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Diversity 101
Categories: ViewpointsThis past spring, from March to May, I attended a series of classes at Spirit of Life Lutheran Church in Vancouver. The classes or “gatherings,” as they were called, were…
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Mennonites learn about hospitality and living for others
Categories: UncategorizedOn May 5, a group of eleven Mennonites from Kitchener-Waterloo area churches embarked on a ten day intercultural study tour of Turkey, sponsored by the Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI). The…
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Authority and influence
Categories: ViewpointsCultural norms and values from one generation to the next are a moving target. While this isn’t a new concept, there are many challenges associated with the increased rate of…
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Metzger meets with Harmony Group
Categories: UncategorizedMembers of the Harmony Group, formed six years ago by Mennonites seeking inclusion of LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) in Mennonite Church Canada, recently engaged in earnest dialogue with…
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Dust settles on prison chaplaincy controversy
Categories: UncategorizedAfter a series of bumps and scares in recent years, a new system of federal prison chaplaincy has emerged, with a single company, rather than individual denominations, holding the chaplaincy…
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MCC Summerfest Relief Sale
Categories: UncategorizedAlberta Mennonites have few opportunities for large fellowship gatherings. While the annual Mennonite Central Committee relief sale is a huge amount of work, when the weekend arrives, the atmosphere is…
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Retelling the Story
Categories: ArtbeatIn his new book Rewriting the Break Event, Robert Zacharias identifies a major theme running through four works of Canadian Mennonite literature. The author is currently a postdoctoral fellow at…
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The Church Persecuted in Nigeria: 56 Dead
Less than a month ago a vigil was held in Winnipeg for the school aged girls kidnapped in Chibok, Nigeria. Today I discovered, in much heartache, that our brothers and…
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COMMENTARY: Faith communities on the front line of refugee aid
Categories: Web FirstDominating the news on World Refugee Day (observed on June 20, 2014), the annual commemoration of displaced peoples were photos and videos of people fleeing Syria and Iraq. With so many…
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Africa’s Islamic extremist groups are on the rise
Categories: Web FirstIn the days after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, al-Qaida became a household name. But today, other extremist Islamist groups, many in Africa, are vying for headlines. Recently, the group Boko Haram gained international…
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Where the Red and Assiniboine converge
Categories: Web FirstFor thousands of years, Indigenous peoples from across Turtle Island regularly gathered where the Red and Assiniboine rivers meet in Winnipeg. From July 28-31, North Americans from all cultures, ethnicities…
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A letter from the mother of a gay son
Categories: Web FirstThis past Mother’s Day I was reminded again of how fortunate I am to have been blessed with a wonderful family. My husband and I have four children, and we…
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Free our kids
The other day I was enjoying a night out sans children. However, even if children aren’t physically present, they are still always in our hearts, on our minds, and still…
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Who should Mennonites cheer for in soccer’s World Cup?
Categories: Web FirstThe Netherlands! At least ethnic Russian Mennonites should, those whose ancestors came to Canada primarily in the 1870s, 1920s, or 1950s and still form a good portion of the Canadian…
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Me vs. Aunt J.
Life has been… hectic. I am reluctant to use the word “busy” because I hate how society has come to embrace the word like a badge of honour, or throw…
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Report shines light on Canadians’ Bible-reading habits
Categories: UncategorizedAs A Year of Reading Biblically continues, a handful of people have drawn my attention to a recent study on the Bible reading habits of Christians in Canada. “Are Canadians…
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Dreaming of a better life
Categories: UncategorizedThe American dream is just that for many—a dream. For Latin Americans facing violence in their home communities, the journey to make that dream a reality can be a nightmare.…
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Mennonites raise awareness about welfare rates
Categories: UncategorizedKyle Penner had one apple in his fridge and some leftover potatoes from his meagre meal the night before for lunch. After nearly a week of living on about five…
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‘Such is the kingdom’
Categories: EditorialThey sat in rapt attention, taking in every word from the 80-year-olds sitting in front of them. The usual restlessness was gone. The children took in every word. It was…
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The truth about sexual abuse will set you free
Categories: Feature ArticlesI came across an editorial by Dick Benner a few months ago and was distressed to read about the late—and highly regarded—John Howard Yoder having sexually violated 80 women “at…
