BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
March 23, 2025
Third Sunday of Lent
 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—Summoned by the God Who Made Us [VT 1], (arr. Robert Lau)–Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
Welcome-Raylene Hinz Penner
Leader: We come to listen
Congregation: So that we can go out and speak.
Leader: We praise God’s power
Congregation: So that we might rightly use our own.
Leader: We pause and pray
Congregation: So that we might plan faithfully.
Leader: We consider the ancient Scriptures
Congregation: So that we might better understand our present reality.
Leader: We continue this wilderness journey
Congregation: Following God’s way together.
 
*Hymn—Brethren, We Have Met to Worship—VT 25
 
Children’s Conversation–Jerry Buller
 
Worship Music—Come Ye Disconsolate (Terre Johnson)—Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist
 
One-Minute Meditation
 
Scripture Reading—Numbers 27:1-11–Margaret Toews
 
Sermon—Advocacy 101—Joanna Harader
 
*Hymn—Lord Jesus, Come and Overturn—VT 146
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
*Hymn—God of the Bible—VT 420
 
*Benediction
 
Postlude—Joys are Flowing Like a River [VT 375], (arr. Will Wiebe-Friesen)–
Will Wiebe-Friesen

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* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Audio visual—Ken Lamp

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
March 16, 2025
Second Sunday of Lent
 
Christ Candle Lighting  
 
Centering Music—As the Deer Runs to the River (Uehlein)–Karen Unruh
 
Call to Worship—Mary Ann Boschmann
 
 Leader: In the wilderness we gather
Congregation: with friends and strangers,
      All: forming a community of support.
 Leader: In the wilderness we struggle
Congregation: against forces of violence,
      All: conspiring together for life.
 Leader: In the wilderness we wander
Congregation: through unfamiliar landscapes,
      All: seeking a faithful path.
 Leader: In the wilderness we worship
Congregation: our God of love and life,
      All: opening ourselves to the power of the Spirit.
 
*Hymn—Spirit of God! Descend—VT 557
 
Children’s Conversation— Brad Kohlman
 
*Hymn—With Mary Sing Magnificat–VT 208
  
One-Minute Meditation
 
Scripture Reading—Exodus 1:22-2:10; Acts 7:17-22—Jim Robb
 
Sermon—Ground-level God—Nathan Koontz
 
*Hymn—O Healing River—VT 706
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
*Hymn—Lord Jesus, You Shall Be My Song—VT 581
 
*Benediction
  
Postlude–He Comes to Us as One Unknown (Weber)–Karen Unruh
 
*You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Audio-Visual–Ken Lamp

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
March 9, 2025
First Sunday of Lent
 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—Thou True Vine That Heals the Nations (arr. R. Haan)
—Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
Welcome & Prayer
Leader:  Welcome, all wandering hearts.
 
All:         We come greeting friends and meeting strangers,
               Wearing our joy and bearing our grief,
               Sighing our questions and trying our faith
 
Leader: Welcome to the wilderness of Lent–
 
All:         where pretense is laid down;
               Where grace abounds;
               Where home is found.
 
Leader: Welcome, all wandering hearts, to worship.
                                               
*Hymn—The Glory of These Forty Days—VT 305
           
Children’s Conversation—Joanna Harader
 
Worship Music—Cantique de Jean Racine (Gabriel Faure)—Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist
 
Scripture Reading—Genesis 16:1-15—Al Peters
 
*Hymn—The God of Sarah Praise—VT 190
 
One-Minute Meditation
 
Sermon—Streams of Mercy—Joanna Harader         
 
*Hymn—Fill Us with Your Feast—VT 309
 
Communion— Pastors
 
Prayer of Confession
Leader: For the violence we enact and the violence we allow,
All: God have mercy.
Leader: For the ways we limit the freedom of others,
All: God have mercy.
Leader: For our failure to fully live out the freedom you give us,
All: God have mercy.
Leader: In the moments we run away,
All: God have mercy.
Leader: In the moments we settle in,
All: God have mercy.
Leader: When we cannot bear to watch others suffer,
All: God have mercy.
Leader: And in you mercy, God, let us find our home in you,
All: Wherever we may wander.
 
Assurance of Pardon
Sharing the Meal
Prayer of Thanksgiving
 
Prayers of God’s People         
 
*Hymn—Come, Thou Fount—VT 563
 
*Benediction    
                                                  
Postlude—Come, Thou Fount (arr. J.R. Martin)—Will Wiebe-Friesen          

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* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard- Will Wiebe-Friesen
Audio visual—Ben Lichti

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BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
Transfiguration Sunday
March 2, 2025

Christ Candle Lighting  

Centering Music—Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart (Eithun)—Chancel Bells; Verlene Garber, director

Land Acknowledgement

Welcome & Prayer—Dorothy Nickel Friesen

*Hymn—All Creatures, Worship God Most High—VT 81

Children’s Conversation—Esther Kreider Eash

Worship Music—Dodi Li—(Austin)—Chancel Bells  

Scripture Reading—Luke 9:28-36—Steve Stucky

Sermon—From Monument to Movement—Nathan Koontz

*Hymn—The Church of Christ Cannot Be Bound—VT 392  

Prayers of God’s People

*Hymn—The Lord Lift You Up—VT 832

*Benediction

Postlude–Going Home Medley (arr. Labenske)– Meghann Rogers

*You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard—Meghann Rogers
Audio visual—Francis Toews

Land Acknowledgement from words by Mark Charles and VT #878 
As we do on the first Sunday of each month,  
  we acknowledge that we worship  
  on the land of the Kanza, Osage, and Wichita.   
We thank them for their care and respect for this land      
  and acknowledge the injustice of their forced removal. 
We ask the Spirit to heal our histories 
  and find new paths of right relationships with them 
  and all of creation.  

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
February 23, 2025
Reflections on Snow Camp
 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—Master Tallis’s Testament (Herbert Howells)— Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
Welcome & Prayer (VT 853)—Margaret Toews
                                    
*Hymn—All People That on Earth Do Dwell—VT 5
           
Children’s Conversation—Youth
 
Worship Music— Cantique de Jean Racine (Faure)— Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist
 
Kin-dom Report— Pastor Nathan Koontz’s Sabbatical Plans— Megan Kohlman
 
*Hymn—God, Be the Love—VT 43
 
Scripture Reading—Genesis 45:3-11, 15   I Corinthians 13:12—Youth
 
Sermon—Who Am I?—Joanna Harader
 
*Hymn—Solemn Stillness, Weary Streets—VT 276
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
*Hymn—Be Thou My Vision—VT 549—(People with February birthdays come forward for a blessing, please bring a hymnal)
 
*Birthday Blessing and Benediction
 
Postlude—Voluntary on The Third Tune [VT 326] (arr. Lasky)—Will Wiebe-Friesen
                       

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* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard—Will Wiebe-Friesen
Audio visual—Ben Lichti

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
February 16, 2025
 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music— Trio super Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend,’ BWV 655 (J.S. Bach)—
Kevin Vaughn
 
Welcome & Prayer—Virginia Mininger
Call to Worship VT 851
 
*Hymn— O Worship Our God, All Glorious Above—VT 74
 
Children’s Conversation—Glen Ediger
 
Worship Music— Land of Rest & New Britain (Barbara Harbach)—Kevin Vaughn
 
*Hymn—Blessed Are You—VT 290
 
Scripture Reading—Luke 6:17-26—Ron Sawatzky
 
Sermon—What Power Looks Like—Joanna Harader
 
*Hymn–My Soul Cries Out—VT 412
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
*Hymn—Sing a New World into Being—VT 809
 
*Benediction
 
Postlude—Fugue in A Minor, BWV 543b (J.S. Bach)—Kevin Vaughn
 

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* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Audio visual—Francis Toews

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Our guest organist Sunday, February 16, Dr. Kevin Vaughn, is joining us from South Bend, Indiana.  Kevin holds a DMA in Organ Performance from the University of Notre Dame, where, along with Goshen College, he has held positions on the instructional faculty. With his husband, Stephen Lancaster, he has produced a number of recordings of sacred song for baritone and organ and has performed at Hesston College. He will present a recital at Bethel College on Tuesday evening (February 18) at 7:00.

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
February 9, 2025

Christ Candle Lighting  

Centering Music— My Life Flows On In Endless Song— [VT 605], (R. Haan)—Will Wiebe-Friesen

Welcome & Prayer—John Waltner

*Hymn—Holy, Holy, Holy!— VT 76

Children’s Conversation—Jill Robb

Worship Music—Sanctus (Charles Gounod), Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist

Scripture Reading—Isaiah 6:1-13; Luke 5:1-11—Doris Whillock

*Hymn—Will You Come and Follow Me—VT 540

Sermon—Fishers–Nathan Koontz

*Hymn—I Bind My Heart This Tide— VT 556

Prayers of God’s People

*Hymn—This is My Song—VT 710

*Benediction

Postlude—Comfort, Comfort, O My People [VT 212]–(arr. Will Wiebe-Friesen)

*You are invited to stand

VT—Voices Together

Keyboard- Will Wiebe-Friesen

Audio visual—Ken Lamp

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
February 2, 2025
Anabaptism 500 Celebration

Christ Candle Lighting                                                     

Centering Music— Meditation (Bartsch)
Chancel Bells; Verlene Garber, director              

Welcome, Prayer, and Land Acknowledgment—Deb Gering & Ani Koontz

*Hymn—Could It Be That God Is Singing?—VT 42

Children’s Conversation—Dorothy Nickel Friesen

Worship Music—The Church’s One Foundation—Chancel Bells

Mission Moment—Border Trip           
Ani Koontz and Grace Harader-Ellett

*Hymn—O God, We Read the Holy Law—VT 571

Scripture Reading—Mark 12:28-34—Ben Preheim

Sermon—Crucial Balancing Acts 
Dale Schrag

*Hymn—I Sing With Exultation—VT 444

Prayers of God’s People—Deb Gering & Ani Koontz

*Hymn—Go, My Friends, in Grace—VT 810

*Benediction

Postlude— Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise
                                            (setting by Michael Burkhardt)      
Karen Schlabaugh      

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* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Audio visual—Ken Lamp
Keyboard–Karen Schlabaugh

Land Acknowledgement from words by Mark Charles and VT #878 
As we do on the first Sunday of each month,  
  we acknowledge that we worship  
  on the land of the Kanza, Osage, and Wichita.   
We thank them for their care and respect for this land      
  and acknowledge the injustice of their forced removal. 
We ask the Spirit to heal our histories 
  and find new paths of right relationships with them 
  and all of creation.  

GOING BEYOND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
The Supreme Court has not yet released a decision on whether they will hear Apache Stronghold’s appeal.  The Apache Stronghold asks for our continued prayers for Oak Flat, Apache Stronghold, and the Supreme Court.
Together we pray:
God of bones and umbilical cords,
Creator of light and wind,
Source of love,
Giver of food for all creatures,
You care for Oak Flat (Chi’Chil Bildagoteel) and the peoples who call this place home.
Ignite all hearts to beat in unison,
To defend this place of unspeakable sacredness
From devastation and harm.
Whisper to those in power who make decisions
about the fate of this fragile land.
May they know you, God.
May they come to know your sacred places,
and be reminded that they can never be replaced. (Jon Zirkle, COFA team member)

 BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
January 26, 2025
Anabaptism at 500

 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—Great is Thy Faithfulness [VT 419] (arr. Joel Raney)  Will Wiebe-Friesen &  Brad Vogel               
 
Welcome & Prayer— Joanna Harader
 
*Hymn—A Mighty Fortress Is Our GodI—VT 421
 
Children’s Conversation—Esther Kreider Eash
 
Worship Music—O God, Our Help In Ages Past (arr. John Ferguson)–Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist
              Congregation is invited to join on verses 1 & 6 in unison      VT 203              
Scripture— I Peter 2:4-12  (CEB)—Brad Born
 
Testimony—John Thiesen
 
Hymn—We Are People of God’s Peace, v. 1-2 only (seated)—VT 797
 
Scripture—I Peter 2:4-12 (VT 381)—Brad Born
 
Testimony—Ardie Goering
 
Hymn—We Are People of God’s Peace, v. 3-4 only (seated)—VT 797
 
Prayers of God’s People—Joanna Harader
 
*Commissioning—VT 928
 
*Hymn—Move in Our Midst—VT 827
 
Birthday Blessing and Benediction—VT 1056
 
Postlude—God of Grace and God of Glory [VT 716] (arr. Joel Raney)–Will Wiebe-Friesen & Brad Vogel                                                                                       

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*You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
CEB—Common English Bible
Audio visual—Ben Lichti

Today’s centering music and postlude feature two well-known hymns presented as piano and organ duets. Will invited his friend and college music professor, Dr. Brad Vogel, to join him for these duets. The hymn God of Grace and God of Glory (VT 716) is not an Anabaptist hymn per se, but its text seems fitting for a day like this. The tune, CWM RHONDDA (pronounced “coom rawnthuh”) is named for the Rhondda Valley (“cwm” meaning “low valley”) in Wales, where this tune is very much beloved by the region’s famous male choirs. Interestingly, if you were to attend a rugby match in Wales, it is very likely that you would hear this tune sung with great gusto by the fans.

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
January 19, 2025
Second Sunday after the Epiphany

Christ Candle Lighting                                          

Centering Music–Adoration (Florence Beatrice Price)– Will Wiebe-Friesen                                                         

Welcome & Prayer–Ada Schmidt-Tieszen                                                            

*Hymn–Here in This Place–VT 10                                         

Children’s Conversation–Barb Koontz                           

Worship Music–Veni Jesu (Luigi Cherbini)–Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist       

Cherubini ‘s choral setting of the Latin text, “Veni Jesu Amor mi” loosely translates “Come to me, O Jesus, my love.”        

Scripture Reading–John 2:1-11–David Sprunger                         

*Hymn– Over My Head–VT 594                                         

Sermon–Prompting Miracles–Joanna Harader                                    

*Hymn– Lift Every Voice and Sing–VT 611                                     

Prayers of God’s People

*Hymn–You are Salt for the Earth–VT 297                                   

*Benediction

Postlude–Improvisation on We Shall Overcome–(Carl Haywood)          

* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Audio visual—Ken Lamp

Today’s centering music and postlude are both pieces composed by black American composers. Florence Price (1887-1953), composer of Adoration, is noted as the first African American symphonic composer. She composed prolifically, producing chamber music, symphonic works, choral music, art song, and works for piano and organ, the vast majority of which was only published many decades after her death. Carl Haywood, a long-serving professor of organ and choral music at Norfolk State University, a historically black university, composed his Improvisation on We Shall Overcome for Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2012. This hymn (VT 803) is a gospel song deeply associated with the U.S. civil rights movement, and it still bears a message important to us today. The limited available organ repertoire composed by African American women and men is expanding, and I look forward to sharing more of it with you in the future. 
While the bulk of commonly played organ literature is the work of white male composers, these pieces by two African American composers are both moving and thrilling and have been fun to work up. I look forward to sharing more of their music with you in the future.   —Will Wiebe-Friesen