History, hymns showcased at golden anniversary
“What we have heard and known we will tell the next generation,” says the watchword of the Mennonite Historical Society of B.C., and on Oct. 2 at South Abbotsford MB Church, the society marked its 50th anniversary with a celebratory afternoon of music in the Mennonite tradition. The Mennonite Educational Institute Concert Choir, directed by…
Growing hope, one acre at a time
“We all believe that in our core values it’s important that if there is something that you can do, you do it,” says Emily Lappage of Gatez Farms. She is the eldest daughter of Blaine and Laura Gatez, and has grown up surrounded by farm life and family values. Gatez Farms is a third-generation family…
MC Eastern Canada executive minister resigns
Mennonite Church Eastern Canada’s Executive Council regretfully announced the resignation of Leah Reesor-Keller, executive minister on Sept. 28. “We are grateful for Leah’s service and leadership over the last two years,” says Arli Klassen, chair of the Executive Council. “We remain committed to the identity, purpose, values, vision and priorities that were heartily approved at…
The sweet solace of polarization, Part 2
Caleb Brown was a lead organizer of the Freedom Convoy protest outside the Manitoba legislative building last winter. I asked how he responds to people who dismiss all protesters as white nationalists. I asked how he felt about people who drove by and gave him the finger, as one of my friends did. To back…
Sparking community life again at Nutana Park
“How can we bring people back to church?” It’s a familiar question for churches across the country and across the denominational spectrum. The arrival of COVID-19 in March 2020, and the ensuing public health restrictions kept many people home on Sunday mornings for months. Now, as the pandemic moves into endemic status, churches are wondering…
Rockway—strong as ever
Joyful! This is how I felt when I joined the exceptional team of faculty and staff at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate. Since assuming the role of principal in January, I have been impressed with the welcoming and caring learning and working environment. With the return to our pre-COVID-19 activities this September—chapel twice-weekly, music, athletics and clubs—I…
Mission field: MSCS
Marvin Grasmeyer has a passion for the students, which is evident in everything that he does at Menno. As director of the athletic program, he has ensured that Menno keeps an all-inclusive approach because he sees the value in every student having the opportunity to be a part of a team. As a teacher, he…
Stepping stones toward independence
We want our children to be set up for success. As we look at life after high school, one way we see success is being able to live independently. As I step into my ninth year of working with dormitory programs, I believe that a good dormitory program can provide this opportunity to live independently.…
Grebel’s community gathers for the new term
The air was buzzing at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo on Sept. 3, as new students moved into the residence, accompanied by their parents and welcomed by enthusiastic upper-year students. The energy that comes with starting something new continued all week and was evident across the entire University of Waterloo campus, with groups of…
Graduate certificates offer flexible learning at a distance
Adela Friesen Wedler of Edmonton had recently retired from teaching when an ad in the church news caught her eye. “The ad said that students could take two courses at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) before applying for admission to a program,” she said. “Having recently retired, this intrigued me.” Wedler noted that she had…
