Saskatchewan Mennonites volunteer with Okanagan Gleaners
A small group of volunteers from Rosthern Mennonite Church spent five days in September chopping and dehydrating vegetables at Okanagan Gleaners near Oliver, B.C. Among them were Larry and Denise Epp. “Both Larry and I were amazed at how much produce is wasted because it doesn’t meet the standards of the consumers or doesn’t even…
A very meaningful relationship
In the fall of 2015, members of the neighbourhood community association asked if they could use our lower auditorium at Foothills Mennonite Church here in Calgary for a group of seniors for an exercise program. Kate Janzen was the church’s outreach trustee at the time, and she helped facilitate the request. Two University of Calgary students…
Church garden provides produce for soup kitchen
In the summer of 2004, Joy Neufeld opened the first soup kitchen in Steinbach. Fifteen years later, Soup’s On is still serving its community and is thriving. Neufeld, a member of Grace Mennonite Church in Steinbach, started the project because she loved working in the kitchen. “I just love cooking and baking, but the last…
Mennonite organizations help Montreal church with renovations
Every night, from November to April, volunteers from Hochma Mennonite Church in Montreal open its doors as a warming centre for some 40 people who are experiencing homelessness. The church wants to become a licenced shelter operating year-round, but its building needs roughly $200,000 worth of renovations to bring it up to code. Brian Bauman,…
Volunteers ‘go beyond’ in the community
Our journey at Rockway focuses on students developing an ability to lead with compassion when classroom learning is extended so they can live out Christ-centred values, develop empathy and perspective, and serve the community locally and globally. This is the inspiration behind Rockway’s new Students Learning in Community (SLIC) partnerships. Volunteers travel with students to…
‘An education for life’
The vision at Menno Simons Christian School to offer “An education for life” challenges us to provide an education that equips children for now and for tomorrow. It encompasses an academic experience with opportunities to grow in areas of the arts and athletics, but of equal importance we strive to provide an Anabaptist Mennonite education…
‘It was just helping people’
For 34 years, Keith Wagler lived out his Christian faith by serving others through the Appliance Repair Program of the House of Friendship (HoF), a social service agency in the Waterloo Region of Ontario. His job involved servicing and repairing appliances for people living on a low income, who could not afford to pay for…
Encouraged to keep working
“Everything I’ve done has been a team sport,” quips Ray Funk as he reflects on his life’s achievements. The community developer and former Member of Parliament was awarded Goshen (Ind.) College’s Culture for Service Award at the college’s fall convocation and homecoming on Oct. 3. The award is given annually to two or three alumni…
