young voices

The responsibility of youth

For all the youths and young adults that I have talked to, it seems that most of our knowledge of Canada’s history with indigenous issues depended on our school teachers. In my part of northeast Calgary, I guess it wasn’t a priority for them. I had a very limited awareness about our country’s residential schools and the impact on Canada’s Indigenous Peoples until I finished high school.

Wide-Eyed and Mystified

Having reviewed two albums from talented American Christian groups I feel it is high time I move North of the border. Canada has a number of accomplished and excellent Christian groups. Currently there are none as popular as the group “downhere.”

Marc Martel and Jason Germain put together “downhere” in 1999 when they met at Briercrest Bible College in Caronport Saskatchewan. To date they have created five studio albums and a number of uncut and demo albums. The album under review today is their 2006 release “Wide-Eyed and Mystified.”

A Collision or (3+4=7)

The next album under review comes from one of the most popular Christian groups of the last decade. Though they recently played their last show together as a group, the David Crowder Band will forever be one of my favourites.

With three studio albums already in their pocket David Crowder Band seemed to have found their niche. As a result their 2005 release “A Collision or (3+4=7)” took the Christian music world by surprise. “A Collision” was different and remarkable in a number of different ways.

Is a sermon more than a speech?

I’ve listened to quite a few sermons in my lifetime, and have crafted and preached a dozen or so myself, too. They’re usually the part of worship that I most look forward to: they’re the heart and intellectual meat of the service, the part that provides theological concepts and ethical challenges to ponder, the part that both informs and inspires. But precisely because I have such high hopes for the sermon, there’s been more than one occasion when I’ve been deeply disappointed because the sermon wasn’t really a sermon. It was actually just a speech – and there is a difference!

Carrying on traditions

Mennonite communities have developed a rich tradition of raising hundreds of thousands of dollars each year at community events like the New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale. This event brings together hundreds of Mennonite families from all walks of life to enjoy each other, the food and auctions, while raising money for Mennonite Central Committee relief programs around the world.

Where are the manly mentors?

“That woman has really nice shoes,” said a man with whom I am acquainted.

I was at a restaurant in Vancouver with four men. Three of them were talking about women’s shoes, but, in fact, they were referring to certain parts of female anatomy in “code” so they wouldn’t appear rude or lascivious.

This was my experience a couple of weeks ago.

Selling hospitality

Lately, I’ve been thinking about how the ideas of service and hospitality play out in our society – namely, in the so-called “service” or “hospitality industry” of restaurants, hotels, etc. This is the sector of the workforce that my husband is in and the one I’ve had experience working in during summers and other time off from my (endless) studies. It’s something I have really mixed feelings about.

Living Harmoniously

I’ll admit it – I am a huge choir nerd. I absolutely love choir concerts and choral music in general.

I don’t know how I came to be this way. I mean, I have always loved a large variety of music, thanks to my father’s eclectic music tastes (Southern gospel, accapella, 50s-70s rock, to name a few) and my experience growing up in the church. But something has always strongly drawn me repeatedly to choral music – to the interesting and sometimes inconceivable SATB arrangements of pop songs, folk songs, and African spirituals.

Nursing the soul

It takes a special kind of person to be a nurse. It takes someone who will stay up all night rocking and singing to a screaming child. Someone like Carly Penner who will respect diverse faith traditions and care for a child while their mother goes to say her prayers five times a day as required by the Islamic faith.

Young adults pursue walk with God in other Christian traditions

Sometimes when people change churches or denominations, it is because they are looking for a more contemporary form of worship. For Jonathan Dyck, it was the opposite—one of the things he appreciates about switching from a Mennonite church to worshipping in an Anglican one is how rooted the Anglican church is in liturgy, and saying and singing the same words every Sunday.

Unlearning war

I was walking through my university campus a few weeks ago, when I noticed something rather chilling. The campus is littered with war memorials, honouring the dead Canadian soldiers of the twentieth-century, like the one pictured (found here) – that’s unsettling enough. But one wall of plaques, I noticed, contained several extra spaces, presumably carved in preparation for (or was it in anticipation of?) future wars.

The Long Fall Back to Earth

In my last post, entitled “In Defense of Christian Contemporary Music” I gave my opinion and perspective on Christian pop, rock and worship music. I also promised to review several albums that have been formative for me.

Near the end of my last post I wrote, “(t)he artists that most speak to me are gifted vocally, musically and lyrically and they challenge me in places where I would not otherwise be challenged.” With that in mind I give you my first album review.

Making community intentional

The six young adults who live in the three-storey house at the end of Alloway Avenue know each other well by now. They speak with each other openly, respond to each other thoughtfully, laugh easily and each one knows how the other five take their tea. All six want to grow closer to God, and they believe a good way to do that is by living together.

Towards creativity

I have been a walker for years now.

I remember it beginning in high school. Whenever I needed time to think I would walk. They need not be long walks, though some went on for hours. I would wander around the baseball diamonds and outdoor stage of my hometown, taking generally the same route with some slight alterations. I found that I rarely came to any conclusions on these walks, but I would feel better after.

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