Verse of the Week:
Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Proverbs 30: 5
Worship leader: Esther Zacharias
Song Leader & Pianist: Ang Fehr
Worship leader: Esther Zacharias
Song Leader & Pianist: Ang Fehr
Welcome & announcements
Call to worship
Prayer
Worship in Song
Offertory
Prayer Time
Children’s Story – Robynn Friesen
Worship in Song
Scripture Reading – Ephesians 6: 10 – 16
Message – The Shield of Faith – Pastor Rudy
Closing Song
Benediction
Prayer & Praise
~ This week we were saddened to hear that Evelyn Giesbrecht, mother of Pam& Maury Peters, had passed away on March 7, 2017. There is always an added element of loss when it is the second parent who passes away. May you and your family also experience God’s comfort and presence during this time. The funeral service took place on Saturday, March 11 in Winkler at the Sommerfeld Mennonite church.
~ This afternoon, Sunday March 12, is the memorial service for Leona Penner, mother of James and Jackie Penner, at 2 pm in the Pioneer Centre in Altona. We also trust that your family will experience God’s nearness and comfort at this time.
~ We want to continue our prayer support for Tenley Falk and her family as she continues her treatments. We pray that God will uphold and guide you, give to you the energy and courage that is needed for each day. Updates can be found at: http://www.tenleysjourney.wordpress.com
~ Those in various care homes that we remember in our prayers include: Susan Janzen, Trudy Harms, Helen Fehr, Helen Janzen, and Jake Rempel.
~We continue to offer our prayer support for Laure and her family, as well as for the Paroisse Missionaire Congregation in Kinshasa, DR Congo; Ryan Thiessen in San Carlos, Mexico; Murray and Carol Honsberger in Papua New Guinea, Eagles Wings Children’s Village in Uganda, Jon & Natalie Neudorf in Chiang Mai, Thailand working with YWAM, Andrea Fehr with YWAM in Hawai’i, Kendra Fehr studying with YWAM in San Diego, CA
Prayer for the Week:
Lord our God, you guard us under the shadow of your wings and search into the depths of our hearts. Remove the blindness that cannot know you and relieve the fear that would hide us from your sight. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen
Announcements:
Youth
~ Go to http://blumenortchurch.com for updates regarding youth events. For the most recent updates, check out the groups on Facebook named “BMC Youth”, and “BMC Jr Youth” or contact Youth Pastor Gerry Giesbrecht @ 204-362-7262
Junior Youth (Mondays 7pm-9pm):
March 13 – Bible Study
March 20 – Photo Scavenger Hunt
Senior Youth (Wednesdays 7pm-9:30pm):
March 15 – Small group night
March 22 – The River: helping those who are hurting. Speaker Marv Penner, this is in Winkler
Church
~ Audio services and bulletins are now available at our Church website. We are working at streamlining this, and keeping it current. Please be patient with us as we continue to update our web presence. Go to http://blumenortchurch.com to see what’s new online.
~ The updated pictorial directories are available for $10 per copy. See Hedy Falk if you’d like to pick one up or stop in at the library and Judy Dyck or Sue Peters will be able to sell you one.
~ Please note that the mailboxes have a new order to them…yours may have been moved!!
~ As we continue our series on “The Armor of God,” the ministerial would like to invite you to join with us in memorizing Ephesians 6: 10 – 20.
~ Following this morning’s worship service we are invited to a youth fundraising lunch. These funds will help support those who are participating in the SOAR Heartland Program, as well as other youth activities.
~ Our annual spring congregational meeting takes place tonight, beginning at 6 pm. We invite your participation, members and visitors, in discussions surrounding the congregational survey which was completed in 2016; our church budget for 2017 and follow up from our fall meeting when we discussed the “Being a Faithful Church” process initiated by Mennonite church Canada. We need to decide where we go from here in relation to our connection to the conference.
Community
The annual Manitoba MDS Awareness & Fundraising Events are fast approaching.
The annual Manitoba MDS Awareness & Fundraising Events are approaching. Come hear MDS stories from 2016 projects and plans for 2017 – especially, Fort McMurray. Please attend either the Arborg area supper at the Morweena E.M Church on APRIL 8th; or the Altona area event (Details to follow shortly) on APRIL 22nd. See the poster for details. Reserve your complimentary attendance by calling MDS at 1-866-261-1274.
For those churches that, due to distance, are unable to attend either of these events we invite you to join us in prayer for the work of MDS and the Manitoba Unit.
Thank you for your continued support of Mennonite Disaster Service
~ Rosemary Siemens in concert with Ray St. Germain, March 18, 7 pm in Buhler Hall hosted by Mennonite Collegiate Institute. Visit www.mciblues.net to purchase your ticket or call MCI at (204)327-5891.
~ Southern Manitoba Choral Society presents: Singing Joyfully, Together. SMCS has invited First Mennonite Church choir to join us in concerts at Altona Bergthaler Mennonite Church on March 18, 7:00pm and at Winnipeg First Mennonite Church on March 19, 3:00pm. Everyone is welcome, and a free-will offering will be taken. ~ Mennonite Collegiate Institute Celebrates 50 Years of Musicals! Join us for our Fundraising Gala Concert and Reception, featuring musicals from the past 50 years, on April 8th at 7:30pm in Buhler Hall, Gretna, MB. To reserve a seat for the show, call MCI at 204-327-5891. Opportunity for donations will be available at the concert.
~ Camps with Meaning camper registration is now open for all three locations! For details visit www.campswithmeaning.org
~ Save the date! The Camps with Meaning “Raise the Roof” Song-a-thon will be March 18th from 1-9 PM!
~ Camps with Meaning staff and volunteer applications are now available at www.campswithmeaning.org/summer/camp-staff
~ Salem Foundation presents “Faspa, Fellowship and Song” Sunday, April 2, 2017 at the Winkler Bergthaler Mennonite Church. Program begins at 3:30 pm Faspa is at 4:30 pm. Freewill offering for Bathing Room upgrades. Featured will be the quartet “Glorybound”.
~ Eden Foundation invites us to a choral concert featuring the Winkler Community Male Choir with conductor Ray Giesbrecht, and the Prairie Singers, with conductor Loretta Thorleifson, on Sunday, April 9, 2017 at 7 pm at the Emmanuel Mennonite Church in Winkler. Rush seating. Donations will be accepted for Eden’s mental health recovery programs.
~ The Future Directions Proposal outlining the re-vitalization of Mennonite Church Canada and Area Churches has been posted at http://futuredirectionsmc.ca/the-proposal
Church Calendar
March 19 – The Helmet of Salvation – Ephesians 6: 17, Jake Friesen
March 26 – The Sword of the Spirit – Ephesians 6: 17, Gerry Giesbrecht