Dan Driediger with one of his 42-inch map printers. (Supplied photo)
Map of the Boreal Trail East in Saskatchewan, one of Dan Driediger’s favourite maps. (Photo by Taylor Summach)
When Dan Driediger closes his eyes, he sees rivers, rises and roads. His unique photographic memory comes in handy. Driediger is a cartographer: He creates, prints and sells maps to people and organizations across Canada.
Seated (left to right): Henry Fast, George Epp, Edith (Koop) Krahn, Gertrude (Janzen) deKleine, Myrna Zacharias. Standing: Henry Schroeder, Richard Epp, Peter Neufeld, Harold Epp, Sigrid (Martynes) Warkentin, Guenther Toews, Rudy Dahl (partially hidden), Evelyn (Janzen) Roden, Peter Rempel, Violet (Schapansky) Atwell, Tony Funk, Art Hildebrand, Verna (Wiens) Ewert, Ken Rempel, Edna (Friesen) Koop, Elsie (Bergen) Epp, Caroline Martens-Clappison, Ruby (Isaac) Harder, Barry Toews, Mervin Dyck (partially hidden), Eileen (Epp) Ewert, Walter Klassen, Elsbeth (Epp) Moyer, Ed Bergen. (Photo by Henry Schroeder)
To the sounds of much laughter, along with moments of sadness, the Rosthern Junior College (RJC) class of 1960 met in Saskatoon on May 18-19 to mark 63 years since graduation. Given that students generally complete high school at age 18, most of us at the reunion had reached the age of 81. More than one walker and cane were noted.
Pinegrove Place in Richmond, B.C. (Photo by Frank Dawson)
A little-known Mennonite mission, hidden away in a quiet residential neighbourhood on the flats of Richmond, B.C., celebrated its fortieth anniversary on June 7.
Skies ablaze over the airtanker base in Edson, Alberta on May 5. (Photo by Art Koop)
‘I didn’t think we’d be the ones evacuating,’ says Art Koop. (Photo courtesy of Art Koop)
Art Koop was cleaning up after teaching his last class of the day when the emergency alert blared from his cell phone. The message called for an immediate, mandatory evacuation. A wildfire threatened Edson, Alberta, the community where Koop lives and works. The sky was an eerie orange colour and thick with smoke.
‘It’s always been about making space to listen,’ says Sarah Hodges-Kolisnyk, director at MHC Gallery. (Photo by Aaron Epp)
Kinetic by Sarah Hodges-Kolisnyk
Two photographic works by Hodges-Kolisnyk: Prairie Dance (left) and Fairies. (Artwork by Sarah Hodges-Kolisnyk)
Sarah Hodges-Kolisnyk approaches art through the lens of storytelling.
“My journey as an artist and a curator has always been linked to exploring the world and sharing stories with others,” she says. “I approach everything with a questioning and a searching for the story, and hoping those stories bring people together.”
When this vacant home was destroyed by fire, the MCC Furniture Thrift Store next door was forced to close for a month. (Photo by Aaron Epp)
A recent fire forced the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Furniture Thrift Store in Winnipeg to temporarily close its doors due to smoke and water damage. A vacant house beside the shop went up in flames on May 11, just after 1 a.m., with the cause of the fire still under investigation.
Mennonites in a train car en route from Russia to Canada in 1923. (Photo by Arthur Slagel, courtesy of Mennonite Heritage Archives)
Nearly 100 years have passed since 21,000 Mennonites fled disease, starvation and violence in some of the same areas now experiencing war in Ukraine. Many came to Southern Manitoba, and their trauma quietly came with them.
A serving of soup, with book discussion for dessert, are on the menu every Thursday in May and June as part of the Books and Borscht series at the Mennonite Heritage Museum in Abbotsford, B.C.
Anita Shevchuk is eager for a new future. (Photo courtesy of Anita Shevchuk)
Anita Shevchuk moved from Ukraine to Mexico, where she married, then to Canada. (Photo courtesy of Anita Shevchuk)
Anita Shevchuk (left), Cheryl & Bob Wideman. (Photo courtesy of Anita Shevchuk)
When 19-year-old Anita Shevchuk found herself in the streets of downtown Toronto in the summer of 2022, she held onto her faith in God and her then-husband’s promise that everything would be okay.
People visit outside following a service at a Mennonite Brethren church in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo. (Justin Makangara/MCC/Fairpicture)
Antoine Kimbila, general secretary of CEFMC, speaks at a church in Kikwit, Democratic Republic of Congo, in February. (Justin Makangara/MCC/Fairpicture)
Map of the conflict zone in the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Photo by Betty Avery)
Ever since survivors of brutal fighting in the Kasai region of the Democratic Republic of Congo fled to the city of Kikwit in 2017, the Mennonite Brethren Church has been ministering to them with faith and action.
Amanda has worked at The Raw Carrot since its inception nine years ago. (Photo Courtesy of The Raw Carrot)
Leah Cober serves as kitchen manager for the MCC/Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church branch of The Raw Carrot. (Photo Courtesy of The Raw Carrot)
(Photo Courtesy of The Raw Carrot)
(Photo Courtesy of The Raw Carrot)
A simple job creation project that started with two women’s concern for a young church member is now seeking new church partners to expand beyond its four current locations.
Mennonite Church Canada will provide grants to congregations that wish to upgrade their facilities in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Grants will cover 50 percent of project costs, to a maximum of $6,000.
Yael, a Grade 7 student from Calgary, won third in the Original Artwork category for her piece, “The story of Christmas.” (Photo courtesy of Menno Simons Christian School)
Canadian Mennonite received seven awards from the Canadian Christian Communicators Association in May.
Ernie Regehr (Photo courtesy of Conrad Grebel University College)
Ernie Regehr—a prominent Canadian voice on disarmament and peacebuilding for over 40 years—shared his unique analysis of the Ukraine conflict at Grace Mennonite Church in St. Catharines, Ontario on May 6.
Regehr co-founded Project Peacemakers in 1976 and currently serves as a research fellow at Conrad Grebel University College. He was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2003.
Members of Shalom Worship and Healing Centre lead worship. (MCEC photo by Paul Schmidt)
Fanosie Legesse preaching at the MCEC annual gathering. (MCEC photo by Paul Schmidt)
At its annual gathering, Mennonite Church Eastern Canada welcomed new congregations, announced a break from status quo spending and heard bold challenges from Fanosie Legesse and Rebecca Riek.
Joan Perrott (left), Dolly Jeffares, Marah Rafih and Sana Almotlak at the 2020 Great Winter Warm-up event in Edmonton. (Photo by Donita Wiebe-Neufeld)
Decolonization, interfaith dialogue, intersectionality—these terms can feel heady and intimidating, but Suzanne Gross says they can all happen through the well-practiced Mennonite art of hospitality.
Coffee beans drying outside at the Malipayon Peace Hub. (Photo by Dorothea Enns)
Over brunch on Sunday, April 23, at Niagara United Mennonite Church in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, two members of the church shared about the Mennonite Church Canada learning tour to the Philippines. Dorothea Enns and her niece Anita Dong spoke about the time that they and 10 others spent in the Philippines during the January 12 to 22 trip.
A scene from Women Talking. (Photo by Michael Gibson/Orion Pictures)
An Abbotsford audience had the chance to view and discuss Women Talking, the film that has generated buzz in both Mennonite and Hollywood circles.
Mark Leistra, Leola Roth and Owen Roth enjoy an intergenerational supper together. (Supplied photo)
While cousins Adam and Owen Roth had grown to “love the Grebel community,” as first-year students at Conrad Grebel University College, one crucial thing was missing from their new lifestyle: supper at Grandma’s.
Cyndi Nickerson (left) and Marie Haak (right)
Between conversation and quiche, B.C. women were inspired, touched and encouraged as they heard one another’s stories at this year’s Women’s Day. The Mennonite Church B.C. annual event took place at Emmanuel Mennonite Church in Abbotsford on May 6.
Reuben Tut, left, Manas Ngongjock, Shim Beack, Joon Park, Tim Wiebe-Neufeld, Tracy Brown Ewert and Zander Ewert share smiles and stories around the table. (Photo by Jan Wilhelm)
A Taste of MCA event drew people from ages 1 to 100, including young Sarah Sin and her mom, Lal Pui. (Photo by Jan Wilhelm)
A large crowd packs out the Bergthaler Mennonite Church near Didsbury. (Photo by Tim Wiebe-Neufeld)
A chin choir performs at the event. (Photo by Tim Wiebe-Neufeld)
There was no shortage of delicious cuisine served up at A Taste of MCA. (Photo by Tim Wiebe-Neufeld)
Italians Lahna, Walter, and Emily Giugovaz sit beside South Sudanese Reuben Tut and Manas Ngongjock. (Photo by Jan Wilhelm)
When most people think of Mennonite cuisine, they think of perogies and farmer sausage, or perhaps fresh rollkuchen dipped in Rogers Golden Syrup.
Yet at A Taste of MCA, a Mennonite Church Alberta event at Bergthaler Mennonite Church near Didsbury, on April 12, the menu featured dishes like chicken biryani, chicken kabobs and roti, injera and spicy lamb, corn soup and sticky rice.
(istock photo by doidam10)
From households clustered around computer screens to sanctuaries filled with people, church services have taken a variety of forms since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic more than three years ago.
Kelowna First Mennonite Church, built in 1989, sold its property to an MB church, and now worships next door in the theatre room at the Northwood Retirement Resort. (Northwood Retirement Resort photo)
Members of Kelowna First Mennonite Church are selling their church building, but that doesn’t mean they are closing their doors. As of May, the small congregation is meeting in a nearby seniors residence.
Carmen (Man.) Mennonite Church (MC Canada facebook photo)
Springfield Heights Mennonite Church, Winnipeg (Gameo photo by Bert Friesen)
In the same year that two congregations joined Mennonite Church Manitoba, adding new member churches for the first time in a decade, two congregations have also withdrawn from the regional church.
The Joshua Tree made U2 superstars. The band—Larry Mullen, Jr., Adam Clayton, Bono and The Edge—is pictured here in 2017. (Photo by Olaf Heine)
The Armin String Quartet, pictured circa 1960. From left to right: Adele, Paul, Otto and Richard. (The Canadian Mennonite photo collection / Mennonite Archives of Ontario)
U2 performs at Soldier Field in Chicago, Ill., in June 2017 as part of a tour commemorating The Joshua Tree’s 30th anniversary. (Photo by Aaron Epp)
There was nothing unusual about it when Richard, Paul and Adele Armin walked into the recording studio on New Year’s Eve in 1986. It was just another job, really.
