Digital church
A while back, a friend pondered whether it is possible to have a meaningful experience of church primarily through digital means. I doubt it. But that got me thinking about how much of our congregational experience is lived digitally. How does your church live in a digital world? It’s essential to consider the practical, ethical…
Valaqua: A place where people express God’s love
I have worked at Camp Valaqua for a total of six summers, and this summer I am back on staff after being away for a few years. Valaqua is a place where I learned many things. It was my first job. I learned how to work with a large group of people cooperatively. Valaqua is…
Creating a wardrobe to match your values
If you wear clothes, then you need to care about how they were made and who made them. Even if you aren’t interested in “fashion.” Even if it means giving up your favourite stores and finding new ones. Even if you think it won’t be available in your budget, style, or size (it is). How…
West Hills congregation tries ‘messy church’
Two years ago, West Hills Fellowship, in Baden, Ont., faced up to its small-church realities. It had lost some families for a variety of reasons, and found it challenging to run programs and Sunday morning worship services. That’s when the congregation tried a “messy church” model. During a sabbatical visit to a church plant on…
A rewarding experience
Connecting with children can be a rewarding experience. When someone says thank you, it feels good. This is what happened at a Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) newcomers engagement project, held at various venues in St. Catharines, including Grantham Mennonite Brethren Church and a local library, from July 6 to Aug. 31. The project included activities…
Auction raises funds for Amish private schools
Each summer, on the third Saturday of July, the Milverton Amish communities organize a large auction to raise funds for their parochial schools. Hosted on Amish farms throughout the community, this year’s sale, held on July 20, was sprawled across a recently harvested hayfield on the Kuepfer farm north of Milverton. Much like the…
An experiment in generosity
It’s been said “there’s no such thing as a free lunch,” but it turns out there is at Emmanuel Mennonite Church. Passersby at the church on Clearbrook Road this summer have been seeing a thriving community vegetable garden along with signs inviting them to help themselves to whatever they wish. In addition to English, the…
Singing, serving and studying
When summer comes, many churches experience a drop in attendance. But being fewer in number can be an opportunity to try new forms of worship. Singing together This summer, several Mennonite Church Saskatchewan congregations chose to worship in creative and perhaps less conventional ways. For the second summer in a row, Eigenheim Mennonite, located eight…
12 organizations worth recognizing during Mennonite Heritage Week
At the end of May, Parliament passed a motion declaring the second week of September as Mennonite Heritage Week. The motion, put forward by Abbotsford MP Ed Fast, cited the role Mennonites have played “in promoting peace and justice both at home and abroad” as one of the reasons for the recognition. Indeed, if there…
