Bernie Wiebe (Professor emeritus at Menno Simons College, conflict resolution, Chair of Mennonite Publishing Services, etc.) spoke on "God's imagination for peace in a violent world." He posed three questions. First, can you imagine the greatness of God during your bleakest day? Isaiah 40 was written during one of the most discouraging times in the history of Israel. The nation had just been plundered, the royalty and merchant classes enslaved and the king blinded after watching his sons be assassinated. Isaiah, however, was able to imagine the greatness of God even then, and wrote: "Have you [really] not heard, have you not known?" Second, can you imagine the potential of faith? Saul experienced a crisis of faith which finally forced him to ask one of the most fundamental questions, "Who are you, Lord?" The answer to which he finally came transformed him so completely that he needed a new name (Paul). Third, can you imagine God calling you by name? Society identifies us by numbers (S.I.N., credit cards, health care, pension/employment IDs, etc.) and less often by name, giving us the sense that everything is impersonal. According to the Psalms, God names the stars, which we have not yet been able to count, and we believe that God has also named each of us. We are therefore real to God. Can we truly imagine this? [JEK] Ed note: A comment made during the response referred to a quote from Ephesians 3:20 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

Passage: Mk 1:29-39
Communion: No
Ecumenical or Event: Transfiguration Sunday
Potluck Lunch: No
Congregational Meeting: No

Speaker: Bernie Wiebe
Worship Leader: Diane Ehling
Song Leader: J Evan Kreider
Pianist: Ruth Enns
Usher: Hannelore Schowalter
Zoom Coordinator:
Children's Feature Leader:

Bring Flowers:
Coffee Helper:
Sound Helper:

Child Care Volunteer: Danica Thiessen