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The end in mind
How will people remember you when you die? That’s the question at the heart of “Stone Cutter,” one of the key tracks on Etch Your Own Stone, the new album from Saskatoon bluegrass quartet Sparky and the Plugs. In the song, written by banjo player Curtis Wiens, the singer contemplates how he will spend his…
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A Prayer for the Danforth
Oh God of Love, Maker of human neighbours and neighbourhoods, Hear our prayer from the Danforth, for the Danforth. Hear our cry of anguish and disorientation; Our sidewalk cafes are shattered and scattered; we are suddenly lost in our own home town. Calm us! Hear our cry of fear, we run, we hide, from…
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Broken glass angels provide hope and jobs
Originally, they were made of pieces of broken glass from the rubble an Israeli tank left behind when it slammed into the gift shop at the International Centre of Bethlehem (ICB) in 2002. Today the glass angels of peace are made of used bottles and have emerged into a small business enterprise employing around 50…
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Bridging the rural-urban divide to help end world hunger
Fifteen acres of wheat and a good cause—that’s what brought nearly 200 people together in Pembina Crossing, Man., in June 2018. Some drove two hours from Winnipeg, others five minutes from their rural homes. Most came from Anglican church communities in Winnipeg. “It was a moment where I felt like I was part of something…
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Theological conference builds graduate student connections
What surprised me the most at the graduate student conference hosted by the Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre (TMTC) on June 14-16 was the prayer gathering that happened each morning. I expected that only two or three people would appear, but I was wrong; more than 20 people came. Of course, not everyone attended but a…
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South Korea recognizes rights of COs
The Constitutional Court of Korea brought an end to 70 years of imprisoning conscientious objectors when it ruled June 28 that it is unconstitutional for South Korea not to offer alternative service options for COs. It is estimated that about 20,000 males have been punished for refusing military service since the first draft laws were…
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Willems statue commissioned for Manitoba museum
A peace exhibit committee has commissioned Manitoba sculptor Peter Sawatzky to build a bronze statue of martyred Anabaptist Dirk Willems. Based on an engraving of Willems, by Jan Luyken in Martyrs Mirror, the monument is intended to recognize the Anabaptist ideals of peacemaking. The life-size statue, to be completed in 2018, will be the focal…
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Supporting uprooted people around the world
There are more than 65 million displaced people worldwide—nearly double the population of Canada. The United Nations says this number is unprecedented and the need for humanitarian assistance is only growing. The crisis isn’t isolated to one region. People are being displaced all over the world, testing the resources and resilience of populations from Europe…
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MCC U.S. boosts its immigration work with churches
As the U.S. government increases immigration enforcement, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) U.S. has been expanding its legal training, resources and educational opportunities for immigrants and advocates. People living in the U.S. without official documentation are increasingly fearful that they will be separated from their families by detention or deportation, says Saulo Padilla, MCC U.S. coordinator…
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Ending with hope
May 3, 2018, was Henry Paetkau’s last day in the Mennonite Church Eastern Canada office, but he wasn’t quite done yet. On June 5, he delivered the final address of the Ralph and Eileen Lebold Endowment for Leadership Training fundraising dinner at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo. (See more about the Lebold fundraising dinner at…
