East Zorra Mennonite Church
Volume 68 Sunday December 28, 2025 No. 52
Prelude/Accompanist: Katie Wagler; Connie Yantzi; Heidi Wagler; Bethany Zehr
Song Leader: Lindsay Zehr Worship Leader: Pastor Ray
Greeters: Kristen & Daryl Cressman Offering: Where needed most
Audio/Visual: Todd Bender/Brian Wagler Coffee: Gloria & Merv Ropp
Katie/Choir
“Mary’s Baby”/”Away in a Manger”
“Lullay, Thou Tiny Child”
Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship & Opening Prayer
Carol Singing
VT#249 “Angels We Have Heard on High”
VT #267 “What Child is This?”
VT #244 “Silent Night, Holy Night”
Offering Where Needed Most
Choir “Amid the Cold of Winter”
Scripture Reading John 1:1-14
Carol Singing
VT#241 “O Come, All Ye Faithful”
VT #247 “Hark! the Herald Angels Sing”
VT #275 “O Beautiful Star of Bethlehem”
Time with the Children Sheryl Leis
Scripture Reading Luke 2:25-38
Prayer of the Church Pastor Mike
Choir
“Behold that Star”
Carol Singing
VT #276 “Solemn Stillness, Weary Streets”
VT #252 “Go Tell It on the Mountain”
Benediction
This morning we welcome Cassel Mennonite and Tavistock Mennonite churches to our worship service.
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 we are not having Sunday School classes today.
This Coming Week
Wednesday December 31st
- 7 – 10 p.m.(?): Are you looking for something fun to do on New Year’s Eve?
All ages are welcome to come to church for an informal evening of games and fellowship! Bring along your favourite games and finger foods to share. Hot/cold drinks will be provided. Any questions, speak to Marv or Janet Yantzi. Hope to see you there!
Next Sunday – January 4, 2026
Greeters: Dawn & Greg Zehr Worship Leader: Sheryl Leis
Audio/Visual: Greg Pye/Larry Kropf Offering: Mission Partners
Coffee: Megan MacDonald & Russ Schumm Message: Pastors Ray & Mike
EZMC Announcements
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Christmas Giving Project.
The Worship Committee invites you to bring coins and bills to help support our MCC Christmas 2025 Giving Project. This year we will help purchase ducks to support families around the globe. Whether they’re waddling, swimming or flying, ducks help families put dreams into motion. These adaptable creatures provide protein and extra income streams to farmers like Nikhil Chandra Mondol of Bangladesh. Each week as the children come to Children’s Time they will move through the congregation to collect coins. Children who want to help collect will receive a cup as they come into church. $15 purchases one duck for a family in need. Thank you for your support!
📚 The Winter Great Big Read is Returning This January 2026 📚
We’re excited to announce our next read: Get a Hold of Yourself: Embracing Authenticity in a Complicated World by Troy D. Watson (Foreword by Betty Pries).
In this thoughtful and accessible book, Pastor Troy Watson explores how Jesus’ teachings help us face life’s contradictions—teaching us to embrace who we truly are as both flawed and beloved. Through engaging reflection and theological insight, we’ll discover how authenticity and faith intersect in our everyday lives.
✨ This book promises great group discussion — offering rich topics about identity, grace, and living more fully in faith.
We will gather once a month on the fourth Thursday of every month at 6:00pm for Pizza followed by conversation.
Join us as we dig in and grow together!
You can sign-up to pre-order the book using the sheet on the bulletin board OR e-mailing Pastor Mike at mike@ezmennonite.ca
Beyond Our Church Community
Help needed to sew comforter fabric!
MCC Hub, 65 Heritage Dr., New Hamburg
Due to building construction, we are unable to host our annual comforter knotting blitz, the Great Winter Warm-up. We look forward to hosting again in our new, refreshed space! However, we received a donation of matched tops and backs that require extra fabric to be sewn on the back to meet our partner’s requests. Our volunteers have been working through them, but we need some help! If you or your group would like to help, please contact Alecia Weber (aleciaweber@mcco.ca) or stop by the MCC Hub (65 Heritage Dr., New Hamburg) to pick some up while supplies last.
Give gifts of comfort and joy this Christmas
This Christmas season, choose a gift that will honour your loved ones and change lives across the globe. MCC’s Christmas Giving Guide lets you celebrate what you hold dear about your loved ones, from the art lover to the gardener. By helping people build skills, grow food or meet basic needs, the impact of your generosity is a cause for celebration long after the lights and tree are taken down. Pick up a gift catalogue at church (on the table in the sanctuary foyer), a local MCC Thrift Shop or give online at mcc.org/Christmas.
Interfaith Counselling Centre Calendar Fundraiser – Help Us Bring Hope and Healing to Our Community. We’re inviting you to support the Interfaith Counselling Centre through our Calendar Fundraiser—a beautiful way to give back while celebrating the seasons of life and wellness. Each calendar features inspiring artwork and messages that reflect the heart of our mission: to provide accessible, compassionate counselling to those in need. Your purchase directly supports our programs and helps ensure that no one in our community is left without support during difficult times.
Calendars are available at our office and select community locations. You can also order online at interfaithcounselling.ca or by calling (519) 662-3092.
Give the gift of Mental Health!
Support Interfaith Counselling Services as we work to ensure all in Wilmot and surrounding Rural Communities have access to professional counselling services.
Donations can be made through: e transfer to admin@interfaithcounselling.ca;
Canada Helps through our website, www.interfaithcounselling.ca;
Mailing or dropping off a cheque at the office. Thank you!
Rockway Mennonite Collegiate thanks you for supporting us this school year! Whether it was through prayer, a financial contribution or by volunteering at or attending an event, your engagement was (is) appreciated. As we come to the end of the year, we welcome your contributions to help raise funds for our Go Rockway! Annual Fund and Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more at rockway.ca/donate.
Turn Time into Meals: Group Canning at MCC Material Resources
MCC Material Resources (65 Heritage Dr., New Hamburg) is inviting workplace, church, and community groups to can nutritious food for communities in need. Groups are asked to contribute $6.50 per can to cover costs and keep this vital work going. Flexible scheduling is available. A typical daily output can range from 350–1,200 cans. Learn more or book a canning date today! Contact Reid Kennel at reidkennel@mcco.ca or by calling 226-338-4956.
Would you help us support disaster survivors? There are many more people who need to be reminded there still good things and good people in the world—people Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) wants to help.
To donate, go to mds.org/donate-canada/. Your donation can help us continue to do that for more people who have lost their homes to devastating disasters. Thank you for your support!
New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale Feature Quilt Reveal
Tuesday January 27, 2026 at 9:30 a.m., MCC, 50 Kent Ave., Kitchener
Each year, a talented individual or team creates the feature quilt for the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale. Feature quilts have depicted historical churches, the play of colour and light across fabric, a journey through Africa, among other innovative designs. On January 27, the curtain will be removed and the 2025 feature quilt will be revealed. Join us in the lower atrium at 50 Kent Ave, Kitchener or on the NHMRS Facebook page. Learn more at mcc.org/events.
Sign up to sing with the Mennonite Mass Choir as we join Menno Singers to perform Johannes Brahm’s Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) and Karl Jenken’s The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace on Thursday, May 21, 2026 at Centre in the Square with soloists and members of the Kitchener Waterloo Symphony, conducted by Brandon Leis. Rehearsals begin on Monday nights on February 23, 2026. www.mennosingers.com
Tickets are on sale for Rockway Mennonite Collegiate’s grade 7&8 production of Humpty-Dumpty is missing! They will make great last minute Christmas gifts!! Visit rockway.ca/events for a show synopsis and to buy your tickets for this comedy whodunit. Show dates: March 5 & 6, 2026