February 26, 2023

February 26, 2023
Lent 2023 – Created in the Image of God, Shaped by Jesus
Lent 1: Shaped by the Lean and Fragile Places

Gathering

Prelude

Call to Worship & Prayer

We Are Often Tossed and Driven     VT 311

Psalm 32

Confession & Assurance

I Want Jesus to Walk with Me     VT 306

Hearing

Children’s Time

Jesus, Tempted in the Desert     VT 307

Matthew 4:1-11

Sermon – Those Fragile and Holy Spaces

Responding

When the Storms of Life Are Raging vv. 1-3    VT 595

Lent Reflection Questions

Gift of Music

Congregational Prayer

Faith Formation Moment

Offering and Offertory

Announcements

Seeds     VT 777

Benediction

Postlude

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Leading us in worship:
Worship Leader: Dwight Brenneman
Accompanist: Grant Movold
Song Leader: Sara Roth
Children’s Time: Ardys Brenneman
Congregational Prayer: Joy Wagler
Sermon: Pastor Sara Erb
Formation Moment: Suzanne Bender
A/V: Paul Hammer and Ben Winter

An unsupervised nursery is available across from the washrooms for children ages 5 and under.

Kids Offering:  Mennonite Central Committee’s Ukraine Emergency Response: https://bit.ly/3vMq9I1. NEW update from a recent trip to Ukraine: http://bit.ly/3XyJcRz

February Special Offering: House of Friendship’s ShelterCare Move-In Fund. During February about 100 of the most unwell men in our Region will gradually move into a new, innovative place for dignified, wrap-around 24/7 care. (We get to be part of this step!) https://bit.ly/3kA1sMI

Today
Coffee, tea & juice available in the fellowship hall following the service.

Christian Education (Sunday School) for all ages:
11:00 – 12 p.m. Children’s Sunday School (Age 2 – Gr. 4), basement
11:15 – 12 p.m. Jr. Youth (Gr. 5-8) & MYF (Gr. 9-12+), basement.
Adult Ed., Fellowship Hall, AGM Information session re: by law amendments and 2023 congregational spending plan.

11 a.m. Zoom Coffee Time.

Next Sunday March 5 – Lent 2
9:45 a.m. – Livestream and in-person worship in the fellowship hall
Theme: Created in the Image of God, Shaped by Jesus
Scripture:  John 3:1-17  Shaped by new birth
Speaker: Pastor Steve Drudge

11:00 a.m. AGM in-person & Zoom. Report books including the agenda, membership policy update and by-law amendments are available on the table in the main hallway.
MYF & Jr. Youth Chili fundraiser lunch following the meeting.

Congregational Life
Feb. 28 (Tues) 4 – 5 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Pickleball.

Feb. 28 (Tues.) 7 p.m. AGM Information session, on Zoom.

March 1 (Wed.) Morning & afternoon – All women invited to the church to knot comforters and/or quilt. Bring a bag lunch. Drinks provided.

March 2 (Thur.) 3:30 p.m. PCRC meeting

March 10 (Fri.) 5:30 p.m. in the gym, TGIF returns. This is a meal for young families that you don’t have to make or plan!  If interested, please RSVP to darryl.drudge@gmail.com by the Wednesday, March 1st. Cost will be split, but it’s usual around $20 per family.

August 14-18, 2023 (mornings) Baden Summer Bible Camp. Save The Date!  Please contact Sara Roth (519-498-7907 or badensbc@gmail.com) if you would consider helping out in any capacity.  We will be looking for volunteers during this week for worship and drama, Bible study, STEAM activities (science, technology, engineering, art, math), and active games, snacks and group leaders. Children and adults are invited to see and experience the transforming love of God.

Oct. 13-14 (Fri. – Sat.) Women’s Retreat. Save the date.  Watch for more details.  Organizer: Sandy Scheerer.

A big delivery for the Relief Sale Auction & Craft Tent happened this week! Including: the ‘Broken Star’ quilt (Steinmann & St. Agatha quilters), 4 never used quilts and a vintage quilt (donated by Irene Jutzi), and 4 crocheted afghans (Irene Jutzi & Cathy Winger). A big thank you to all these generous women.

MYF (Grades 9-12+)
Mar 3 (Fri.) & 5 (Sun.): Chili fundraiser. Prepping the chili Friday night at 7pm. Serving and clean up during the AGM on Sunday.

Jr. Youth (Grades 5-8)
March 5 (Sun.): Chili Fundraiser – helping to serve and clean up during the AGM.

KidsLIFE (Grades 1-5)
March 1 (Wed.) 6 – 7:30 p.m. Wear green for St. Patrick’s Day

Small Groups
March 9 (Thurs.) 10-11:30 a.m. – Women’s Bible study will be meeting in person and on Zoom. Studying “Expecting Emmanuel – Eight Women Who Prepared the Way”. Read pages 110118. Questions – talk to Lynelle Drudge, Joy Wagler or Darlene Gingerich.

Feb. 28 (Tues.) 10 a.m. The Adult Bible Study led by Wes Leis will meet in the old board room  at the church. Studying “The Uniqueness of Jesus”. Everyone is welcome.

Wider Community
Feb. 26 (Sun.) 2:30 pm, St Jacobs Mennonite Church (1310 King St North, St Jacobs). Book launch, These Songs We Sing: Reflections on the Hymns We Have Loved, by Carla Klassen. (Pandora Press https://www.pandorapress.com/#/ ). Admission by donation.

March 3-5  Pastors In Exile Winter Camp for Grownups – young adults (in their 20s or 30s) – with Steph (PiE pastor) and Silver Lake Mennonite Camp. Details and registration: http://bit.ly/3Ea1GAN.

March 5 (Fri.), 2:00 pm.  World Day of Prayer service at Zion United Church, New Hamburg in-person and zoom https://bit.ly/3YYAiye

March 13 (Mon.) Grandparent and Grandchild Day at Hidden Acres. Grades 1-6. Theme: God of Wonders: Discovering the Creator through space. www.hiddenacres.ca

March 25 (Sat.) Hidden Acre’s Annual Bowlathon. Anthony Helmuth is once again bowling. To sponsor Anthony go to www.hiddenacres.ca/donate

June 4-7 International Conference on Ageing and Spirituality, hosted by Conrad Grebel. Registration is now open. Early bird pricing available until Mar 18. Visit uwaterloo.ca/ageing-spirituality/ for more information and to register.

The New Hamburg Thrift Center needs more donated items to sell.  If you have items to donate, don’t wait.

Silver Lake Mennonite Camp: Winter and Spring Retreats:  Winter Camp for Grown-Ups (Mar 3-5), March Break Family Getaway (Mar 14-17). Go to https://bit.ly/3ugT85T for more info and to register.

Personal Notes
Congratulations to Leonard Schwartzentruber who is celebrating his 84th birthday on Friday, March 3.

Remember in Prayer
This week join Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) in prayer for Warden Underground, Scarborough Ontario.

Lent 1 – Reflection Questions

  1.     Have you ever experienced a time when it felt like God was far away and your faith felt fragile?
  2.     What did you learn as you travelled through that time?
  3.     How has your understanding of Jesus been shaped by these ‘lean faith’ times?