MC B.C. explores ‘connections’
“Connections: God’s church in the 21st century” was the theme when 143 delegates gathered on Feb. 29 for Mennonite Church British Columbia’s annual general meeting at Cedar Valley Mennonite Church. In his opening remarks, executive minister Garry Janzen addressed the topic “Living into MC B.C.’s imagination.” He noted that, over the past 20 years, the…
MC Canada, regional churches launch new websites
Mennonite Church Canada and its five regional churches all launched new websites over the course of a week in mid-February. The sites are part of a developing website hub created by Barefoot Creative of Breslau, Ont., that will allow congregations to create their own website, populate it with content from the regional and nationwide websites,…
Balancing competitiveness and learning
Winning awards is nothing new for Adam Ens. Maybe that’s why he expressed surprise when his whole family planned to show up for his induction into the Canada West Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony took place on Feb. 8 at the University of Saskatchewan, where Ens played with the Huskies men’s volleyball team from…
Cross-cultural challenges and blessings
Lynell Bergen exchanged the snowstorms and sub-zero temperatures of a Winnipeg winter this year for the warm sunshine and mountains of Ethiopia. Bergen is a pastor of Hope Mennonite Church in Winnipeg and is currently spending a sabbatical teaching at Meserete Kristos College in Bishoftu, Ethiopia. “I was tired and just felt like I had…
Takin’ care of his musical business
In the front yard of an average looking home lies a large rock with a landscaped garden bed around it. The rock reads “JAYCELAND’ and bears a lightning bolt with the capital letters T, C and B around it. This is the home of the Hildebrand family, where Jay and Monica and their son Mitchel…
Where are they now?
When Mennonite Church Canada Witness workers Greg Rabus and Jennifer Otto landed in Lethbridge, Alta., in 2018, with their sons Alex, and Ian, they were not sure what their new home was going to be like. From 2012 to 2018, the young family had served as church planters and then community builders together with the…
‘There was no stopping Doris’
Trailblazer, pioneer, role model and mentor. Inquisitive, passionate, open-minded. This is how Doris Gascho was described by family, friends, fellow church members and colleagues at a legacy and 87th-birthday celebration in her honour at Waterloo North Mennonite Church on March 1, that featured hymns, special music and many tributes recognizing her “unexpected journey.” Despite heart-wrenching…
