DANFORTH MENNONITE CHURCH
416-422-2406
Pastor Pieter Niemeyer
We welcome all guests who have joined us.
Danforth Mennonite Church
Saturday, May 18, 2025 11:00 a.m.
Order of Service
Land Acknowledgment
Welcome
Announcements
Call to worship
Hymn: VT 30 Jesus Calls Us
Litany: VT 862
First Scripture reading: Matthew 22:34-40
Offering
Hymn: VT 698 Somebody prayed for me
Congregational Prayer
Second Scripture reading: John 13: 31-35
Hymn: VT 288 Love the Lord your God
Sermon: Renewal through turning to God with all our hearts
Hymn: VT 797 We are people of God’s Peace
Installation and Mutual Commitment Litany
Prayer of Blessing
Hymn: VT 809 Sing a new world into being
Leading Us in Worship
Speakers Pieter N./Marilyn RF
Worship Leader Linda D.
Scripture Reader Mike D.
Song Leader Kathy W.
Musicians Jessica M., Ray W.
Greeters Tessa R., Leslie S.
Zoom Host Bonnie W.
A/V Roger H.
Adult Class Tim R.
Hymn of the month VT # 797 We are People of God’s Peace
Adult Discussion Class
Are we aware of our own power? But also, can we identify ways that we are powerless? What feelings, what attitudes, are stirred up in us when we see our powerlessness? These questions are stirred up by
Mary Jo Leddy in the first half of Chapter 4 in Radical Gratitude. She even suggests that powerless people, i.e., we(?) are responsible for how we react when we find we have no power. All are welcome to the discussion hour at 10am, May 18.
Call to Worship
Leader: We are a covenant people, called to God by God, generation through generation.
People: We are a covenant people, called to Jesus by Jesus, losing our life to gain our life.
Together: We are a covenant people called to church by the church, weaving together the strong and the weak, the stranger and the friend.
Leader: Renamed.
People: Reborn.
Together: Renewed.
We gather ourselves in the community of believers. We gather ourselves unto you.
Scripture Reading
Matthew 22:34-40
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, an expert in the law, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
John 13: 31-35
“When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Installation and Mutual Commitment Litany
Invitation to the Congregation (Marilyn): God gives us many gifts, all of which are useful in building up the church. God invites each one of us to use our gifts in the life of the congregation and in its mission to the world.
Congregational Response: Today we renew our commitment to our Christian calling; to exercise our Spirit-given gifts so that the body of Christ may be built up and so that God’s purposes might be fulfilled in the world.
Invitation to Pieter Niemeyer
Search Committee (Sue): For the past while Danforth Mennonite has fulfilled its ministry through many gifted volunteers and through the interim pastoral ministry of Stephen Reist. Now we are calling you to serve as our fill time pastor.
You have been called by God and by this congregation to offer your gifts in service. You bring skills in worship and preaching, a caring presence and a passion for mission, peace and justice. We can see that God’s Spirit gives you joy in your pastoral work.
Church Council (Mike): Pieter, we welcome you to our congregation and to our common ministry. We look forward to the vision and gifts you have to share with us.
Ministry Support Team (Cindy): We welcome you and invite you to partner with us as we seek to meet the needs of God’s people.
Worship Committee (Lisa): Pieter, we invite you to sing and pray and learn with us. Together may we plan and lead worship that is faithful to the gospel and relevant to the issues of our day.
Outreach Committee (Leslie): We invite you to walk with us as we seek to bear witness to the love of God and live out kingdom values of peace and justice in our neighbourhood and in the world.
Messy Church (Erma): Pieter, we invite you to join us as we carry out messy church in this congregation. May the story of faith live in each one of us, from the youngest to the oldest.
Minister’s Response: I am grateful for your warm welcome and this invitation to work together in ministry. I believe God has called me to be a pastoral leader and I look forward to living out this calling among you.
I commit myself to seeking God’s direction, to offering my gifts in service and to encouraging and calling out the gifts that God has given each one of you. My prayer is that together we might be a living sign of God’s kingdom. As I seek to be faithful to my call, I ask for your prayers, your counsel, your forgiveness and your support.
The Charge (Marilyn): Pieter you have committed yourself to leadership in Danforth Mennonite Church. As pastor, our charge to you is to endeavour to be faithful to God and open to the Spirit’s leading. Be diligent in prayer and setting forth the scriptures as God reveals them to you. Live honestly, openly, and justly with your siblings, and exercise wisely and in Christian love the authority that has been entrusted to you in this office.
Accepting the Charge (Pieter): With God as my helper, I accept the charge to pastoral leadership here at Danforth Mennonite Church.
Spouse’s Response (Mauricio): With God’s help, I promise to encourage Pieter in his work and affirm him in his pastoral role. As an individual and as a new member of this congregation, I look forward to using my gifts and participating as I am able. Thank you for welcoming us.
Congregational Response (All): The charge to you Pieter becomes a charge to us all, to exercise our Spirit-given gifts, just as you are called to exercise yours. As fellow disciples of Christ, we pledge our support to you as our pastor. We will offer you our prayers, counsel and encouragement, so that you might freely carry out the ministry to which you have been called.
The Installation (Marilyn): Pieter, you and the congregation have publicly stated your desire to enter into mutual agreement with one another at this time and place. As a representative of MCEC, I now install you as pastor of Danforth Mennonite Church. I commit those people into your spiritual oversight and care, in the name of God the creator, Christ our Redeemer and the Holy Spirit our sustainer.
Signing a covenant regarding ethics in ministry
On January 21, 1525, a small group of Christians secretly gathered in Zurich for a worship service. There they renounced their baptism as infants and experienced voluntary baptism as adults, now in the full understanding that this decision implied a transformation of life in the way of Jesus. For many, this decision led to imprisonment, torture, and even death. But this gathering also marked the beginning of the Anabaptist movement that continues today in the form of the Amish, Hutterites, Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and many other related groups.
DANFORTH ANNOUNCEMENTS
We are happy to announce that
on May 18th, 2025
Danforth will hold a
service of installation and blessing for Pastor Pieter Niemeyer
as part of our regular worship. Marilyn RF. from Mennonite Church Eastern Canada will be present to share greetings and encouragement. There will be a fellowship potluck lunch after the service at the church. Go light on the desserts – there will be cake! Please plan to attend in person or through zoom.
DMC Spring Cleaning on
May 17, 9:00 a.m. – noon.
Snacks and coffee will be provided.
A riddle from Robert
If a restaurant had a month-long deal in which the price of a scoop of ice cream with a topping was reduced, what would you call the promotion?—a month of sundaes.
Have a good day.
Ladies Walking group
On Tuesday, May 20th at 10:30 am (weather permitting), we will meet at Rosetta McLain Gardens.
An email will go out on Monday May 19th 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.
Treasurer’s Report: To the end of April $32,128 has been received in offerings. We received $7,107 in April. In order to meet our 2025 budget our monthly target for Sunday offerings is $9,206. Please follow the Church Council minutes for full reports on our finances. In April we sent $1,510 to our Food Bank partners and we have already received letters of appreciation for our assistance. There was an additional $100 added to our Food Bank Designated Fund in April. Other designated donations received in April were another $50 directed to the Danforth Grow Hope Fund. The price per acre will soon be determined and we will then send our 2-acre commitment to Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Donations to Danforth Mennonite Church are always welcome through Sunday morning offerings, mailed cheques or email transfers at dmmc2174@gmail.com. Please contact Roger Horst 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.
Doors Open Toronto
May 24 & 25
Explore Toronto’s architectural, historical, cultural and socially significant buildings for free during Doors Open weekend. With sports, music and theatre venues and more than 150 sites to discover, the city becomes an urban playground. Get ready to play.
This will be DMC’s third year participating in Doors Open Toronto. We will gear our weekend to family activities, thanks to Theatre of the Beat and our 128th Girl Guide Troupe.
We enjoyed the hymn sing last year and are doing it again on the Saturday afternoon. If you would like to join us in the singing, please add your name to the sign-up sheet.
We need volunteers as greeters in the lower lobby, upper lobby, the sanctuary and the fellowship hall. If you’re not up to speed on our history, no worries. We have handouts with the information.
Sign up sheets are on the bulletin board.
Worship Schedule reminder
May 25
Speaker Pieter N.
Worship leader Sue S.
Song Leader Kathy W.
Musician Roger H.
Greeters Tessa R., Leslie S.
ZOOM host Bonnie W.
A/V Tech Mike D.
Adult class Tim R.
June 1
Speaker Tim R.
Worship leader Erma M.
Song Leader Don B.
Musicians Roger H. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters Wilda S., Leslie S.
ZOOM host Mike D.
A/V Tech Fazal S.
Hymn Sing Kathy W.
WIDER CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Elephant at the Border: A Peace Church Response to Annexation
Sunday, June 1 and June 8 (7 – 8:30 p.m.) | Online
Amidst political discord and talks of annexation across the Canada-US border, what is the call of followers of Jesus to respond? MCC is hosting four webinars that will explore the power and possibility of nonviolence in light of U.S. aggression. Join a series of online workshops starting on Sunday, May 4 with guest speakers and small group discussion. Attend one or attend them all. This event is free. To learn more, visit mcc.org/peace-church-response.
St. Clair O’Connor Community is having a Hymn Sing this Sunday evening at 7pm.
All are invited.
In summary, upcoming events:
At Danforth
May
17 Church Spring Cleaning
18 Pastor Pieter’s installation
20 Ladies walking group – Rosetta McLain
24/25 Doors Open Toronto
Wider Church
Community Corner
May
30/31 New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale
DMC Spring Cleaning on 
RED DRESS DAY (May 5) is an opportunity for congregations to demonstrate compassion as Indigenous people of Canada mourn, remember and honour thousands of Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people who have died or gone missing.
Chapter Three, 2nd half – Radical Gratitude, Sunday April 27, 2025
joins Catholics and other faith communities across the world in mourning the loss of Pope Francis, who died on 21 April 2025, at the age of 88.