Volume 18, Number 13
‘Such is the kingdom’
They sat in rapt attention, taking in every word from the 80-year-olds sitting in front of them. The usual restlessness was gone. The children took in every word.
The truth about sexual abuse will set you free
The pulpit in the Jesuit Saint-Loup church in Namur, the Netherlands. The monumental sculpture, ‘Suffer little children to come unto me’ was made by the Dinant sculptor Benjamin Devigne (1827-94) in 1876.
I came across an editorial by Dick Benner a few months ago and was distressed to read about the late—and highly regarded—John Howard Yoder having sexually violated 80 women “at last count” (“Healing sexual abuse,” Sept. 2, 2013, page 2). This was news to me, as I am relatively new to the Mennonite circle.
For discussion: The truth about sexual abuse will set you free
1. Why do some of us find it so difficult to talk about sexual abuse? What is it about sexual abuse and allegations of misconduct that makes them so hurtful? Is sexual misconduct an open subject in your congregation? How important is listening in the healing process?
Readers write: June 23, 2014 issue
Informed scientists agree global warming is man-made
Gathering under the Assembly tent
From July 3-6, our extended family of faith gathers underneath the Assembly “tent.” We welcome newcomers and greet old friends, drawing closer together through praise, worship, prayer, thought-provoking speakers and group discernment on matters of faith and life. Our time together culminates by sharing communion under one roof.
The deadly sin of envy
The green-eyed monster twined through my family tree in an almost funny way. It began with my 88-year-old grandmother. She was irritated because her older sister had just planted a garden. My grandmother was too unsteady on her feet that spring to do the same, and she fussed, “Why does she get a garden and I don’t?” Shades of jealousy.
How to plan your digital estate
The most surprising “friend” request I ever received on Facebook came from someone I knew only slightly.
That may not seem unusual, except the person was dead. When I clicked the Facebook page, which has since been taken down, I found an unusual memorial. It spoke of being glad to be free of pain and cancer, missing family and so on.
Prayer is a way of being
As we seek to better understand how we attune ourselves to Divine Spirit, it’s helpful to look at how Jesus’ original disciples attuned themselves to the Holy Spirit. Acts 1 tells us how they prepared for Pentecost and reveals what they were doing that resulted in their Spirit baptism. “These [disciples] all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer.” (Acts 1:14 NASB)
No back row
Florence and Otto Driedger’s Regina living room is the opposite of the mega-church auditoriums that have become popular. On a typical Sunday, you might find a handful of refugees, a couple of people who have done time for sexual assault, and another handful of Euro-Canadian folk gathered around the retired couple’s living room, with Bibles open on their laps.
A call for Christians to be the kingdom of God
Greg Boyd, a best-selling author and cofounder of Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Minn., was this year’s “peace and justice guest” at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind.
“Look like Jesus, love like Jesus, serve like Jesus.” Greg Boyd, Ph.D., repeated this line several times during his visit to Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) over two days in late April.
Niagara-area thrift store marks 40 years
Patty Ollies (left), MCC Ontario thrift development officer and Kathleen Leadley, board chair, cut the cake celebrating the 40th anniversary of the thrift store in St. Catharines.
The Niagara-area Mennonite churches celebrated the 40th anniversary of the thrift stores in this area on March 24 with a dinner and potluck dessert. Over 200 past and present volunteers attended.
Music and the Environment—a locavore feast for ears and soul
Masie Sum, professor of music at Conrad Grebel University College, plays hand drum as part of the Grebel Gamelan players, at Sound in the Land on June 7. Gamelan are ensembles of Balinese percussion instruments. The Sound in the Land festival/conference was held at Grebel June 5-8, 2014.
Leanne Zacharias plays cello as R. Murray Schafer, seated on ground, plays his shoes in rhythm at Zacharias’ and Douglas Friesen’s workshop at Sound in the Land on June 7. The participants were invited to join in, making natural sounds they heard, remembered or could make on the spot.
Sound in the Land. Sound of the Land. Sound for the Land. Sound with and behalf of and from the Land. Sound. Land. Take your pick, there was something of all these in the 2014 Sound in the Land festival/conference, June 5-8 at Conrad Grebel University College.
Bethel Place residents host an art, craft and antique show
Henry Neufeld holds an ornamental walking stick that he carved from wood he picked up at Camp Assiniboia.
Ruth Heinrichs displays her mother’s wedding dress worn in 1911. Hanging beside it is her own wedding dress that she wore in 1951.
Lillian Toews holds a child-size violin she made in 1977. Beside her are portraits she has painted of her granddaughter and husband.
Mildred Giesbrecht pages through the diary kept by her grandfather, Abram Loeppky, born in 1844.
Susan Froese shows the red velvet tablecloth that once belonged to her grandmother, purchased in Russia over 100 years ago.
A buzz of excitement filled the common room at Bethel Place on June 5. A button collection with buttons dating as far back as the 1700s, photos over 100 years old, a beautifully polished samovar that was brought from Russia in 1923 and many other artifacts and artwork were among the items that evoked conversations and memories.
Graduates challenged to imagine what the world could be
Cheryl Pauls, Canadian Mennonite University president, centre, awarded President’s Medals to valedictorian Scott Sawatzky, left, and Justin Rempel, both English majors in the four-year bachelor of arts program, in recognition of their qualities of scholarship, leadership, and service.
Make the future a figment of your imagination. That was the message delivered to 80 graduates at the Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) graduation service on April 27.
New cookbook sells out before its official release
Three days before the official May 2 release date for Mennonite Girls Can Cook, Herald Press officials were already ordering a reprint. The cookbooks had arrived early from the printer, and workers at the Herald Press warehouses in Waterloo, Ont., and Scottdale, Pa., were filling 600 pre-orders and responding to nearly 3,000 new orders.
Helping ‘the youth of today’
Nutana Park Mennonite Church member Lynn Driedger, left, has been mentoring Jamie Winder for about five years. They are pictured at a mentor/youth Halloween party in 2008. (Nutana Mennonite Church photo)
Die Jugend von Heute.
Changing the language of worship a test of love
Faith Mennonite Church, Leamington, Ont., grew out of a painful split from Leamington United Mennonite Church in the late 1950s over whether to continue holding services in German or switch to English. (Photo courtesy of Mennonite Archives of Ontario, The Canadian Mennonite Collection)
Altona Mennonite Church, Man., began meeting in 1962 as an English-language congregation following a split from Altona Bergthaler Mennonite Church. (Photo courtesy of Mennonite Archives of Ontario, The Canadian Mennonite Collection)
Faith Mennonite Church, Leamington, Ont., is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, but its memories are tinged with sorrow as the new congregation grew out of a painful church split.
