3rd Sunday of Easter May 1, 2022

Tally Maust • April 28, 2022

3rd Sunday of Easter

Follow Me


First Mennonite Church

Sugarcreek, Ohio May 1, 2022

Worship: 9:30-10:30

Fellowship Time: 10:30-11:00

Sunday School: 11:00-12:00


We believe in Jesus and take his life, teachings, death and resurrection

as the model for how we live and the message we proclaim.

****************************************************

We seek to be a caring and discerning community,

the gathered body of Christ,

that welcomes all to join in worship, study, and service.

***************************************************

We embody God's transforming and redeeming Spirit in the world

through our prophetic witness and action.


THE CHURCH WORSHIPS TOGETHER                                                                                                                                                         


Follow Me

3rd Sunday of Easter


Prelude:

Welcome & Announcements:

Focus:  The one thing that Jesus asks of us throughout the Bible is

"Follow Me".  What does it mean to follow Jesus?  What are the rewards

for following Jesus?  Will you still follow him when life gets hard?  Jesus

loves us so much that he wants and calls us to follow him in every circumstance.

Time of Meditation:


~Gathering~


*Call to Worship:

L:  I will exalt the Lord who lifts me from the depths of sin and shame!

P:  It is the Lord who heals my spirit and body!

L:  All you saints, sing your hearts out to God!  Praise his holy name!

P:  It is the Lord who brings rejoicing in the morning and turns my wailing into dancing!

L:  Join with thousands upon thousands of angels in heaven, and every breathing creature on earth, in praise to the Lamb who was slain and rose again.

P:  Worthy is the Lamb to receive honor, glory, and praise.

L:  It is the Lord!

All:  It is the Lord!

Invocation:

L:  Here we are Lord, your church, uncertain, on an ever changing journey.

P:  Show us your path.

L:  Here we are, longing to know your way.

P:  Guide us to follow you.

L:  Here we are, desiring only your comfort.

P:  Help us to hear your voice.

All:  Here we are, God; lead us according to your will.  Amen.


Hymn of Gathering:

"Blessed Jesus, At Your Word" Hymnal a Worship Book #13


~Prayer & Praising~


Old Testament Reading: (based on Psalm 30, Exodus 15, Psalm 143) with "Come Thou Fount" HWB 521 as a sung response

Leader:  We will sing glory to God and will praise and love God forever and forever.  For we cried out from Sheol and God heard our plea and healed us.

Mike Keim:  It had been three days since we left the Red Sea and began wandering with Moses through the wilderness.  Three endless days on shifting sand, attempting to navigate in the glaring sun, walking without water, our feet on fire, our vision blurred, our souls dry to the bone.

Leader:  We cried out to the Lord:  and to God we made supplication:  "What profit is there in death?"  we asked.  "What is the value of going down into the pit?"

Mike Keim:  and then, in the distance, we spied Marah and imagined the sparkling waters.  We dreamed of the restoration of our bodies, and our spirits sang in the hope that was before us.


(congregation sing stanza 1)


Leader: But the waters of Marah were bitter.  Promises crumbles; hopes fell away like ashes.  God hid his face from us.  "Have mercy on us, O God!"  we prayed, our souls aching.  "Have mercy on us, O God!  "Where will we find water?  "And what can we give our children to drink?"

Mike Keim:  Moses turned his back to us.  He returned with a piece of wood and threw it into the bitter water.  The water became sweet, and our weeping turned to joy!  Here, in this place, the Lord established a statute and an ordinance.


(congregation sings stanza 2)


Leader:  Here in this place God put us to the test, saying "If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord, and do what is right in God's sight, giving heed tot he commandments and statutes, I will heal your diseases and lift up your souls from Sheol."


(congregation sings stanza 3)


Leader:  Then we came to Elim, where there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees.  And we camped by the water.


(quiet meditation with one instrumental stanza)

Congregational Prayers & Praises:

Ending Prayer:


Hymn of Praise:

"Let's Sing Unto the Lord" Hymnal a Worship Book #55


~Hearing God's Word~


Scripture: John 21:1-19

Message: "Back to Normal?" - by Mike Gehman


~Response & Sending~


Hymn of Response:

"When We Walk With the Lord" Hymnal a Worship Book #544

(the offering will be brought forward at this time)

Offering Prayer:


Sending Hymn:

"Go, My Children" Hymnal a Worship Book #433

Benediction:


Postlude:


Words of Dismissal:


THE CHURCH GIVES THANKS AND PRAYS FOR                                                                                                                                       

For the Disciples continuing Jesus' mission throughout hardship and persecution.

Keo Sixiengmay is cancer free!

Prayers for the people of Ukraine, of safety, of comfort.  Also for our Mennonite MCC, and Mennonite Brethren workers, who are there helping to provide food, water, and shelter.

MMN:  Mennonite Mission Network joins Marlene Wall, president of LCC International University in Lithuania, in requesting prayer for faulty and staff, who are caring for both students and refugees from Ukraine.  Ukrainian refugees have traveled about 700 miles to flee the violence from the Russian invasion.  Pray that God's people around the world will contribute to this ministry.


FMC LIVES IN DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER                                                                                                                                                   

Next Week's Texts: Acts 9:36-43; Psalm 23 (4) CEV; Revelation 9:9-17; John 10:22-30

Harbor of Hope: 51 items of Spaghetti Sauce & Pasta were taken to the Harbor of Hope on Wednesday.  Thank you for your generous donations.  This month's items are Laundry & Cleaning Supplies, and are due on May 25

Mission Project for May: Harbor of Hope: Laundry & Cleaning Supplies; Homeless Shelter Meal May 31

Mother's Day: Next Sunday is Mother's Day let's join in celebrating our Mother's as they have provided for us all our lives.


WORSHIP                                                                         9:30-10:30                                                                                                               

Greeters:                                                                                      Bruce & Sue Stauffer

Minister:                                                                                       Mike Gehman

Worship Leader:                                                                          Julie Gerber

Song Leader:                                                                               April Shupe

Organist:                                                                                      Margaret Cheslock

Pianist:                                                                                         Suzanne Stauffer

Head Usher:                                                                                 Monk Yoder


THIS WEEK                                                                                                                                                                                                       

May   1          Herb & Helene Torgler's Wedding Anniversary Today

May   4          Leadership Team Meeting 7:00 p.m.

May   4          May the Forth be with you

May   5          Bruce Stauffer has a Birthday

May   5          Cinco de Mayo

May   8          Linda Yoder has a Birthday

May   8            Mother's Day


UPCOMING EVENTS                                                                                                                                                                                       

May 25           Harbor of Hope items due: Laundry & Cleaning Supplies

May 27           Senior Breakfast @ Dutch Valley 9:00 a.m.

May 30           Memorial Day

May 31           Homeless Shelter Meal 6:00 p.m.

June   1          Leadership Team Meeting 7:00 p.m.

June   4          Tyler Murphy's Graduation Party

June 14          Flag Day

June 19          Father's Day

June 22          Harbor of Hope item due: Cereal

June 24          Senior Breakfast @ Dutch Valley 9:00 a.m.

July   6           Leadership Team Meeting

July 10           Winklpleck Grove Service "The Lovedays"

July 10           Music Fest behind the Fire Station

July 27           Harbor of Hope items: Paper Products

July 29           Senior Breakfast @ Dutch Valley 9:00 a.m.


NEXT WEEK                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Greeters:                                                                                           April Shupe, Bertie Showers

Minister:                                                                                            Mike Gehman

Worship Leader:                                                                               Dan Hostetler

Song Leader:                                                                                    April Shupe

Head Usher:                                                                                      Monk Yoder


CHURCH LEADERSHIP                                                                                                                                                                                   

CHURCH:

Pastor: Mike Gehman

Pastor's Hours: Wednesday 9:30am-2:30pm

Secretary: Tally Maust

Phone: 1-330-852-2822

Email: pastor@firstmennonitesugarcreek.com

Website: http//fmcsugarcreekoh.org

Address:

113 W. Main St.   P.O. Box 250

Sugarcreek, Ohio 44681


CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM:

Chairperson: Mike Keim

Office Contact: Linda Yoder

Mission Contact: Reno Stevanus

Trustees Contact: Dan Hostetler

Secretary Contact: Amy Stauffer-McNutt


August 14, 2026
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June 20, 2026
First Mennonite Church Sugarcreek, Ohio June 21, 2026 Happy Father’s Day! Worship: 9:30 am Coffee & Fellowship Time: 10:30 am We believe in Jesus and take his life, teachings, death and resurrection as the model for how we live and the message we proclaim. ***************************************­ We seek to be a caring and discerning community, the gathered body of Christ, that welcomes all to join in worship, study, and service. ****************************************** We embody God’s transforming and redeeming Spirit in the world through our prophetic witness and action. THE CHURCH WORSHIPS TOGETHER God’s Faithfulness ~Gathering~ Prelude: “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” -arr. John Carter Welcome& Announcements Focus Statement: In Psalm 100:5, the psalmist declares that the Lord is good and his love endures forever, and his faithfulness continues through all generations. We have seen the many ways said that God has shown his love and faithfulness to us through the years, as followers of Jesus Christ and as believers who worship together as First Mennonite Church. How can we live and share about God’s love and great faithfulness in our lives, as we continue to follow Christ today? Time of Meditation: “Trust and Obey” -arr. Johanna Miller Call to Worship: Leader: Let us worship the eternal God, the Source of love and Life, who creates us. People: Let us worship Jesus Christ, the risen one who lives among us. All: To the one true God be praise, in all times and places, through the grace of Jesus Christ. Invocation Hymn of Gathering : HWB 71 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee ~Praising & Praying~ Psalm Litany: Psalm 89:1-8 (NIV) Leader: I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. People: I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. Leader: You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, People: ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’ Leader: The heavens praise your wonders, LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. People: For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? Leader: In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. People: Who is like you, LORD God Almighty? All: You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you. Hymn of Praise: HWB 70 Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise Prayers of the People Hymn of Praise: HWB 327 Great is Thy Faithfulness ~Hearing God’s Word~ Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1--14 Message: “God’s love and faithfulness abounds…passing it on” ~Responding~ Hymn of Response: HWB 338 I Know Not Why God’s Wondrous (the offering will be brought forward) Offering Prayer ~Sending~ Sending Hymn: HWB 420 Heart with Loving Heart United Benediction: Leader: We go now with faith, trusting God’s Spirit to guide us; People: We go now with hope, waiting for the fullness of Christ’s reign. Leader: We go now with love, resting in God’s care and the care of God’s people. All: We go out with joy: to listen and speak, to sing and suffer, to proclaim good news, and give glory to God. Postlude: “A Gaelic Blessing” -John Rutter Deep peace of the running wave to you, Deep peace of the flowing air to you, Deep peace of the quiet earth to you, Deep peace of the shining stars to you, Deep peace of the gentle night to you, Moon and stars pour their healing light on you, Deep peace of Christ, of Christ the light of the world to you, Deep peace of Christ to you. Sending Words WORSHIP 9:30-10:30 Pastor: Mike Gehman Worship Leader: Bruce Stauffer Pianist: Suzanne Stauffer Usher: Mike Keim FMC LIVES IN DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER Mission Project for June: My Coins Count Each year, coins and bills collected by children, families and churches along with matches add up to more than $600,000 toward MCC’s work around the world. Your coins (and bills and checks!) count! The money collected will be sent to the MCC Relief Sale held at Mt. Hope on July 10 th -11 th and go toward MCC water, education and/or food projects. Please stay for the Congregational Meeting today following worship. Remember: No church at FMC next Sunday, June 28 th . THE CHURCH GIVES THANKS FOR Melanie Blauch Archer: We went to Panama Beach to watch my granddaughter get married. Sue Stauffer: Greta and Issac are going to high school camp at Camp Friedenswald. THE CHURCH PRAYS FOR Melanie Blauch Archer: Cousin’s wife, Tammy was diagnosed with a mass in her chest. Also, Sony has passed away, prayers for family and friends. THIS WEEK June 24 th Happy Birthday, Bob Barnes June 26 th Happy Birthday, Helene Torgler June 28 th Visitation Sunday (No church at FMC) UPCOMING EVENTS July 3 rd Happy Anniversary, Dan & Amy Hostetler July 24 th Kick-Off 100 th Anniversary Event: Ice Cream Social IN TWO WEEKS: Worship Leader (7/5): Kristy Keim Head Usher: Leadership Team LAST WEEK Attendance: 27 Offering: $1195 My Coins Count: $35.25 CHURCH LEADERSHIP Pastor’s Hours: Wednesday 9:30 am-2:30 pm Church Secretary: Tabatha Murphy Church Phone: 1-330-852-2822 Email: office@firstmennonitesugarcreek.com Website: http//fmcsugarcreekoh.org Address: 113 W. Main St. P.O. Box 250 Sugarcreek, OH 44681 CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM: Chairperson: Mike Keim Office Contact: Linda Yoder Mission Contact: Reno Stevanus Trustees Contact: Dan Hostetler Secretary Contact: Amy Stauffer-McNutt
June 12, 2026
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June 6, 2026
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