DANFORTH MENNONITE CHURCH
416-422-2406
We welcome all guests who have joined us.
Danforth Mennonite Church
November 10, 2024 11:00 a.m.
Order of Service
Words of Welcome / Land Acknowledgement
Call to Worship & Prayer
Hymn: VT #88 Praise to the Lord, the Almighty
Announcements
Hymn: VT #28 Come, Christians, Join to Sing
Blessing the gifts we bring
Hymn: VT #797 We Are People of God’s Peace
Prayers of the People
strong>Scripture Reading: Matthew 5: 3-12
Message: A Steadfast Journey in Sowing Seeds of Peace
Hymn of Response VT #416 Beyond a Dying Sun
Benediction
Leading Us in Worship
Message Jessie Y.
Worship Leader Dalton J.
Song Leader Kathy W.
Musician Roger H. (piano)
Greeters Wilda S., Tessa R.
Zoom Host Bonnie W.
A/V Technician Fazal S.
November hymn of the month is
VT #28 Come Christians Join to Sing
Adult Discussion class
Behold, I do a New Thing!
The Holy Spirit was poured out and a new people was created. How might this new people be God’s answer to our troubled world? This Sunday we unpack the second chapter of The Book of Acts.
All are invited, All are needed, All are welcome.
Call to Worship and prayer
Leader: On this day of worship, we gather to sing and to pray,
People: we remember the past and look to the future.
Leader: On this day when we pray that wars will end
People: We come before you God, seeking Your peace.
Leader: On this day of hope in the face of terror,
People: We come before you God, praying with all our hearts:
Leader: God our help in ages past, our hope for years to come.
People: Help us to find the path that leads to the Peaceable kingdom.
Open our eyes and the eyes of the nations to find a different path through the disagreements of life in this world.
Leader: In this time of story, song, and prayer,
People: may we be re-committed to being people of Peace, true peace. May we catch a vision of how the world could live together.
Leader: And so we echo the old prayers,
All: Make us channels of your peace.
Let there be Peace on Earth and let it begin with us! Amen
(adapted from a Call to Worship written by Gord Waldie)
https://sowingforpeace.org
Scripture Reading
Matthew 5: 3-12
3Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
DANFORTH ANNOUNCEMENTS
A Men’s Breakfast invitation
All are welcome
to hear Tim and Roger share their photos and stories from their summer vacations in Europe.
Please remind your friends and neighbours that this is a joint Potluck breakfast, and they are welcome to join us.
INVITATION from DMC
OUTREACH & SERVICE COMMITTEE
On May 28, 2023, the preliminary findings of 215+ children buried at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School prompted an immediate response from The Gord Downie and Chanie Wenjack Fund…
The 215+ Pledge Call to Action
On May 7, 2024, church member Cindy R. contacted the O&S Committee, asking if the 215+ Pledge is something we want to ask the congregation about supporting.
In August O&S discussed initial plans. Each of us took the Pledge as individuals. As a committee, we sought guidance from Church Council on our ideas to fulfill our Pledge and to then approach the congregation.
We thank Council for their careful consideration and ongoing communications as we move forward.
WE ARE ALL
TREATY PEOPLE
faced with the troubling reality of our shared history and what to do about it.
We can empower ourselves and
DO SOMETHING
The DMC Outreach and Service Committee invites you to take the Pledge.
To learn more, go to 215pledge.ca
Individually, you can decide on how to honour your Pledge.
The O&S committee has chosen the action of educating ourselves and others about the true history of residential schools, colonization, and the unique rights and interests of Indigenous peoples.
To learn more about the ways in which we are moving towards RECONCILIATION, and how you can become involved, please approach Leslie S.
Treasurer’s Report: We received $5,102 in offerings in October. We are now $17,299 below our budgeted offering number, but due mostly to the absence of a paid Pastor we have a $31,803 operating surplus to the end of October.
In September and October there has been $550 donated towards our Foodbank Fund. Although the fund is open for donations all year, during the Thanksgiving season the Outreach and Service Committee initiated a special drive to support the needs of Foodbanks in our area. The Nourish East End Foodbank will receive our cheque of $550.
The John G. Memorial Fund was used to purchase an Anabaptist Community Bible for Danforth. The Bible cost $72.00 and will be shipped in January 2025. The John G. Fund was also used to purchase a keyboard and stand at the recent SCOC yard sale. The SCOC Long Term Care Family Council has received the $100 that was paid for the keyboard.
Donations to Danforth Mennonite Church are always welcome through Sunday morning offerings, mailed cheques or email transfers at dmmc2174@gmail.com. Please contact Roger H. if you would like to join the monthly giving program which happens through bank transfers on the 15th of each month. Thank you to all for your generous support for the work of our church.
Worship Schedule reminder
November 17
Message Lisa W.
Worship leader Sue S.
Song Leader Sue S.
Musicians Roger H. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters Wilda S., Tessa R.
ZOOM host Bonnie W.
A/V Tech Roger H.
November 24
Message Carol O.
Worship leader Linda D.
Song Leader Sue S.
Musicians Roger H. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters Dalton & Carol J.
ZOOM host Bonnie W.
A/V Tech Don B.
Ladies Walking group
On Tuesday, November 12th at 10:30 am (weather permitting), we will meet at Ashbridges Bay park..
The entrance is at Ashbridges Bay Park Road on Lakeshore Blvd. E. (bottom of Coxwell Avenue). Turn onto Ashbridges Bay Park Road – keeping to the right and follow it to the parking lot. There are signs for the parking meters but the meters have been removed for winter.
An email will go out on Monday November 11th 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.
Update (Nov. 6) about DMC's search for our next long-term pastor
On Sunday, November 10th, we plan to hold a congregational meeting immediately following the worship service.
Everyone is welcome to attend the 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. We value everyone's views.
The purpose is to discern, and make a decision on whether to call Pieter Niemeyer as our long-term pastor at Danforth.
The meeting will take place in the worship area, and also via Zoom. (We will keep the Zoom worship session open for this meeting). Let’s attempt to limit the discussion period to 15 minutes followed by voting.
About voting:
If you cannot attend the meeting on Nov. 10 but wish to submit a vote, please e-mail your response to the statement
“I am in favour of inviting Peter N. to be our next long-term pastor at Danforth Mennonite Church”
YES or NO
to Bonnie at danforthmennonitechurch@gmail.com by the evening of Sat. Nov. 9.
Bonnie will tally any e-mail votes before the worship service.
We will allow people to submit their votes, on paper or via Zoom, if they need to leave early.
After our discussion, we will take a vote. The in-person votes will be by anonymous paper ballot. Bonnie will tally the votes from Zoom participants.
Here are some more details:
We offer a 5-year contract to the "long-term pastor" candidate. Informal reviews are held annually. In the fourth year, a discernment process will allow the congregation to decide whether to offer to extend the contract.
Roger, our treasurer, has determined what salary Pieter would receive based on the MC Canada guidelines. It is approximately what Tim Reimer, our previous long-term pastor, would earn in 2025 if he were still in the role.
The workload is "0.8FTE" ("80% Full-Time Equivalent"). This means that, on average, the next long-term pastor would work the equivalent of 4 days/week.
MCEC (Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, our denomination) suggests that "80% in favour" is a good threshold for this type of decision.
Again, we welcome and encourage everyone who attends DMC to participate fully in this process. Thank you for attending and participating on Nov. 3
Mike DeHaan, on behalf of Council and the Transition Team.
WIDER CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Sunday services
Please join us at 7:00 p.m.
Nov. 10 – Liturgical Prayers and Hymns
Nov. 17 – Hymn Sing
Nov. 24 – Liturgical Prayers and Hymns
Our residents are most appreciative when DMC folks join us for worship.
All are welcome!
VOICES FOR PEACE CONFERENCE
Hybrid Event
Saturday, November 16, 2024, 1 – 5 p.m.
Dear Friends in Peace,
It is very exciting for me to announce the upcoming Annual Conference, Voices for Peace, which has returned after a hiatus of two years. Now, more than ever, such a Conference is needed. This year, we are honoured to have, as our guest speaker, an Indigenous Elder well-known for his wisdom and story-telling, Adrian Jacobs (an Indigenous Six Nations man, who spoke at Danforth maybe more than a decade ago.) This event is organized by several faith-based organizations and faith communities; however, its content and spirit is open and very relevant to, all people who long for a path to Peace.
The afternoon will be very interactive with music, story-telling, group-sharing, and a special art installation on the theme of Peace. We will leave feeling inspired, wiser, and supported by a community walking the path together. So that as many as possible can experience this gift, the event will be hybrid. It will be in-person at the Church of the Redeemer and online. The event is FREE, and donations are invited.
TO REGISTER: go to https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/2024-voices-for-peace-conference-tickets-998579035777
COMMUNITY CORNER
In Summary, upcoming events:
At Danforth
November
9 Men’s breakfast
9 Messy Church
10 DMC pastor vote
12 Ladies walking group
16 Mark Battenberg concert
19 Ladies walking group –
December
7 Messy Church
14 Men’s breakfast
14 DMC Christmas banquet
Wider Church
November
16 Voices of Peace conference
Community corner
November
16 Mark Battenberg
16 SCOC Fall/Christmas Art and Crafts Show
December
8 Toronto Beach Chorale concert