June 8, 2025

First Mennonite Church

Sugarcreek, Ohio

June 8, 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

Pentecost:

Abundant Fruits of the Holy Spirit

~Gathering~

Prelude: “Holy, Holy, Holy” -arr. Mark Hayes,

performed by Marcia Rewerts

Welcome& Announcements

Focus Statement:

Pentecost is the day in the liturgical calendar when the church celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the birth of the church as we know it, recorded in Acts 2. It is a festival of abundance—-abundant diversity, abundant love, abundant experience of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, and abundant experiences of the fruit of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit’s power is more than just to enable us to do the supernatural. He empowers us for the journey from doing what pleases the flesh to what pleases God. This is not an easy journey, but it is also not a lonely journey. We have been given the Holy Spirit and we have been given the church to help us develop into the person God intends.

Time of Meditation: “Veni Sancte Spiritus” (Come Holy

Spirit), performed by the Taizé community

Call to Worship:

Leader: On this Pentecost Sunday, we welcome the howling

Spirit.

People: who brings peace.

Leader: We receive the fierce Spirit,

People: who leads us to gentleness.

Leader: We are surprised by the sudden Spirit movement

People: that opens a patient place within us.

Leader: We wait with expectation for the fire of the Spirit.

People: to kindle a bright spark of faithfulness.

Leader: The Spirit among us flames with kindness.

People: The Spirit alights on each of us with joy,

Leader: fills us with God’s goodness,

People: forms us into people who act with intention and

wisdom.

All: In the power of the Spirit, let us speak the language of love

in this sacred space of worship.

Invocation

Hymn of Gathering: HWB 349 Spirit of the Living God

~Praying & Praising~

Scripture: Acts 2:1-4 (English Standard Version)

Prayers of the People

Hymn of Praise: HWB 48 All Creatures of Our God and King

v1, 2, 3, 7

~Hearing God’s Word~

Scripture: Galatians 5:16-26 (English Standard Version)

Message: “Live By the Spirit”

~Responding~

Hymn of Response: HWB 504 Have Thine Own Way

Offering Prayer

~Sending~

Sending Hymn: HWB 507 Gracious Spirit Dwell With Me

Benediction

Postlude: “I’m Going to Sing When the Spirit Says Sing”

-arr. Mark Hayes, performed by Donna Emmert

I'm gonna sing when the Spirit says sing,

and obey the Spirit of the Lord.

I’m going to pray when the Spirit says pray….

I’m going to move when the Spirit says move….

I’m going to shout when the Spirit says shout….

Sending Words

WORSHIP 9:30-10:30

Minister: Mike Gehman

Worship Leader: Helene Torgler

Usher: Mike Keim

Our On-Going Series on Anabaptist Beliefs:

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

Mission Project #1 for June/July: Dress A Child

As one school year ends, this program looks forward to the new 2025-26 school year. Giving our students who attend school in Tuscarawas County a fresh new set of clothes to begin the year is a wonderful blessing. Dress A Child raises money to serve the children in our county whose families meet the federal poverty guidelines. Last year, they were able to give 980 children $85.00 worth of new clothing! Make checks payable to First Mennonite, and one check will be sent at the end of the month from our church to Dress A Child. Thank you!

“Life is good when you are happy; but much better when

others are happy because of you.” -Pope Francis

Mission Project #2 for June/July: MCC My Coins Count

Each year, spare change (and bills!) collected by families and churches adds up to more than $600,000 toward MCC’s work around the world. Your coins count! When you give to MCC, you’re sending hope to families in the form of food, water or education. We will collect through the last Sunday of June. Drop your coins, bills and/or checks in the breadbasket on the table in the rear of the sanctuary. Make checks payable to First Mennonite, and Buce will send one check from our church to the MCC Ohio Relief Sale held in Mt. Hope on July 11^th-12^th.

THE CHURCH GIVES THANKS

Bruce Stauffer: Sue is in Switzerland and will be back on Tuesday, I am surviving.

Bertie Showers: April and I are expecting our good friend from Austria.

Melonie Blauch Archer: Cousin Sarah is moving to New Philadelphia from Florida.

THE CHURCH PRAYS FOR

April Shupe: Fran Mast has a type of Myalgia that affects the face, she is going to see a neurologist.

THIS WEEK

June 12^th Happy Birthday, Keo Sixiengmay

June 13^th 29^th Annual Beachy’s Ham and Chicken Buffet benefiting

Ohio Hospice, 4:30-7:30 pm at Legacy Christian School.

NEXT WEEK

Text: Psalm: 25:1-7; Colossians 1:1-14