A clear statement about stuttering
It is a hard thing to live with as much fear as Albert (Colin Firth) harbours. But it is especially difficult when you are a royal. For Prince Albert, later to become Great Britain’s King George VI, the familiar fears of authority figures, childhood bullies and judgmental crowds are made all the worse by his…
Doing worship and mission after Christendom
As Christendom weakens in Europe and North America, worship and mission are poised to reunite after centuries of separation. But this requires the church to rethink both “mission” and “worship.” In post-Christendom mission, God is the main actor and God calls all Christians to participate. In post-Christendom worship, the church tells and celebrates the story…
Movie not true to Mennonite life
Small Town Murder Songs is an independently produced Canadian movie with a Mennonite connection, first shown at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival. The story, set in what is supposedly a small Mennonite town in Ontario, deals with a local police chief who tries to solve a distressing rape and murder case. The movie was…
A thousand hallelujahs
“For God is great and worth a thousand hallelujahs!” proclaims the psalmist (The Message). On Jan. 23, a mass Faith and Life Male Choir united to celebrate more than 25 years of ministry and to proclaim this message with the psalmist. Treacherous driving conditions and heavy snow did not deter more than 2,200 concertgoers who…
A more inclusive overview of Mennonite history
The book Through Fire and Water: An Overview of Mennonite History was first published in 1996 by Herald Press and presented the Mennonite faith story within the sweep of church history for youths and adults wanting to learn more about the denomination or their heritage. Now, 14 years later, it needed to be revised and…
An interview with Eleanor Kreider on praying with an Anabaptist voice
Herald Press: What is the purpose of this book? Kreider: The impulse behind these two volumes is to help people to pray through Scripture, and to deepen their walk of faith. Herald Press: Some people might say that prayer, to be truly authentic, should be spontaneous—not read from a book. How do you respond to…
Prayer books help people feel connected to God
For Carrie Martens, a student at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Ind., using a prayer book like Take Our Moments and Our Days helps her feel “connected to God, to Scripture and the greater Christian community. . . . It has helped me pray in ways that are meaningful and with words that express my…
An interview with Arthur Boers on daily prayer
Herald Press: What is daily prayer? Boers: Common daily prayer is the practice—or discipline—of praying every morning and evening, using a set of prayers being used by other Christians around the world. In the more liturgical traditions, this practice is variously called the “daily office,” “divine office,” “common prayer,” “liturgy of the hours,” “morning and…
Uncovering ancient rhythms of daily prayer
When he was a young adult, Arthur Boers’ 17 year-old sister died of leukemia. Torn by grief, and unable to understand how God could allow such a terrible thing, he found himself unable to pray. “At times I had nothing to say to God or did not know how to voice my prayers,” says Boers,…
Book launch aids newcomers centre
On Nov. 10, Greenwoods Bookshoppe hosted a book launch for Canadian literary legend Rudy Wiebe’s newest book, Collected Stories/1955-2010, at Edmonton’s Oldtimer’s Cabin, a log building maintained by the Northern Alberta Pioneers and Descendants Association. It was Wiebe’s idea to use the event to fundraise for the Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers, a cause he…
