I believe it is important that we are called to belong to a faith community that is beyond our own congregation. My main question today is: “How do we belong, how do we connect... Read More
Opinion
January 27, 2021 | Opinion | Arli Klassen
I’m writing this on Jan. 18 and I’m wondering how tone deaf my article will seem by the time you read it. I have no idea what the world will be like in a few days, let alone a few... Read More
January 27, 2021 | Opinion | Troy Watson
In the aftermath of last year’s Black Lives Matter protests, and the violence that boiled over in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6 of this year, it feels as though tensions are rising... Read More
January 27, 2021 | Opinion | Barb Draper
Whether you call it Sunday school, faith formation or Christian education, one aspect of a congregation’s life together is how we nurture faith in people of all ages. Last spring... Read More
January 13, 2021 | Editorial | Virginia A. Hostetler
Seeking a call to discernment Re: “ Credentials terminated for theologian-academic-pastor ,” Nov. 9, 2020, page 18. Last October, John D. Rempel joined John Howard Yoder, Karl... Read More
January 13, 2021 | Opinion |
In his book Transforming Mission , missiologist David J. Bosch famously pictured the church’s mission as “a ceaseless celebration of the Feast of Epiphany” with our life together... Read More
January 13, 2021 | Opinion | Josh Wallace
Why go to all the trouble of producing a new hymnal? The Gesangbuch commission of the Conference of Mennonites in Canada faced this question in 1961. The 1942 version, it was felt... Read More
January 13, 2021 | Opinion | Laureen Harder-Gissing
At the end of the infamous year 2020, I retired from pastoral ministry. Again. We’ll see if it “takes” this time. Looking back, I am reminded that, at different times in my... Read More
January 13, 2021 | Opinion | Ed Olfert
The Buddhist nun looked across the table and asked me if Christians were taught how to practise faith. “Is Christian faith only beliefs that you try to internalize? Or do you do... Read More
January 13, 2021 | Opinion | Randolph Haluza-DeLay
My youngest daughter Ruth can be a little firecracker. We say that she’s sweet and spicy. Sometimes she can get into a real funk, though, and I can feel lost as to how to help her... Read More
January 13, 2021 | Opinion | Joshua Penfold
As human beings, we’re generally pretty lousy at grace. We long for it in our deepest and truest moments, and we desperately need it, God knows. But we often struggle to receive... Read More
January 13, 2021 | Opinion | Ryan Dueck
Professionals in the field of journalism have sometimes called their news content the “first draft of history.” News reporting pulls together facts—who, what, where, when, why,... Read More
December 30, 2020 | Editorial | Virginia A. Hostetler
Relationships, not rituals, are what’s important Mennonite Church Canada’s online study conference, “Table talk: Does the church still have legs,” had thought-provoking talks. In... Read More
December 30, 2020 | Opinion |
Happy New Year. In reflecting on the church for 2021, I’ve been impacted by my experience creating virtual choirs—those videos where choristers sing at home, into their phone, and... Read More
December 30, 2020 | Opinion | Darryl Neustaedter Barg
I read with great interest the many articles about how different churches are responding to the pandemic and government restrictions. There are many! Because there are many ways... Read More
December 30, 2020 | Opinion | Arli Klassen
In 2013 I went on a pilgrimage to Scotland to explore my family roots and the “thin places” and sacred sites in the land of my ancestors. I arrived at the Glasgow airport shortly... Read More
December 30, 2020 | Opinion | Troy Watson
Expectations. We all have them. We have expectations of others, and expectations placed upon us. Meeting expectations can be especially conflicting when navigating between... Read More
December 30, 2020 | Opinion | Mollee Moua
The 1973 motto for the annual Conference of the United Mennonite Churches of B.C. was “Evangelism that cares.” Sessions were hosted by two churches in Vancouver: First United... Read More
December 30, 2020 | Opinion | Conrad Stoesz
The carol “O Little Town of Bethlehem” paints a Christmas card picture of the ancient town of the Nativity: sparkling stars lighting quiet streets, a Holy Baby resting in a manger... Read More
December 16, 2020 | Editorial | Virginia A. Hostetler
(This Viewpoint piece was inspired by Christina Bartel Barkman’s recent “ Marriage and conflict ” column.) Conflicts seem to occur even in the best marriages, and sometimes even... Read More
December 16, 2020 | Opinion | Helmut Lemke
By everything that is right and good, Helen Penner's life should have been celebrated with singing. Singing was a passion for her and her late husband John, and they ensured their... Read More
December 16, 2020 | Opinion | Carl DeGurse
Let me tell you a story. A couple of years ago, our church council did some brainstorming around how to begin reaching out to our neighbours. Because our church is located in a... Read More
December 16, 2020 | Opinion | Anna-Lisa Salo
As Christmas approaches, many of us are thinking about gifts. The beautifully wrapped packages under the Christmas tree, of course. Also other types of gifts—the kind that we can... Read More
December 2, 2020 | Editorial | Virginia A. Hostetler
Liberals let off easy in Tommy Prince feature Re: “ Expanding the reconciliation tent ,” Oct. 12, page 4. This unnecessarily politicized article comes across as a subtle... Read More
December 2, 2020 | Opinion |
