This past November, Miriam Toews gave a keynote address at the International Festival of Authors in Toronto. In the address she discussed the idea of national literature, and,... Read More
Blog
Come the new year I will be continueing a column called 'Peacebuilder Profiles', where we will hear the stories of Mennonite peacebuilders in our communities. A number of weeks... Read More
December 20, 2012 | Brandi Friesen Thorpe
At this point in the Mennonite Church, the miracle of God’s son being born into this world. can be considered a common conversation. It is one of the major stories of hope that we... Read More
December 19, 2012 | Brandi Friesen Thorpe
Over the last year or so, I've appreciated the paintings, poetry, and musings of Jan Richardson on her blog, paintedprayerbook.com . Recently, one post caught my attention, "... Read More
December 18, 2012 | Cheryl Woelk
Chris Koelle: Religious Art Reborn Web: http://chriskoelle.com/ & http://silveragency.net/ Bio Chris Koelle is an artist and illustrator living in Greenville, South Carolina... Read More
November 25, 2012 | Max Kennel
Pastor Ishiya met us at Fudoin station and we drove the ten minutes up the hills, through the back streets, until we arrived at a traditional Japanese house - Hiroshima Mennonite... Read More
November 21, 2012 | Cheryl Woelk
worship is about honest expression Part of having a dynamic faith involves a cultivating a habit of looking for God in every place. It means looking for God in how we worship in... Read More
November 19, 2012 | Brandi Friesen Thorpe
Let me introduce you to today’s spotlight peacebuilder . Every night he heads out to the streets of Osborne Village in Winnipeg, Manitoba, takes out his guitar, lights a candle,... Read More
November 8, 2012 | Brandi Friesen Thorpe
We sat in a large circle in the lounge, some sitting straight with legs crossed, others stretched out on the carpeted floor. One by one we passed the "talking piece" and we... Read More
October 30, 2012 | Cheryl Woelk
There are moments in my study of theology, especially at the current stage, when I lapse into silence, feeling that the complexity and mystery of God render our attempts to... Read More
October 27, 2012 | Susie Guenther Loewen
Looking back, it was one of the most energizing and renewing courses that I've taught so far. The combination of my co-facilitator, the participants, and the content was great,... Read More
October 26, 2012 | Cheryl Woelk
A blog reader recently sent me an email asking if I would write about my experiences with arts in the church (Thanks Michael Turman). Being an artist in many ways, I thought it... Read More
October 18, 2012 | Brandi Friesen Thorpe
“Swing your partner ‘round and ‘round” used to be a predictable slogan, conjuring up images of people square dancing in a barn to jigs and reels, but this is no longer true. Gone... Read More
October 10, 2012 | Max Kennel
Well, it’s fall, or as it’s known in my psyche: school season. By now, school, university, and Sunday School are well underway in all their educational glory (as in this photo,... Read More
October 9, 2012 | Susie Guenther Loewen
Mr. Koh's story powerfully demonstrates the complexity of forgiveness. On Oct 9, his house was broken into and his mother, wife, and son were brutally murdered. Later, the person... Read More
October 9, 2012 | Cheryl Woelk
Most of us had never heard of the tiny island off the coast near Hiroshima called Okonoshima . In fact, we discovered, it was also erased from many maps on purpose. Yet in this... Read More
October 9, 2012 | Cheryl Woelk
As I gather my garden harvest, I can only marvel at the bounty of all that grows. My shelves are filled with things canned and delicious. It seems as though every time I visit a... Read More
October 3, 2012 | Brandi Friesen Thorpe
Many churches are exploring the what 'formation' means in their life and work. At First Mennonite Church in Winnipeg we are doing the same. Here is a sermon I preached on the... Read More
September 25, 2012 | David Driedger
What does it mean to think of the Bible as our story, or to think of faith as entering into God’s story? In Adult Ed. at my church, we’re currently looking at the Bible studies... Read More
September 23, 2012 | Susie Guenther Loewen
The following is an outline of a piece that I would someday like to write. Beginning with the conviction that robust concrete practices require theoretical backing, the... Read More
September 19, 2012 | Max Kennel
For those of you who may know me, you know that my roots are pure prairies --- something I am proud of. While I do struggle with aspects, one thing I can always count on is the... Read More
September 18, 2012 | Brandi Friesen Thorpe
If you’ve been reading my blog since last year, you might remember my first article on technology, which was part interview, part opinion piece. I thought I’d revisit the topic... Read More
September 17, 2012 | Susie Guenther Loewen
NARPI stands for Northeast Asia Regional Peacebuilding Institute and is run through collaboration among several organizations across South Korea, Japan, and China. Their goal is... Read More
September 7, 2012 | Cheryl Woelk
It took two weeks and some intense times together, but by the second "cultural night" of NARPI (Northeast Asia Regional Peacebuilding Institute), groups were no longer isolated by... Read More
September 6, 2012 | Cheryl Woelk
My friend once wrote me an email, saying that she had been praying for me. While she had been praying for me, she saw a vision, and wrote to share it with me She saw a picture of... Read More
September 3, 2012 | Brandi Friesen Thorpe