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“Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, who with great love still befriends us.”
(VT 88; end of verse 3; text written by Joachim Neander 1680)
This snippet from “Praise to the Lord, the Almighty” has been playing in my head since Sunday when Peggy sent us out from worship with an arrangement based on this hymn. I’m so grateful for the hymns of my childhood and the words and phrases rising up in my memory when I hear those familiar tunes. As I listened Sunday, the phrase I quoted above felt like a perfect ending and sending based on the themes in 1 John focused on love – a simple and messy proposition, as we all know. It reminded me of the promise (which comes from the Gospel of John) that God, through Jesus, befriends us with great, sacrificial, love. And I’m aware within me of some resistance to that kind of intimacy with God, including what it looks like for me to love God in return.
My star word this year, redemancy, has been challenging me in this direction. If you don’t know that word, don’t feel bad. I didn’t either! It is not in much usage anymore, which is a shame because I don’t think we have a word that has fully replaced it. Redemancy (according to my internet search) means: a love returned in full; the act of loving the one who loves you. Redemancy reminds us of the reciprocal nature of love – of the power of love to stir, change, and move us to action. Love creates a vulnerable space where we’re invited to open ourselves to being shaped by a force beyond us and our control. This is God, creating and redeeming still today in our lives, communities, and world.
“Ponder anew what the Almighty can do, who with great love still befriends us.”
(VT 88; end of verse 3; text written by Joachim Neander 1680)
—Pastor Tonya
SUNDAY MORNING WORSHIP at 9:30am
The link to join is on our website: www.hutchfmc.org Join 5 minutes early for announcements. The bulletin can be found under the BULLETINS tab on our home page.
SUNDAY, JUNE 9 – LOVED BY GOD & CALLED CHILDREN OF GOD (1 John series #3)
We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers and sisters. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help? Little children, let us love not in word or speech but in deed and truth. (1 John 3:16-18)
1 John 3:1-18; John 1:9-13
- Preacher & Worship Leader: Pastor Tonya Ramer Wenger
- Guest Music Group: Color Green – a local gospel/bluegrass group
- Song Leader: TBA
- Children’s Time: Hilda Iwashige
- Scripture Reader: Anita Kehr
- Organist: Pauline Buller
- Ushers: Don Wiens & Russell Goering
- Nursery Attendant: TBA
- Sound Tech: Earl Ediger
- Live Stream Tech: Joel Iwashige
Color Green, a local Bluegrass/Gospel group will share their music with us this Sunday morning. Members are Doug Yoder, Jim Shimel, Nate Hershberger, Susan Parker Edwards and Jackie Parker Beaver. Invite a friend or neighbor to join us for this time of worship in music and message. Come, be inspired by their music, and learn what inspired their name.
SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS
During each worship service, you are invited to text your prayer joys and concerns – usually to Pastor Tonya. You are also invited to send prayer joys & concerns during the week. The recording of our worship service is public, so let us know if you’d prefer your request to only be shared via email during the week.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announcements are scrolled Sunday mornings before and after worship. There will be no spoken announcements unless there are pressing announcements that did not make it into the PowerPoint. Please send any announcements you’d like to have included to the church office by Thursday each week.
OFFERINGS
We welcome, and are grateful for, your financial donations to our ministry here in Hutchinson. Instead of collecting an offering during worship (except on special occasions), an offering box is placed at the back of the sanctuary for your Sunday morning donations. You can also now make a donation directly from our website (www.hutchfmc.org) using a credit card or your banking account. You are also welcome to send a check to 52 Rambler Rd Hutchinson KS 67502.
CALENDAR – LOOKING AHEAD
- June 6 – 4:00pm PCRC (Pastor Congregation Relations Committee) meeting
- June 9 – Color Green, Gospel/Bluegrass ensemble, will share their music in our worship service
- June 9 – 6:30pm Ice Cream Social @ FMC
- June 10 – Craft Night will focus on cutting fabric for MCC School Kits
- June 15-16 – FMC’s Camp Mennoscah Weekend – Sunday Worship @ Camp (no livestream)
- June 30 – Potluck after Worship – bring a dish to share + your own table service
REMINDER: If you are last one out of the church building, be SURE the doors lock behind you.
DELEGATES FOR WESTERN DISTRICT CONFERENCE ANNUAL ASSEMBLY
Our congregation is allowed five delegates to the annual assembly. If you are interested in serving as a delegate, please speak to Pastor Tonya or let the church office know as soon as possible. This year’s event will be hosted by First Mennonite Church, Beatrice, NE. The theme is, “In Community We Transform” (Romans 12). Dates are August 2-4.
DEEPENING in Christ…
PRAYER GROUPS
A Prayer group meets Thursday mornings from 10-11am in the Prayer Room. All are welcome.
A small ecumenical Centering Prayer group meets on Thursdays (in person @ FMC) from 12:30-1:30pm. If you’d like to learn more, contact Pastor Tonya.
LPC: Listening-Prayer-Conversation Groups
These groups meet for an hour once/month in the Common Grounds room and are facilitated by Pastor Tonya. The format allows for time in prayer by yourself and also with the group. Any are welcome to join, or to just come and check it out! It’s also possible to join on Zoom if you prefer.
The Tuesday group next meeting Tuesday June 11 at 1:00pm
The Wednesday evening group next meeting is at 6:30 on Wednesday, June 12
SUMMER 2024 SUNDAY SCHOOL
Summer Sunday School will be offered twice a month during the summer months, following this schedule:
- June 9 and 23
- July 7 and 21
- August 4 and 18
Classes will be offered for preschool-3rd grade, 4th-7th grade, 8th-12th grade. The younger groups will be using the Shine curriculum that follows the Peace With Creation Peace Path in The Peace Table (Bible Story book). Additionally, Circle of Grace curriculum will be covered with each class, led by Tanya Martin Nisly and Jonathan Wenger.
- Preschool-3rd grade – meet in the basement classrooms
- 4th-7th grade – meet upstairs in Jr Youth room
- 8th-12th grade meet upstairs in Sr Youth room
The Adult Discussion Class will meet June 9 and 23 and then take a break for the rest of the summer.
The Adult Class using the Salt & Light study curriculum will be taking a hiatus during the summer.
SUMMER WORSHIP @ FMC
You have heard it said, “You shall love your God and love your neighbor as yourself.” Sounds so simple, doesn’t it? 1 John reminds us that it is that simple and that messy when we try to practice Jesus’ summary of the commandments. We will spend time in 1 John in the simplicity and the mess. This series began May 26 and will end July 7 (with a break for Camp Mennoscah Sunday on June 16).
Following the 1 John series we’ll begin a series called “Quest: The Awakened Traveler”, adapted and expanded from a resource created by Worship Design Studio. These scriptures/themes will invite reflection and storytelling around travels (physical, spiritual, etc.) we have taken. Be watching for some invitations for sharing stories. This series will take us through the first Sunday of September.
UPPER ROOM and REJOICE! devotional magazines
- UPPER ROOM – May through June – is available above the mailboxes.
- Rejoice! – June through August – is on order. Check back later in the week.
STRENGTHENING Community Connections…
CHURCH OFFICE HOURS
- Tuesday and Thursday 9:00am – 2:00pm
- Wednesday 10:00am – 1:00pm
PASTOR TONYA’S HOURS/SCHEDULE
Office hours:
- Monday: Day Off
- Tuesday-Friday: generally working 8:00am-5:30pm
- “In Office” Hours: 9-2 Tuesday and Thursday; 10-1 on Wednesday
- Available other times by appointment.
- Available evenings and weekends (cell phone is most reliable)
Upcoming “Day Apart with God” dates (for silence, reading, prayer & journaling – will NOT be checking email or responding to texts/calls (except for emergencies). Pastor Tonya’s next day apart is June 26.
Pastor Tonya’s Sabbatical dates (spread out between summer 2023-summer 2025)
Pastor Tonya has joined a study program called, “Transforming Community.” Retreats take place in Chicago. Her next scheduled retreat is June 30-July 2.
A more extended chunk of sabbatical time will be taken this summer: June 30-July 4 (for retreat) + July 23-August 9.
ICE CREAM SOCIAL AT FMC – JUNE 9 @ 6:30PM
The Faithful Community Coordination Team (Joretta Martens, Mary Wade, Hilda Iwashige) invite everyone to participate in an ice cream social on Sunday evening, JUNE 9. Gather with church friends new and old to strengthen relationships and enjoy ice cream and other treats! If you can bring a canister of homemade ice cream, please let someone on the Faithful Community team know. Everyone else is invited to bring finger foods to share, and also an ice cream topping if you’d like!
FMC WEEKEND @ CAMP MENNOSCAH – JUNE 15 & 15, 2024
SATURDAY JUNE 15
- 4:00pm Arrive at camp (or anytime after 4)
- 5:30pm Dinner coordinated with those who sign up to attend
- 7:00-8:00pm Swimming pool open
Additional activities available: walking trails, canoeing, river play (bring separate clothes/shoes for the river), frisbee golf, conversation. Bring games and snacks to share. Sleep in cabins (no electricity) or your own tent; bathhouses close by. Bring your own bedding, flashlights, bug spray, etc.
SUNDAY JUNE 16
Those who stay overnight will coordinate a shared breakfast.
- 10:00am – WORSHIP (using Wild Church Resources: worshipping not just in creation, but with creation)
- 11:15-12:15 – SWIMMING or fellowship time!
- 12:30pm – LUNCH (main dish provided, bring a side dish to share)
- 1:30pm CLEAN UP and DEPART BY 2:00pm
*Sign up in the foyer if you plan to attend any portion of the weekend. If you need transportation for Sunday morning or would be able to provide transportation, please note that on the signup sheet.
CONGREGATIONAL CARE FUND DONATIONS REQUESTED
The fund we use to provide internal congregational support to individuals or families during times of crisis has been depleted. If you are able to make a donation to this fund, please designate your donation as “Congregational Care Fund.” Thank you!!
NEW SUMMER BOOK STUDY – BEGINS WED JUNE 12
A new book study is beginning, meeting the second Wednesdays of June, July and August. The book we’ll be reading and discussing is: Love Without Limits: Jesus’ Radical Vision for Love with No Exceptions by Jacqueline A. Bussie. Come early for finger-food snacks (bring a snack to share!) at 12:30pm, or join us for the book study at 1:00pm. We meet in the Common Grounds room. All are welcome to participate. If you need help getting a book, let Pastor Tonya know. A Zoom option is available with advance planning!
ARMS WIDE OPEN – FMC’s history book
The amazing story of First Mennonite Church’s 100 years is told in the history book prepared for our centennial celebration. Copies of the book are available for $25.00 (cash or check). You can also purchase a book online at a price that includes the cost of shipping (click on the “DONATE” button on our website to find this option). Check with the church office to pick up a book.
STRETCHING to Serve as Christ Served…
SUNDAY MORNING DONATIONS FOR RENO COUNTY FOOD BANK:
June: Crackers
Personal care/hygiene items such as these are appreciated anytime: toilet paper, laundry detergent, bath soap, Kleenex, deodorant, disposable razors, paper towels, shampoo, dish soap, hand/body lotion, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Travel size – new & unopened – are desirable.
CRAFT NIGHT – FOCUS on JUNE 10 is cutting fabric for MCC School Kits
Join the fellowship and ministry on June 10, 6:30-8:00pm, by cutting fabric and preparing the bags to assemble school kits for children around the world, whose opportunities for education have been interrupted by disaster, conflict, deportation, climate crisis and much more. Talk to Diane Ziemer for more information. The group will meet in the fellowship hall.
SUPPORT FOR LightHouse . . . MENTORING
If you are interested in exploring this opportunity to serve as a mentor for a youth at LightHouse, please talk with Pastor Jim.
ANABAPTIST COMMUNITY BIBLE now available for preorders!
Celebrate 500 years of Anabaptism with the Anabaptist Community Bible. This study Bible features commentary from 60 Anabaptist scholars, biblical insights from 16th-century Anabaptists, and marginal notes from nearly 600 study groups from Anabaptists around the globe. Perhaps you will remember that FMC participants in WNAF in spring 2023 engaged with assigned scripture passages and responded to the challenge to provide insights for this new volume. The Anabaptist Community Bible uses the Common English Bible (CEB) translation. The volume is available in leather, soft touch or hard cover binding. Click here and scroll down to view the options and to place an order… https://rb.gy/gacw7p
MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE announcements
Soft Plastic Recycling is now available at MCC! We invite you to start a new habit of recycling all soft plastics (plastic bags, bread bags, any plastic packaging that you can stretch) at MCC Central States in North Newton! This is a NEW and ONGOING recycling project. Plastics must be clean, dry and free of food waste. A basket under the table in the foyer is designated to receive your recyclables. You may also bring your soft plastic recycling to MCC any time, placing them in the marked bin outside the warehouse. Once at MCC, the plastic is baled into 1000 pound bales. These bales are then sold to the TREX company. They melt down the plastic and use it in making their deck boards. Questions, please contact duaneunruh@mcc.org.
MCC’s Sharing With Appalachian People (SWAP) home repair program is seeking summer staff in Kimball, West Virginia or Elkhorn City, Kentucky. These three-month positions for Job Site Coordinators and Meals Coordinators will allow you to explore new cultures, develop skills, build friendships and live out your faith. Applicants should be at least 19 years old, but the roles are not limited to young adults. An hourly wage plus room and board are provided. For more information and to apply, visit mcc.org/swap-summer-meals or mcc.org/swap-summer-job-site. Or contact the MCC Appalachia SWAP office at (606) 634-4418 or AppalachiaAdmin@mcc.org.
CAMP MENNOSCAH announcements
Scholarship funds are needed for summer youth camps. Just as facilities are an important part of Camp Mennoscah’s ministry, so are campers. There are campers who are unable to come to camp without assistance. Give to the Scholarship Fund or Scholarship Endowment to help more campers learn about Christ while in God’s creation. Mark your donation with the fund/endowment you prefer. The Scholarship Endowment will give up to two full scholarships a year, depending on earnings. Contact olivia.bartel@campmennoscah.org or 620-297-3290 for more information.
MENNONITE DISASTER SERVICE . . . cabinet shop open house plus music and more!
The churches of Western District Conference, MCUSA, are invited to the dedication and celebration of the new Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) Cabinet Shop and Warehouse. The event will be held on Sunday, June 9th at 604 E. Main Street, Goessel, Kansas from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Admission is free.
During the celebration, we will offer tours of the cabinet shop and warehouse, and an opportunity to learn more about this innovative MDS initiative to draft and distribute kitchen cabinets to be installed in MDS volunteer-built homes across the U.S. We have already distributed cabinets to more than 75 homes.
The celebration will also feature a fundraising concert by September River, a family band featuring Jude and Doug Krehbiel and daughter Stefanie (Krehbiel) Giffin. The band incorporates elements of bluegrass, gospel, blues, acoustic rock, Irish, and folk music. The concert will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Additionally, the MDS Storm Encounter will also be on hand for those who want to experience a simulated tornado—then see how MDS volunteers respond to bring hope to communities impacted by disaster.
MENNONITE DISASTER SERVICE (MDS) monthly newsletter
May edition of On the Level is now available. In this issue, Kevin King introduces you to some of our national partners, learn how MDS is helping those who help the homeless in Selma, Alabama, and take a look at the volunteer opportunities for this summer and fall. Click on this link to read more: https://conta.cc/4akQLBQ
BETHEL COLLEGE announcements
Enrollment is open for Uncle Carl’s Camp at Kauffman Museum at Bethel College. Half-day camps are offered in art, history and nature for kids ages 4-18. New this year is Creative Writing Camp for students finishing grades 7-12, with instructor Lydia Chappell Deckert. The writing camp starts June 3, so sign up soon! Go to www.kauffmanmuseum.org/uncle-carls-camp/ for more information about this and other camps with space still available, and to register online.
NEW BEGINNINGS needs socks!
New beginnings offers transitional housing, shelter and transitional employment services for folks right here in our community. AND New Beginnings needs socks – clean, new socks! Please drop off your donations at 400 West 2nd Avenue, Suite C in Hutchinson.
EVERENCE© resources
Everence® will hold an informative Social Security and retirement incomeworkshop on Tuesday, June 18, starting at 6:30 p.m. Topics will include, Social Security strategies, including when to begin taking benefits, risks that can impact your retirement savings plus strategies to help your income last throughout retirement. There will also be plenty of time for questions. The in-person workshop will be at the Everence office: 3179 N. Main St. Suite 1B, North Newton, KS. Information will be presented by staff from the Everence offices in Central Kansas. To register contact Everence at 316-283-3800, 877-467-7294 or central.kansas@everence.com.
Teaching children faith and finance: Teaching lessons of stewardship can start young and in the home! Everence and Financial Choice are here to provide resources and encouragement on your parenting journey. Read more here.
NOTE OF GRATITUDE from MENNONITE WORLD CONFERENCE
“Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not regretfully or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver… your great generosity, will produce thanksgiving to God through us.” (2 Corinthians 9:7,11b, NRSVUE)
Thank you for your contribution of $641.00 USD to Mennonite World Conference (MWC) via Western District Conference. Your contribution to MWC helps support a global communion of churches who face joy and adversity together.
My involvement with Mennonite World Conference is highlighted by a deep sense of belonging to our global Anabaptist family. I repeatedly hear stories of people who long for a spiritual home – for a community where they are not alone.
This is especially true of those that are suffering, and those that are divided, and those that are at war. People need to know that they are not alone. Barbara Nkala of Zimbabwe writes, “I really appreciate the desire to build meaningful relationships globally. It is through MWC that I have learned to appreciate that the diversity of peoples provides a rich tapestry of perspective in God’s kingdom. I have seen more and more that we are one another’s keepers.”
Your contribution to Mennonite World Conference equips Anabaptist leaders around the world and helps them mentor and learn from other leaders. Together, as a global communion of churches, we are engaged in God’s ministry. Thank you for your generosity that makes this ministry possible.
In Christ, our peace,
Gerald Hildebrand
North American Regional Representative
Mennonite World Conference / Congreso Mundial Menonita / Conférence Mennonite Mondiale
MENNONITE IMMIGRATION TO CENTRAL KANSAS 150th ANNIVERSARY . . . events
On June 9, at 7:00 pm, Alexanderwohl Mennonite Church (Goessel, Ks) will host a program entitled, “Roots & Fruits: A Timeline of History.” Arlin Buller, presenter, will place the story of the Przechowko Mennnonites, later the Alexanderwohl, Hoffnungsau and Lone Tree congregations, in historical context through the use of a timeline he created. All are welcome! This is a free event.