“Love, Hope, and Light in the Community”

Greeters for October:
Lowell and Marlene Wenger

Nursery this week:
Amina/Florence

Next week:
Kathy/Leah

9:30 SUNDAY SCHOOL

Lesson Title

“A Blessing for Ishmael and Isaac” led by Marvin Showalter

10:30 WORSHIP Service

We Gather

Gathering Song
Announcements
Call to Worship
Opening Prayer

Gathering

Gathering
Leader: We come seeking the face of God.
People: Like Jacob, we wrestle with angels for a blessing.
Leader: We come seeking justice.
People: Like the persistent widow,
we cry out for what is right.
Leader: We come ready to praise.
People: Like the psalmist,
we lift up our eyes to God, our Helper.

We Praise

Congregational Singing
Offering/Offertory

Offering

Just as you promise justice to your people, Holy One,
may we extend your justice in our daily living.
Even as we have wrestled for blessings, holding tight,
teach us to loosen our grip and let go:
of the fear of not having enough
of our addiction to accumulation
of our need for wealth’s security.
We offer our whole selves and our money
to be instruments of your justice
in this world which you love. Amen.— Joel Miller, Cincinnati, Ohio

Praying

Lord, we pray for these same things every week.
Cancer, war, lost souls.
Where is the healing? Where is the justice that you promise?
Our faith is wearing thin.
But we will persist in our prayers.
We will cry out to you, our Helper.
Save us, O God. Amen.

We Hear

Children’s Time
Scripture Reading: Genesis 32:22-32
Sermon: “From Wrestling to Dancing:
Two things good Mennonites don’t do”

We Respond

Congregational Sharing/Prayer Time
Closing Song
Benediction

Today's Leaders

*Song leader: Lowell Wenger
*Worship leader: Kathy Zendt
*Message: Kevin Gasser

Announcements

Today’s offering will be split evenly between Virginia Mennonite Missions and Virginia Mennonite Conference.

There will be a Prayer Meeting this Wednesday at 7:00 pm at SMC.

Staunton Mennonite Women will be participating in the community yard sale at Gypsy Hill Place on Saturday, October 26th as a fund raiser for our group. Space is limited. If you have any gently used, non-clothing items you would like to donate, please see Sonya.

The Shenandoah Valley Biblical Storytellers invite you to hear the parables of Jesus “told by the heart!” See the bulletin board for dates.

Start saving your fall vegetables to bring for Brunswick stew at our annual Fall Harvest Party, to be held October 27th at the Huyard ranch.

Please Prayer For:

Genesis 32:28, “Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.’”

No one truly knows Christ unless they follow Him daily in life" - Hans Denck

Thank you for joining us in worship today.  If this is your first time at Staunton Mennonite, please fill out the “Welcome” card in the back of the pew and place it in the offering plate.