Mental health worker shares faith story
When Ashleigh Singleton reflects on her life, she sees God’s grace in the many turning points that have brought her to where she is today. “I am so blessed,” she says. “I’m just surprised over and over again by how God works.” Singleton describes herself as a gamer and a metalhead. She is also a…
Looking for leaders
“We’re looking for someone who can balance spiritual leadership with executive leadership . . . someone who can hybrid those two areas.” That’s how Arli Klassen, Moderator for Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) describes the role of Regional Church Executive Minister, the senior staff position within each Regional Church. Three of the five regions in…
Pianist, professor dies at 90
Esther Wiebe—long-time music professor, pianist and composer—died in Winnipeg on January 26 at age 90. She is survived by her husband George; children, Robert (Verna) and Peter (Ruth); daughter-in-law Marlene Wiebe; 12 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; extended family and friends. She was predeceased by her son, Tim Wiebe. Born in 1932 in Plum Coulee, Man., Wiebe…
House of Friendship opens new facility
House of Friendship held an official grand opening celebration of its new ShelterCare facility in Waterloo, Ont., on Jan. 19. This renovated former hotel will provide shelter and other supports for 100 men experiencing chronic homelessness, including onsite health care and staffing 24/7. House of Friendship has been operating a smaller shelter program in downtown…
A season of Spirit
Moses Falco is a Mennonite pastor who grew up Baptist, but for six weeks each year, he takes his cue from the Catholics. At Lent, Falco gives up eating meat—the food that Catholics traditionally abstain from on Ash Wednesday and each Friday in Lent, including Good Friday. Rather than giving meat up on certain days,…
Saskatchewan historian receives award
When the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada wrapped up its meetings at Shekinah Retreat Centre near Waldheim, Sask., on Jan. 22, the freezing rain had started. Dick Braun loaded up the 15-passenger van with people going directly to the airport, but it was too late. The laneway at Shekinah was too slippery and he could…
T-shirt honours fierce biblical women
A new T-shirt celebrates women of the Bible who often get overlooked. The shirt features 11 phrases, including “Teach like Junia,” “Preach like Mary,” “Lead like Esther” and “Risk like Ruth.” Rianna Isaak-Krauss, co-pastor at Frankfurt Mennonite Church in Germany, created it while pregnant with Noa Jubilee, now five months old. Rianna Isaak-Krauss. “I was on…
Mennonite mission?
In her new memoir, The White Mosque, Sofia Samatar describes Mennonites as “something that seems very odd, at least at first: an evangelizing tribe.” This tribe, she says, “travels the world to spread the universal love of God, and at the same time maintains the occult power of its family names, its language, its traditions,…
Music copyright in an age of online church
The COVID pandemic brought many changes—some obvious, others not so much. Before March 2020, many church musicians sang and played hymns and songs regularly in their worship services. For those singing from hymnals, no additional permissions were needed. However, for songs under copyright and being projected to a screen, usage was reported to Christian Copyright…
Are Canadian Mennonites too progressive?
What sets apart faith-based justice work from secular causes? Do we lack spiritual depth? Are we too progressive for our own good? Ryan Dueck, Cynthia Wallace and Peter Haresnape will join CM’s Aaron Epp to discuss these questions during CM’s next online event, March 8 at 8:00 p.m. EST. (Register at canadianmennonite.org/events). The event arises from…
