The path to forgiveness
It has been a very long and incredibly hard journey, but Cliff and Wilma Derksen of Winnipeg have finally come to a bright and sunny clearing in their lives. Their journey began more than a quarter-century ago when Candace, their 13-year-old daughter, went missing on her way home from school. Almost two months later, she…
Inspired to alleviate suffering
Three years ago, in the middle of reading Roméo Dallaire’s traumatic first-hand account of the Rwanda genocide, David Barker decided his future would be in disaster response. “It was the first time I read something about the actual suffering going on in the world,” says Barker, recalling his profound emotional response to Dallaire’s book, Shake…
‘I’ll take it from here’—Metzger
All indicators point to the old structures giving way to new ways of being the church, Willard Metzger told the nearly 400 delegates gathered for the 2011 annual church gathering of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada Friday, April 29. “This is the new reality and we really don’t know what it is.” Metzger, the new general…
Capitulate no more
Capitulation is tantalizing. Tucking our tails is tempting. This is why stories of the persevering human spirit are so inspirational. Those who overcome the black hole of capitulation surprise us by their tenacity. Mark Twain, with whimsical honesty, captures our capitulating nature: “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because…
Finding pastors in your backyard
Finding a good fit in a pastor is not an easy thing. Meeting a congregation’s present reality and hopes for the future is a daunting task for a search committee—given that we give the job to ordinary people, doing ordinary jobs. Granted, they love the church and are deeply committed to the life and health…
Readers write
Prayer needed as MC Canada prepares to downsize Re: “‘The signs are clear’: MC Canada leadership discerns a smaller church system,” April 4, page 18. While the factors feeding into this crisis are complex, I believe much of it has to do with how the whole national church sees itself and “what we can do…
For discussion
1. What emotional responses have you experienced in the presence of creative art? Is something creative always good? When should art be evaluated? Does censorship abuse creativity? 2. How does your congregation use art in worship? Do you agree that we need more creativity and visual art in worship? How might your congregation encourage its…
Creative connections
Like many pastors, Donita Wiebe-Neufeld, who co-pastors First Mennonite Church in Edmonton with her husband Tim, enjoys creating space for creative gifts to flourish. “It’s totally selfish. I love working with people like that,” she says in a telephone interview. Her enthusiasm is evident in her voice. In the fall of 2010, Wiebe-Neufeld found a…
Art that speaks volumes
The success of In the Spirit of Humanity, a series of art workshops encouraging acceptance of others across cultures and faith groups, prompted Mennonite Church Canada’s Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery curator Ray Dirks and fellow artists Manju Lodha and Isam Aboud to share the experience. They have completed a DVD about the project and are…
