September 17, 2023
Voices Together: Worship through Visual Arts
We gather in wonder …
Prelude
Call to Worship & Prayer
Hymn: Together VT 389
Hymn: Here in This Place VT 10
John 1:1-5
Affirmation of Faith VT 852
… to encounter God’s love …
Spiritual Practice (Visio Divina)
*Hymn: God Give me Faith like a Child VT 519
Children’s Time
Acts 2:42-47
Meditation – Holy Togetherness
Worship Stations
… responding with gratitude …
Hymn: Beautiful Things VT 551
Congregational Prayer
Offering & Offertory
…sent forth with God’s peace.
Announcements
Hymn: My Jesus, I Love Thee VT 133
Benediction
Postlude
*New Song of the Month for September
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: Gladys Bender
Song Leader & Children’s Time: Suzanne Bender
Accompanist: Grant Movold
Meditation: Pastor Sara Erb
Congregational Prayer: Pastor Louise Wideman
A/V: Steve Carter and Mike Gingerich
September Special Offering and Kid’s Offering: Help Mennonite Central Committee provide food where there is extreme hunger in East Africa. For information and to donate: https://bit.ly/3qYBINi
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., 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.
Next Sunday September 24
9:45 a.m. Livestream and in-person worship in the sanctuary.
Theme: Voices Together: Images for God
Speaker: Pastor Louise Wideman
Congregational Life
Sept. 19 (Tues.) 4 – 5 p.m. & 6:30 p.m. Pickleball.
Sept. 21 (Thur.) at 9 a.m. – 12 noon Steinmann members are needed to help cut rags at the MCC Material Resources Centre. Thank you for your help.
Oct. 4 (Wed.) Morning & afternoon – All women invited to the church to knot comforters and/or quilt. Bring a bag lunch. Drinks provided.
Oct. 13 – 14 (Fri. – Sat.) Women’s retreat at Blue Mountain Resort. Cost is approx. $150.00. Incudes lodging and food, 2 different times to leave on Friday 10:30 or 4:00 or later. Please sign up by Wed. Oct 4th.. Questions, contact Sandy Scheerer 519-274-4080.
MYF (Grades 9-12+)
Sept. 22 (Fri.), 7-10 p.m., Visioning Night at the church. Parents invited to join for the first hour (7-8pm)
Jr. Youth (Grades 5-8)
Sept 28 (Thur.) 6:30-8 p.m. Gym Night at the church. Prep for indoor and outdoor activities.
KidsLIFE (Grades 1-5)
A place for children grades 1-5 to make friends, have fun, and grow as followers of Jesus. KidsLIFE will meet the first and third Wednesday nights of the month, 6 – 7:30 pm beginning October 4. Cost is free but we ask for registration. https://smchurch.ca/kidslife/
Small Groups
Sept. 26 (Tues.) 10 a.m. The Adult Bible Study led by Wes Leis will meet in the fireplace room. Studying “Exploring the New Testament”. Everyone is welcome.
Sept. 22 (Fri) 5:30 p.m. TGIF is a monthly casual gathering of families with children for food and fun, and is open to all. This month’s TGIF is hosted at Darryl & Ashley Drudge’s home. Please RSVP to Darryl at ad.drudge@gmail.com by Wednesday September 20th so food can be ordered.
Personal Notes
Congratulations to Jim & Carolyn Steckle who are celebrating their 54th anniversary on Wednesday, September 20 and Ervin & Erma Steinmann who are celebrating their 72nd anniversary on Friday, September 22.
Congratulations to Robert Gingerich who is celebrating his 81st birthday on Sunday, September 17.
From our Pastors:
“THANK YOU for the warm welcome extended by all at my installation last week on September 10th. It was a special and meaningful day. A very special thank you to all those who planned the service, offered leadership from the front, and who missed the service entirely because they were in the kitchen or otherwise preparing for the meal so that we could be well fed and enjoy one another’s company. As a family, all four of us feel blessed to be a part of this congregation! ~ Pastor Ben Cassels”
“We are grateful for the tangible support you offered us in the notes of blessing. We enjoyed reading through them this week. What a great way to begin as a pastoral team.”
~Pastors Sara, Ben, and Louise
Remember in Prayer
Continue to uphold persons with ongoing health concerns: Louise Gingerich, Tasha Steckle, Nyle & Kathleen Hofstetter’s son, Brian.
We extend our sympathy to Sharon Leis, Sandy Scheerer and Kathy Dow for the unexpected death of their brother Wayne “Benj” Gingerich. Wayne died of a heart attack on Wednesday, September 13.
This week join Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) in prayer for Breslau Mennonite Church , Breslau, ON.
Wider Community
The New Hamburg Thrift Centre is in need of volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering https://bit.ly/3qSQaGD.
The All Nations Grand River Water Walk will be walking the length of the Grand River from September 17-23. MCC is arranging the food. If you are interested in contributing on Wednesday Sept 20 please contact Gladys Bender.
Sept. 25 (Mon.) 7:00-8:30 p.m. Online. MCC Ontario Annual General Meeting. For details mcco.ca/AGM.
Sept. 28 (Thurs.) 11:30- 1:30 p.m. & 4:30 – 6:30 p.m. Wilmot Family Resource Centre’s 29th Annual Poor Boys Luncheon at the New Hamburg Community Centre (251 Jacob St.) Tickets $10 each or family $35, available at the door, cash or cheque only.
Sept. 30 (Sat.) 6:30 p.m. Vigil Service for National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at Peel Street lawn of Trinity Lutheran Church. All are welcome for a time of prayer, music and reflection.
Oct. 2 (Mon.) Hidden Acres annual Seniors Fall Retreat. The theme is Songs that Shape and Reshape Us. Resource person Ingrid Loepp Thiessen. For more info and to register https://hiddenacres.ca/programs/seniors-retreat. Brochures on the table by the mailboxes.
Oct. 14 (Sat) 5 p.m. & 7 p.m. Empty Bowls for Haiti at Steinmann Mennonite Church. Tickets and info: https://bit.ly/3Pk3xrJ.
Oct. 28 (Sat.) 9 – 4:30 p.m. Voices Together Resource Day at Shantz Mennonite Church. Evening Hymn Sing 7 p.m. Registration and info https://bit.ly/3LodL9b.
Oct. 28 (Sat.) 5 p.m. House of Friendship’s Friendship Dinner. Celebrate inspiring youth who are overcoming the odds! More info and tickets https://bit.ly/3YVx.
Join the Mennonite Mass Choir in performing Handel’s Messiah with the Kitchener-Waterloo Symphony at Centre in the Square on Sun., Dec. 10 (afternoon). Monday evening rehearsals start Sept. 25 at First Mennonite Church (800 King St E, Kitchener) 7:30-9:30 p.m. For more info and to register www.mennosingers.com.
Menno Singers family of choirs, introduces the Menno Youth Ensemble. The Menno Youth Ensemble is open to all voice-types and instruments, and all participants should be willing to sing. More info contact Mykayla Turner mykaylat@smu.edu or Joel Woods joel.woods@uwaterloo.ca.
The Abner Martin Music Scholarship ($4,000 value last year) is awarded annually by Menno Singers to a student who: 1) will be enrolled in a full-time music major or minor program at the undergraduate or graduate level in 2023-2024); 2) is affiliated with an MCEC congregation; and 3) has demonstrated involvement and proficiency in musical activities in church and community. Application deadline is September 22, 2023. For more infoand/or an application form contact Lewis Brubacher, lbrubacher@sympatico.ca or 519-884-3072.