Over the past three months, in my role as communications officer for Mennonite Church Canada, I have been busy preparing for Gathering 2019, the first event of the “new” nationwide church.
This work is challenging because, much like trying to envision summer in the dead of winter (Regina is under an extreme cold warning as I write), this event is different from past assemblies. It will be something new and yet familiar, like spring after winter’s cold or summer after spring rain.
Gathering 2019 will be a reunion of our nationwide MC Canada family in Abbotsford, B.C., from June 28 to July 1. The theme of the event is “Igniting the imagination of the church.” The flame and church in the logo are a reminder of how the Spirit ignited a movement and formed a faithful community to embody God’s love for the world. It continues to do so still. Gathering 2019 is an opportunity to hear what the Holy Spirit is doing in our congregations today, so that the hearts and minds of those who gather will be inspired and equipped to imagine what God might be inviting us all to be and do in our various places of life and ministry.
Gathering 2019 is something new. It is a collaboration of MC Canada, MC B.C. and a committee of regional church representatives, planned for our nationwide community of faith. It is the inaugural gathering under the new MC Canada structure, which sees more regionally led planning and initiatives. It is a chance to get to know our MC B.C. family and communities more fully.
What will happen during these four days in Canada’s “raspberry capital”?
Each day will be full and meaningful. June 28 is Leadership Day, a chance for pastors and lay leaders to gather and fellowship with each other and guest speaker Elaine Heath. A former dean of Duke Divinity School, Heath is from the United Methodist tradition. She is passionate about community as a means of healing trauma, emergent forms of Christianity, and alternative forms of theological education for the church in rapidly changing contexts.
MC Canada’s annual general meeting is on the morning of June 29, for delegates selected by the five regional churches. Delegates will hear reports from the three nationwide programs: Indigenous-Settler Relations, International Witness and CommonWord. They will also adopt a budget and elect officers.
From June 29 to July 1 everyone gathers for inspirational worship, workshops and plenary sessions with Heath. Youth aged 13 to 18 are invited to spend the night of June 29 at Camp Squeah. There will be programming and excursions planned for children aged 5 to 12. Childcare for those 4 and under will also be available. Field trips on the afternoon of June 30 will create opportunities for everyone to explore the area and discover how God is at work in MC B.C.
Registration and a detailed program schedule will be available online in the coming months. For now, a helpful Q&A document and more details about Gathering 2019 can be found online at ignitegathering2019.ca.
For more on Gathering 2019, see:
Come and let your imagination be ignited
Add new comment
Canadian Mennonite invites comments and encourages constructive discussion about our content. Actual full names (first and last) are required. Comments are moderated and may be edited. They will not appear online until approved and will be posted during business hours. Some comments may be reproduced in print.