A hermeneutic of suspicion
In a previous Family Ties column on sexual ethics (June 19, 2017), I wondered, “Where does the Bible help us [in this regard]? And where is it limited?” As I wrote, I imagined some readers might share my questions, while others would be puzzled, even disturbed, by them. Like many of you, I imbibed Paul’s…
The ‘yes’ perspective
When I was a very young girl, I realized that the coloured papers in my mother’s purse could get you things. That was my introduction to money. Growing up, I remained fascinated by the intense influence money has on human behaviour. The Bible has a lot to teach about our relationship with money, but adopting…
You’re getting worked up over nothing
Jesus and his disciples were invited to Martha’s house for dinner. Martha was toiling away in the kitchen by herself while everyone else, including her sister Mary, was in the living room huddled around a fascinating rabbi named Jesus, a man some were calling the Son of God. Stressed out and frustrated, Martha finally marched…
Cooperative
Cooperatives allow community members to pool their economic resources and were quickly adopted in many Mennonite communities as a continuation of the Mennonite mutual-aid tradition. During the economic and agricultural Depression of the 1930s, Mennonite farmers sought new sources of income. In the Altona and Winkler areas of Manitoba, the average number of milk cows…
Readers write: October 9, 2017 issue
Kudos to ‘Shared land’ organizers and participants Re: “Shared land” photo, Aug. 28, back cover. My husband and I attended and appreciated the focus on learning about and respecting the thousands of years of history of our land. It was a profound and honest way to celebrate Canada’s 150 birthday. Bringing that historical focus into…
The gift of sabbatical
Introduction A couple of Mennonite Church British Columbia pastors have been given sabbaticals this year. I would encourage all of our congregations to find a way to give their pastors a sabbatical. It is a win-win situation for both the congregation and the pastor. While it is vital to establish the discipline of Sabbath rest…
I didn’t share the Bridge Diagram with her
She sat on the sidewalk of the busy street corner, five months pregnant and without a place to call home. We sat there with her on the cold concrete, listening to her story of unwarranted eviction and the seizure of all her possessions. She didn’t know how it would work out, but she expressed certainty…
Jacob Shantz
Jacob Y. Shantz (1822-1909) of Berlin, Ont., (now Kitchener), with his family. Shantz was involved in fruit growing and maple-sugar production. He was a building contractor and industrialist, but is also remembered for his role in the establishment of Mennonite communities in Manitoba. The Manitoba village of Shantzenfeld is named in his honour. Shantz wondered…
Readers write: September 25, 2017 issue
Watson’s wisdom is ‘a pernicious fable’ Re: “Wisdom, where art thou?” (Pt. 10), July 24, page 13. After reading Troy Watson’s column, I’m inclined to wonder if we’ve gone backward to a time when emotions were lodged in the heart, anger in the spleen and reason in the brain. It’s my understanding that the human…
A huge challenge
It’s a big year for Lutherans—the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. So it struck me as significant that I was invited to present a sermon and serve communion alongside a synod bishop at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s national convention in July. At the 450th anniversary of the Lutheran’s Augsburg Confession of Faith in…
