The new face of mission
When I was a kid, I took great pride in taking the dimes that I earned from my paper route and placing them in the dime cards that we received from our denominational mission agency to support overseas mission. Mom took notice of my interest and told me more than once that she was praying…
Blessed interviews
Interviewing guests for more than 100 episodes of Mennonite Church Canada’s radio podcast, Church Matters, has blessed me with the opportunity to learn and grow from the stories of others. Anostocio (a pseudonym), a Mennonite pastor, teacher and Colombian refugee, described the painful picture of life in Colombia: hungry children, victims of warfare with lost limbs,…
My mechanic, my teacher
It may sound a little odd, but I really like my mechanic. I like him because I am very inadequate in my mechanical knowledge and I am grateful for anyone who can provide expertise and knowledge concerning my vehicle. As much as I appreciate his knowledge and his comprehensive understanding of my vehicle, I also…
Ministry in diversity
“Lord, I am not what I want to be, I am not what I need to be, I am not what I am going to be, but, thank God Almighty, I am not what I used to be.” –Prayer from an African leader By its presence, teaching and action, the church is the salt and…
Jesus poses a problem
How do questions bring you closer to God? The Bible includes several hundred instances where Jesus poses a question to an individual, a small group of followers or a large crowd. Rarely looking for information, he often asks questions in order to challenge, encourage, invite or inspire. The Sermon on the Mount is one of…
Defining the ‘other’
Early in the Syrian refugee crisis, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) asked me to be part of a delegation meeting with Chris Alexander, minister of immigration. We indicated that the church was ready to do what it could to respond to the crisis. But as the crisis continued to unfold and governments struggle to…
Recapturing the momentum of reconciliation
Since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission events, there has been limited movement and engagement for local churches with regard to first nation relationship development. Many have been asking, “What can we do next?” The better question is, “How can we be better in walking out this talk of reconciliation with our indigenous neighbours?” There are…
Global gifts
Mennonite Church Canada’s history of engaging our global neighbours in mission and international church relations began more than 100 years ago. Since that time, the worldwide church has grown significantly. Almost two-thirds of the global Anabaptist community today is African, Asian or Latin American. That diversity is reflected within congregations across MC Canada that are…
Engaging change, pursuing the Spirit
Life is never static. As I transition from eleven years of leadership with Mennonite Church Canada into a season of semi-retirement and new opportunities, I’m struck by the parallels between the endemic and essential aspects of change in personal life and in church life. In fond farewell, I offer a few reflections on change for…
A word from the MC Sask moderator
As the new moderator of Mennonite Church Saskatchewan, I am dealing with feelings of anticipation, apprehension, excitement and a little fear. As with the other area churches, we are an association of individual churches. These churches are located in different areas, understand some scripture slightly differently, and see their role of living out the Christian…
