Learning to listen
“We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.” This proverb, attributed to the first-century Greek philosopher Epictetus, is still good advice. In a time where there is no lack of speaking—whether with actual voices, through written words or even with visual symbols—the art of listening…
Citizens of a city on a hill
In the final days of January, a Christian acquaintance of mine started sharing social media posts supporting the “Freedom convoy” of truckers driving across Canada. The destination of this large moving protest was Ottawa, where the protesters planned to present their demands to federal leaders. Initially billed as a protest against the vaccine mandate for…
Thanks to you
Thanks to you, this magazine has entered its 25th year of publishing under the name Canadian Mennonite. We picked up the mantle in September 1997 from The Mennonite Reporter, a bi-weekly newspaper for the 26 years before that. Former staff turned the newspaper into a magazine, and the leaders at what was then the Conference…
Telling your stories
As we launch into 2022, it’s helpful to reflect on the year that has passed. It’s also a time to consider what’s ahead. With a presence both in print and online, Canadian Mennonite reaches readers within the Mennonite Church Canada family and readers who observe us from outside. I spent time looking at the 2021…
Digital connections
Living in pandemic times, we have realized how important it is to stay connected with each other, as friends, in our own neighbourhoods and as church communities. We need contact with real people, and we’ve found ways for in-person connecting to happen safely. Some of us are tired of Zoom meetings, Facebook Live and YouTube…
The feast of grace
Recently, I found myself hungering for grace. With the world still entrenched in this pandemic, we witness the complexities around public safety, the angry words, the strained relationships, the exhaustion, and the challenges to everyone’s mental well-being. Is there any good news? I decided to revisit a movie from the 1980s, a parable called Babette’s…
A new call for MC Canada
The Earth is in trouble. As I write, international leaders, scientists and activists are meeting in Glasgow, Scotland, for COP26, a forum discussing actions the worldwide community must take to address the ongoing effects of climate change, effects that threaten every creature on our planet. Even as world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic,…
In the headlines
Mennonites are in the news. Since late September, various articles in the secular press have brought attention to Mennonites living in Canada. An Ontario production company is producing virtual tours of a rural community, including a horse-and-buggy ride through “Mennonite country.” An exhibit in Kitchener, Ont., features photos of Muslim head coverings and Mennonite bonnets.…
On the road toward wisdom
I’ve been pondering the learning experiences of Jesus’ disciples as told in the Gospels. Jesus’ vision of God’s reign was so different from the reality they were used to, and they were curious. There was something about this Teacher that invited them to walk alongside him, to learn more. As Jesus’ companions on the road,…
Values that set us apart
A reader of this magazine thinks we have got our name backwards. He thinks the name should be Mennonite Canadian. “You are Canadian,” he says emphatically. “You think you are different from other Canadians because you call yourselves Mennonite, but you are not.” The man raises an interesting question. In what ways are we Mennonites…
