One of the greatest gifts you can give another person is your time. No matter how much we work or how much money we earn, our time is finite. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. That’s why... Read More
Blog
(Image by Free-Photos/Pixabay)
January 21, 2021 | Moses Falco
Jack Skellington, the main character in the 1993 film The Nightmare Before Christmas, asks some great questions. (Photo by Christin Noelle/Unsplash)
“To all who mourn in Israel, he will give a crown of beauty for ashes, a joyous blessing instead of mourning, festive praise instead of despair.” Isaiah 61:3 (NLT) A movie... Read More
December 22, 2020 | Tim Kuepfer
(Photo by Greyson Joralemon/Unsplash)
“An urgent reality … a state of public health emergency.” This is how our premier, Jason Kenney, described our situation in Alberta last week because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It... Read More
December 3, 2020 | Caleb Kowalko
'I headed out the door for a beautiful snowy 10 km. run which ended with building a snowman—a little bit of play amidst the difficulty of this time.' (Photos by Matthew Isert Bender)
A few weeks ago, I received a package in the mail from the Boston Athletic Association for finishers of the Boston Marathon. It was exciting to receive the package and yet it was... Read More
November 26, 2020 | Matthew Isert Bender
Kyle Penner has been lighting a candle every evening in prayer and solidarity with Steinbach health care workers, patients and their families. (Photo courtesy of twitter.com/kyle_penner)
We are dying here. So please, everyone who has suddenly got it in for Steinbach: get off your high horse and lead with compassion instead of smugness. Even better, leave the... Read More
November 19, 2020 | Kyle Penner
(Photo by Malcolm Lightbody/Unsplash)
Should Christians still share their faith with those who don’t believe? I understand that in many contexts the answer to that question is obvious . . . though what is ‘obvious’ in... Read More
October 8, 2020 | Anthony G. Siegrist
(Image by ptra/Pixabay)
I remember that as a teenager who grew up in the church I had some biting criticism for the people in the church because I thought they were a bunch of hypocrites. They seemed to... Read More
October 1, 2020 | Gareth Brandt
(Photo by Michael Longmire/Unsplash)
Imagine a healthcare charity. Picture the CEO. I saw one on TV recently—it was a white man. Now picture the person who cleans the floors. Did you picture a racialized woman? What’... Read More
September 3, 2020 | Lori Guenther Reesor
(Photo courtesy of Facebook.com/writingonstone)
If there is one thing I love about summer vacation it is the way it opens up space. The hectic pace and stimuli of modern society fills our time. It overwhelms our senses. It... Read More
August 20, 2020 | Tim Wiebe-Neufeld
(Pixabay photo)
In his book Bread for the Journey , Henri Nouwen had this to say about the practice of writing: “Writing can be a true spiritual discipline. Writing can help us to concentrate, to... Read More
August 13, 2020 | Ryan Dueck
I’ve been embarrassed of my heritage for most of my life. I’m the son of immigrants who came from Germany and the Philippines. Even though I was born in Canada, I know that to... Read More
July 9, 2020 | Moses Falco
(Image by seth0s/Pixabay)
Not long ago a group of churches and church leaders across the province signed a letter asking Ontario premier Doug Ford to allow churches to reopen at the beginning of the month... Read More
June 25, 2020 | Anthony G. Siegrist
'There is good reason in many situations not to call the police,' David Driedger writes. (Photo courtesy of Facebook.com/wpgpoliceofficial)
The Winnipeg Police Service shot and killed three people in less than two weeks earlier this year. More than ever we need to take care about when we as citizens call the police... Read More
June 18, 2020 | David Driedger
The shortest route from Wopisa-Gabriyèl to get medical assistance requires descending this waterfall. (MCC photo by Ted Oswald, 2017)
If you’ve ever invited me to go camping with you, you’ll know I’m not exactly what you would call “outdoorsy.” I enjoy nature, but I don’t really see the need to sleep in it, much... Read More
June 4, 2020 | Annalee Giesbrecht
The cover of the Sunday, May 24 issue of the New York Times.
I started Sunday morning in tears as I read through the heartbreaking list that blanketed the front page of the New York Times . To mark the deaths of (at that point) nearly 100,... Read More
May 28, 2020 | MaryLou Driedger
'Stay safe. You hear these two little words a lot these days.' (Image by Mohammad Fahim/Pixabay)
Stay safe. You hear these two little words a lot these days. They serve as the tag at the end of the phone call, the coda for the email, the last words before signing off yet... Read More
May 21, 2020 | Ryan Dueck
(Image by stokpic/Pixabay)
At first, I was irritated that travel plans were interrupted. Then I was frustrated that the markets leaked stored wealth. And finally, I was angered that separation from family... Read More
May 14, 2020 | Willard Metzger
(Photo courtesy of Mennonite Church Canada)
In these days of pandemic responses we are continually reminded by public health officials that our individual actions affect our neighbours and that we are responsible for... Read More
May 7, 2020 | Jeanette Hanson
‘Please send us your story ideas…’ (Image by Gerd Altmann/Pixabay)
Earlier this month, I interviewed an ex-offender who had successfully gone through Mennonite Central Committee Alberta’s Bridges Ministries program. He mentioned that when you are... Read More
April 30, 2020 | Joanne De Jong
A stained glass window in Ascension Catholic Parish in Calgary. (Photo by Abe Janzen)
The eight-hour world-wide One World: Together at Home concert ended the other day with this line from an African proverb: “For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it... Read More
April 23, 2020 | Abe Janzen
(Image by PublicDomainPictures/Pixabay)
Never thought there would be Sundays without singing. Like churches across Canada, ours has been shuttered as a precaution against the novel coronavirus. I understand why this... Read More
April 11, 2020 | Carl DeGurse
Robert and Irene Suderman. (Photo courtesy of Facebook.com/MennoniteChurchCanada)
I am—apparently—vulnerable. This for two reasons: I’m chronologically categorized (senior), and I’m locationally challenged (live in a senior’s community). But I don’t feel... Read More
April 2, 2020 | Robert J. Suderman
Leona Dueck Penner’s husband, Peter Dueck Penner, walks with their granddaughter Rielle on the Mill Race Trail in St. Jacobs, Ont. (Photo courtesy of Leona Dueck Penner)
This morning I awoke thankful that my husband and I—both 75-plus—can still be part of what's happening in our world: to observe and encourage the younger generation as they lead... Read More
March 19, 2020 | Leona Dueck Penner
‘We will always have a big crock pot of soup or something on, and we look forward to sharing it with whoever decides to come!’ (Image by RitaE/Pixabay)
You know what is one of the most exciting things ever? Having Jesus for dinner. I don’t mean the Lord’s Supper. I mean having Jesus over, as a guest, for dinner. Over the past few... Read More
March 12, 2020 | Leane Winger
Hundreds of people participated in a mass blanket exercise on the steps of Parliament Hill, lead by members of Kairos. Members of First Nations communities, faith communities and many others participated, including those from Mennonite churches and MCCers from across the system. (MCC photo by Alison Ralph)
Many across this land are wondering how to respond to protesters blocking rail lines, ports and government offices in solidarity with Indigenous groups who oppose the Coastal... Read More
February 27, 2020 | Rick Cober Bauman