Worship & Connect
Worship at GMC is shaped by the diverse backgrounds and passions of our community. Music has long been a central part of our worship, whether in rousing congregational song, our special Advent Choir, or other special musical offerings. Our service tends to follow a traditional order of worship - but not always! We enjoy mixing things up, allowing our Youth to lead and guide, exploring different styles of worshipping together, including contemplative worship. Our Pastors, Cate and Jay, will usually preach once or twice a month and the rest of the time is filled with reflections from others in our congregation, pulpit exchanges with churches we are in relationships with, or hearing from other community voices.
Here is a general outline of our services, but be prepared for some creativity!
Gathering & Praising
We gather by listening to the Prelude, singing, and praying together.
Passing Of The Peace
A time to connect and share the peace of Christ with one another by greeting each other.
Confession & Affirmation
Our worship deepens through readings, silence, ritual, and singing together.
Offering
While we listen to meditative music, we give to support our church community and a community organization.
Proclaiming
A Children's Time is offered for kids of all ages to participate in.
After more singing, we hear scripture and a sermon or reflection shared by our pastors or a community member.
Sometimes the sermon time is replaced with a creative offering, such as a recent Podcast our Youth recorded or a time of quiet reflection.
Communion
On the first Sunday of the month we share communion, which is open to all. Bring your own bread and cup (or whatever you have) and participate from home!
Sharing
All are welcome to reflect on the service and bring joys, struggles and other prayer concerns before God and our church community.
You can type your prayer concerns into the Zoom Chat, or ask to be unmuted to voice your concern.
Sending
A closing song and benediction are shared together.
Fellowship Time
Spend a few minutes in a breakout room meeting and connecting with others!
Blog
A record of many of our sermon reflections, news articles featuring GMCers and other wrtitings from GMC.
Germantown Mennonite Church Worship Elements
The cups and these plates were commissioned by the congregation and first placed into service on Worldwide Communion Sunday, October 1, 2000. Commissioned in Honor of Don Winters who died in 1998 through the Donald M. Winters Memorial Fund, the two vessels for juice and two bread plates were created by Sandra Rodriquez of the Pendle Hill Retreat Center.
At the beginning of 2013, additional funds from the Memorial Fund were used to commission the table from Ron Morgan of this congregation. One notable feature of the table is the “broken” opening along the middle of the table.
Don Winters was the first openly LGBTQ person to request and enter into membership in the congregation in the early 1980s. At that time no one knew where that tenuous step would lead. There would be great unknowns, great hurts, and grief, as well as great joys to follow.
These vessels and this table serve then as a reminder that entering into communion with Christ and one another involves brokenness and breaking open, tenuous steps into the unknown and confident strides, risks, and great rewards.
Annual Events and Special Gatherings
January Martin Luther King Jr Service (3rd Sunday)
February Women's Retreat
March Lent Services
April Holy Week Celebrations, Easter Breakfast
May Pentecost Service
June Sunday in the Park - end of Sunday School & start of Summer worship schedule 10am
July Summer worship series with speakers from the congregation
August Hiroshima Service (1st Sunday)
September Back to School Blessing - start of Sunday School & start of regular worship time 11am, Church Retreat
October World Communion Celebration, Youth Led Sunday Worship
November All Saints/Remembrance Service, Peace Sunday (1st Sunday)
December Advent, Children and Youth Christmas Program, Candlelight Christmas Eve Service
Throughout the year, we also celebrate Baby Dedications for families with newborns and young children, Baptisms for youth and adults who wish to take the next step in their faith journey, Weddings, and Singing Sundays.
Fall - Spring Months we meet for worship at 11am
Summer Months we meet for worship at 10am
Youth Group
Over 30 youth, grades 5-12, gather every month for prayer, connection, and learning together. This fall, we’re trying a combination of small in-person cohorts and zoom meetings, centered around the theme of Healing Justice. Contact Pastor Jay to connect.
Young Families
From time to time GMC offers events geared towards families raising young children, whether that includes discussions of nonviolent parenting, playgroups (in non-Pandemic times), or a practical soup and clothing swap. We seek to be a church that empowers and celebrates parents and caregivers as they guide children towards lives of justice and peace.
Adult Affinity Groups
GMC has active community groups supporting and celebrating those at all phases of life. The Old-ish Women’s Group has been meeting for many years and enjoys deep sharing over Zoom or Socially-Distanced Backyard Gatherings during the pandemic, and a monthly breakfast during non pandemic times.