Amplifier of youth voices moves on
The end of summer 2024 also marks the end of over a decade of commitment to youth ministry for Kirsten Hamm-Epp, regional church minister for Mennonite Church Saskatchewan. The Manitoba native, now 34, took over the reins of the Saskatchewan Youth Ministry Organization (SMYO) in the summer of 2013 after graduating with an English degree…
A mother’s ‘yes’
Part I: For Junia Grace, 2017 Photo by Taylor Summach I don’t like to write sermons. I am, at best, an unlikely preacher in our small Mennonite church. I languished through theology courses in college, earning mostly high C’s. I feel easily overwhelmed when researching scripture, and I have no knowledge whatsoever of…
Responding to God’s call
New Year’s Day is often a time we reflect on the events and experiences of the past year. It is also the time we look forward to what might lie ahead. At the beginning of 2023, I received an email from Terry Stefaniuk, who was then the moderator of Mennonite Church Saskatchewan. Terry asked if…
Theologian empowers lay leaders at workshop in Saskatoon
Leading worship was the focus of a two-day workshop organized by Mennonite Church Saskatchewan last month. More than 30 pastors and lay leaders attended “Called to Be a Worship Leader” at Nutana Park Mennonite Church in Saskatoon October 19–20. Led by professor and former pastor Carol Penner, the workshop focused on what it means to…
Two ministers ordained in Mennonite Church Saskatchewan
October was a big month for pastoral leadership in Mennonite Church Saskatchewan as two young pastors, Rodney Hennessey and Curtis Wiens, were ordained by their congregations. “It was a great month,” said Gary Peters, the regional church’s interim executive minister. “We’ve certainly had a handful of ordinations in the past few years, but this is…
Musical sharing at Muskeg Lake Cree Nation
About 75 people gathered at Muskeg Lake Cree Nation, located an hour’s drive north of Saskatoon, on August 6 for the Singing in the Arbor event. The event, which included music, food and relationship-building, was sponsored by the Cree Nation and Mennonite Church Saskatchewan’s Walking the Path initiative. Muskeg Lake elder Harry Lafond has been…
The question of camps
“People used to work at camp because it was the right thing to do. They’d say things like: ‘I’d work 18-hour days, was paid very little, never got breaks, took care of kids and had the best time of my life, it was great!’ But that’s less motivating now.” These are the words of Tim…
Why does the Incarnation matter?
In the Christian tradition, the story of Christmas is grounded in the truth that God took on human form and came to live among us. Isaiah 7:14 says: “Therefore, the Lord will give you a sign. The young woman is pregnant and is about to give birth to a son, and she will name him…
Eyes to see
In the current cultural climate, many churches, Mennonite ones included, are wrestling with the question of how to help members talk about faith and God’s work in their own lives. At a time when “evangelism” can seem almost like a four-letter word, how can people of faith bear witness to God’s movement in honest and…
Individual donations trend up within regional churches
Individuals increased direct giving to their regional church in year two of the COVID-19 pandemic. The growth is contrary to the experience of secular charities. According to the CanadaHelps fifth annual Giving Report, charitable giving fell an estimated 12 percent between 2019 and 2021. In contrast, individual donations to Mennonite Church Canada’s regional churches grew…
