Peace Mennonite Home-Based Worship: January 10, 2020

Welcome to worship with Peace Mennonite Church. If this is your first time worshiping with us, please watch this welcome video from our pastor. You can find our church announcements here.

Contact Pastor Joanna

Whether you are new to Peace or a regular participant, we are glad you are with us in worship and invite you to join us for our Zoom discussion and prayer time at 11:00 each Sunday morning. Simply click this link.

“Make Straight the Paths” Photo credit: Marike Janzen

Prelude: What Wondrous Love is This from Twila

Opening Scripture: Psalm 51:6-17

Call to Worship:

Gathering Hymn: Come, gracious Spirit; Hymnal Worship Book #303 (words to verse 4 are different)

Congregational Prayer:
You are invited to offer your prayers to God. For what are you thankful this morning? What would you ask of God for yourself? Who do you know who needs God’s loving presence right now? What are your prayers for our community, our country, and our world?

Feel free to share your prayers with people around you, in the comments below, or on our Zoom call at 11 Sunday morning.

And here is a prayer for this week from Mennonite Church USA Executive Director Glen Guyton:

Dear God, Grant us your peace this day.
Help us to be effective instruments of your peace as we live out our call.
Help us to love our neighbor and trust in your transforming power.
Grant us wisdom in conversations.
Let us appreciate each and every one of your creations.
Watch over us and protect us in this time of uncertainty.
In Jesus’ name, Amen

The Lord’s Prayer:

Hymn: On Jordan’s banks the Baptist’s cry, Hymnal Worship Book #183 (words slightly altered)

Scripture Reading: Luke 3:1-20

and Luke 3:21-22

Sermon (It’s a little long . . . it’s been a long week . . . )

You can read a text version of the sermon here.

Offering

You are invited to mail your financial contributions to the church (615 Lincoln St., Lawrence, KS, 66044) or to the home of our treasurer, Roberta Renz (address in the church directory).

See the “How and Where to Give” section of at the bottom of our announcements page for information on giving to other organizations who need funding at this time.

Service Story from Dave Mathis

I became interested in pursuing training and approval as a mediator as a result of working with the Offender Victim Ministry (OVM) office in Newton, Kansas starting in January, 2017. At the time, this seemed like a good way to refocus my energy as I anticipated retiring from my work of 34 years with Barkman Honey Company.

In my work with juvenile offenders who were directed to our office as a pre-sentencing diversion opportunity by the county D.A., my eyes were opened to the severe limitations and inequities of the criminal justice system in our country. Simply put, this system is just not designed to thoughtfully consider the positions and impact of victims, offenders, and the community at large. Instead, it has as its primary function the process of determining the innocence or guilt of the alleged offender and to mete out punishment accordingly.

I felt a true sense of ministry with this work of reconciliation and justice and determined I needed formal training to become better equipped. As such, I first went to Johnson County Community College for basic training in Core Mediation and then eventually received further training for Parent Adolescent Mediation. I have now been serving for several years as a Kansas Supreme Court approved mediator and parent-adolescent mediator.

Since moving to Lawrence in February, 2019 I have become active in mediation for small claims court for both Douglas County and Johnson County. In addition, I have participated with victim/offender mediation for the Topeka Center for Peace and Justice. I have also been involved with a number of parent-adolescent mediations at the request of OVM in Newton. My sense of true ministry in all of this work remains vivid and vibrant, which continually reminds me that ministry is where we find ourselves, regardless of the vocation (or in my case, volunteerism) in which we are currently involved.

*You can read more service stories and find out how to submit your story here.

Closing Hymn: As I went down to the river, Sing the Journey #79