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Last German service held at St. Catharines United Mennonite
On June 4, St. Catharines United Mennonite Church held its last German language service, marking the end of 78 years of providing support for the spiritual life of German speakers in the language of their heart. Many German-speaking Mennonites had come to Canada from Russia in 1923 and thereafter, escaping famine, revolution and civil war.…
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Ex-prisoners plant church
The following is an excerpt from the June 2023 issue of MKC News, the newsletter of Meserete Kristos Church (MKC), the Anabaptist denominational body in Ethiopia. Reprinted with permission. ETHIOPIA—Ejere Prison in the West Shewa Zone of Oromia Regional State is one of the prisons where the MKC Prison Ministry has been serving. In…
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Mennonite Centre building in Ukraine under Russian control
At first glance, the office appears unremarkable, but for the photograph of Vladimir Putin on a bookcase and the Russian flag on the desk. The woman in the picture looks awkward, her hands seem to rest uneasily, holding neither paper nor pen. The photograph was shared on a chatroom called “Collaborators of Molochansk.” The room…
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What is a picture worth?
In May, a painting sold for $18,900 at the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Christian Benefit Thrift Shop in St. Catharines, Ontario. Bidding started on the progressive silent auction item in mid-December, and closed on May 28, after no new bids had been placed for six business days. The donor of the painting has not been…
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The church that builds together, stays together
With suitcases full of work clothes and spirits full of enthusiasm, 13 people from Mount Royal Mennonite Church in Saskatoon traveled to Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia. The group served together on the Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) project to rebuild homes damaged by Hurricane Fiona in 2022. They were there from May 21 to 27.…
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Mennonite church hosts electric vehicle showcase
Every year, the town of Osler, Saskatchewan, celebrates July 1 with a pancake breakfast; a parade with horses, old cars and tractors; rollkuchen and watermelon at the community hall; and, finally, fireworks and a concert. It’s an amazing accomplishment, given that many small towns no longer have the resources to host July 1 celebrations. Visitors come…
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Housebarn recreates the past
A glimpse into how Mennonites lived and farmed a century ago awaits those who tour the recently opened housebarn at Mennonite Heritage Museum in Abbotsford, B.C. The design is a slightly scaled down replica of a housebarn owned by Mennonites in the Russian village of Neu-Osterwick near Zaporizhzhia. According to museum executive director Richard Thiessen,…
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Train tour prepares to leave the station
One hundred years ago, the first of 21,000 Mennonites who left the Soviet Union boarded a train in Quebec City for new lives across the country. On July 6 some of their descendants and others will replicate that journey when they board a train for a trip that will go all the way from Quebec…
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A voice for peace
Pastor Reuben Tut and his church, Edmonton South Sudanese Church, celebrated God’s calling of Tut at his ordination on May 13. God’s call has pursued Tut through doubts, civil wars and across two continents. Tut, a member of the Nuer tribe from South Sudan, describes his journey into pastoral ministry as “a long story.” Tut…
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Cheryl Braun ordained in Manitoba
The Glenlea Mennonite Church family was thrilled to ordain Cheryl Braun on June 11, in the presence of not only the local congregation but also many of Cheryl’s friends and family who came to show their support. Cheryl grew up in the North Kildonan area of Winnipeg and worked for years at Mennonite Collegiate Institute…
