Volume 26 Issue 11

Hybrid church

(Photo by Samantha Borges/Unsplash)

When you hear the words “church,” the first thing that pops into your head is probably not “tech team.” And yet, as we’ve lived through two years of pandemic worship, those folks operating the video camera, microphones and the Zoom controls have been vital to the church’s life together. The people managing the congregation’s YouTube channel and Facebook page have played important roles.

The way is made by walking

Kirsten Hamm-Epp and her eldest son, Peter, have fun in the garden. The family has plans to plant more squash this year. (Photo courtesy of Kirsten Hamm-Epp)

When we walk together, we are not only challenged to show Jesus to the ones beside us, we are also challenged to recognize Jesus within them. He is the way, the destination, the companion, and the nourishment. (istock.com photo by Zachary Justus)

Lately I’ve had a lot of trouble concentrating. This past week I have spent far too many hours staring at my computer screen without much progress being made. When this happens, I find myself staring at my to-do list, expecting things to take care of themselves, and being surprised when, at the end of the day, I can’t cross anything off that list.

When the ‘grey’ is not holy

(Photo by Bernard Hermant/Unsplash)

Life is complicated. And this means “issues” are complicated.

The Bible doesn’t give us as “black and white” a picture of life and faith as some of us might wish. In fact, that’s one of the beautiful things about the Bible: It presents human experience in all its messiness. The older I get, the more I realize this truth: Life is complicated.

Evangelism congress

(Photo: Conference of Mennonites in Canada Photo Collection)

In 1966, Christianity Today magazine sponsored the World Congress on Evangelism, held in West Berlin from Oct. 26 to Nov. 4. It brought together 12,000 invited delegates from a hundred countries. The events were chaired by Carl F.H. Henry and Billy Graham. John M. Drescher reported on the event in a series of articles in The Canadian Mennonite.

What holds us together?

(Photo by Aarón Blanco Tejedor/Unsplash)

My father cleaned out his bookshelves recently, and I acquired some more books about Mennonite history. One is a book I read with great interest when it came out in 1988, Why I Am A Mennonite. Almost every chapter is written by a Mennonite with a very traditional Russian or Swiss Mennonite last name.

Don’t be afraid of your weaknesses

The 2022 graduates of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Ind., celebrate together by tossing their caps in the air in the seminary’s library following the commencement service on April 30. (Photo by Jason Bryant / AMBS)

César García, general secretary of Mennonite World Conference, gives the address at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary’s 2022 commencement service on April 30. (Photo by Jason Bryant)

For wisdom and insight to face today’s leadership challenges, César García invited participants at the Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) commencement service on April 30 to look to the story of Moses and his call to serve in Exodus 4:1-17.

MC Eastern Canada plants seeds for a new future

Pastor Yoel Trakoon Masyawong and a group from the Lao Mennonite Fellowship Canada led the gathering in music. (MCEC photo by Luke Fillion)

Friends connect at MC Eastern Canada’s annual gathering. From left to right: Brandon Hewitson, Brittany Anonthysene, Khan Thirakul and Katie Anonthysene. (Photo by Virginia A. Hostetler)

Goshen Mennonite Church, Ottawa, was welcomed as a provisional member of MC Eastern Canada. Congregational representatives, left to right: Dany Mugisha, Moses Mugisha, Naomie Machichi, Thereze Machichi and Gloria Mihanitse (MCEC photo by Luke Fillion)

Moderator Arli Klassen greets participants of the MC Eastern Canada’s hybrid annual gathering. She and dozens of others attended via Zoom. (MCEC photo by Luke Fillion)

“Yes, we all lost sound at the Great Commission.” That humorous comment by Cathrin van Sintern-Dick appeared in the Zoom chat of the first hybrid annual church gathering of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, held April 29 and 30.

Art and inspiration at B.C. Women’s Day

Freda Lombard of Zealous Art shows the B.C. Women’s Day participants the picture that they will be painting. (Photo by Amy Rinner Waddell)

Christine Wiebe of Crossroads Community Church in Chilliwack, tries her hand at guided artwork during the B.C. Women’s Day on May 7. (Photo by Amy Rinner Waddell)

Women of Mennonite Church B.C. once again gathered in person for the spring Women’s Day on May 7, following a two-year pandemic-related hiatus. The event, held at Emmanuel Mennonite Church in Abbotsford with 32 participants, was limited to the morning hours only this year.

Two MKS graduating students share their stories

Tinsae Negusu is graduating from Meserete Kristos Seminary this year. (Photo by Joanne De Jong)

Graduating student Ermako Awano enjoys bringing shalom to Meserete Kristos Seminary by tending the seminary’s garden. (Photo by Joanne De Jong)

Mennonite Church Canada Witness worker Werner De Jong teaches at Meserete Kristos Seminary (MKS); his classes are mostly made up of third- and fourth-year students. Fourth-year students in the English program are required to do a research paper, which they must defend at the end of the term. Two of the graduating students are profiled below.

Ermako Awano

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