East Zorra Mennonite Church
Volume 68 Sunday October 12, 2025 No. 41
A Gracious and Merciful God
Prelude/Accompanist: Heidi Wagler Song Leader: Connie Yantzi
Greeter: Jean MacDonald Worship Leader: Kim Leis
Audio/Visual: Todd Bender/Brian Wagler Offering: MCEC & MC Canada
Coffee: Janet & Marv Yantzi Message: Pastor Ray
Prelude
Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship and Opening Prayer
Songs of Gathering & Praise
VT #436 “How Great Thou Art”
VT #124 “For the Fruit of All Creation”
Offering – Mennonite Church Eastern Canada & Mennonite Church Canada
Congregational Song VT #747 “We Plow the Fields and Scatter”
Time with the Children
Scripture Reading Jonah 3:9 – 4:3; Jeremiah 18:7-10; Luke 6:32-36
Reader Katie Wagler
Message Pastor Ray
Song of Response VT #170 “Wonderful Grace of Jesus”
Prayer of the Church Pastor Ray
Sending Song VT #419 “Great is Thy Faithfulness”
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.
Please note that there are no Sunday School classes today.
This Coming Week
Wednesday October 15th
- 10:30 – 11:30 Coffee and Bible Study
- E Z Play Group setup
- 7:30 p.m. Women’s Bible Study meeting in the MYF room
Thursday October 16th
- 9:30 – 11 a.m. E Z Play Group
Friday October 17th
- 7 – 9:30 p.m. MYF – Open Mic night with Pastor Mike
Saturday October 18th
- 12 p.m. Private Party
Next Sunday – October 19, 2025
The Widening of God’s Mercy – Besides Those Already Gathered
Prelude/Accompanist: Laurie Yantzi Song Leader: Caleb Leis
Greeters: Janet & Marv Yantzi Worship Leader: Dylan Yantzi
Audio/Visual: Greg Pye/Brian Wagler Offering: Leadership
Coffee: Gloria & Merv Ropp Message: Pastor Mike
Bibles will be presented to Grade 1 and Grade 9 students during the worship service
12 p.m. U30 Young Adult Pizza Party hosted by Care Team at “Punkeydoodle Pizza-Hut”. Please see announcement on page 4 for more details.
EZMC Announcements
September 2025 Donations Received Summary
Offering Schedule – $35,444.60
Coffee and Bible Study is Back! The weekly coffee and Bible study returns every Wednesday morning from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Join us in the church basement for hot coffee or tea, conversation and working through scripture together. This Fall, we will be looking at passages that speak about mercy and grace. Anyone is welcome to attend.
October is Pastors Month. Please consider how you might show your support and appreciation to Mike and Ray at some point throughout the month. Thank you on behalf of the Staff Congregation Relations Committee (SCRC)
Sunday October 19th Noon – 3 pm. The East Zorra Mennonite Church, Care Team invites all Young Adults who are Under 30 years of age (U-30) to “A Fun Pizza Party Gathering” We will meet at “The Punkeydoodle Pizza-Hut” at the property of Brian and Heidi Wagler (3880 Perth Road 101 New Hamburg). We would love to have you join us! Please RSVP by Friday Oct 17, 2025 to Heidi Wagler (Faith Community Nurse) at Heidi@ezmennonite.ca or Lisa, (Office Administrator) at Office@ezmennonite.ca
**Please let us know of any Diet Accommodations. If you are not U-30 but have a young adult (child, grandchild, niece, nephew…) 18-30 years of age please share this with them. We would love if they could join us! Thanks for helping us get the word out!
Friday October 31st 6 p.m. CREATION CELEBRATION. Come join the fun! The Volunteer sign-up sheet is now 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.
Holy Movement October Schedule – please note there will be no Holy Movement class on Oct 14 or 28. In lieu, there will be classes held on Oct 7 and Nov 4. To summarize, classes for the next 7 weeks will be as follows: Sept 30, Oct 7, Nov 4, Nov 11, and then bi-weekly from there. Mark it in your calendar! Walking club will be on its normal bi-weekly schedule. Watch the bulletin for location details.
Monday November 3rd East Zorra is scheduled to serve an evening meal to approximately 225 people experiencing poverty and homelessness in downtown Kitchener at Ray of Hope. The missions committee is still looking for a few more volunteers to assist in preparing and serving this meal. If you’re willing to volunteer or have any questions please speak to Dylan Yantzi or another member of the missions committee.
Greeters and Coffeetime Hosts – You will find the new schedules in your church mailbox.
If you haven’t had a chance to complete a waiver form for your child(ren) you will find a reminder and blank waiver forms in your church mailbox this morning. Please return these to the church office or Lisa’s mailbox. Blank waiver forms are also available on the bottom row of the mailbox for friends that may want to attend events. Thanks so much.
Thank you to all those who have volunteered to work with children, youth and other vulnerable persons at EZMC. If you haven’t completed a volunteer commitment form you will find on in your church mailbox. Blank forms are also available on the bottom row of church mailboxes. We ask for these forms once each program year. Please return to the church office or Lisa’s mailbox.
A reminder to committees (except Care Team and SCRC)that all meeting minutes are to be sent to the church office for filing.
We will be printing an updated EZMC Church Family Photo and Address Directory later this year.
- If you moved or have a new phone number since the printing of the Church Directory in November 2023 and have not given your updated information to the church office, please do so. If you were not in the last directory but would like to be included, please contact the church office.
- We would love to see updated photos! Please send to Lisa, preferably in digital form (jpeg) by email at office@ezmennonite.ca. If you have a photo you would like her to scan, make arrangements to drop it off and she will return it to you. These photos can be casual. If you are submitting a photo please remember that professional photos are subject to copyright so permission would be needed from the photographer to include.
- Please note that we encourage every person or family unit to submit a photo. Thank you so much for your willingness to submit a photo! It is very much appreciated!
- Deadline to submit is October 28, 2025.
Beyond Our Church Community
Kits, Cans and Comforters: Tours of the MCC Hub
1st Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m. and 3rd Thursday of the month at 10 a.m.
65 Heritage Dr., New Hamburg
You don’t have to wait for a special event to explore the MCC Hub. Invite a friend and join one of two monthly tours open to the public. Learn what’s involved in packing and preparing kits and comforters for international shipment, and tour MCC’s new meat canning facility, which sends thousands of pounds of nutrient-rich meat to countries facing food shortages. No RSVP required.
Rockway Mennonite Collegiate invites you to its annual Spaghetti Supper School Fundraiser followed by the Alumni Sports Challenge. Mark your calendars for Friday, October 17 and join us for some family-friendly fun! Visit www.rockway.ca/events for more information, to buy your spaghetti tickets or to learn how to play on the Alumni team!
Saturday October 18th 5 p.m. & 7 p.m. Empty Bowls for Haiti at Steinmann Mennonite Church. Plan to be at this year’s Empty Bowls for Haiti event at Steinmann Mennonite Church in Baden. Local potters donate hand-crafted bowls and local restaurants provide a wide variety of delicious soups. Funds raised strengthen communities in Haiti through the work of MCC. Tickets are $35 each. Go to mcc.org/events to buy your tickets today!
Wednesday October 29th Rockway Mennonite Collegiate is hosting an evening for parents called “Understanding Anxiety”. Join Rockway’s Mental Health & Wellbeing lead, Margaret Andres (RSW), as she guides us through a conversation about anxiety. Learn more and RSVP at: rockway.ca/events
MCC Peace Conference: Learn the Art of Everyday Peace
November 1, 2025 | 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, Kitchener; Watch-parties in Stouffville, Leamington, Markham and St. Catharines
Register today for the 2025 MCC Peace Conference. The conference will teach you insights and skills drawn from MCC’s collaborative peacebuilding efforts with partners around the world. Gain practical knowledge from these shared experiences and be equipped to contribute meaningfully to peace in your own context. Each location will have the same activities, talks and opportunities to engage with speakers. Learn more and register at mcc.org/Peace-Conference.
Saturday November 1st 7:30 p.m. (St Jacobs Mennonite Church, 1310 King St N, St Jacobs): To kick off our 70th Anniversary Season, Menno Singers and Artistic Director Brandon Leis present ‘From Then to Now – Celebrating a 70-year choral legacy.’ This concert will feature favourite repertoire from each of our last 7 decades and a newly commissioned work by composer Jeff Enns. Tickets $30, Child/Student $5 at the door, from choir members or at www.mennosingers.com
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 6 from 7 – 9 pm. For more information and to register for this event, visit our Discover Rockway webpage.
Saturday, November 8, 2025 – Challenge for the Church: Islamophobia at
Waterloo North Mennonite Church. How has the Church been Islamophobic in the past? How can the Church resist Islamophobia today? And other uncomfortable questions… Join us for a day that calls us to a deeper examination of Mennonite thought and action. Brought to you by the MCEC Palestine Israel Network Working Group. Save the date. Registration will open soon
Wednesday November 19: Join a five week peer support group where we will create a sacred space to explore our mental health journey where scripture is used to ground us. The location and time may change depending on interest of people. Email melodysteinman@gmail.com for details.