“Good news . . . God dwells with us!”
At the last worship service of Mennonite Church Canada Assembly on July 8, Nelson Kraybill reminded the congregation that some of the aboriginal people in southern Ontario moved here from the United States as politics became intolerable there. He then quipped that if Sarah Palin were to get elected another flood of people might be…
Faith was their greatest weapon
Based on John Kiser’s 2003 book The Monks of Tibhirine: Faith, Love and Terror in Algeria, Xavier Beauvois’ 2010 movie, Of Gods and Men, was called “best perhaps the best movie on Christian commitment ever made,” by Richard Lowry in the New York Post. It is 1996 and eight Trappist monks have dedicated their lives…
Paetkau leaves Grebel in Good Shape
Henry Paetkau strides out of his office to resounding applause. After all, during his 8.5 years as president of Conrad Grebel University College, resident students have increased by 50 percent, the institution has moved to “university” status, the Masters of Theological Studies degree is now accredited (a move that in turn has brought funding that…
MCC requests funds for East Africa drought response
Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is appealing for donations in response to a critical drought and food crisis in East Africa, which has affected about 11 million people. MCC is responding in Kenya with food-for-work projects, while in Ethiopia, MCC funds are expected to be used for supplemental food for children under age 5 and lactating…
Community ministry has church bustling with activity
Visiting Jubilee Mennonite Church on a Thursday evening one discovers upwards of 30 neighbourhood youths excitedly milling about waiting to be shepherded into vehicles for an evening at Birds Hill Park, several young adults putting up a new basketball hoop, adults working in their garden plots, and throngs of young children playing in the yard…
Entrusted with kingdom currency
Recently I met with an elderly gentleman who had just celebrated his 92nd birthday. In a humorous fashion he noted that he was losing his hearing, losing his eyesight and now he feared he was “losing his marbles.” However, his wit continued to shine throughout our visit. During our conversation, he reminded me that all…
The ethics of flirting
The guy on the bus was flirting boldly. First he locked a laser stare on the young woman in front of him. Then he shot her a wide smile. When she smiled back, he upped the ante by reaching both hands up to his ears and giving them a comical pull. At that point, as…
When the people gather
The gathering of God’s People is critically important for faith from an Anabaptist perspective. For Anabaptists, the community of faith is a unique and critical environment for experiencing the presence of God’s Spirit. Popular Christianity prioritizes the individual’s relationship with God. In this mindset, it is the responsibility of the individual to adequately secure the…
Readers write
Love people enough to see them change Re: “Sexual inclusivity motion to be presented at national assembly,” May 30, page 15. If there are those LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning) members who no longer are active in that alternative lifestyle, why are they not dialogued with? Certainly there are those who have experienced the…
