Yukari Kaga, a pastor from Japan, admitted Peter’s praise in his letter to the early church seems “a little strange to me.” Peter wrote this letter (1 Peter) in such a cruel... Read More
News & Stories
In the Wednesday evening worship Pastor Yukari Kaga reminds those gathered at Mennonite World Conference that, “Jesus’ death has swallowed death in victory,” she said. “This is the work of God’s great power.” (Photo by Dale D. Gehman)
July 23, 2015 | Web First | Anna Groff
Many people have gathered here in Harrisburg, Pa. Many more, I think, than I have been a part of in worship. Being a part of many people gathering, of many people singing can be a... Read More
July 23, 2015 | Web First | David Driedger
During Wednesday morning worship time, Deborah, from Indonesia, leads the international music ensemble in the singing of "Nyanyikanlah" (Sing to God a New Song), with gestures typical of worship in her country. The crowd in the big arena joined in with the singing and the movements. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman)
Three speakers—one each from Kenya, Canada and Ethiopia—shared stories of doubt in their local contexts at Mennonite World Conference’s (MWC) morning worship on July 22, 2015. “We... Read More
July 22, 2015 | Web First | Kelli Yoder
A drone (Courtesy of 1040 for Peace)
Participants in Mennonite World Conference Assembly, a global gathering of Mennonites and other related Anabaptist groups in Harrisburg, Pa., will be invited to assemble for... Read More
July 22, 2015 | Web First |
MennoHomes photo
Ken and Debbie Martin are ready to head out from Elmira (Ont.) Mennonite Church on a countryside tour as part of the MennoHomes fifth annual bike-a-thon for affordable housing on... Read More
July 22, 2015 | God at work in Us |
Photo: Mennonite Heritage Centre/Mennonite Archival Image Database
A group of 18 young men and women travel in the back of a truck on their way a Sängerfest or song festival in the Didsbury, Alberta, area in 1934. No seatbelts used here! Song... Read More
July 22, 2015 | God at work in the Church | Conrad Stoesz
Mike Martin (second from right) and his siblings (from left), Steve, Ron, Willard, Gloria and Terry Martin sang at the 25th anniversary celebration for Community Mennonite Fellowship in Drayton, Ont., on May 23, 2015. Mike, who is the chair of church council, wrote a special song for the event. (Photo courtesy of Community Mennonite Fellowship, Drayton)
The roots ran deep in both the Berea and Moorefield Mennonite Churches, north of Kitchener-Waterloo. Berea, first known as the Parker Mission, was founded in 1941 and joined the... Read More
July 22, 2015 | God at work in the Church |
Prayer team member John C. Murray of Hesston, Kan., prays during a Pink Menno hymn sing outside the delegate hall July 4. (Photo by Paul Schrag, Mennonite World Review)
Pick a category of people at the Mennonite Church USA convention, and you could identify their pain. It might have been the pain of exclusion due to sexual orientation. Or of... Read More
July 22, 2015 | God at work in the Church | Paul Schrag
April Yamasaki speaks about fasting from the Christian perspective at the Abbotsford interfaith symposium on July 6, 2015. (Photo by Amy Dueckman)
An interfaith symposium on July 6 at Abbotsford’s Garden Park Tower found Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs reflecting on fasting and peace and then eating together with a... Read More
July 22, 2015 | God at work in the World | Amy Rinner Waddell
Ester Neufeldt, outgoing operations minister of MCEC, sits in her office at 50 Kent, Kitchener. This is the third office move she oversaw in her 27-and-a-half years of working for the area church. (Photo by Dave Rogalsky)
Ester Neufeldt has been around Mennonite Church Eastern Canada longer than MCEC has existed. The area church came into being on Feb. 1, 1988, but Neufeldt began her job on Jan. 25... Read More
July 22, 2015 | God at work in Us |
A letter to my congregation: An evangelical pastor’s path to embracing people who are gay, lesbian and transgender into the company of Jesus. By Ken Wilson. Read the Spirit Books... Read More
July 22, 2015 | Artbeat |
When children arrive at Mennonite Church Manitoba’s (MCM) three camps this summer, they will have a new tune to learn. “This Ground” is a simple, catchy, four-chord song—and it... Read More
July 22, 2015 | Young Voices |
Will Friesen (centre), a Grade 5/6 student with severe cognitive and physical disabilities, poses with some of his classmates at Rosenfeld Elementary School. (Photo by Jackie Nickel)
Wilhelm (Will) Friesen, a Grade 5/6 student, does not have a voice. Will was born with severe cognitive and physical disabilities which prevent him from performing basic tasks,... Read More
July 22, 2015 | Young Voices | Mattea Nickel
Organizer Rachel Regier explains the goals of Pedal for Peace to about 40 participants. (Photo courtesy of MCC Saskatchewan)
Before they ate their fill of rollkuchen, watermelon, farmer’s sausage and other traditional Mennonite food, a group of Saskatchewan Mennonites cycled 43 kilometres in solidarity... Read More
July 22, 2015 | Young Voices |
Picking up on the assembly theme, MWC general secretary César García called listeners to join with others and—together—walk with God. (Photo by Dale Gehman)
The 16th Mennonite World Conference (MWC) Assembly opened July 21, 2015, in Harrisburg, Pa., with a parade of Mennonites from across the globe, with confession of past treatment... Read More
July 21, 2015 | Web First | Gordon Houser
Brook Musselman (left), logistics coordinator of the Global Youth Summit, and Howard Good, national coordinator of PA 2015, prepare for the Anabaptist World Cup at Logan Field, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Merle Good)
The first ever Anabaptist World Cup will be played on the afternoons of July 22, 23, 24, and 25, 2015, as an optional recreational event during PA 2015, the Mennonite World... Read More
July 20, 2015 | Web First | Phyllis Pellman Good
Marcy Hostetler of Lancaster, Pennsylvania is leading the international ensemble of singers and instrumentalists at PA 2015, the international gathering of Mennonite World Conference. (Photo courtesy of Mennonite World Conference)
A 19-member international ensemble of singers and instrumentalists will lead the morning and evening worship each day at PA 2015, the Mennonite World Conference Assembly to be... Read More
July 20, 2015 | Web First | Phyllis Pellman Good
A trauma healing workshop in Nigeria is held under the shade of trees. (Photo courtesy of MCC/Dave Klassen)
Musa* grew up in a close-knit family that did not change even as they became adults. The siblings looked out for each other and their parents. When Boko Haram insurgent activity... Read More
July 18, 2015 | Web First | Dave Klassen, with Carl and Roxane Hill
Howard Zehr, author, known as “grandfather of restorative justice,” and author of the influential book Changing Lenses. (MennoMedia photo)
Changing Lenses: Restorative Justice for Our Times , by Howard Zehr, remains the go-to text in the restorative justice field, even twenty-five years after it was first published... Read More
July 18, 2015 | Web First |
Lassana Kanneh, a former child soldier in Liberia's civil wars, interacts with classmates at the Summer Peacebuilding Institute at Eastern Mennonite University, in Harrisonburg, Va. (Photo by Michael Sheeler)
In 1999, along with more than 20,000 Liberian children, 11-year-old Lassana became a soldier. He was kidnapped and forced to use drugs and alcohol, destroy property, and kill in... Read More
July 18, 2015 | Web First | Andrew Goodstein
Canadian Christians concerned about climate change are calling for government action in response to the impact of global warming on the country’s coastlines and vast Artic region... Read More
July 17, 2015 | Web First | Kristine Greenaway
Mary Fehr and Sarah French are cycling across Canada to raise money for women farmers in Ghana. (MEDA photo)
As they biked across the Manitoba border into northern Ontario, Mary Fehr and Sarah French had extra power pushing their pedals. Past MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development... Read More
July 16, 2015 | Web First |
The fastest growing Mennonite Church in the world can’t keep up with its need for leadership training and Bibles. The Meserete Kristos Church (MKC) in Ethiopia, a member of... Read More
June 30, 2015 | Web First |
Mennonite Christians in the village of Sidi, Burkina Faso, at a meeting in May 2015. These farmers risk losing access to their land and to their place within the village community because of their faith. They refuse to provide chiefs with items designated for sacrifice to the spirits of the land. (Photo by Siaka Traoré)
In the village of Sidi, Burkina Faso, a group of Mennonite Christians risk losing access to the land they farm and to their place within the village community, because of their... Read More
June 30, 2015 | Web First | Elizabeth Miller and Siaka Traoré, with translating assistance from Lynda Hollinger-Janzen
Kim Penner (left) and Allison Murray planned and facilitated a symposium, “Engaging Women’s Voices on Church, Theology and Mission,” sponsored by Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre, with support from Mennonite Church Eastern Canada.
Several women in post-graduate theological studies at Toronto School of Theology (TST) challenged the 20 women and men who gathered on a Saturday in early May with new ways of... Read More
June 30, 2015 | Web First | Muriel Bechtel