Uncategorised – East Zorra Mennonite Church

Restoration is Near

Do Not Be Afraid

East Zorra Mennonite Church

Volume 65 Sunday December 18, 2022 No. 51

Worship Service – Sunday December 18, 2022 at 10 a.m.

Restoration is Near

4^th Advent – Do not be afraid

Prelude: Chantelle McNeish Accompanist: Chantelle McNeish

Song Leader: Lindsay Zehr Worship Leader: Tyler Yantzi

Audio/Visual: Dathan Bender/Larry Kropf

Coffeetime: Gwen & Dan Matthews

Junior Sunday School program during the worship service.

No Sunday School classes on this day.

Today

Coffeetime immediately following worship.

12 p.m. Private Party

This Coming Week

Tuesday December 20^th

1:30 p.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry meeting at Jean MacDonald’s.

Wednesday December 21^st

7:15 p.m. Choir practice

Thursday December 22^nd

9:30 a.m. E Z Play Group

Saturday December 24^th

7 p.m. Christmas Eve Service

Offering Focus: Tavistock Assistance Program and

Interfaith Community Counselling Centre

Next Sunday – December 25, 2022

Christmas Day Service

Prelude: Heidi Wagler Accompanist: Heidi Wagler

Song Leader: Caleb Leis Worship Leader: Sheryl Leis

Message: Pastor Ray Audio/Visual: Drystan Bender/Brian Wagler

No Coffeetime or Sunday School classes on this day.

Sunday January 1^st

3 p.m. New Year’s Day afternoon service.

No Coffee or Sunday School and no Zoom option for this service.

Financial Update as of December 13, 2022

Estimated funds needed to meet 2022 commitments

Mission Partners $ 19,775

MCEC & MC Canada $ 18,537

Leadership $ 33,963

MCC/Relief $ 3,115

Local Ministries $ 11,488

Maintenance $ 15,980

Student Aid -$ 6,254

$ 96,604

We are grateful for your generosity and we prayerfully ask for your continued financial support as you are able. We trust that God will provide so we can fully meet our commitments for 2022.

Cheques can be placed in the offering plate (blank offering envelopes available) at church each Sunday, mailed to Dawn Zehr or placed in one of two mailboxes at her house. E-transfers or questions about donating can be sent to treasurer@ezmennonite.ca.

Used postage stamps: Interested in trimming used postage stamps? If so, contact Susan Schmitz at ws.schmitz23@gmail.com. The Canadian Bible Society purchases Bibles with the proceeds from selling the trimmed postage stamps.

The Voices Together Hymnal order has arrived. If you ordered one and haven’t received it yet, please contact Lisa. Payment details will be sent by email.

SPECIAL CHRISTMAS OFFERING

This year, EZMC will be collecting “Cash for Kits” to support MCC’s mission to provide relief kits where needed most. There is an increased demand for supplies to send to Ukraine and other countries around the world, and inventory of material resources is getting low.

Children will be collecting coins/cash during children’s time, continuing through our Advent series.

“Thank you East Zorra for hosting Selah’s Song back on December 4th! We at Theatre of the Beat are so grateful for your support. Our tour was a great success and you helped make it so special.

As the end of the year approaches, we are reaching out to ask if you would be willing to help us with our end-of-year fundraiser. Your support would go a long way in helping us continue to create and share impactful, thought-provoking theatre with audiences across the country. To donate please head to Theatreofthebeat.ca/donate. Or you can support by sending Cedric a recipe for the new “Recipes from the Road” cookbook, Cedric@theatreofthebeat.ca. Thank you, and we’ll see you next time around”

Volunteers needed to be Coffee Time Hosts! For the months of December and January we plan to have coffee time every other Sunday. We would welcome a few more volunteers that would make it possible to serve coffee every week. Please contact Lisa if you would be willing to volunteer to be a coffee time host. A coffee host prepares the coffee and cleans up after coffee time. Thanks so much.

A reminder to everyone to reserve any areas of the church building/green space that you need for meetings, rehearsals, events etc. with Lisa to ensure availability. She can be reached at office@ezmennonite.ca Thanks so much.

Beyond Our Church Community

Silver Lake Mennonite Camp:

2023 Winter and Spring Retreats now open for registration: Come to Silver Lake in 2023 for some fun camp experiences! Dads & Kids, Snowshoe Hike, Women’s Retreat, Couples Retreat, Winter Camp for Grown-Ups, March Break Family Getaway, Youth Camp and Family Camp – there are options for all ages! Go to SLMC Retreats & Events for more info and to register. These make fantastic Christmas gifts!

Employment Opportunities: Silver Lake is growing and looking to fill three year-round positions: Fundraising Manager, Program Director and Maintenance Coordinator. For more information click here: slmc.ca/about/board-of-directors/ Come make an impact that lasts a lifetime!

Are you looking for a gift that gives impact this Christmas?
The Raw Carrot is a social enterprise that provides meaningful employment to people who live with barriers to traditional employment by making hand-crafted soup. We are offering lovely gift boxes this holiday season that make wonderful gifts for your employees, clients, and friends. Each box contains a selection of our delicious soup along with locally curated charcuterie products. For more information, email Leah Brown at leahbrown@mcco.ca or call 226-338-4956.

Give a gift that keeps on giving…and growing!
Help meet people’s basic needs around the world with the purchase of an eco-friendly MCC Thrift Christmas Giving ornament! Proceeds from these gifts will provide fruit trees and chickens as a source of income and nutrition and clean water in homes. Plus, these ornaments are made from seed paper. Plant it, water it and watch it grow into beautiful wildflowers. Available at your local thrift shop while supplies last.

Greetings to the generous and appreciative people of God!

Ray and I have been deluged with cards, notes, and many gestures of appreciation that have been given to us during this past Pastor Appreciation Month. We thank you for your generosity. We treasure each expression and acknowledge that God is at work in you, and that comes at a cost to the giver. We ask God to honour His Word, and bless you back. It’s the law of sowing and reaping. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 9:6-7, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly”.

Whatever you sow in life, you’re going to reap. Whatever you deposit is going to be returned to you. If you sow complaints & criticism in life, you are going to reap criticism from other people. If you sow kindness, you’re going to reap kindness. It’s the law of the harvest. If you plant apple seeds, you don’t get pears; you get apples. If you sow with generosity, you will reap generosity.

This is the principle of the harvest: Whenever you have a need, plant a seed. When a farmer looks at his barren fields, he doesn’t gripe about it. He just goes out, buys equipment, invests time, purchases seed, and starts planting. If he only has a little bit of seed, he has a choice. He can either hoard it, or he can seem to throw it away. If he holds on to it, that’s all he’s got. If he gives it away, God will multiply it. The amazing thing is this: You don’t just reap what you sow. You always reap more than you sow!

It seems impossible, but God says: “Cast your bread upon the waters, and it will return to you after many days“! God set life up this way. He wants you to become like Him. God is a giver. The only way that you’re ever going to become like Him is to learn to be generous. When you’re generous, you’re like God. When you give away, God multiplies it.

This sounds illogical — to give away when you have a need so that you will get more back. It does require faith! Can you think of a time when have you received from God or others, more than you gave away?

East Zorra, don’t be weary in well-doing. Keep being the generous people of God!

Pastor Lloyd

Bulletin – December 18, 2022

Pastoral Reflection October 29, 2021