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Lymburner elected chair of Canadian Mennonite Publishing Service
On May 13, Canadian Mennonite Publishing Service (CMPS) held its 52nd AGM via video conference. CMPS is the non-profit body that publishes Canadian Mennonite magazine. Kathryn Lymburner of Stouffville, Ontario, was elected chairperson, replacing Henry Krause of Langley, B.C. Krause leaves the board after nine years, six as chairperson. In his final report, Krause said:…
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Adventure Club engages kids
Every Tuesday morning this summer, children from Emmanuel Mennonite Church have been searching for a sheep while finding fun through nature-themed stories, water games, art projects, and hands-on creation care activities. An alternative to the traditional Vacation Bible School, the Kids’ Summer Adventure Club gives children ages 5 to 10 something to look forward to…
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Art gallery nurtures connections with the past
An art gallery lines the hallway between the sanctuary and the auditorium of the Niagara United Mennonite Church near Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. The art hanging there reminds viewers of God’s guidance through difficult times, including separation, loss and escape. When the Russlaender centenary train trip stopped in Ontario in early July, about half of the participants…
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All or none
While Jakob Rempel was being transferred by train from one Gulag camp to another, he jumped from the train in a snowstorm. Ultimately, he ended up in Uzbekistan, near the town of Ak Metchet, made famous in Sofia Samatar’s celebrated 2022 book, The White Mosque. Having escaped the Gulag, Rempel witnessed first-hand the grim end…
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Facing death, rethinking life
I find myself in the middle of living and I am faced with death. Although it was expected, I was still surprised when a friend of mine died earlier this year. Another dear friend of more than 30 years was diagnosed with stomach cancer and four weeks later he had died. I had the privilege of helping…
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Growing in the right direction: Grebel’s pollinator garden
On a bright morning in April, Eva Booker and a team of student volunteers rolled out a 25-foot-wide tarp across Grebel’s front lawn in preparation for the College’s recent green initiative: a pollinator garden. “The garden now contains fifteen different native flowering plants and grasses divided into eighteen sections of the round garden,” explained Eva…
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A complicated centenary
The premise of the “Memories of Migration” Russlaender centenary train tour is a complicated one. The July tour commemorated the journey of the historic migration of 21,000 Mennonites from Russia to Canada by taking a train and various other forms of transportation from Montreal to Abbotsford. The tour made many stops along the way as…
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Consider the birders
When Gordon Janzen was searching for a way to unwind, he found it by looking up. Around 10 years ago, the Winnipegger realized he was working a lot and didn’t have many hobbies. Looking to develop his interests outside of work, Janzen got a pair of binoculars and started birding. Since then, birding (or birdwatching)—the…
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The gift of limited options
This past spring, Mennonite Church Alberta held its first in-person annual delegate sessions in four years. Representatives from across the province were in attendance. Who hosted this grand gathering? One of the smallest churches in the province: Springridge Mennonite. There are about 25 people in the pews at Springridge on a typical Sunday morning and…
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Anabaptism at 500 seeking story ideas for book
Anabaptists around the world are gearing up to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Anabaptist movement in 2025. To mark this historic occasion, MennoMedia’s Anabaptism at 500 project has announced the creation of a commemorative story book that will capture the diverse and inspiring stories of Anabaptist witness from around the globe. The book aims…
