Epiphany Sunday, January 7, 2024
How will we know …what we know?
Gathering
Prelude
Call to Worship & Prayer
Candle Lighting: See Whose Glory Fills the Skies VT 274
Hearing
Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-6
Hymn: Arise, Your Light Is Come! VT 273
Children’s Time
Drama
Hymn: O Beautiful Star of Bethlehem VT 275
Scripture: Matthew 2:1-12
Sermon:
Responding
Hymn of the month: We’ve Come This Far by Faith VT 599
Congregational Sharing & Prayer
Offering & Offertory
Announcements
Hymn: This Little Light of Mine VT 762
Benediction
Postlude
An unsupervised nursery is available across from the washrooms for children ages 5 and under. Parents are expected to supervise their children while in the nursery.
Leading us in worship:
Worship Leader/Scripture reader: Kim Lichti
Song Leader: Nancy Steinmann Yantzi
Children’s Time: Pam Carter
Prelude/Postlude: Lorie Yantzi
Offertory: Leah & friends
Candle lighters: Keith Wagler, Karolyn Fournier
Drama: Brian & Carol Sararus
Sermon: Darryl Drudge
Congregational Prayer: Pastor Louise Wideman
AV: Steve Carter, Steve Kennel
January 2024 Special Offerings are in support of LYNC (Love Your Neighbour Communities), building affordable housing in New Hamburg. For more information or to donate directly, please visit https://lyncommunities.com/donate/
Today
Coffee & tea 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. 5), basement
11:15 – 12 p.m. Jr. Youth (Gr. 6-8) & MYF (Gr. 9-12+), basement
Adult Ed., Fireplace Room
We kindly ask, if the worship service ends early, that you continue to stay with your children until the 11 a.m. start time for Sunday School and Snack.
11:00 a.m. Zoom Coffee Time.
Next Sunday January 14
9:45 a.m. Livestream and in-person worship .
Scripture: Luke 15:11-24, 25-32
Speaker: Pastor Ben Cassels
Congregational Life
Jan. 9 (Tues.) 4 – 5 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Pickleball.
Jan. 28 (Sun.) noon – Save the date! All church potluck – watch for more details to come.
Highlights form the December 13th Vision Focus Team Meeting:
- Our Pastors shared a proposed calendar of activities for our 2024 Bicentennial year beginning in late January with a Care Team Potluck.
- The Vision Focus Team is looking forward to our annual retreat day on January 13, 2024.
- We received an update from the Finance Committee on their work with transitioning to our new system. VFT is grateful for their time and effort!
MYF (Grades 9-12+)
Reminder to sign up for the Winter Retreat (Feb 9-10) and the March Break Trip (Mar 9-13) by this Friday, Jan 12th
Jan 19 (Fri.) 7:40 p.m. – Virtual Reality Gaming at CTRL V. Carpooling, meet at church at 7:40pm, or meet there at 8pm.
Jan 26, (Fri.) 7-10 p.m.. Bible Study at the church.
Jr. Youth (Grades 5-8)
Reminder to sign up for the Winter Retreat (Feb 9-10) by this Friday, Jan 12th
Jan 11 (Thur.) 6:30-8 p.m. Pizza and Movie Night at the church
Jan 21 (Sun.) 1-5 p.m. Jr. Youth Day at Rockway. Register by Jan 14th, and let Pastor Sara know once you’ve registered.
KidsLIFE (Grades 1-5)
Jan. 17 (Wed.), 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Small Groups
Jan. 25 (Thurs.) 10:00 a.m. – Women’s Bible study group meeting at the church in the Fireplace area. Read chapter 4 of “Let The Light In”. All women are welcome. Contact person – Darlene Gingerich.
Remember in Prayer
Congratulation to Elmer & Ethel Zehr who are celebrating their 71st anniversary on Wednesday, January 10.
We extend our sympathy to the family of Vernetta Steinman. Vernetta died December 29th. Visitation was Saturday, January 6 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm at the Mark Jutzi Funeral Home. Memorial service is today, Sunday, January 7 at 2:30 pm at Steinmann Mennonite Church. The committal service will take place at 1:45 pm on January 7, prior to the service. Let us pray for the Steinman family as they prepare for this public farewell.
Let us remember Norma and John Iutzi. Yesterday, Norma slipped on the ice and broke her kneecap. Norma requests prayer for comfort and healing.
Continue to pray for Sherry Erb and her son Chris. Chris is at home receiving care for an abdominal blood clot.
Community
Jan. 11 (Thur.) 7 – 8:30 pm. Rockway Mennonite Collegiate’s grade 11 Land-Based Leadership class invites you to join them for a workshop featuring the Canadian Geographic Indigenous Peoples Atlas of Canada. This map honours and values Indigenous knowledge, science, learning, navigation and the stories that were shared by the Indigenous experts who contributed to this project. All are welcome.
Jan. 16 (Tues.) 7 p.m. Free film screening of “Night Raiders” at Zion United Church, 215 Peel St., New Hamburg. No registration necessary. Sponsored by Wilmot Ecumenical Working Group on Indigenous/Settler Relationships.
Jan. 19-21 (Fri. – Sun.) Father & Kids Retreat at Silver Lake Mennonite Camp. Every year, Pastor Ben & his two kids attend and it would be fun to have others come too! Info & registration at slmc.ca
Jan. 26-27 (Fri.-Sat.) Becoming Good Relatives. In this one-and-a-half-day retreat sponsored by MCC, author and speaker Patty Krawec will use Anishinaabe teachings to help participants reflect on their social and individual histories in order to improve their capacity to have difficult conversations with others about Canadian history and current impacts on Indigenous people. If interested contact Gladys Bender
Silver Lake Mennonite Camp Retreats – Many fun retreats coming up this winter! Detailed descriptions and to register for the weekends slmc.ca/retreats
Elaine Ranney, Principal of Rockway Mennonite Collegiate, announced in December that she will be retiring June 30, 2024.