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Young asylum seekers showcase art
“I’m always amazed at how quickly people dismiss the arts,” says Steve Norton, a pastor and film critic at Connect City Ministries, which is part of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. He joined young artists from families seeking asylum for the Resonate Art Exhibition at The Don on Danforth in Toronto on June 23. A group of…
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Public and protests pressure decision-makers in the war against Gaza
Following community pressure, in early July, the University of Waterloo (UW) in Waterloo, Ontario, dropped all legal charges against a group of students and concerned community members who were calling on the university to divest of any company that supports Israel as the war against Gaza continues. Occupy UW is part of a significant movement…
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Alberta event explores wild hope for creation
Don’t get “stuck in rage or paralyzed by fear,” said Joanne Moyer. “[Be] defiantly hopeful, despite the odds.” Moyer, associate professor at The King’s University in Edmonton, was presenting at a Mennonite Church Alberta event called “Wild Hope for God’s Garden.” The May 28-29 event was held at First Mennonite Church in Calgary. Approximately 25…
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Seeing beauty and injustice
Since her death in 1943, Simone Weil’s philosophy has impacted dozens of writers, thinkers and theologians. T.S. Eliot named her a saint. Simone de Beauvoir envied her spirit. Now, in The Literary Afterlives of Simone Weil: Feminism, Justice, and the Challenge of Religion, Cindy Wallace examines how nine writers, including Adrienne Rich, Annie Dillard and the Mennonite…
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Tokyo Anabaptist Centre a hub of activity
The Tokyo Anabaptist Centre has been a busy—and sometimes dusty—place this year, reports Gerald Neufeld, Canadian church worker in Japan. Neufeld and his wife, Rie, who serve as relationship catalysts with Mennonite Church Canada, hosted workdays with volunteers at the end of December as part of a renovation of the Centre. While only partially moved in,…
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Windsor church addresses toxic drug crisis
Rielly McLaren says the grief caused by toxic drug deaths feels staggering and palpable in his community. McLaren, who pastors Windsor Mennonite Fellowship, also serves as chaplain to men transitioning into new communities after completing prison sentences. The toxic drug crisis has hit both those communities. McLaren was one of five clergy from Windsor, Timmins,…
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Involuntary: Behind the scenes
Our article, “Involuntary: Terminated MCC workers call for accountability and change” (posted online on June 20, 2024 and appearing in the July 2024 print issue), is a particularly sensitive and important piece. We believe some readers may value hearing how the story came about and how we make decisions about a story like that. How…
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Statement from Mennonite Central Committee
The following statement was provided to Canadian Mennonite by Laura Kalmar, Director of Marketing and Communications, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Canada May 14, 2024 (MCC posted a subsequent statement(link is external) online on June 18, 2024.) We are aware of the grievance submitted by John Clarke and Anicka Fast, former Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) representatives for Burkina Faso, related…
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MCEC welcomes five churches at annual gathering
Over 200 people from 75 of the 110 Mennonite Church Eastern Canada congregations attended the MCEC annual gathering at the UMEI high school in Leamington, Ontario on April 26 and 27. During the sessions, MCEC welcomed five congregations as provisional members, marked the 200th anniversary of two churches, discussed a major new study on youth engagement…
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Author imagines a way forward amid environmental upheaval
A new book offers practices for leaders and communities to foster healthier cultures during a time of ecological devastation. In Tending Tomorrow: Courageous Change for People and Planet, Leah Reesor-Keller shares her own journey of meaning-making amid environmental and social upheaval with the hope that readers will use it to make sense of their own experiences,…
