A Christian nation?
“We, nosotros, we saved Colombia from being handed over to communists!” Those were the words of a celebrity pastor from a Colombian mega-church, spoken to a cheering crowd in California. That pastor referred to the recent success of a “No” campaign in the popular referendum that voted against implementing a peace agreement in my country.…
Mennonites celebrate their global church
B.C. Mennonites enjoyed a global experience on March 25 while gathering for Renewal 2023, a Mennonite World Conference (MWC) event with the theme of “Jesus Christ, our hope.” The event, held at South Abbotsford Church, was part of Renewal 2028, a decade-long series of local events organized by MWC to commemorate the upcoming 500th anniversary…
Joy and love: Christmas Eve vigil in Kenya
One of the most outstanding Christmas traditions among communities in Kenya is having vigils popularly know as “Kesha” on Christmas Eve. Most worshippers come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by singing hymns and carols, and even at times recreate the holy event by nativity plays. At midnight, churches ring bells to mark…
A cry of alarm and call for prayer
“We raise a cry of alarm to the different faithful members of the Mennonite church around the world,” writes Reverend Alphonse Kisubi Kassa, a leader of Communauté des Églises des Frères Mennonites au Congo (CEFMC). A delegation from CEFMC Goma—the Mennonite Brethren church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo—visited the church in Munigi in…
Shortened meetings study unity, affirm new members
As the Muslim call to prayer wafted on the air through open doors, the General Council worshipped, prayed and considered the global fellowship of churches in Mennonite World Conference (MWC). The in-person triennial meetings of leaders of MWC national member churches in Indonesia in early July were cut short as COVID-19 positives put leaders into…
Watch: Highlights from Indonesia
Last month, people from around the world gathered in Indonesia for the Mennonite World Conference’s 17th assembly. In an outdoor venue at a Mennonite seminary on a mountaintop in the city of Salatiga, on the island of Java, Anabaptists from 44 countries gathered for the global church reunion that’s held every six years—or seven, in…
Ukraine war shakes peace convictions, MWC assembly told
Saying the war in Ukraine has shaken western European Mennonites’ commitment to nonviolence, a French pastor urged Mennonites from around the world to get off the sidelines and work for peace. Hundreds of worshippers heard her message on July 6, the second day of the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) assembly in Salatiga, Indonesia. “We affirmed…
MWC assembly crosses barriers to gather in Indonesia
A colourful display of Javanese music, dance and shadow puppetry kicked off the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) assembly in Salatiga, Indonesia, on July 5. Singing, prayer, a sermon about the mystery of the Incarnation and welcoming remarks from local Anabaptist church leaders were included in the opening ceremony and worship service, held at…
How do churches practise creation care?
A global survey conducted by Mennonite World Conference (MWC) shows that Mennonite-Anabaptist congregations around the world are being impacted by environmental issues such as climate change in diverse ways, are feeling anxious and sad due to those impacts, and are talking about creation care in their churches. To find out how churches are responding, the…
Watch: MWC looks back on 2021
If you’re curious about what Mennonites around the world were up to in 2021, look no further than Mennonite World Conference’s (MWC) year-in-review video. Released at the end of December, the five-minute video explores the ways the global Anabaptist-Mennonite family strengthened relationships through local gatherings and international webinars. Significant attention is paid to ongoing preparations…
