First Mennonite series explores queer theology
Affirming LGBTQ+ inclusion in the church has been discussed for years in many Christian circles, yet congregations and regional churches tend to not move beyond the initial question to discover the rich scope queer theology offers. First Mennonite Church in Winnipeg is pushing past that boundary with its new series, “Queer theology and the church:…
Jubilee Mennonite votes to become an affirming congregation
After more than a year of discussion, study and prayer, Winnipeg’s Jubilee Mennonite Church—which is part of both Mennonite Church Manitoba and the Manitoba Mennonite Brethren Churches—has decided to welcome members of the LGBTQ+ community to become full members of the congregation. The decision, which was made in June, affirms that “all people are…
In This Together aims to widen the circle of inclusion
“In This Together [ITT] is one way to feel those prophetic nudgings of the Spirit,” said Alissa Bender, pastor of Hamilton (Ont.) Mennonite Church, and a member of the ITT steering committee, as she led more than 75 people in a worship service that celebrated the gifts that LGBTQ+ people offer to the church, on…
Discussing the future of an inclusive church
Twenty-three people gathered in the basement of Hamilton (Ont.) Mennonite Church, together with remote groups in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton and Calgary, to discuss the future of In This Together (ITT): LGBTQ+ Anabaptist Network of Canada. The idea for ITT came about after an event put on by Pastors in Exile last April called “Beyond binaries:…
Watch: Katie Sowers is making Super Bowl history
Katie Sowers will make history next weekend as the first woman and first openly gay person to coach during the Super Bowl. The 33-year-old is an offensive assistant coach for the San Francisco 49ers, who will face the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, Feb. 2 in Super Bowl LIV. She’s also an alumna of two…
‘Coming out’ as a church
On Sept. 22, Charleswood Mennonite Church in Winnipeg celebrated “coming out” as a church that welcomes and affirms people of every gender and sexual orientation into its community with special worship service celebrating its newly created affirmation statement. Although Charleswood has had a welcoming attitude for years, it was important to make it explicit with a…
Queer hymns now online
Growing up, Cedar Klassen loved singing hymns. Klassen’s family would gather around the dinner table singing verses from Hymnal: A Worship Book, and later Sing the Journey and Sing the Story, in four-part harmony. After taking a course in hymnology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ont., Klassen chose to write a thesis on…
‘In this together’
A sidewalk chalk sign invites people into Nutana Park Mennonite Church to ‘Prep for Pride.’ (Photo courtesy of Susanne Guenther Loewen) This wasn’t the first time Mennonites participated in the Saskatoon Pride Parade, but it was the first time they walked together as a group. According to Susanne Guenther Loewen, co-pastor of Nutana Park Mennonite in Saskatoon,…
MCC may allow exceptions to ‘lifestyle expectations’
The boards of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Canada and U.S. have approved the possibility of exceptions to the “lifestyle expectations” for some MCC personnel, although those parameters have not been completely defined. The updates came as the boards reviewed MCC’s human resources framework at their annual joint meeting on March 16 and 17, 2018, in…
Unity of the Spirit
Ephesians begins by blessing God for revealing the great mystery, namely, to “gather up all things in Christ” (1:10). Ephesians 2:11-22 then celebrates Christ’s making peace between strangers and enemies, breaking down walls of hostility through giving his life on the cross, thereby creating a “new human.” Fittingly, the exhortation to recipients of that grace…
