Exploring the Anabaptist family online
As a self-described church nerd, I love to learn about my larger church family, and I’ve found much to explore online related to the Anabaptist-Mennonite world. I’m curious about my faith family’s projects past and present; I appreciate hearing stories of faithfulness and failure; I gain insight into the values and vision that have guided…
Notes from afar
In early July, I was in Indonesia—virtually. Like approximately 800 other Anabaptists around the world, I registered as an online participant of Indonesia 2022, the 17th assembly of Mennonite World Conference (MWC). You’ll find coverage of that significant event on pages 4 to 7 and 13 to 23 of this issue, including reporting on the…
‘Following’ Mennonites
What are Mennonites up to these days? If you have within reach a smart phone, a tablet or a computer, the world of social media gives a glimpse into the larger Mennonite community. My first role with Canadian Mennonite was as web editor, and I was soon delving into the online world of Mennonites in…
Acting ‘a little strange’
“When you learn to follow Jesus, you will act a little strange.” This memorable line comes from a song by Mennonite singer/songwriter Bryan Moyer Suderman. Besides being an earworm, this simple song encourages children, youth and adults to consider what their lives will look like as they’re learning to walk in the way of Jesus.…
Hybrid church
When you hear the words “church,” the first thing that pops into your head is probably not “tech team.” And yet, as we’ve lived through two years of pandemic worship, those folks operating the video camera, microphones and the Zoom controls have been vital to the church’s life together. The people managing the congregation’s YouTube…
Two things not up for debate
This editorial is not about abortion. Or maybe it is. I write this on the day after Mother’s Day, at a time when conversations are intense about the rightness or wrongness of ending a woman’s pregnancy. There is a lot to be said about the medical, legal and religious aspects of abortion, but not by me…
Speaking of faith
“How do we speak of our faith in a society of many faiths and no faith, a society that has seen all too well the harm the church can inflict in the name of Jesus?” This is one of the questions posed in the study guide for Gathering 2022, to be held in Edmonton this…
Trusting the Easter story
I have a vivid childhood memory of hearing my mother read C.S. Lewis’s book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Chapters 14 and 15 tell the story of the battle between life and death: the horrific killing of the hero, Aslan, the grieving of his faithful friends, and his triumphant emerging into life once…
‘For the joy of ear and eye’
As I write, the horrific attacks on the people of Ukraine continue, but recently I witnessed a sign of beauty amidst the chaos. Standing in a grey bomb shelter, with pipes overhead, a Ukrainian musician brings forth a haunting tune from his violin. The video screen pulls back to reveal other quadrants in which other…
Two years in
Since March 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic came into the lives of Canadians, this magazine has published many accounts of life in pandemic times. There have been reports on how Mennonite churches and organizations have adapted to health restrictions, found new ways to care for others, and even managed to have fun, despite the challenges.…
