DANFORTH MENNONITE CHURCH
416-422-2406
Pastor Pieter Niemeyer

We welcome all guests who have joined us.

We want to extend a warm welcome as you join us this evening to celebrate the 500 birthday of our Peace Church tradition, which we call the Anabaptist movement begun in the 16^th century. This evening is our Messy Church program which runs once a month on Saturday evenings from 5-7. Our next Messy Church event is a BBQ on June 21 for families with children. September 27 will be our next joint event for Messy Church, marking Orange Shirt Day.

Danforth Mennonite Church
Saturday, May 10, 2025   5:00 p.m.
Order of Service

Prelude

Song:  Be a sower

Stories of Anabaptists

Song:   Love the Lord your God

Rooted in Jesus

Song:  Our God is a God who makes friends

Anabaptist values “sowing peace”

Song:  God will guide you

Intergenerational team activity

Dinner will follow after the team activity

 

Leading Us in Worship
Worship Leader              Pieter N.
Musicians                          Jessica M., MaKaila M.
Greeters                             Cindy R., Bethany W.
Zoom Host                         Bonnie W.
A/V                                         Murray L.

Call to Worship

One: We plant a seed peace as an act of faith in the God of peace.

All:      We plant a seed peace as an act of faith to grow a better world.

One: Those who make peace sow the seeds of justice by their peaceful acts.

All:      We gather to celebrate stories of peace and transformation.

Thanks be to God.

Scripture Reading

1 Corinthians 3:11   For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

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.

Adult Discussion Class will return Sunday, May 18.

DANFORTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

DMC Spring Cleaning on
May 17, 9:00 a.m. – noon.
Snacks and coffee will be provided.

We’ll have a clean church ready for Pastor Pieter’s installation and Doors Open Toronto.

Happy 500^th birthday
to the Anabaptist community.
The congregation is invited to join with Messy Church on
Saturday, May 10^th.

Church service 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Dinner              6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

NOTE:  There won’t be a service on Sunday, May 11^th.

Ladies Walking group

On Tuesday, May 13th at 10:30 am (weather permitting), we will meet at Ashbridges Bay.

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 won’t be active until the May long weekend.

An email will go out on Monday May 12th 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.

We are happy to announce that
on May 18^th, 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.

Please add your name to the signup sheet if you plan to attend the lunch so we can set up tables to accommodate everyone.

National Day of Prayer for Camp –May 25

Did you know that May 25th is the 7th annual Day of Prayer for Camp? It is a national project that invites churches and individuals across the country to pray for those involved in the important ministry of camp. We invite you to pray for all MCEC camps: Fraser Lake Camp, Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp, Ontario Mennonite Music Camp, Silver Lake Mennonite Camp and Willowgrove Day Camp.

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 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.

 

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 128^th 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 18 – Pieter’s installation service
Speakers                   Pieter N./Marilyn RF.
Worship leader     Linda D.
Song Leader            Kathy W.
Musicians                Jessica M. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                  Tessa R., Leslie S.
ZOOM host           Bonnie W.
A/V Tech                  Roger H.

Adult class            Tim R.

May 25
Speakers                     Pieter N.
Worship leader      Sue S.
Song Leader             Sue S.
Musicians                 Roger H. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                   Tessa R., Leslie S.
ZOOM host            Bonnie W.
A/V Tech                  Mike D.

Adult class            Tim R.

WIDER CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS

Elephant at the Border: A Peace Church Response to Annexation
Sunday, May 11,
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.

COMMUNITY CORNER

In summary, upcoming events:

At Danforth

May
10  Saturday evening dinner and service
13  Ladies walking group – Ashbridges Bay
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
9  Mark Battenberg
10  We Are Phoenix – Pax Chorale
10 Mother’s Day for Peace
30/31  New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale

DANFORTH MENNONITE CHURCH
416-422-2406
Pastor Pieter Niemeyer

We welcome all guests who have joined us.

 

Danforth Mennonite Church
May 4, 2025   11:00 a.m.
Order of Service

Words of Welcome/Land Acknowledgement

Announcements

Call to Worship – VT #869

Hymn:  #4   Christ Is Our Cornerstone

Prayer of Invocation:  #862

Blessing our gifts 

Anabaptism at 500

Hymn:  #435  Blessed Assurance 

Bringing our Joys & Concerns to God in prayer

Hymn:  #797   We Are People of God’s Peace

Scriptures:  1 Cor. 3:11, Luke 1: 1-4, Luke 24: 28-35

Hymn:   #584   Jesus, Be the Centre (verses 1 & 2)

Sermon: Jesus, the Transformational Story

Hymn:  #584   Jesus, Be the Centre (verses 3 & 4)

Benediction 

 

Leading Us in Worship
Sermon                               Pieter N.
Worship Leader            Dalton J.
Scripture Reader         Margaret A.
Song Leader                    Ed F.
Musician                           Bonnie W., Ray W.
Greeters                           Cindy R., Bethany W.
Zoom Host                      Mike D.
A/V                                      Fazal S.

 

Hymn of the month:  VT #797  We are People of God’s Peace

Sunday morning hymn sing will return on June 1. 

 

Adult Discussion Class

The Book of Acts is an open story that includes us today. Join us this Sunday as we talk about “Christianity.” What does it mean to be a Christian in our world today?

 

Scripture Reading

1 Corinthians 3:11   For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:1-4 (Based on Renewal through stories…)  “Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us,  just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word,  I, too, decided, as one having a of everything from the start, to write a well-ordered account for you, most excellent Theophilus,  so that you may have a firm grasp of the words in which you have been instructed.”

Luke 24: 28-35   28 As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. 29 But they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?” 33 That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem, and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. 34 They were saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!” 35 Then they told what had happened on the road and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.

 

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

 

DMC Spring Cleaning on
May 17, 9:00 a.m. – noon.
Snacks and coffee will be provided.

We’ll have a clean church ready for Pastor Pieter’s installation and Doors Open Toronto.

 

 

 

Happy 500^th birthday
to the Anabaptist community.

The congregation is invited to join with Messy Church on
Saturday, May 10^th.
Church service 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Dinner              6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

NOTE:  There won’t be a service on Sunday, May 11^th.

 

 

 

Ladies Walking group

If the cherry blossoms are ready…

On Tuesday, May 13, we return at 10:30 a.m. to Birkdale (Brimley west side, north of Lawrence Ave. E.) for a one-hour stroll through the gardens.

An email will go out on Monday May 12th 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.

 

 

We are happy to announce that
on May 18^th, 2025
Danforth will hold a

service of installation and blessing

for Pastor Pieter Niemeyer

as part of our regular worship. Marilyn Rudy-Frose 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.

Please add your name to the signup sheet if you plan to attend the lunch so we can set up tables to accommodate everyone.

 

 

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 128^th 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 10 – Saturday evening service
Worship leader Pieter N.
Musicians             Jessica M. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                Cindy R., Bethany W.
ZOOM host         Bonnie W.
A/V Tech                Murray L.

May 18 – Pieter’s installation service
Speakers               Pieter N./Marilyn RF.
Worship leader Linda D.
Song Leader        Kathy W.
Musicians             Jessica M. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                Tessa R., Leslie S.
ZOOM host         Bonnie W.
A/V Tech               Roger H.

Adult class           Tim R.

 

SHARING IN THE PATH TO RECONCILIATION

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.

Indigenous women are more likely to be murdered than non-Indigenous women. According to Statistics Canada during the years 2020-23 the average murder rate for Indigenous women was 4.6 per 100,000 while for non-Indigenous women it was 0.77 per 100,000.

Learn about the history and meaning of Red Dress Day
– https://www.commonword.ca/Browse/10647
– https://www.topmove.ca/post/red-dress-day-everything-you-need-to-know

 

WIDER CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Elephant at the Border: A Peace Church Response to Annexation
Sunday, May 4, May 11, 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.

 

 

We are having a service at SCOC on
Sunday, May 4 at 7pm
Christina Reimer will be speaking.

 

 COMMUNITY CORNER

 

 

 

 

 

In summary, upcoming events:

At Danforth

May
10  Saturday evening dinner and service
17  Church Spring Cleaning
18  Pastor Pieter’s installation
24/25  Doors Open Toronto

Wider Church

May
4, 11    Elephant at the Border

Community Corner

May
9  Mark Battenberg
10 We Are Phoenix – Pax Chorale
10 Mother’s Day for Peace

DANFORTH MENNONITE CHURCH
416-422-2406
Pastor Pieter Niemeyer

We welcome all guests who have joined us.

 

Danforth Mennonite Church
April 27, 2025   11:00 a.m.
Order of Service

Welcome 

 Land acknowledgement

 Announcements

 Call to Worship

 Hymn: VT 180 This is God’s Wonderous World         

 Litany: VT 884 God was, God is, God will be

 Scripture reading part one: John 20:19-23

 Hymn: VT 57 Holy Spirit, Come with Power

 Offering prayer

 Hymn: VT #708 As the waters Rise Around us

 Congregational prayer

 Scripture reading part two: John 20:24-31

 Sermon:  Resurrection Hope

 Hymn: VT 353 Now the Green Blade Rises 

 Blessing

 Benediction

Leading Us in Worship
Sermon                               Carol O.
Worship Leader            Pieter N.
Song Leader                    Don B.
Musician                           Kathy W., Ray W.
Greeters                           Dalton & Carol J.
Zoom Host                      Mike DeHaan
A/V                                      Murray L.

Hymn of the month:  VT# 708  As the Waters Rise Around Us

 

The Adult Discussion

Chapter Three, 2nd half –  Radical Gratitude, Sunday April 27, 2025
Please read the 2nd half of the chapter, p. 52 through p. 70.

 

 

 

 

Call to Worship

Leader:   Come let us celebrate God’s good gift.
Creation reverberates with new life, of what was dormant, sleeping, or dead- awakens to new life.
The land in all its various forms, from prairies to mountains and forests proclaim the glory of God as well as the Oceans, rivers, lakes, and seas.
The in-between places of marshes, wetlands, mangroves and estuaries with platypus, shoebills, and fishing cats all unique to these in-between places- they, too, proclaim the glory of God.

Let us dwell in God’s work of art.
Come, because the Earth is the Lord’s,
And God’s Earth is our home.

All:
We live in God’s World; we are not alone.
We share this life with the heavens and the earth,
With the waters and the land,
With trees and grasses,
With fish, birds, and animals,
With minerals and creatures of every form,
And with all our siblings.

Leader:  God is good and everything God makes is good.  God is love and everything God makes is love’s fruit.  Let us worship God!

 

 

Scripture Reading

John 20:19-23 (NRSVUE)

Jesus Appears to the Disciples
¹⁹ When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors were locked where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
John 20:24-31

Jesus and Thomas
²⁴ But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

The Purpose of This Book
³⁰ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. ³¹ But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

 

Mennonite World Conference

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.

“With gratitude, we remember the life of Pope Francis,” says César García, MWC general secretary. “We reflect on how, through his life and teachings, he highlighted important issues for our Anabaptist communion: the imitation of Christ in his approach to power; his understanding of leadership as service; his commitment to peace; his focus on marginalized individuals, the poor, and immigrants; his concern for church unity as demonstrated in his relationships with other Christian communions and the practice of synodality; his respect for different faiths; and his care for God’s creation. These efforts, among others, endeared him to many of our brothers and sisters throughout his years of ministry.”

 

DANFORTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

DMC Spring Cleaning on
May 17, 9:00 a.m. – noon.
Snacks and coffee will be provided.

We’ll have a clean church ready for Pastor Pieter’s installation and Doors Open Toronto.

 

 

Happy 500^th birthday
to the Anabaptist community.

The congregation is invited to join with Messy Church on
Saturday, May 10^th
at 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
for an evening of worship, activities and dinner.
More information to follow.
NOTE:  There won’t be a service on Sunday, May 11^th.

Ladies Walking group

On Tuesday, April 29, we return at 10:30 a.m. to Rosetta McClain Gardens at 5 Glen Everest Road (Kingston Road and Birchmount) for a one-hour stroll through the gardens.

An email will go out on Monday April 28th 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.

 

 

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 Rudy-Frose 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.

Please add your name to the signup sheet if you plan to attend the lunch so we can set up tables to accommodate everyone.

 

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 128^th 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 4
Sermon                     Pieter N.
Worship leader    Dalton J.
Song Leader           Ed F.
Musicians                Kathy W. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                  Cindy R., Bethany W.
ZOOM host           Bonnie W.
A/V Tech                  Fazal S.
 
Adult class            John E.

May 10 – Saturday evening service
Worship leader      Pieter N.
Musicians                  Jessica M. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                    Cindy R., Bethany W.
ZOOM host              Bonnie W.
A/V Tech                    Murray L.

 

WIDER CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

MCEC - Annual Church Gathering 2025
Called to Action by the Power of the Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23
Saturday, April 26, 2025
10 - 11:30 a.m. Online

We invite you to the ACG, centered on the theme: “Called to Action by the Power of the Holy Spirit,” with reflection on Galatians 5:22–23 – the Fruits of the Spirit. We will explore how the Spirit’s presence—through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—guides and sustains our ministry, calling us to action.

We’ll conduct the business necessary to support this ongoing mission to energize congregations, encourage leaders and embody God’s reconciling ministry for all of creation. Your presence and voice are important as we walk together.

 

 COMMUNITY CORNER

 

Silent Auction
in Support of Danforth Grow Hope
At Church of the Resurrection,
1100 Woodbine Avenue
(at corner of Milverton)

Sunday, April 27
12 noon to about 1 pm

*They are looking for auction items, in case anyone has anything to donate. Please contact Giselle Randall at giselle.randall @ gmail.com

 

 

Garage & Rummage Sale at St. Clair O’Connor Community 

Support local seniors at the St. Clair O’Connor Community (SCOC) indoor garage sale! All proceeds will help expand SCOC’s senior day programs, making social activities, friendship, and community support more accessible to seniors across East York.

Location: 2703 St. Clair Ave. East
 Date:  Saturday, April 26th
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Come shop for a good cause and support the amazing work SCOC has done for our seniors for decades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In summary, upcoming events:

At Danforth

April
29  Ladies walking group – Rosetta McLain Gardens

May
10  Saturday evening dinner and service
17  Church Spring Cleaning
18  Pastor Pieter’s installation
24/25  Doors Open Toronto

Wider Church
April
26 MCEC Annual Gathering – online

Community Corner
April
26 SCOC garage sale
27 Toronto Beach Chorale concert
27 Silent Auction – Church of the Resurrection

May
9 Mark Battenberg
10 We Are Phoenx – Pax Chorale
10 Mother’s Day for Peace

DANFORTH MENNONITE CHURCH
416-422-2406
Pastor Pieter Niemeyer

We welcome all guests who have joined us.

 

Danforth Mennonite Church
Good Friday service      April 18, 2025   10:30 a.m.

The rule of Jesus

Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews?
Matthew 2: 1-15

Lamentation                                                             Matthew 2:16-18

Magnificat                                                                  Luke 1:46-56

Hymn: VT 208 With Mary Sing Magnificat

The temptation to rule by other means Matthew 4:1-12

Hymn: VT 307                Jesus Tempted in the desert

The rule of Kingdom life                                 Matthew 5-7

Hymn: S&R  Sermon on the Mount

A case of missing the point                        Mark 10:35-45

Hymn: VT 568 Christ has no body here but ours

Jesus and the collaborator                       Luke 19:1-10

Lament for peace not pursued               Luke 19:41-44

Hymn: VT 794 If the war goes on

Eyes to see and ears to hear

Hymn: VT 712                Beauty for brokenness

A story of two rulers                                  Mark 15

The Crucifixion of Jesus

The Death of Jesus

Communion:

Congregants come forward to receive communion.

As hymn VT 325  O Sacred Head, Now Wounded is played.

Prayer

Hymn: VT 138                Christ, we do all adore thee

Benediction

Leading Us in Worship
Readers:
Pieter: Narrator
Dalton: Reader 1
Margaret: Reader 2
Erma: Reader 3
Song Leader                     Kathy W.
Musician                            Roger H., Ray W.
Greeters                             Tessa R.
Zoom Host                         Bonnie W.
A/V                                         Fazal S.

 

Danforth Mennonite Church
Easter Sunday   April 20, 2025   11:00 a.m.
Order of Service

Welcome

Land Acknowledgment

Call to Worship

Opening Hymn: VT #361 Christ who left His home in glory

Announcements

Offering

Easter Choir

Confession & Words of assurance 

Congregational Prayer

Scriptures: Luke 24: 1 – 12

Hymn: VT #355 Thine is the Glory

Sermon:  Christ Collides with Death

Hymn of Response: VT #340 Lift your glad voices

Benediction

Leading Us in Worship
Sermon                              Pieter N.
Worship Leader           Mike D.
Song Leader                    Dalton J.
Musician                           Roger H., Ray W.
Greeters                           Dalton & Carol J.
Zoom Host                      Bonnie W.
A/V                                      Don B.

Hymn of the month:  VT 708   As the Waters Rise Around Us

The Adult Discussion Class will resume next week.

Call to Worship

Leader:   The stone is rolled away!

People: Why look for the living among the dead?

Leader:   Alleluia! Christ is risen!

People: Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Leader:   No nonsense here! Christ collides with

death, affecting the universe.

People: Christ collides with death, affecting each of us.

Leader:   Alleluia! Christ is risen!

All:            Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

Confession and words of assurance

All:            Loving and merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you.

Leader:   We have not loved you with all our thoughts, words, and actions.

People: We have sinned through what we have chosen to do and what we have chosen to neglect.

Leader:   We have not fully accepted your love for us. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

People: We linger in the shadows of fear and death, afraid to fully embrace the love you showed us through the resurrection.

All:            We repent before each other and before you, our loving God. Please help us open our hearts to your love. Help us fully live in the love you showed us in Jesus’ death and resurrection so we may better share your peace in your world, rejoicing in your name. Amen.

Leader:   Now hear these words of assurance: God tells us that we are created in God’s image. God created us for relationship with God and each other. In this, we know that God will never break our relationship. God’s steadfast love endures forever.

 

Scripture Reading
Luke 24:1–12

The Resurrection of Jesus
24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. ² They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³ but when they went in they did not find the body. ⁴ While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. ⁵ The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. ⁶ Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.” ⁸ Then they remembered his words, ⁹ and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰ Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. ¹¹ But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. ¹² But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

 

DANFORTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

DMC Spring Cleaning on

May 17, 9:00 a.m. – noon.
Snacks and coffee will be provided.
 
We’ll have a clean church ready for Pastor Pieter’s installation and Doors Open Toronto.

 

Easter Potluck Breakfast
Sunday, April 20, 2024
9:30 am in the Fellowship Hall

Please bring finger foods for all to share.  Coffee, tea, and juice will be served.
10:45 am We are invited to the sanctuary for some pre-service Easter hymn singing.

Everyone is welcome.

 

Treasurer’s Report: To the end of March $25,021 has been received in offerings. We received $7,227 in March. In order to meet our 2025 budget our monthly target for Sunday offerings is $9,206.

In March there was another $910 donated to our Food Bank fund. Some of this was the result of Government Rebate cheques being forwarded to our Food Bank fund. The Food Bank fund now has $1,510 in it and this money will be sent to our Food Bank partners in April.

Other designated donations received in March were another $150 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.

There was a $3,096 disbursement from the General Designated Fund as approved by the Trustees and Church Council. This money was for the purchase of new tables and table carts for the lower meeting room.

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.

 

Happy 500^th birthday
to the Anabaptist community.

The congregation is invited to join with Messy Church on
Saturday, May 10^th
at 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
for an evening of worship, activities and dinner.

More information to follow.
NOTE:  There won’t be a service on Sunday, May 11^th.

 

 

Ladies Walking group

On Tuesday, April 22 at 10:30 am (weather permitting), we will meet at Bluffers Park (1 Brimley Road South).  Take Brimley Road to the bottom of the hill and follow to the right and park in the lot near the washrooms.
 
An email will go out on Monday April 21^st 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.

 

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 R.-F. 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.

Please add your name to the signup sheet if you plan to attend the lunch so we can set up tables to accommodate everyone.

Now available from our Church Library

Winner of Canada Reads 2025

From her early, often harrowing memories of life and abuse in a remote Ojibwa community, Ma-Nee Chacaby’s extraordinary story is one of enduring and ultimately overcoming the social and economic legacies of colonialism.

As a child, Chacaby learned spiritual and cultural traditions from her Cree grandmother and trapping, hunting, and bush survival skills from her Ojibwa stepfather. She also suffered physical and sexual violence, and in her teen years became an alcoholic herself. At twenty, Chacaby took her children and, fleeing an abusive marriage, moved to Thunder Bay. Despite the abuse, racism, and indifference she often found there, Chacaby marshalled the strength and supports to help herself and others.

Over the following decades, she achieved sobriety, trained and worked as an alcoholism counsellor, raised her children and fostered many others, learned to live with visual impairment, and came out as a lesbian. In 2013, Chacaby led the first gay pride parade in Thunder Bay.

 

Worship Schedule reminder

April 27
Sermon                       Carol O.
Worship leader      Pieter N.
Song Leader             Don B.
Musicians                  Kathy W. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                    Dalton & Carol J.
ZOOM host             Mike D.
A/V Tech                   Murray L.
Book Study             Murray L.

May 4
Sermon                        Pieter N.
Worship leader       Dalton J.
Song Leader              Ed F.
Musicians                   Kathy W. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                     Cindy R., Bethany W.
ZOOM host              Bonnie W.
A/V Tech                     Fazal S.
Hymn Sing                 Kathy W.

 

 

WIDER CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

Mennonite Church Canada Gathering 2025 July 2 – 5, 2025Gathering @ Rockway Mennonite Collegiate Youth Gathering @ Conrad Grebel University CollegeWhether you’re representing your congregation, a youth looking to connect with peers from across Canada, or a young adult seeking inspiration, there’s something for everyone at Gathering 2025. Registration opens March 5 ·  Discover more! ·  Gathering Schedule·  Youth Gathering Schedule coming soon!·  Promotional Materials – bulletin inserts, posters

 

For answers to some Frequently Asked Questions visit our page here

 

MCEC – Annual Church Gathering 2025
Called to Action by the Power of the Holy Spirit
Galatians 5:22-23
Saturday, April 26, 2025
10 – 11:30 a.m. Online

We invite you to the ACG, centered on the theme: “Called to Action by the Power of the Holy Spirit,” with reflection on Galatians 5:22–23 – the Fruits of the Spirit. We will explore how the Spirit’s presence—through love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—guides and sustains our ministry, calling us to action.

We’ll conduct the business necessary to support this ongoing mission to energize congregations, encourage leaders and embody God’s reconciling ministry for all of creation. Your presence and voice are important as we walk together.

 

 

 COMMUNITY CORNER

 

 

Garage & Rummage Sale at St. Clair O’Connor Community 

Support local seniors at the St. Clair O’Connor Community (SCOC) indoor garage sale! All proceeds will help expand SCOC’s senior day programs, making social activities, friendship, and community support more accessible to seniors across East York.

Location: 2703 St. Clair Ave. East
 Date:  Saturday, April 26th
Time: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Come shop for a good cause and support the amazing work SCOC has done for our seniors for decades.

 

 

 

In summary, upcoming events:

At Danforth

April
18  Good Friday service
20  Easter Potluck breakfast and service
22  Ladies walking group – Bluffers Park
29  Ladies walking group – Rosetta McLain Gardens

May
10  Saturday evening dinner and service
17  Church Spring Cleaning
18  Pastor Pieter’s installation

Wider Church

April
24  Hymns Hope & Justice for Palestine
26  MCEC Annual Gathering – online

Community Corner

April
26  SCOC garage sale
27  Toronto Beach Chorale concert

May
9  Mark Battenberg