Weekly Announcements

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

Sunday September 19 – Mennonite World Conference (MWC) Peace Sunday.

Register for Sunday morning in-person worship, anytime during the week, by contacting Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca Please indicate which Sunday you are registering for and who will be attending with you. If Lisa is unable to take your call, leave a message that includes your name and phone number. Your registration will then be confirmed either by email or phone. Deadline to register each week is Saturday by 10 a.m.

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

Next Sunday September 26, Leah Reesor-Keller, Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) Executive Minister, will be sharing with us in our worship and gathering time.

Extending God’s Love

Beginning Saturday September 18^th to Tuesday September 28^th Parish Nurse Jean will be taking some holiday time. Please pray this can be a refreshing time for her.

EZMC Announcements

EZMC Building Use for Committee Meetings.

A designated meeting space that allows for physical distancing will be located in the basement. The boardroom and other small rooms are closed for now. Please contact Lisa and book the meeting space to ensure that it is available for use. You will be sent the health and safety protocols before your meeting.

Beyond Our Church Community

Love Neighbours Share Vaccines

The Government of Canada will match, dollar for dollar, every donation made by individual Canadians to UNICEF Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination fundraising campaign, up to a maximum of $10 million, from July 12, 2021 to September 30, 2021 (deadline has been extended)

Canadian UNICEF campaign

New Thrift Shop Hours for all MCC Ontario Shops
September 13 – December 31
As fall begins, MCC Thrift is gearing up for our busiest time of the year. To provide a consistent shopping experience,  all seven MCC Thrift Shops will have the same hours throughout the fall.

Starting the week of September 13, all thrift shops will be open Monday to Wednesday 10am – 5 pm, Thursday and Friday 10am – 8pm and Saturday 10am – 5pm. Donation hours vary by shop. Go to www.thriftdifferent.com to check out your local shop’s hours.

Come work with us!
We’re looking for a new Indigenous Neighbours Program Coordinator to provide leadership and oversight to the Indigneous Neighbours program. The work location is flexible and can be based in Kitchener, St. Catharines or Toronto. To learn more and to apply, go to mcco.ca/serve.

Undercurrents
Season 2 of Undercurrents is around the corner! Join us as we dive deeper into remarkable stories coming from MCC’s program participants, staff and others in Ontario. Listen and subscribe on Spotify, Apple, Google and others, or listen to the trailer here at https://anchor.fm/undercurrents. 

Thanks to Kindred Credit Union for sponsoring Season 2!

Centennial Tree Planting
In celebration of 100 years of relief, development and peace in the name of Christ, an oak tree, born from an acorn of the legendary Khortitsa Oak in Ukraine, will be planted at MCC Ontario’s Kitchener office. Due to COVID-19 considerations, this event is not open to the public but will be streamed live on Facebook. Join us on Sept 21 at 10 AM.

Part-time Low German Outreach Program Coordinator needed at Poole Mennonite Church
This winter, a weekly outreach program to Low German families and their young children will take place at Poole Mennonite Church. Planners are looking for a Program Coordinator to oversee planning and work with the participants. For more information, please contact Janet Schulz at poolemen@perth.net or Lily Hiebert Rempel, MCC Ontario Low German Liason, at lilyhiebertrempel@mcco.ca. The application deadline is September 30. Apply today!

Interfaith Community Counselling – Fall 2021 Support Groups

ICC strengthens the fabric of our community by equipping individuals, couples, and families to realize emotional wellness and triumph over life’s challenges

Understanding Me

This group provides education and support for women who have experienced emotional or physical abuse within their intimate relationship. This group is offered In Person starting Wednesday September 29th 6:30pm-8:30pm for 10 weeks.

Mindfulness and Self Compassion

This group offers skills, practices and tools to support you in accepting and loving yourself, building inner strength, resilience and thriving in you own life. This virtual group starts Wednesday October 6, 2021 (3:00pm-4:30) for 8 weeks.

Emotion Regulation using DBT skills

Learning mindfulness and cognitive skills to better understand your thoughts, feelings and behaviours and the techniques to change them. This virtual group starts Wednesday October 6, 2021 (5:00pm-7pm) for 9 weeks.

Register: Please contact Interfaith Counselling Centre at (519) 662-3092 or email intake@interfaithcounselling.ca

Toronto Mennonite Festival – Join us at a new location with a mix of familiar and not so familiar activities!
Saturday September 18 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Willowgrove Farm, 11737 McCowan Road, Stouffville
It starts with food! So come hungry and enjoy traditional Mennonite favourites. The fun continues with wagon rides, pick-your-own apples and Indigenous teachings. Shop for beautiful crafts and fresh produce and check out the silent auction. Space is limited. Save-your-spot today at torontomennonitefestival.ca. 

Monday September 20^th & Tuesday September 21^st Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp Fall Seniors Retreat  Join us virtually on September 20^th to explore the topic: “Journey Toward Justice: Equal Rights for Palestinians and Israelis” with Christian Peacemaker Teams and MCEC Palestine-Israel Network. Then gather outdoors with us at Hidden Acres on September 21^st for an informal time of connecting with each other and some of our resource people. For more information visit www.hiddenacres.ca or email info@hiddenacres.ca to register.

Monday September 20^th MCC Ontario Annual General Meeting 7 – 8 p.m.
We deeply appreciate your support, and how you are impacting so many lives in Ontario and around the world. Join us on September 20 for our Annual General Meeting (AGM) as we share MCC Ontario’s financial outcomes and a snapshot of our strategic plan progress. Official Congregational Representatives and Delegates who register as such are entitled to vote. Visit mcco.ca/AGM for details.

Thursday September 23^rd 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Wilmot Family Resource Centre 27^th Annual Fundraising Luncheon – ‘Take-Away’ Meal

Curbside pickup at New Hamburg Community Centre (251 Jacob St.). Tickets are available at the door. $10 per person – cheque or cash (exact amount, no change).

Thursday September 23^rd 4 p.m. MennoHomes invites you to their “Virtual” Grand Opening Celebration 

Bridgeport at Lancaster is so much more than just a building. RSVP online at mennohomes.com or call 519 742-5849 x100

You are invited to a Sausage on a Bun Drive-Thru Community Lunch & Fundraiser to support Tavistock Assistance Program (TAP). Sunday September 26^th at Queen’s Park Pavilion from 11:30 am – 1:30 p.m.

Drive-thru and pick up your Sausage on a bun served with sauerkraut, fried onions and potato salad on the side. Also served with a cookie for dessert. Cost is by donation. No change provided.

Order by calling Paulette Roth at 519-655-2776 or 519-301-0091 or emailing tapisforyou@outlook.com

Sponsors – Krug’s Meat Market, Sam’s Valumart, Quehl’s Restaurant and Ana’s Kitchen. Poster is attached to this email.

Thursday September 30^th – Saturday October 2^nd, 2021

MCC@100 – Mennonites, Service and the Humanitarian Impulse

A Virtual Mennonite Studies Conference at The University of Winnipeg. In 1920, Mennonites in Canada and the U.S. formed Mennonite Central Committee to aid famine-ravaged Mennonite communities in southern Russia (present-day Ukraine). Over the ensuing century, MCC has grown to embrace service in more than 60 countries. This centennial conference presents papers that examine the past, present, and future of MCC. Visit mcco.ca/events to learn more.

Xplore: At the Intersection of Faith and Life, A 55-Plus Enrichment Program. Xplore offers courses that investigate dimensions of the Christian faith, our world, and life in it. All without any assignments or examinations! Xplore happens in a six-week block, with online courses offered Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, beginning October 5. Join us! cmu.ca/xplore.

“Not Traumatic Enough for a Shock Blanket”: A thought-provoking exhibit by artist Yasmeen Nematt Alla invites us to consider the importance of trauma-informed community spaces and the ability art has to provide gestures of care. Running from Sept. 7 to March 7, 2022 at the Grebel Gallery. In person gallery visits available upon request. Visit uwaterloo.ca/centre-peace-advancement/grebel-gallery

Conrad Grebel University College is marking Mennonite Heritage Week by drawing attention to the Indigenous-Mennonite Encounters conference, to be held at Grebel in May 2022, that will include stories and analyses of encounters and relationships between Indigenous peoples and Mennonite settlers. We also offer a list of resources that provides a variety of starting points to learn more about the intersection of Mennonite and Indigenous histories in Canada. Read more: uwaterloo.ca/grebel/news/mennonite-heritage-week-2021

On the Level Announcement: The September edition of On the Level is now available from Mennonite Disaster Service. In our current issue: Canada farmers work together to battle drought conditions, thanks to MDS volunteers, a family goes home in British Columbia, and a derelict house becomes home for a Syrian refugee family. Click on this link to read more: https://conta.cc/3hA0o73

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

Sunday September 12 – Gathering Back Sunday! 10 AM!

We are excited about the events planned for this Sunday to welcome us back together!

10 AM – Our regular worship service over Zoom, and in-person for up to 65 people!

This service will include the opening portion of a “Backpack Blessing” for all children, youth and young adults heading back to school. Please bring your backpacks with you to worship if you are gathering in person.

This service will also include a time of dedication and blessing for our leaders in the various ministries of church life.

Following our worship gathering there will be an informal gathering outside in our green space.

12 Noon – We will share a picnic lunch together! To help keep everyone safe we are inviting everyone or every family to bring their own picnic meal, chairs or blankets.

1:00 PM – Green Space Dedication – We will take this opportunity to give thanks to God for this new space, and dedicate and bless it as an important space for being together with God!

We hope you can join us for all or part of this day!

**Important Notice – As we continue to plan for safe gathering opportunities it is important that we follow public health guidelines. One portion of this is accurate numbers and names of people in attendance at our church gatherings. Please register with Lisa indicating clearly which of the three in person gatherings you plan to attend this week. 1) Indoor worship; 2) Outdoor picnic; 3) Green Space Dedication. See registration details below.

Register for Sunday morning in-person worship, picnic, and Green Space Dedication, by contacting Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca Please indicate which events you are registering for this week and who will be attending with you. If Lisa is unable to take your call, leave a message that includes your name and phone number. Your registration will then be confirmed either by email or phone. Deadline to register is Saturday by 10 a.m.

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

Extending God’s Love

The family of Wallace Steinmann invites you to send a birthday card to help celebrate his 96^th birthday on September 16^th.

We extend our sympathy to Geneva Lichti and her family. Geneva’s sister Fannie Mae Schwartzentruber died on Wednesday afternoon. Visitation will take place on Saturday afternoon from 2-4 p.m. at Francis Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held Sunday September 12th at 2 p.m. at Tavistock Mennonite Church. May God’s peace and presence surround Geneva and the Schwartzentruber family.  

EZMC Announcements

East Zorra is excited about the season of Sunday worship gatherings this coming fall.  A pool of capable ushers is desired to facilitate the flow of people.  Ray & Lloyd want to meet with these special people.  

They are calling a short meeting on Sept 12 at 9:15 am.  Both those who haven’t ushered in the past, and those very experienced are invited. Anyone interested in helping with ushering can contact Pastor Lloyd to confirm their attendance so he can bring your favourite beverage, and inform of expectations for this frontline position.

EZMC Building Use for Committee Meetings.

A designated meeting space that allows for physical distancing will be located in the basement. The boardroom and other small rooms are closed for now. Please contact Lisa and book the meeting space to ensure that it is available for use. You will be sent the health and safety protocols before your meeting.

We will soon be printing the EZMC Church Family Photo and Address Directory. There is still time to submit a photo or make any changes to your information. Email to office@ezmennonite.ca

If you plan to be at the picnic lunch or green space dedication on Sunday September 12^th take advantage of the beautiful surroundings to get a photo.

Please note that we encourage every person or family unit to submit a photo. The gathering restrictions of the last year have reminded us how difficult it is for newer persons to our congregation to get to know people. A picture in a directory helps so much, and is so welcoming! As Lloyd continues to get to know us, and as we anticipate welcoming a new pastor in the Fall, an updated photo directory with pictures of everyone will be a wonderful gift. Thank you so much for your willingness to submit a photo! It is very much appreciated!

Beyond Our Church Community

CommonWord is here for you this fall! CommonWord is a Bookstore and Resource Centre in Winnipeg operated by Mennonite Church Canada and Canadian Mennonite University. As of August 30^th, CommonWord will resume regular hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) serving you with trusted congregational resources, Anabaptist and related books, specialty foods, and new Indigenous products. Visit us CommonWord by phone (1-877-846-1593), email (info@commonword.ca) or online (commonword.ca).

Interfaith Community Counselling – Fall 2021 Support Groups

ICC strengthens the fabric of our community by equipping individuals, couples, and families to realize emotional wellness and triumph over life’s challenges

Understanding Me

This group provides education and support for women who have experienced emotional or physical abuse within their intimate relationship. This group is offered In Person starting Wednesday September 29th 6:30pm-8:30pm for 10 weeks.

Mindfulness and Self Compassion

This group offers skills, practices and tools to support you in accepting and loving yourself, building inner strength, resilience and thriving in you own life. This virtual group starts Wednesday October 6, 2021 (3:00pm-4:30) for 8 weeks.

Emotion Regulation using DBT skills

Learning mindfulness and cognitive skills to better understand your thoughts, feelings and behaviours and the techniques to change them. This virtual group starts Wednesday October 6, 2021 (5:00pm-7pm) for 9 weeks.

Register: Please contact Interfaith Counselling Centre at (519) 662-3092 or email intake@interfaithcounselling.ca

Thursday September 16, 2021 MEDA Breakfast 7:30 – 9 a.m. at Stone Crock Restaurant/Tent behind the building. We’ve missed getting together and look forward to seeing familiar and new faces at our September event! All are welcome to join us for a Thursday morning breakfast, which will feature time to connect and reconnect with each other, and with MEDA. Mark your calendars! Cost is $20 payable online or at the door.

Please note: Waterloo Region’s face covering by-law makes it mandatory for attendees to wear a face covering, except when eating and drinking in their seats. Table capacity will be limited and collection of contact information for contract is also required to attend.

Toronto Mennonite Festival – Join us at a new location with a mix of familiar and not so familiar activities!
Saturday September 18 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Willowgrove Farm, 11737 McCowan Road, Stouffville
It starts with food! So come hungry and enjoy traditional Mennonite favourites. The fun continues with wagon rides, pick-your-own apples and Indigenous teachings. Shop for beautiful crafts and fresh produce and check out the silent auction. Space is limited. Save-your-spot today at torontomennonitefestival.ca. 

Monday September 20^th & Tuesday September 21^st Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp Fall Seniors Retreat  Join us virtually on September 20^th to explore the topic: “Journey Toward Justice: Equal Rights for Palestinians and Israelis” with Christian Peacemaker Teams and MCEC Palestine-Israel Network. Then gather outdoors with us at Hidden Acres on September 21^st for an informal time of connecting with each other and some of our resource people. For more information visit www.hiddenacres.ca or email info@hiddenacres.ca to register.

Monday September 20^th MCC Ontario Annual General Meeting 7 – 8 p.m.
We deeply appreciate your support, and how you are impacting so many lives in Ontario and around the world. Join us on September 20 for our Annual General Meeting (AGM) as we share MCC Ontario’s financial outcomes and a snapshot of our strategic plan progress. Official Congregational Representatives and Delegates who register as such are entitled to vote. Visit mcco.ca/AGM for details.

You are invited to a Sausage on a Bun Drive-Thru Community Lunch & Fundraiser to support Tavistock Assistance Program (TAP). Sunday September 26^th at Queen’s Park Pavilion from 11:30 am – 1:30 p.m.

Drive-thru and pick up your Sausage on a bun served with sauerkraut, fried onions and potato salad on the side. Also served with a cookie for dessert. Cost is by donation. No change provided.

Order by calling Paulette Roth at 519-655-2776 or 519-301-0091 or emailing tapisforyou@outlook.com

Sponsors – Krug’s Meat Market, Sam’s Valumart, Quehl’s Restaurant and Ana’s Kitchen. Poster is attached to this email.

Thursday September 30^th – Saturday October 2^nd, 2021

MCC@100 – Mennonites, Service and the Humanitarian Impulse

A Virtual Mennonite Studies Conference at The University of Winnipeg. In 1920, Mennonites in Canada and the U.S. formed Mennonite Central Committee to aid famine-ravaged Mennonite communities in southern Russia (present-day Ukraine). Over the ensuing century, MCC has grown to embrace service in more than 60 countries. This centennial conference presents papers that examine the past, present, and future of MCC. Visit mcco.ca/events to learn more.

Xplore: At the Intersection of Faith and Life, A 55-Plus Enrichment Program. Xplore offers courses that investigate dimensions of the Christian faith, our world, and life in it. All without any assignments or examinations! Xplore happens in a six-week block, with online courses offered Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, beginning October 5. Join us! cmu.ca/xplore.

“Not Traumatic Enough for a Shock Blanket”: A thought-provoking exhibit by artist Yasmeen Nematt Alla invites us to consider the importance of trauma-informed community spaces and the ability art has to provide gestures of care. Running from Sept. 7 to March 7, 2022 at the Grebel Gallery. In person gallery visits available upon request. Visit uwaterloo.ca/centre-peace-advancement/grebel-gallery

Conrad Grebel University College is marking Mennonite Heritage Week by drawing attention to the Indigenous-Mennonite Encounters conference, to be held at Grebel in May 2022, that will include stories and analyses of encounters and relationships between Indigenous peoples and Mennonite settlers. We also offer a list of resources that provides a variety of starting points to learn more about the intersection of Mennonite and Indigenous histories in Canada. Read more: uwaterloo.ca/grebel/news/mennonite-heritage-week-2021

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

Coming Sunday September 12 – Gathering Back Sunday!

Although we are still in the midst of a pandemic we acknowledge that September offers us new opportunities and new beginnings. We are still not able to gather inside our building with everyone but with the help of Zoom we can still gather with everyone for worship and sharing!  

On September 12 we are planning a few exciting things to welcome us back together!

10 AM – Our regular worship service over Zoom, and in-person for up to 65 people! This service will include a time of dedication and blessing for our new leaders in the various ministries of church life. An updated Ministries Position Sheet will be sent out next Friday.

Our 10 AM service will also include the opening portion of a “Backpack Blessing” for all children, youth and young adults heading back to school. Please bring your backpacks with you to worship if you are gathering in person.  

11:00 – 11:45 AM – Informal gathering outside in our green space. We invite all those who gathered over Zoom to also make your way to the church at this time. Given the size of our Green Space there is room for all of us! All students heading back to school please bring your backpacks for the second portion of the backpack blessing!

12 Noon – We will share a picnic lunch together! To help keep everyone safe we are inviting everyone or every family to bring their own picnic meal. And chairs or blankets.

12:45 PM – Green Space Dedication – We will take this opportunity to give thanks to God for this new space, and dedicate and bless it as an important space for being together with God!

We hope you can join us for all or part of this day!

EZMC Announcements

East Zorra is excited about the season of Sunday worship gatherings this coming fall.  A pool of capable ushers is desired to facilitate the flow of people.  Ray & Lloyd want to meet with these special people. 

They are calling a short meeting on Sept 12 at 9:15 am.  Both those who haven’t ushered in the past, and those very experienced are invited. Anyone interested in helping with ushering can contact Pastor Lloyd to confirm their attendance so he can bring your favourite beverage, and inform of expectations for this frontline position.

EZMC Building Use for Committee Meetings.

A designated meeting space that allows for physical distancing will be located in the basement. The boardroom and other small rooms are closed for now. Please contact Lisa and book the meeting space to ensure that it is available for use. You will be sent the health and safety protocols before your meeting.

We will be printing an updated EZMC Church Family Photo and Address Directory in September 2021. 

·         If you moved or have a new phone number since the printing of the Church Directory update page (early 2021) and have not given your updated information to the church office, please do so.

·         If you were not in the last directory (printed January 2020) but would now 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 off and she will return 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.

·         Deadline to submit is September 8, 2021.

·         Please note that we encourage every person or family unit to submit a photo. The gathering restrictions of the last year have reminded us how difficult it is for newer persons to our congregation to get to know people. A picture in a directory helps so much, and is so welcoming! As Lloyd continues to get to know us, and as we anticipate welcoming a new pastor in the Fall, an updated photo directory with pictures of everyone will be a wonderful gift. Thank you so much for your willingness to submit a photo! It is very much appreciated!

Beyond Our Church Community

Love Your Neighbour: Vaccination Response
Mennonite World Conference is calling on its members around the world to love their neighbour by donating to UNICEF’s campaign to share coronavirus vaccinations around the world. The Government of Canada will match, dollar for dollar, every donation made by individual Canadians to UNICEF Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination fundraising campaign, up to a maximum of $10 million, until September 6, 2021. Find a weblink to donate to UNICEF in your country.

CommonWord is here for you this fall! CommonWord is a Bookstore and Resource Centre in Winnipeg operated by Mennonite Church Canada and Canadian Mennonite University. As of August 30^th, CommonWord will resume regular hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) serving you with trusted congregational resources, Anabaptist and related books, specialty foods, and new Indigenous products. Visit us CommonWord by phone (1-877-846-1593), email (info@commonword.ca) or online (commonword.ca).

The August edition of On the Level is now available from Mennonite Disaster Service. In our current issue: MDS volunteers help to renovate and upgrade a 100-year-old office building recently purchased by MCC in Timmins, bridges are constructed in collaboration with Engineers in Action and MDS, and MDS actively monitors the wildfire situation in the western and central U.S. and British Columbia. Click on this link to read more: https://conta.cc/3ggsJhU

Thursday September 16, 2021 MEDA Breakfast 7:30 – 9 a.m. at Stone Crock Restaurant/Tent behind the building. We’ve missed getting together and look forward to seeing familiar and new faces at our September event! All are welcome to join us for a Thursday morning breakfast, which will feature time to connect and reconnect with each other, and with MEDA. Mark your calendars! Cost is $20 payable online or at the door.

Please note: Waterloo Region’s face covering by-law makes it mandatory for attendees to wear a face covering, except when eating and drinking in their seats. Table capacity will be limited and collection of contact information for contract is also required to attend.

Monday September 20^th & Tuesday September 21^st Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp Fall Seniors Retreat  Join us virtually on September 20^th to explore the topic: “Journey Toward Justice: Equal Rights for Palestinians and Israelis” with Christian Peacemaker Teams and MCEC Palestine-Israel Network. Then gather outdoors with us at Hidden Acres on September 21^st for an informal time of connecting with each other and some of our resource people. For more information visit www.hiddenacres.ca or email info@hiddenacres.ca to register.

Monday September 20^th MCC Ontario Annual General Meeting 7 – 8 p.m.
We deeply appreciate your support, and how you are impacting so many lives in Ontario and around the world. Join us on September 20 for our Annual General Meeting (AGM) as we share MCC Ontario’s financial outcomes and a snapshot of our strategic plan progress. Official Congregational Representatives and Delegates who register as such are entitled to vote. Visit mcco.ca/AGM for details.

Thursday September 30^th – Saturday October 2^nd, 2021

MCC@100 – Mennonites, Service and the Humanitarian Impulse

A Virtual Mennonite Studies Conference at The University of Winnipeg. In 1920, Mennonites in Canada and the U.S. formed Mennonite Central Committee to aid famine-ravaged Mennonite communities in southern Russia (present-day Ukraine). Over the ensuing century, MCC has grown to embrace service in more than 60 countries. This centennial conference presents papers that examine the past, present, and future of MCC. Visit mcco.ca/events to learn more

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

We welcome our sisters and brothers from Tavistock Mennonite Church to our worship gathering over Zoom or in-person.

Register for Sunday morning in-person worship, anytime during the week, by contacting Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca. Please indicate which Sunday you are registering for and who will be attending with you. If Lisa is unable to take your call, leave a message that includes your name and phone number. Your registration will then be confirmed either by email or phone. Deadline to register each week is Saturday by 10 a.m. Please note that registration emails for Sunday August 29^th will be confirmed by Lisa on Saturday August 28^th when she returns from holidays.

If you would like to join us by Zoom please send your request to Pastor Ray at ray@ezmennonite.ca.

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

Labour Day Weekend, Sunday September 5, 2021 will be the last of our Summer Combined Services for 2021. Cassel Mennonite Church will be hosting the service. More details about the service will come in next week’s letter and announcement sheet.

Extending God’s Love

Mennonite Central Committee Requests Prayer and Donations for Haiti

We welcome your gifts to provide emergency support and supplies to those affected. 

Donations to this response can be made online or by calling 519-745-8458 or by mailing a cheque to MCC, 203-50 Kent Ave, Kitchener, ON N2G 3R1. Please indicate Haiti Earthquake Response on the subject line.

Thank you and please join us in prayer for the people of Haiti.

With gratitude, 

John Head
Executive Director, MCC Ontario

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) invites your prayers for Afghanistan – for our partners, and indeed for all our neighbours, in Afghanistan and for a peaceful conclusion to the current tension and fear.

A prayer for Afghanistan

God of safe passage, open the way.

God of hospitality prepare rooms to receive.

God of protection, envelope those in danger.

God of peace, remove the seed and tools of violence.

God of tears, hold us in your embrace.

Oh God we pray that peace would flow down like cooling rain on Afghanistan. AMEN

EZMC Announcements

East Zorra is excited about the season of Sunday worship gatherings this coming fall.  A pool of capable ushers is desired to facilitate the flow of people.  Ray & Lloyd want to meet with these special people. 

They are calling a short meeting on Sept 12 at 9:15 am.  Both those who haven’t ushered in the past, and those very experienced are invited. Anyone interested in helping with ushering can contact Pastor Lloyd to confirm their attendance so he can bring your favourite beverage, and inform of expectations for this frontline position.

EZMC Building Use for Committee Meetings.

A designated meeting space that allows for physical distancing will be located in the basement. The boardroom and other small rooms are closed for now. Please contact Lisa and book the meeting space to ensure that it is available for use. You will be sent the health and safety protocols before your meeting.

We will be printing an updated EZMC Church Family Photo and Address Directory in September 2021. 

• If you moved or have a new phone number since the printing of the Church Directory update page (early 2021) and have not given your updated information to the church office, please do so.
• If you were not in the last directory (printed January 2020) but would now 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 off and she will return 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.
• Deadline to submit is September 8, 2021.
• Please note that we encourage every person or family unit to submit a photo. The gathering restrictions of the last year have reminded us how difficult it is for newer persons to our congregation to get to know people. A picture in a directory helps so much, and is so welcoming! As Lloyd continues to get to know us, and as we anticipate welcoming a new pastor in the Fall, an updated photo directory with pictures of everyone will be a wonderful gift. Thank you so much for your willingness to submit a photo! It is very much appreciated!

Beyond Our Church Community

CommonWord is here for you this fall! CommonWord is a Bookstore and Resource Centre in Winnipeg operated by Mennonite Church Canada and Canadian Mennonite University. As of August 30^th, CommonWord will resume regular hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) serving you with trusted congregational resources, Anabaptist and related books, specialty foods, and new Indigenous products. Visit us CommonWord by phone (1-877-846-1593), email (info@commonword.ca) or online (commonword.ca).

Love Your Neighbour: Vaccination Response
Mennonite World Conference is calling on its members around the world to love their neighbour by donating to UNICEF’s campaign to share coronavirus vaccinations around the world. The Government of Canada will match, dollar for dollar, every donation made by individual Canadians to UNICEF Canada’s COVID-19 vaccination fundraising campaign, up to a maximum of $10 million, until September 6, 2021. Find a weblink to donate to UNICEF in your country.

The August edition of On the Level is now available from Mennonite Disaster Service. In our current issue: MDS volunteers help to renovate and upgrade a 100-year-old office building recently purchased by MCC in Timmins, bridges are constructed in collaboration with Engineers in Action and MDS, and MDS actively monitors the wildfire situation in the western and central U.S. and British Columbia. Click on this link to read more: https://conta.cc/3ggsJhU

Thursday September 16, 2021 MEDA Breakfast 7:30 – 9 a.m. at Stone Crock Restaurant/Tent behind the building. We’ve missed getting together and look forward to seeing familiar and new faces at our September event! All are welcome to join us for a Thursday morning breakfast, which will feature time to connect and reconnect with each other, and with MEDA. Mark your calendars! Cost is $20 payable online or at the door.

Please note: Waterloo Region’s face covering by-law makes it mandatory for attendees to wear a face covering, except when eating and drinking in their seats. Table capacity will be limited and collection of contact information for contract is also required to attend.

Monday September 20^th MCC Ontario Annual General Meeting 7 – 8 p.m.
We deeply appreciate your support, and how you are impacting so many lives in Ontario and around the world. Join us on September 20 for our Annual General Meeting (AGM) as we share MCC Ontario’s financial outcomes and a snapshot of our strategic plan progress. Official Congregational Representatives and Delegates who register as such are entitled to vote. Visit mcco.ca/AGM for details.

September 30^th – October 2^nd, 2021 MCC@100 – Mennonites, Service and the Humanitarian Impulse A Virtual Mennonite Studies Conference at The University of Winnipeg. In 1920, Mennonites in Canada and the U.S. formed Mennonite Central Committee to aid famine-ravaged Mennonite communities in southern Russia (present-day Ukraine). Over the ensuing century, MCC has grown to embrace service in more than 60 countries. This centennial conference presents papers that examine the past, present, and future of MCC. Visit mcco.ca/events to learn more.

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

As we move through summer we will begin to merge together the weekly Pastoral Letter and the Announcement Sheet. We are committed to keep sharing weekly emails with announcement updates, prayer concerns, notes of joy, Jean’s Jottings & Tidbits and pastoral reflections. The format going forward may look a bit different and will evolve along the way. While Lisa our office administrator will pull more of the information together please feel free to keep sharing prayer concerns, or other personal notes, with Ray, Jean and Lloyd. We want to keep the communication flowing. 

Sunday August 15^th 10:30 a.m.

EZMC Outdoor Service at the Queen’s Park Pavilion in Tavistock. 

There will be no zoom service this morning. You are encouraged to linger afterwards and have lunch, so please bring a bag lunch and your own water bottle, and the Congregational Life Committee will top this with ice cream bars & popsicles.  Also, don’t forget your lawn chairs, and choose to sit outside, or under the pavilion. Please register as usual with Lisa so we can respect social distance guidelines in the pavilion. Masks are recommended.

We are planning to record the service and will upload it to the website early in the week.

We look forward to many of you joining us in Queen’s Park Pavilion in Tavistock for our outdoor service this week. If you are unable to join us there we invite you to worship along with others across Canada and join the Nationwide Summer Worship Services.
Mennonite Church Canada is coordinating worship services this summer and they are available at mennonitechurch.ca/worshipservices.  
This Sunday August 15, 2021 the Eigenheim Mennonite Church in Rosthern Saskatchewan will be hosting the service.

Register for Sunday morning in-person worship, anytime during the week, by contacting Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca Please indicate which Sunday you are registering for and who will be attending with you. If Lisa is unable to take your call, leave a message that includes your name and phone number. Your registration will then be confirmed either by email or phone. Deadline to register each week is Saturday by 10 a.m.

Extending God’s Love

We extend God’s love in the world as we share with each other both our struggles and our joys!

EZMC Announcements

EZMC Building Use for Committee Meetings.

A designated meeting space that allows for physical distancing will be located in the basement. The boardroom and other small rooms are closed for now. Please contact Lisa and book the meeting space to ensure that it is available for use. You will be sent the health and safety protocols before your meeting.

EZMC’s Safe Church Policy requires that all volunteers, who work with vulnerable persons, have a current Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC) on file. Thank you to all who volunteer with these ministries.

·         If you received a Volunteer packet prior to the pandemic and completed the process with your local police service but didn’t have a chance to hand in your VSC form to the church office – please do so now.

·         If you received a packet but didn’t have a chance to start the process prior to the pandemic please contact Lisa to receive a new Volunteer packet as many processes changed in the last year.

·         If you have any questions about EZMC’s Safe Church Policy please contact a member of the Safe Church Committee (Marlow Gingerich, Dana Hyde, Susan Schmitz, or Melanie Wiegand)

We will be printing an updated EZMC Church Family Photo and Address Directory in September 2021. 

·         If you moved or have a new phone number since the printing of the Church Directory update page (early 2021) and have not given your updated information to the church office, please do so.

·         If you were not in the last directory (printed January 2020) but would now 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 off and she will return 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.

·         Deadline to submit is September 8, 2021.

·         Please note that we encourage every person or family unit to submit a photo. The gathering restrictions of the last year have reminded us how difficult it is for newer persons to our congregation to get to know people. A picture in a directory helps so much, and is so welcoming! As Lloyd continues to get to know us, and as we anticipate welcoming a new pastor in the Fall, an updated photo directory with pictures of everyone will be a wonderful gift. Thank you so much for your willingness to submit a photo! It is very much appreciated!

Beyond Our Church Community

Gospel Echoes Living Hope Team invites you to join them for an Outdoor Sing. Come hear how God is moving and saving lives inside prison in spite of volunteer visitor restrictions. This event is planned for Friday August 20^th at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday August 22^nd at 2:30 p.m. at Countryside Mennonite Fellowship. Due to Covid19 guidelines, we recommend you wear a mask whenever you are not seated, and unable to social distance.
For more information call 519-595-7000 or email: getontario@gospelechoes.com

Saturday August 21^st MEDA Event – Women Empowering Women | Waterloo, ON:

Join us outdoors for an afternoon of dessert, connection, and learning. Please see MEDA’s website for more information and to RSVP. Space is limited, and early registration is encouraged!

Monday September 20^th  MCC Ontario Annual General Meeting 7 – 8 p.m.
We deeply appreciate your support, and how you are impacting so many lives in Ontario and around the world. Join us on September 20 for our Annual General Meeting (AGM) as we share MCC Ontario’s financial outcomes and a snapshot of our strategic plan progress. Official Congregational Representatives and Delegates who register as such are entitled to vote. Visit mcco.ca/AGM for details.

September 30^th – October 2^nd, 2021  MCC@100 – Mennonites, Service and the Humanitarian Impulse A Virtual Mennonite Studies Conference at The University of Winnipeg. In 1920, Mennonites in Canada and the U.S. formed Mennonite Central Committee to aid famine-ravaged Mennonite communities in southern Russia (present-day Ukraine). Over the ensuing century, MCC has grown to embrace service in more than 60 countries. This centennial conference presents papers that examine the past, present, and future of MCC. Visit mcco.ca/events to learn more.

Undercurrents Podcast: We must own the whole story

As we grieve the growing number of unmarked graves at residential schools across Canada, we are doing a special early release of our first episode of Undercurrents, Season 2. In this episode we talk about the Mennonite church’s participation in the residential school system. We hear from Merle, a former residential school worker who has spent the majority of his adult life working to be accountable for that legacy, and encouraging fellow Christians and settlers to hold themselves accountable, too.   Listen to the episode.