BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
December 15, 2024
Third Sunday of Advent
 
Prelude Music— O Come, O Come, Emmanuel  (Dobrinski)
                                                       Carol of the Bells (Morris)
                                                       Mary Did You Know (Wagner)                         
                                                              Chancel Bells, Verlene Garber, director
 
Advent Candle Lighting—Marlin & Monica Lichti, Faith & Lucy Burch
 
    Scripture Reading—I John 4:7-9
 
    Litany:
Beloved, we gather in love for God and love for each other.
We gather to experience God’s love for us.
God’s love is revealed in the stories we hear,
In the songs we sing, in the prayers we offer,
In the Spirit we feel moving within and among us.
 
God’s love is revealed most deeply through Jesus,
Whose coming we anticipate and celebrate,
Who was sent by God so that we might have life.
Beloved, we gather together for worship.
 
  Lighting the candle of Love
 
Welcome & Prayer—Nathan Koontz                                     
 
*Hymn—Hark! The Glad Sound—VT 217
                       
Children’s Conversation—Esther Koontz
 
Worship Music— Glad Tidings of Joy  (Larson)         
Chancel Bells, Verlene Garber, director
 
Scripture Reading—Ruth 1:1-18—Esther Kreider Eash, Raylene Hinz Penner, Brad Kohlman, Kevin Neufeld
 
*Hymn—Bless the Arms that Comfort—VT 527
 
Sermon—Ruth: A Journey of Love—Joanna Harader
 
*Hymn—Bless’d Be the God of Israel—VT 223
 
Prayers of God’s People—Nathan Koontz
 
*Hymn—My Soul Cries Out—VT 412—Grace Harader-Ellett, violin; Lucy Burch, piccolo
 
*Benediction
 
Postlude— Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying (Paul Manz) 
Karen Schlabaugh
 
* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard- Karen Schlabaugh
Audio visual—Ken Lamp

Thank you to the Chancel Bells for bringing us the prelude and worship music Sunday morning!  Members are: Suzy Burch, Ben Lichti, Carol Gerbrand,Marlene Ewert, Marlene Faul, Virginia Mininger, Brenda Turner, Janet Lubbers, Nathan Garber, Caleb Garber and director Verlene Garber.

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
December 8, 2024
Second Sunday of Advent
 

Prelude Music—Gesù Bambino (Yon; arr. Walters) Ben Lichti-Trumpet    
Holy Night/Silent Night    Angelika Donaldson
Hark the Herald Angels Sing—William Eash, Ron Garber, Joe Peters, Weldon Schloneger, Tim Hodge, Verlene Garber, Rebecca Schloneger, violin
The People That Walked in Darkness (Handel)— Doyle and Mary Jo Preheim
 
Advent Candle Lighting—Beaty and Jim Robb, Gabby and Jake Robb
 
Scripture Reading—Hebrews 11:29-31
 
    Litany:
By faith the people passed through the Red Sea.
By faith we come with open hearts.
 
By faith the walls of Jericho fell.
By faith we offer praise and prayers.
 
By faith Rahab received the spies in peace.
By faith we gather together for worship.    
 
Lighting the candle of Faith
 
Welcome & Prayer—Adam Robb                                          
 
*Hymn—With Mary Sing Magnificat—VT 208
 
Kin-dom Report—Jill Robb
           
Children’s Conversation—Esther Koontz
 
Worship Music—Sing We Now of Christmas (arr. Fred Prentice)–Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist
 
Scripture Reading—Joshua 2:1-9, 12-15—Raylene Hinz-Penner, Esther Kreider Eash, Kevin Neufeld, Brad Kohlman         
 
*Hymn—Unexpected and Mysterious—VT 229
 
Sermon—Rahab: On the Margins—Nathan Koontz
 
*Hymn—Comfort, Comfort, O My People—VT 212
 
Prayers of God’s People
*Hymn–Great is Thy Faithfulness—VT 419     
 
*Benediction
 
Postlude—Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme [VT 226], (J.S. Bach)  
Will Wiebe-Friesen

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

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
December 1, 2024
First Sunday of Advent 
 
Prelude Music—What Child Is This [VT 267]; Lo, How a Rose E’er Blooming [VT 216]
In Lonely Mountain Ways [VT589]; Hark, I Hear The Harps Eternal (arr. Alice Parker)    
Open Road
 
Advent Candle Lighting— Dale & Margo Schrag; Mara & Adam Oswald
 
Scripture Reading—Isaiah 40:27-31
 
Litany:
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Holy One is the everlasting God,
Creator of heaven and earth.
 
God’s energy flows through the world
even when we are bone-tired.
God’s power gives strength
to the vulnerable and weak.
 
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
When we wait on the Holy One,
God will renew our strength.
We shall run! We shall fly!
We shall walk boldly together
toward the promises of God.
 
Lighting the candle of Hope
 
Land Acknowledgement, Welcome & Prayer—Adam Robb
 
*Hymn—Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus—VT 218
 
Children’s Conversation—Jill Robb
 
Worship Music— Nearer, My God, To Thee (arr. James L. Stevens)—
Open Road
 
Scripture Reading—Genesis 38:1-27—Esther Kreider Eash, Raylene Hinz Penner, Brad Kohlman, Kevin Neufeld
  
*Hymn—There is a Line of Women—VT 546
 
Sermon—Tamar: Advent Waiting—Joanna Harader
 
*Hymn—Poor of the Earth—VT 213
 
Communion—Nathan Koontz, Joanna Harader
 
Prayers of God’s People—Adam Robb
 
*Hymn—My Soul Proclaims with Wonder—VT 222
 
*Benediction
 
Postlude— O Come, O Come Emmanuel  (Held)—Verlene Garber

* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard- Verlene Garber
Audio visual—Francis Toews

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
November 24, 2024
Thanksgiving

Christ Candle Lighting

Centering Music—Morning Has Broken [VT 495] (arr. R. Lau)—Will Wiebe-Friesen

Welcome & Prayer—VT 864—Megan Kohlman, Addison Zerger

*Hymn—Come Away from Rush and Hurry— VT 9

Children’s Conversation—George Leary & BCMC Youth Group

Worship Music—Cum Sancto Spiritu (Antonio Vivaldi)         
       Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist Chancel Choir

Scripture Reading— Joel 2:21-27; Matthew 6:25-33—Lee Suderman

*Hymn—Sometimes a Light Surprises— VT 618—Rebecca Schloneger, violin

Sermon—Thanksgiving, Poetry & the Sun—Nathan Koontz

*Hymn—Nothing Is Lost on the Breath of GodI—VT 653

Prayers of God’s People—Heather Zerger, Lily Schloneger

*Hymn—For the Fruit of All Creation—VT 124—(People with November birthdays come forward for a blessing, please bring a hymnal) 

*Birthday Blessing & Benediction

Postlude—Now Thank We All Our God (J.S. Bach/Virgil Fox)—Will Wiebe-Friesen

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

Today’s choir anthem is the final movement from Vivaldi’s Gloria, a setting of the fourth century hymn text Gloria in excelsis Deo. This movement’s text, Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris, amen, is translated: With the Holy Spirit in the glory of God the Father, amen. The postlude is derived from Bach’s cantata Nun danket alle Gott (Now Thank We All Our God, VT 114). This setting of the hymn, arranged by the American organist Virgil Fox (1912-1980), was made popular through Fox’s flamboyant organ, smoke, and light shows of the 1970’s. Perhaps not the most authentic Bach, it remains an enthusiastic presentation of this hymn of thanksgiving. 

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
  November 17, 2024
 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—We Gather Together (Raney)—Chancel Bells, Verlene Garber, director            
 
Welcome & Prayer—Karen Ediger
                                   
*Hymn—”Could It Be That God Is Singing”—VT 42
           
Children’s Conversation—Jeanette Leary
 
Worship Music—Acclamation of Praise (Raney)—Chancel Bells
 
*Hymn—God of the Fertile Fields—VT 750
 
Scripture Reading—Luke 16:1-13—Judy Kliewer and Naomi Koontz
 
Sermon—Serving God, Not the Economy”—Joanna Harader
 
*Hymn—”God Whose Giving—VT 745
 
Prayers of God’s People—Karen Ediger
 
*Hymn—”People That on Earth Do Dwell”—VT 5    
 
*Benediction    
                                                  
Postlude—Allegro (J.S. Bach)—Karen Schlabaugh                

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

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
November 10, 2024

Christ Candle Lighting

Centering Music—Allein Gott in der Höh sei Ehr [VT 38] (J.S. Bach)– Will Wiebe-Friesen                              

Welcome & Prayer—Marlene Faul

*Hymn—Come, Thou Fount— VT 563

Children’s Conversation

Worship Music— Praise the Lord (George Frederic Handel)
Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist

Scripture Reading—Mark 12:38-44; Ruth 3:1-5; 4:13-17; 1 Kings 17:8-16—Bonnie Epp and Elizabeth Schmidt

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

Sermon—Generosity, Power, & Wealth 
—Nathan Koontz

*Hymn—Lord Jesus, You Shall Be My Song— VT 581

Prayers of God’s People

*Hymn—Eternal Light, Shine in My Heart—VT 554

*Spoken Benediction–Nathan Koontz

Sung Benediction—The Peace of God  (John Rutter)—Chancel Choir     

Postlude—Precious Lord, Take My Hand [VT 610]  (arr. Jack Schrader)
Will Wiebe-Friesen

* You are invited to stand

VT—Voices Together
Keyboard- Will Wiebe-Friesen
Audio visual—Ben Lichti

Sunday’s centering music is an excerpt from a chorale prelude by J.S. Bach from his masterpiece 18 Leipziger Choräle. The original tune derives from the Gloria section of the mass, which is normally set to very energetic, thrilling music. Instead, in this setting of the tune, Bach’s writing conveys comfort, a balm for the soul. The gentle, slow accompaniment and pedal line provide a foundation for the richly ornamented chorale melody. This 16-century tune was set to a new text in Voices Together [VT 38] by Catholic composer and librettist Sister Delores Duffner in 2013 and is worth taking a moment to read. I have found working on this beautiful piece a good way to calm my mind after a stressful day or week, and I encourage you to look up the full work by searching “BWV 662” on youtube. I hope that it will be a balm for your soul, too.

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
November 3, 2024 
 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music— If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee (Bach)— Karen Unruh
 
Welcome with Land Acknowledgement—Dianne Epp
 
*Hymn—O God, We Read the Holy Law—VT 571
 
Children’s Conversation—Joanna Harader and Suzanne Burch, Lucy Burch
 
Hymn—Come What May—VT 768
 
Scripture Reading—Psalm 146; Mark 12:28-34—Lois Preheim
 
Sermon—Do Not Trust in Rulers—Joanna Harader
 
*Hymn—This Is My Song—VT 710
 
Prayers of God’s People—Dianne Epp
 
*Hymn Come What May—VT 768
 
*Benediction
 
Postlude— O God, Our Help in Ages Past (Fleischer)— Karen Unruh
 
* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
 
Keyboard- Karen Unruh
Audio visual—Francis Toews

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
October 27, 2024

Christ Candle Lighting

Centering Music— Morning Song [VT 623] (arr. Joseph Martin) (piano)                                                    
Will Wiebe-Friesen

Welcome & Prayer—Elaine Schurr

*Hymn—All Things Bright and Beautiful—VT 177

Children’s Conversation—Jim Robb

Scripture Reading—Genesis 1:1-5—Janet Friesen

*Hymn—Joyous Light of Heavenly Glory—VT 504

Scripture Reading—John 3:17-21—Janet Friesen

Worship Music—True Light (Hampton)—Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist

Sermon—Connecting the Night and Day—Nathan Koontz

*Hymn—Darkness Is Not Dark to You, God—VT 200

Prayers of God’s People—Dale Schrag, Mara Oswald

*Hymn—Now, on Land and Sea Descending—VT 503
(People with October birthdays come forward for a blessing, please bring a hymnal)

*Birthday Blessing and Benediction

Postlude— Toccata from Suite Gothique (L. Boëllmann) (organ)
Will Wiebe-Friesen

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

Sunday morning’s choral anthem melds the energetic spiritual “This Little Light of Mine” with a 10th century text excerpted from Grigor Nerekatzi’s Book of Mournful Chants: “Don’t let the light that you’ve given me die, and don’t desert my mind, but let the one who serves you praise you again and again.” The piano centering music is a setting of the shape-note tune MORNING SONG, found in our hymnal (VT 623) with a moving text by Adam Tice, text editor of Voices Together. The postlude, a spooky and sinister toccata by French composer Léon Boëllmann, brings to mind the line from the anthem, “Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m gonna let it shine!” There’s a lot of hiding under a bushel in this piece, but listen for the final chord when that light really gets to shine. 

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
             October 20, 2024

 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music                    Blessed Jesus (Faure)  
                                                              Chancel Bells; Verlene Garber, director
 
Welcome & Prayer                                     Crystal Gaeddert, Maisie Brubacher

*Hymn                                 I Sing the Mighty Power of God                    VT 182

Children’s Conversation                                                               Verlene Garber
 
Worship Music       Somebody’s Knocking at Your Door (Page)     Chancel Bells
 
*Hymn              O Worship Our God, All Glorious Above                            VT 74
 
Scripture Reading                Job 38:1-7; Psalm 104: 1-9, 24, 35c
                                                                                                     Marion Deckert
 
Sermon                 The Foundations of the Earth                        Joanna Harader
 
*Hymn               We Plow the Fields and Scatter                                       VT 747
 
Prayers of God’s People                                        Adam Robb, Emerson Gering
 
*Hymn                            There’s a Wild Hope in the Wind                        VT 828
 
*Benediction    
                             
Postlude                                                                                     Meghann Rogers
 
* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard—Meghann Rogers
Audio visual—Francis Toews

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
October 13, 2024 
 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—There is no shadow... [VT 419]  (Brenda Portman)
Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
Welcome & Prayer—Payne Claassen and Mary Ellen Hodge—VT 854—Mentee/Mentor
           
*Hymn —We Long to Know Her—VT 44
           
Children’s Conversation—Joanna Harader
 
Worship Music—Et in terra pax hominibus– [excerpted from Vivaldi’s Gloria (ca. 1715)]–
Chancel Choir; Joel Garber, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist                              
Scripture Reading—Psalm 22:1-15—Hugo Boschmann
 
*Hymn—My God, My God—VT 696
 
Scripture Reading—Job 23:1-9—Hugo Boschmann
 
Sermon—When God Goes Missing—Joanna Harader
 
*Hymn—Joyful Is the Dark—VT 281
 
Prayers of God’s People—Emma Gering and Jill Robb— Mentee/Mentor
 
*Hymn—God, Be the Love—VT 43
 
*Benediction
 
Postlude—I Know That My Redeemer Lives [VT 347] (arr. Dale Wood )
Will Wiebe-Friesen

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

Today’s choral and instrumental music features some creative settings of familiar hymns as well as some unfamiliar languages. The anthem, Et in terra pax hominibus, is excerpted from Vivaldi’s Gloria (ca. 1715), a component of the Latin mass. In English, its text reads: and on earth, peace to persons of good will. The organ setting There is no shadow… was written in 2021 by Brenda Portman and is built on the first verse of the hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness. The postlude, an energetic Easter hymn from the Sacred Harp, continues the themes expressed in the anthem and Psalm reading.