The politicizing of CoSA
Disturbing and perplexing is the only way to describe the cut in federal funding for a proven program of ex-prisoner rehabilitation called Circles of Support and Accountability (CoSA). For more than two decades, this partnership between church and government contributed to public safety by matching three to five volunteers who meet weekly with released high-risk…
Healing the wounded city
For many people, the Christian faith and poverty are deeply interconnected. Acts of charity are widely viewed as a key aspect of the Christian life, and the church has a long history of providing relief and advocacy for justice for the poor. It’s somewhat puzzling then to discover that Christ himself said very little…
Readers write: March 30, 2015 Issue
‘Well-worn clichés’ can hide the truth Re: “A father’s struggle with his gay son,” March 2, page 29. The well-worn cliché of “God loves the sinner but hates the sin,” just like the well-worn cliché of “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,” is the essence of the gospel. Because God…
‘They have taken away my Lord’
These Easter morning words from Mary (John 20:13b) are prophetic for the church today, a time when we may have lost our bearings in our discipleship-oriented denomination. Peace themes are an integral part of our congregations. We are deeply involved in reconciliation and advocacy work. We seek to bring justice and relief to others. We…
Crucial conversations
My ears perked up at a recent seminar when a leader began to speak about crucial conversations. He defined such conversations as ones whose stakes are high, opinions vary and emotions run strong. I was even more eager to hear how he successfully led his extended family in a process related to his aging father.…
Why should I give to your church?
Helping people give money away over the past 15 years has been a tremendously rewarding part of my work at Mennonite Foundation of Canada. Many of these generous people are from the “builder generation” (born in or before 1945). The builders I’ve spoken with give generously, value church institutions and trust the people who run…
It’s time for a vote
“I know your works; you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15-16). There is so much handwringing going on in Mennonite circles about same-sex relationships, the…
Moving thinward (Pt. 2)
So what does the Bible say about thin places? Interestingly enough, in our Scriptures the human story begins in a thin place: the Garden of Eden. Regardless of one’s theology, and whether one believes the Garden of Eden is literal or symbolic, the narrative is clearly describing a thin place where humans experienced intimate and…
‘Our truth has been discovered’
“God has given us a toolkit,” said Wilma Derksen. First it was forgiveness when Wilma and Cliff’s daughter Candace was murdered in 1984. Then it was learning to love when they learned that Mark Edward Grant was arrested and charged with her murder in 2007, and then truth and justice as they sat through his…
