December 1, 2024 Advent 1 Bulletin

“Together on the Journey”
Advent 1: December 1, 2024
Between a Rock & a Hard Place: How do we continue on?
9:30 – 9:45 am: Carol singing
Beginning the journey together ….
Call to Worship
Hymn: O Come, O Come, Immanuel VT 210
Candle Lighting
Theme Hymn: How Many Times We Start Again VT 553
….listening for God’s voice along the way …
Children’s Time
Gift of Music
Scripture: Daniel 6:1-23 (selections)
Sermon: Waiting, Longing, Trusting
….receiving what we need …
Hymn: We Come VT 225
Receiving new members: Glenn & Esther Buck
Congregational Sharing and Prayer
Offering and Offertory
….Continuing the journey as God’s people.
Announcements
Hymn: God, Be With Us VT 613
Benediction
Postlude

Leading us in worship:
Prelude/Offertory/Postlude: Lorie Yantzi
Song Leader/Children’s Story: Suzanne Bender
Candle Lighters: Brian & Carol Sararus; David & Lora Count
Voices: Kylee and Claire
Worship Leader: Kim Lichti
Scripture: Joy Wagler
Gift of Music: Elaine Finnie, Darryl Drudge, Stephen Yantzi
Sermon: Pastor Ben Cassels
Congregational Prayer: Shirley Kennel
A/V: Steve Kennel, Ben Winter

An unsupervised nursery is available across from the washrooms for children ages five and under. Parents are expected to supervise their children while in the nursery.

Special/Coin Offering – Christmas Day Dinners.

Today
Christian Education (Sunday School) for all ages:
11:00 – 12 pm Children’s Sunday School (Age 2 – Gr. 4), basement
11:15 – 12 pm Jr. Youth (Gr. 5-8) & MYF (Gr. 9-12+), basement
Adult Ed., Fireplace Room

Coffee Time following worship in the Fellowship Hall.

Last day for Choose your own Advent(ure) Calendar.

Area Churches Christmas Choir Concert at 7:30 pm. Doors open at 7 pm. Freewill offering in support of MCC Ontario Meat Canning Project.

Next Sunday
9:45 am Livestream and in-person worship
Scripture: Joel 2:12-13, 28-29
Speaker: Pastor Sara Erb

The LGBTQ+ Discernment Ad Hoc group will be sharing the results of the recent congregational survey, during Sunday School in the Fellowship Hall on Sunday, December 8. All are welcome and encouraged to attend as we move forward together.

This week at Steinmann MC
Dec 2 (Mon) 6:30 – 9 pm: Pickleball CANCELLED (Blood Clinic)
Dec 3 (Tues) 6:30 – 9 pm: Pickleball

Dec 4 (Wed) Mennonite Women: All women invited to the church to knot comforters and/or quilt. Bring a bag lunch. Drinks provided.

MYF (Grades 9-12+)
Dec 6 (Fri) 7-10 pm: Family Dinner Potluck at Pastor Sara’s place. Bring your favourite appetizer to share.

Dec 13 (Fri), 7-10 pm: Christmas Party at Elaine Finnie’s place.

Jr. Youth (Grades 5-8)
Dec 13 (Fri) 7-11pm: Lock-in (Lite). A late night event at the church filled with food, games, conversations, and adventure! Feel free to wear your jammies.

Small Groups
Dec 3 (Tues) 7:30pm: Book Study on Field Notes for the Wilderness by Sarah Bessey. Meeting every Tuesday in homes. For more information contact Ashley Drudge (ad.drudge@gmail.com) or Janessa Otto (janessaotto@gmail.com).

Dec 11 (Wed) 10 am: Adult Bible Study in the Fireplace room, led by Wes Leis. Special Scripture Study for this year will be 2 Timothy 3:16 – 4:1-5. Everyone is welcome.

Congregational Life
The Kitchen Committee is missing our VERY LARGE stock pots. If you know where these might be stored, please contact Lynne in the church office, or Carol Roth, Joyce Erb, or Susan Seyler.

Please correct Ray McAllister’s phone number in the directory to 226-388-8777.

New phone number for Dorothy Boyle: 519-576-8026

Dec 6 (Fri) 11 pm: Steinmann Bruins, Church League Hockey Game at Wilmot Rec Centre.

Vision Focus Team (VFT) meeting on December 11.

Come and celebrate Ralph Gingerich’s 90th birthday, Saturday, December 14, from 2-5 pm in the Fellowship Hall. Best wishes only. Donations for the food bank are welcome.

Joys & Concerns
Happy 52nd Wedding Anniversary to Milton & Margaret Mohr on December 2.

Happy Birthday to Delores Swartzentruber (86) on December 6.

Happy Birthday to Ethel Zehr (92) on December 7.

Please pray for Kathryn Bender of Vesper Springs as she awaits surgery on Friday, and then recovers from a broken hip. Thanks, Tom & Ruthanne Bender

Continue to pray for ongoing healing and hope for:
*  Ken Hofstetter recovering at home from surgery.
*  Janet Day whose pain from shingles is ongoing.
*  Carolyn Steckle awaiting a date for aortic valve replacement surgery.

Community Events
Dec 3 (Tues) 7:30 pm: Students of Rockway Mennonite Collegiate invite you to their annual Christmas Concert to be held at Rockway. For more information, please visit our concert webpage. All are welcome.