BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
March 17, 2024
Fifth Sunday of Lent
Christ Among Us, the New Covenant

Christ Candle Lighting

Centering Music—Will Wiebe-Friesen

Welcome and Call to Worship—Roger Neufeld Smith

One: “The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel. No longer will they teach their neighbors, or say to one another, ‘Know the Lord!’ because they will all know me, from the least to the greatest.”

Many: This new covenant is being offered to us.

One: “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”

Many: Death must come before resurrection. A seed fallen to the soil and broken open can become life for many.

All: This new covenant is being offered to us: to lay down our life and follow. One: The life-giving ways of God placed within our minds and written on our hearts, where we are forgiven and our sins remembered no more, where we are God’s people and God is our God.

*Hymn—God Loves All His Many People—VT 767

Children’s Conversation

Anthem—Chancel Choir, Riley King, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist

Scripture Reading—Luke 24:13-35

Sermon—Breaking the Body of Christ?—Cesar Garcia

*Hymn of Response—We Are People on a Journey—VT 464 (Somos pueblo que camina)

Prayers of God’s People

Prayer of Confession

One: O God, we gather before you, seeking your mercy. Hear us, we pray.

Many: We confess that we sin against you.

One: O God, wash us, make us clean, create in us a new spirit.

Many: Stay close to us, restore us to your truth.

All: So that we can cry out with joy, cleansed in your abundant mercy.

*Hymn—Lo, I Am with You—VT 284

*Benediction

Postlude

* You are invited to stand

VT = Voices Together

Keyboard- Will Wiebe-Friesen

Audio visual— Ken Lamp

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
March 10, 2024
Fourth Sunday of Lent
Christ Among Us, the Way of Mercy

Christ Candle Lighting

Centering Music—Karen Unruh

Call to Worship—William Eash

One: Give thanks to God, for God is good!

Many: God’s love endures forever.

One: Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story.

Many: God’s love endures forever.

One: We may make careless choices and lose our way.

Many: God’s love endures forever.

One: We call out to God when we are in trouble.

Many: God’s love endures forever.

One: God rescues us from our anxieties and fears.

Many: God’s love endures forever.

One: God’s word sets us free to walk in newness of life.

Many: God’s love endures forever.

One: God gathers us in, from the east and the west, from the north and the south. All: For God’s unfailing love, we give thanks to the Creator of all that is good. (based on Psalm 107:1–3, 17–22)

*Hymn—How Many Times We Start Again—VT 553

Children’s Conversation—Barb Koontz

Anthem— Rebecca Schloneger; Karen Unruh, accompanist

*Hymn—There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy—VT 156

Scripture Reading—John 3:14-21; Ephesians 2:8-10—Keith Harder

Sermon—Nathan Koontz

*Hymn—I Sought the Lord—VT 161

Prayers of God’s People

Prayer of Confession

One: Merciful God, we forget that you are the light of the world.

Many: Forgive us for our short memories.

One: Remind us that you are rich in mercy

Many: when we wander away from you.

One: Loving God, convict us of your immense love

Many: that shines brightly on us.

All: Merciful God, light of the world, we come seeking new life in you.

*Hymn—The Lord Your God Is with You—VT 173

*Benediction

Postlude—Karen Unruh

* You are invited to stand

VT—Voices Together

Keyboard- Karen Unruh

Audio visual—Francis Toews

YouTube Link– https://youtube.com/live/UPnKwtKXcJk?feature=share

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
March 3, 2024
Third Sunday of Lent
Christ Among Us, Showing Us Justice

 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—There is no Shadow (Brenda Portman)–Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
Call to Worship and Land Acknowledgement–Margaret Toews

One: Come rule makers. Come rule breakers. Come, you who are still finding your way.
Many: We come into God’s house.
One: Come. Whether you speak with wise words or with wisecracks, you are made in the image of God.
Many: We come to hear God’s Word.
One: Some of us like certainty and structure.
Many: Some of us don’t.
One: We come by different roads.
Many: Yet we are here together.
One: Prepare to meet your Maker, and your match. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is greater than human strength.
Many: We come to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with our God.
 
*Hymn—What Is This Place—VT 22
 
Children’s Conversation—Kathy Stucky
 
Anthem—Precious Lord, Take My Hand (arr. Jack Schrader)–Chancel Choir—Riley King, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist
 
 Scripture Reading—Exodus 20:1-17; John 2:13-22—Naomi Koontz
 
Sermon—Rule Makers and Rule Breakers–Roger Neufeld Smith
 
*Hymn—O God We Read the Holy Law—VT 571
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
Prayer of Confession
One: We often miss the beauty in your work, God.
Many: Forgive our distracted hearts.
One: When we put our trust in other things
Many: remind us of your love and care.
All: Bring joy to us once again.
One: May the meditations of our hearts
Many: be pleasing on your sight,
All: our Rock and our Redeemer.
 
*Hymn—Sing a New World Into Being—VT 809
 
Benediction
 
Postlude

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Audio-visual—Ben Lichti

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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 25, 2024
Second Sunday of Lent
Christ Among Us, Showing Us Faith

 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—Prelude on Psalms (Bach/Leidzen)– Verlene Garber, organ                                                                     
Call to Worship–George Leary
 
One: Come, you who seek God, proclaim God’s glory!
Many: All you descendants of Jacob and Rachel,
One: come.
Many: All who are isolated and feel alone,
One: come.
Many: All who are hungry,
One: come.
Many: All who wander,
One: come.
Many: Come, from all ends of the earth.
All: Come, you who seek God, proclaim God’s glory, and walk in faith.
(based on Psalm 22:23–31)
 
*Hymn–How Many Times We Start Again–VT 553
 
Children’s Conversation–Orlando Gonzalez, Adah Hodge, Adam Oswald
Cast Your Burdens Unto Jesus
 
Anthem– Outburst of Joy (Dobrinski)– Chancel Bells
 
Scripture Reading– Mark 8:34-37; Colossians 3:12-17–Lucy Burch
 
Reflections–Faith Fusion—Adah Hodge, Ani Koontz, Mara Oswald
 
*Hymn–Will You Come and Follow Me–VT 540
 
Prayers of God’s People–Nathan Koontz
    Prayer of Confession
One: Trustworthy God, we want to live with faith, yet we worry there will not be enough. We want to believe in your promises, yet we lose hope. We want to follow you, but sometimes the road is too hard.
Many: We confess before you our unbelief, our worry, our hopelessness.
One: Shape us into a people who will live in faith. Strengthen us so we can deny ourselves, take up your cross, and follow you.
Many: In your grace, Lord, give us faith to believe that you will call into existence the things that do not exist. Amen.
 
*Hymn—Guide My Feet—VT 816
 
*Benediction
 
Postlude– Give Us Peace in Our Time (arr. by Allured)

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

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
February 18, 2024
First Sunday of Lent
Christ Among Us: Repent and Believe
 

Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—What Wondrous Love is This (arr. Wood)–Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
Call to Worship (based on Psalm 25:1–10)—Ada Schmidt-Tieszen
One: Teach us your pathways, O God—
our eyes and our souls are trained on you.
Many: For you are the greatest guide,
and your map is always good.
One: Other paths have left us lost;
other ways have left us confused.
Many: You guide us along the trail of your mercy,
drawing sinner and saint down this well worn way.
All: All your paths are love, made smooth by your faithful walking.
We are led into your truth by following the tread of your feet.
 
*Hymn—Lo, I Am with You (verses 1-4)—VT 284
 
Children’s Conversation—Jill Robb and Bethany Schrag
 
Anthem—O Sing Unto the Lord a New Song  (Peter Aston)–Chancel Choir; William Eash, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist
  
Scripture Reading—Genesis 9:8–17; Mark 1:9–15
 
Sermon—With the Wild Beasts and the Angels—Nathan Koontz
 
*Hymn—Spirit of God! Descend—VT 557
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
Prayer of Confession
One: God, on Ash Wednesday, we remembered our humanity,
our fragility, our limits, our sinfulness, our need for repentance.
Today, we come to you with this fresh on our minds as we continue our Lenten journey. Many: Be with us in this wilderness.
One: We so often focus on the difficulty of our walk with Christ.
Many: Forgive our self-focused minds.
One: Forgive us, Lord, when on our journey,
we forget your extensive, covenantal love for the world.
Many: May we partner with you and your church to remember.
All: (looking at one another) You are beloved.
  
*Hymn—Spirit, Open My Heart—VT 636
 
*Benediction
 
 Postlude—Precious Lord, Take My Hand (arr. Schrader)–Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
* You are invited to stand
 
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard- Will Wiebe-Friesen
Audio visual—Ken Lamp

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
February 11, 2024
Transfiguration Sunday
 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say  (Burkhardt)—Karen Unruh
 
Welcome and Prayer—Tim Hodge
 
*Hymn—Come Away from Rush and Hurry—VT 9
 
Children’s Conversation—William & Esther Kreider Eash
 
*Hymn—I Know Not Why God’s Wondrous—VT 590
 
Scripture Reading—2 Kings 2:1-12; Mark 9:2-9—Doug Penner
 
Sermon—It Is Good For Us to Be Here—Julianna Schrag
 
*Hymn—You, Lord, Are Both Lamb and Shepherd—VT 432
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
*Hymn—Praise to the Living God—VT 204
 
*Benediction
 
Postlude—A Rejoicing (Fedak)—Karen Unruh
 
* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard- Karen Unruh
Audio visual—Francis Toews
 

Welcome Julianna Schrag as Guest Preacher
We are very happy to have Julianna Schrag as our guest preacher for Sunday, February 11. Julianna graduated from Bethel College in 2023 with a degree in Communications and minors in Management and English. She served as Faith Formation intern at BCMC in 2020 and 2021. Julianna currently works as an admissions counselor at Bethel and is busy planning her July wedding! 

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
February 4, 2024

Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music— I’m Bound for the Promised Land (arr. Bish)—Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
Land Acknowledgement—Esther Kreider Eash
 
Welcome and Prayer—Esther Kreider Eash
 
*Hymn—You Are Salt for the Earth—VT 297
 
Kin-dom Report—Junior High Youth Report on Snow Camp at Rocky Mountain Mennonite Camp
Children’s Conversation—Junior High Youth
 
Anthem—Give to Our God Immortal Praise (John Ferguson)— Chancel Choir; Riley King, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist
 
Kin-dom Report—Anti-Racism Training—Elizabeth Schmidt and Lil Peters
 
Scripture Reading—Mark 1:29-39—Abby Koontz
 
Sermon—Journey Inward, Journey Outward—Roger Neufeld Smith
 
*Hymn—Lead Me, Guide Me—VT 601
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
*Hymn—Come Walk With Us—VT 23
 
Benediction
 
Postlude—March on a Gregorian Theme (A. Guilmant)—Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
Keyboard—Will Wiebe-Friesen
Audio visual—Ben Lichti 

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
January 28, 2024
Fourth Sunday after Epiphany

 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—Prélude, Op. 18  (Cesar Franck)—Karen Schlabaugh
 
Welcome and Prayer—Dorothy Nickel Friesen
 
*Hymn—All Creatures, Worship God Most High—VT 81
 
Children’s Conversation—Jeanette Stucky
 
Anthem—Somebody’s Knocking at your Door (A. L. Page)—Chancel Bells, Verlene Garber, director
 
Scripture Reading—Mark 1:21-28; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13—Doug Penner
 
Sermon—Knowledge Puffs Up, Love Builds Up— Nathan Koontz
 
*Hymn—Beloved, God’s Chosen—VT 164
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
*Hymn—Go, My Friends, in Grace—VT 810
People with January birthdays come forward for a blessing, please bring a hymnal
 
Birthday Blessing & Benediction
 
Postlude—Psalm 19 – N (Benedetto Marcello)—Karen Schlabaugh
 
* You are invited to stand
VT = Voices Together
Keyboard- Karen Schlabaugh
Audio visual—Ken Lamp

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
January 21, 2024
Third Sunday after Epiphany
 
Christ Candle Lighting
 
Centering Music—Adoration (Florence B. Price) –Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
Welcome and Prayer—Jon Zerger
 
*Hymn—Could It Be That God Is Singing—VT 42
 
Children’s Conversation—Kevin Neufeld
 
Anthem—Fairest Lord Jesus (Derek Hakes)–Chancel Choir; Riley King, director; Will Wiebe-Friesen, accompanist
  
Scripture Reading—Psalm 62:5-12; Mark 1:14-20—Carol & Jerry Buller
 
Sermon—Image of God, Activity of God—Nathan Koontz
 
*Hymn—O God, Great Womb—VT 176
 
Child Blessing for Elizabeth Robb—VT 970
 
Prayers of God’s People
 
*Hymn—Will You Come and Follow Me—VT 540
 
Benediction
 
Postlude—Fugue from Sonata 6 (Mendelssohn)–Will Wiebe-Friesen
 
* You are invited to stand
VT—Voices Together
 
Keyboard- Will Wiebe-Friesen
Audio visual—Ken Lamp 

BETHEL COLLEGE MENNONITE CHURCH
Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday
January 14, 2024

Prelude—Karen Unruh

Christ Candle Lighting 

Welcome and Prayer—Raylene Hinz-Penner

Hymn—Guide My Feet—VT 816

Children’s Conversation—Glen Ediger

Special Music—Garber Quartet

Scripture Reading—James 2:1-4,8-9,12-17—Justin Zerger

Sermon—Lessons from Ordinary Heroes—Roger Neufeld Smith

Hymn—Precious Lord—VT 610

Prayers of God’s People

Hymn—Lift Every Voice–VT 611

Benediction

Postlude

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Audio-visual—Francis Toews

YouTube Link:  https://youtube.com/live/IGzMYP8srXw?feature=share