As our U.S. neighbours prepare to vote
The first time I flew overseas, I remember wondering whether I had flown beyond the reach of God. We had, quite literally, risen on the wings of the dawn and settled on the far side of the sea. My husband reminded me of Psalm 139: “…even there your hand will guide me.” I’ve had a…
Young adults plan spiritual retreat in B.C.
The call of Jesus to transform the world for the better is radical, and young adults say they are willing to answer that call. Attendees at next month’s Young Adult Anabaptist Conference for an Active Future will have the chance to connect, hear speakers, share ideas and encourage one another to pursue Jesus’s call to…
‘Stuck together’: MCBC AGM
With the theme of “Stuck Together,” delegates from all 23 congregations rejoiced together, wrestled with a budget deficit and welcomed a new church plant at the 2024 Mennonite Church B.C. annual meeting. Prayers were offered throughout the day in various languages spoken in MCBC congregations: Spanish, German, Hmong, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Chinese. The…
MoM 100: A final post
I like telling stories. And I like trains. So when organizers of the “Memories of Migration: Russlaender 100 Tour” asked if I would join the cross-country train tour as a reporter, it wasn’t a hard decision to make. Yes! Through the tour, which ran from July 6-24—I was on the first and third legs—I was…
Identity, boundaries and new ways of thinking
Mennonites in Canada today are a diverse group, and the old stereotype of Mennonites as German-speaking agrarian people fits only a small part of the picture. The history conference, “A people of diversity: Mennonites in Canada since 1970,” held at the University of Winnipeg from Nov. 15 to 17, 2018, provided an opportunity to…
‘Opening to God’s leading’
In opening comments at Mennonite Church Alberta’s first of three Vision 2020 gatherings, Tim Wiebe-Neufeld, the regional church’s executive minister, asked people in the crowd to stand if they had left their place of birth in search of new life and opportunities. A few stood, and the crowd was aware that this is the situation…
‘Much is expected’
After more than three years and with a budget of $1.4 million, Hagerman Mennonite Church in Markham, Ont., has completed a significant building renovation. But more than efficient space and a sleek exterior, the project represents the power of this church, a diverse partnership of different congregations, to work together as the body of Christ…
‘Living our values’
When members of the Canadian Mennonite Health Assembly gathered at Menno Place in Abbotsford in early November 2018 to discuss this year’s theme, “Living our values,” medical assistance in dying (MAiD) was on the agenda. During the business session, members drafted the following statement: “The Canadian Mennonite Health Assembly, as a faith-based organization, believes: All…
‘Bring us beyond our own stories’
Among the voluminous lists of those disappeared during the dark times in what is now Ukraine, researchers have found roughly 400 pages of Mennonite names, with five or six names per page. That is just for Zaporizhzhia province. The lists for all Ukrainian provinces are available online, though printed in Cyrillic script. Each name a…
Thankfulness in a taxicab
Eva Klaassen lives in a seniors housing complex in Prince Albert. She doesn’t own a car, so every Sunday morning she takes a taxi to Grace Mennonite Church. Many of the drivers are new to Canada, she says, but all are very friendly. Often, when they find out that she wants them to take her…
