March 23, 2024

March 21, 2025

First Mennonite Church

Sugarcreek, Ohio

March 23, 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.

***************************************­

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


Lent Three:

Christ Collides With Our Priorities

 

~Gathering~


Prelude: "My Faith Has Found a Resting Place"

                           - arr. Larry Shackley

 

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. Repentance is not normally thought to be a source of joy! However, repentance can be our greatest source of joy when it reconnects us with God’s purposes and puts us back on the happy road home. Misplaced priorities always lead to a detour. How might realigning our priorities with Christ shape our community of faith and our individual lives toward the ways of God from the heart of God?

   

Time of Meditation:  "Give Me Jesus" - arr. Anna Laura Page

   

Call to Worship: 

           Leader:  As we worship, Christ collides with our priorities.

People:  We gather and pause from the important

  busyness of our lives.

Leader:  Jesus reveals the depth of God’s purposes.

People: Help us come to our senses by your Spirit.

      All: For your reign, O God, help us celebrate being

  found as we worship you.

   

Invocation

 

Hymn of Gathering: HWB 16 God Is Here Among Us

 

~Praying & Praising~

   

Prayers of the People

 

Hymn of Praise: VT 42 Could It Be That God Is Singing

                                     

~Hearing God’s Word~

  

Scripture: Luke 15:11-32

 

Message: “Christ Collides With Our Priorities”

 

~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 prioritize the wrong things and the wrong

                       people. 

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

                       loving God.  Please help us open our hearts to your

                      love. Help us bring our priorities in line with yours

                       so we may better share your peace in your world,    

                       rejoicing in your name. Amen.  

 

Hymn of Response: VT 653 Nothing Is Lost on the Breath of God

 

Offering Prayer


~Sending~


Sending Hymn: VT 718 Gentle Shepherd, Come and Lead Us

   

Benediction

 

Postlude:  "I Want Jesus to Walk with Me: - arr. Mary Hayes

 

 

Sending Words

 

WORSHIP                                                              9:30-10:30  

Guest Minister:                                                       Ernie Hershberger

Worship Leader:                                                       Tabatha Murphy                                

Usher:                                                                         Leadership Team             

 

 

Lentin Theme 2025: Christ Collides

This year, we are using many of the parables that Jesus shared in his ministry. It has been said that the origin of the word parable is two things that collide, and if you, upon hearing a parable, do not feel the impact of the collision, you are probably missing something. In many parables, Jesus throws a surprise beside or in comparison with something else. Each week’s texts offer a glimpse into how the content of his teachings collides with us and our world.  The visuals on the altar serve as a reminder of our collisions each Sunday:

 Lent 1: Bias – Optical illusion of the name, “Jesus,” which reminds us

                to keep our focus on Jesus to transform our thoughts and

                actions. 

 Lent 2: Condemnation – Fig Tree and a gavel; the fig tree is incapable

                of healing itself and incapable of self-justification, while the

                gavel reminds us it is not our job to condemn others. 

 Lent 3: Priorities – A clock, cell phone and TV remote; how are we

                spending our time? How might realigning our priorities

                with Christ shape our community of faith? 

 

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

Tabatha Murphy: Thankful for all the beautiful weather we have received.

 

CHURCH PRAYS FOR        

Mike Gehman: Reed Hostetler, a farmer in Wayne County was killed in an accident. Also, Ed and Anita Schlabach’s youngest daughter was killed in a car accident.

Tyler Murphy: High school friend Derek’s grandfather has passed away.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

April 4th          Rotary Pancake Day

April 13th        Palm Sunday

April 17th        Maundy Thursday Supper and Communion Service

April 20th        Easter Sunday

April 27th        Celebration of Life for Julie Gerber

 

 

NEXT WEEK

Text for Lent Four: Luke 16:19-33

Minister:                                                                                       Mike Gehman

Worship Leader:                                                                          Dan Hostetler   

Head Usher:                                                                            Leadership Team

 

LAST WEEK

 ATTENDANCE:                                                                                        16

 OFFERING:                                                                                               $585

 Change for a dollar:                                                                            $8


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, 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

August 14, 2026
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June 20, 2026
First Mennonite Church Sugarcreek, Ohio June 21, 2026 Happy Father’s Day! 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. ***************************************­ 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 God’s Faithfulness ~Gathering~ Prelude: “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus” -arr. John Carter Welcome& Announcements Focus Statement: In Psalm 100:5, the psalmist declares that the Lord is good and his love endures forever, and his faithfulness continues through all generations. We have seen the many ways said that God has shown his love and faithfulness to us through the years, as followers of Jesus Christ and as believers who worship together as First Mennonite Church. How can we live and share about God’s love and great faithfulness in our lives, as we continue to follow Christ today? Time of Meditation: “Trust and Obey” -arr. Johanna Miller Call to Worship: Leader: Let us worship the eternal God, the Source of love and Life, who creates us. People: Let us worship Jesus Christ, the risen one who lives among us. All: To the one true God be praise, in all times and places, through the grace of Jesus Christ. Invocation Hymn of Gathering : HWB 71 Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee ~Praising & Praying~ Psalm Litany: Psalm 89:1-8 (NIV) Leader: I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations. People: I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself. Leader: You said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant, People: ‘I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.’ Leader: The heavens praise your wonders, LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones. People: For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings? Leader: In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him. People: Who is like you, LORD God Almighty? All: You, LORD, are mighty, and your faithfulness surrounds you. Hymn of Praise: HWB 70 Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise Prayers of the People Hymn of Praise: HWB 327 Great is Thy Faithfulness ~Hearing God’s Word~ Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:1--14 Message: “God’s love and faithfulness abounds…passing it on” ~Responding~ Hymn of Response: HWB 338 I Know Not Why God’s Wondrous (the offering will be brought forward) Offering Prayer ~Sending~ Sending Hymn: HWB 420 Heart with Loving Heart United Benediction: Leader: We go now with faith, trusting God’s Spirit to guide us; People: We go now with hope, waiting for the fullness of Christ’s reign. Leader: We go now with love, resting in God’s care and the care of God’s people. All: We go out with joy: to listen and speak, to sing and suffer, to proclaim good news, and give glory to God. Postlude: “A Gaelic Blessing” -John Rutter Deep peace of the running wave to you, Deep peace of the flowing air to you, Deep peace of the quiet earth to you, Deep peace of the shining stars to you, Deep peace of the gentle night to you, Moon and stars pour their healing light on you, Deep peace of Christ, of Christ the light of the world to you, Deep peace of Christ to you. Sending Words WORSHIP 9:30-10:30 Pastor: Mike Gehman Worship Leader: Bruce Stauffer Pianist: Suzanne Stauffer Usher: Mike Keim FMC LIVES IN DISCIPLESHIP TOGETHER Mission Project for June: My Coins Count Each year, coins and bills collected by children, families and churches along with matches add up to more than $600,000 toward MCC’s work around the world. Your coins (and bills and checks!) count! The money collected will be sent to the MCC Relief Sale held at Mt. Hope on July 10 th -11 th and go toward MCC water, education and/or food projects. Please stay for the Congregational Meeting today following worship. Remember: No church at FMC next Sunday, June 28 th . THE CHURCH GIVES THANKS FOR Melanie Blauch Archer: We went to Panama Beach to watch my granddaughter get married. Sue Stauffer: Greta and Issac are going to high school camp at Camp Friedenswald. THE CHURCH PRAYS FOR Melanie Blauch Archer: Cousin’s wife, Tammy was diagnosed with a mass in her chest. Also, Sony has passed away, prayers for family and friends. THIS WEEK June 24 th Happy Birthday, Bob Barnes June 26 th Happy Birthday, Helene Torgler June 28 th Visitation Sunday (No church at FMC) UPCOMING EVENTS July 3 rd Happy Anniversary, Dan & Amy Hostetler July 24 th Kick-Off 100 th Anniversary Event: Ice Cream Social IN TWO WEEKS: Worship Leader (7/5): Kristy Keim Head Usher: Leadership Team LAST WEEK Attendance: 27 Offering: $1195 My Coins Count: $35.25 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
June 12, 2026
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June 6, 2026
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