact Maryanne Lebold at Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp.
Beyond our Church Community
Thursday June 6th 7 p.m. Kairos Blanket Exercise
Experience history from an Indigenous perspective by participating in a Blanket Exercise at the New Hamburg Community Centre, 251 Jacob Street.
This free event is hosted by the Wilmot Ecumenical Working Group on Indigenous/Settler Relationships in collaboration with the Mennonite Central Committee and with some financial support from Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in New Hamburg. Donations to help with expenses are appreciated.
Following this interactive exercise participants will have an opportunity to share their thoughts about the experience.
Register at https://bit.ly/WilmotBlanketExercise Please note that this event is intended for people over the age of 14 because of the sensitive nature of the content.
Music at Detweiler Meetinghouse, 3445 Roseville Rd., Sunday, June 9 at 3 p.m. (Doors open at 2:45) Join Green Gables Ukuleles and Friends in a “Singalong of Joyful Popular Music.” Information at Detweilermeetinghouse.ca/events. Admission by donation.
Tuesday June 11th 5 – 7 p.m. Hidden Acres 57th Annual Chicken BBQ & 16th 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.
$20 Small meal (1 piece of chicken) / $24 Regular meal (2 pieces of chicken).
Pie Auction will happen during the meal. Please visit hiddenacres.ca for more details and to order your tickets. Tickets need to be purchased in advance.
Saturday June 15th Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario Annual Meeting & Niagara Russlaender Centenary Tour,. Join the Society for a day tour of sites in the Niagara region to commemorate the centenary of the arrival of Russlaender Mennonite immigrants in Ontario. Visit www.mhso.org and fill out a form to be notified when registration opens.
Interfaith Counselling Centre – 40th Anniversary Celebration – Come join us in celebrating 40 years of instilling hope in our community. In celebration we are hosting a phenomenal unforgettable event — formal attire, delicious food and live musical entertainment, featuring local talent Daniel Lichti, Angelica Appelman, and Mike and Diana Erb. Wednesday June 19th 6 p.m. (dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.) at Puddicombe Banquet Hall (145 Peel Street, New Hamburg, ON)
Ticket price: $140 / person ($80 receiptable)
Lots of gray hair in your faith community? That’s great! Find out why at the annual Spirituality & Aging Seminar on Friday, June 21st (in-person and virtually) at Conrad Grebel University College. Rev. Dr. Mark Roberts presents “From Problems to Possibilities: Faith Communities enabling those in the third third of life to flourish.” This seminar challenges the narratives about elders in communities, churches, and society at large; exploring the role churches can play in empowering older adults. Visit grebel.ca/spirituality for registration information. Professionals, practitioners, and all interested are welcome.
More Music at Detweiler Meetinghouse, 3445 Rosevile Rd., Thursday, June 27 at 7 p.m. “Three in the Round,” Gwen Potter, John Harris and Bob MacLean’s very best folk/traditional selections for a special night. Information at Detweilermeetinghouse.ca/events. Admission by donation.
Family Camping Weekend at Hidden Acres
Join us for outdoor family fun at Hidden Acres June 28-29 for our Annual Family Camping Weekend. Camp sites are first come, first serve, cabins require reservation. Check out our website or our brochure for details!
The School Kit Challenge
Enter the School Kit Challenge: 24,000 school kits to help 24,000 kids during the month of August. To help you meet this challenge, we’ve got a fun school kit activity resource for Sunday school and VBS students! Sign up to receive our free resource full of activities for kids to learn how school supplies help children around the world receive an education. Learn more at mcc.org/school-kit-challenge.