Young and old, heart to heart
In many traditional cultures, elders are older people who are revered as keepers of wisdom. In North America’s current youth-glorifying post-everything-online culture, older people are sometimes viewed as those who have been left behind. Yet those who are in the first third of life still long for understanding, encouragement, wisdom and blessing from those who…
Mennonite musicians ‘rule’ in Winnipeg
Writers with Mennonite roots, like David Bergen, Miriam Toews and Di Brandt, have long dominated southern Manitoba’s literary scene. Now, the community’s music scene is experiencing a similar sort of influence. One of the most sought-after recording engineers and producers in Winnipeg, John Paul Peters, was brought up Mennonite. Michael Petkau Falk, artistic director of…
Pennsylvania confirmed as site for 2015 MWC assembly
With eyes wide open about the visa challenges faced by international participants, especially youths, the Executive Committee of Mennonite World Conference (MWC) agreed on May 9 to hold the next global assembly in the United Sates in July or August 2015, in Harrisburg, Pa. The action, taken at the committee’s annual meeting in Taipei, was…
A river runs through it
River levels are changing daily at Camp Assiniboia as the Assiniboine River ebbs and flows around the south and east boundaries of the camp. Unprecedented volumes of water are creating great stresses on the dikes and diversions that lie along the path of this major Manitoba waterway. David and Kathryn Hogue, who live at the…
A double-edged sword
Divorce can be seen as a double-edged sword that cuts two ways, with the potential to bring both pain and healing. With one edge, it ends a marriage and there is great loss and brokenness. At the same time, the sword of divorce severs what has died, and, in doing so, creates new possibilities of…
When savers and spenders marry
“But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate” (Mark…
Readers write
Stop ‘cherry picking’ the Bible Re: “Bible teaches against women in ministry” letter, April 4, page 12. Peter Rempel reminds us that the Bible teaches against women in ministry and references Paul’s letters to Timothy and the Corinthians as back-up. Nice cherry picking by Rempel, but he is letting our women off the hook far…
For discussion
1. What percentage of the adults in your congregation attended a church school at some level? Do you agree that fewer young people are choosing Mennonite schools today? What is the major deterrent? Should congregations provide tuition assistance to encourage students to attend Mennonite schools? Does yours? 2. What are the education options in your…
