March 16, 2025

First Mennonite Church

Sugarcreek, Ohio

March 16, 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 Two:

Christ Collides With Our Condemnation

~Gathering~

Prelude: “I Owe the Lord A Morning Song”

--written and arranged by Amos Herr, a Mennonite preacher from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1891. He wrote it on a snowy Sunday morning when the snowdrifts would not permit even horseback riding to church.

Welcome& Announcements

Focus Statement:

Often the things Jesus taught or the way Jesus treated people collided with the society around him. When that happens, Jesus invites us to see things differently. Jesus changes how we see things. In today’s scripture text from Luke 13, Jesus is confronting the issue of condemnation. He challenges the ideas of where it comes from, who deserves it, how it works, and whether there is any escape. How does Christ collide with our thoughts to condemn as a church and individuals?

Time of Meditation: They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love

We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord
And we pray that our unity will one day be restored
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah they'll know we are Christians by our love

We will work with each other, we will work side by side
We will work with each other, we will work side by side
And we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love
Yeah, they'll know we are Christians by our love.

Call to Worship:

Leader: Christ collides with our thoughts to condemn

others.

People: Put them in their place.

Leader: Who is more guilty of wrongdoing?

People: Do you condemn? Should I condemn?

All: For your reign, O God, transform us as we worship

you.

Invocation

Hymn of Gathering: HWB 37 Praise to the Lord, the

Almighty

~Praying & Praising~

Prayers of the People

Hymn of Praise: HWB 110 Oh, For A Thousand Tongues

~Hearing God’s Word~

Scripture: Luke 13:1-9, 31-35

Message: “Confronting Condemnation, Repentance, and

Following Christ”

~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 are quick to pass judgement and to assume

your authority to condemn others.

All: We repent before each other and before you, our

loving God. Please help us open our hearts to your

love. Help us to shake free from our quickness to

condemn so we may better share your peace in

your world, rejoicing in your name. Amen.

Hymn of Response: HWB 491 Softly and Tenderly

Offering Prayer

~Sending~

Sending Hymn: HWB 343 My Hope Is Built On Nothing Less

Benediction

Postlude: “Amazing Grace / My Chains Are Gone”

-arr. Chris Tomlin

Sending Words

WORSHIP 9:30-10:30

Minister: Mike Gehman

Worship Leader: Helene Torgler

Usher: Leadership Team

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 March: MCC Hygiene Kits

Keeping clean is an important part of staying healthy. Families who have fled their homes because of disaster or war often struggle to afford the necessary supplies. Kits also go to schools or orphanages to encourage healthy habits for children. Last year, MCC shipped 80,060 hygiene kits to El Salvador, Guatemala, Malawi, Ukraine, the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) and Zambia. Pick up a list of items on the table in the fellowship area.

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 CHURH GIVES THANKS

Sue Stauffer: I saw a blue bird yesterday in the bird house.

Celebrating #1 in the State: Amy Stauffer-McNutt’s Business Class had a BIG and memorable experience at BPA State Leadership Conference. They received first place—STATE CHAMPS— in Parliamentary Procedure! This gives them the opportunity of representing the state of Ohio at national competition in May. Congratulations!

CHURCH PRAYS FOR

Sue Stauffer: Diana Hillard’s sister has passed away.

Dan Hostetler: Amy’s brother-in-law’s father has passed away.

This Week

March 17^th Happy Birthday, JoAnne Miller

March 20^th Happy Birthday, Kristy Keim

March 23^rd Happy Birthday, Craig Maurer

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 4^th Rotary Pancake Day

April 13^th Palm Sunday

April 17^th Maundy Thursday Supper and Communion Service

April 20^th Easter Sunday