By nature, people “accumulate and build . . . and you get to a point at which you have too much. . . . Perhaps God is inviting the church in North America to a time of disencumberment.”
(Willard Metzger, executive director, Mennonite Church Canada)
Twenty years ago, I read a word that transformed my understanding of the gospel. My mind was blown wide open by the use of two hyphens. “Atonement” suddenly became “at-one-ment.” Instantaneously I realized that being “in Christ” means living in a state of “at-one-ment” with all.
Writer claims argument against Al Najd based on ‘factual error’
Re: “MCC should consider new partner in Gaza” letter, March 17, page 8.
How do we measure success? When I served as a mission worker in Botswana, an African leader shared with me that their defi-nition of success is “good relationships.” By this he meant that all our economic success, status and all the letters behind our names mean nothing if we have sacrificed relationships in order to achieve these.
In April, voters in la belle province rejected a political party that had drafted a charter of values that would have treated the overtly religious as unfit for public service. The Parti Québécois (PQ) secular charter intended to make publicly funded spaces free from the intrusion of “conspicuous” religious attire and symbols like hijabs and crosses.
I botched Lent this year. I didn’t fast from anything tasty or techno, or set aside time to meditate and pray.
Five loaves and two fish. The story of the feeding of the five thousand illustrates how Jesus uses the small amounts we bring to him. In this story, a crowd has been with Jesus all day. As sunset approaches. the disciples tell Jesus to send these people away, but he tells them to feed the crowd first.
In my last article I wrote that Spirit attunement and ego consciousness are rival states of being. Jesus refers to this internal rivalry by pitting the self against the Self. Jesus teaches that in order to truly live, one must deny one’s self, crucify one’s self or lose one’s self. Paul teaches this as well, with regular references to “dying to self” and being “crucified with Christ.”
“The only problem with them,” my friend said as we admired the soft closure hinges on my kitchen cupboards, “is that you can’t slam the doors when you’re mad.”
“Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?” That’s from the Bible (Amos 3:3, New Living Translation). It was my parents’ wedding text when they were married 65 years ago. It’s a verse in the middle of a punishment text and I’ve always wondered how they came up with that.
As the mother of two boys aged 6 and 11, I am happy to see the wide variety of faith-shaping resources for parents of young children available from Mennonite Church Canada’s Resource Centre.
Children are sponges. Adding Anabaptist faith-based books, DVDs and downloadable resources to the other materials they view helps shape their faith as they grow.
Writer stands up for the victims of John Howard Yoder’s abuse
Re: “MennoMedia questioned over John Howard Yoder disclaimer” letter, March 3, page 11.
There are a number of misconceptions in this letter that need to be addressed:
Be honest, you’re only reading this because of the title.
Yup, you have issues. But so do I.
My understanding of sex was shaped within the context of my small-town church community and wider family. Pretty much everywhere there was blushing at that dirty word.
Some may consider the following to be stated too strongly, but these are the realities for many native people.
Meetings are always interesting, as they take on personalities of their own. And groups develop their own style or flavour. The 2014 Mennonite Church Alberta annual meeting was no different.
Having read “Between horizons: Biblical perspectives on human sexuality” (the fifth Being a Faithful Church [BFC] document), I found myself questioning once again how we approach the intertwined issues of singleness and celibacy—abstaining from sexual activity.
Mandela refused to renounce violence to get out of prison
Re: “Lessons to be learned from Nelson Mandela” letter, Feb. 3, page 11.
In our rush to welcome Jesus, we often skip those who paved the way for him.
Consider the prophets, who tend to be marginalized by others or by themselves. The margins they occupy actually become the focus for people and their real-life stories. Prophets often represent a paradox. They call for repentance and radical change while maintaining an apparently unchanging resolve.
When the door opens, do you hesitate, turn aside or walk through? It probably depends on the door, right? A big door opened when I was invited to join a Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) program review team in South Africa. In the end, I walked through, but certainly with some hesitation.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21).
In my last “Spirit attunement” column, March 3, page 14, I explained why I believe “wilderness seasons” and solitude are essential for many individual’s spiritual vitality. However, it is noteworthy that Spirit attunement always happens in the context of community in the Christian tradition.
When I moved to the little town of Leamington in southwestern Ontario, my family made the decision to refrain from purchasing a second car. We had just left Toronto, and having even one car for our young family felt like opulence. And guilt.
I’ve been a youth pastor for more than two decades and if I have any regret, besides the amount of pizza I’ve consumed, it is that I did not pay more attention to the parents/caregivers of the youth in my groups.
