South Sudanese trained in trauma awareness in conflict zones
Nearly 100 people in South Sudan, all employees of the U.S. government, recently benefited from intensive trauma awareness and resilience trainings facilitated by Eastern Mennonite University. The USAID-sponsored workshops in July and August 2014 introduced the approaches used by EMU’s Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR) for addressing trauma, breaking cycles of violence, and…
Like mother, like daughter
Gerry Loewen runs her fingers along a row of books and moves toward a clothing rack packed with sweaters and cardigans. She is explaining what sort of donations come in to the thrift shop when a customer approaches her. He holds out a business card and tells his story. She listens patiently and, once he’s…
Divided for service
There are some verses in the Bible that we studiously avoid thinking about, let alone discuss publicly. They are like repressed memories or family secrets that threaten to cast us back into shame and confusion, to undo the semblance of peace, fellowship and orderliness that we have so diligently cultivated for ourselves. What a surprise…
For discussion
1. Does your church have ways to connect personally with the individuals it helps? How important is this personal contact? Have you ever experienced awkward moments while providing help to someone? What aspect of the exchange was most awkward? 2. Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to accept help without the…
Cross and context
In this post-Easter season, I’ve been continuing to mull over the significance of the cross for our faith – and not only because I recently wrote an exam on this topic! I articulated my thoughts on the matter last year around this time (you can read it here), so it seems appropriate to articulate them…
Part IV: Telling, re-telling, re-storying
This six-part series draws on Kara Carter’s PhD studies, for which she conducted five focus groups with Mennonite Church Eastern Canada pastors. Metaphors and images provide vivid word pictures which help God’s people make meaning and make sense of a complex and changing context. Jesus routinely drew upon the ordinary and mundane from his surroundings…
A hymn by any other number
When hymnologist Mary Oyer travelled from Uganda to Oregon to attend the 1969 Mennonite Church general assembly, she was surely filled with anticipation. She arrived in the second week of August to attend the dedication of a new denominational worship book, The Mennonite Hymnal (1969), which the General Conference Mennonite Church would also use. As…
A disarmed heart
Update: In October 2020, Mennonite Church Eastern Canada announced the termination of the ministerial credentials of John D. Rempel, on the basis of ministerial sexual misconduct. To learn more, see ‘Credentials terminated for theologian-academic-pastor.’ How do we “take up our quarrel with the foe”? What does it mean to “break faith with those who die”? Those…
Why the choice to die is not personal or private
It has been heartbreaking these last few days to hear the story of Brittany Maynard, a 29-year-old, beautiful young woman diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumor and given only a few months to live. The saddest part of the story for me, however, is not her prognosis, but her decision to end her life prematurely…
‘Tell God I say yes’
They come through the church door into the foyer. My limited vision can make out only their forms, but I recognize them, desperate folks who stop by on occasion to check out the food supplies available that day. “Felix” and “Norma” (pseudonyms) accept my invitation to sit in my office. Felix, as usual, squats nearest…
