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 500th birthday
to the Anabaptist community.
The congregation is invited to join with Messy Church on
Saturday, May 10th.
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 11th.
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 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 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 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