In my first year at Canadian Mennonite University, my first year away from home, I kept a running countdown to the Christmas holidays on the whiteboard stuck to my dorm room door... Read More
Features
Our childhood returns to us through our children—especially in the season of Advent.Read More
November 21, 2012 | Feature | By Markus Poetzsch
Advent means memories, traditions, plans, lists, emotions and thoughts. In my youth in western Canada, growing up in a Mennonite Brethren (MB) community, Advent was a season. It... Read More
November 21, 2012 | Feature | Anne Konrad
“O come, O come Emmanuel,” a stock dirge of Advent, comes from a house of pain that once was, still is, and shall be again. The hymn is haunting. (HWB #172)Read More
November 21, 2012 | Feature | Allan Rudy-Froese
1. Do you consider yourself as a rational being or more of an emotional being? Do you find others reacting more rationally or more emotionally? In what ways has the Mennonite... Read More
November 7, 2012 | Feature |
Friesen says that a modern mall has similarities to a cathedral—it is a secular cathedral with rituals and liturgies.
After many hours of methodical and systematic doubting of all that he held certain, seventeenth-century French philosopher Rene Descartes came to an astounding conclusion: the... Read More
November 7, 2012 | Feature | By Carl Friesen
1. Carol Penner says, “sinning against our neighbours once removed just doesn’t feel so bad.” Do you agree? Who might be a “neighbour once removed”? What might be some examples of... Read More
October 24, 2012 | Feature |
When I was little, I remember my dad explaining our relatives to us: “She’s my cousin, twice removed.” It’s an expression that talks about a relationship that is a bit more... Read More
October 24, 2012 | Feature | By Carol Penner
Church leaders pray for Steve Brnjas and Fanosie Legesse (kneeling) before they began their teaching tour in Ethiopia in May. (Photo courtesy of Fanosie Legesse)
As Fanosie Legesse and Steve Brnjas were driving through a small village in rural Ethiopia, their car slowed to pass through a narrow street when suddenly a boy darted into the... Read More
October 10, 2012 | Feature | Dave Rogalsky
1. What has been the history of how a pastor is chosen in your congregation? How many people from your congregation have entered the pastoral ministry? How did the congregation... Read More
September 26, 2012 | Feature |
Rebecca Steiner (left) and Serena Smith at the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly in Vancouver.
When a church is in need of a lead or associate pastor, do they nurture these characteristics in the youth and young adults in their congregation or search for ready-made pastors... Read More
September 26, 2012 | Feature | Story and photo by Rachel Bergen
Harold Peters Fransen, leading pastor at North Kildonan Mennonite Church in Winnipeg.
Which is better for the church, a pastor with seminary training or a layperson groomed for the role and invited from the local context? While a seminary-trained pastor may be... Read More
September 26, 2012 | Feature | By Karin Fehderau
Mennonite pastors Mark Schloneger and Kevin Gasser hope they can get 100 churches in all 50 states to join them in a celebration of communion on the evening of Nov. 6—Election Day... Read More
September 17, 2012 | Feature | Annette Brill Bergstresser
1. What foods evoke memories of your childhood, your family or your church? If you have special foods for holidays such as Easter or Christmas, what role do they play in your life... Read More
September 12, 2012 | Feature |
Marlene Epp teaches History and Peace & Conflict Studies and is director of Mennonite Studies at Conrad Grebel University College at the University of Waterloo. Among other... Read More
September 12, 2012 | Feature | Story and photos by Marlene Epp
1. What anniversary celebrations has your congregation participated in? How are these celebrations similar to or different from the one held in the Democratic Republic of Congo... Read More
August 29, 2012 | Feature |
Robert Irundu Mutundu, National Youth President for Communauté Mennonite au Congo—CMCO (Mennonite Community in Congo), and Dwight Short shake hands as they plan for future evangelism and sports clinics.
When a Belgian school inspector needed to recruit singers for the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels, he entrusted the task to two missionary women, one of whom was Lodema Short. Short... Read More
August 29, 2012 | Feature | By Lynda Hollinger-Janzen
The Chorale Grand Tam-Tam (Big Drum Choir) walked nearly 100 miles to participate in the centennial celebrations of the Communauté Mennonite au Congo (Mennonite Community in Congo) July 16-22.
Fifty-some young musicians walked nearly 100 miles carrying their drums, luggage and a few babies to attend the centennial celebration of Communauté Mennonite au Congo—CMCO (... Read More
August 29, 2012 | Feature | by Lynda Hollinger-Janzen
Nate Howard, an MCC worker from Muncie, Ind. shows visitors this mine in San Miguel, Guatemala. The mine uses vast amounts of water which eventually leaks potent chemicals into the water table. (MCC photo by Melissa Engle)
When Bob Lovelace, a chief of the Ardoch Algonquin of Northeastern Ontario, wrote about his people’s struggle over uranium exploration on their land, he did so from a Canadian... Read More
August 15, 2012 | Feature | By Randolph Haluza-Delay
Women from across Canada celebrate 60 years.
Mennonite women in Canada have sown seeds of peace while they sewed blankets for relief, and they celebrated 60 years of service on July 14 when 130 women gathered for the women’s... Read More
July 25, 2012 | Feature | Story and photos by Amy Dueckman
“Never in Canada’s 150 year history has an emerging generation been exposed to such an explosion of change and choice,” Tim Froese said in his “Scripture in Exile” workshop... Read More
July 25, 2012 | Feature | By Dick Benner
Kristina Toews at a young adults event at Assembly.
Many people remark that it’s difficult to get young adults interested and involved in church. But that wasn’t the case for the 44 registered young adults at the 2012 Mennonite... Read More
July 25, 2012 | Feature | Story and photo by Rachel Bergen
Thiessen
Film has become the most important entertainment medium of this time and can shed light on scripture, said Vic Thiessen, Chief Administrative Officer at Mennonite Church Canada,... Read More
July 25, 2012 | Feature | By Rachel Bergen
Gareth Brandt (left) reads the creation story in Minoru Gardens during the Word on the Street workshop.
The Bible was primarily written for the damned, proclaimed Gareth Brandt provocatively during a roving workshop called, “Word on the Street” on Friday afternoon. The nine... Read More
July 25, 2012 | Feature | Story and photo by Rachel Bergen
Steve Heinrichs gives Kwitzel Tatel a peace lamp as a symbol of support, while Anthony Hall, who has written up her case, is given a jar of jam to represent “Mennonite food.”
She wept as she told her gripping story of being criminalized by the Canadian government for exercising her indigenous rights to fish from the Fraser River. And she drummed a... Read More
July 25, 2012 | Feature | Story and photo by Dick Benner