Second Sunday of Easter

Hymn Sing

First Mennonite Church

Sugarcreek, Ohio

April 7, 2024

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.

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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

~Gathering~

Prelude “Look, Ye Saints! The Sight Is Glorious”

                                                                                -arr. Mark Hayes

Welcome & Announcements

Dedication of 25 MCC Hygiene Kits

Focus Statement:

Rejoice in the victory of Easter, for Christ has risen indeed. Today, let us celebrate in song and word the triumph of Jesus over sin and death! As Psalm 92 proclaims: 

It is good to praise the Lord and make music to your name, O Most High, proclaiming your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night.

Time of Meditation “Low in the Grave He Lay”

                                                                                       -arr. Mark Hayes

Hymns of Adoration:

  HWB 116 Crown Him With Many Crowns  v1, 2, 5

 HWB 120 Holy, Holy Holy v1, 2 (Bruce)

   Call To Worship: (based on Psalm 92)

   Note: "Yahweh" is the Hebrew word for the self-revealed name of the   

   God of the Old Testament. It comes from the Hebrew verb "To be."

   At its core, "Yahweh" means "To be."

     Leader: Come, let us sing to Yahweh;

     People: Let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our

                     salvation.

     Leader: Let us come into the Divine presence with

                    thanksgiving;

     People: Let us make a joyful noise to God with songs of

                     praise!

     Leader: It is good to give you thanks, O Yahweh;

     People: To sing praises to your name, O Most High;

     Leader: to declare your steadfast love in the morning,

     People: and your faithfulness by night,

     Leader: to the music of the lute and harp, to the melody of the

                     lyre.

            All: For you, O God, have made us glad by your work;

        At the works of your hands we sing for joy.

   Invocation

   Hymns of Gathering:

     HWB 264 Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain

      HWB 459 I Come With Joy to Meet My Lord v1, 4, 5 (Julia)

      HWB 285 All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name v1, 2 (Bob)

~Praising & Praying~

   Old Testament Reading:  Psalm 8 HWB 812

Hymn of Joy: VT 628 What A Friend We Have in Jesus v1, 2

                                     (Tabatha)

Prayers of the People

Hymns of Praise:

     HWB 66 O Worship the King v1, 2, 4

     HWB 89  For the Beauty of the Earth v1, 4, 5 (Tabatha)

      HWB 117 Fairest Lord Jesus v1, 3, 4 (Bruce)

      HWB 170 The King of Love My Shepherd Is v1, 2  (Bertie)

~Hearing God’s Word~

Scripture: I Corinthians 15: 50-57 (excerpts) VT 336

Hymn of Reconciliation  HWB 143 Amazing Grace! V1, 2, 3

                                                            (Lizzie)

~Responding~

Prayer: 

 Leader: Because of God’s great love for you and God’s rich

                 mercy for all, you are fully forgiven.

 People: We will live as those who are truly loved and truly

                 forgiven through the gift of God’s grace. 

       All:  Christ has set us free from the burden of sin and guilt.

 Leader: Stand fast, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke

                 of slavery. 

        All:   Rejoice! We are indeed set free! 

Hymns:

 VT 621 My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less v1, 2

 VT 156 There’s A Wideness in God’s mercy v1, 2, 5 (Julie)

  VT 778 Will You Let Me Be Your Servant v1, 2, 3 (Bertie and Bob)

   The Apostles’ Creed   VT 923

   Hymns of Response: (the offering will be brought forward)

HWB 319  Jesus Shall Reign v1, 2, 4

HWB 398  I Love To Tell the Story v1, 2  (Lizzie)

HWB 577 O Love That Will Not Let Me Go v1, 3 (Julie)

   Offering Prayer

~Sending~

   Sending Hymns:

         HWB 154 This Is My Father’s World v1, 3

     Victory In Jesus  v1, 2 (printed in bulletin)

   Benediction

   Hymn  HWB 118 Praise God from Whom (Bob)

   Postlude “Crown Him with Many Crowns” -arr. Mark Hayes

   Sending Words:

    Jesus's final words on the cross: Tetelestai. The war is over,   

     VICTORY is ours. Go in peace—Tetelestai!

   WORSHIP                                                                           9:30-10:30 

   Worship Leader:                                                            April Shupe

   Song Leader:                                                                  April Shupe

   Organist:                                                             Margaret Cheslock   

   Pianist:                                                                    Suzanne Stauffer

   Head Usher:                                                           Leadership Team 

   Visuals: Our journey toward God leads us on a path. We may stray

    from time to time, but God is always with us, gently guiding us back.

   The symbols on the altar represent our journey. The brown cloth

   represents our path, and the side-by-side footprints represent those   

   we walk along side.   Along with the empty bowl which reminds us of   

   God’s never-ending love for us and how God wants to fill us,  the cross

   reminds us that to follow Jesus, we must take up our cross daily. The

   scrolls represent the Ten Commandments and serve as a guide and 

   reminder of God’s justice and great love for us;  the candle, a reminder

   that God is always shining God’s light toward us, covering us with

   mercy and grace. The buds on the forsythia remind us that we must

   die to self so that God can bring forth the beauty inside of us; 

   whenever God lets something fade away, it’s because he has

   something better to replace it.  The palm branches are a reminder that

   Jesus  came as a different kind of King, not to be served, but to serve,

   and he calls us to follow him.   We rejoice today with a large stone,   

   Easter flowers and linens folded to represent the hope we have in the

   risen Christ! 

THE CHURH GIVES THANKS

Bruce Stauffer: It is nice to welcome people we haven’t seen in a

 while.

Lizzie Keim: Thankful for all the prayers, cards, and love.

Thank You to all who bought flowers to help decorate our Easter altar.

Please remember to take yours home today. Any that are left will be

planted in the church flower beds. 

THE CHURCH PRAYS FOR

April Shupe: Barb Glidden has passed away.

Linda Yoder: Jason Stien has passed away.

FMC LIVES IN DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER

Next Week’s Text:  Psalm 4; Acts 3:12-19; I John 3:1-7; Luke 24:36b-48

Harbor of Hope for April: Spaghetti Sauce & Pasta

Mission Project for April: Garaway Released Time Offering

   Easter Flower Orders: Daffodils, Tulips and Hyacinths are $8. each

   and Easter Lilies are $9.00 each. Make checks payable to First

   Mennonite and earmark for flowers. Check the list by the mailboxes 

   to see what you ordered.

   THIS WEEK

   April 10^th     Happy Birthday, Susan Lingler

   April 13^th     Happy Anniversary, Khammoune & Keutmy Phoutarath

   UPCOMING EVENTS

    May 10-11^th   Sugarcreek Community Garage Sales

    May 31^st       Beachy Ham and Chicken Buffet for Community Hospice

                         at Legacy Christian School, Sugarcreek at 4:30 – 7pm

   NEXT  WEEK 

   Worship Leader:                                                                     Dan Hostetler

   Head Usher:                                                                             Herb Torgler

   LAST WEEK

   ATTENDANCE:                                                                                       41

   OFFERING:                                                                                           $870

   Easter Flowers:                                                                                 $84

   Change for a Dollar:                                                                    $10.01

 CHURCH LEADERSHIP

   Pastor: Mike Gehman

   Email: pastor@firstmennonitesugarcreek.com

   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, 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