The zucchini principle
A woman who was raised in both the Lutheran and Catholic churches is now a member of my congregation. When Shannon described what led her to the Mennonite church, she observed a few differences between how Mennonites and other traditions she knew practise their faith. She said that one difference was that “Mennonites hold on…
Digital church
A while back, a friend pondered whether it is possible to have a meaningful experience of church primarily through digital means. I doubt it. But that got me thinking about how much of our congregational experience is lived digitally. How does your church live in a digital world? It’s essential to consider the practical, ethical…
Broad prayers in a time of fear
It has become a routine yet still shocking news report: another shooting in a quiet neighbourhood or at a shopping centre, nightclub, school or place of worship. Then come the familiar offers of “thoughts and prayers” for the victims and their loved ones. Sadly, there have been too many opportunities to pray these prayers recently. …
A word to our digital subscribers
Twenty-five years ago, reading a magazine meant holding paper in your hands. Today, it just as easily means looking at a screen. Reading on a screen—whether it’s a smart phone, laptop, desktop computer or tablet—is the way increasing numbers of Canadian Mennonite readers are accessing news, information and opinions. It could be content provided by…
The Spirit is moving our body
I knew everything would be okay as soon as the singing started. As I sat at a table positioned behind a small tower of crates half covered in cloth—a makeshift platform for the room’s main projector—I looked up from my detailed program schedule and smiled. Right, this is why we’re here. “Gathering 2019: Igniting the…
What we say online
What does it mean to comment well on the internet? What does effectively communicating one’s thoughts on a web article or social media post look like? As Canadian Mennonite’s online media manager, a job that involves moderating comments on the magazine’s website and facilitating discussion on Facebook and Twitter, I think about these things regularly.…
Learning as we go
Gathering 2019 starts next week. From June 28 to July 1, several hundred attendees from across Canada will meet in Abbotsford, B.C., for the first major event since the re-structuring of the Mennonite Church Canada. Thank you, MC British Columbia, for hosting this gang! While getting together to worship and be inspired, to enjoy mealtime conversations…
Between ‘Pure’ and Mennonite Heritage Week
On the last week of May, season 2 of the crime show, Pure, started airing on the Super Channel. The show’s promotional material shows women in conservative Mennonite dress wielding rifles and filling packets with cocaine. Men in overalls, plaid shirts and straw hats intimidate a victim. The show purports to be “based on true…
Motivated by fear
Two hours into a conversation that I deeply regretted starting, the man seated next to me said, “Most people on this airplane are probably not Christian. If this flight starts to crash, I will stand up, tell everyone to repent [of their sins], accept Jesus as Lord and be saved. Otherwise, they will spend eternity…
Holding out the Christ-light
“We can all have good mental health. It is about having a sense of purpose, strong relationships, feeling connected to our communities, knowing who we are, coping with stress and enjoying life,” says a statement by the Canadian Mental Health Association. Statistics indicate that each year 6.7 million Canadians—one in five people—experience some form of…
