This is your family
Have you ever been introduced to a distant relative for the first time—maybe you didn’t even know that person existed—and yet you immediately felt a connection with them? After all, they are family! As part of a global Anabaptist family, we have family members all around the world, most of whom we have never met,…
‘A compelling example of leadership’
Pursuing a career in music education was a dream for Ann L. Schultz, who was always passionate about making music. Now after 30 years and on the cusp of retirement, she has been announced as the recipient of Conrad Grebel University College’s 2021 Distinguished Alumni Service Award. “Ann is a compelling example of leadership in…
Pastor, conference leader dies at 96
Jacob “Jasch” Tilitzky, longtime pastor and leader in Mennonite Church British Columbia and the wider Mennonite church family, died on Nov. 9 in Abbotsford. He was born in Gruenfeld, Ukraine, on October 21, 1925, the youngest of eight children, and immigrated to Waldheim, Sask., with his parents when he was less than a year old.…
A pastor in the digital age
Over the course of the pandemic, many pastors and church leaders have grumbled about the woes of technology and the rise of Zoom worship gatherings. But for Lisa Martens Bartel, the move to online worship provided an unexpected ministry opportunity. “I received an email through our farm’s website, completely out of the blue,” she says.…
‘Gratitude abounds’ at retirement celebration for Rockway’s principal
With laughter and tears, stories and good music, family, friends, colleagues and students past and present celebrated Ann L. Schultz’s retirement from Rockway Mennonite Collegiate on Nov. 28. With some people in-person at the school, including a safely distanced choir, and hundreds more joining the live stream, it was a time to offer gratitude for…
Long-time cook nurtured young staff at House of Friendship
Mabel Steinman was a long-time cook at the House of Friendship in Kitchener, Ont., serving meals to the hostel residents for 26 years. She was the proverbial mother or grandmother, providing them with a touch of home, a warm meal and encouragement. She received many thanks for her home-cooked meals. In many ways, Mabel Steinman…
Chicken and Rice Casserole
This chicken and rice casserole reminds me of Mabel Steinman, the cook at House of Friendship during my years there in the 1970s. You can read more about Mabel Steinman here. ½ cup diced onion ½ cup diced celery 2 Tablespoons butter 2 cups cooked chicken cut in bite-sized pieces 3 cups cooked rice 1…
Changing of the guard
Eddy Rempel is the newly appointed executive director of Mennonite Community Services of Southern Ontario (MCS) based in Aylmer, Ont., replacing the retiring Abe Harms, who worked for the organization for 22 years. Rempel, who has spent most of his life in Aylmer, has been a dedicated supporter of MCS, distinguishing himself as an avid…
Time well spent with MCC
It has been well over half of their lifetime ago—“38 years to be exact,” said one of the six women who gathered on a warm August evening with their spouses to reminisce about their year of living in an intentional community doing voluntary service. One couldn’t attend the gathering. And now, even though they are…
Seeing God in the lives of others
Eight years ago, I received an e-mail from then editor Dick Benner, asking me whether I’d consider being Canadian Mennonite’s Saskatchewan correspondent. It sounds trite to say that I felt God calling me to take this job, but that’s exactly how I felt. My years as a homeschooling mom had come to an end when…
