April 6, 2025

First Mennonite Church

Sugarcreek, Ohio

April 6, 2025

Worship: 9:30 – 10:30

Fellowship Time: 10:30-12:00

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

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

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We seek to be a caring and discerning community, the gathered body

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

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

through our prophetic witness and action.

THE CHURCH WORSHIPS TOGETHER

Lent Five:

Christ Collides With Our Blinders

~Gathering~

Prelude: "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling"

- arr. Larry Shackley

Welcome& Announcements

Focus Statement:

Blinders can be a hindrance to our perception and judgment. They can restrict our view and obscure the complete picture of a

situation. In the book of Luke, we find three narratives, each depicting an encounter between Jesus and individuals or groups with blinders. These stories highlight the significance of recognizing our blinders and removing them to attain a clear understanding of truth, faith, and compassion. What do our blinders keep us from seeing?

Time of Meditation: "Open My Eyes, That I May See"

- arr. Larry Shackley

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.

Invocation

Hymn of Gathering: VT 10 Here In This Place

~Praying & Praising~

Prayers of the People

Hymn of Praise: VT 411 All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name

~Hearing God’s Word~

Scripture: Luke 18:31-34, 35-43; 19:1-10

Readers---Mike Keim, Kristy Keim, Brad Shupe

Message: “Blinders: What prevents you from seeing Jesus?”

~Responding~

Prayer of 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 and 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.

Hymn of Response: VT 738 Open My Eyes That I May See

Offering Prayer

~Sending~

Sending Hymn: HWB 545 Be Thou My Vision

Benediction

Postlude: "I Want Jesus to Walk with Me" - arr. Mary McDonald

Sending Words

WORSHIP 9:30-10:30

Guest Minister: Darcy Miller

Worship Leader: April Shupe

Usher: Herb Torgler

Lentin Theme 2025: Christ Collides

This year, we are using many of the parables that Jesus shared in his

ministry. It has been said that the origin of the word parable is two

things that collide, and if you, upon hearing a parable, do not feel the

impact of the collision, you are probably missing something. In many

parables, Jesus throws a surprise beside or in comparison with

something else. Each week’s texts offer a glimpse into how the

content of his teachings collides with us and our world. The visuals

on the altar serve as a reminder of our collisions each Sunday:

Lent 1: Bias – Optical illusion of the name, “Jesus,” which reminds us

to keep our focus on Jesus to transform our thoughts and

actions.

Lent 2: Condemnation – Fig Tree and a gavel; the fig tree is

incapable of healing itself and incapable of self-justification,

while the gavel reminds us it is not our job to condemn

others.

Lent 3: Priorities – A clock, cell phone and TV remote; how are we

spending our time? How might realigning our priorities

with Christ shape our community of faith?

Lent 4: Selfishness ---Treasure Chest filled with coins; reminds us

to loosen our grip on what we have and challenge the

selfishness of our society with open hands.

Lent 5: Blinders --- A horse collar with blinders attached, and

hanging on the cross, a sleep mask; What do our blinders

keep us from seeing? What blinders must we remove to

receive a clear understanding of truth, faith, and

compassion?

In conjunction with our Anabaptist at Five Hundred celebration this year, we would love to have pictures of any community, service and/or peace experiences our church members have experienced over the years. Please give to April or Tabby who will scan them into the computer. You will get them back!

FMC LIVES IN DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER

The Garaway School District offers a released time program, also known as "Cabin" allowing students in grades K-12 to attend religious instruction during the school day with parental approval, a program that has been in place for 60 years.

Maundy Thursday Supper and Communion Service, Thursday April 17^th at 6 pm—Bring a quart of vegetable soup to add to the common pot and join us for a light supper, followed by a communion service in the Fellowship Hall.

Please note that on April 27^th, we will not be having our usual church service at 9:30; instead, we will be having Julie Gerber’s Celebration of Life in the form of a worship service at 11, with music beginning at 10:45, and a lunch following, in which all are invited to stay and share more stories about Julie.

People who are willing to knot one or more pin-basted comforters in their homes are asked to contact Sue Stauffer, who will provide them with a comforter, thread, and a needle. The knots are to be square knots. The comforters will be returned to Katie Miller, who made the tops and backs, and she will pass them on to MCC, where they are greatly needed. Katie has given us 24 comforters to complete. At this point we have six doled out to people, so you can see that there are quite a few more to do. Sue is pin-basting them and finishing the bindings. Thank you.

THE CHURCH GIVES THANKS

April Shupe: We had the baby shower here and little Harvey is doing well.

THE CHURCH PRAYS FOR

Lizzie Keim: Sister-in-law, Sue has passed away.

April Shupe: Mom’s younger sister, Wanda has passed away.

Dan Hostetler: Friend’s wife passed away a week and a half ago.

Hannah Gehman: Bill Flinner will be having bladder cancer surgery on April 16 at Mercy Medical Center.

THIS WEEK

April 10^th Happy Birthday, Susan Lingler

April 13^th Happy Anniversary, Khammoune & Keutmy Phoutarath

April 13^th Palm Sunday

UPCOMING EVENTS