Celebrating Eastertide
I botched Lent this year. I didn’t fast from anything tasty or techno, or set aside time to meditate and pray. To be honest, I think my lack of motivation stems from the lack of inspiration I draw from the Easter story, at least as I’ve known it so far. The story of Christ’s victory…
Pondering covenant
Decline easily gives rise to lament and worry. Is there an alternative? Perhaps this is the time to consider exploring renewal of our covenant with God.
Embracing the pain of the past and the present
For the past 25 years, June 21 has been set apart by the Canadian government as National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) as a day to “celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.” On a typical NIPD here where I live, in Saskatoon in Treaty 6 territory,…
Moving thinward (Pt. 4)
One of my atheist friends told me about a unique encounter with a “holy” man that ignited her spiritual awakening. She met a Buddhist monk visiting the city she lived in, and her friend offered to tour him around for the day. They were amazed at the monk’s sense of wonder and childlike excitement, he…
Still strangers among us?
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25 NIV). The caller’s voice sounded familiar.…
MCC Alberta encourages refugee sponsorship
“I have learned that there is an overwhelming amount of need and suffering in this world. It is not up to us to solve every problem out there, but we can start by helping one person,” says Jackie Karau, the migration and settlement program associate for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Alberta. She has experience in…
Mission field: MSCS
Marvin Grasmeyer has a passion for the students, which is evident in everything that he does at Menno. As director of the athletic program, he has ensured that Menno keeps an all-inclusive approach because he sees the value in every student having the opportunity to be a part of a team. As a teacher, he…
Suicide isn’t painless
No one saw it coming. Not family, not friends, not anyone at the university he attended. On March 23, 2018, after babysitting his nieces and nephews, 18-year-old Nicholas (Nick) Penner Brandt returned to the apartment he shared with an older brother and twin sister, drank poison and died. In one horrible instant, the entire Brandt…
F-35s: ‘We told you so’
It doesn’t help a bit, but we all take satisfaction from time to time in saying, “We told you so.” The Canadian F-35 Joint Strike Fighter story has already provided many such opportunities, with more likely on the way. The now widely acknowledged failings of the F-35 program have forced the Harper government to revisit…
Just trying to help
My parents packed me, my sister and a Christmas hamper into the car. We were headed to an address provided by the local Cheer Board. The plan was for us to all go in for a short visit. I imagine the Cheer Board encouraged this to humanize the helping. Predictably, our venture took us to…
