A reminder to all the children about the Children’s Blessing of Hobbies and Passions that will take place during worship this Sunday
Each child is welcome to bring or wear an item that represents what they are passionate about. This can be their hockey, soccer, or baseball jersey. It can be their dance uniform, musical instrument whatever they participate in – we want to bless, give thanks, and bring honor to God with it.
East Zorra Mennonite Church Bulletin
Volume 67 Sunday September 29, 2024 No. 39
Sunday September 29, 2024
What is the Gospel?
The Gospel is about a God who rescues
Prelude/Accompanist: Worship Band Song Leader: Lindsay Zehr
Worship Leader: Krista & Kris Matthews Offering: Leadership
Message: Pastor Mike Greeter: Diane Gerber
Audio/Visual: Dathan Bender/Brian Wagler
Coffee Hosts: Megan MacDonald & Russ Schumm
Prelude
“How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”
“The Wonderful Cross”
“Amazing Grace (My Chains are gone)
“There is a Redeemer”
Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship & Opening Prayer
Song of Gathering & Praise
VT #555 “Lord, I am fondly, earnestly longing”
“Mighty to Save”
Offering – Leadership
Offertory “Be Unto Your Name”
Time with the Children/Blessing Pastor Mike
Scripture Reading: Romans 6:1-14
Message Pastor Mike
Song of Response “Not Yet I but Through Christ In Me”
Commissioning Sunday School Teachers CENT Lay Ministers
Prayer of the Church Pastor Ray
Sending Song VT #617 “When Peace Like a River”
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. Attention Parents: During Coffeetime please take advantage of the opportunity to fill out registration/waiver forms for your children in the basement. Our Safe Church Policy requires that parents complete a separate form for each child involved in Sunday School, Junior Youth, and MYF who are under the age of 18.
Attention Volunteers: Our Safe Church Policy requires all volunteers that work with children, youth, seniors and other vulnerable persons complete and sign a volunteer commitment form for each program year (ie. Sept 1 2024 – Aug 31 2025). Copies of the forms are available downstairs during coffee time. The EZMC Safe Church Policy and Social Media Policy are available if you need to read them before signing.
Junior Sunday School classes Nursery to Grade 8 will begin.
Senior Sunday School classes continue.
This Coming Week
Tuesday October 1st
- 10 a.m. Care Team Meeting
Wednesday October 2nd
- 10:30 – 11:30 Coffee and Bible Study
- Play Group set up
- 7 p.m. Glorify Rehearsal
Thursday October 3rd
- 9:30 – 11 a.m. E Z Play Group
Friday October 4th
- 7 p.m. MYF – Banana Rally
Next Sunday – October 6, 2024
What is the Gospel?
The Gospel is about a God who transforms us
Prelude/Accompanist/Song Leader: Glorify Worship Leader: Brendan Leis
Greeter: Dawn Bender Offering: Mission Partners
Audio/Visual: Todd Bender/Larry Kropf Message: Pastor Ray
Coffee Hosts: Carol & Owen Cook
Communion will be served during Worship
12 – 5 pm Private Party in the green space
12:30 pm Junior Youth (JWalkers) Hike
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.
Sewing Circle has been cancelled for the month of October. Hopefully we can meet in November.
The Anabaptist Community Bible Orders are now due. If you plan to order a bible please sign the sheet today, Sunday September 29th. All the details are on the main bulletin board.
JCET is excited to welcome all the children back to Sunday school. We are looking forward to another fun year of learning and growing together in our faith in Jesus.
Formal classes will begin today September 29th!
We are still in need of teachers and helpers! The sign up sheet is on the bulletin board in basement near the teacher desk. We encourage you to consider how you could help support our program this year. Please see the link below.
If you have any questions please reach out to one of us.
Erin Yantzi, Sue Martin, Holly Barron, Jess Yantzi.
A reminder that all who volunteer with children during Junior Sunday School are required to submit a Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) and Volunteer Commitment Form before volunteering. If you have a VSC that was done within the last 6 months (because you volunteered with another organization ie. school or sports team) you can submit it to update your EZMC file. Please check in with Lisa in the office to see if your VSC is current or if you need to apply for a new one. Thanks so much.
Save the date! Saturday December 7
(Inclement weather date Sunday December 8)
The Christmas Story – Live Nativity!
We are hoping to do this again. Please talk to Sheryl Leis or Kim Leis if you are interested in being a part of this special day. We look forward to another fun time.
Beyond our Church Community
Monday September 30th – The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation was included in the 94 Calls to Action in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s final report. This federal holiday is intended to recognize and commemorate the legacy of residential schools, honour Survivors, their families and communities and ensure that public commemoration of the history and heritage of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process. We’ve created a learning resource on how we can all participate in reconciliation. Go to mcc.org/resources/national-day-truth-and-reconciliation to download the resource.
“Leading the Church Through Conflict” is designed to help those in paid or unpaid church leadership roles think through the unique challenges of group dynamics within a faith community and how to best address and transform polarities that may arise. Plan to join us October 1 – 4, 2024 each morning online for this valuable interdenominational learning opportunity led by Dr. Betty Pries. Registration fee required. uwaterloo.ca/conflict-management/workshops
Saturday October 5th 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., Bucket of Thanks at Material Resources Warehouse, 65 Heritage Dr, New Hamburg. This fall, the Material Resources warehouse is opening its doors and welcoming visitors to an event for the whole family with games, snacks and hands-on activities for all ages. Enjoy activities for kids, pack a kit or two and experience the joy of community service. Admission is free, but we kindly ask for donations of large bath or laundry bars of soap (in original wrapping) to help fill our kits. Learn more at mcc.org/events/bucket-thanks.
October 21-25 2024 Learning Tour: Travelling Together Through Truth
Reserve your space today! Get ready to be inspired and learn as we embark on an exciting journey of connecting and engaging with First Nations communities, organizations and partners of MCC Ontario’s Indigenous Neighbours program in Timmins. To learn more, conatct Cam McEachern at 705-264-2494, ext. 220 or by email at cammceachern@mcco.ca.
Calling all families interested in learning more about Rockway Mennonite Collegiate for their child. We invite you to attend our Discover Rockway information night on Thursday, November 7 from 7 – 9 pm. For more information and to register for this event, visit our Discover Rockway webpage
Monday October 7th Fall Seniors Retreat at Hidden Acres
You are invited to the beautiful Hidden Acres Camp to explore the theme of Falling in Love with Creation – For God so loved the world. What does loving God’s good creation look like? What changes in us when we pay loving attention to creation? Come join us for a day of encouragement, reflection and good food. To register visit hiddenacres.ca/programs/seniors-retreat. See poster for more details.
Volunteer with Circle of Friends
MCC is recruiting volunteers to become part of the Circle of Friends program to help support individuals transitioning out of homelessness. No special experience or background is required to volunteer, but volunteers should be compassionate, patient and good listeners. Go to mcc.org/opportunity/circle-friends for more information
A NEW NITHVIEW – Building our house on a rock
Tri-County Mennonite Homes is redeveloping the long-term care home in New Hamburg at Nithview Community. As part of this, we will be reaching out to all of you as supporting churches, the community at large, and individual businesses across the Region to both be part of and support the “Building a New Nithview” campaign.
We take seriously Jesus’ parable in Luke 6 about the wise and foolish builders. We have invested a lot of resources to make sure the plans for our new home will have a solid foundation. But we also continue to listen and receive feedback to ensure that we are building on the spiritual foundation of our faith communities. We need you to share in this project for the sake of current and future residents under our care. This campaign will depend on the commitment of your time, talent and treasure to the project. Donations of your time can be as a volunteer, your talent as community leaders and experts, and your treasure in the form of a donation or investment to this project.
Nithview will not be redeveloped on its own, and as we look to grow, we are going to be reaching out to all of you to support our community forward. There will be more to come into the future, but please take a look at our website www.tcmhomes.com for more information, including an upcoming fundraiser we will be hosting in New Hamburg on Saturday November 2nd featuring Darryl Sittler, former Toronto Maple Leaf player from St. Jacobs.
Saturday November 2nd 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Challenge for the Church: Antisemitism at Waterloo North Mennonite Church.
Antisemitism is a serious issue today, and we believe it’s important to come together and explore it more deeply. As followers of a faith that emerged from Judaism, we have a responsibility to understand the ways antisemitism has been woven into Christian history, including our own Mennonite tradition. Recent events, like the Hamas attacks on October 7 and the Israeli military actions in Gaza, have brought issues of antisemitism and Islamophobia to the surface in Canada. Join us for a meaningful workshop where we’ll unpack these challenges together. Cost is $10 at the door. Register here.
Thursday November 14th 7:30 p.m. Eby Lecture: Paint as Protest. Reading socio-political experiences through graffiti and street art in conflict-affected societies. Through his field research, Dr. Eric Lepp will engage with graffiti as a spatial and temporal resource in societies undergoing social and political transformation. grebel.ca/eby
Friday November 29 – Saturday November 30 Men Listening, Men Talking Retreat at Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp & Retreat Centre. Set aside time for this opportunity to join a community of men seeking growth, understanding and meaningful connection. Leave feeling inspired, challenged and equipped with insights to navigate the complexities of being men of faith in today’s world. Register now and be part of this empowering journey. Visit mcc.org/men-talking to learn more.