Lent Five:

Complicity and Innocence



First Mennonite Church

Sugarcreek, Ohio

March 22, 2026

Worship: 9:30 am

Coffee & Fellowship Time: 10:30 am

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

“Patient Trust”

by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

We are quite naturally impatient in everything

to reach the end without delay.

We should like to skip the intermediate stages.

We are impatient of being on the way

to something unknown, something new.

And yet it is the law of all progress

that it is made by passing through some stages of instability—

and that it may take a very long time.

~Gathering~

Prelude   

Welcome& Announcements

Introductory Poem:

As we step into Lent, we say “welcome” to the dissonance.

“We reserve a space for lament and grief

to stay a while and do their work.

We release our nice little pictures

of perfect selves, perfect faith, perfect world,

and look for God in the heartache.

We listen for God in discordant melodies

and follow Jesus to the cross,

though we don’t understand and it doesn’t compute.”

As we step into Lent, we say, “welcome” to the dissonance,

trusting that God is here, now, in the mystery, before it is resolved.

Focus Statement:

   This week, our attention turns to the cast of characters beyond

   Jesus at his “trial.” Notice the roles various people play in this

   horrible moment. We are faced with our dissonance when we

   feel powerless, complicit, innocent, or accused.

Hymn of Dissonance: VT 48 Come, My Way, My Truth,

                                                                My Life

(This hymn was chosen for its dissonant harmonies as well as for

the words. Today we will sing all verses.)

Call to Worship: 

    All: Welcome Lent—

    WL: terrible dissonance, as we condemn the Human One.

    All: Welcome lament and confession

   WL: as the story comes undone.

    All: Welcome holy mystery

   WL: that even this can find a place in the tale of God’s salvation.

   All: Welcome suffering love and grace.

Invocation

Hymn of Gathering: HWB 37 Praise to the Lord

~Praising & Praying~

Prayers of the People

Confession Poem:

   All: Jesus, things don’t always turn out the way we expect.

          Or want. And sometimes your choices (or the choices of our

          neighbors or family members or politicians) really don’t

          agree with us.

    Reader 1: We hate to admit it, but we feel for the angry crowd.

                      In our fury, we too can become so consumed, so

                      focused on who or what we are opposing, that we

                      turn away from the things that matter most.

    Reader 2: “We have no king but the emperor!” we find

                       ourselves saying. And only after we hear our voice

                       do we realize how distorted our allegiance has

                       become. God, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Ending Prayer

Hymn of Praise: HWB 66 O Worship the King

~Hearing God’s Word~

Scripture:  John 19:1-16a

Message: “Seeing Jesus, the Suffering, Tortured, Dying One”

~Responding~

Time of Silence and Reflection: 

   You are invited to write your thoughts on the paper provided.

   After three minutes of quiet reflection, the piano will play a   

   hymn during which the offering plates will be passed into   

   which you will place your papers.

Hymn of Response: VT 325 O Sacred Head, Now Wounded

(the offering will be collected and  brought forth at this time)

Offering Prayer

~Sending~

Benediction

Sending Hymn: HWB 259 When I Survey the Wondrous

                                                        Cross

Postlude

Sending Words

WORSHIP                                                               9:30-10:30  

Minister:                                                                          Mike Gehman                                    

Worship Leader:                                                            Dan Hostetler

Pianist:                                                                        Suzanne Stauffer

Song Leader:                                                                      April Shupe

Usher:                                                                         Leadership Team        

Lent 2026 – “Dwelling in Dissonance”

This Lenten season we are choosing to stay in the uncomfortable, the unsettled or unfinished, the times that grate or jar or disturb and to try not to force those times to come to completion. Just as Jesus endured the trials of Holy Week, we too are committed to wait and to fully experience the dissonance in our lives. The worship services during this season will attempt to help us be more comfortable with the dissonances—as reflected in the altar, the music, in the book of John on which our services will focus,

and in those disturbing times in our lives.

After the sermon during Lent, there will be a three-minute period where we will be writing our thoughts about one of the questions printed on the bulletin insert. When the three minutes are over, the offering plates will be passed for you to put your paper in the plate to be taken to the altar. Please put your pen on the seat beside you so that we can continue to use them each Sunday in Lent.

FMC LIVES IN DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER

Mission Project for 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.  A list of items needed is on the table in the coffee and fellowship area. 

Fox is having a three-part Biblical event starting tonight at 8 p.m. called The Faithful: Women of the Bible. Each episode follows the journey of five women of faith: Sarah, Hagar, Rebekah, Leah, and Rachel.

THE CHURCH GIVES THANKS FOR

Mike Keim: Jim Cahill continues to do well.

THE CHURCH PRAYS FOR

Mike Keim: Chris went into a fib yesterday and needs our prayers.

April Shupe: Karissa’s mom fell and broke her shoulder. She had her shoulder replaced.

Linda Yoder: Mom had blockage of 95% and had a stint put in.

Dan Hostetler: Nate Miller has passed away.

THIS WEEK

March 23rd                 Happy Birthday, Craig Maurer

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 2nd          Maundy Thursday Supper and Communion Service, 6pm

April 5th           Easter Sonrise Service, 8 am

                            Easter Service, 10 am

NEXT WEEK:   

Guest Minister:                                                                              Darcy Miller

Worship Leader:                                                                             April Shupe

Head Usher:                                                                           Leadership Team

LAST WEEK

Attendance:                                                             19

Offering:                                                                   $140

Change for a dollar:                                                $11

CHURCH LEADERSHIP

   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, OH  44681

  CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSHIP TEAM:

   Chairperson: Mike Keim

   Office Contact: Linda Yoder

   Mission Contact: Reno Stevanus

   Trustees Contact: Dan Hostetler
   Secretary Contact: Amy Stauffer-McNutt