East Zorra Mennonite Church
Volume 67 Sunday December 1, 2024 No. 48
Sunday December 1, 2024
Watch Out! God is on the Way
Advent Week One: Meanwhile…
Prelude/Accompanist: Katie Wagler Song Leader: Lindsay Zehr
Greeters: Mike Williamson & Brandy Sell Worship Leader: Marlow Gingerich
Audio/Visual: Todd Bender/Larry Kropf Offering: Mission Partners
Coffee Hosts: Gloria & Tom Roth Message: Pastor Ray
Prelude
Words of Welcome & Announcements
Call to Worship
Opening Prayer
Songs of Gathering & Praise VT #217 “Hark! The Glad Sound!”
VT #215 “Oh, How Shall I Receive Thee”
Offering – Mission Partners
Time with the Children & Lighting of the Advent Candles – Dana Hyde
Scripture Reading: Isaiah 64: 1 – 9 & Mark 13: 24 – 37
Message – Pastor Ray
Song of Response VT #218 “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus”
Sharing & Prayer of the Church – Pastor Mike
Sending Song VT #715 “Longing for Light”
Benediction
Today
Coffeetime in the basement immediately following worship. Everyone is welcome. We would ask that everyone provides their own mug to help simplify the preparation and clean up time. We will provide mugs for those who forget theirs or who come as guests on a Sunday morning.
11 a.m. Sunday School classes for all ages.
12 p.m. Private Party
12 – 12:30 pm Live Nativity Walk Through – We will do a quick walk through of the set for all characters and guides who can attend.
This Coming Week
Tuesday December 3rd
- 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Sewing Circle – Everyone is welcome to join us to knot comforters or quilt
Wednesday December 4th
- 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. Coffee and Bible Study
- E Z Play Group setup
- 6:30 p.m. CENT Meeting
Thursday December 5th
- 9:30 – 11 a.m. E Z Play Group
Friday December 6th
- Live Nativity Setup
Saturday December 7th
- 5-8 p.m. Live Nativity. (Weather date Sunday December 8)
Thanks to everyone who has volunteered to help make this event happen!
Please promote this event with others so that we can share the Christmas story with many!
Birthdays
Monday December 2nd: Zac Yantzi
Tuesday December 3: Shirley Roth, Callie Brenneman
Friday December 6: Angela Wagler, Greg Schwass, Madelyn Kropf
Saturday December 7: Kendell Rempel
Next Sunday – December 8, 2024
Watch Out! God is on the Way
Advent Week Two: Surprised
Prelude/Accompanist: Glorify Song Leader: Glorify
Greeters: Donna & Jim Witzel Worship Leader: Dawn Bender
Audio/Visual: Greg Pye/Brian Wagler Offering: MCEC & MC Canada
Coffee Hosts: Carol & Owen Cook Message: Pastor Mike
This Advent season, we will be drawing on a resource by Will Willimon called Heaven and Earth: Advent and the Incarnation. In it, Willimon challenges readers to wrestle anew with scripture traditionally heard during the Advent season. He writes “You’ve got four weeks to adjust to the jolt of God taking time for us…So brace yourself. God is on the way.”
Advent is a time of recommitting ourselves to the God who is decisively committed to us in Jesus Christ – even if that commitment makes us squirm. The following Scripture readings are meant to help us prepare, grow, and even squirm before the God who is coming to us.
Let us heed the call of John the Baptist, last of the prophets who cries out: “Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”
Bible Readings for Week Two: Surprised
December 2nd to 6th
Monday Isaiah 40:1-11
Tuesday Psalm 85
Wednesday 2 Peter 3:1-10
Thursday 2 Peter 3:11-18
Friday Mark 1:1-8
Extending God’s Love
Raymond Ramseyer appreciates the thoughts, prayers, visits, and rides since his Stroke Episode in early October. He has had a follow up visit with a specialist who is pleased with his progress. Raymond has chosen to make some life decisions which includes retiring from driving and making a move to The Maples Retirement Home sometime after Christmas. Please remember him while he anticipates this change in living environment and downsizing from his home.
We invite your ongoing prayers for Mary Ropp. Mary was moved to the Rotary Hospice in Stratford on Tuesday. Your prayers of God’s comfort and peace are very much appreciated.
EZMC Announcements
Church Directory Update Page – We are not printing a full church directory in 2024. Please send any address, email or phone updates, that have taken place since the last directory printing in November 2023, to Lisa by Tuesday December 10th. She will be printing a directory update page later in December. Thanks so much.
Saturday December 14th 8 a.m. The Live Nativity Sets will be removed and put away. Please contact Joe Wagler if you can help with this.
Christmas Giving Gift Card Project
Each Sunday during Advent as you come to worship the worship committee will be collecting Gift Cards that we will distribute to Tavistock Assistance Program (TAP) and Wilmot Family Resource Centre. There will be a box in the foyer for you to place your gift cards. While any gift card amount is welcome, $25 Gift Cards (or lower) become the most useful to distribute. The Gift cards most requested are: Shell, PC, Esso, Petro-Canada, Walmart. Winners, IDA, Shoppers Drugmart. Each week, beginning December 8. we will display ornaments on a Christmas Tree to mark the number of cards we have received. Thank you for any contribution you can make to the Christmas giving project!
Beyond our Church Community
TODAY, Sunday December 1st, at TMC (Tavistock Mennonite Church)!
2 p.m. “An A Capella Christmas” performed by the Twin City Harmonizers, with special guest, Nichelle Bauman. All your favourite Christmas songs sung in 4-part harmony
TICKETS WILL STILL BE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR. $20/adults, $15/youth & students, free for children 12 and under.
Join us for this exciting afternoon in support of TMC Refugee Sponsorship Fund and Harmonize for Speech.
Sunday December 1st 7:30 p.m. You are invited to attend the Area Churches Christmas Choir Concert at Steinmann Mennonite Church (1316 Snyder’s Rd W Baden). There will be a freewill offering in support of Mennonite Central Committee’s Meat Canning Project. Doors open at 7 p.m.
Tuesday December 3rd Students of Rockway Mennonite Collegiate invite you to their annual Christmas Concert to be held at Rockway at 7:30 pm. For more information, please visit our concert webpage.
All are welcome. https://rockway.ca/events/christmas-concert/
Sunday December 8th 7:30 p.m. Menno Singers with Artistic Director Brandon Leis invites you to a service of Lessons and Carols, with choral music for the season, plus readings and congregational singing. (Trillium Lutheran Church, 22 William St, Waterloo): Tickets $25, Child/Student $5 at the door or from choir members.
Tuesday December 10th 12 p.m. Lunch and Listen: An MCC Journey through Uganda, in the Community Room, 50 Kent Ave., Kitchener or online.
Join us for an inspiring presentation as MCC staff Lynda Lynch and Debbie Siertsema share their experiences from a recent learning tour in Uganda, where they explored MCC’s impactful programs across the region. Join us in-person in the Community Room, 50 Kent Ave., Kitchener or watch the livestream on Facebook.
Friday December 13th 7 p.m. Menno Youth Ensemble is excited to present our Christmas concert: For the Beauty of the Earth, at Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church. The concert will explore the wonders of nature and the joys of the Christmas season through choral music, original compositions, and carols. Admission is by donation.
Friday January 10th & Saturday January 11th 7 p.m. Bonhoeffer: Cell 92 – | A cinematic theatre production created by Jerry Holsopple and Justin Poole. This thought-provoking single actor play focuses on the final period of Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s life, a German pastor and theologian involved in the Protestant resistance to Hitler and National Socialism. Two nights only, at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo. Tickets: uwaterloo.ca/grebel/events/bonhoeffer-cell-92
January 25, 2025, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Join us for the Great Winter WarmUp!
at the MCC Material Resources Centre, 65 Heritage Dr, New Hamburg
Get ready to cozy up at the Great Winter WarmUp! We’re inviting you, your friends and your family to the MCC Material Resource Centre for a fun-filled comforter knotting blitz. Together, we’ll create handmade comforters that bring warmth and remind those in need that they are loved and cared for. No experience? No problem! Whether you’re a pro at knotting or trying it for the first time, everyone is welcome. Enjoy some hot beverages, connect with great people and help us spread warmth and comfort this winter. We can’t wait to see you there and share some warmth together! For more info, go to mcc.org/events.
Mail delivery this Christmas will likely be impacted by the postal strike
While this creates uncertainty for many Canadians, we want to reassure you that Mennonite Central Committee’s work continues. Your generosity makes it possible for us to bring Christ’s love to those in need and we’re here to ensure you can stay engaged with the issues you care about. If you usually send your donations through the mail, here are some secure alternatives to consider:
?Donate Online: Make a secure donation anytime on our website. It’s quick, easy and safe. To support MCC this Christmas season, go to https://mcc.org/christmas.
☎️Call-In Donations: Prefer to donate by phone? Call us at 1-888-622-6337, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Our team will be happy to assist you.
This Christmas, we’re grateful to partner with you in spreading warmth, hope, and Christ’s love around the world. Thank you for your continued support during this season of giving.
Due to the Canada Post strike, Mennonite Disaster Services encourages you to consider their online and telephone giving options this Christmas season.
You can:
- Donate online at mds.org/donate-canada; or
- Make a credit card donation by calling us toll-free at 1(866) 261-1274.
Your gift will bring hope, warmth and a community of volunteers around those who need it most — so that disaster survivors don’t face a difficult journey towards recovery alone.