Volume 66 Sunday April 23, 2023 No. 17
Worship Service – Sunday April 23, 2023 at 10 a.m.
Prelude: Glorify Accompanist: Chantelle McNeish
Worship Leader: Jesse Yantzi Song Leader: Melanie Wiegand
Message: Pastor Ray Offering: Relief/MCC
Audio/Visual: Greg Pye/Brian Wagler Coffee Hosts: Michelle & Brad Brenneman
8:30-9:30 a.m. Faith Exploration Class
*Lite breakfast will be provided*
Pre-Service Singing
“Battle Belongs”
“Goodness of God”
“Graves into Gardens”
Welcome and Announcements
Call to Worship and Opening prayer
Songs of Praise
“Death was Arrested”
“This is our God”
Offering – Relief/Mennonite Central Committee
Offering Song: “Awake my Soul”
Time with the Children Sheryl Leis
Scripture Reading: 1 Kings 17:1-24
Message
Song of Response: “Behold Him”
Prayer of the church Pastor Mike
Sending Song: “Living Hope”
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.
Sunday School classes
Nursery to Grade 5 classes are being held downstairs.
Junior Youth class (Grades 6 to 8) meets upstairs in Room #9
Youth class meets upstairs in the MYF room (Room #11)
Adult Sunday School – God’s Story, Our Story: Reading the Bible Together
Following the service and a time of fellowship, you are invited to the basement for a time of discussion as we reflect on the Bible story for the week. Using the questions from the reading schedule to guide us, we will try and figure out what each story means to us today as God’s people. We will plan to keep the Zoom link open and will have a leader to guide discussion for Zoom participants.
This Coming Week
Wednesday April 26th
7 p.m. Worship Committee Meeting
Thursday April 27th
9:30 – 11 a.m. E Z Play Group
Friday April 28th
MYF will be going to Sky Zone Trampoline Park. Meet at 7 pm at the Church. Please RSVP to one of the leaders by April 26. If you are going we need a parent to go online to fill out a waiver. They can also reserve their spot by pre-paying online. It will be the GLOW jump, starting at 8pm. If they have Skyzone socks from a previous visit they can bring them, otherwise they will need to buy a pair from Skyzone for $4.
A reminder to parents that our Safe Church Policy states that an EZMC Child/Youth Participant Registration & Waiver form is required for all participants of activities including those off-site. Please ensure that this form is signed and returned to the church office before the event.
Next Sunday – April 30, 2023
God’s Story, Our Story: Reading the Bible Together
Elijah & Prophets of Baal
Prelude: Heidi Wagler Accompanist: Heidi Wagler
Worship Leader: Marlow Gingerich Song Leader: Myron Ruby
Message: Pastor Mike Offering: Maintenance
Audio/Visual: Drystan Bender/Larry Kropf Coffee Hosts: Janet & Marv Yantzi
8:30 – 9:30 a.m. Faith Exploration Class
Extending God’s Love
EZMC Announcements
Grace Lao Mennonite Church Egg Roll Sale – Please place your order on the sign-up sheet on the main bulletin board or by emailing Lisa at office@ezmennonite.ca. Price is $20 for a box of 10 egg rolls. Vegetarian rolls are also available. Please indicate on your order if you want meat or vegetarian rolls. Orders are due by Sunday April 30th and will be available for pickup at church on Saturday May 6th.
The Health Ministry Team would like to encourage you to participate in learning more about Advance Care Planning and how to start the conversation with your family, friends, or health care providers on what your wishes are.
We will be hosting a Workshop at East Zorra on Sunday Afternoon May 7, 2023
Guest Speaker: Dr. Kenneth Hook will join us at Noon. (Retired Physician, Tavistock Community Health). Pack a lunch to enjoy fellowship together after church. The 1 Hour Presentation will beginat 1:30 p.m in the Sanctuary. There will be opportunity for discussion and questions after. Feel Free to Invite Family and Friends to attend.
Save the Date
On Sunday June 25th East Zorra is planning to hold a special service of Baptism followed by a celebration of the good things that God has done for us this year. More details will follow in the weeks to come.
If you are interested in Baptism, please speak with Pastor Ray or Pastor Mike.
“With spring in the air”, one can’t help but long for the day we can all gather again on the Green Space. Final plans are underway and in a few weeks they can begin with your help. As reported in the annual report – there continues to be a need for funds to complete projects in the amount of 3,670.00. Dawn Zehr can receive your donations by cheque in the offering, dropped at her home or by e-transfer – designated for the Green Space. Thank you for your support.”
Coming Soon! MYF will be taking orders for T shirts, Golf shirts and Hoodies, complete with the EZ Logo. They will be selling these as a fundraiser.
Plans are under way for the donut tent at the Mennonite Relief Sale on May 27! We are going to be back up to full production this year and we will knead a lot of help.
Items needed:
– we are collecting 500 ml plastic tubs and lids – we will reuse then recycle – put in marked box in mailbox entry
– large bowls to borrow for mixing are needed for May 25-27; can be left in kitchen at church
Volunteers needed:
– volunteers to make mashed potatoes by May 26 afternoon (70 2-cup portions needed)
– volunteers are needed for kneading on May 27 (2 hour shifts; 1-3 am, 3-5 am, 5-7 am, 7-9 am; 4 people per shift)
– volunteers are needed for mixing on May 27 (4 hour shifts; 1-5 am; 5-9 am; 2 people per shift)
– volunteers (3 or 4) for clean up at church Saturday afternoon
Anyone interested in helping please contact Greg and Dawn at gdzehr@gmail.com, 519-655-3727(home) or 226-747-6229(Greg’s cell)
Donut Project Set Up
Volunteers are needed for loading supplies on Thursday evening (about 2 hours), May 25 and setting up on Friday morning (a few hours), May 26. Anyone interested should contact Bill Roth at kilbride@rogers.com.
Babylon VBS Update – July 10 -14
We are working on our pre-registration list for kids that want to attend VBS this summer and explore Babylon with us! It’s not too early to let us know you are planning on joining us. Adults of the church, we need your help! We already have over 70 children wanting to come to VBS this summer, so we need leaders to make this happen. This curriculum is relevant and meaningful and we as adults have lots to learn from it too. Each role that needs to be filled for the week comes with a very well laid out manual, so you don’t need to plan out lessons, just read ahead to be prepared to share what you have read with the children. Please check out our bulletin board for “job descriptions” or speak with Naomi or Ashley if you want to help out but don’t know where you might fit in best. Help for the full week or just a few days is welcomed. Thank you for considering this important ministry opportunity.
Naomi Witzel naomiwitzel8@gmail.com
Ashley Witzel ezvbsbabylon@gmail.com
Friday May 5, 6:30pm and Saturday May 6, 8:30-3:00 LADIES! LET’S WATCH GOD MOVE!
Join us for our first EZ Women’s IF: Gathering retreat at East Zorra Church
What: IF Gathering is not only a weekend event but a discipleship ministry focused on putting tools and resources in the hands of women in the church. IF is working to empower women to reclaim discipleship as God’s means to change the world.
IF Gathering 2023: We desperately want to stay faithful in these times, but we know we can’t muster up the faith all on our own. Join us for IF: 2023 where we will gather for two days in worship, fellowship with one another, in prayer and with our Bibles, to remind each other that God is who we need and that He WILL provide. EZ Women of ALL ages. Invite your friends and family!
Cost: 25$/person. This includes breakfast Saturday morning and lunch. Friday evening we encourage all those who are able to bring an appetizer to share.
How: Signup by Apr 16th on the sheet posted on the bulletin board at the back of the church or email Ashley Witzel at ashleywitzel@gmail.com so she can send you the registration form. **Registration Forms have been sent out via Email. If you haven’t received a form, check your Spam folder or email Ashley and she will resend. If you have any questions please speak to, Ashley Witzel, Jess Yantzi, Erin Yantzi or Sheryl Leis.
Beyond Our Church Community
MDS (Mennonite Disaster Service) has an urgent need for volunteers in Cape Breton helping with work after Hurricane Fiona. Volunteers are needed Are you able to serve? We need volunteers the weeks of May 7-13, May 28-June 3, Jun 25-July 1, Aug 20-26, Sept 4-10 and Sept 18-24. To volunteer, contact Clara Flores at cflores@mds.org or 866-261-1274. Travel subsidies are available.
Donations for the work in Cape Breton are also welcome! Visit www.mds.org to give.
The April edition of On the Level is now available from Mennonite Disaster Service. In our current issue: Director of Canadian Operations Ross Penner shares about the work of MDS in Cape Breton; learn why some Canadian volunteers feel driven to participate in the RV (recreational vehicle) program; volunteers in Florida deliver hope just in time for Easter.
Click on this link to read more: https://conta.cc/3KOPMyU
Monday April 24th 6 pm New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale Promotion Dinner at Floradale Mennonite Church. More than just a meal, the NHMRS Promotion Dinner is a chance to connect with community and support MCC! Enjoy a delicious buffet-style dinner and hear an update on the stationary meat canner from MCC Ontario Material Resource Coordinator Jon Lebold. Tickets are $25 and are payable at the door. Reservations must be made in advance by emailing Justin Armitage or calling Justin at 519-745-8458 ext. 262.
Friday April 28th & Saturday April 29th MCEC Annual Church Gathering,
Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, Kitchener, ON. Transformed. Inspired. Called.
Join new and now friends as we grow, learn and serve together as a community of faith. Fanosie Legesse, MCEC Intercultural Mission Minister, will encourage and challenge us on Friday night at a Mass Intercultural Worship Service. Followed by a Saturday filled with celebration, learning, much discussion and worship. All are welcome! How do we choose to live a life of constant transformation, unceasing inspiration and filled with courage to stay strong in our calling? When we worship and pray togther, we become grounded in God’s love and conected to the Spirit’s movement. Come and gather as God’s people across MCEC. More information is available at the following link:
2023-04-28 – Annual Church Gathering 2023 – Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (mcec.ca)
Living below the line
Sunday April 30th 2:30 p.m. at Stirling Ave Mennonite Church, in Kitchener
Saturday May 13th 2 p.m. at Wellesley Mennonite Church
Living Below the Line is a stereotype-busting work about struggle, resilience and hope. In collaboration with Watercourse Theatre, 14 people living in poverty offer perspectives on mental health, disabilities and homelessness. There is no charge to attend, but donations are accepted on-site. For more info, go to mcco.ca/events.
Monday May 1st Hidden Acres Spring Seniors Retreat 2023 – Unlearning Loneliness: Relearning Community. Join us for a day or fellowship, learning and music with friends new and old! We will be hearing from Chip Bender and Cathi Watson as we reconnect and relearn how to live more fully as relational human beings created in God’s image. For more information and to register visit our website at www.hiddenacres.ca or contact the office at info@hiddenacres.ca or 519-625-8602.
Saturday May 6th 7:30 p.m. Menno Singers and artistic director Brandon Leis present our Spring Concert – ‘a light exists in spring…In nature, nothing is perfect and everything is perfect.’ at St Jacobs Mennonite Church (1310 King St. N, St Jacobs). on $25 Adults. $5 Children/Students.Tickets available on-line or at the door (cash or credit) www.mennosingers.com