Militia lays down arms in Congo
As truckloads of militia drove into Tshikapa to lay down their arms, Joseph Nkongolo went to meet them. Nkongolo—Coordinator of the Service and Development Department of the Mennonite Church of Congo—spoke of militia members saying they want to re-enter civil life. “Pray for us,” they said to him, “we have done horrible things; forgive us…
‘How can I help?’
Driving to the cottage while listening to a recording of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Justin Martin had an idea. Could Breslau Mennonite Church stage it? More than a year-and-a-half later, that dream came true. Enthusiastic visioning from a group in their 30s and 40s was matched by wholehearted support from others in the…
‘We really need each other a lot’
Werner and Joanne DeJong returned to Edmonton’s Holyrood Mennonite Church excited about the Anabaptist church in Africa and at home. They see possibilities for ongoing partnerships that benefit both the rapidly growing church in Ethiopia and the declining church in Canada. “We really need each other a lot,” Werner says. The Ethiopian church, unlike its…
Geez magazine moves offices from Winnipeg to Detroit
After more than a decade of operating out of Winnipeg, Geez magazine is moving its offices to Detroit, Mich. The quarterly publication bills itself as “contemplative cultural resistance, explores religion, social justice and politics, pushing boundaries and sparking conversations.” Geez published its first issue in 2005 under the direction of editors Aiden Enns and Will…
CMU alumni compose songs sung by current students
Two young composers who are alumni of Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) in Winnipeg recently had their compositions performed by a choir from their alma mater. Jesse Krause Mark Holmes à Court Jesse Krause and Mark Holmes à Court contributed a total of three choral pieces for a pop-up concert at Winnipeg’s Portage Place Shopping Centre…
‘God can help me every day’
Wes Neepin, a long-time member of Grace Mennonite Church in Prince Albert, has been through some tough times in his 86 years, and God has been there with him. Born in Gillam, Man. (1,065 kilometres north of Winnipeg), Neepin is the oldest of six children. His father died when Neepin was 12. Three sisters attended…
Journey of a beloved camp treasure
Moose Lake was one of three camps under the umbrella of Camps with Meaning (CwM), Mennonite Church Manitoba’s camping ministry. It opened in 1957 and closed in September 2017, in order to create a more sustainable model for the regional church’s camping ministry. The picnic shelter was built in 2008 with funds raised by the…
Stepping outside the comfort zone
I had the pleasure of leading the Leaders in Training (LIT) and Advanced Camper Experience (ACE) programs at Hidden Acres last summer. Both programs offer youth a chance to further develop leadership skills, study the Bible, build community, spend time outdoors, and learn the ins and outs of serving at camp. Taking on the role…
Witnessing God at Camp Assiniboia
As I prepare to enter my eighth summer as a camp staffer, I have an overwhelming abundance of memories to reflect on. From childhood weeks at Camp Moose Lake and the pubescent discoveries at Camp Koinonia, all the way to last summer, when I fell into awkwardly new territory to direct at Camp Assiniboia. I…
Fun is a camp byproduct
The word “fun” is often used in association with camp but, from my perspective, fun is not the meat and potatoes of what happens at camp. Fun is the byproduct of an accepting community and doing silly, exciting and difficult things together. A young camper sat at the table with a flurry of craft supplies…
