The church mirror
Some churches have a mirror in their cloak rooms. You might want to check your reflection before going in to worship. In older, more formal times, you might have combed your hair or adjusted your tie. Sometimes you are satisfied with your reflection, even pleased. Other times, you might be disappointed or avoid looking. Whatever…
A united witness
This month marks the 65th anniversary of English-language magazine publishing for Mennonites in Canada. The Canadian Mennonite, a precursor to the magazine you are holding in your hands (or reading on a screen), was launched in 1953 as “an English-language weekly, devoted to the affairs of Mennonites across Canada.” After publishing an introductory issue in…
Readers write: October 8, 2018 issue
A call for more conscientious coverage of abuse disclosures Re: “Decades-old sexual abuse comes to light,” Sept. 10, page 13. It is with concern and disappointment that we write regarding Ruth-Ann Klassen Shantz’s disclosure of abuse perpetrated by Lawrence Pentelow, a man in power at a Mennonite institution. The way we talk about sexualized abuse…
From ‘I think’ to ‘We think’
What do you do when you’re not sure what to do? This was the topic of conversation as a friend and I met around his table this summer. He was talking about his children who were starting out in life. They were facing the usual challenges of children, mortgage and jobs. We remarked on how…
Glimpses of a holy heritage
My name is Ed Olfert. I live in Laird, Sask., and currently serve as part-time minister of Grace Mennonite Church in Prince Albert. Some time ago I critiqued Canadian Mennonite. The executive editor called my bluff and offered me a column. I inherit a double helping of storytelling tradition. My parents immigrated to Canada as…
Gathering and sharing seeds of faith
Some years ago, a seed was planted in my heart to take a group of intergenerational North American Mennonite women to share faith and life stories with other Mennonite women in an international setting. This summer, after much planning with TourMagination and excellent guidance from our Tanzanian connector and translator, Esther Muhagachi (presently studying at…
Peace Factory
“Groups keep pleading for Peace Factory,” said a Mennonite Central Committee memo in 1996. An interactive exhibit, Peace Factory was a cooperative Mennonite project. Its goal was to “help all Christians connect their faith in God with a life of peacemaking.” In 1997, it toured southwestern Ontario. Pictured at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Kitchener, a…
Modern ghosts of a horse-drawn scandal, Part 1
Eight men went to prison, the media gaze moved on and colony life resumed. But the saga of mass rape in the Bolivian corner of our family of faith is far from over. The crime could not have been more salacious, nor the scandal more sensational. And the truth of it all could not trace…
Online extras: Modern ghosts of a horse-drawn scandal, Part 1
Eight men went to prison, the media gaze moved on, and colony life resumed. But the saga of mass rape in the Bolivian corner of the Mennonite family of faith is far from over. This supplement accompanies Part 1 of “Modern ghosts of a horse-drawn scandal,” a four-part series on the ongoing legacy of the…
