Encore!
For Lori Wiebe, the May 8 performance of The Rock Slinger and his Greatest Hit, a musical about David and Goliath, was a significant milestone in her life. After 20 years of directing the Sargent Avenue Mennonite Church Children’s Choir, this was her last musical. In 1990, Wiebe, an elementary school music teacher, decided to…
Challenging the politics of empire
As a young Christian man actively involved in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, Mpho Putu knew that some of the movement’s protest songs included themes of revenge killing that posed challenges to what it means to be a faithful disciple of Jesus. Today, Putu is a pastor at a Vineyard church in Soweto…
Former Bible school helped shape the call for many pastors
About 140 former students and spouses of Ontario Mennonite Bible School and Institute met at Mannheim Mennonite Church, Petersburg, Ont., for a reunion on May 29. Laverne and Norma (Bauman) Martin were married 50 years ago, and, to celebrate, she began planning this reunion. She had kept in touch with others who graduated in the…
Working together in God’s vineyard
The 15th chapter of the Gospel of John begins with the verse, “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener,” then it goes on to speak about the techniques and practices used to assure a rich harvest. The images that these verses evoke are familiar to me not only because they have…
Who is to blame?
The Vancouver Canucks’ inability to score and some people’s penchant for blowing things up has caused me to agree with a zealous atheist. “Religion poisons everything,” contends Christopher Hitchens. He may be on to something—at least to the degree “Hockeyanity” has become Canada’s de facto religion. In British Columbia we observed two months of Stanley…
Partnerships create new ministry initiatives
In the past several years the Mennonite Church Manitoba board of directors consulted congregations to hear their wisdom and counsel for future direction. There was a desire for a more collaborative approach in bringing together congregations, individuals and other partners to build relationships and achieve ministry goals. Church planting and community development offer opportunities for…
Seeds of discontent
I’ve been to the dark side, met the people there and survived. Of course, they wore black, had dreadlocks and tattoos, were probably anarchists and drove a bus powered by veggie oil. Oh, they were also Christian. Last month, I was at an outdoor festival in rural North Carolina for progressive evangelical Christians. It was…
For discussion
1. Does your church have ways to connect personally with the individuals it helps? How important is this personal contact? Have you ever experienced awkward moments while providing help to someone? What aspect of the exchange was most awkward? 2. Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to accept help without the…
Just trying to help
My parents packed me, my sister and a Christmas hamper into the car. We were headed to an address provided by the local Cheer Board. The plan was for us to all go in for a short visit. I imagine the Cheer Board encouraged this to humanize the helping. Predictably, our venture took us to…
