DANFORTH MENNONITE CHURCH
416-422-2406
Pastor Stephen Reist
We welcome all guests who have joined us.
Danforth Mennonite Church
January 14, 2024
Order of Service
Welcome
Land Acknowledgment
Opening Hymn: VT# 386 One is the Body
Announcements
Offering
Special Music: Come Away from Rush and Hurry
Congregational Prayer
Scripture: Matthew 7: 7 – 11; Romans 12: 1 – 11
Hymn: VT #395 The Church of Christ, in Every Age
Message: Gift Discernment
Closing Hymn: VT #722 Help Us to Help Each Other
Benediction
Leading Us in Worship
Message Stephen R.
Worship Leader Mike D.
Song Leader Ed F.
Soloist Don B.
Musicians Kathy W. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters Leslie & Fazal S.
Zoom Host Carol R.
A/V Technician Roger H.
Hymn of the month: VT #395 The Church of Christ, in Every Age
Scripture Reading
Matthew 7: 7 – 11
Asking, seeking, knocking
7 “Ask, and you will receive. Search, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks, receives. Whoever seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door is opened. 9 Who among you will give your children a stone when they ask for bread? 10 Or give them a snake when they ask for fish? 11 If you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.
Romans 12: 1 – 11
Living sacrifice and transformed lives
12 So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice that is holy and pleasing to God. This is your appropriate priestly service. 2 Don’t be conformed to the patterns of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds so that you can figure out what God’s will is—what is good and pleasing and mature.
Transformed relationships
3 Because of the grace that God gave me, I can say to each one of you: don’t think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Instead, be reasonable since God has measured out a portion of faith to each one of you. 4 We have many parts in one body, but the parts don’t all have the same function. 5 In the same way, though there are many of us, we are one body in Christ, and individually we belong to each other. 6 We have different gifts that are consistent with God’s grace that has been given to us. If your gift is prophecy, you should prophesy in proportion to your faith. 7 If your gift is service, devote yourself to serving. If your gift is teaching, devote yourself to teaching. 8 If your gift is encouragement, devote yourself to encouraging. The one giving should do it with no strings attached. The leader should lead with passion. The one showing mercy should be cheerful.
9 Love should be shown without pretending. Hate evil, and hold on to what is good. 10 Love each other like the members of your family. Be the best at showing honor to each other. 11 Don’t hesitate to be enthusiastic—be on fire in the Spirit as you serve the Lord!
DANFORTH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Congregational ‘Dine and Discern’:
“Discerning what’s next”
After the service this Sunday morning, we will gather together from 12:30 to 3:00 for lunch, worship, and sharing.
This is our third session about inclusion of 2SLGTBQ+ persons in
Danforth Mennonite Church.
We will be reviewing the survey results and discerning next steps.
Please bring your own lunch.
Drinks will be provided.
Treasurer’s Report: In December we received $14,770 in offerings. These generous year end donations, along with the steady ongoing support throughout the year, helped us finish 2023 with a $6,438 operating surplus. It is with much gratitude that the Finance Committee thanks our church family for their solid financial commitment and for their unwavering dedication to the work of Danforth Mennonite Church during 2023.
We also received an additional $200 in designated Food Bank donations in December and a $900 cheque was sent to The Neighbourhoood Group in support of the 40 Teesdale Food Bank.
Thanks to all who donated to our Christmas Giving Tree and food box. This week the food items went to Nourish East End Food Bank; Items for winter warmth (socks, scarves, mitts, toques, etc) went to Sanctuary Ministries, and the children and youth sized items were delivered in support of outreach to families in the Taylor Massey Neighbourhood.
These donations were a reflection of generous spirits and are deeply appreciated by recipients.
DMC
Annual Business Meeting
Sunday, February 4, 2024
Committee chairs: Please submit your reports to Bonnie by January 17th.
For in-person people: Begin with a potluck lunch in the basement. Return upstairs for the meeting.
For Zoom people: Have lunch at home. The Zoom session will continue through lunch and for the meeting.
Agenda: Besides the normal AGM business of committee and financial reports, there will be updates from both the 2SLGBTQ+ process, and the Transition search for the next pastor. We plan to confirm some specific “next steps” from the 2SLGBTQ+ process, based on the January 14th meeting; but if we need more time for more discernment, we will take the time in the future.
Everyone is welcome to attend the Annual Business Meeting and participate in the discussion. You are welcome to vote if you have been participating at DMC, and plan to continue doing so in the future.
A Thanks and Farewell
to Stephen, Carol, and Daniel Reist
on Sun. Jan. 28, after the service.
Our zoom guests will have an opportunity to thank Stephen at the end of the service. We will bring down the projector screen and display our zoom guests. We will also have a camera facing the congregation that morning so our congregation will be another guest on zoom.
Please join us for a
Potluck lunch in the Fellowship Hall.
There is a sign up sheet on the bulletin board for volunteers to help with
Messy Church
Men’s Choir
There will be ongoing practices for a men’s choir. The choir will be singing at Stephen’s last service with us on Jan. 28th. All men are welcome. The short practices will continue after church until Jan. 28th. See Kathy Wert for further details
Ladies Walking group
starts up on January 16th.
On Tuesday, January 16 at 10:30 am (weather permitting), we will be walking in Taylor Creek Park. The entrance is off of Dawes Road.
An email will go out on Monday January 15th to confirm the place and time.
If you need to be picked up or dropped off, please check in with fellow walkers or email Bonnie.
Our healthy eating cooking classes will start up again in March.
Church directory and
birthday list
We are updating the church directory and the birthday/anniversary list.
When you are at church, please review and initial the documents on the table outside the sanctuary that:
- Information is correct AND
- You give permission to publish.
I will contact via email those persons that don’t come in person to church.
The directory will only be distributed for those persons listed in it.
The birthday and anniversary information is used for notices in the bulletin. I don’t put in the year unless it is requested. We highlight (with your permission) birthdays ending in zero and five (e.g. 5. 50, 75, 80) in the church newsletter.
Worship Schedule reminder
January 21
Speaker 5 speakers
Worship leader Erma M.
Song Leader Sue S.
Musicians Jessie M. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters Cindy R., Bethany W.
ZOOM host Bonnie W.
A/V Tech Murray L.
January 28
Speaker Stephen R.
Worship leader Linda D.
Song Leader Ed F.
Musicians Roger H. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters Cindy R., Bethany W.
ZOOM host Bonnie W.
A/V Tech Fazal S.
WIDER CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS
You are invited to join the Mennonite New Life Centre of Toronto to celebrate 40 years of helping immigrants and refugees build a new life in the GTA. To mark this milestone we are hosting a multi-cultural celebration of food, music, and dancing, Saturday, Feb 10th. We hope you can join us. Book your tickets HERE
[https://form.123formbuilder.com/6579066/holiday-event-40-anniversary]
CommonWord virtual book launch of Rudy Wiebe: Essays on His Works – Join us via livestream on Thursday, January 25 at 7:30 PM CST for a panel discussion with editor Bianca Lakoseljac and contributors Margaret Atwood, Paul Doerksen, and others about the literary influence of Rudy Wiebe. Visit commonword.ca/go/3730 for livestream link.
CommonWord virtual book launch of Unburdened: A Lenton Journey Towards Forgiveness – Join us on Zoom on Thursday, February 1 at 7:30 PM CST for a conversation with author Carol Penner as she prepares us for Lent and a journey of forgiveness and healing. Visit commonword.ca/go/3610 to register for the Zoom link.
In summary, upcoming events
At Danforth
January
12 2SLGBTQ+ survey results
13 Men’s breakfast
14 2SLGBTQ+ Congregational meeting
16 Ladies walking group – Taylor Creek
17 AGM package reports due to Admin. Asst.
20 Messy Church
23 Ladies walking group
30 Ladies walking group
February
4 DMC AGM
24 Messy Church
Wider Church
January
25 book launch – Rudy Wiebe
February
1 book launch – Carol Penner
10 Mennonite New Life celebration