July 14, 2024
We Become What We Behold
First Mennonite Church
Sugarcreek, Ohio
July 14, 2024
Winklepleck Grove Service
Worship: 10 – 11 AM
Fellowship Time: 11-1 PM
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
Beholding God’s Goodness at the Table
Welcome & Announcements
Focus Statement:
Preparing and consistently serving meals each day could aptly be
called a ‘labor of love,’ or like the children of Israel understood,
repetition with no end in sight! For those of us who are tasked with
feeding our families, it is a display of dedication, perseverance and sacrifice. So often though, we fixate on what it takes for us to gather, instead of focusing on the Provider. When we adjust our focus and remember that so much of Jesus’ ministry was done around the table, we will not only realize that it is the Lord who sustains us, but also see that we have many opportunities each week to share His love with others.
Gathering Songs:
This Is the Day
Sing Hosanna
Seek Ye First
Call To Worship Prayer:
Leader: Jesus said “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me
will never be hungry and whoever believes in me will never
be thirsty.”
People: We praise you, O God, for the meaning that you give to our
lives in and through Jesus.
Leader: He is the sign of your deep and everlasting love for the
world and we rejoice in his promise to sustain us with his
life.
People: We praise you for filling our emptiness with his goodness.
Leader: God of daybreak, in the freshness of morning our souls
awaken to the promptings of Your spirit.
People: Attune our ears to hear your voice calling us to a life of faith
and service.
All: May our worship and praise express our thanks, O God, for
your gift to us of the true bread from heaven—Jesus Christ,
Your Son, our living Lord. Amen.
Opening Hymn: Be Present at Our Table Lord (tune: Doxology)
Be present at our tables Lord, be here and everywhere adored.
Thy creatures bless, and grant that we,
may feast in paradise with thee.
Prayers of the People
Food For Thought #1: “God Is Great and God Is Good” ~April
Scriptures: Exodus 16:4-7; Colossians 3:15-17
Song of Praise: Johnny Appleseed
Oh, the Lord’s been good to me, and so I thank the Lord
For giving me the things I need:
The sun, the rain and the apple seed.
The Lord's been good to me.
And every seed I sow, will grow into a tree.
And someday there'll be apples there
For everyone in the world to share.
Oh, the Lord is good to me.
I wake up every day, as happy as can be,
Because I know the Lord is there
Watchin' over us all with loving care
The Lord is good to me
Becoming: Sharing the Feast
Food For Thought #2: “Food and Drink That Satisfies”
~Pastor Mike
Scripture: John 6:22-35
Hymn of Response: HWB 86 Now Thank We All Our God
(the offering will be brought forward)
Offering Prayer
Sending Story: an excerpt from Extending the Table,
by Joetta Handrich Schlabach (which can be found in our library),
read by Cindy Beyer
Sending Hymn: HWB 459 I Come With Joy to Meet My Lord
Benediction
Table Grace: God Is Great and God Is Good
(tune: Take My Life and Let It Be)
God is great and God is good—
We give thanks and share our food.
By His hands we all are fed;
Give us Lord our daily bread,
Give us Lord our daily bread.
A-MEN.
WORSHIP 9:30-10:30
Minister: Mike Gehman
Worship Leader: Dan Hostetler
Song Leader: April Shupe
Head Usher: Leadership Team
This Week:
o Hang out on the front porch
o Have a chat with your neighbor
o Spontaneously invite a guest without redding up
FMC LIVES IN DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER
Mission Project for July: Tuscarawas County Dress-A-Child
Dress-A-Child has been helping students begin a new school year with new clothes for over 50 years. Over the years, their number of children has exploded, and for many years, the donations have increased. But it continues to get harder and harder each year. Last year, they served a total of 2,860 children, but could only provide $31. worth of clothing. They serve students in grades K-12 whose families meet the federal poverty guideline and attend school in Tuscarawas County. One hundred percent of all funds raised go to the clothing voucher. Please make your donation out to First Mennonite Church and designate it for “Dress A Child.” Bruce will send one check to them at the end of the month.
Harbor of Hope for July: Paper Products
THE CHURCH GIVES THANKS
Julie Gerber: Praise for Mike and Kristy’s wedding anniversary today.
THE CHURCH PRAYS FOR
Mike Gehman: I visited Jean Flinner and she is doing better and the swelling is going down but is still healing.
THIS WEEK
July 18-28th Mennonite Action Walk for a ceasefire
UPCOMING EVENTS
July 28th Music Fest at Union Hill Church, 5pm - ?
NEXT WEEK
Text: Psalm 115:1-8; Proverbs 16; I Thessalonians 4:3; 5:12-18
Minister: Mike Gehman
Worship Leader:
Head Usher: Leadership Team
LAST WEEK
ATTENDANCE: 19
OFFERING: $853
Change for a dollar: $8
CHURCH LEADERSHIP
Pastor: Mike Gehman
Email: pastor@firstmennonitesugarcreek.com
Pastor’s Hours: Wednesday 9:30a.m.-2:30p.m
Church Secretary: Tabatha Murphy
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
Summer Series: Beholding and Becoming
We are entering the longest season of the Christian Year, the Sundays after Pentecost, or what is also called Ordinary Time. For many, it feels rather ordinary, week after week of the long spring and summer and even into the early fall season. Yet, it could be argued that this season is where our faith gets put to the test, where the church takes the stage and seeks to live out all that has been learned as we show to the world what living in the kingdom looks like. We will begin with the theme, Beholding and Becoming. English poet William Blake may have been the first to say, ‘We become what we behold,’ but in 2 Corinthians, Paul describes true beholding and becoming for us who long to become like Christ:
We all with unveiled face, beholding the glory
of the Lord, are being transformed into the
same image from one degree of glory to another.
For this comes from the Lord who is the
Spirit. ---2 Corinthians 3:18
Here, in the season after Pentecost, we ascribe to God all the glory, all the wonder, all the joy that is within us. By gazing at the nature of God with unveiled minds, we can be more like Him. This is our invitation to you to be transformed this summer, one everyday moment at a time.
Note: What are you beholding this summer? Please share pictures of what you are thinking on, meditating on, and/or enjoying seeing the glory of the Lord in. Please send pictures to the church email at office@firstmennonitesugarcreek.com, and look for them to be a part of the bulletin board display outside of the office. Please see Apil or Tabby if you have any questions.
