Creating space to work towards inclusion
Churches wanting to take the next step in becoming affirming of LGBTQ+ people might wonder “What’s next?” A workshop led by Thea Andres together with Pastors in Exile (PiE) at Waterloo North Mennonite Church on April 6 aimed to answer those questions and help churches take the plunge. The seminar drew approximately 120 people, including…
Sharing muffins and friendship
In 2017, when Kirsten Hamm-Epp was appointed to the newly formed Faith Leaders Council at the University of Saskatchewan, she likely didn’t imagine she would be hosting breakfast for up to 50 students every week. Lincoln, left, helps himself to breakfast as he chats with Kirsten Hamm-Epp, who represents the Mennonite church on the University…
MC Canada primer
If you care about connecting with the wider Mennonite community but have trouble keeping up with all the conference restructuring and acronyms—so many M’s and C’s—this article is for you. If you form part of the small remnant of church nerds who love organizational charts, you may want to pull out your copy of Martyrs…
Gathering 2019 events
Workshops on Saturday, June 29 • Being Jesus in Today’s World For many, the current post-Christendom reality is bad news, but for followers of Jesus this reality presents exciting opportunities for kingdom work. During this workshop, Colin and Judith McCartney of Connect City Ministries in Toronto will discuss opportunities to do effective and innovative ministry…
Seeking to fulfill God’s mission in the world
“To be clear, this is not a missions consultation.” So said Ryan Siemens, executive minister of Mennonite Church Saskatchewan, in his opening address to key regional leaders on March 29. From opening statements to the closing benediction two days later, MC Canada’s mission consultation was more about being a people with a mission than about…
From mould to masterpiece
Joel Penner is a time-lapse filmmaker based out of Winnipeg’s West End neighbourhood. But he doesn’t capture typical scenes like sunsets or the bustle of the city. Joel Penner. His films reveal mould creeping onto raspberries, liquid oozing out of watermelons and flesh-eating beetles devouring snakes. “I initially got into decay because I love looking…
Coffee and community
Five years ago, Brock Peters dreamed of an affordable coffee shop where everyone in the community would feel comfortable going. “Sometimes, when I walked into coffee shops in the city, I felt like ‘I’m not cool enough to be here,’ ” he says. A couple of years later, the 29-year-old Winnipegger decided to put his money…
Same Quest DNA, new flexibility for students
Starting this fall, Quest, Columbia Bible College’s longstanding one-year discipleship program, is adopting a more flexible approach to its academic requirements in order to provide a richer experience for incoming students. Under the current model, Quest students complete a high academic load while also spending 40 days on off-campus excursions that include alpine backpacking, tall-ship…
Into the wilderness with hope
There were rich experiences and mixed emotions at the Women of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada’s Spring Enrichment Day, hosted by Floradale Mennonite Church on April 13. Along with inspiring worship and powerful storytelling, discernment about the future was on the agenda. Marilyn Rudy-Froese, church leadership minister for MC Eastern Canada, framed the day with reflections…
