‘Fear not’
In the past few weeks, a theme has emerged in my Advent singing and Scripture reading: fear. Fear is all around us. A recent book about a fearmongering president is on the bestseller list. Politicians and pundits stoke a public paranoia, using it to boost their own power. Credible scientific reports alert us to the…
Welcoming the stranger at Christmas
The Christ Child has arrived. We’ve waited through four weeks of Advent to light that fifth candle, the Christ candle, symbolizing the presence of Christ in our midst. And we feel ready to welcome this baby with open arms. Don’t we? It’s easy to forget, I think, that the Christ Child received rather contradictory messages…
Readers write: December 17, 2018 issue
Kudos for ‘apologetic’ column Re: “‘I’m sorry’: Apologies and abuse” column by Carol Penner, Nov. 5, page 11. Thanks for some very good thoughts about how apologies can make things worse for victims of abuse. I especially like Penner’s fourth point: “We like things clean and tidy.” Perhaps this is because abuse in a church…
Everyone is on a journey
We are uniquely created in God’s image. The key phrase for me is that we are unique, and with the uniqueness comes a journey that is all our own. Our journey may look vaguely similar to that of those around us but could also look vastly different to the journey of others. No one knows…
A washroom smelling of stale beer
At 9:30 a.m., the church door opens. A young woman, a girl really, slips in quietly. She asks quickly, “Can I use the washroom?” My reply is to the already closed bathroom door. Two hours later, I decide to investigate. The visitor has not reappeared. I knock, asking if she is okay. A mumbled voice…
Women in church vocations
To encourage women to enter church-related work, the General Conference Mennonite Church began the “Women in Church Vocations” program in 1957. Pictured, Elmer Ediger discusses the new program with interested young women at Canadian Mennonite Bible College in Winnipeg. Women recruited to the program would pursue a college education and be mentored into such positions…
Christmas rush
Christmas is one of my favourite times of the year. Everyone is so joyful! We get excited for tree decorating, Christmas shopping, starting our Christmas baking while playing Christmas carols in the background, and preparing for the many gatherings that are soon to follow. And, whether you’re a last-minute shopper like I am, or one…
Identity, boundaries and new ways of thinking
Mennonites in Canada today are a diverse group, and the old stereotype of Mennonites as German-speaking agrarian people fits only a small part of the picture. The history conference, “A people of diversity: Mennonites in Canada since 1970,” held at the University of Winnipeg from Nov. 15 to 17, 2018, provided an opportunity to…
‘Opening to God’s leading’
In opening comments at Mennonite Church Alberta’s first of three Vision 2020 gatherings, Tim Wiebe-Neufeld, the regional church’s executive minister, asked people in the crowd to stand if they had left their place of birth in search of new life and opportunities. A few stood, and the crowd was aware that this is the situation…
