White Mennonite static
The Mennonite church has the opportunity to become a dependable partner in the work of dismantling racism. The church as a whole has a record of racism—both overt and covert—that has been attested to by generations of Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) community members both within and outside the church. The question is…
Canadian voices on racism
What follows is a companion piece to “White Mennonite static” by American scholar Tobin Miller Shearer. To read Mennonite Church Canada offers several resources, through its office of Indigenous-Settler Relations, including the “TRC Trilogy”: Wrongs to Right; Yours, Mine and Ours; and The Quest for Respect. Borrow or purchase from commonword.ca. The Skin We’re In.…
We shouldn’t be colour blind
I’ve been embarrassed of my heritage for most of my life. I’m the son of immigrants who came from Germany and the Philippines. Even though I was born in Canada, I know that to many people, I look like I came from somewhere else. That’s why I’ve always cringed when people ask me where I’m…
Learn, love, advocate
I was in Whistler, B.C., last week with my husband and kids, and we joined a Black Lives Matter protest in the village. My eight-year-old reminded us that we used to do this often when we lived in Manila in the Philippines. He recalled a story of how his brother had held a sign up…
Disillusionment and hope
When I preach I often reference verses in the Bible that talk about God’s intention that all nations, languages and tribes are called to worship God through Jesus. The Book of Acts is the story of the Jewish disciples relying on the power of the Holy Spirit and learning that the new church is relevant…
Regional churches of Mennonite Church Canada call for prayer
As rallies and protests continue across the United States and Canada in response to the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, the five regional churches of Mennonite Church Canada released a statement yesterday asking congregations to set a specific time of prayer this coming Sunday, June 7. The statement asks…
