Baptism in a barrel
It is very difficult to go to the northern part of Ethiopia after the war broke out. Despite the security concerns, when I heard that members of our church in western Tigray were in difficult conditions, I organized a team. We would go there to show our love for Meserete Kristos Church (MKC) members in…
‘Courageous Imagination’
It is “progress report” time, partway through Mennonite Church Eastern Canada’s year-long discernment process. “Courageous Imagination: A journey together listening for God” was initiated last spring by the executive council of the regional church, noting that the last strategic plan was developed in 2014, and the current vision and mission statement was written in 2005.…
Exhibit explores the meaning of head coverings
The vast majority of North American Mennonite and Muslim women do not wear any sort of veil or head covering. Why then do head coverings receive so much public attention? Do Muslim head coverings and Mennonite bonnets provoke the same response? An exhibit called “Un/Coverings: Mennonite & Muslim Women’s Heads and Hearts,” now on display…
Menno Office offers tangible support through care packages
University of Manitoba students who gather online for peer support, topical discussion and spiritual guidance in the E-Menno Office had an unexpected surprise during the fall term. Students were recipients of care packages delivered to their homes by Menno Office chaplain Mark Von Kampen. The care packages, based on the theme “Mind, body and spirit”…
Churches leave a legacy
In 2020, three Mennonite Church Saskatchewan congregations—Zoar Mennonite Church, Waldheim; Hanley Mennonite Church; and Superb Mennonite Church, near Kerrobert—made the difficult decision to close their doors and hold their final services. Their reasons for doing so included financial pressures, changing community demographics, and not enough people to sustainably share the responsibilities of church life. For…
Young adults are leaving the church but not Jesus
Depictions of God have always informed the faith of Christian believers. Colin McCartney’s new book, Let the Light In: Healing from Distorted Images of God (Herald Press), on the other hand, is inspired by conversations with young adults who have left the church due to negative perceptions of God and experiences with the church. However,…
This is your family
Have you ever been introduced to a distant relative for the first time—maybe you didn’t even know that person existed—and yet you immediately felt a connection with them? After all, they are family! As part of a global Anabaptist family, we have family members all around the world, most of whom we have never met,…
