East Zorra Mennonite Church
Volume 66 Sunday October 22, 2023 No. 43
A Future of Peace in Mindanao
Future of Ministry in Philippines: Malipayon Peace Hub
We will welcome our guests Tala Batista and Ka Boyet Ongkiko from the Philippines to our Worship Service and Sunday School Hour.
Sunday Morning Worship (please note New Zoom Link) 10 a.m.
Prelude: Bethany Zehr Accompanist: Bethany Zehr
Worship Leader: Pastor Ray Song Leader: Lindsay Zehr
Greeters: Bethany & Trevor Kropf Offering: Maintenance
Audio/Visual: Dathan Bender/Larry Kropf Message: Tala Bautista
Prelude
Call to Worship and Opening prayer
Songs of Gathering & Praise VT #7 – Come, Let Us All Unite to Sing
VT #57 – Holy Spirit, Come with Power
Offering: Maintenance
Time with the Children Boyet Ongkiko
Scripture Reading: Galatians 5:22-23
Message: Being Indigenous in Following Jesus Tala Bautista
Song of Response: VT #558 – Lord, I Want to Be a Christian
Prayer of the Church Pastor Mike
Sending Song: VT #830 Go, My Children
Benediction
Postlude
Today
Please note that we are not having Coffeetime as it will be served during potluck lunch instead.
11 a.m. Junior Sunday School children will meet in their classrooms.
All adults are invited to the sanctuary for further sharing by Tala
Batista and Ka Boyet Ongkiko.
12 Noon – Potluck Lunch to host our guests and share in conversation with them and each other. Please remember to bring your own dishes. I hope you can join us!
2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
East Zorra Mennonite Church invites you to an information and fundraising event for all our area MCEC churches.
Come to discover and be a part of the exciting final stages of a transition plan from MC Canada Witness to Tala and Boyet’s capable leadership. The Malipayon Peace Hub will provide a sustainable pathway for PeaceBuilders Community Inc. (PBCI) and Coffee for Peace (CFP) to serve their communities into the future.
See the poster attached to last Friday’s email and posted on the bulletin board for further information about Tala, Ka Boyet and Joji. Joji will be joining this afternoon meeting.
This Coming Week
Monday October 23rd
- 7:00 p.m. Informal Gathering with Joji, Tala and Boyet. The team that travelled to the Philippines in 2020 is planning to gather with Joji, Tala and Boyet to share from our experiences when we travelled there. We will also talk about ways we can continue to support the ministry of Coffee for Peace and PeaceBuilders Community in the years ahead. We invite others from the congregation to join us in this conversation. We plan to meet at the church.
Wednesday October 25th
10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Coffee and Bible Study
7 p.m. Play Group setup
7:30 p.m. E Z Women’s Bible Study at Jess Yantzi’s house.
Please see announcement for more details.
Thursday October 26th
9 a.m. All items for the Sunday October 29th bulletin due to the church office. Please email to office@ezmennonite.ca
9:30 – 11 a.m. E Z Play Group
Friday October 27th
7 p.m. MYF – Open Mic Night with Pastor Mike
Saturday October 28th
2 – 4 p.m. Church Kannscht Du Deitsch Schwetze?
Do you speak Pennsylvania Dutch/German or understand it? Would you like to hear Deitsch spoken and sing some Deitsch songs?
Come to the SCHWETZFESCHT – a festival of speaking and hearing Deitsch at East Zorra Mennonite Church. Guest speaker is Mark Louden, Professor of Germanic Linguistics at the University of Wisconsin.
Next Sunday – October 29, 2023
Prelude: Brandy Sell Accompanist: Heidi Wagler
Worship Leader: Marlow Gingerich Song Leader: Myron Ruby
Greeters: Elaine & Dale Leis Offering: Local Ministries
Audio/Visual: Greg Pye/Brian Wagler Message: Mark Louden
Coffee Hosts: Gloria & Merv Ropp
EZMC will host the Sunday afternoon services at The Maples and peopleCare.
The services (2:15 at peopleCare and 3:15 at The Maples) are 30 minutes services of readings and singing followed by some interaction with the residents. If you would be available to help with the services that day, please reach out to Pastor Ray. Your help is appreciated.
EZMC Announcements
October is Pastor Appreciation Month. SCRC invites you to express your personal gratitude to Ray and Mike in some way during the month.
Missing coat. If you took a black coat with a hood home on Sunday October 8th and have discovered that it is not yours, please speak to Merv Ropp. Your coat is hanging in the mailbox lobby and he would really like his back. Thanks so much.
The Sunday October 29th bulletin will be printed on Thursday October 26th. Please have all items to the church office by 9 a.m. that morning. Thanks so much.
It’s October which means it’s time to start up our EZ Women’s Bible Study again! We had a great turnout last year and are always open for new members to join. If you are interested in joining please speak to Jess Yantzi for more details. Our first meeting is this Wednesday, October 25th, at 7:30 at Jess’s house in New Hamburg. See you then!
Tuesday October 31st 6 p.m. CREATION CELEBRATION. Come join the fun! The Volunteer sign-up sheet is ready. Donations of cash and candy will be happily accepted. As allergies are an on-going concern, we are asking for NUT FREE treats only – please carefully check the package ingredient list (contains or may contain peanuts or tree nuts – we are unable to put these treats into the bags). Candy can be placed in the bin under the mailboxes, cash can be given to Joe Wagler or both can be dropped off at Creation Celebration.
The Congregational Life Committee is looking for a donation of pies for Creation Celebration on October 31! If you are willing to bake a pie or 2 to help us out, please contact Tracey Kropf @ tracey.kropf@gmail.com Thank you!
Wednesday November 22nd Adult Fellowship Christmas Dinner
5:30 pm Punch; 6:15 pm Dinner
Entertainment – Harpist – Eduard & Christine Klassen
Tickets are $35 and will be available starting on Sunday October 29th
Adult Fellowship Committee Members are Jim & Carol Schumm, Shirley & Phil Ruby, and Laurel & Ray Zehr
Mailbox Shuffle – In the next couple of weeks you may notice that your church mailbox is in a slightly different place. If you have a family member or friend that has been unable to attend and you would like to deliver their mail to them, please go ahead.
Church Directory – The printing of the Fall 2023 EZMC Church Directory will happen in early November. If you would still like to submit a photo, please send to Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca, preferably in jpeg format. A draft of the directory will be available for edits in the coming weeks. Please check your household listing and make any changes that are needed.
Agape Fellowship Invitation: As Agape Fellowship continues to be without a pastor, there is a need for speakers at their church this fall. We would like to support them on one of their November dates (November 12, 19 or 26) with some sharing and music. If you are interested in speaking and/or singing, please contact Pastor Ray or Susan Schmitz in the next few weeks. Thank you so much.
That fall feeling is settling in on the Green Space.
It has been a hub of activities hosting – Tuesday team meetings, Junior S S. year end parties, funeral lunches, overflow parking (funerals), EZ young family events, a wedding, VBS, Ice Skating, a winter Nativity walk through, campfires, worship service, baptism, anniversary celebrations, potlucks and more – all since its beginning in 2021. Thank You to everyone who has contributed to this project to date. There is a shortfall of 2117.42 needed to meet the projected budget of 3,672.42 for 2023 and the completion of G.S. projects. As we thank God for such a wonderful space – your ongoing contributions are very appreciated.
JCET is still in need of volunteers for the month of November and a couple in December. Please check the sign up sheet across on the bulletin board by the back stairwells. Thank you to everyone who has signed up!
Beyond Our Church Community
Sunday October 22 2-5 pm A Celebration of Fun Event”. In memory of John (Jack) Schultz at Poole Mennonite Church. This is an afternoon of singing, playing, storytelling and comedy. Everyone is welcome. Hotdogs and light refreshments will be served.
The event is free, but there will be an opportunity to give a donation to The United Way (Stratford) (to fight homelessness) or if you would like to bring an item for the Milverton Food Bank. “This event is sponsored by the John Schultz Estate”
Hidden Acres’ 3rd Rally for Recreation is happening October 27-29. Will you join us in raising funds to upgrade our sports court? You can sign up as an individual, create a team and invite others to rally with you, or if you’re unable to participate but want to support the fundraiser, you can make a donation towards the project. For more information and to sign up visit www.hiddenacres.ca
Sunday November 12th 7 p.m. St Jacobs Mennonite Church is hosting members of the KW Symphony in a Fundraising Concert entitled ‘Baroque and Beyond… A Musician’s Fundraiser.’ This concert of Baroque music will be conducted by Andre Feher and feature Ian Whitman on solo bass and guest soprano Bethany Horst.
Saturday November 18th at Elmira Mennonite Church
Following their popularity at the Not Alone Conference earlier this year, we are excited to announce that Theatre of the Beat are returning to Elmira for a FREE workshop. Theatre of the Beat will use forum theatre to present three short plays that offer an effective and unique way to recognize subtle signs of abuse, and to find solutions to change unsafe and unhealthy behaviours.
Since 1984, the Province of Ontario, through the Ontario Women’s Directorate, has traditionally declared November as “Wife Assault Prevention Month”, “Domestic Violence Awareness Month”, and now “Women Abuse Prevention Month.” The Family Violence Prevention Program (FVPP) prefers the more inclusive term of “Family Violence Prevention Month” because we believe violence in relationships is a broader issue than that of physical assaults on women.
This event, including breakfast, is FREE to attend, however registration is still required. Please follow this link to ensure your spot.
Saturday November 18th MCC Peace Conference at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, 110 Doon Rd, Kitchener. The MCC Peace Conference is your chance to see, hear and experience first-hand how you and MCC are changing lives and communities through peacebuilding. This event will inspire and inform through general sessions, workshops and conversations with messengers of peace. Go to mcc.org/peace-conference to learn more and to register today.
High School Students! Are you thinking of attending the University of Waterloo? On Saturday, November 25 from 10-5, attend the UWaterloo Open House and stop by the Conrad Grebel University College residence, right on the UWaterloo campus. Learn about the supportive residence environment that this small and vibrant faith-based community can provide for students studying in any faculty or program at UWaterloo. uwaterloo.ca/grebel/tour
Sunday December 10th 3 p.m. Menno Singers and Mennonite Mass Choir present Handel’s Messiah with artistic director Brandon Leis, a 230 voice choir, soloists Bethany Hörst (soprano), Jennifer Enns Modolo (mezzo soprano), Owen McCausland (tenor) and Nathan Keoughan (baritone) along with orchestra members of the former KW Symphony. Tickets are on sale now at the Centre in the Square Box Office. www.centreinthesquare.com
On the Level Announcement:
The October edition of On the Level is now available from Mennonite Disaster Service. In our current issue: Ross Penner shares how MDS touched the life of a volunteer; learn how MDS is responding to tornado damage in Alberta; and the Spirit of MDS fund is once again accepting grant requests.
Click on this link to read more: https://conta.cc/3S32LCe