Anabaptist Persistence and Allyship
May 5, 2024
Gathering as We Are
Prelude
Call to Worship
Prayer
Hymn: Brethren, We Have Met to Worship VT 25
Hymn: When the Storms of Life are Raging VT 595
Psalm 17:1-2, 6-8
Children’s Time
Hearing Cries for Justice
Red Dress Day
Call to Prayer
Hymn: Hope is a Candle VT 211 (vv. 1, 2, 3)
Luke 18:1-8
Sermon: Holy Persistence: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow
Joining God’s Passions
Hymn: For the Healing of the Nations VT 705
Congregational Prayer
First Impressions of Attending MCEC Annual Church Gathering
Hymn of the Month: As the Wind Song Through the Trees VT 373
Offering and Offertory
Announcements
Living Out God’s Love
Hymn: Draw the Circle Wide VT 802
Benediction
Postlude
Leading us in Worship:
Worship Leader: Gladys Bender
Song Leader: Norma Iutzi
Accompanist: Delphine Schwartzentruber
Children’s Time: Paulette West
Scripture Readers: Sandy and Mark Scheerer
Sermon: Pastor Sara Erb
Congregational Prayer: Pastor Louise Wideman
ACG Highlights: Ashley Drudge, Elaine Finnie
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.
May Special/Coin Offering is in support of MCC Relief Sale purchase of supplies for selling cream buns. We are looking to raise approximately $2000 for the supplies.
Financial Update
Thanks for your generous support toward our Church Spending Plan (CSP) so far this year. Our first quarter numbers are:
Donations Received to Date: $96,163.77
CSP Donations Budget to Date: $152,249
These numbers are fairly typical at this time of year, with giving often increasing throughout the year. To ensure a steady flow of giving, we invite you to review your giving commitment to our new spending plan and to give as regularly as possible throughout the year. Thank you for your commitment to God’s mission at work through our congregation.
Thank you for your generosity to our Special Coin Offering. The total raised for House of Friendship in April was $630.92
Today
Christian Education (Sunday School) for all ages:
11:00 – 12 pm Children’s Sunday School (Age 2 – Gr. 5), basement
11:15 – 12 pm Jr. Youth (Gr. 6-8) & MYF (Gr. 9-12+), basement
Adult Education: Fireplace Room
Pastor Ben is away this weekend at Mennonite Church Canada Joint Council Meetings.
May 5 (Sun): Red Dress Day across Canada, a day to name violence against Indigenous Women and Girls – and commit to ending the cycles of gender-based violence in our communities. Hanging this Red Dress at Steinmann MC, on May 5, is an important step in our relationship with Indigenous people in our community. It is a small but significant gesture to show we are interested in truth telling that moves us closer to reconciliation.
Next Sunday
9:45 am Livestream and in-person worship
Scripture: Matthew 6:25-33
Speaker: Pastor Louise Wideman
This week at Steinmann MC
May 6 (Mon): 6:30-9 pm Pickleball CANCELLED
May 7 (Tues): 3-5 pm, 6:30-9 pm: Pickleball
May 7 (Tues): 7:30 pm: Finance Transition Team Meeting
May 8 (Wed): 3:30 pm: Bicentennial Committee Meeting
May 8 (Wed): VFT meeting
Congregational Life
PCRC is conducting an Appreciative Inquiry style pastoral review for Pastor Louise’s first 18 months at Steinmann. We invited feedback from members of the Worship and Care Core Team who work closely with Louise along with the pastors. If anyone would like to add to these comments, feel free to contact any member of PCRC (Kim Lichti, Doris Martin, or Gladys Bender)
Are you interested in diving deeper into your faith? Considering baptism or church membership? Talk to a Pastor about Faith Exploration Class or Baptism.
Looking for Amish-Mennonite Clothing through the ages, for our May display. If you have dresses, jackets, shoes, coverings, hats etc., along with a bit of history of the item, please talk to Pastor Sara.
June 5 (Wed) 7 pm: Membership Transfer Meeting. Anyone interested in the possibility of transferring their membership to Steinmann Mennonite Church is invited to come for conversation with the pastors.
June 9 (Sun) 2-4 pm: Bicentennial Event: Guided Cemetery Tour. Former pastor, Fred Lichti will lead a story telling history tour beginning at the St. Agatha Mennonite Church cemetery and ending at the Steinmann Mennonite Church cemetery. Refreshments will be served in the Fellowship Hall at the end of the tour. All are welcome.
August 9-11 SMC Camping at Hidden Acres. Signup sheets are by the mailboxes.
August 12 – 16 (Mon – Fri) mornings: Baden Summer Bible Camp here at Steinmann. We are looking for volunteers for all roles. Please reach out to Courtney Hobbs or email badensbc@gmail.com if you are interested and able to help.
MYF (Grades 9-12+)
May 31 (Fri) 7-10 pm: Forest Games at the Vandermolens’.
Jr. Youth (Grades 5-8)
May 22 (Wed): 6:30-8 pm: Hiking in Walker Woods.
Small Groups
May 8 (Wed) 10 am The Adult Bible Study led by Wes Leis will start
meeting again in the fireplace room at the church. Everyone is welcome.
Remember in Prayer
Remember Dorothy Boyle who is receiving care at Grand River Hospital.
Remember Gord Roth who had knee replacement surgery on Tuesday.
We extend our sympathy to Sterling and Kim Francis and family as they grieve the death of Sterling’s father. Obituary can be found here.
Congratulations to Walt & Nancy Mabee on their 59th wedding anniversary on
May 7.
Congratulations to Rose Wagler celebrating her 82nd birthday on May 6.
This week join Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) in prayer for Harrow Mennonite Church.
Community
The Steinmann MC quilt submitted to the New Hamburg Relief Sale for auction, along with 11 others, is on display at Kitchener City Hall Rotunda. They will be on display until May 23.
May 6 (Mon.) 2-8 pm: Blood Donor Clinic at Steinmann Mennonite Church. Appointments are required. To book an appointment call 1-888-236-6283 or https://www.blood.ca/en
Pastors in Exile invite you to join us for the 3rd Beyond Binaries Conference on May 11 at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate. Registration and more information can be found at https://bit.ly/49IdWpf
All are welcome to support Rockway’s grade 7&8 students as they perform the Arthurian comedy, Camelot and Camelittle! Students are bringing this wonderfully quirky tale of King Arthur to the Rockway stage on May 23 and 24 at 7:30 pm. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.rockway.ca/camelot
Calling all golfers! Join us on Monday, May 27 at Grey Silo Golf Club for Rockway’s 29th Annual Golf Classic! This is our largest Tuition Assistance fundraiser of the year, so why not come out for a day of FUNdraising, food and friends. Registration closes May 20.
The New Anabaptist Community Bible is available for pre-order. Sign up on the sheet by the mailboxes for your copy by June 1; payment due to SMC by June 30.
June 11 (Tues) 5-7 pm: 57th Annual Chicken BBQ & 16th Annual Pie Auction Fundraiser at Hidden Acres: $20 Small meal/$24 Regular meal. Tickets need to be purchased in advance at hiddenacres.ca
100th Anniversary of the Arrival of the Russian Mennonite Refugees to Ontario in 1924: Bus Tour The Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario is hosting a one day Bus Tour to the Niagara Peninsula on June 15, 2024 to commemorate this event. For more details and to register, please go to www.MHSO.org
Spirituality & Aging Seminar on Friday, June 21 (in-person and virtual) at Conrad Grebel University College. Rev. Dr. Mark Roberts presents “From Problems to Possibilities: Faith Communities enabling those in the third third of life to flourish.” This seminar challenges the narratives about elders in communities, churches, and society at large; exploring the role churches can play in empowering older adults. Visit grebel.ca/spirituality for registration information.
June 19 (Wed.) 6 pm: Interfaith Counselling Centre 40th Anniversary Gala at Puddicombe Banquet Hall (145 Peel Street, New Hamburg). Formal attire, delicious food, and live musical entertainment. Ticket $140/person ($80 receiptable). For more information https://bit.ly/3Voenl1.