César García
For the first time, a leader from the global South will become the General Secretary of the Mennonite World Conference (MWC). On May 4, the MWC Executive Committee formally appointed César García of Bogotá, Colombia, as General Secretary-elect, to succeed Larry Miller on January 1, 2012.
Safwat Marzouk
Safwat Marzouk, a Ph.D. candidate at Princeton Theological Seminary originally from Cairo, Egypt, has been appointed as Professor of Old Testament at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, beginning in July.
Addition completed in time for Conrad Grebel's 50th anniversary in August, 2013.
Construction will begin in March, 2012 at Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ont. on a $6.3 million addition to the academic building, particularly the library and archives. It will be completed by August, 2013, “just in time for the beginning of the College’s 50th anniversary,” notes outgoing president Henry Paetkau.
Residents of Aura in the Afar showed North American farmers on a food study tour to Ethiopia reserves of sorghum in their homes thanks to agricultural support and irrigation.
Hungry people around the world are once again benefitting from the generosity of people across Canada.
Altogether, a total of $9.1 million was donated to Canadian Foodgrains Bank in 2010, including 19,523 tonnes of food grains worth $4.8 million.
While Latin America has traditionally been overwhelmingly Roman Catholic, the face of religion there is being transformed with the growth of Protestantism expected to stabilize over the coming decades, according to a Brazilian sociologist.
Child soldiers are regularly used in conflicts such as that in Sri Lanka.
The report of a special U.N. panel that investigated allegations of massive human rights abuses in an ethnic war in Sri Lanka has prompted mixed reactions.
An estimated two billion people around the world tuned in on Friday, April 29, to watch the wedding of Prince William, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II, and Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey, a ceremony infused with British pageantry and steeped in elements of Anglicanism -- past, present and future.
I.B. Horst, 1915 - 2011
Irvin B. Horst, a former Eastern Mennonite University professor who devoted most of his life to Anabaptist history, research and thought, died Apr. 23, 2011, at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community. He was 95.
Russ Eanes
Russ Eanes, director of finance and operations for Mennonite Publishing Network, will become executive director of MennoMedia on July 1. He will move to Harrisonburg where the head office of the new agency formed by merging MPN and Third Way Media will be located.
Steve Shenk, succeeding John Longhurst as director of marketing/sales for MPN, has been the executive director for Valley Brethren/Mennonite Heritage Center, Harrisonburg, for the past 7 years. He has also worked in public relations for Bluffton College and EMU, as well as managing editor for Gospel Herald, now The Mennonite.
"MennoMedia" is the name emerging for the new agency that has been working its way through the approval process of Mennonite governing boards in recent months. The new name applies when Mennonite Publishing Network and Third Way Media merge on July 1,
EMU Charlotte Wenger and mascot HERM, featured in the award-winning video, challenge all college students to "Chill Out." Photo by Lindsey Kolb
Eastern Mennonite University has been honored as a winner of the National Wildlife Federation’s annual competition “Chill Out: Climate Action on Campus.” This award program recognizes U.S. schools that are designing and implementing creative approaches to advance sustainability on campuses. EMU is one of six winning schools that were chosen from a national pool of entries.
The promotional supplement in the March 21 issue advances important matters of conscience. The proposed involvement, though, reflects an acceptance that we are out of step with what the majority of Canadians want from their government. Electing members of parliament who are open to pursuing peace would create some space for these issues of conscience.
‘With grace, courage, and a discerning spirit, Jeremy Bergen offers an account of ecclesial repentance worthy of a pilgrim people, a church at once reconciled and always on the journey toward full reconciliation." --Margaret Pfeil of the University of Notre Dame
In recent years, churches have repented for historical wrongs. In his new book, “Ecclesial Repentance: The Churches Confront Their Sinful Pasts,” Jeremy M. Bergen tells the story of these apologies and analyzes the theological issues they raise about the nature and mission of the church.
Betty Pries
Betty Pries, a mediator and MTS 2005 graduate, will be given the Distinquished Alumni Service award by the Alumni Committee of Conrad Grebel University College.
Richard Thiessen
Richard Thiessen of Abbotsford, B.C., has been named managing editor of the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online (GAMEO), succeeding Sam Steiner of Kitchener, Ont., whose terms ends this year. Thiessen, library director at Columbia Bible College in Abbotsford, has been associate managing editor since November, 2006. He begins his role in January, 2012.
Leader: Lord God, Ruler of the Universe, King of kings and Lord of lords, in this Federal Election in the spring of 2011 we come and bow before you, our first and last allegiance. You have created powers and principalities, governments and institutions, to regulate human life. We acknowledge them as your servants for our good.
Nazareth Village in Israel/Palestine has much to celebrate in its tenth year of existence. Jewish families on Shabbat
Allan Rudy-Froese
Allan Rudy-Froese, Ph.D. candidate at Emmanuel College, Toronto (Ont.) School of Theology and a recent columnist for Canadian Mennonite, has been appointed professor of Christian proclamation at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary, beginning July 1, 2011.
From four to six students utilize one computer.
Computers are badly needed to expand a computer assisted learning program (CAL) initiated and supervised by Bryan Butler, director of Canadian Peacemakers International in Santz Cruz, Honduras.
The author, Bryan Butler (center) sits down to a delicious fish fry with Jose (Chepe) Vasquez (left), chair of the local co-op, and Manuel Tobara, general manager of the local housing program.
Yesterday afternoon Manuel, Chepe and I were invited to a very special lunch in El Cipres. About nine months ago we regained possession of some property that was to be used for helping poor families.
It has been six months since I first suggested the refugee history of Mennonites bore certain similarities to other refugee stories of the present, including the much-maligned Tamil refugees who sought refuge in our country this past summer. (See ‘Let them stay.’)
“The changes in our life spill over into the lives of others,” said Lynne Ball as she and her husband Gord (left) share photos and memories of their visit to Swaziland with their family members, Lauren and Keith Hubley (center), and Sibusisu Ndzimandze of Swaziland (right). (MCC Photo/Gladys Terichow)
It was a reunion of friends when Sibusiso Ndzimandze, a peace educator from Swaziland, stayed in the home of Gord and Lynne Ball during a recent 10-day visit to Ontario.
Susan Schultz Huxman
Susan Schultz Huxman, director of the Elliott School of Comunication at Wichita (Kansas) State University, has been named the seventh president of Conrad Grebel University College. She begins her duties July 1, 2011, following the completion of Dr. Henry Paetkau’s term as the sixth president at the end of June, according to the board of governors making the announcement at a March 10 meeting.
The WDP Committee in Chile sees the theme question, "How Many Loaves Have You?", as an invitation to enter a process that draws us into the Bible, into the context of Chile, and into the real situations of our lives and communities. This year's Bible studies come from 1 Kings 17: 8-16 and Mark 6: 30-44.
The potent symbol of bread will take pride of place this week
A women's literacy class, one of many sponsored by MCC in Malaway in upper (southern) Egypt and run by the Coptic Orthodox Church there.
“Our workers are trickling back,” report Mennonite Central Committee workers Tom and Judith Snowdon from their office in Cairo. “The airport is operating very efficiently and is not over-crowded. We have had some problems getting our workers back from Europe because of strikes there!”
