Building friendships and breaking down walls
It has been 30 years since Ed Olfert first set foot in the federal penitentiary in Prince Albert, Sask., but he wasn’t there to serve time! Speaking at a Parkland Restorative Justice information meeting held in Rosthern, Sask., on Sept. 15, Olfert told the audience how, in 1988, he sat on the Conference of Mennonites…
Exploring God’s call
Werner and Joanne DeJong faced a challenging decision. After many years of pastoral ministry with Edmonton’s Holyrood Mennonite Church, they felt called to consider ministry in East Africa. The call, however, was not equally clear for each of them or for their congregation. In many ways, the call was not surprising. In the last 15…
‘It’s time for the next generation to step up’
Despite summer temperatures, the leaves on the trees surrounding Black Creek Pioneer Village were tipped with autumn red on Sept. 15, the day of the annual Toronto Mennonite Festival. Traditionally known as the Black Creek Pioneer Village MCC Relief Sale, the event began in 1967 and has raised more than $1.3 million. This year, the…
‘This is a holy and good thing’
What does “turn the other cheek” mean when you’re abused by your pastor? What does “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” mean when you’re dealing with gendered power imbalances within your group of friends? What does “made in the image of God” mean when you’re an LGBTQ member of a church experiencing…
Grebel sings to bridge gaps and build community
At the beginning of the 2018-2019 school year, students, staff and faculty at Conrad Grebel University College took a deep breath and sang together, first in unison, and then in several different parts to build a new melody. The piece called “We All Sing” was written by Karen Sunabacka, a Grebel prof, and commissioned for…
Students gain out-of-school experience
This past spring, students from Rockway Mennonite Collegiate’s Grade 8 class began participating in a new project whose goal is to build character, skills and perspective; and to create opportunity for students to serve our larger community. The students, led by science teacher Gail Snyder, extended their classroom learning by working alongside adults with intellectual…
Canadian schools show slight student increases
Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ont. This September, more than 260 post-secondary school students made their way to Conrad Grebel University College on the University of Waterloo campus. Arriving from across Canada (primarily Ontario), the United States, and internationally from Indonesia, India, Sudan, Vietnam and China, these students bring much energy, ambition and excitement to…
New website locates EMU alumni businesses, internship opportunities
Royal Connections, a new feature launching on the Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) website, showcases alumni-owned or -managed businesses all over the world, and helps students, parents and graduates find and connect with them. Do you live in Winnipeg, and need a mediation or conflict management specialist who loves EMU as much as you do? No…
An exciting opportunity
Annalee Giesbrecht is getting more than she bargained for when she agreed to serve with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC)—and she wouldn’t have it any other way. When she arrived in Haiti to work with the relief organization, she planned to be away from Canada for a year. A few months later, however, she was offered…
Thought-provoking pop
Looking for new music? Check out these singles from three exciting Canadian acts: “RAYZ” by Royal Canoe Paper Bag Records (royalcanoe.com) Royal Canoe’s fourth full-length recording, Waver, doesn’t come out until the end of January, but the Winnipeg-based sextet has already put out the album’s first single. Released during the dog days of summer, “RAYZ”…
