Sunday, April 6, 2025 bulletin

DANFORTH MENNONITE CHURCH
416-422-2406
Pastor Pieter Niemeyer

 We welcome all guests who have joined us.

 

Danforth Mennonite Church
April 6, 2025   11:00 a.m.
Order of Service

Welcome
Land Acknowledgment
Call to Worship
Hymn: #9 Come Away From Rush and Hurry
Announcements
Offering Prayer
Hymn: #708 As the Waters Arise Around Us
Congregational Prayer
Confession and Words of Assurance
Hymn: #738 Open My Eyes That I May See
Scripture: Luke 18:31 – 19:10
Sermon: Christ Collides With Our Blinders
Closing Hymn: # 540  Will you come and follow me
Benediction

 

Leading Us in Worship
Sermon                               Pieter N.
Worship Leader            Erma M.
Song Leader                    Sue S.
Musician                           Jessica M., Ray W.
Greeters                           Leslie S., Tessa R.
Zoom Host                      Bonnie W.
A/V                                      Murray L.

 

Hymn of the month

VT # 708  As the Waters Rise Around Us

 

It’s Hymn Sing Sunday

All are welcome to join us in the sanctuary
at 10:00 a.m.

The adult discussion class returns on April 13.
If you would like to receive emails regarding what’s happening in our class, please contact Bonnie.

 

 

Call to Worship

Leader:  As we worship, Christ collides with our blinders.

People: We want to know you and follow you, O Christ.

Leader:  Will you cry to God? Will you climb a tree?

People: We will journey, scanning the horizon for signs of the kingdom. So much is hidden, and at times we do not grasp what God is saying.

Leader:  Jesus, show us mercy.

People: Seek and save us.

All:         Jesus, show us mercy.

 

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 walk through our days with blinders on, unable to see or understand clearly.

All: We repent before each other and before you, our loving God. Please help us open our hearts to your love. Help us walk with open eyes and hearts 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 18:31 – 19:10

A Third Time Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection
31 Then he took the twelve aside and said to them, “Look, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be handed over to the gentiles, and he will be mocked and insulted and spat upon. 33 After they have flogged him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise again.” 34 But they understood nothing about all these things; in fact, what he said was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar Near Jericho
35 As he approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” 38 Then he shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 39 Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he shouted even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 40 Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to him, and when he came near, he asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, let me see again.” 42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has saved you.” 43 Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God, and all the people, when they saw it, praised God.

Jesus and Zacchaeus
19 He entered Jericho and was passing through it. A man was there named Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was rich. He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree to see him, because he was going to pass that way. When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried down and was happy to welcome him. All who saw it began to grumble and said, “He has gone to be the guest of one who is a sinner.” Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, half of my possessions, Lord, I will give to the poor, and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I will pay back four times as much.” Then Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because he, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.”

 

DANFORTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

There will be a brief choir practice for our Easter Sunday morning hymn.  Next practice will be during the hymn sing on Sunday April 6th and a possible practice after the Good Friday service on April 18th. We will be singing VT# 359 Christ is Alive! Let Christians Sing.  See Kathy Wert if you have any questions.     All are welcome.

 

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.

Good Friday service
and communion
On April 18 at 10:30 am

 

Ladies Walking group

On Tuesday, April 8 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 7 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.

 

Worship Schedule reminder

April 13
Sermon                    Pieter N.
Worship leader   Margaret A.
Song Leader          Sue S.
Musicians               Jessica M. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                 Leslie S., Tessa R.
ZOOM host          Bonnie W.
A/V Tech                 Roger H.
Adult Class            John E.

April 18 – Good Friday
Worship leader    Pieter N.
Song Leader           Kathy W.
Musicians                Roger H. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                  ?
ZOOM host          Bonnie W.
A/V Tech                 Fazal S.

April 20 – Easter
Sermon                      Pieter N.
Worship leader     Mike D.
Song Leader            Dalton J.
Musicians                 Roger H. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters                   Dalton & Carol J.
ZOOM host            Bonnie W.
A/V Tech                  Don B.
Adult Class             no class – Easter breakfast

 

Would you like to receive a free subscription to Canadian Mennonite?
You can request a digital and/or print copy.
Speak with Bonnie and she will submit the request.

 

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

 

GTA Mennonite Festival AGM
at Willowgrove dining hall.
April 13 – 5 pm

Supper will be served.

Please register by April 10th at https://www.gtamennonitefestival.ca/agm .

Questions contact Karen at jandkbarber@gmail.com

 

 

Service at SCOC on Sunday Evening at 7 pm – ALL ARE WELCOME
Pastor Pieter will be speaking. Please keep him in your prayers.

 

 

 

MCEC Annual Church Gathering 2025
Called to Action by the Power of the Holy Spirit

Saturday, April 26, 2025
10 – 11:30 a.m. Online
Registration opens at the end of March

 

 COMMUNITY CORNER

 

 

Spring (classic chocolate and vanilla sandwich) Girl Guide cookies will be available from Bethany on Sunday, April 6.

 

 

In summary, upcoming events:

At Danforth

April
8 Ladies walking group – Bluffers Park
12  Men’s breakfast
12  Messy Church
15  Ladies walking group – Rosetta McLain
18  Good Friday service
20  Easter Potluck breakfast and service
22  Ladies walking group – Ashbridges Bay
29  Ladies walking group

May
18  Pastor Pieter’s installation

Wider Church

April
5  Fraser Lake 70 years
13 GTA Mennonite Festival AGM
26  MCEC Annual Gathering – online

Community Corner

April
6  Girl Guide cookies
27  Toronto Beach Chorale concert