Home children
George Bryant (standing) was a long way from the home of his birth when he posed with the Katie and Christian Bender family in about 1917. George was a British home child who arrived from Liverpool in 1907 and was sent to Stratford, Ont., for “distribution” to a local family. He believed his mother had…
Readers write: July 2, 2018 issue
Suicide may not be painless, but it is selfish Re: “Suicide isn’t painless,” May 21, page 16. I sympathize deeply with the Brandt/Penner family. My cousin used a gun to end his life; a very deep depression must have affected them both. It’s difficult to say, but it seems to me that suicide is…
Lost in transition
I have been thinking a lot about transition. Since early 2017, transition has been the theme of my life. When the expiry date of my work visa in the U.S. was nearing, and there was no clear path or short timeline to a new visa, my husband Allan and I faced many decisions about what…
The kingdom does not depend on us
Recently I spent a weekend at a discipleship retreat with a team of seven others from my church. It was great fun! As we learned and prayed, our inspiration for making disciples grew. We dreamed and planned for how we might develop leaders in our congregation. Truthfully, while it was energizing, it also felt more…
Food creates community
Cooking for one or two people can be a challenge, but Betty Ann Martin found that taking Food Fit courses at the Local Community Food Centre in Stratford, Ont., expanded her food repertoire. She learned that roasted vegetables are delicious and that sweet potatoes are very versatile—and they don’t need added sugar. “To make sweet…
Breakfast spinach frittata
Breakfast should be interesting, not boring! Betty Ann Martin expanded her food repertoire and gained new ideas for breakfast menus through her involvement with the Local Community Food Centre in Stratford, Ont. See more of her story here. This egg-and-vegetable dish gets you eating healthy vegetables for breakfast. 2 tsp. oil (preferably olive oil) 4…
Forestry service and fun
Old black and white photos often leave us with the impression that past generations were dour, ridged, thought in terms of black and white, and had no fun. But the technology of photography has done us a disservice in masking some of the character of the past. Life was lived in full colour, was complex…
Protests and pipelines
The May 7 and 21 issues of Canadian Mennonite deal in part with protests regarding the construction of pipelines. The editorial from May 21, “Questions of conscience,” asks us how we respond to concerns about pipelines and protests. I live in Burnaby, B.C., and am concerned about the topic, since the pipeline will practically go…
Readers write: June 18, 2018 issue
Unity starts with the fruit of the Spirit Re: “Ethics not the basis for Christian unity” letter, April 23, page 10. Walter Klassen states in his letter, “No matter how uncompromisingly we disagree on ethical issues, could we, as Christian believers, use that creedal confession [‘I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of…
CommonWord connections
Here are five ways to remain connected with CommonWord in our new regional church model: 1. Keep reading Many of us love a leisurely read on a summer beach blanket or in a hammock. Our 10th annual summer reading list might help you locate that perfect warm weather read. Or if summer is your chance…
