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East Zorra Mennonite Church

East Zorra Mennonite Church

Rooted in Christ. Growing Together in Faith. Extending God’s love.

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    • Ray Martin
    • Jean MacDonald
    • Lloyd Oakey
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Weekly Announcements

Weekly Announcements – Friday May 20, 2022

May 20, 2022 | Filed Under: Weekly Announcements

Weekly Letter and Announcements – No. 114

Resources to help us to stay Rooted in Christ and Growing together in Faith

Sunday May 22, 2022 Worship Gathering 10 AM –  Worship theme: Wisdom and a Peaceable Life – James 3:13 – 4:12

Please note that there will no Sunday School classes today or on Sun May 29th (Parish Nurse 20 Years Celebration)

Coffee Time!

Marv and Janet Yantzi will be hosting Coffee time this weekend. We would ask that everyone provide their own coffee mug to help simplify the preparation and clean up time. We will also provide paper cups for those who forget their mugs or come as guests on a Sunday morning.

We can continue to have Coffee Time on a weekly basis if we have the volunteers we need. We are still in need of more volunteers. Please contact Lisa if you would be willing to volunteer to be a coffee maker.

Meeting of the CIA – Please join the ‘Christians In Action’ Thursday May 26, 7:30 pm to share, care, and pray to impact our world for good!

EZMC Pastors are inviting you to this Zoom gathering.

EZMC Announcements

CELEBRATE

20 YEARS OF PARISH NURSING MINISTRY

May 29, 2022

Worship Service at 10:00 a.m.

Followed by Fellowship and Picnic Lunch (provided)

Freewill offering supporting the Multiple Sclerosis Society

(Our first information night – October 2001)

Please bring your lawn chairs

Volunteer opportunity at East Zorra Mennonite offering breath taking views of the countryside. 

We are installing steel on the north side of the sanctuary and need people to help on the roof and working on the ground to hand material up.

We will be working on the roof in the evening May 24th, in the morning of May 28th from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm (Drinks and Break provided) and again on June 4th from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. Drinks, Break and Lunch provided for full day.

JCET is needing 3 volunteers to help BBQ and serve hotdogs on June 5th at noon for our year end celebration. Talk to Jess, Holly, Naomi M or Sue if you are willing to help us.

It is soon time to renew our subscriptions to Rejoice Magazine and Salt & Light.

A brief description is below for those who are not familiar with these publications. If you are not on the subscription lists for either or both and would like to be OR if you no longer want to receive these, please contact Lisa at 519-655-6824 or email office@ezmennonite.ca by June 16th.

  • Rejoice Magazine – Nurture your soul through the quarterly devotional magazine, Rejoice!Each day’s entry features a Bible reading, a short inspirational message, and a prayer of response. The magazine also includes inspirational stories and poems, and daily prayer requests representing Mennonite mission workers, schools, and church agencies.
  • Salt & Light Guide – A quarterly Bible study for Sunday school classes and Bible study groups. This resource had been used by the Sunday School class that met in the boardroom. During the pandemic we have been providing these for those people who had been a part of that class to study. We would be happy to add you to the list.
  • Please note that there is no cost to you for either of these publications.

Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp holds a yearly bowlathon for fundraising. The missions committee is looking for someone to be the contact person for our congregation. Bowling skills are not required! If you are interested please speak to Sheryl, Dan, Jesse, Greg or Pastor Ray.

The sweetest “job” at the Mennonite Relief Sale is looking for you!

Volunteers are needed to help ice donuts on Saturday May 28, 2022.

Mask and Hair Nets will be mandatory while in the donut tent.

The icing shifts are a little different this year.

We will need 4 people per shift.

The shifts will be:

4:15-6:15

6:20-8:20

8:25-10:25

10:30 – 12:30

12:30 to Finish

If you can spare 2 hours of your time to volunteer it would be greatly appreciated.

To sign up please email her at

darylandkristencressman@gmail.com

If you are in need of volunteer hours for high school this may be just the opportunity you were looking for!

Other ways to help with the donut project:
– volunteers for kneading and mixing on May 28
– volunteers to make mashed potatoes for May 27
– volunteers for clean up at church Saturday afternoon
– large bowls needed for mixing
Anyone interested in helping please contact Greg and Dawn at gdzehr@gmail.com

Donut Project Set Up
Volunteers are needed for loading supplies on Thursday evening (about 2 hours), May 26 and setting up on Friday morning (a few hours), May 27. Anyone interested should contact Bill Roth at kilbride@rogers.com.

VBS July 11 – 15, 2022
Who is planning on joining us at Jerusalem Marketplace this summer?
If your child is planning on attending VBS this summer or if you would like to volunteer to help (youth and adults) it’s not too early to let us know. Please contact Naomi naomiwitzel8@gmail.com or Ashley ashleywitzel@gmail.com by email to let us know.

The 2022 Camp Subsidy Form is now available and you can complete and return to Dawn Zehr either by email (gdzehr@gmail.com) or mail (657173 15th line, R.R.#1 Tavistock, ON N0B 2R0).  Please note that this year no funds will be sent until camps can confirm their programming depending on Covid-19 restrictions in place. Forms are available by contacting Lisa Suderman either by email at office@ezmennonite.ca   Paper copies can be mailed to you if needed. If you have any questions please contact one of the Christian Education Lay Ministers – Bethany Kropf or Jared Yantzi.

Beyond Our Church Community

Join the Thrifty 50 Challenge!

To celebrate MCC Thrift’s 50th anniversary, we’re inviting you to take the Thrifty 50 Challenge! Sign up today to receive a weekly sustainability challenge that helps our planet and also have a chance to win a $25 MCC Thrift gift card every week. Plus, when you sign up, you’ll get access to the previous week’s challenges in case you miss one and a bonus gift — a guide to eco-friendly decluttering. Join countless other compassionate people like you by signing up at

 thrifty50challenge.org

Mennonite Central Committee is resuming shipments of emergency supplies to Ukraine.

Five containers are scheduled to go to Ukraine in the next couple of months, with more planned later this year. The containers will travel by ship to Rotterdam and then by truck through Germany, Poland and into Ukraine.
Ukraine has a massive need, and we need your help filling these containers. We have many comforters (thank you to our comforter knotting groups and individuals who have been sending us thousands of comforters). But, we need relief kits, hygiene kits and especially soap. Please go to mcco.ca/kits for details of kit contents (attached to this email). Material aid donations can be dropped off at our offices or thrift shops or funds can be donated and we will purchase the necessary items. You can donate online, call the office (519-745-8458) or send a cheque to MCC, 203-50 Kent Avenue, Kitchener, ON N2G 3R1. Please include “material aid” in the subject line.
I hope you will take some time to pray for these shipments. Please pray that we can gather the necessary supplies and that those supplies reach their destination quickly and safely.

Bring your Material Resource donations to help fill a truck
Friday May 27 and Saturday May 28
MCC is planning an immediate shipment of emergency supplies to Ukraine. We need hygiene kits, relief kits and especially soap. Bring your donations to the Relief Sale to help fill a truck.

New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale

  • Fri May 27 and Sat May 28 – Sweet Stems Plant Tent donations
    Do your perennials need dividing? Maybe you planted too many seeds and now you’re overwhelmed by seedlings. Bring them to the relief sale to be sold in the Sweet Stems Plant tent. We’re looking for perennials, annuals, herbs, summer plants, native plants, succulents and house plants. You can drop them off Friday afternoon and evening at the tent. On Saturday morning, there will be a drop off location at the entrance to the fairgrounds.
  • Friday May 27th Voices Together Community Hymn Sing at approximately 8:30 pm, New Hamburg Fairgrounds Grandstand. New this year is the Voices Together Community Hymn Sing. Join us following the Treasure Trove auction in the grandstand as we raise our voices together for a community hymn sing. The song list and music can be viewed at nhmrs.com/voices-together and will also be available onsite.
  • Saturday May 28th 9 a.m., Run for Relief! Run it Your Way at New Hamburg Fairgrounds
    Last year, you rose to the challenge and raised a record amount for MCC through Run for Relief. So this year, we’re again asking you to Run it Your Way by running, walking, hiking, biking…whatever you’d like! All participants are invited to gather at the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale at 9:00 am to walk a “Victory Lap” together around the fairgrounds. For more info, go to nhmrs.com/run-for-relief.
  • Saturday May 28th 9 a.m. Newly expanded Kids Zone! New Hamburg Fairgrounds
    The Kids Zone is back this year with new activities for the kids to enjoy. In addition to face painting, our youngest visitors can sing campfire songs, have fun on small fairground rides and participate in a scavenger hunt and win prizes! 

Sunday May 29th 3-4:30 pm A Concert of Gospel and Hymns at Grace United Church in Tavistock. The concert will feature Kiley Joe Mason with special Guest Grayson.

Tickets are $20 (which includes refreshments) and can be ordered by phone 519-655-2151 or by email graceunitedtavistock@gmail.com

Friday June 3rd 10am-4pm The Spirituality and Aging Seminar returns to Grebel with speaker Linda Hochstetler, presenting: “With Open Eyes & Open Hearts: Recognizing and living the journey of dying and death together.” This hybrid event will be hosted at Conrad Grebel University College and via zoom. Visit the Spirituality and Aging Seminar webpage for registration details: grebel.ca/sa

Tuesday June 14th Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp’s 55th Chicken BBQ and Pie Auction.

Both eat in and take out options are available this year. Visit www.hiddenacres.ca for more details and to purchase your tickets (or call 519-625-8602).

Saturday June 18th  MCC Thrift On Mill celebrates 40 years of thrift!
From a small shop that opened in 1982 to a vibrant community gathering place in 2022, MCC Thrift has been in Leamington for 40 years! Join us and help us celebrate. Musical entertainment begins at 1 p.m. See you there! 

Scholarships for post-secondary education

At this time of year, many are thinking of applying for post-secondary and then subsequently, how that will get paid. Tavistock Assistance Program and Raymer Financial offer scholarships to hard-working and deserving students. The application process is quick and easy. The applicants are considered and offers are made expeditiously. We would love to see our young people bettering themselves through further education.  For further information and an application form check out: https://tapisforyou.com/community-scholarship-fund/

Volunteers Needed!
Niska Artisans is a fair trade program that supports Indigenous artisans across northeastern Ontario. We’re looking for volunteers to help set up and staff tables at sales and church events across southern Ontario. Selling Niska crafts and art is a way of bringing together two cultures. If you enjoy engaging, connecting, and learning, this volunteer opportunity might be for you! Email Clara Wheaton at clarawheaton@mcco.ca to learn more or go to mcco.ca/serve to apply today!

Tuesday volunteer driver – The Raw Carrot Soup Enterprise provides meaningful employment for individuals with disabilities and barriers to traditional employment. The Raw Carrot is looking for a volunteer driver to deliver online soup orders to customers on Tuesdays. This volunteer will provide timely deliveries with friendly customer service. Training will be provided. To learn more, go to mcco.ca/volunteer.

Reclaiming Beauty – volunteers needed
Thrifting, crafting and connecting…if you enjoy these activities, this opportunity might be for you! Reclaiming Beauty is a pilot project of MCC’s poverty program. It’s an upcycling initiative for program participants delivered through a series of workshops taking what was discarded and rejected, and turning it into something treasured and cherished. Our next series is happening in New Hamburg from May to July and we are in need of a volunteer, to assist with facilitating the workshops. Could it be you? Email Rachel Morton at rachelmorton@mcco.ca to learn more.

On the Level Announcement:

The May edition of On the Level is now available from Mennonite Disaster Service. In our current issue: Learn about volunteer opportunities available this summer, we celebrate the MDS career of Jerry Grosh, and an MDS volunteer is reframing the Psalms as Haiku. .

Click on this link to read more: https://conta.cc/3MqzADF

Weekly Announcements – Friday April 29, 2022

April 29, 2022 | Filed Under: Weekly Announcements

Resources to help us to stay Rooted in Christ and Growing together in Faith

Our next EZ Family Event will be Saturday April 30th at 6:30 pm at our church. 

Come enjoy a fun evening of worship time together, life-sized Dutch Blitz in the church basement followed by a campfire in our greenspace. Please bring lawn chairs, a snack for your family and roasting sticks for s’mores. Looking forward to seeing you all there! 

Sunday May 1, 2022 Worship Gathering 10 AM – Listening & Doing – James 1:19-26 

We are grateful for your financial giving to the ongoing work and ministry of the church. This week our offering focus is “Mission Partners”.

11:00 AM – Sunday School classes for all ages.

Nursery & Preschoolers meet in the basement in the room across from washrooms

JK-grade 5 meet in main room in basement

J-Walkers (grades 6, 7 & 8) meet in MYF room

High School Youth meet in the Bible Café

All adults staying for the second hour are invited to remain in the sanctuary. We will continue our video series and discussion called “Love Does” with Bob Goff. This video and discussion class will continue over zoom for those at home.

Following the video, parents with younger children and youth will dismiss to their own Parents class to be held in the library.

Next Sunday May 8 we continue our Worship Series on the book of James.

And we will celebrate Mother’s Day with a Mother’s Day Photo Booth.  Get a digital picture to honour the special Mom (or Mother) in your life.  Pictures will be taken before church, before Sunday School, and after.  Bring your smiles to this fun event!  Families & individuals are welcome!  A printed picture will be provided those without computer/internet access.

Meeting of the CIA – Please join the ‘Christians In Action’ Thursday May 5, 7:30 pm to share, care, and pray to impact our world for good! EZMC Pastors are inviting you to this Zoom gathering. Contact the church for a Zoom link.

We invite your prayers for the Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) Annual Church Gathering this weekend April 29 & 30, 2022. The theme is Courageous Imagination: Living into the Journey. Pray for the MCEC family of faith, for eight congregations who are joining or moving into full membership in MCEC, and for the 30 pastors from provisional congregations who will be installed as ministering persons within MCEC. This weekend delegates and all gathered will prayerfully receive and consider updated MCEC identity and priority statements building on feedback from the Courageous Imagination journey. Click the following link for more  Information on the MCEC website.

EZMC Announcements

Update on Refugee Support

At our annual meeting in February, we as Missions Committee engaged conversation around ongoing refugee support in the coming years. There was strong affirmation to create a refugee Fund (85%). We also inquired regarding continuing support to 1 or 2 additional refugee requests from the Tokhy family that require financial support. The higher percentage of the congregation (48% versus 38%) felt we should only commit to 1 of these requests instead of the 2.

Since that meeting, we have had further dialogue as a Missions Committee as we continue to process with the Tokhy family the needs of their extended family. Given the ongoing need for the 2 additional Tokhy families to find safer living conditions, and the commitment from the families living in Canada to help financially with the 2nd request, we are sensing the importance of committing to help both families settle in Canada.

We would like to share more information with you so we can discern further as a congregation how we should respond to the Tokhy family. We invite you to a Sunday School information and discernment time on Sunday May 15 at 11:00 AM during the Sunday School hour. We hope you can join this conversation with us.

Missions Committee – Greg Leis, Sheryl Leis, Dan Matthews, Jesse Yantzi, Pastor Ray

Friday April 29th Youth pleasemeet at the church at 7PM to go to gym/games night with other area youth groups at Steinmann MC. We are asked to bring our own water bottles.

Grace Lao Mennonite Church Egg Roll Pickup

Thank you to those who placed an order for eggrolls. Please note that pickup will be at the church on Saturday May 7th between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. We plan to have the egg rolls outside of the church. If you wish to stay in your vehicle please just drive through to pick them up. Prices are $15 (dozen) egg rolls or $8 (box of 6). Payment can be made by cash or a cheque made payable to Greg Leis.

Jr. Christian Education Hour for May 1,8,15 & June 5 (no C.E. on May 22-Long weekend or May 29th-Celebration of Parish Nurses): 

Nursery & Preschoolers meet in room across from washrooms

JK-grade 5 meet in main room in basement

J-Walkers (grades 6, 7 & 8) meet in MYF room

Friday May 6th JWALKERS – Bowling at Mike’s Bowling Lanes in Stratford. Drop off and pick up at Mike’s Bowling Lanes 7pm to 8:30 pm. Pay for bowling as you arrive.  Bring extra money to purchase a snack or drink. Please RSVP text to Bethany 519-503-2673 by Tuesday May 3rd so we can make sure we have the right amount of lanes booked. See you there!

VBS July 11 – 15, 2022
Who is planning on joining us at Jerusalem Marketplace this summer?
If your child is planning on attending VBS this summer or if you would like to volunteer to help (youth and adults) it’s not too early to let us know. Please contact Naomi naomiwitzel8@gmail.com or Ashley ashleywitzel@gmail.com to let us know.

Gift Discernment Committee is pleased to share that the following positions have been filled.

Susan Schmitz is our new Missions Lay Minister.

Merv Ropp is the new Care Team member.

We invite your prayers as we continue to search for a Congregational Chairperson.

The sweetest “job” at the Mennonite Relief Sale is looking for you!

Volunteers are needed to help ice donuts on Saturday May 28, 2022.

Mask and Hair Nets will be mandatory while in the donut tent.

The icing shifts are a little different this year.

We will need 4 people per shift.

The shifts will be:

4:15-6:15

6:20-8:20

8:25-10:25

10:30 – 12:30

12:30 to Finish

If you can spare 2 hours of your time to volunteer it would be greatly appreciated.

To sign up please email Kristen Cressman darylandkristencressman@gmail.com

If you are in need of volunteer hours for high school this may be just the opportunity you were looking for!

The 2022 Camp Subsidy Form is now available and you can complete and return to Dawn Zehr either by email (gdzehr@gmail.com) or mail (657173 15th line, R.R.#1 Tavistock, ON N0B 2R0).  Please note that this year no funds will be sent until camps can confirm their programming depending on Covid-19 restrictions in place. Forms are available by contacting Lisa Suderman by email at office@ezmennonite.ca. Paper copies can be mailed to you if needed. If you have any questions please contact one of the Christian Education Lay Ministers – Bethany Kropf or Jared Yantzi.

Beyond Our Church Community

Join the Thrifty 50 Challenge!

To celebrate MCC Thrift’s 50th anniversary, we’re inviting you to take the Thrifty 50 Challenge! Sign up today to receive a weekly sustainability challenge that helps our planet and also have a chance to win a $25 MCC Thrift gift card every week.

Plus, when you sign up, you’ll get access to the previous week’s challenges in case you miss one and a bonus gift — a guide to eco-friendly decluttering. Join countless other compassionate people like you by signing up at

thrifty50challenge.org

Thursday May 5th 7-8 pm MEDA Women Empowering Women

COVID Pivot! Our event will now be held online on Zoom due to the increased case counts in the Waterloo region. We’d like to give a special invitation to the Waterloo MEDA Hub to join us since their recent event was cancelled. We hope you can join us! RSVP By: Monday May 2nd

Cost: This event is FREE.
Jennifer Denomy, Technical Director for Gender Equality and Social Inclusion at MEDA, will report on her recent trip to Ghana and how MEDA works to support women entrepreneurs and food security there.

Kindred Credit Union will donate $100 for every attendee up to $22,000 to support the MEDA project in Ghana.  Individual donations will also be accepted and all funds raised will go towards the G2G2G target of raising $100,000 for Women Entrepreneurs in Ghana. 

“Indigenous-Mennonite Encounters in Time and Place, Conrad Grebel University College, May 12-15, 2022. Pre-registration is open for this gathering offering stories and analyses of encounters and relationships between Indigenous peoples and Mennonite settlers from point of contact through to the present. Visit the conference website for more information and to pre-register: https://uwaterloo.ca/indigenous-mennonite-encounters“

Upcoming Events at Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp & Retreat Centre:

Spring Seniors Retreat – Monday May 16th (rain date Tuesday May 17)

We are excited to offer an in-person, outdoor retreat this spring. Join us, along with Wendy Janzen from Burning Bush Forest Church and Mary Anne Musser from Hidden Acres, for a morning of exploring and experiencing how we can nurture our faith through noticing God in nature. The brochure is attached to this email or visit www.hiddenacres.ca for more details and to register.

Alumni Day – Have you spent a summer working at Hidden Acres? If so, we are excited to reconnect with you, our alumni, for our first ever ‘Alumni Day’. Visit www.hiddenacres.ca for more details and to register.

Friday, June 3, 2022, 10am-4pm The Spirituality and Aging Seminar returns to Grebel with speaker Linda Hochstetler, presenting: “With Open Eyes & Open Hearts: Recognizing and living the journey of dying and death together.” This hybrid event will be hosted at Conrad Grebel University College and via zoom. Visit the Spirituality and Aging Seminar webpage for registration details: grebel.ca/sa

Announcements – Thursday April 14, 2022

April 15, 2022 | Filed Under: Weekly Announcements

East Zorra Mennonite Church

Weekly Letter and Announcements – No. 109

Thursday April 14, 2022

Resources to help us to stay Rooted in Christ and Growing together in Faith

Sunday April 17, 2022 Easter Morning Worship Gathering 10 AM – ‘Seeking God’s Ways – Moving from certainty to openness.

**Children please bring writing and coloring tools for your time in the worship service. A colouring sheet will be provided.

We are grateful for your financial giving to the ongoing work and ministry of the church. This week our offering focus is “Leadership”.

There will be no Sunday School classes on Easter Morning.

Pastoral Vote Update – We are repeating the note shared with the congregation through email and phone calls on Monday evening.

I’m pleased to inform you that Mike Williamson was very strongly affirmed as our new faith formation pastor through our congregational vote on Sunday April 10.  Mike was informed of the results today and is excited about joining our church family.

Thank you for engaging in this process and for your prayerful consideration.  I invite your ongoing prayers as we work through the next steps of formalizing a memo of understanding and confirming logistics and timing.  We will keep you posted as we progress. 

Sincerely,

Tracey Kropf, Congregational Chair  

Meeting of the CIA – Please join the ‘Christians In Action’ Thursday April 21, 7:30 pm to share, care, and pray to impact our world for good!

EZMC Announcements

Grace Lao Mennonite Church Egg Roll Sale – Please place your order by emailing Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca Lisa will confirm that she received your order. Prices are $15 (dozen) egg rolls or $8 (box of 6). Vegetarian rolls are also available.

Orders are due by Thursday April 21st and will be available Saturday May 7.

The Missions committee is inviting people to extend God’s Love through this fundraiser. Connect with a neighbour, co-worker, friend or family member.  Consider purchasing a box to give or extending an invitation to enjoy some egg rolls together. More information regarding payment and timing will be available in Friday April 22nd letter. 

Sending a Message of Hope……….

Thank you to everyone who took the time to join with us to knot comforters for Ukraine. 

A special shout out to our committee who worked both in home preparing comforters as well as knotting at church …… It takes many people to complete the comforter story. Your work is very much appreciated.  

Do you enjoy 3 & 4 year old children?  We are needing teachers and helpers for our nursery/preschool class.  Please contact Sue M, Holly, Naomi M, or Jess Y if you are willing to help out on a rotating schedule till early June. 

A DVD is now available for our Live Nativity Production that happened in December. If you have not been able to access that or would enjoy seeing that again, please contact Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca or call 519-655-6824.

VBS July 11 – 15, 2022
Who is planning on joining us at Jerusalem Marketplace this summer?
If your child is planning on attending VBS this summer or if you would like to volunteer to help (youth and adults) it’s not too early to let us know. Please contact Naomi naomiwitzel8@gmail.com or Ashley ashleywitzel@gmail.com to let us know.

The 2022 Camp Subsidy Form is now available and you can complete and return to Dawn Zehr either by email (gdzehr@gmail.com) or mail (657173 15th line, R.R.#1 Tavistock, ON N0B 2R0).  Please note that this year no funds will be sent until camps can confirm their programming depending on Covid-19 restrictions in place. Forms are available by contacting Lisa Suderman either by email at office@ezmennonite.ca  Paper copies can be mailed to you if needed. If you have any questions please contact one of the Christian Education Lay Ministers – Bethany Kropf or Jared Yantzi.

Beyond Our Church Community

Join the Thrifty 50 Challenge!

To celebrate MCC Thrift’s 50th anniversary, we’re inviting you to take the Thrifty 50 Challenge! Sign up today to receive a weekly sustainability challenge that helps our planet and also have a chance to win a $25 MCC Thrift gift card every week.

Plus, when you sign up, you’ll get access to the previous week’s challenges in case you miss one and a bonus gift — a guide to eco-friendly decluttering. Join countless other compassionate people like you by signing up at

thrifty50challenge.org

Live at Grebel: Interested in learning more about the University of Waterloo and Conrad Grebel University College’s residence program? Drop in at Grebel any time on April 18, between 1:00pm and 4:00pm. Receive a tour of Grebel, chat with current students, and explore Waterloo’s campus. www.grebel.ca/tour

New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale Promotion Dinner
Monday April 25 at 6:30 pm, Bingemans Conference Centre

More than just a delicious meal, the NHMRS Promo Dinner is a chance to connect with community and support MCC! Enjoy a delicious buffet-style dinner, view a display of historic feature quilts and get an update from MCC staff. Tickets are $25 each (children 10 and under are free) and must be purchased in advance by ordering online at nhmrs.square.site or by calling the MCC office at 519-745-8458 (press 3).

“Indigenous-Mennonite Encounters in Time and Place, Conrad Grebel University College, May 12-15, 2022. Pre-registration is open for this gathering offering stories and analyses of encounters and relationships between Indigenous peoples and Mennonite settlers from point of contact through to the present. Visit the conference website for more information and to pre-register: https://uwaterloo.ca/indigenous-mennonite-encounters“

Undercurrents Podcast: The only war we want is a bidding war!

In the first episode of season 3, Ken Ogasawara shares the excitement of a quilt bidding war and connects with some of the people who make the quilt auction at the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale an annual highlight.

Listen here or wherever you find your podcasts.

Join Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp Staff Team for Summer 2022!

We are currently accepting applications for Assistant Program Director, Adventure Program Facilitator, Camp Pastor/Spiritual Life Coordinator, Head Cook, Waterfront Director/Camp Medic, Housekeeping, Maintenance, Nature Director, guys and girls Cabin Leaders, and Inclusion Cabin Leaders. For more information or to apply go to www.hiddenacres.ca

Want to help make a positive impact on Mental Health and Well-being in our Community?
We are looking for a Board Member to sit on our Promotions Committee. This position will give you the opportunity to help with ICC (interfaith Counselling Centre) events and overall promotions of ICC throughout the year.
Get in touch with us today by emailing your resume to admin@interfaithcounselling.ca

Interested persons should email their resume to admin@interfaithcounselling.ca.

New Hamburg Thrift Centre is in major need of Volunteers!!  With society opening up and the busy spring season ahead, we are looking for people available through the week during regular business hours. Our Receiving manager is asking for people who can sort and help with receiving donations as they come. Please reach out to Jennifer Woolner at jenniferwoolner@mcco.ca or 519-662-2867. You can also go to newhamburgthrift.com and fill out a Volunteer application.

MDS (Mennonite Disaster Service) Upcoming Projects this summer

Family Project in Princeton, B.C.

Princeton was flooded in fall of 2021 and MDS has since been responding by doing clean up and rebuilding, which will conclude in May. The Family Project will follow up with homeowners, doing landscaping work and building some garden sheds. MDS will not provide childcare or a special program for children. The Family Project is designed for families to work together.

Princeton is a small town of just under 3000 in the Similkameen region of southern B.C.

Please check the MDS website for more information.

Monte Lake, B.C.

MDS Canada will be setting up a project in Monte Lake, BC starting in early May and running through the fall. If you would like to sign up to serve for 1-3 weeks at this project, please contact Clara Flores at cflores@mds.org or by calling 204-261-1274. Volunteers of all skill sets are welcome to serve. Help us bring hope to a community affected by disaster.

Weekly Announcements April 1, 2022

April 1, 2022 | Filed Under: Weekly Announcements

East Zorra Mennonite Church

Weekly Letter and Announcements – No. 107

Resources to help us to stay Rooted in Christ and Growing together in Faith

Sunday April 1, 2022 Worship Gathering 10 AM – 5nd Sunday of Lent. ‘Seeking God’s Ways – Moving from scarcity to abundance.

**Children please bring writing and coloring tools for your time in the worship service. A colouring sheet will be provided for you.

11:00 AM – This Sunday we begin Sunday School classes for all ages.

Following our worship hour, the children will move to the basement for Sunday School.

Following a short stretch break the youth will move to their youth class. **See note below.

All adults staying for the second hour will remain in the sanctuary. We will begin a video series and discussion called “Love Does” with Bob Goff. This video and discussion class will continue over zoom for those at home.

Following the video, parents with younger children and youth will dismiss to their own Parents class for discussion. The location of that class will be named on Sunday morning.

**Attention Youth!

As we launch the youth class this Sunday, we invite you to come to the youth room. Brendan Leis and Pastor Ray will lead discussions over the next few months to help us talk about what it means to follow Jesus! We plan to use the “The Sermon on the Mount” (Matthew 5-7) to guide our discussion. Bring your Bibles! These discussions will help you think about your own personal commitment to follow Jesus and help you think about baptism.  We hope you can join us!

Reminder of the Church Ministry Council updated shared last week on mask protocol.  

Effective Sunday April 3, barring no further spikes in cases or revised government / public health guidance, masks will be optional at all times, with the exception of congregational singing. Public health recommends masks be worn for singing in large groups, we will continue to monitor. We encourage each of you to make a decision that feels best to you and ask that you be respectful of the decisions of others.

Pastoral Search Update

We feel so grateful for the opportunity we had last weekend to meet Mike Williamson, his wife Brandy and daughters Petra and Rebekah. The search committee is excited about the possibility of Mike joining our pastoral team. This coming Sunday, April 3rd, Tracey Kropf, our congregational chairperson will share with the congregation the next steps of our discerning process. We invite your prayers for our congregation as we continue to discern God’s will together.

EZMC Pastors are inviting you to a Meeting of the CIA – Please join the ‘Christians In Action’ Prayer Meeting Wednesday April 6th 7:30 pm to share, care, and pray to impact our world for good! Join Prayer Meeting by contacting the church office for connect information. (office@ezmennonite.ca)

EZMC Announcements

Tuesday is the day ……don’t miss out 

Tuesday begins our two week blitz of knotting comforters for the Ukrainian people.

This is your chance to make a difference in this world and to re-acquaint yourself with friends from the church. (Please note that younger children who have the interest and patience to sit and knot can also come. We ask that they remain seated at the comforter during their knotting session.)

Just a note we are adding one more fully masked session on Thursday the 7th so on that date, both afternoon and evening, will be fully masked sessions. 

Register with Lisa – the dates are listed below. Choose your session or as many sessions as you like and contact Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca to register.

Tuesday April 5       1:30 –  3:30

7:00 – 9:00

Thursday April 7      1:30 – 3:30 Mask only

7:00 – 9:00 Mask only

Saturday April 9      1:00 – 3:00

Monday April 11      1:30 – 3:30

7:00 – 9:00

Wednesday April 13 1:30 – 3:30

7:00 – 9:00     

Inviting Nominations for Lay Minister Positions

Your Gifts Discernment Committee welcomes your prayerful discernment and nominations for Lay Minister Positions that will need to be filled this Spring. We will be filling the following positions: Congregational Chairperson, Lay Minister of Missions and one male Care Team position.

We are providing 3 options for making your nominations

  1. Send an email to ezmcgdc@gmail.com
  2. Phone Wayne Yantzi or Marv Yantzi
  3. For those worshipping in person a ballot box will be available at the top of the steps as you prepare to enter the sanctuary if you would rather nominate as we always had prior to Covid limitations.

We are asking that you submit your nominations by today, Sunday April 3. Thank you so much for your prayerful consideration as you make your nominations. If you sense God calling you into one of these roles please share that with us.

Do you enjoy 3 & 4 year old children?  We are needing teachers and helpers for our nursery/preschool class.  Please contact Sue M, Holly, Naomi M, or Jess Y if you are willing to help out on a rotating schedule till early June. 

Monday, April 11th, 7:30 p.m.:  Annual Meeting of the members of A.M. Fire & Storm Aid Union will be held at Donegal Mennonite Fellowship, 7021 Perth Rd 147, Listowel.

A large supply of fair trade coffee was purchased just before covid.  Anyone interested in purchasing coffee please contact Merv  519 301 1461 or Gloria  519 497 2448.

VBS July 11 – 15, 2022
Who is planning on joining us at Jerusalem Marketplace this summer?
If your child is planning on attending VBS this summer or if you would like to volunteer to help (youth and adults) it’s not too early to let us know. Please contact Naomi (naomiwitzel8@gmail.com) or Ashley (ashleywitzel@gmail.com) to let us know.

Are you interested in being part of a visioning team to dream about building improvements to help us live into our purpose of being Rooted in Christ, Growing Together in Faith, Extending God’s Love?  Questions come up regularly regarding our facility including a kitchen upgrade, gym, air conditioning, basement renovation etc. What building improvements are important for us? How should we prioritize and sequence investments in our facility? This is important, exciting work! If you want to be part of the visioning team, please contact Tracey Kropf (tracey.kropf@gmail.com). Thank you!  

Beyond Our Church Community

Want to help make a positive impact on Mental Health and Well-being in our Community?
We are looking for a Board Member to sit on our Promotions Committee. This position will give you the opportunity to help with ICC (interfaith Counselling Centre) events and overall promotions of ICC throughout the year.
Get in touch with us today by emailing your resume to admin@interfaithcounselling.ca

Interested persons should email their resume to admin@interfaithcounselling.ca.

CommonWord Webinar: 100 Years of Mennonite Central Committee. Join Alain Epp Weaver, Esther Epp-Tiessen, and César Flores for an online conversation on Thursday, April 7 at 7:00 PM CDT. Hear about MCC’s 100-year history of service and reconciliation, including the complicated ways Christian service has been intertwined with colonialism, racism, and regimes of power. Visit commonword.ca/go/2314 to register. 

New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale Promotion Dinner
Monday April 25 at 6:30 pm, Bingemans Conference Centre

More than just a delicious meal, the NHMRS Promo Dinner is a chance to connect with community and support MCC! Enjoy a delicious buffet-style dinner, view a display of historic feature quilts and get an update from MCC staff. Tickets are $25 each (children 10 and under are free) and must be purchased in advance by ordering online at nhmrs.square.site or by calling the MCC office at 519-745-8458 (press 3).

After a two year hiatus of the in-person New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale, we are excited to announce that the NHMRS team is planning for an in-person sale in 2022 on Friday May 27 and Saturday May 28 at the New Hamburg Fairgrounds. Your safety is our highest priority and we will be working closely with public health to ensure a safe and fun festival. Keep up to date on the latest NHMRS news by following us on Facebook, Instagram or sign up here to receive updates.

Join Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp Staff Team for Summer 2022!

We are currently accepting applications for Assistant Program Director, Adventure Program Facilitator, Camp Pastor/Spiritual Life Coordinator, Head Cook, Waterfront Director/Camp Medic, Housekeeping, Maintenance, Nature Director, guys and girls Cabin Leaders, and Inclusion Cabin Leaders. For more information or to apply go to www.hiddenacres.ca

Celebrating 50 years of MCC Thrift

Fifty years ago, the grassroots movement of MCC Thrift shops was born. It has grown from a small dream and a handful of shops to a thriving, network across Canada and the U.S. A journey made possible by the thousands of volunteers who greet customers, accept and sort donations or work the checkouts each and every day. This legacy is worth celebrating!

New Hamburg Thrift Centre is in major need of Volunteers!!  With society opening up and the busy spring season ahead, we are looking for people available through the week during regular business hours. Our Receiving manager is asking for people who can sort and help with receiving donations as they come. Please reach out to Jennifer Woolner at jenniferwoolner@mcco.ca or 519-662-2867. You can also go to newhamburgthrift.com and fill out a Volunteer application.

Weekly Announcements – Friday March 18, 2022

March 18, 2022 | Filed Under: Weekly Announcements

East Zorra Mennonite Church

Weekly Letter and Announcements – No. 105

Resources to help us to stay Rooted in Christ and Growing together in Faith

Sunday March 20, 2022 Worship Gathering 10 AM – 3nd Sunday of Lent. ‘Seeking God’s Ways – Moving from Earning to Receiving’

** Our children will gather with their parents in the sanctuary for the first part of the worship service. Following a children’s time, they will be invited to move down to the basement for their Sunday School time.

We are grateful for your financial giving to the ongoing work and ministry of the church. This week our offering focus is “Local Ministries”.

**On Sunday March 27 we will begin including a second hour to our Sunday morning gathering experience. This second hour will be our Sunday School time for all ages. On March 27 all adults and youth are welcome to remain in the sanctuary for this second hour. We will have further opportunity to hear and engage in conversation with our pastoral candidate. He will be formally introduced and will be preaching in our worship hour. We will be continuing with our hybrid Zoom so that everyone has access to both worship and Sunday School time.

Extending God’s Love

Coming in April……….

Your congregation is coming together and joining hands with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters through a “comforter knotting” blitz.

Planning is underway for 10 separate sittings over two weeks respecting that we are still in Covid.

So make a plan – come by yourself, gather your family, bring your “bubble”.

Sign up opportunities available soon.

The comforter committee is looking for excess material you may have stored at home. Any that you would be willing to donate could be turned into comforter tops.

Any color, pattern and size would be welcome. 

Please contact Marilyn Zehr at 519-462-2320 or Ruth Wagler at 519-588-1660. We can arrange for pickup.

Prayers for Peace in Ukraine: Tavistock Mennonite Church invite us to join them outside in the prayer garden behind Tavistock Mennonite Church for a time of prayer and singing for peace in Ukraine at 8:30 am, Sunday March 20. May God have mercy.”

EZMC Announcements

Church Ministry Council Minutes are attached to this email. Please contact Lisa if you have any trouble opening the attachment.

Attention EZ Families and Congregation! 

Our next EZ Family Event is scheduled for Saturday March 26th at 3:30 pm at QUEEN’S PARK in Tavistock. Please note the date, time and location! We are excited to welcome our Pastoral candidate and his family to this event and look forward to getting to know them better, and for them to get to know us better. We invite everyone in our congregation, of all ages, to join us at this special event!

We will begin with a time of acoustic worship, followed by visiting, and playing on the playground equipment and open green space. Please dress for the weather as we will be outdoors. The Pavilion will provide some shelter pending weather. Bring lawn chairs, warm drinks, and any acoustic instruments you would like to contribute to our worship time. Can’t wait to see you all, and worship and fellowship together!

Inviting Nominations for Lay Minister Positions

Your Gifts Discernment Committee welcomes your prayerful discernment and nominations for Lay Minister Positions that will need to be filled this Spring. We will be filling the following positions: Congregational Chairperson, Lay Minister of Missions and one male Care Team position.

We are providing 3 options for making your nominations

  1. Send an email to ezmcgdc@gmail.com
  2. Phone Wayne Yantzi or Marv Yantzi
  3. For those worshipping in person a ballot box will be available at the top of the steps as you prepare to enter the sanctuary if you would rather nominate as we always had prior to Covid limitations.

We are asking that you submit your nominations by Sunday April 3. Thank you so much for your prayerful consideration as you make your nominations. If you sense God calling you into one of these roles please share that with us.

A DVD is now available for our Live Nativity Production that happened in December. If you have not been able to access that or would enjoy seeing that again, please contact Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca

VBS July 11 – 15, 2022
Who is planning on joining us at Jerusalem Marketplace this summer?
If your child is planning on attending VBS this summer or if you would like to volunteer to help (youth and adults) it’s not too early to let us know. Please contact Naomi naomiwitzel8@gmail.com or Ashley ashleywitzel@gmail.com to let us know. Please see attached document for more details or contact us for more information.

Are you interested in being part of a visioning team to dream about building improvements to help us live into our purpose of being Rooted in Christ, Growing Together in Faith, Extending God’s Love?  Questions come up regularly regarding our facility including a kitchen upgrade, gym, air conditioning, basement renovation etc. What building improvements are important for us? How should we prioritize and sequence investments in our facility? This is important, exciting work! If you want to be part of the visioning team, please contact Tracey Kropf tracey.kropf@gmail.com. Thank you!  

Beyond Our Church Community

Many of you have asked how you can still make a difference in Ukraine (…thank you!). Here are a few ways that I can share right now:

  • Continue to pray for everyone caught up in this conflict: we want nothing more than a peaceful and just end to the violence. We pray that God’s spirit of healing and hope is present.
  • Donate to our Ukraine Crisis Appeal. Our partners on the ground are already at work—setting up temporary shelter and handing out emergency supplies like food and water to people in need.
  • Ask the Canadian government to use non-violence and encourage the use of tools such as diplomacy, disarmament and conflict resolution at the international level. And ask the government to provide more substantial support for non-violent locally-led peacebuilding. 
  • **NEW: Sign this digital greeting card to pass along a word of encouragement to our staff and partners in Ukraine. Together, we can remind them that they are not alone.

Thank you for your continued support. I’m so grateful to be part of this community.

Rick Cober Bauman
Executive Director, MCC Canada

After a two year hiatus of the in-person New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale, we are excited to announce that the NHMRS team is planning for an in-person sale in 2022 on Friday May 27 and Saturday May 28 at the New Hamburg Fairgrounds. Your safety is our highest priority and we will be working closely with public health to ensure a safe and fun festival. Keep up to date on the latest NHMRS news by following us on Facebook, Instagram or sign up here to receive updates.

New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale Promotion Dinner
Monday April 25 at 6:30 pm, Bingemans Conference Centre

More than just a delicious meal, the NHMRS Promo Dinner is a chance to connect with community and support MCC! Enjoy a delicious buffet-style dinner, view a display of historic feature quilts and get an update from MCC staff. Tickets are $25 each (children 10 and under are free) and must be purchased in advance by ordering online at nhmrs.square.site or by calling the MCC office at 519-745-8458 (press 3).

The NHMRS 2022 Feature Quilt was revealed
On Tuesday, February 15th, the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale 2022 feature quilt was revealed on Facebook Live. “Glimpses of Nepal” is a collage of life in Nepal, designed by acclaimed quilter Renske Helmuth. The quilt will be auctioned off at the 2022 New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale on Saturday, May 28.

Make a global impact
From bake sales to bike-a-thons, there are so many ways church groups can fundraise for MCC and share God’s love with those in need. Gather some friends, choose an activity, and get started. Visit mcco.ca/DIY-fundraising to learn more.

Celebrating 50 years of MCC Thrift

Fifty years ago, the grassroots movement of MCC Thrift shops was born. It has grown from a small dream and a handful of shops to a thriving, network across Canada and the U.S. A journey made possible by the thousands of volunteers who greet customers, accept and sort donations or work the checkouts each and every day. This legacy is worth celebrating!

New Hamburg Thrift Centre is in major need of Volunteers!!  With society opening up and the busy spring season ahead, we are looking for people available through the week during regular business hours. Our Receiving manager is asking for people who can sort and help with receiving donations as they come. Please reach out to Jennifer Woolner at jenniferwoolner@mcco.ca or 519-662-2867. You can also go to newhamburgthrift.com and fill out a Volunteer application.

“Indigenous-Mennonite Encounters in Time and Place, Conrad Grebel University College, May 12-15, 2022. Pre-registration is open for this gathering offering stories and analyses of encounters and relationships between Indigenous peoples and Mennonite settlers from point of contact through to the present. Visit the conference website for more information and to pre-register: https://uwaterloo.ca/indigenous-mennonite-encounters“

Ontario Election 2022
The 2022 Ontario provincial election is an opportunity to address policies that contribute to poverty and injustice. MCC has gathered some resources at mcco.ca/ontario-election, including a blog, to assist you in exploring how candidates and parties fit into Ontario’s political landscape. Be sure to read the first blog post and sign up to receive notifications whenever we update this resource.

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