WELCOME TO GERMANTOWN MENNONITE CHURCH

Transcription

1 January 17, 2016

2 WELCOME TO GERMANTOWN MENNONITE CHURCH January 17, 2015 GATHERING Chime Welcome Nate Wright Prelude Meg Laakso PRAISING *Call to Worship (From Stride Toward Freedom by Martin Luther King, Jr. 1958) One: Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and I moral. Many: It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. One: The old law of an eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. Many: It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win [their] understanding. One: It seeks to annihilate rather than to convert. All: Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love. *Congregational Singing Douglas Witmer *Passing the Peace Please offer a sign of peace to your neighbors and welcome them to our time together. Welcome of Guests CONFESSING From Justice Without Violence Martin Luther King, Jr The non-violent resister realizes that love should forever be at the forefront of [their] thinking. And as we struggle for justice as oppressed people all over the world struggle for justice and freedom and human dignity, it is my great hope that we will never succumb to the temptation of indulging in hate campaigns or becoming bitter. For if we hate for hate, if we try to solve the problem by hating in return, we do nothing but intensify the existence of hate in the universe, and somebody has to have some sense in this world and cut off the chain of hate. That is done through loving. So this is a method that not only avoids external physical violence, but also internal violence to the spirit which is hate and bitterness and malice. Oppressed people must continue to fight for justice passionately. Fight at all times with clean hands, always avoiding malice and hate; bitterness and falsehood.

3 Congregational Singing PROCLAIMING Offering Please come forward as you are able to offer your gifts to God. Our special offering this month is for Emerging Ministries Corporation Food offering for Germantown Avenue Crisis Ministry may be placed in the baskets on the floor. Offertory Prayer Children s Time Jonathan Kemmerer-Scovner Children under the age of five are welcome to go downstairs for nursery. Children over five are welcome to play quietly upstairs or join others in worship. Congregational Singing Scripture Reading: I Samuel 17: Reading: Excerpt from Stride Toward Freedom by Martin Luther King, Jr. 195 Reflections Jenny Anne Horst-Martz & Jim Alderfer Congregational Singing SHARING Sharing All are welcome to reflect on the service and to bring joys, struggles, and other prayer concerns before God and our church community. Please wait until an usher brings you a microphone, state your name, joy or petition, and conclude with God of Grace and all may respond Hear our prayer. Prayer SENDING Announcements Congregational Singing Benediction The worship of the gathered community is now ended. Go in peace. Go in joy. Go in love to share in the ongoing worship of the community in dispersion. Carry with you what is precious to us all: reverence for all life, beauty that displays itself in love, deep, abiding peace.

4 Following the worship service, all are welcome downstairs for a time of fellowship and light refreshments. *Please stand as you are able. Today s Hospitality Host is Caitlin VanderWindt Today s Trustee is Matt VanderWindt Today s Greeters are Susan Bartholomew & Willem McGloughlin Today s Rug Supervisor is Christa Aikins Nursery is Provided by Karey Bacon I Samuel 17: Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. Excerpt from Stride Toward Freedom The principle of nonviolent resistance seeks to reconcile the truths of two opposites acquiescence and violence while avoiding the extremes and immoralities of both. The nonviolent resister agrees with the person who acquiesces that one should not be physically aggressive toward his opponent; but he balances the equation by agreeing with the person of violence that evil must be resisted. He avoids the nonresistance of the former and the violent resistance of the latter. With nonviolent resistance, no individual or group need submit to any wrong, nor need anyone resort to violence in order to right a wrong. Prayers For Our City Someone in our city killed John Doe. He was 30 years old and a black male. Soon after, someone killed Najee Gilliard. A black male; he was 19. All around our city today there are people in the pews of churches grieving for these and other victims of murder. Letus pray today as if these young people or their families attended Germantown Mennonite Church. Let us also pray for those who committed these murders.

5 The Candle Burning On The Stage Today we remember Oscar Bolin, child of God. Oscar was executed last week in Florida for murders of Teri Lynn Matthews, Stephanie Collins, and Natalie Holley, in We remember with our prayers and with the candle lit on the stage Oscar, Teri, Stephanie, Natalie, and all who loved them. Prayers For Peacemakers Give thanks for the gift of water. Give thanks for the Indigenous peoples defending clean water around the world today. Pray that governments and corporations will abandon resource extraction projects that threaten watersheds. Congregational Announcements Membership Conversations: In the last several years, questions about church membership has come up in many conversations. Folks in this community have wondered, What does it mean? What is its purpose? and What is the benefit to me and this community? The Vision Team and Church Council recently had a conversation about this membership question ourselves, having heard these conversations stirring. When we looked at the bi-laws and it s definition of membership, we too were left with a lot of questions. Vision Team would like to invite you to one of a series of congregational small group meetings, where we will talk about membership. We want to hear from you-- Why did you join Germantown Mennonite Church? If you have chosen not to become an member, why? What is the meaning of membership? Is there a membership model that might work better? Amy and a member of Vision Team will be at each meeting to hear your responses. After these meetings, Vision Team will take a look at what we ve heard from you, and see if we need to change anything about our membership policies. The meetings will be held on February 7th and 21st following worship in the Sunday school rooms, and on February 17th at 7:30pm in the fellowship hall. Thanks for being part of this conversation. We look forward to hearing your sharing on what this means for you. The Germantown Mennonite Church Vision Team Tina Burkholder, Duane Hershberger, Rebecca Thut Witmer and Amy Yoder McGloughlin

6 Today's service was planned by the Peace and Social Concerns Committee consisting of Russ Mass, chair, Lee Smithey, Nate Wright, Meg Laasko, Beth Sutter and Ruth Sutter. There will be a congregational meeting on January 31 following the congregational potluck. We will be talking about the budget and voting on John Bergen s candidacy for the Associate Pastor position. All are welcome and encouraged to attend this important discussion. Upcoming Hospitality Events January 24th - Baby Dedication for August Ernst & Henry Wilkinson! We will have a cupcake reception during fellowship hour! Get ready to bake, decorate, and enjoy cupcakes in celebration of these two families! January 31st - Church Potluck between Worship & Congregational Meeting. Start thinking about what entrees, yummy side dishes, and salads you'll bring to the table! February 14th - Introduction Potluck to our New Sanctuary Movement Family! After Worship, we will gather in the Fellowship Hall to meet the Immigrant Family that has chosen us to walk the accompaniment journey with their children as they seek to have their deportation orders removed. In true Mennonite fashion, let's not disappoint as we share our food and hospitality with a really amazing family. **If you'd like to learn more about the Accompaniment Journey we are taking with NSM, please contact me or Heather Nicolson heatherjnicholson@gmail.com Kid's Club will be later in the month than usual, Saturday January 23rd, 5-7. Please join us for Movie Night at The Mitchell Home: 6810 Emlen Street, Kid's can come in jammies if they like. Pizza, snacks & fun times included as usual. Please RSVP to Kellie Wickland (kelliewicklund@gmail.com). Pastor Amy Yoder McGloughlin and Rabbi Linda Holtzman are leading an Interfaith delegation to the West Bank through Christian Peacemaker Teams, July 16-31, If you or someone you know are interested in taking this trip to Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron--where we'll hear from Palestinians about their experiences, and see firsthand the impact of occupation--please join us for an informational meeting. We'll meet on January 21st, 7:30pm at Germantown Mennonite Church, 21 W. Washington Lane, Philadelphia, PA For questions or more information contact Linda at rabbilinda18@gmail.com or Amy at pastoramy@germantownmennonite.org Our Special Offering for January is Emerging Ministries Corporation. Their mission is to coordinate and provide a continuum of care, through collaboration, for juvenile offenders and juvenile returning citizens that assists young persons and their families to attain and utilize supportive services throughout their relationship with Juvenile Justice Services Center until they return to the neighborhood. The goal of the initiative is to empower young persons successful return to their neighborhoods and families (as appropriate) from secure confinement utilizing restorative asset-based processes proven to assist juveniles on their journey toward whole and contributing adult citizens.

7 Treasurer's report for December 2015 December regular offering: $36,181 Special offering in December for Emerging Ministries Corporation: $897 Year-to-date income: $185,224 / Year-to-date budgeted income: $168,780 Year-to-date expenses $173,583 December average attendance: 113 Caring and Sharing Fund: Our caring and sharing fund is designed to assist members in any short term or long term financial needs they may have. Should you have a need, please contact the caring fund committee--tina Burkholder, Dan Thut, Carolyn Bergey or Amy Yoder McGloughlin--or ask for a Needs Request Form from the church office. We use Google Groups as a way to share announcements. If you would like an invitation to join this group, please Michelle at office@germantownmennonite.org. Like us on Facebook, to get updates and pictures of what's going on in the congregation. For information and schedules, visit the website at and sign up as a member ( to view additional content. COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS On Monday, January 18, Germantown Mennonite Historic Trust is pleased to partner with Pastorius Community Gardens to build raised beds for the new community garden on GMHT grounds. Come for all or part of the day to assist with trash pick up, building beds, and preparing the grounds for a garden. Light refreshments will be provided. Parking is available on Pastorius St, Germantown Ave, or in the Settlement Music School lot on Germantown Avenue. Feel free to bring gloves, rakes, shovels, etc. but be sure to label your tools. Questions? Please contact Vita Litvak, Community Garden Coordinator at vita.litvak@gmail.com. POWER MLK Day Assembly On Monday, January 18 at 4:00 pm gather at Arch St. United Methodist Church (55 N Broad) to ring in the new year of faithful action! We will celebrate victories and commit to faithful action in 2016 and beyond. Please join in to hear more about the renewal process and how you can be involved in leading POWER 2.0 to make Philadelphia a city that works for everyone. Get paid to assist local seniors in their homes! Ralston My Way, a Mt. Airy based nonprofit, is looking for reliable, hardworking individuals to help with leaf raking, yard cleanup, handyman repairs and more. You set your schedule work anywhere from 5 to 40 hours per week. Pay starts at $10-$12 per hour. Call Andria Hale at or ahale@mywayonline.org for more information.

8 Germantown Mennonite Church 21 West Washington Lane Philadelphia, PA (215) Congregational Leadership Amy Yoder McGloughlin, Pastor (215) Tina Burkholder, Vision Team Chair (215) Duane Hershberger, Vision Team Member (484) Rebecca Thut-Witmer, Vision Team Member (215) Douglas Brunk, Congregational Chair (215) Michelle Bruhn, Facilities Administrator (215) Andrew Buckwalter Fairfield, Seminary Intern (540) January 24, 2015 Worship Leader: Amy Yoder McGloughlin Speaker: Andrew Fairfield Buckwalter Song Leader: Janet Boys Prelude/Offertory: Charlie McGloughlin Children s Time: Amy Yoder McGloughlin Trustee: Steve Gerber Hospitality: Michael Brix Nursery: Grace Burkholder Rug Supervisor: Rebecca Thut-Witmer Greeters: Craig Stutman & Jeff Wicklund Jan 21: Jan 23: Jan 24: Jan 31: Feb 7: Feb 14: Feb 17: Feb 21: Feb 28-Mar 19: Sep 23-25: WORSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES January 31, 2015 Worship Leader: Melissa Berkey-Gerard Speaker: Singing Sunday Song Leader: Andi Wingert, Charlie McGloughlin, Dan Thut, Janet Boys, John Linscheid, & Teri Gemberling-Johnson Prelude/Offertory: David Himmer Children s Time: Andrew Fairfield Buckwalter Trustee: Joe Murzyn Hospitality: Congregational Potluck Nursery: Grace Burkholder Rug Supervisor: Kellie Wicklund Greeters: LOOKING AHEAD Palestine Trip info session, 7:30pm in Fellowship Hall Kids Club Movie Night, 5-7pm at the Mitchell home Dedication of August Ernst and Henry Wilkinson during Worship Congregational Meeting & Potluck Membership Conversation following worship Introduction Potluck to our New Sanctuary Movement Family following worship Membership Conversation, 7:30pm in Fellowship Hall Membership Conversation following worship Hosting IHN Guests Church Retreat at Camp Swatara Today s Bulletin Cover: The police blockade was called the Selma Wall and the 38th parallel by protestors. Nonviolent Resistance in Selma Alabama, 1965