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MCC investigation finds harassment by senior personnel
An investigation commissioned by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in response to complaints put forward by John Clarke and Anicka Fast, who were abruptly terminated in August 2023, found that “MCC processes and some decision making by senior personnel as a whole … is reasonably understood to fall within the threshold of harassment as defined by MCC’s…
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Floored by historic beauty
On November 8, the “Resurfacing: Mennonite Floor Patterns” exhibit launched at the Conrad Grebel University College Gallery in Waterloo, Ontario. Guests engaged with Margruite Krahn (pictured), the Neubergthal, Manitoba, artist whose natural, hand-cut stencils showcase historic Mennonite floor patterns. Margruite’s passion for this art form began unexpectedly while renovating her historic “house barn” home, where…
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Menno Court celebrates 50th and looks to expand
In July, a 170-unit residential building serving low-income seniors in Vancouver celebrated its 50th anniversary. Menno Court was built in 1974 as a joint project of Mennonite Brethren and General Conference congregations in Greater Vancouver. At the time, many senior Mennonites, particularly women, were living in unsuitable accommodations. In response to a 1969 call to…
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Divine mandate to heal and reconcile
I am a Palestinian Christian—a Christian whose roots run deep in the Holy Land. My story is one of resilience and seeking peace in a land torn by ongoing conflict. However, this journey wasn’t easy. It began as a law student at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, where the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict confronted…
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Shalom and First Mennonite co-own church
Shalom Worship and Healing Center and First Mennonite Church entered a new covenant this past fall as co-owners of the facility and property at 800 King Street East in Kitchener, Ontario. Shalom, a Tigrinya-speaking congregation that joined Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) in 2016, worshipped at First Mennonite, an historically Swiss congregation, from 2010 to…
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Menno-Nazi ties in the press
During the week of December 13, the Waterloo Region Record, the Toronto Star (the highest circulation newspaper in Canada) and other TorStar publications ran Terry Pender’s in-depth article, “Bending the rules: How Canada opened its doors to Nazi war criminals,” which discusses Nazi links to Mennonites and Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) specifically. The occasion for…
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Irene Baergen honoured for work with newcomers
On December 5, Irene Baergen of Edmonton First Mennonite Church received the King Charles III Coronation Medal at Government House in Edmonton for her years of volunteer service with Edmonton’s Newcomer Centre (formerly, Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers). “My claim to fame is that the first organization meeting was held in our living room over…
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Irma Fast Dueck reflects on lectionaries, honesty and worship
As some churches within MC Canada and MC USA embrace the Narrative Lectionary, Canadian Mennonite caught up with Irma Fast Dueck to ask about the use of lectionaries in Mennonite worship. Fast Dueck is associate professor of practical theology at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) where she has taught for over 30 years. She attends Bethel…
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Alberta writing team creates 2024 Advent resources
Seven people from three Mennonite Church Alberta churches pooled their creative talents to produce worship resources for this fall’s issue of Leader magazine. Leader magazine, a MennoMedia publication for MC Canada and MC USA constituents, publishes worship resources for Advent through Epiphany each fall. The resources include calls to worship, readings, hymn and sermon suggestions…
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MCEC reduces salary costs by 17 percent
Due to ongoing budgetary pressure, Mennonite Church Eastern Canada is making a 17-percent reduction in salary costs for the 2025–26 budget year. The leadership have made the difficult decision to lay off four staff. A November 20 open letter to MCEC churches from Ann L. Schultz, intentional interim executive team leader, and moderator Ben Cassels,…
