DANFORTH MENNONITE CHURCH
416-422-2406
We welcome all guests who have joined us.
Danforth Mennonite Church
December 29, 2024 11:00 a.m.
Order of Service
Land Acknowledgement
Welcome
Hymn: VT #258 Love has come
Candle lighting
Call to worship
Hymn: VT #259 To us a child of hope is born
Announcements
Offering prayer
Hymn: VT #685 Oh Lord, hear my prayer
Congregational Prayer
Scripture I Samuel 8: 1-22, 2 Samuel 7: 1-11, I Kings 12: 1-20
Hymn: VT #770 God is working this purpose out
Message: On the Other Hand
Hymn of Response: VT #156 There’s a wideness in God’s Mercy
Benediction
Leading Us in Worship
Message: Jim W.
Worship Leader: Linda D.
Song Leader: Kathy W.
Musicians: Roger H. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters: Leslie S., Tessa R.
Zoom Host: Bonnie W.
A/V Technician: Don B.
Hymn of the month: VT #258 Love has come
Hymn Sing Sunday and Adult Discussion Class
will return in January 2025
Call to worship
Based on Psalm 131:1–3
Leader: As we worship today,
God, we ask this of you:
People: Wipe pride from our hearts,
That we might truly love one another.
Rinse conceit from our eyes
That we might see one another as you see.
Leader: We rest in your promises and wait for you.
People: Calm and quiet, we trust in you.
Leader: Open our hearts,
All: That we might let go of all that separates us from you and one another.
Candle lighting
Men: Have you heard the news? Jesus, the promised Messiah has come!
Women: I have heard the Good News! God is with us; Jesus is here!
Candlelighting (the Christ candle is lit)
All: Let us shout it aloud for everyone to hear! Come join us on this journey, as we live out the Good News of Christ!
Scripture Reading
from the TANAKH translation
(Jewish Publication Society)
1 Samuel 8:1-22
1 When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons judges [rulers] over Israel. 2 The name of his first-born son was Joel, and his second son’s name was Abijah; they sat as judges [rulers] in Beer-sheba. 3 But his sons did not follow in his ways; they were bent on gain, they accepted bribes, and they subverted justice.
4 All the elders of Israel assembled and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and they said to him, “You have grown old, and your sons have not followed your ways. Therefore appoint a king for us, to govern [judge] us like all other nations.” 6 Samuel was displeased that they said “Give us a king to govern [judge] us.” Samuel prayed to the LORD, 7 and the LORD replied to Samuel, “Heed the demand of the people in everything they say to you. For it is not you that they have rejected; it is Me they have rejected as their king. 8 Like everything else they have done ever since I brought them out of Egypt to this day — forsaking Me and worshiping other gods — so they are doing to you. 9 Heed their demand; but warn them solemnly, and tell them about the practices of any king who will rule over them.”
10 Samuel reported all the words of the LORD to the people, who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This will be the practice of the king who will rule over you: He will take your sons and appoint them as his charioteers and horsemen, and they will serve as outrunners for his chariots. 12 He will appoint them as his chiefs of thousands and of fifties; or they will have to plow his fields, reap his harvest, and make his weapons and the equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters as perfumers, cooks, and bakers. 14 He will seize your choice fields, vineyards, and olive groves, and give them to his courtiers. 15 He will take a tenth part of your grain and vintage and give it to his eunuchs and courtiers. 16 He will take your male and female slaves, your choice young men, and your asses, and put them to work for him. 17 He will take a tenth part of your flocks, and you shall become his slaves. 18 The day will come when you cry out because of the king whom you yourselves have chosen; and the LORD will not answer you on that day.”
19 But the people would not listen to Samuel’s warning. “No,” they said. “We must have a king over us, 20 that we may be like all the other nations: Let our king rule over [judge] us and go out at our head and fight our battles.” 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he reported it to the LORD. 22 And the LORD said to Samuel, “Heed their demands and appoint a king for them.” Samuel then said to the men of Israel, “All of you go home.”
2 Samuel 7:1-16
1 When the king was settled in his palace [house] and the LORD had granted him safety from all the enemies around him, 2 the king said to the prophet Nathan: “Here I am dwelling in a house [palace] of cedar, while the Ark of the LORD abides in a tent!” 3 Nathan said to the king, “Go and do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you.”
4 But that same night the word of the LORD came to Nathan: 5 “Go and say to My servant David: Thus said the LORD: Are you the one to build a house [temple] for Me to dwell in? 6 From the day that I brought the people of Israel out of Egypt to this day I have not dwelt in a house [temple], but have moved about in Tent and Tabernacle. 7 As I moved about wherever the Israelites went, did I ever reproach any of the tribal leaders whom I appointed to care for My people Israel: Why have you not built Me a house [temple] of cedar?
8 “Further, say thus to My servant David: Thus said the LORD of Hosts: I took you from the pasture, from following the flock, to be ruler of My people Israel, 9 and I have been with you wherever you went, and have cut down all your enemies before you. Moreover, I will give you great renown like that of the greatest men on earth. 10 I will establish a home for My people Israel and will plant them firm, so that they shall dwell secure and shall tremble no more. Evil men shall not oppress them any more as in the past, 11 ever since I appointed chieftains [judges] over My people Israel. I will give you safety from all your enemies.
“The LORD declares to you that He, the LORD, will establish a house [dynasty] for you. 12 When your days are done and you lie with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, one of your own issue, and I will establish his kingship. 13 He shall build a house [temple] for My name, and I will establish his royal throne forever. 14 I will be a father to him, and he shall be a son to Me. When he does wrong, I will chastise him with the rod of men and the affliction of mortals; 15 but I will never withdraw My favor from him as I withdrew it from Saul, whom I removed to make room for you. 16 Your house [dynasty] and your kingship shall ever be secure before you; your throne shall be established forever.”
1 Kings 12:1-20
1 Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to acclaim him as king. 2 Jeroboam son of Nebat learned of it while he was still in Egypt; for Jeroboam had fled from King Solomon, and had settled in Egypt. 3 They sent for him; and Jeroboam and all the assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam as follows: 4 “Your father made our yoke heavy. Now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke which your father laid on us, and we will serve you.” 5 He answered them, “Go away for three days and then come back to me.” So the people went away.
6 King Rehoboam took counsel with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. He said, “What answer do you advise me to give to this people?” 7 They answered him, “If you will be a servant to those people today and serve them, and if you respond to them with kind words, they will be your servants always.” 8 But he ignored the advice that the elders gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him. 9 “What,” he asked, “do you advise that we reply to the people who said to me, ‘Lighten the yoke that your father placed upon us’?” 10 And the young men who had grown up with him answered, “Speak thus to the people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, now you make it lighter for us.’ Say to them, ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s loins. 11 My father imposed a heavy yoke on you, and I will add to your yoke; my father flogged you with whips, but I will flog you with scorpions.'”
12 Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam on the third day, since the king had told them: “Come back on the third day.” 13 The king answered the people harshly, ignoring the advice that the elders had given him. 14 He spoke to them in accordance with the advice of the young men, and said, “My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add to your yoke; my father flogged you with whips, but I will flog you with scorpions.” 15 (The king did not listen to the people; for the LORD had brought it about in order to fulfill the promise that the LORD had made through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat.) 16 When all Israel saw that the king had not listened to them, the people answered the king:
“We have no portion in David,
No share in Jesse’s son!
To your tents,
O Israel!
Now look to your own House [dynasty], O David.”
So the Israelites returned to their homes. 17 But Rehoboam continued to reign over the Israelites who lived in the towns of Judah.
18 King Rehoboam sent Adoram, who was in charge of the forced labor, but all Israel pelted him to death with stones. Thereupon King Rehoboam hurriedly mounted his chariot and fled to Jerusalem. 19 Thus Israel revolted against the House [dynasty] of David, as is still the case.
20 When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent messengers and summoned him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to the House [dynasty] of David.
DANFORTH ANNOUNCEMENTS
Danforth Mennonite Church
Annual General meeting
February 2, 2025
Dates to note:
• submissions no later than January 15
• AGM booklet will be emailed out January 22
• printed copies upon request – will be available January 26 (Sunday before the meeting)
Christmas Giving Tree
Thank you for your generosity.
Worship Schedule reminder
January 5
Message Robin W.
Worship leader Margaret A.
Song Leader Don B.
Musicians Kathy W. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters Vic & Mary Jane G.
ZOOM host Bonnie W.
A/V Tech Mike D.
Hymn Sing Kathy W.
January 12
Message John E.
Worship leader Dalton J.
Song Leader Kathy W.
Musicians Roger H. (piano), Ray W. (tuba)
Greeters Vic & Mary Jane G.
ZOOM host Bonnie W.
A/V Tech Murray L.
Book Study Murray L.
WIDER CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENTS
A thankyou note from Theatre of the Beat
Dear friends at Danforth Mennonite Church,
I hope you’re having a lovely December so far!
I’m writing to express gratitude on behalf of the entire TOTB team for your recent donation to our Amplifying Social Change fundraising campaign.
Your generous gift, which was matched 1:1 by a small group of anonymous donors, will go twice as far in helping Theatre of the Beat with our exciting endeavors for 2025, including:
• Delivering 25 free drama-based workshops to underresourced youth in Ontario, educating them about consent and mental health & helping them build confidence, community, and creative expression
• Delivering 25 free workshops to seniors in Ontario, using the arts to share important messages and intervention strategies for elder abuse prevention
• Developing our new play Bargaining Human Life, which explores human trafficking, forced labour and modern slavery and connects these issues to hyperconsumerism, global supply chains, and individual purchasing power
• Mounting the 2nd annual Emerging Producers Festival, which will offer hands-on training to four youth artist-producers and showcase four new Canadian works-in-progress addressing social justice topics.
We’re excited to stay in touch about these upcoming activities, and so grateful to have your support as we keep leveraging the power of theatre for positive social change!
Wishing you happiness & health,
Malia R.
Development Manager
Pronouns: she/her
theatreofthebeat.ca
In Summary, upcoming events:
At Danforth
February
1 Pastor Pieter joins us as our Pastor
2 DMC AGM