Feast of metaphors served at ‘Table talk’ conference
A feast of metaphors was on the menu for Mennonite Church Canada’s inaugural study conference on the character and mission of the church and the role of worship. “Table talk: Does the church still have legs?” was originally planned as an in-person gathering, but the Oct. 25 event was moved online because of pandemic gathering restrictions.…
Friendships that go ‘a little deeper’
Baby Boomers Plus, as its name implies, is a small group for people of a certain age. But it’s a small group with a difference. Three years ago, Claire Ewert Fisher was serving as Mount Royal Mennonite Church’s health minister. She knew that some older congregants were facing significant health challenges, so she invited them…
‘How can I keep from singing?’
Eric Dettweiler’s Grade 10 music class at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate in Kitchener began the school year drumming every day for the first few weeks, often outdoors. Now the 11 students drum a couple of times a week. It is a safe way to conduct a music class while maintaining physical distance in the reality of…
Social media is distracting and can be harmful
Indiscriminate use of social media is bad for us, warns Ed Cyzewski. While technology is convenient and promises to make us more efficient and keep us in touch with more people, it actually harms our mental health and does little to foster true relationships. Smartphones and other devices also hinder our spirituality, mostly by consuming…
COVID clean-up leads to inspiring discovery
When COVID-19 hit in March, Doris Daley of Trinity Mennonite Church in De Winton, Alta., decided to clean the house. Many families, stuck at home, have taken this “unprecedented time” to throw out expired food, wash the windows and clean out junk drawers. She chose to do a deep dive into old boxes that had…
‘The Daily Bonnet’ creator publishes book
Andrew Unger shot to fame after creating the Mennonite satire website, “The Daily Bonnet.” Now he is branching out, adding to his repertoire a longer feat: his first novel. Once Removed was published by Turnstone Press in September. The story follows Timothy Heppner and his life in Edenfeld, a small Mennonite town. He is a…
Living at ‘home together’
Using the metaphor of home, a new book relates the history of the Menno Simons Centre, a residence community for university students in Vancouver for more than 30 years. ‘Home Together’ Home Together: Student Ministry at the Menno Simons Centre by Thomas Bergen was introduced at a virtual book launch on Oct. 24, with some…
Pastor channels love of stories into children’s books
When Kevin Drudge needed a children’s story for his church’s Sunday morning worship service, he decided to write one himself. But what began as a one-time occasion has become more than two dozen stories and a deal with a publisher. Kevin Drudge’s children’s books are fun, relatable stories with a simple yet meaningful biblical message.…
Fall 2020 List of Books & Resources
Theology, Spirituality Born Again and Again: Jesus’ Call to Radical Transformation. Megan K. Westra. Herald Press, 2020, 226 pages. Westra examines the meaning of salvation, calling for radical transformation of life rather than praying the sinner’s prayer. She discusses the Christian approach to such things as race and gender, politics, finances and attitudes toward creation. …
