Beyond ourselves
As I write, my household is entering into our fourth week of physical distancing. Facing the fast-spreading and potentially deadly coronavirus, my spouse and I sit in a comfortable house, with a dependable supply of food and are thankful for good sanitation. We have books, music and movies. We’re still employed, and we’re connecting digitally…
The church has left the building
Recently seen online: a quote on a black T-shirt: “The church has left the building.” The worldwide spread of the latest coronavirus has drastically changed the way we live and move in these days. We avoid public gatherings, including weekly worship and other church activities. People across the world are hunkering down at home in…
Chequebook and calendar
In early March, the church my husband and I belong to held its annual general meeting. This year there wasn’t a lot of discussion, but Paul, the representative of the finance and stewardship committee, got us all thinking. The financial report is usually done as a “narrative budget,” with pie charts showing the various aspects…
Structure and identity
After Gathering 2019 last summer, Doug Klassen, then newly hired as executive minister of Mennonite Church Canada, sat down with me for a chat in the Abbotsford, B.C., airport. Amid the chatter of travellers and loudspeaker announcements, we considered the work ahead for our church. We talked about structure and identity. Since the denominational restructuring…
Limits and surprises
I had other plans for this space; this is not the editorial I was intending to write. But, reading over this issue’s proof pages, I saw some unexpected themes emerging. Several contributors highlight ways in which we humans try to limit the intentions/purposes of our Creator. Columnist Troy Watson reflects on the common tendency to get…
Cultivating hope
In the first days of 2020, our newsfeeds were full: confrontations over a pipeline in western Canada, devastating fires in Australia, an earthquake in Puerto Rico, the death of 176 people whose airplane was shot down and speculations of a possible war in the Middle East. Many of us deal with the constant barrage of…
#ICYMI: 2019 in review
It’s mid-December as I sit down to review the content published by Canadian Mennonite over the past year. Here are a few observations. Once again, the longer features anchoring the print issues made it possible for Mennonite contributors from across the country to share inspiration and information. I am grateful for the writers, pastors,…
Going deeper together
If you have been paying attention to what the regional churches are up to recently, you may have noticed a common question and a common longing. A question expressed at both regional and nationwide levels: What is God calling Mennonite Church Canada to do, as a church? And the longing: We desire to go deeper…
Stories told and untold
This past summer I attended an event focused on Mary Magdalene, at which guest speaker Amanda Witmer reviewed what scholars know about this early follower of Jesus—not very much. In addition, over the centuries, the Christian church has perpetuated misinformation about Mary: No, she was not the “sinful woman” in Luke 7. The Gospel of…
Disciples and citizens
A group of men and women travelled the dusty roads, meeting people, eating together, hearing stories, pondering deep sayings, seeing miracles and conversing with their leader. They asked him about justice and poverty, about their neighbours and their enemies. They wanted to know who deserved to sit in the important seats. They had questions about points…
