Wildfire near Camp Valaqua in July causes concern but no evacuation
Categories: NewsWhen Camp Valaqua director Jon Olfert received a text on July 23 from a friend working with Alberta Wildfire saying that there was a three-acre fire 25 kilometres northwest of…
Jewish author proposes one-state solution
Categories: NewsIsraeli-Jewish author and organizer Jeff Halper spoke at a June 25 lunch gathering organized by the Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) Palestine-Israel Network (PIN). Halper heads the Israeli Committee Against…
Spurring action with deep reflection
Categories: NewsTwo dozen young adults came together at Camp Squeah in Hope, B.C., for a weekend of listening, conversation, reflection and music to envision their future and that of the Anabaptist…
Strawberry communion at Six Nations
Categories: NewsOn July 6, more than 160 people from a variety of denominations and organizations gathered in Ohsweken, Ontario, for a Strawberry Thanksgiving and Communion hosted by Six Nations Polytechnic and…
Young asylum seekers showcase art
Categories: News“I’m always amazed at how quickly people dismiss the arts,” says Steve Norton, a pastor and film critic at Connect City Ministries, which is part of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. He…
Public and protests pressure decision-makers in the war against Gaza
Following community pressure, in early July, the University of Waterloo (UW) in Waterloo, Ontario, dropped all legal charges against a group of students and concerned community members who were calling…
Alberta event explores wild hope for creation
Categories: NewsDon’t get “stuck in rage or paralyzed by fear,” said Joanne Moyer. “[Be] defiantly hopeful, despite the odds.” Moyer, associate professor at The King’s University in Edmonton, was presenting at…
Seeing beauty and injustice
Since her death in 1943, Simone Weil’s philosophy has impacted dozens of writers, thinkers and theologians. T.S. Eliot named her a saint. Simone de Beauvoir envied her spirit. Now, in The Literary…
Tokyo Anabaptist Centre a hub of activity
Categories: NewsThe Tokyo Anabaptist Centre has been a busy—and sometimes dusty—place this year, reports Gerald Neufeld, Canadian church worker in Japan. Neufeld and his wife, Rie, who serve as relationship catalysts with…
Windsor church addresses toxic drug crisis
Categories: NewsRielly McLaren says the grief caused by toxic drug deaths feels staggering and palpable in his community. McLaren, who pastors Windsor Mennonite Fellowship, also serves as chaplain to men transitioning…
MCEC welcomes five churches at annual gathering
Categories: NewsOver 200 people from 75 of the 110 Mennonite Church Eastern Canada congregations attended the MCEC annual gathering at the UMEI high school in Leamington, Ontario on April 26 and…
Author imagines a way forward amid environmental upheaval
Categories: NewsA new book offers practices for leaders and communities to foster healthier cultures during a time of ecological devastation. In Tending Tomorrow: Courageous Change for People and Planet, Leah Reesor-Keller shares…
Circles of Support and Accountability closing in three locations
Categories: NewsMennonite Central Committee Ontario (MCCO) has announced the June closure of the Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA) programs in Hamilton, Toronto and Kitchener, as well as the Faith Community…
Winnipeg churches hold Nakba Day service
Categories: NewsA call from Christians in Palestine to lament and pray for people suffering in Gaza prompted Mennonites in Winnipeg to organize a service. The May 15 service took place on Nakba Day, the day when Palestinians commemorate…
Flooding displaces 200,000 in Kenya
“Unprecedented and devastating” flooding in Eastern Africa has caused the displacement of 235,000 people in just five days, according to a UN report. Countries most affected include Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda,…
Hawkesville closes with gratitude
Categories: NewsA year ago, Hawkesville Mennonite Church made the difficult decision to close as a congregation as of June 2024. Their numbers had dwindled and there were no children. Facing the…
Catholic and Mennonite worlds collide on YouTube
Categories: NewsThe Hertzogs, who married in 1996 and who attend Forest Hill Mennonite Church—a Mennonite Church USA congregation near Lancaster—started the channel in 2022 to uplift, educate and entertain viewers. In the videos, Kristen draws from her…
Rehoboth inner Healing Church among five churches joining MCEC
Categories: NewsFor Paulos Berhe, being Anabaptist means taking what has been received from Jesus Christ and sharing it with others. He serves as pastoral leader at the Rehoboth Inner Healing Church (RIHC) in Toronto, a small congregation that will be among the churches officially…
Third way community
Categories: NewsIf Joe Heikman had to choose a single distinctive Anabaptist value, it would be community. “That’s how I met Jesus,” he says, in community, growing up as part of a Brethren in Christ church in Pennsylvania. He did not arrive where he is at on his own. When I spoke with Heikman, he was preparing a series of sermons…
Married In
Categories: NewsMennonites, they love sweet things,” Nicole Weber says with a laugh. “Mennonite stores make the best desserts, and if you go to a [Mennonite] party or event and bring sweets, they will love it.” Nicole is married to my cousin Josh. We attend the same family gatherings, and at those gatherings the dessert table is usually…
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