Readers Write: December 2024
A sprinkling of change As I read the “Exit Interviews” issue of CM (September 2024), I thought of the words of Jessica Herlein in a Rejoice devotional from October 30, 2021: “All our systems for righting wrongs and making amends pale in comparison to God’s overtures of mercy and restoration.” Born and raised Mennonite, I…
Readers Write: November 2024
Good people hurt by MCC I am writing this letter in support of the individuals who wrote and signed the open letter to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and in support of the former and current MCC service workers and staff who have been and continue to be hurt by MCC. I personally know of former…
Readers Write: October 2024
Love and Hate I agree with Ryan Dueck’s insightful article, “A place for hate” (June 2024), particularly in today’s harsh world. In Ecclesiastes 3, Solomon observed there is a season for everything, including love and hate. This may seem chilling. Yet, Solomon also acknowledged that God makes everything beautiful in its time. Finding peace requires…
Readers Write: September 2024
Questions about MCC ethos I appreciate Canadian Mennonite’s reporting on the open letter from terminated Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) workers (“Involuntary,” July 2024). Well done. When I first read the open letter, I was distraught, but I shouldn’t have been; the appeal for accountability should be heard by leadership in all of our organizations. I’ve witnessed abrupt…
Readers Write: August 2024
Preparing for post-collapse limits In a recent article, Miles Wiederkehr notices that it is only after you start doing experiments in sustainability that you learn about certain laws that stand in the way of an energy-and nature-conserving culture (“The long road to freedom,” June 2024). Miles wrote about the legal obstacles to bringing multiple families…
Readers Write: August 2024 – Responses to ‘Involuntary’
From resigned MCC’ers For 17 of the past 32-plus years, we worked with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in four countries. MCC was instrumental in forming the values we try to live by today. We are grateful for this. On our last assignment, during which Dave served as an interim representative (overseeing programing in a country),…
Readers Write: March 29, 2024
Solution must be negotiated, not dictated I read with interest, and some disgust, Richard Penner’s letter (“Readers write”) in your January 26 issue and offer a few responses. First, Penner suggests that, in this conflict, logic and politics are more important than moral and ethical considerations. A key factor in South Africa’s move away from…
Readers write: March 8, 2024
To pay the price of peace Thank you for the February 21 webinar with Maoz Inon. He reminds me of the many Israelis who work for peace by embodying forgiveness, hope, justice and reconciliation. Their witness affirms my commitment to Anabaptism. The three Abrahamic religions clearly value the sacredness of life. The Qur’an states: “Whoever…
Readers write: February 23, 2024
Review the confession of faith In response to “Jewish perspectives” (January 26), I note that Article 22 of the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective states: “We believe that peace is the will of God. God created the world in peace, and God’s peace is most fully revealed in Jesus Christ, who is our…
Readers write: January 12, 2024
Touched by death and life After reading the November 3 issue of Canadian Mennonite, which focuses on Gaza, where so many people are dying (“Attending to war”), contrasted with people who are dying due to illness (“As he lay dying”), I was deeply moved. Those themes have been preoccupying me deeply and simultaneously recently. First,…
