NUTANA PARK MENNONITE CHURCH PASTORAL STAFF Anita Retzlaff 373-3472 Patrick Preheim 955-2928 Sarah Unrau – Youth Leader 291-8604 374-2144 e-mail:[email protected] web page:www.npmc.net January 25, 2015 3rd Sunday of Epiphany Vol. L 11:00 a.m. No. 4 Worship Leader: Patrick Preheim Greeters: Janet & Norman Barnes Ushers: Lorene & Arnie Nickel ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Welcome Gathering Hymn God of Grace and God of Glory Invocation HWB No. 366 HWB No. 725 Table Groups Discussion Offering Prayer Sending HWB No. 726 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thank you for turning off all cell phones/electronic devices. Joys & Concerns Wayne & Carry Dueck will be accepted into membership this morning at First Mennonite Church in Kelowna, BC. We wish them God’s blessing as they contribute to the life of the church in Kelowna. The Saskatune Singers are worshipping at Osler Mennonite this morning. Spotlight on Community Life Remembering when --Make a list in your head or on paper in the many ways God has touched your life. When you look back on your encounters with God and remember them you can feel God's presence anew. You will know that God is still and always will be in our midst and our lives. He really is everywhere. Spotlight on Mennonite Church Canada Early indicators are suggesting that Mennonite Church Canada is facing a donation shortfall as we approach our fiscal year-end on Jan. 31, 2015. Meanwhile, workers Nathan and Taryn Dirks serving in Botswana recently wrote a blog post called “The Numbers Game” in which they describe the difference generous donors from across Canada are making (http://ntdirks.com/the-number-games/). Theirs is just one of many impact stories of the work we do together as a national church in 25 countries around the world, and in Canada. Consider making an over-and-aboveusual-giving gift to Mennonite Church Canada so that together we can continue to share God’s good news and start the new fiscal year in a strong position! Donate online via donate.mennonitechurch.ca or by mailing a cheque to 600 Shaftesbury Blvd, Wpg. MB R3P 0M4. This Week Today Monday Tuesday Wed. Thursday 9:00 am Contemplative prayer in the sanctuary. 9:25 am Adult choir rehearsal. 9:45 am Adult Ed: Using technology to build our church community. Facilitators Patrick Preheim (and others). 11:00 am Worship; We will engage the entire congregation in the questions of how we grow in the faith and transmit faith (to children, youth, seekers, visitors). Our worship hour will be designed in such a way that we hear from each other on these important questions. Noon Care Group 1 – visitors are invited to join us for lunch. 2:00 pm Ecumenical Bible Study; lounge. No Women’s Bible Study. 7:00 pm Venture Club for grades 3 – 6. 1:30 pm Caring & Visitation meeting at the home of Ruth Wiens. 7:00 pm Young Adult gathering, NPMC. Feb. 5 6:00 pm Supper for young adults, career group and Sonrisa girls. An evening of getting acquainted, games and music. Host members bring either a salad or dessert for 10 people. Sign-up sheet in foyer. Help is needed for set-up and clean-up. All are welcome. Feb. 6 7:00 pm FRIDAY NIGHT LIVE at Rosthern Junior College. Youth from grades 6-12, youth leaders, parents, and pastors are all invited. RSVP to [email protected]. Feb. 7 11 am – 7pm The Youth Farm Corn Maze is hosting Wintertainment. Skating (bring your own skates), CORN MAZE!, carnival games, bonfire, fireworks, food served all day, and more! Admission $5. All proceeds go towards the ministry of the Youth Farm Bible Camp. Feb. 8 Potluck following the service: A-H, bring casserole, help with clean-up; I-Z, bring salad and dessert, help set-up. Feb. 13, 14 Academy of Discipleship seminar sessions at Warman Mennonite Church. Speakers Alan & Eleanor Kreider from AMBS. See the bulletin board for more information. Feb. 14 6:00 pm Annual Memorial March for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women. 6:00-7:30 pm, starting at City Hall. Feb. 16 Shekinah’s Annual Winter Fun Day. Come out and share a day of skating, skiing, tubing and other kinds of family fun with us! March 13, 14 2015 Mennonite Church Sask Annual Delegate Sessions at Mount Royal Mennonite Church. Forms are on the mailbox table. See [email protected] or contact Alison Jantz at 306-270-1532. Community Life Calendar Care Groups: February 1 – Group 4 February 22 – Group 1 March 15 – Group 2 February 15 – Group 3 March 8 – Group 5 March 22 – Group 1 Sherbrooke Community Centre Services: March 8 Bethany Manor: February 22 at 10:45 am Special Events: Young Adult/Career Group Supper and Social: February 5 at 6:00 pm 50th Church Anniversary: April 25 and 26 Yard Sale: May 23 Weddings and Baby Showers: TBA Coming Up Next Sun. 9:00 am Contemplative prayer in the sanctuary. 9:25 am Adult choir rehearsal. 9:45 am Adult Ed: Using technology as individuals to find and build community. Facilitator Winona Senner. 11:00 am Worship; Patrick Preheim speaking. 11:15 am Sunday School for preschool through grade six. Nutana Park Mennonite Church welcomes into fellowship and membership all persons who confess faith in Jesus Christ, without regard to their race, ethnic background, gender, age, sexual orientation, income, education, ability, and other factors that give rise to discrimination and marginalization. Announcements Nutana Park Mennonite Church December 31, 2014 Revenue Expenses Surplus (loss) Actual Budget Difference Jan-Dec 414,714.95 391,227.28 Jan-Dec 407,655.00 407,655.00 Jan-Dec 7,059.95 -16,427.72 23,487.67 0.00 23,487.67 Note: Above Surplus does not include the 2014 Audit Fees. Thank you to all that made it possible to go from a loss to a surplus on the last Sunday in December 2014. Saskatoon Food Bank: Canned Vegetables, Flour, Rice Urgent: Billets are needed for delegates attending the MCSask sessions at Mount Royal Mennonite Church for one night, Friday, March 13. Please sign up on the sheet in the Education Wing or call the coordinator for billeting, Grace Poettcker at 306-664-3475 or email [email protected]. The photo directory is updated -- give Helen your own flash drive and she will copy the directory onto it and place it back into your mailbox or phone the office if you wish to borrow a flash drive (there are 4 available). Those who requested a hard copy of the directory will find the pages in their mailboxes. Mennonite Church Saskatchewan is inviting applications for the position of Area Church Minister. This will be a part time position (.5-.7 FTE) beginning in March. A job description can be viewed at www.mcsask.ca. Please direct inquiries to Bruce Jantzen: [email protected] 306-467-4807. From Earthkeepers: Saskatchewan Community Wind (www.saskwind.ca) has a vision of 20% of Saskatchewan's electricity generated from wind energy by 2030 with at least half of that produced by community owned turbines/wind farms. Plans are already in the works for a solar power cooperative near Saskatoon with information available at [email protected]. MCC Connects: Take chances. Make mistakes. Get messy. Be challenged. Spend a year living somewhere that you never dreamed you'd go . . . start now. Serving and Learning Together (SALT) is a year-long, cross-cultural service experience. Serve internationally in areas such as education, agriculture, healthcare, information technology, peace and more! SALT applications are due February 15, 2015. Contact Erica Baerwald, 306.665.2555 or [email protected] or visit mcccanada.ca/get-involved/serve/gsl. This Will Lead To Dancing Many of us are struggling with the issue of faithfulness and the inclusion of our LGBTQ friends in our church communities. Theatre of the Beat (creators of "Gadfly," "Forgiven/Forgotten," "This Prison," "A Bicycle Built for Two") wants to engage audiences in this conversation with a play, and is currently fundraising for a new project entitled "This Will Lead to Dancing." Community Mennonite Church (in Stouffville, ON) has agreed to accept donations on behalf of this project and will be issuing receipts for any and all donations. Please send donations to: Community Mennonite Church of Stouffville, P.O. Box 95028, Stouffville, ON, L4A 1J1, with "TOTB Project" on the Memo line. Thank you for your generosity and being part of this important conversation! Saskatoon Open Door Society invites us to Senior’s Storytelling Circle on Friday afternoons from 1:00-3:00 pm, January 30 – March 20. Held at Saskatoon Council on Aging, 2020 College Drive. To register phone Shannon 306-653-4464, ext. 386 or [email protected] Message from Mennonite Church Saskatchewan: Canadian Mennonite Magazine Inquiry -- We are looking for suggestions of people who might be good candidates to be on our board. This is not a formal nominations process. It’s an attempt to build a pool of potential candidates from rural/urban MCSask churches. The skills we’re looking for presently would include: involved in small business (human resources or financial); or knowledgeable about new technologies (web or communication). Marianne Harder, CMPS Board member. [email protected] or phone 232-9000. Looking at ourselves in our church family Objective: To engage the entire congregation in the questions of how we grow in the faith and transmit faith (to children, youth, seekers, visitors). Our worship hour today will be designed in such way that we hear from each other on these important questions. After a gathering hymn and 5 minute meditation in the sanctuary on the origins and hopes for the morning, we will break into groups. Guidelines for the activity:  Table groups of 6 to 8  Include persons from at least 4 decades at each table. Try for more.  Everyone in the group is equally important. All must have opportunity to answer each question.  There are no wrong answers.  Appoint a group leader/timekeeper and a recorder.  If your child may tire of the verbal nature on the activity, pick up an activity bag on your way to a table. (one for preschool to age 6, the other for age 6/7 to 9.) Use at your discretion. The questions: 1. What are the two or three most important reasons why you come to church on Sunday morning? 2. What are two or three of your favorite ways to worship God and enhance your Christian understandings? 3. If there is extra time, please share a story of a church experience that stands out in your memory. 4. From what you have heard this morning, are there additional ways that would enhance our church programs of Christian education? Conclusion: Each group will conclude their time with prayer. (This could include sharing of joys and concerns and a benediction.) Background for this discussion: Our congregation has a strong history of commitment to Christian education. In the fifty years of our history, we have always had Sunday School classes for all ages, weeknight clubs for children, and usually formal youth programs. After some lean years, we once again have a sizable group of toddlers and young children. However we live in new and different times. There are more community options for sports, arts, and music activities that our children participate in. Activities occur on weeknights and on Sundays, including Sunday mornings. There are many new demands on parents to support their children’s programs as volunteers. Our past structures and ways of supporting them are no longer serving our needs. This has affected all our children’s programming. Three years ago we moved children’s Sunday School to the worship hour, reducing the time from 1 hour to 30 minutes and eliminating children’s singing. Parents strongly support this change. However attendance continues to be very sporadic. The age of Sunday School classes has been reduced from age 3 to grade 12 to age 3 to grade six. Even now, some of the older children ask to be excused from attendance. In the past year, we have had two new teacher volunteers. We rely heavily on teachers who have been teaching for years and are burning out. We have trouble replacing program leaders. Most of the young adults who attend the Thursday evening discussion group are not those who grew up in our congregation. What does this mean? We see parents of toddlers who spend time caring for their children while they visit with each other during the worship service, rather than placing their children into the supervised daycare room. How are we supporting young families in the challenge of raising their children? Those of us who are involved in program planning in Christian Education have concerns. We are looking to the entire congregation to help us reflect on Christian faith and how it grows. As we reflect together on our joint experience, we expect to receive new insights that will help us plan more effectively for the future.