Volume 16, Number 24
Roadblocks for Christmas
Last Christmas Eve, Todd Hanson encountered road blocks on his way to church in Chengdu.
On his way to church Christmas Eve, Todd Hanson passed street vendors in Chengdu selling suit-case sized fruitcake.
On his way to church last Christmas Eve, Todd Hanson found the police had erected roadblocks to facilitate crowd control. Hanson lives in Chengdu, China, where he and his wife Jeanette are Mennonite Church Canada workers, teaching and providing Anabaptist resources to Chinese students and church leaders.
New source documents in Mennonite history
What happens when an ethno-religious group feels their way of life is threatened? For over a century, before the October 1917 revolution in Russia, Mennonites in Ukraine had considerable independence in managing their own villages, churches, schools, and communities. As this way of life was threatened by a new Soviet regime, they sought a strategy for survival. And they prayed.
Congolese flee as rebel army controls city
Mbonye Buhunda, 38, her husband and their six children, including Mapenli, 11 and Ishara, 13, pictured, have been displaced repeatedly.
Many of the people displaced when rebel group M23 recently took control of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo had already been displaced a number of times earlier this year, says an MCC worker
Housing project visualizes new model of care
Those who live at the St. Clair O’Connor Community enjoy good fellowship.
Over the last number of years the St. Clair O’Connor Community (SCOC) Board has reviewed and renewed its mission statement and constitution. Through these evaluations many questions were raised about this multi-generational housing project that currently has residents from young children to those over 100 years old.
The paths and ditches of Biblical interpretation
Path # 8: We are part of a larger story of “God’s love affair with the world.”
By Willard Metzger, Being a Faithful Church Task Force member
Is theology biblical?
In our denomination the academic discipline known as theology is given a lofty position. But when I look at the influences that have formed me as a Christian, theology is just one among many.
A funeral state of mind
At the risk of sounding creepy, I like the way we Mennonites do funerals. Specifically, I like the way people act during the funerals and for a few hours after funerals. If only we could stay forever in a funeral state of mind.
A gospel shaped for me?
There’s no end of hand-wringing these days in our churches of how to keep young adults interested. The “next” generation is leaving the church faster than hockey fans from a lockout and we’re all asking why.
Readers write
For discussion
1. Wendy and Phil Reimer describe some instances when God intervened in the lives of Christians. Can you think of similar experiences that you or other Christians have had? Why might they be difficult to talk about?
Learning from my Grosspa about the voice of God
In my earliest recollection Jacob Janzen was 60-something. He was not the oldest person I knew and rather undistinguished. He came walking tiredly up the sidewalk to the house in his rubber boots and a kepi—the sort of hat factory workers wore in the 60s, not quite a ball cap, but billed with a pill-box sort of shape.
Distinguishing the voice of God can be difficult
Wendy Reimer works at a health clinic in Guatemala.
The medical team ran clinics in several villages.
The following articles are from a presentation by Wendy and Phil Dyck at Rockway Mennonite Church several months ago.
Thank you!
As I write this last editorial of 2012, I am overcome with gratitude.
