Saskatchewan youth want to be in the loop
“We want a church that is for everyone, and we want to be part of making that happen.” This statement from a Saskatchewan Mennonite Youth Organization (SMYO) report to the Mennonite Church Saskatchewan annual delegate sessions appeared to be borne out by the level of engagement witnessed in members of the SMYO Committee at the…
Nerdy fun
For about 30 years, youth from several Mennonite Church Eastern Canada congregations in Ontario have looked forward to their annual Bible quizzing event. It’s centred around friendly competition, memorization of minute biblical details and application of biblical principles to everyday life. Competing in pairs until a winner is chosen, Bible quizzing teams are asked 23…
Seniors, youths break down age barriers
When the grey-haired set met the blue-jean generation of Emmanuel Mennonite Church at an evening gathering last year, both generations learned a lot about the other. And everyone agreed it was an experience worth repeating. Although Emmanuel is home to all generations, seniors and youths have few opportunities to converse with one another. Desiring more…
Two gifts for our youth
Whenever a congregation gathers to look ahead and contemplate its future, you can be sure that questions about the youth will be raised: Where are they? How can we keep them? We have all likely heard—and possibly have spoken—these concerns in various forms. These are important matters and the church does well to keep them…
Helping ‘the youth of today’
Die Jugend von Heute. Meaning “the youth of today,” this phrase used to be spoken with a sigh and a sorrowful shake of the head by German-speaking seniors in the church. At times, and certainly out of earshot, teens would teasingly mimic their grandparents. The phrase seemed innocent enough, but the underlying message went deeper:…
