Sermons
RECENT SERVICES
May 11th, 2025 - Christ Died and Rose Ahead of Us, Not Instead of Us
Scripture Text: Romans 6:1-11
Note about the Sermon and its Title: The sermon is in the form of a dialogue. A key influence behind this dialogue is a recent book by Andrew Rillera, whose book Lamb of the Free articulates in depth the biblical aritculations of the siginficance of Jesus' death and resurrection in relation to the scriptural language of "sacrifice." His primary conclusion is that there is nothing in the Hebrew scriptures (Leviticus or elsewhere) or in the New Testament to justify the view, held by many, that Jesus' death was a form of punishment or a "sacricifical payment" given to God to satisfy a debt of wrath owed to God. This view, often summarized with the label "Penal Substitutionary Atonement," has been challenged by many in the last several decades. Note, the title, "Jesus died and rose ahead of us, not instead of us," is also Rillera's language.
May 4th, 2025 - Dwelling in Easter: Healing and Purification
Hymns of Preparation and Response:
April 27, 2025 - Dwelling in Easter: Dwelling in Mystery
Hymn of Preparation: Blessed Jesus at Your Word
Hymn of Response: In the Bulb there Is a Flower
March 30, 2025 - Christ Confronts our Selfishness
The Hymn of Preparation preceding the sermon is called "Blessed Are You." It's lyrics can be found here.
March 2, 2025 - Practices that Build Hope in Times of Crisis - Nurturing Spaces of Belonging
February 23, 2025 - Practices that Build Hope in Times of Crisis: Caring for Creation
We were honoured to have Brent Musser from Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp come to speak to us.
January 19, 2025 - Anabaptism at 500: Renewal Through Repentance
The focus statement for this service is as follows:
Anabaptist communities, particularly those that have aspired to live out Anabaptist ideals for generations, have fallen short of who we’re called to be as followers of Jesus. Penitence, a primary theme in early Anabaptist spirituality, can correct our tendency as modern Anabaptists to practice discipleship as a form of spiritual and practical mastery rather than as a habit of repentance. A phrase repeated often in early Anabaptist spiritual writings is “Bend the knees of my heart.” Being sorry for our sins, witting or unwitting, should motivate a persistent curiosity about our failures to live what we profess, along with creative new ways to amend our lives in solidarity with the body of Christ. The Scriptures tell us repeatedly that when we humble ourselves, seek God’s face, and turn from our evil ways, the Holy Spirit ministers to us, and God forgives our sins, renews our communities, and heals our lands. (From p.27 of the Anabaptism at 500 toolkit, found here: https://anabaptismat500.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Toolkit_txt_web.pdf)
December 1, 2024 - Advent 1: Do Not Be Afraid, Your Prayer Has Been Heard
The audio includes the beginning of our service, with Isaac performing during our prelude.
Next came our Advent Candle Litany, followed by our hymn of preparation called "We Come."
Linda W. preached on Zechariah and Elizabeth's story found in Luke 1:5-25.
Our hymn of response was "Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying," with the lyrics modified to include statements of affirmation.
Finally, the service recording ends with our Prayer of Confession and Hymn of Assurance, "Don't Be Afraid."
November 24, 2024 - The Church: Prophesying to Build Up and Encourage (Eternity Sunday)
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November 17 2024 - Jesus: Fulfilling the Prophets
We were very happy to have Steph Chandler Burns preach on the topic: Jesus Fulfilling the Prophets. Steph also shared their important work with Pastors in Exile.
November 3 2024 -Prophets: Joel
BMC was very pleased to have Jaren and Micah share about their experiences at Ontario Mennonite Music Camp this last summer. During their sharing, they share music from the End of Camp Concert. The full video of that concert can be found here.
October 27, 2024 - Prophets: Jonah
During the Children's time, Zac introduced the children to a fanstastic song by band Butterflyfish called "What Jonah Learned Inside the Whale"
October 6, 2024 - Prophets: The Prophetess and Her Children
Hymns: "We Dream of a Turning," "For the Healing of the Nations," "I Come with Joy."
September 22, 2021 - Angry Amos: Prophet of the Poor
Thanks to Lois Cressman for her work on our front display table this Sunday which aided us in visualizing ways to remember the poor in our communities. The jar of coins in the center of the table also evokes Amos' anger against those who "sell the righteous for silver and the needy for a pair of sandals." (Amos 2:6)
Note: Apologies for some audio distortion during the Hymn of Preparation and the Hymn of Response on this recording.
September 15, 2024 - Prophets: Miriam
Thanks to Barb Burkard for her work on our front display table this Sunday which aided us in visualizing the Prophet Miriam's role in leading singing and dancing during the Exodus from Egypt.
May 12, 2024 - Journeys with the Early Church - The Spirit at Work Opening Hearts
*No audio recording available
May 5th 2024, Embracing Difference in Community
Our scripture reading was performed by the men of BMC, who enacted a Reader's Theatre performance of the Jerusalem council recorded in Acts 15.
The sermon on Acts 15 that followed begins with a phrase from Nathan Grieser's song Together which is found in the Voices Together hymn book #389.
April 28, 2024 - Talking Truthfully About Money and Possessions
This Sunday's text from Acts 5 contains the strange and difficult story of Ananias and Sapphira. Taking Anna Carter Florence's suggestion that the church practice the script of scripture and "enter the verbs that are chosen as well as the ones that weren't, but could have been," (Rehearsing Scripture: Discovering God's Word in Community, 139-140) Zac and Lois presented a dramatic alternative to the Ananias and Sapphira story that aimed to highlight the importance about the church talking truthfully about money and possessions.
April 7, 2024 - Journeys with the Early Church: Sent into an Uncertain Future
March 31, 2024 - Easter Sunday: Beyond the Tomb
This Sunday's recording starts off with BMC's choir singing "Now the Green Blade Rises." Next, our children's choir's performs Monica Scott's song "He is Risen." Zac preaches on John 20:1-18.
March 17, 2024 - Lent V - Among the Crowds
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During this service, we reflected on Jesus' teaching about the Grain of Wheat found in John 12. We also participated in a ritual of planting wheat as a way of embodying the truth that we are like seeds of God's planting in the world, called to show the love and peace of Christ to all.
February 18, 2024 - Lent 1 Journeys with Jesus: From the Water to the Wilderness
Apologies about some audio problems on this recording.
During this sermon, Zac mentions the book Rehearsing Scripture: Discovering God's Word in Community.
February 11, 2024 - Women who prepared the way: Mary
Scipture: Luke 1:46-56
BMC was very fortunate and blessed to have friends from the House of Friendship with us, namely, Natalie Schill, Director of Development at HoF and Sandy Milne, from the Board of Directors. Sandy brought us the sermon and helped us enter more fully into Mary's story, making connections between her story and the story of God's kingdom and justice in our world today.
February 4, 2024 - Women Who Prepared the Way: Ruth
We were honoured to have Dani Morrison come preach, helping us gain greater insight into Ruth's story along with the stories of many women around the world today.
January 21, 2024 - Women Who Prepared the Way: Bathsheba
Scripture Texts: 2 Samuel 12:1-7a
*Note: While Bathsheba appears after Ruth in Jesus' genealogy, due to speaker scheduling, we told Bathsheba's story first.
January 21, 2024 - Women Who Prepared the Way: Rahab
Scripture Texts: Joshua 2:1-24; James 2:24-26
January 14 2024 - Women Who Prepared the Way: Tamar
Scripture Texts: Genesis 38
November 11, 2023 - Singing the Bible: Creation and New Creation
We were honoured to have Mykayla Turner join us and to speak to us about themes of "Creation and New Creation" for our Singing the Bible worship series.
October 1 2023 - Divine and Human Violence in Scripture Confuses Us
During this and the next couple of services, we will be exploring texts in the Bible that confuse us. A number of texts that members of BMC identified as "confusing" related to times that God actively endorses or commit acts of violence. Our texts for this Sunday were Joshua 6:1-17 & Micah 6:8 and Zac Klassen preached.
September 24, 2023 - God's Love Brings Us Hope
The children learn a new song based on Romans 8:31-39. After that, Pauline Bauman reads the passage from Romans, Zac introduces some context for the passage, and then Pauline shares her personal experiences with Romans 8:31-39.
September 17, 2023 - Blessings in Scripture Bring us Hope
After Zac reads the scriputre passages from Numbers 6:23-26 and Isaiah 43:1, Keith Cressman shares his personal reflections on these passages.
August 27, 2023 - Peacemakers Act Creatively to Prevent Conflict
We were fortunate to have Toronto-based director, actor, producer, and playwright Cedric Martin join us for worship and lead us in reflecting on how peacemakers are called to act creatively to prevent conflict.
Creatively adapting 1 Samuel 25:1-35, Cedric led us in a monologue in the voice of one of Nabal's servants, imagining that Nabal's servant had listened to Abigail's command to prepare a feast for David and his men - a creative act that prevented bloodshed. As part of Cedric's monologue, the congregation participated in making the feast, consisting of Bread and Hummus, Energy-Bites, and Trail-mix. The audio file begins with the children's time led by Zac, and then progresses to Cedric's monologue.
July 30 2023 - Praying Brings Peace Within
Thanks to Pauline Bauman for providing these lovely cookies to remind us that God's peace guards our hearts.
July 23, 2023 - God's Presence brings Peace
July 16, 2023 - Eating with Enemies
We were happy to have BMC's previous Interm Pastor (2020-2021), Dave Rogalsky, speak to us this Sunday and join us for a community potluck afterwards.
June 18, 2023 - Peacemakers Share the Bounty of the Earth (Church Camping)
During the Children's time, we shared strawberries and participated in the Eco-spiritual practice of "Savouring a Strawberry," a practice suggested by MCEC's Eco Minister, Wendy Janzen. This practice, along with many others suggested by Wendy, can be found on this website.
June 11, 2023 - Peacemakers Join God in Caring for the Earth
The audio file below begins with our scripture reading and children's time before it transitions to Dorothy Isaac's faith story. At the end of her faith story, Zac Klassen introduces a video that was shown. The link is below.
May 21, 2023 - Following Jesus as Anabaptists: Accountability and Conflict
May 7, 2023 - Following Jesus as Anabaptists - The Priesthood of All Believers
April 30, 2023 - Following Jesus as Anabaptists - Pursuing Peace and Justice as Disciples
BMC was honoured to have Arnold Snyder, Professor Emeritus in History, to speak to us about the 16th century Anabaptists.
April 23, 2023 - Following Jesus as Anabaptists - Believers Baptism
April 16, 2023 - Following Jesus as Anabaptists - Roots and Wings
February 19, 2023 - Sheep and Goats
Stephen Roy, MCC Ontario's Church & Community Relations Associate joined us to present his sermon: "To Fast, or Not to Fast."
