March 29, 2026
Palm Sunday / Passion Sunday
First Mennonite Church
Sugarcreek, Ohio
March 29, 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: "Triumphal Entry" - arr. Joel Raney
Welcome& Announcements
Introductory Poem:
As we step into Lent, we say “welcome” to the dissonance.
Come now, O God, when our love is forsaken;
come when our bedrock of faith has been shaken;
come when our deepest of hopes are mistaken:
come, Emmanual. Come, Emmanuel.
Come when we squander the freedom you gave us;
come break the systems of sin that enslave us;
come, though we wonder if you can still save us:
come, Emmanuel. Come, Emmanuel.
Come, lead us out of our self-serving madness;
come, while the world is still shrouded in sadness;
come, turn the tears of our mourning to gladness:
come, Emmanuel. Come, Emmanuel.
(words from VT 143)
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:
Most years, the season of Lent is meant to prepare us for Holy
Week. This year, the entire season of Lent has been framed by
the experience of Holy Week, inviting us to linger in the
intensity of the final week of Jesus’ life, to dwell in the
dissonance. Today’s worship service provides a unique
challenge based on the readings. John 12 tells of Jesus’ entry
into Jerusalem, traditional for Palm Sunday. But in the weeks
leading up to this one, we are already past that narrative. John
19, on the other hand, continues the story we have been
following and details the crucifixion. So today, we will look at
both stories, side by side, and examine the dissonance of Jesus’
triumph and death, and our recognition of Jesus’ finishing work
which is not yet completed.
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: We gather to worship God and to look back on where
we’ve been;
Leader: we see old hopes, plans, and dreams, remembered
“Hosannas!” and all these weeks of Lent.
All: We gather to worship God and to look at where we are
now,
Leader: at Jesus re-defining triumph; and the king on the cross
instead of a throne.
All: We gather to worship God and to wonder at this
mystery,
Leader: of salvation that comes so strangely; of life that comes
through death; of brokenness meeting grace.
Invocation
Hymn of Gathering: HWB 238 Hosanna, Loud Hosanna
~Praising & Praying~
Prayers of the People
Confession Poem:
Leader: Jesus, this story is not the one we expected.
Mike: We feel for your disciples, so happy to proclaim you king as
you rode into Jerusalem.
People: We too have been eager to follow sure about what
that will mean, confident things will turn out well.
Kristy: We feel for your disciples devastated at your crucifixion.
People: When we are no longer sure about anything. When
everything we thought we had and knew falls apart.
All: “Hosanna!” we sang back then, “Save us!”
“Hosanna!” we cry now, “God, please!”
Leader: And though the story has shifted, you do save.
Mike: You have.
Kristy: You will.
All: You are.
Ending Prayer
Hymn of Praise: HWB 237 All Glory, Laud, and Honor
~Hearing God’s Word~
Dramatic Sketch: A Disciple’s Story--Then and Now
-based on John 19:16b—22; 12:12-27
A lone disciple stands by the cross, remembering….
Disciple – Mike Keim
Palm Wavers - Kristy Keim, Helene Torgler, Amy Hostetler
Message: “From Passion to Pain”
~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: HWB 250 Beneath the Cross of Jesus
(the offering will be collected and brought forth at this time)
Offering Prayer
~Sending~
Benediction
Sending Hymn: HWB 252 O Sacred Head Now Wounded v3, 4
Postlude: "O Sacred Head, Now Wounded" – arr. Eugene Butler
Sending Words
WORSHIP 9:30-10:30
Guest Minister: Darcy Miller
Worship Leader: April Shupe
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.
Maundy Thursday Communion and Supper: Bring a quart of vegetable soup to add to the community pot and join us in this holy service of fellowship and communion. Dinner starts at 6pm with the service to follow in the fellowship hall downstairs.
Easter Sonrise Service and Breakfast: All are invited to bring guests and attend our annual Sonrise service in the fellowship hall. The short service will begin at 8am and be followed by a hot breakfast complete with Easter eggs and horseradish!
Easter Sunday Service will begin a half hour later than usual, at 10 AM. There will be no fellowship time following the service.
THE CHURCH GIVES THANKS FOR
Sue Stauffer: We are very grateful that no one was harmed in the fire that devastated Amy’s house.
Bob Gerber: Chris came home on Friday and will be coming over for a visit.
THE CHURCH PRAYS FOR
April Shupe: Keep mom in your prayers, she is having dizzy spells in the mornings.
Sue Stauffer: Nate Miller has passed away.
Melanie Blauch Archer: Keep Dave in your prayers, his blood is not going through the arteries right and he has developed a cough.
THIS WEEK
April 2nd Maundy Thursday Supper and Communion Service, 6pm
April 4th Happy Birthday, April Shupe
April 5th Easter Sonrise Service, 8 am
Easter Service, 10 am
NEXT WEEK:
Minister: Mike Gehman
Worship Leader: Bruce Stauffer
Head Usher: Herb Torgler
LAST WEEK
Attendance: 20
Offering: $1140
Change for a dollar: $9.70
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
