There are people from across Canada and the U.S. on the first leg of “Memories of Migration: Russlaender Tour 100” from Quebec City to Kitchener, Ontario. But if there was a prize... Read More
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Japanese scholar Iyo Kunimoto with Canadian scholar Aileen Friesen on the ferry to Grosse Isle, Quebec. (Photo by John Longhurst)
July 10, 2023 | John Longhurst
Caption: Colonel Dennis of the CPR receiving thanks from Mennonite girls in 1937 in Coaldale, Alberta. (Photo courtesy of the Mennonite Archival Information Database)
The story of Mennonites coming to Canada from the Soviet Union between 1923 and 1930 is about hope and faith. It’s also about money. $1,767,368.68 to be exact. That’s what Aileen... Read More
July 10, 2023 | John Longhurst
The Quebec City train station where the Russlaender departed for new homes 100 years ago. (Photos by John Longhurst)
After days of touring in Quebec City and Grosse Isle , participants in the “Memories of Migration: Russlaender Tour 100” boarded a VIA Rail train at Quebec City’s Gare du Palais (... Read More
July 8, 2023 | John Longhurst
Four million newcomers were processed at Grosse Isle, an island located in the St. Lawrence River in Quebec. (Photos by John Longhurst)
When Mennonites came to Canada by ship between 1923 and 1930, their first stop in their new country would have been at Grosse Isle, located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River... Read More
July 8, 2023 | John Longhurst
Nataliya Venger is participating in “Memories of Migration: Russaender Tour 100.” (Photo by John Longhurst)
For Nataliya Venger, a participant in the “Memories of Migration: Russaender Tour 100,” the hardship and suffering faced by Mennonites a century ago at the hands of the Soviet... Read More
July 7, 2023 | John Longhurst
The documents in the photo are for the travel debt incurred by Peter P. Klassen and his family (wife, Helene, and son, Dietrich) when they came to Canada in 1926. (Photo courtesy of Mennonite Heritage Village)
The Canadian Pacific Railway (now known as Canadian Pacific Kansas City) played an important role in the creation of Canada. It also played a key role in the coming of Mennonites... Read More
July 6, 2023 | John Longhurst
(Photo courtesy of Will Power)
We are lucky. Supporters of Canadian Mennonite are thoughtful individuals, who share an interest in faith-based journalism and are committed to building a better future. Often... Read More
September 22, 2022 |
(Photo by Ryan Arnst/Unsplash)
In Ethiopia, almost every Mennonite church has an evangelist; in fact, there are more evangelists than pastors. Having so many evangelists has formed the church to be very outward... Read More
August 25, 2022 | Joanne De Jong
George Epp lives and blogs in Rosthern, Sask.
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life... Read More
July 21, 2022 | George Epp
(Photo by Tim Bieler/Unsplash)
During the month of June, many churches will celebrate Pride Month as a way to honor the presence, gifts and leadership of LGBTQIA2+ people within their communities. There are... Read More
June 2, 2022 | Katie Graber and Anneli Loepp Thiessen
(Photo by SJ/Unsplash)
When my friend Azkaa contacted me about the possibility of an interfaith community Iftar in the heart of downtown Edmonton, where Mennonites would contribute “Mennonite cookies”... Read More
May 5, 2022 | Suzanne Gross
(Image by Gerd Altmann/Pixabay)
Mention “The Mennonite Game” in Anabaptist circles and you’ll be met with a variety of responses — a knowing chuckle, the rolling of eyes, a blank stare. Many cradle Mennonites,... Read More
March 10, 2022 | Laura Pauls-Thomas
(Photo by Elena Mozhvilo/Unsplash)
God of hope, we pray to you when hope is scarce as our world convulses with the horror of war. You alone know the extent of the crimes committed in Ukraine: the people murdered,... Read More
February 24, 2022 | Carol Penner
Trucks gather for protests in Ottawa. (Image by Ana Krach/Pixabay)
As protests continue in our nation’s capital, there are many things I would like to see less of (intimidation and hate symbols, for instance), but there are also a few things I... Read More
February 10, 2022 | Anthony G. Siegrist
(Photo by Kira auf der Heide/Unsplash)
My mom worked hard to make Christmas happy and special for me, but it wasn’t easy. My family was what I would now understand as extremely marginalized, and we experienced the kind... Read More
December 23, 2021 | Roxanne Wright
(Photo by Dan Kiefer/Unsplash)
“Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.” (Psalm 27:14) Our world is weary. Throughout the past year many people have lost hope because of unprecedented... Read More
December 9, 2021 | Anne Herridge
(Photo by Max Beck/Unsplash)
One of my earliest memories is singeing my eyelashes while blowing out an Advent candle. I distinctly remember standing at the crate that served as our coffee table, leaning in to... Read More
November 25, 2021 | Talashia Keim Yoder
‘The Curious Garden’ has been a helpful book for Kari Miller as she navigates education around the climate emergency and ponders what action will come from COP26. (Photo courtesy of Kari Miller)
Truth be told, I am nervous to attend COP26. Many reports on social media are declaring this climate summit to be of absolute importance, that the state of the global climate... Read More
November 11, 2021 | Kari Miller
(Image by PollyDot/Pixabay)
Over the course of the pandemic, I have noticed a bit of a shift in my “homiletical disposition.” I’ve been talking an awful lot about forgiveness, grace and mercy. I’ve been... Read More
September 30, 2021 | Ryan Dueck
MaryLou Driedger’s grandmother, furthest to the left, sits with her sisters on the women’s side of the church. (Photo courtesy of MaryLou Driedger)
The church denomination to which I belong, Mennonite Church Canada, invites women to be leaders in every area of its congregational life. My church has two ordained female pastors... Read More
September 2, 2021 | MaryLou Driedger
A woman watches the sun set over the St. Lawrence River at Bic National Park in Quebec. (Photo by Alain Bonnardeaux/Unsplash)
A couple of weeks ago my family and I needed to get out of the house. Since we live on the southern edge of Ottawa, it doesn’t take us long to drive down to the St. Lawrence River... Read More
August 5, 2021 | Anthony G. Siegrist
Father Emmanuel Katongole, pictured here in 2020, overlooking the Bethany Land Institute Campus in Nandere, Uganda, where he serves as co-founder and President. (Photo courtesy of Father Emmanuel Katongole)
Over the past year, the COVID-19 pandemic crippled the strongest economies around the world and caused countries to flounder. Yet, for many countries, hope is around the corner,... Read More
July 22, 2021 | Emmanuel Katongole
(Photo by Luis Poletti/Unsplash)
If you are anything like me, you are missing singing hymns as a congregation during this pandemic. Hymns are such a vital part of expressing our faith. We find comfort in the... Read More
July 8, 2021 | Kate Strathdee
'The Coming Spring' by artist Gordon Reeve is part of Reconciliation Circle in Saskatoon’s Victoria Park. This commemorative artwork was erected in 2018 in response to the TRC’s Calls to Action. (MCC photo by Randy Klassen)
For the past 25 years, June 21 has been set apart by the Canadian government as National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) as a day to “celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures... Read More
June 24, 2021 | Randy Klassen
(Image by Bruno Henrique/Pixabay)
As I read the lectionary texts for this coming Sunday, one theme strikes me as tying all four texts together: things are not as they appear . Reality is often much different than... Read More
June 10, 2021 | Michael Pahl