March 9, 2025 Bulletin
Lent Theme: “The Lord’s Prayer: Praying with Jesus”
March 9, 2025 – Lent 1
“Our Father in heaven, holy is your name.”
Gathering to praise….
Prelude
Welcome
Call to Worship & Prayer
Hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy! VT 76
Scripture: Matthew 6:7-15
Lord’s Prayer Reflection
Hymn-of-the-month: Our God in Heaven VT 673
…to listen for God’s Spirit….
Children’s Time
Hymn: The Glory of These Forty Days VT 305
Confession & Assurance
Scripture: Mark 1:9-13
Sermon: Our Father in Heaven, Holy is Your Name.
…..that transforms us ….
Hymn: Come Away from Rush and Hurry VT 9
Congregational Prayer
Offering & Offertory
….and sends us forth as bearers of God’s love.
Announcements
Hymn: Loving Spirit VT 697
Benediction
Postlude
Leading us in worship:
Accompanist: Lorie Yantzi
Song Leader: Sara Roth
Worship Leader: Melody Steinman
Congregational Prayer: Shirley Kennel
Scripture Readers: Melody Steinman, Muriel Poole
Children’s Time: Courtney Hobbs
Lord’s Prayer Reflection: Melody Steinman
Sermon: Pastor Ben Cassels
A/V: Cliff Kennel, Steve Kennel
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 this morning is in support of the Breakfast Club which is a joint effort between Steinmann Mennonite Church and Hillcrest Mennonite Church to provide meals for children at local schools.
Thanks to your generosity, $479 was given to Wilmot Family Resource Centre through the Coldest Night of The Year coin offering.
Today
Christian Education (Sunday School) for all ages:
11 – 12:15 pm Children’s Sunday School (Age 2 – Gr. 4) basement
11:15 – 12:15 pm Jr. Youth (Gr. 5-8)
MYF and Adult Ed.: Follow-up conversation from Resourcing Days with Dan Epp-Tiessen regarding LGBTQ+ Listening & Discerning.
Pastor Sara is at Waterloo Kitchener United Mennonite church this morning, leading part two of a two-part series on Faith and Trauma. (rescheduled from February)
Next Sunday
9:45 am Livestream and in-person worship
Speaker: Pastor Louise Wideman
Lent 2: The Lord’s Prayer; Luke 13:31-35
Pre-AGM Meeting during Sunday School
This week at Steinmann MC
Mar 10 & 11 (Mon & Tues): Pickleball
Mar 13 (Thurs) 7 pm: LGBTQ+ Listening & Discerning Ad Hoc
Mar 16 (Sun) 11:15 am: AGM Prep Meeting
MYF (Grades 9-12+)
Mar 20 (Thurs) 7:30 – 9 pm: Bible Quizzing Practice, Chapters 19-20
Mar 21 (Fri): Grebel Play
Jr. Youth (Grades 5-8)
Mar 26 (Wed) 5:30 – 7:30 pm: Dinner out
KidsLIFE (Grades 1-5)
Mar 19 (Wed) 6:30 pm: Baking Night with Dianne and Paulette.
Small Groups
Mar 7 (Fri) 5:30 pm: TGIF A gathering of young families for a meal that you don’t have to make or plan! If interested, RSVP to darryl.drudge@gmail.com by the Wednesday prior.
Mar 13 (Thurs) 10 am: Women’s Book Study. All women are invited to attend. Meeting 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month. This is the first meeting using devotional “Prone to Wander, A Lenten Journey with Women in the Wilderness” by Joanna Harader. Contact Darlene Gingerich for more info.
Congregational Life
Lent Prayer Practice: Various versions of the Lord’s prayer are available in bookmark form to journey with you during Lent this year. Choose the version(s) you wish to explore. Traditional, Contemporary, Child Friendly, even Pennsylvania Dutch! May we encounter God’s love as this prayer shapes our lives.
Mar 20 (Thurs): 9 am – 12 noon Steinmann members are needed to help cut rags at the MCC Material Resources Centre. Thank you for your help.
The Annual Bowl-a-thon fundraiser for Hidden Acres Camp is approaching! Anthony Helmuth is collecting donations. There is a sheet by the mailboxes for ways to donate and to sign up as a donor.
Joys & Concerns
Pray for Lynn Yantzi as he recuperates at home following a heart procedure on Monday.
We extend our sympathy to Sharon Wismer and family. Sharon’s brother, Jerry Taves, died March 1; his wife, Marilyn, died March 5. Pray for God’s loving presence to surround them in this difficult time.
Edith Gingerich was released from the hospital on March 6. Pray for ongoing healing as she recuperates at home.
Community Events
This Wednesday’s (March 12) Lenten Lunch will be at Hillcrest Mennonite Church (1056 Huron St. New Hamburg) at 12 noon.
Conscientious Objectors Event March 17, 3-4 pm, Conrad Grebel University College. A conversation with Tal Mitnick and Einat Gerlitz, who both refused to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces. Please register to attend at uwaterloo.ca/peace-conflict-studies/conscientious-objectors-tour
The Clockmaker’s Daughter: March 21 – 23. The Conrad Grebel University College Student Council presents the first Canadian production of The Clockmaker’s Daughter, a musical. Buy tickets at uwaterloo.ca/grebel/clockmakers-daughter
Mark your calendars for the 2025 New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale Fundraiser Dinner on Monday, April 28, 2025 at 6 pm. It will be held at Calvary United Church in St. Jacobs. See bulletin board and postcards for details.
MC Canada Gathering 2025: Registration is now open. As well, MCEC is looking for volunteers of all ages, interested in welcoming and offering hospitality to MC Canada Gathering participants. For more information, please contact:gathering@mennonitechurch.ca.
Mar 23 (Sun) 2 pm: Service of Lament and Hope at Zion United. This has come as a response to people’s angst about our current world situation. Flyer is on the bulletin board.
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
Sunday March 23rd, 11:15am-12:30pm, is the Steinmann Mennonite Church Annual General Meeting (AGM). This year will also include a motion to amend our Bylaws.
Participation is possible online via this Zoom link
This is an important yearly event in the life of our church and how we are community together. All are welcome to attend and voting privileges extend to members.
Report Books including Agenda and Congregational Spending Plan have been distributed in mailboxes. Additionally. copies are available in the hallway across from the mailboxes.
The summary of the proposed Bylaw amendments are also available in the hallway.
Electronic copies of all these documents are available upon request from the office.
To aid in our discernment process, VFT is hosting a Pre-AGM meeting during the Sunday School hour on Sunday March 16 when the proposed Spending Plan will be discussed more in-depth. There will also be an update from the Cemetery Board.
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, holy is your name.
Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us when we do wrong, as we forgive those who do wrong against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours.
Now and forever.
Amen.