A rich and diverse version of God
In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. stated: “We must face the fact that in America, the church is still the most segregated major institution in America. At 11:00 on Sunday morning when we stand and sing, ‘Christ Has No East or West,’ we stand at the most segregated hour in this nation.” Presumably, the same has…
Hope and faith . . . even when things don’t go as planned
There is a new church among the farmlands of southwestern Manitoba, but it has more than a hundred years of history. This spring, Crystal City Mennonite Church and Trinity Mennonite Fellowship in Mather merged to create the new Prairie Mennonite Fellowship congregation. Crystal City Mennonite was founded in 1948, while Trinity began in 1976. Only…
‘House church with a building’
With eight members, Northgate Anabaptist Fellowship of Dawson Creek is the smallest congregation in Mennonite Church British Columbia. It is also the most remote, located about 1,880 kilometres northeast of Vancouver, near the Alberta border. Northgate was not always its current size. It began as a Mennonite Brethren church plant in 1962, first known as…
From days gone by to ‘Richer Days’
Like many rural congregations, Pleasant Point Mennonite Church isn’t as large as it once was. But, although small in number, the church enjoys a rich and interesting congregational life. Pleasant Point also has an intriguing history. It’s the only Mennonite Church Saskatchewan congregation with a building that boasts a steeple and a church bell. Moravian…
Riverton Fellowship Circle closes its doors
Riverton (Man.) Fellowship Circle decided on June 24 to close its doors, passing a motion to dissolve the church corporation and its assets. The congregation began meeting in 1985, when the Indigenous community expressed its desire for a church. They were led by Neill and Edith von Gunten, who also did ministry work in Matheson…
Getting into the Christmas spirit across Canada
In keeping with the season, Canadian Mennonite has wrapped up four Christmas events—from Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia—into one package for your festive reading. CALGARY—Foothills Mennonite Church hosts a seniors lunch once a month, during which they gather in fellowship and share a delicious meal. On Nov. 28, the Menno Simons Christian School Junior-High…
175 years by faith
In 1844, just under a half-hectare of land near the east bank of the Conestoga River was purchased from John Brubacher for the sum of five shillings. A log schoolhouse was constructed there, on what was then part of the Haldimand Tract and the traditional lands of the Neutral, Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The log…
Money for missions
In 1989, a group of women from St. Catharines United Mennonite Church decided to sell their crafts and baking to raise money for missions. This “making and baking” was something the women did well, and their efforts became known as the Mennonite Food and Craft Bazaar. It took place in November, early enough for some…
Arnaud Mennonite Church celebrates 75 years
While many churches in rural Canada face closure, Arnaud Mennonite Church recently celebrated its 75th anniversary. Located in the prairie town of Arnaud, Man., the church is home to a wide range of ages, from young families with children to seniors. Although about 40 people regularly attend Sunday morning worship, over 150 people gathered on…
Calgary church offers space for community events
“Light up the church.” That’s what members of Calgary Inter-Mennonite decided they wanted to do when asked about ways to engage with their local community. What that meant for the congregation of about 40 households was making their building, located in the northeast part of the city, available for use by others during the week—not…
