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The ordinary dark
Dawn comes slowly. There is no rush in it. Often—not always—the hour is still and quiet when the dark so gradually abates in the east. The dawn comes slowly. As it must. We can but wait. I have not always been an earlier riser, but since Cinnamon the milk cow moved into the barn on…
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Awakening to the Church’s true vocation
“God has been at work from the beginning to form a covenanted people of God to help bring about God’s plan for reconciling the world to its intended purposes.”– From The Baby and the Bathwater, by Robert (Jack) Suderman When I heard that Jack and Irene Suderman were visiting Winnipeg this fall, I reached out…
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Chinese pastors tour Canada
Four Chinese pastors shared about the church in their home country at a “Lunch and Learn” event hosted by Mennonite Church Eastern Canada in Kitchener, Ontario, on October 29. The pastors requested that their names not be used. Churches in China are either registered with the government or are house churches, which operate outside the…
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Five spiritual practices for waiting in darkness
1 Night sky meditation Go to a quiet spot, under the night sky. Pray with Psalm 8. (“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are humans that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?”) Ponder: How am…
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With God, all things are truly possible
I am honoured and delighted to share my faith journey and to witness to the grace and love of Christ in my life. I am a proud Eritrean-Canadian who has called Canada home for eight years. I am a devoted follower of Jesus Christ, grounded in the teachings and love of my Saviour. I live…
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Waiting in the uterverse
On every one of my previous visits to the fertility clinic, the waiting room was full. Women of different ages, ethnicities and income brackets would take their seats in fertility limbo. Some would sit on their own, while others sat with partners who held their hands and brought them water or coffee until they were…
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The challenge of Anabaptist leadership
In the faith community of my youth, church leaders were held in extremely high esteem. The expectation of respect for leaders weighed heavily, for better and worse. To respond to a call, to serve and to be an elder or pastor in the church, meant equal parts responsibility and regard. Growing up, I was taught…
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Pastors embrace Narrative Lectionary
This Advent, if you hear sermons about Daniel’s plight in the lion’s den, Joel’s urging to mourn and repent, and the promise of the Spirit in Isaiah, it’s most likely because your church’s worship planners are following the Narrative Lectionary. Created in 2010 through Luther Seminary, the Narrative Lectionary is gaining popularity among Mennonite churches…
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Ruining dinner
While Christmas is a time to contemplate peace on Earth, holiday gatherings can be stressful for some. One comment or opinion can ruin dinner. Wendy Suddaby of Hope Mennonite Church in Winnipeg recalls a frustrating conversation over Thanksgiving dinner in 2018. It spurred her to action. Suddaby, 72, who sits on her church’s adult education…
