Colin McCartney
When Colin McCartney of Connect City, a church-planting ministry in Toronto, came to Leamington last month, members of five local congregations in Essex County were taken on a journey from Christendom—where the church used to thrive—to post-Christendom—where it is now struggling.
Composer and CMU student Anna Schwartz. (Photo courtesy of CMU)
With choral singing back in full swing, its community-building capacity is even more obvious to composer and Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) student Anna Schwartz. After writing the song “Answers” at the height of the pandemic, she is set to direct the CMU Chamber Choir’s spring performance of the song on April 28.
Shel Boese, front row, center, was affirmed as the new MC B.C. executive minister on Feb. 25.
The affirmation of a new executive minister highlighted the annual meeting of Mennonite Church B.C. at Peace Mennonite Church in Richmond on Feb. 25.
Doug Klassen shows no fear despite Mark Bigland-Pritchard’s mallet swinging. Bigland-Pritchard shared an object lesson to talk about the ‘theological pillars’ of the Climate Emergency Response Team’s mission. (Photo by Emily Summach)
In an effort to strengthen communication and relationships between the nationwide and regional churches, Doug Klassen, Mennonite Church Canada’s executive minister, paid a visit to Saskatchewan last month.
Roland Sawatzky at The Manitoba Museum, where he works. (Photo by Nicolien Klassen-Wiebe)
Roland Sawatzky by the Prairies Gallery section on Mennonite settlement. (Photo by Nicolien Klassen-Wiebe)
As Roland Sawatzky gives a tour through The Manitoba Museum, his eyes light up and his hands animatedly point out the highlights and features of each gallery. It’s clear he’s passionate about his work.
While parenting can be a struggle, parenting through foster care or adoption has extra challenges, says Jenn Hook in Thriving Families. Her experience as a counsellor with a foster-care agency, and as the founder of a non-profit organization that supports foster and adoptive families gives her a solid understanding of these challenges.
(Photo by Vlad Shapochnikov/Unsplash)
In a meeting on Jan. 30, 2022, Mennonite Church Canada’s governing body, Joint Council, affirmed climate action as a nationwide ministry emphasis.
Kauffman family members (left to right): Roger and Rachel, Neil and Simon, Ryan and Valerie (parents of Neil and Simon).
Two Ohio families with 300 years of history in the U.S. began to consider leaving America when the two brothers and their wives faced workplace transitions in 2021.
Pastor Ian Funk stands next to art at Uplands Elementary School. (Photo courtesy of Henry Krause)
Three panels with images of bears, butterflies, salmon and eagles grace the central hallway of Uplands Elementary School in Langley, B.C. Part of a joint project by the school and Langley Mennonite Fellowship (LMF), the panels were created by Elinor Atkins of the Kwantlen First Nation.
Kenton Dyck and Victoria Exconde play lead roles in Maria and the Mennos. (Photo by Paul Plett)
The story of a young Filipina woman who marries into a Mennonite family and moves in with her in-laws will soon be broadcast on screens across Canada. Maria and the Mennos is a Manitoba-made television show that depicts the interaction of these different cultures and the hilarity, frustration and joy that ensues.
Ashleigh Singleton wears her faith on her arm. (Communitas photo by Angelika Dawson)
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.”
“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.
In a scene played out countless times in countless places, Esther Wiebe plays piano as her husband George conducts, in this case in Abbotsford, B.C. in 1986. (Photo by David Loewen. Courtesy of the Mennonite Historical Society of British Columbia)
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.
Andy Fenske, a former shelter participant, shared a bit of his own journey with homelessness and addiction and his excitement over the new facility. (House of Friendship photo)
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.
(Photo by Aaron Epp)
Moses Falco with his pre-Lent indulgence from Georges Burgers and Subs in the kitchen of Sterling Mennonite Fellowship in Winnipeg where he pastors. (Photo by Aaron Epp)
Moses Falco is a Mennonite pastor who grew up Baptist, but for six weeks each year, he takes his cue from the Catholics.
Conrad Stoesz (left), president of the Mennonite Historical Society of Canada presents the Award of Excellence to Leonard Doell. (Photo by Graham Schellenberg)
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 not get up the long hill. Still, no one missed their flight back home.
Arlyn Friesen Epp, director of CommonWord Bookstore and Resource Centre in Winnipeg. (Photo by Aaron Epp)
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.
Amos Chin, left, and two Mennonite colleagues baptize young people in rural Myanmar. (Photo courtesy Amos Chin)
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, its alphabet of bone.”
Emily Fieguth working in her office with the different hymnbooks. (Niagara United Mennonite Church archives photo)
The COVID pandemic brought many changes—some obvious, others not so much.
(istock photo by Evgeny Gromov/Betty Avery)
What sets apart faith-based justice work from secular causes? Do we lack spiritual depth? Are we too progressive for our own good?
L to R: Gayle Zacharias, Kathryn Derksen, Michelle Hildebrand, Susanna Derksen, Judy Hildebrand and Jake Plett. (Photo courtesy of Judy Hildebrand)
Addlight Mudombo of Joseph Village, Zimbabwe with comforters she sewed by hand from used clothing. (MCC photo by Meghan Mast)
By Nikki Hamm Gwala
Mennonite Central Committee Manitoba
For Judy Hildebrand of Crystal City, Man., brightly coloured comforters add cheer to long prairie winters.
Melanie and Jonathan Neufeld. (Photo courtesy of Jonathan Neufeld)
If there are places where the church is centring the voices of people on the margins, Jonathan Neufeld wants to be there.
“Theologically, that’s my home,” says Neufeld, Mennonite Church Canada’s Indigenous relations coordinator.
Neufeld began his work at MC Canada, based in Winnipeg, in November. He also works half-time as pastor at Charleswood Mennonite in Winnipeg.
The Lucerna Community Choir, with singers from Point Grey and Chinatown Peace congregations, sings at the “Cross Culture” service in Vancouver. (Photo by Walter Toews)
Six Vancouver Mennonite congregations launched the new year by singing, praying and worshipping together in three languages.
F-35A Lighting II:
Length: 51.4 ft/15.7 m,
Wingspan: 35 ft/10.7 m,
Internal Fuel Capacity: 18,250 lbs/8,278 kg,
Weapons Payload: 18,000 lbs/8,160 kg,
Speed (Full Internal Weapons Load): Mach 1.6 (~1,200 mph),
Range: 2,200km
(Source: F35.com) (Photo released by Lockheed Martin)
From Dirk Willems loving his enemy in 1569 to Colombian Mennonites building peace today, Anabaptists have offered a bold peace witness. But being a peace church is complicated.
Erin Koop Unger, pictured last year at the Mennonite Heritage Village in Steinbach. (Photo by Andrew Unger)
Erin Koop Unger has travelled the world, but these days it’s Manitoba and the Mennonites who live there that have captured her imagination.
Koop Unger is the creator of Mennotoba.com, a website where she writes about Mennonite history and culture in the keystone province.
