A Menno Minute

Duty in its Place

Jesus did not come to pile burdens on already burdened people. He came to lift them. He came to give rest to the weary, mercy to those who keep on doing what they don’t want to do, liberation to the captives, and welcome to the prodigals. He came to proclaim and embody news that was genuinely good—that God’s love for sinners is the strongest, deepest, and truest given in the universe. God help us if we reduce this to some version of “do better.” Duty has its place. But its place is and must only be the response of love to Love.

2025 Student Bursary Application Reflection

To an extent, I’ll never really understand Canadian Mennonite University. Of course, I understand the value of living in dorms, the proximity to new people that facilitates rapid development of relationships. Of course, I understand the wide breadth of courses that invites so many people with so many different dreams.

2025 Student Bursary Application Reflection

I took a class this past year called Art of Worship. In this course, we deconstructed various aspects of Christian worship—such as singing, preaching, imagery, community, and prayer—to examine how these practices either aid or hinder our ability to connect spiritually.

In Kind

In the summer of 2024, we began to receive in kind donations of fresh fruit and vegetables. These donations have made a huge difference on our camp grocery bills. And we as camp staff have felt supported by the donations themselves, and by the many, many people who chipped in to grow the produce, receive and store it along the way, pick it up, deliver it, prep and serve it, and later, return the empty bins.

I'm back!

As a Valaqua Staffer, of 20 years now, summer means something different for me than it does for most people. Camp summers are intense, chaotic, and awesome. However, they hold very little time for sitting in the shade with a book or enjoying a quiet evening with friends.   

What does the Lord require of us?

Picture a hot and muggy morning in Kitchener, Ontario – you’re at the threshold of the basement entrance to First Hmong Mennonite Church. It’s 9:15 am and the sound of many voices emanates from that doorway. You hesitate; it’s loud, and you know it will be louder when you step inside. But you also smell coffee and you have the sense that people are eating something delicious… you’ll just have to take a deep breath and go find out for yourself. 

A Sabbatical Blessing

This blessing was prayed over Tim during his last MCA executive meeting before his sabbatical, August 1 - November 1.  Please keep Tim and MCA in your prayers during these months.

 

The U30 Experience at Gathering 2025

As a person in their twenties, one thing I hear constantly is how bad young people are today. Much like every generation before mine, it seems like the older generations don’t have much good to say about us. It’s always complaints about our work ethic, intelligence, or even our culture, with rarely anything positive being said. And within Christian circles, there’s usually one additional complaint. “The Church is dying, and it’s all because young people aren’t committing themselves to the Church!” It can be pretty discouraging to be on the receiving end of this criticism, but instead of trying to refute these claims, I want to tell a bit of a story.

Join the Choir

During the Gathering 2025 Resource Day: What does the Lord Require of Us?, Jonathan Neufeld said, in one of his remarks, that he knew with this particular audience that he was “preaching to the choir.”  A common phrase, for sure. But that line prompted me to think, “how do we become part of the choir?”  How do you, particularly if you have never attended a MC Canada Gathering event, become part of the choir? And why would you want to?

Reflections from our Inter-Mennonite/Inter-Cultural Good Friday Service 2025

In our gathering to share experiences of our Good Friday service, the leadership agreed that it was a beautiful experience. Many felt inspired by a service that connected present-day experiences of violence and oppression with the story of violence and oppression that led to Jesus’ death long ago.  As would be expected, a few felt a bit disconnected, longing for the “usual” way of remembering this day.  

National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada

June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day in Canada: “National Indigenous Peoples Day takes place on the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. For generations, many First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities have celebrated their cultures, languages, and traditions at this time of year. The summer solstice holds deep spiritual and cultural significance for many Indigenous Peoples, marking a time of renewal, connection, and celebration.”

Returning Home

I recently returned to Alberta after participating in the Anabaptism at 500 events in central Europe. On May 29, over two thousand Anabaptists from across the world gathered in Zurich to remember our denomination’s origins, to learn about where we are headed as a faith community, to broaden our understanding of our faith in action and to worship where we are today.

The Wisdom of Youth

It’s a silly thought, I traveled so far and saw so much, and yet I can’t stop thinking about those that were right in front of me the whole time.

It’s a gift

 My work as Director of Admissions and Development at RJC has taken me to various communities and churches across the province and allowed me to meet kind and generous families and supporters of the school. I have the privilege of hearing stories about how RJC has shaped individuals' views of the church and helped them grow into the people they are today. Some haven’t returned to campus since their graduation, and others can’t wait to get back for their next decade reunion.

Reflections on the Pastor's Retreat

At this year's Pastors retreat, I found myself rejuvenated, filled with love and hope, and encouraged in my work.

Tithing our Time in the context of Prosperity

I remember visiting my Oncle Jean in Switzerland twenty years ago.  As we were getting ready to make a toast, I remember my Uncle explaining: “Back in the day, we toasted to our health. But these days, health is not as big a worry. Instead we have a deficit of happiness.” And so now he toasts to health and happiness!  “Santé Bonheur!”

A Worm's Eye View

As Earth Month wraps up, I’m reflecting.

Easter Dawn Reflections

It’s early Easter morning and I am standing on a small hill looking out to the east as the gradually brightening sky signals the approach of sunrise. To my right the moon hovers above rooftops, its perfect half already bathed in the sun’s rays, a prophet of the brightness to come.

Relics? Momentos?

While as Mennonites we don’t have crucifixes hanging in our homes, we do have momentos.

A Taste of Life in Creation

I have been reading a book in my time here titled Food and Faith by Norman Wirzba and he writes “eating is the daily reminder of creaturely mortality.” This quote stood out to me as a very small glimpse into life at A Rocha.

Spirit Acts

In preparation for the Mennonite Church Canada Gathering this summer, I have been immersed in the biblical story of Acts, and particularly the character arc of Peter. Through his eyes, I explore the dramatic movement of God’s spirit in him and in the church. It’s a remarkable journey in a few short chapters – from rutted old expectations (found below at Christ’s ascension) to a vision of a diverse and inter-cultural beloved community. Fortunately, against our initial impulses, Jesus does not sit in any one chair (or cheer for any one sports team!) but reigns over all, in all and through all – often beyond our limited imaginations.

Global Youth Summit 2025

I have the privilege of representing Mennonite Church Alberta, along with four other representatives from across Mennonite Church Canada were tasked with compiling a report. This report centered on themes of belonging, spiritual inclusion and belonging. We surveyed 33 adults across Canada, with more than 50% of the responses from Alberta (go us!).

OUR Shared Prayers

Our Shared Prayer is an experiment, no doubt, but my hope is, as these prayers open our newsletter each week that at least one over the next year would resonate with you, you specifically, you who are reading this Menno Minute right now.

Reading, Thinking, and Figuring Out

I have always been a reader, this probably in character for this Old Colony eldest son back there who wanted to figure out many things (nesheah is the Low German word). So this morning I was reading again, not so much to gather news (no end of that since January 20, day one), but to meditate, pay attention along with brothers and sisters, fellow Christians and many other Americans reeling in shock at what they have just done to themselves. 

 

Still Radical

At this 500th anniversary of our faith tradition, I've reflected on our history--both Christianity and Anabaptism. Jesus’s message was radical 2,000 years ago. 500 years ago, Jesus’s message was STILL radical. Today, when the white Christian-nationalist church movement twists God’s good news to only being for them, Jesus’s message is still radical. 

The Real Journey

The first work is to admit our limitations and entrust our lives and our churches to the Lord. To surrender, trust, listen, and receive. We can do this. Let the real journey continue, in our hearts and in our churches.

Sharing about our Crossover New Year’s Eve church service

Holyrood Mennonite Church is an intercultural church. For the past 20 years since the church welcomed the first Liberians resettling in Edmonton as a result of escaping their civil war, Holyrood has incorporated this important event in the church calendar. 

Venissa Tumbay, representing the Holyrood youth, wrote the following reflection bringing together the thoughts and experiences of the Holyrood Youth who look forward to this event every year.

A Good Poem

I enjoy a good poem. Sometimes I don’t understand precisely what the writer is intending, but generally, I like to think I’ve been enriched after reading a poem.

Watchword? Touchstone? Focus?

What word would you choose as a focus for your life in the coming year?

Update on South Sudanese students at Meserete Kristos Seminary sponsored by MCA

When Ruth Bergen Braun requested an update on the two students from South Sudan who are being sponsored by MCA to attend the Meserete Kristos Seminary in Ethiopia, I really didn’t know what to say that hasn’t been said before. These are two students whose names are Khan (Isaac) Gatkuoth and Gatjiak (Simon) Tongyik. Both have families. Both are grateful for the opportunity to learn and train for ministry so they can go back and train their South Sudanese Mennonite church members in Gambella, Ethiopia, and eventually in South Sudan.

Processing alongside Art

How do you keep going when it feels like your whole being has dropped into your stomach? How do you find the spirit to create when it feels like the building blocks are made of malice? How can you hold onto a hope that Creator is at work in the world when it seems that many are still choosing to dehumanize, rather than to love…?

An Advent Gift

I think I have always loved studying the Bible. In elementary school, my friend and I went to the same church and attended Sunday School classes. In addition to this, some of us kids gathered for a few weeks in someone’s home one year where they were teaching us about the Bible.

Remembrance Day Reflection

This week is Remembrance Day.  As Canadians, we are encouraged remember those who lost their lives in the brutality of war. As Mennonites, we are committed to peace, justice and nonresistance. The Confession of Faith affirms nonparticipation in war as a demonstration of the love of Jesus in the world. “Led by the Spirit… we witness to all people that violence is not the will of God.”

A Courage to Love

“But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” Christ, Matthew 5:43
“… are all summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Romans 13:9

A weekend of unsettlement, learning and hope

Reflecting on the Climate Action & Indigenous Relations Regional Collaboration

What do the ministries of Indigenous Relations and Creation Care/Climate Action hold in common?  This question brought 25 Mennonites from across Canada together, October 4-6, near the beautiful shores of the winding Winnipeg River in Pinawa, Manitoba.  
 

From Our Students

...this last year at CMU was one that has changed the direction I thought my life was going. I am so incredibly excited to be returning.

From Our Students

CMU integrates faith into its faculty of science to a degree that few other institutions – religious or not – can achieve, and continues to draw me back as I complete my degree.

A community that’s hard to replicate: Reflecting on RJC post-graduation

As I navigate university life, I realize how unique and irreplaceable those moments were. It's not just the activities or the events I miss, but the incredible people and the effortless sense of belonging that made RJC such a special place. The transition has underscored just how special and impactful that community was, and how much I miss the everyday, spontaneous connections that made RJC feel like home.

The Joy of Being a Camp Chaplain

I’ve had the honour to be invited to Camp Valaqua for several years now, as a chaplain (even though I am a school teacher, not a pastor!). Sometimes people thank me for “giving up” a week of my summer, but let me share with you what I get out of it.

Re-entry

One of the challenges of my job is the transition from the deep intensity of summer camp to the everything else that follows it.

No Small Thing!

...our tradition of simple living, our commitment to peace and justice, our love for and connection with the land, and our ability as a community to organize and work together to get stuff done, which is no small thing!

Grow Hope Evangelism

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us…” 1 John 1:3

This verse has rung in my mind ever since meeting Rwandan Grow Hope farmers while on a Mennonite Central Committee Learning Tour. Our group visited MCC partners and farmers doing peace building work through teaching Conservation Agriculture techniques.

Room in our Hearts

Near the end of the article, the author said something that made me pause:
But this should not be a popularity contest. There is room in our hearts and minds for more than one outcry for help.

Instruments of Healing

At a recent family gathering in Goshen, Indiana, I was sharing how I was organizing visits to local Alberta Powwows as a way to learn about and celebrate Indigenous ceremony and culture.

My 92-year-old father piped in – “my father was pow-wowed when he was a baby.”

Come Together

As a child growing up in the 1970s, my Hollywood-inspired exposure to Indigenous people included images dominated by buckskin regalia and feather headdresses, drumming, and dancing. I could have easily identified the stereotypes, but I had no idea of the role that any of these identifiers really played within the Indigenous community. They were simply the uniform and associations I had come to expect based on TV shows and media portrayals.

An Introduction

My name is Katie Doke Sawatzky and I am a journalist living in Regina, Sask., on Treaty 4 land and the homeland of the Métis. I live here with my husband Glenn and two children, ages 13 (just—I still can’t believe I have a teenager) and 9. I am the Saskatchewan/Alberta correspondent for Canadian Mennonite for the summer and I’ve been asked to introduce myself, so, hi.

Rooted and Grounded

Last fall, I had the privilege of attending the Rooted and Grounded Conference at AMBS as we explored topics of climate hope. Among others, Avery Davis Lamb’s presentation titled “Making Room in the Anthropocene” has especially stuck with me.

Our First Church Retreat

Over the weekend of June 21-23, we in Calgary First Mennonite Church tried something for the first time - something that many other congregations here in Alberta have been doing for many years: we had a “church retreat” out at Camp valaqua. 

CMU, Estamos, and Gratitude

My cross-cultural experience was a remarkable educational experience that CMU provided for me, one that will continue to shape my thinking and character for many years to come.

We are all Treaty People

Sam died while I was talking to him. We were in an early meeting of Treaty talks with First Nations representatives sitting around the room in the basement of an Edmonton hotel.

Loved by the Creator

We are called to challenge the systems and the rules that say that we are not welcome, and it is the job of the church to spread the good news of the full welcome that Jesus came to preach. We are called to share our story of the assurance that we have in Jesus, of the goodness of God’s love. Just like the eunuch, we can go on our way rejoicing, knowing we are loved by the Creator of all things.

A Menno Minute

I’ll admit some bias but I believe that A Menno Minute is a treasured piece of our newsletter. The Menno Minute has become a unique collection of who we are, the people who make up Mennonite Church Alberta.

A Visit to Two Hills

Three weeks ago I was privileged to join with a group of urbanites to visit some strange new people, neighboring Mennonites now living in Two Hills and surrounding community, about an hour east of Edmonton.

Intoducing our new Moderator, Keith Retzlaff

“My words will be imperfect, but I’ll try. Bringing my assumptions to the light, I’ll pray, God, I’ll surrender. Bring us together.”

May God bring us together as congregations, MCA, MC Canada and beyond.

Tracking Our Steps

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’”

How do I see God at work in Indigenous Relations?

...These are gifts of acknowledgement, of love, of friendship, of mutual aid and the embodiment of Treaty. May the seed of invitation into Sacred Covenant continue to be planted and take root in our congregations and communities. 

Christian Community Development in Rwanda

I was fortunate to participate with 14 others in a recent Mennonite Central Committee Alberta Learning tour to Rwanda. The purpose of the learning tour is to observe and interact with the work of MCC and their partners in relief and development.

Images of Hope

Rwanda. For many it is a country whose name is synonymous with one of the most horrific and brutal genocides of modern history. It is certainly not a country whose name brings to mind images of hope. Yet after a recent Learning Tour with Mennonite Central Committee focused on MCC’s peace and development work in the country, hope is the word that now comes to mind for me. 

Will it Ever Rain Again? 

What is that kernel of wheat?

What lies inside that grain seed?

Does it have a glorious past?

Could we have known what great harvests were coming?

We settled on foreign soil.

They called it Alberta.

Reflections on the Annual Delegate Sessions

Putting it in terms of intercultural's close sibling, intergenerational, we can have people across generations in our communities, but that does not inherently mean we are truly embodying that idea in the life of our community.

Being Interrupted

God works in our interruptions.

Don’t leave me hanging!

Incredible partnerships await a church that’s ready to extend a hand in invitation to partner or to reach out for the high five of encouragement!  What direction might your next handshake or high five go? You might be left hanging… but you might not!   

a lesson in love

love is not a projection into some back catcher’s mitt - a comfortable place where it can be held tight.

love is a living transforming power that undergoes constant renewal - and is extended like god, into the world.

and our personal experience of love becomes the root of our experience of god.

Ring that Bell! Calling all youth to... Snowcamp!!

I am looking forward to the chaos and joyful noise of Snowcamp.  The flurry of games, singing, and time together always leaves me tired and rejuvenated in the way that only camp does.  We hope you will join us!

Faithful Stewards of the Earth

Together, let us answer the call and take bold steps towards a more sustainable and precious connection with nature. The time to act is now, and by dropping everything for the urgent climate crisis, we can be the stewards of a healthier, greener, and more vibrant world. 

A Journey of Illness

During the past three years I have been on a journey of illness.  Former moderator of the United Church and cancer survivor David Giuliano called his journey his “Camino de Cancer”.  It is not a journey any willingly travel.  But sometimes things just work out that way.  As someone close to me once conveyed: “These things happen.  Why not to me?”

Students sponsored by MCA dream of planting Mennonite churches in South Sudan

Recently an article in Anabaptist World stated there were no known Anabaptist congregations in South Sudan. Praise God. That is no longer the case.

Jury Duty

How can I truly value a part of the system intended to bring a level of fairness and common connection if I act on that impulse to get out of my duty when called? Our justice system is far from perfect, and aspects are in desperate need of change.  I wonder if jury duty itself could use an overhaul to address its critiques and better work towards its intended goals? But in the meantime, it is the system we have. If people who desire better forms of justice don’t serve when called, who will be left to fill those roles?

One Thing is Necessary

What else did Jesus say about Mary? Not only was she doing the one necessary thing, but she had chosen the good portion. The good portion was necessary, but it also was a choice. God is with us and gives us the words in time of crisis, just as Jesus promised! May we all strive to see the glory of God displayed here in North America.

Under My Tree

Imagine Christmas trees around the world overflowing with gifts of commitments to small acts of peace, freely given and freely received, peace that’s embodied by the Prince of Peace. Together, as influencers of peace, could we change the course of 2024?

Steady and Deep

“You too must follow the path of your own race. It is steady and deep, reliable and lasting. It is you. — If you let it happen.” (Chief Dan George)

Help! Why? Thank you!

Help! Why? Thank you! Sorry I’ve neglected you. 

These are the words that describe the prayer life of my teens and early twenties. These words were offered by me to God. Words were the instrument of my prayers. And then one day I couldn’t find the words. I did not know what words to pray. I could not find the words to express what I needed/wanted. The source of my restlessness and unsettledness was a mystery to me, so how could I ask God for help when I didn’t really know what it was I needed?

Never to Return

Millions of Americans are leaving church, never to return…
That seems a rather bold claim.

The Liminal Space of Imbedded Leadership

It's now that I am truly trying to figure out what it means to be a leader/pastor in a community, especially to be a young person in such a position.

God is at Work!

 
God is at work in First Mennonite Church Edmonton, and I'm delighted and eager to join in!

A Season of Tidy Desks

I am so grateful for the amazing work of our staff group. I am so grateful for the parents who entrusted their kids to us.  And I am so grateful for the energy of the campers and their contagious joy in this community. 

The Garden and the Table

I think maybe we could even use a single word to describe the lovely place beyond our control where things grow to provide for us outside our plans, like an offering of warm biscuits from a friend that goes with the soup: faith.

Buffalo Shout Reflections

Buffalo Shout is a small group at Foothills Mennonite Church exploring what a life of reconciliation means.

One-voiced Harmony

Altar calls and emotional worship music won’t save our churches, and neither will committee slates and four-part harmony singing. Jesus’ voice is the harmonization of the law, the prophets, and the epistles. We should listen to Jesus’ voice, not harmonize it with others.

A CMU Student's Reflection

At CMU I always knew that I had a strong support network, especially in residence. If I was in for a long night of studying for a midterm the next day, I could head over to the main residence lounge to work in solidarity with fellow students, or meet up with a couple of friends and help each other review.

A CMU Student's Reflections

... we always want to feel valued. Having a church body which supports us, believes in us, and loves us (enough to let us go, sometimes) means the world to us.

A CMU Student's Reflections

I was anxious to enter CMU at first. I made sure I had back ups for when (I did not think ‘if’) things went wrong and wound myself in defense mechanisms only to be beckoned out of my shell by the Creator’s people.

A CMU Student's Reflection

Being a part of MCA and MC Canada provides me with a faith community in which there are many opportunities to engage and interact. These interactions pave the way for spiritual growth and also form relationships with others in the community.

Rearranging Spaces

Translating God's mandate of love into the choices we make can help in creating space for purpose and meaning to flourish in and through our lives.

A Fond Farewell

Thank you to the pastors, leaders, and members of each of the MCA churches.
Thank you to our immediate church family, Bergthal.
Thank you to the Camp Valaqua staff.
Thank you to the MCA staff team.

“Nuggets for nudging” from the MC Alberta Bridge Building Network

What is happening in our communities during the summer months where we might have the opportunity to “show up” as guests, or welcome guests into our midst. 

How do we create or experience belonging in our spaces?

Come let Us all Unite to Sing, God is Love

What songs are near and dear to your hearts, ones you call on in joy and sorrow, ones for praise, thanksgiving and petition? 

Making the world feel a little closer: RJC celebrates 20 years of student trips to Guatemala

This year marked the 20th time that RJC has taken a group of students for a learning and service opportunity in Guatemala. The first trip took place in 2000 when Lorne Friesen first had the idea. As a teacher Lorne believed that education was much bigger than just a classroom with textbooks. “RJC had the slogan ‘Education with a Plus’,” he says, “And I was hoping that plus included experiencing cultures much different than what we were used to as a way to help us better understand and appreciate the role we have in this world.”

“Mennonite” - A Word of Opportunity

“Mennonites? Aren’t they the ones who ride in horse-and-buggies”? This is just one of the many common misconceptions I have come across when I tell them that I attend a Mennonite Church and/or work for Mennonite Church Alberta. You’ve probably heard them too.

Becoming Mennonite

I’ve often joked that my memoir will be titled Becoming Mennonite: The Emily Summach Story.
I became a member of a Mennonite church for the first time when I was 29. I didn’t grow up in an Anabaptist church, nor am I ethnically Mennonite. When people ask me how I found the Mennonite church, I used to tell them the story of a providential google search and a welcoming little congregation in rural Saskatchewan.

A Bridge Building Network

Did you know that MCA has a Bridge Building Network? 
We have only just begun, and anyone with an interest in Bridge Building can join.

Reflections on the LIVING HOPE Climate Conversation

Thank you to Mennonite Church Alberta and Manitoba for the opportunity to learn and grow in God’s creation and for putting it all together! 

Fast Food Joints and Worship Houses

Yesterday morning I greeted a homeless young man sitting quietly in a corner of our local McDonalds, a greeting which turned out to be a nice conversation.

Created in the Image of God

Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.  All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.  Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.1 Corinthians 13:12-13 (New Living Translation)

Dancing like a Twirling Warthog

“You Christians in the west are thinking your way into heaven, but we Christians in Africa are dancing our way into heaven!”  I don’t know about you, but I hope to do both, in a beautiful harmony of mind and heart. Perhaps we can get ready for this by swaying a little to the music this coming Sunday?

The Spaces Between

“The real "work" of gathering - conversations and more conversations.”

I envision God looking over our gathering, blessing each group of two or three or more. I picture God’s joy for this time where we were living and being the community that God calls us to be.

Kienna Krahn: An RJC Interview

Kienna Krahn is a first-year Grade 11 THRIVE student at RJC. Originally from Calgary, Kienna shared with us some of what she has taken away from moving provinces to complete her high school education.

What are you afraid of?

We’re all afraid of something, right?
Maybe it’s just something small we are not comfortable doing so we avoid it.

A Plot of Potatoes

Growing up on a farm near Pincher Creek, there was one constant which followed me from childhood to the present, a large garden.

Camp Valaqua Celebration Forest

For the past year or so a conversation has been taking place about creating a place at Camp Valaqua which would be available anytime to anyone wishing to spend time in this special place.
 
The concept of a “Celebration Forest” which would hold possibility for memorial benches, a labyrinth containing commemorative stones, and a fully accessible boardwalk is being imagined. An area has been identified and the trail for the boardwalk has been tentatively marked.

Unboxing Boxing Day

I spent Boxing Day unpacking boxes. I moved into my new condo six days before Christmas and was excited to make it home, after living out my suitcase for seven weeks.

Community: A Core Conviction

Community is a core conviction of Anabaptist congregations. Becoming a part of Foothills Mennonite Church this year has drawn me back into a quality of the church that gives me life. I commit to not taking being together for granted because I know what it is to be apart.

The headline read, “So long, 2022, let us hope 2023 will be better."  

As we look back, may we recognize the many ways God has been with us, even as we anticipate God’s presence in the future to come!

It's Christmas!

As I watch my son’s joyful anticipation of Christmas, I find myself reflecting on it was like for those in Israel who were waiting centuries for the Promised One. Generation after generation, the prophecy of a Messiah passed down. Each generation hopeful that this coming would happen in their lifetime, but day after day, year after year and century after century…nothing.

 

Actively Watching

“Do you see what I see?” (… do you see what I see? …)

In Praise of Beauty

We can’t live off flowers. Pretty pictures won’t cover for bad theology. But maybe our churches can benefit from seeing more beauty in our sanctuaries, in our homes, and in our relationships.

What if everyone said “No”?

What if everyone said “no?” How would we as MCA continue? How would our local congregations continue? What would be left of what we call “the church?” 

A Global Youth Summit Experience

It’s easy to forget the vastness of our global church community when we are geographically so removed from one another. And it can be daunting when we are confronted with linguistic, cultural and theological differences. But if there’s one thing I left Indonesia wanting more of, it was time together and more opportunities to learn from my church family.

My YL Experience

Hello! My name is Elijah, and I was fortunate to attend Mennonite Church Canada’s We Declare Gathering 2022 this past summer, which was my very first conference of any sort.

The Fear for God

“God, I know this is kind of rude, but what about ___________???”

Called to Bridge Building

I am honored and humbled to be writing to you as your new Bridge Building Facilitator. We have discerned together that the work of expanding our circle is important work that requires guidance, imagination, and courage to step into new spaces! I invite prayers as we embark on this work in all of our varied Mennonite communities as Mennonites in Alberta!

South Sudanese students sponsored by MCA arrive at the Meserete Kristos Seminary

These two men are a wonderful answer to prayer for the South Sudanese Mennonite Church in Ethiopia (and in Edmonton) who have been trying to find help to disciple their people for many years. And MCA is part of making it happen!

Empty Pockets

But sometimes my pockets come out empty, the only evidence of having been worn will be coffee dripped into a careless lap or mud on the hems from the short walk to and from my office at the lodge. At these times I note that the absence of detritus and wonder what I was thinking as I walked or where my eyes were cast as to not notice the bits of out of place colour on our camp’s grounds.

God Sightings

Fall is a time when I see God Sightings everywhere.

A Message worth Declaring

Our ongoing faith is not dependent on fancy theological explanations, but must be empowered by our stillness in Presence of Almighty God! Here is a message, and it is worth declaring – in many and varied ways by now in many cultures.

How Do We Declare?

The word “evangelist” literally means, “bringer of good news.” We have good news to share. The good news that Jesus brings freedom and joy as we grow into a personal relationship with God, and the good news that Jesus inaugurated God’s reign of peace and justice.

Tears and Tears: Gathering 2022

Tears and tears. As a church, according to one of our speakers, we are an emergent people. We are becoming. We are not a static entity but a wild, free, evolving, organic body. 

I Cannot Wait!

As we all know, when a child is excited about something, there is very little you can do to still their mind (or body). I often forget what it is like to be filled with such eager, childlike anticipation for something, but this year I have been reminded of what that feels like because, I too, have been experiencing those feelings in the lead-up to Gathering 2022.

What is a Story?

What could be a story from our congregation that would be of interest to others?

Random Closing Thoughts and Queries on Intercultural/Interfaith Relationships

How do you seek to see and experience God’s image reflected in your neighbour, at home, at school, in grocery stores, in community gatherings?

The ART of Hope

Poverty is the name we give to this condition. When we think about poverty, we usually think about a lack of money and the things it can buy. But is the goal of reducing poverty simply to make people better consumers? Or is it to envision a different world where all people can flourish? Perhaps such a world is what Jesus envisioned when He spoke of the “kingdom of God”. Seeking that kingdom, He said, is the key to God’s provision.

A Journey of Hope

If we are making adjustments towards living as if in the peaceable kingdom, there is hope of moving in the right direction, even if the steps are small along the way.

Reflecting God's Image

"Imagine a room covered with hundreds of thousands of mirrors on the walls and the ceiling. Everywhere is covered by mirrors. Mirrors in different shapes, mirrors in different sizes, mirrors in different colours. agine a room covered with hundreds of thousands of mirrors on the walls and the ceiling. Everywhere is covered by mirrors. Mirrors in different shapes, mirrors in different sizes, mirrors in different colours."

A Design for Living

My work and commitment is to engage and to adapt, and yet never waver in its principles.  What a beautiful Design for Living!

Connecting Communities: RJC students visit Calgary Chin Christian Church

From May 2-6 RJC students set out on their Alternative Learning & Service Opportunities (ALSO) week. This time of experiential learning is intended for students to practice the lessons of service, community, and peacebuilding that are taught in the classroom out into the world. This year three groups traveled to Oliver, B.C., Saskatoon, SK, and Calgary, AB.

Why Volunteer for MCA?  Why Not?

If you receive a call from one of our Nominating Committee members asking you to consider an MCA volunteer role, ask yourself “why not?”

Spring Work Day

One of my favourite truisms is “Many hands make light work.” 

Buffalo Shout

Truth and Reconciliation -- in action.

Introduction. Check.

With just over a month under my belt as the new Alberta correspondent for the Canadian Mennonite, I would like to introduce myself.

Reflections from the New Guy

What does it look like for people to be enfolded well into the life of our communities? What does it look like to belong?

110 Percent – a Remarkable Birthday

And then, suddenly, silently, a light enters the room.
It’s all around me;
                      Not a harsh light.
It is soft and peaceful and comforting.
         It’s as if God’s arms are all around me.
 
No longer can I holler at you, Lord.
      My raging is gone,
             My heart is calmed.
                    I feel completely at peace.
Without question, I know that God is here with me.

GROUNDHOG DAY OR CANDLEMAS?

Candlemas suggests ultimate hope, brought by a light that cannot be quenched, strengthening our courage in the face of whatever adversity we may encounter ahead of us. The light of Christ’s presence will go with us in all the challenges and joys of life in this world.

Elders Among Us

"Those who Know"... some musings on Elders.

A Little Rectangle of Light

My phone is a little rectangle of light, promising to carry my messages and presence to others, promising to carry their presence to me whenever I wish. The concept is narcissistic magic.

A Culture of Appreciation

We build a culture of appreciation by noticing what happens around us. Work done by worship committees, worship leaders, song leaders, children’s story tellers, decorating committees, health and safety committees, deacons. Work done by our paid leadership and by our lay leadership. A kind word that says “I see you” goes far in giving people the energy to continue. 

To Love Our Neighbours

We can’t ever fully enter the experience of another person, but we can get part of the way. All it takes is a bit of empathy, a bit of curiosity, a bit of openness. And a bit of confidence that we, too, have something worth sharing from where we stand.

Hope:  What a beautiful thing to observe!

... I think of the variety of ways that people are immersing themselves in and reflecting one of the core aspects of God’s nature: hope. What a beautiful thing to observe!

Songs of Joy and Resistance

In our narrations and celebrations of Christmas we often gloss over or ignore the looming reality of despair.  Christmas cheer tries to just ignore despair; joy actively fights back against it.

imagining god's embrace

...for if it is our wish to experience the fullness of god’s embrace, we might practice turning from the things that hold us in their embrace … and learn to embrace god … fully.

a little more peace

An interview with Darrel Heidebrecht, author of a little more peace in the world: Reflections on my Experience with Restorative Justice

Be It Resolved

As the Be It Resolved Challenge continues throughout the winter we and others continue to ask:

Are we ready to hear what Indigenous peoples require of us? Are we, as individuals and as the Mennonite Church, fully ready to hear the Truth and take action (not just pass formal resolutions) on Reconciliation?

And this is your family…

Have you ever been introduced to a distant relative for the first time – maybe you didn’t even know they existed – and yet you immediately felt a connection with them?  After all, they are family!  Well, as part of a global Anabaptist family, we have family members all around the world, most of whom we have never met.  Yet we have deep bonds that connect us, deeper than our last name, cultural foods or language. 

God is closer to us than water is to a fish

...for the entire time, it felt like I was totally immersed in water. All was calmness – around me, in me, and through me.  

Letting Go and Holding On

Letting go of the familiar can be hard. Taking time to process and to incorporate people's concerns can help.

 

Embodying Christ as Community

The image of being a body together also affirms a sense of unity and togetherness that is found through our calling in Christ. It highlights the sense of cooperation, of working together as a team, of valuing the different pieces that together make up the whole.

International Witness Support Networks: A Pastoral Reflection

International Witness Sunday reminds us that ours is a global church and gives us an opportunity to celebrate the work God is doing around the world.

Kindness and Gentleness

We are God’s Church after all, so where or how do we manifest the fruits of Kindness and Gentleness in this moment in time?  Isn’t that the million dollar question?

Meet Steven -- our Church Engagement Minister

Whatever your God-given giftings and/or passions are, there is a place for you in the body that only you can fill. It is my goal to work to connect those pieces.

My journey with the Israel-Palestine Issue

I think I assumed that he was a convert from Islam. I assumed that all Palestinians were Muslims. That was how the media presented Palestinians. It wasn’t until I went on a learning tour with MCC in 2016 that I finally realized that Palestinian Christians are the heirs of the early church.

Busy Bees

In this exhausting cultural moment, it has seemed to me that we desperately need to hear from and to hear about a God who forgives our sin and stupidity, who loves us in spite of our weary cluelessness, who speaks kindness to all of our sadness and resignation, who offers grace in the midst of all our uncertainty and inadequacy.

Quiet

The sound of your kids enjoying this place has been music to my camp-starved ears, but today I am relishing the quiet.

Bridges in an Age of Division

I pray that we may continue to build bridges in response to God’s vision for the world and experience the deep blessings that come!

Apologies and Forgiveness?

Since the discovery of the bodies of 215 children at the former Kamloops residential school we have heard the repeated call for an apology from the Roman Catholic Church.

Our Villages: Varied and Valuable

Reach out to that person you think is doing so well and check in on them, they might not be doing as well as you think they are. We are people who crave connection – make your connections count.

Expanded Belonging

I raised my fist in the air in jubilation and briefly celebrated … before a moment of self reflection took over. I was happy for Andre De Grasse, but I started reflecting on why on earth I felt so connected to him; why it almost felt like when he won, I also won. It is this strange connection I unconsciously sense with all these athletes that wear a uniform with “Canada” written across it, and a kind of disconnection with anyone from another country.

A Million Resources or, the Right One?

We often say that Google can provide a million resources, but CommonWord can provide the right one.  

Accept the Invitation. Show up.

My Mennonite identity – shaped by my faith in God as revealed through Jesus – can create an opening for authentic relationship-building with people whose identity and privilege might differ from my own.

Moral Foundations, Identity and Gifts

A question: “Can we maintain our identity and welcome the gifts of others?” 

A reflection following King's College, Edmonton's Interdisciplinary Studies conference. 

An Encounter, Embrace, and Embodiment of Christ in Community

As the MCA faith family we are halfway through Year 2 of our 3 Year Action Plan, “Encountering, Embracing, Embodying Christ…in Community”. The past 16 months of health restrictions have forced us to look for different ways to connect with each other and be the community God calls us to be. I am grateful for the many ways God brings people together even during a pandemic, whether within our faith family or beyond.
 

Connecting while Distanced

Isn’t it wonderful that God can bring us together even when other circumstances are pulling us apart? I thank God that we can encounter, embrace and embody Christ in Community, even without gathering face to face.

Forgiveness in Frustration

A plea for forgiveness reaches across all time and space and applies to every human for all eternity.

On Perspective

Reading Acts leads readers to a place of perspective when facing changes in our society today.

Stuff I Say

A few weeks ago I was invited to speak at Bergthal Mennonite Church. As I was preparing, I started wondering about my “themes” and if I’m prone to saying the same things over and over again.

 

Young Children and Worship

Last fall, there was such an emptiness.  The joyful weekly connection of young children and loving adults, talking, touching, singing, laughing, praying and exploring Bible stories together was gone.  Our Sunday morning experience had disappeared.  How would we stay connected?  A new idea started percolating and I began recording Bible stories and sharing them with the whole congregation through our weekly community connection email.

My 3 Ps

“To pray, does not mean to listen to oneself speaking. Prayer involves becoming silent and being silent and waiting until God is heard” – Soren Kierkegaard.

I know not why... #338

But I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I’ve committed unto him against that day. 

My Story

I thank the people in the church, the Canadian government and its people for allowing us to be in Canada, but my heart is still with my people in South Sudan and I think of them all the time.

A Revisiting of Vision and Purpose

At times the process of reviewing of MCA’s Constitution and Bylaws may have felt more like sifting through grains of sand than thinking through important aspects of what it means to be the church. And yet documents like these name important aspects of who we are and what we aspire to be.

Building a Vision of Hope

Many of us tend to internalize the idea that building a vision of hope for the future can only be uncovered by looking forward, willing ourselves not only to learn more, but to learn faster, convinced that we must find ourselves on the forefront of some field or industry where we will then, finally, have the capacity to “make a difference.”

The Spice in Spicy

As I look back, my memory is filled with faces, names and occasions. Above all else, I see smiles. Contagious smiles.

The Yeast. The Bread.

May we see Christ in everyone we feed and in all those who join us at the table.

They who Wait upon the Lord

Biblical prophet Isaiah promises that they who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength; God is just, and longs to be gracious and show compassion to His creation - Blessed are those who wait for Him! King David waited for God, who with unfailing love redeemed him from sin, set his feet upon a rock, and put a new song of praise in his mouth.

Sometimes a Selfie is a Must

...my camera clicked automatically to my voice-activated call to “Smile”.

“Did I get a good picture? Let’s see.” 

Who are My People?

Who are my people? Who are your people?  Perhaps a healthy starting point for respectful relationships!

Pain and Potential

“All that kills abundant living, let it from the earth be banned: pride of status, race or schooling, dogmas that obscure Your plan. In our common quest for justice may we hallow life’s brief span.”  from the hymn, For the Healing of the Nations

The Challenges of Congregational Leadership

This has obviously been a year of challenge for our congregation. At the same time, we have experimented often and discovered much. 

A prayer for the New Year

God who makes all things new,

help us to embrace the new.

Open our eyes to a future that will look different than the past.

May we grow through and be changed by these strange times.

Restoration

The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me;
he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
    to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and release to the prisoners;
² to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour. --Isaiah 61: 1-2a

Celebrations

I believe that while they may look different, our Advent and Christmas celebrations will be filled with meaning and we prepare to welcome the Christ child, who comes bearing hope, peace, joy, and love.

More Questions than Answers

Advent is all about waiting for the revelation of God’s mystery. It’s hard to wait for the Messiah; for Jesus to be born. As children it was difficult to wait until Christmas to find out what gifts we might get under the tree. But now life is difficult as we wait for other things.

A Food Truck Story

A couple of years ago, our Church Council did some brainstorming around how to begin reaching out to our neighbours.

(And so the story begins.)

An Urgent Reality

Armed with the story of our God, we can make it through this bleak Advent time and have full faith that, as our premier said, “the end of this terrible time is in sight.”

Caring Connections

The church, though structured, is made up of relationships, ours with God and with each other. To keep the church healthy and thriving, our attention to interpersonal relationships is vital. Without good connections to each other, we do not have church.

The Gift of Covid -- Do not fear...

Although Covid is a nasty bug and has devastated us in so many ways – it has also brought us gifts that we would otherwise not have.

“Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?”

Jesus replied, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” He stretched out his hand toward his disciples and said, “Look, here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of my Father who is in heaven is my brother, sister, and mother.”

- Matthew 12: 48-50 CEB

A Communications Update

Most of my work thus far, seems like disseminating information one direction — from MCA and MC Canada to you. Sending out information to those who subscribe to the MCA Communiqué and those who read their church’s bulletins — whether in paper or email form.  I gather information from various people and pass it on. That said, understanding communication as passing on information isn’t the intention of MCA Communications.

Introducing Our Stories

What are our stories as congregations and as individuals within congregations?

Who tells our stories? How are they told? How do our stories inspire and shape us?  What is the purpose of stories? How can we learn from each other’s stories?

God's License

The story of Bavak, his driver's license and "just a bit more freedom in this new country which he claims is a wonderful place, given the troubled South Sudan where he has come from."

Camp Valaqua: A Place to Belong

The jubilant return of children and youth to Valaqua is something worth celebrating and, when that time comes again, we will! 

An October 31st Invitation to Dialogue with Muslims

Commonalities and connections are often experienced  at informal and formal Interfaith Dialogues. 

The Leatherman Church

We are a “multi” church that, like a Leatherman, has more individual facets and creative uses than you might ever discover.

If there is one thing I love about summer vacation it is the way it opens up space.

Reflections from our Canadian Mennonite Rep

Words, stories, and ideas. 

The Practice of Writing

For as long as I can remember, I have loved to write—certainly long before I would have considered it anything like a “spiritual discipline.”

Seeing God at Work in MCA, in our Congregations, in Ourselves

A reflection -- albeit within a conversation.

Holy Ground

Take, take off your shoes.  You’re standing on my holy ground.

This is Me

By Ruth Bergen Braun

A new MCA Communications Coordinator!

 

 

Building bridges in Burkina Faso

A Menno Minute

by Donna Entz

God brought Siaka Traore of Burkina Faso into our lives in 1979.  In spite of opposition from every direction possible, he has always been consistent in responding as Jesus would. 

Let's get JAZZED!

A Menno Minute

by Brenda Tiessen-Wiens

Giving to “where needed,” on the other hand, is not as exciting. So to give it a boost, let’s jazz it up!

One year in

A Menno Minute

by Craig Neufeld

One of the biggest changes for a Pastor in moving to a new congregation, and a new province, is re-establishing a support network. 

Assembly 2020 Reflection

A Menno Minute

by Brenda Tiessen-Wiens

I clicked on the Zoom “join with video” button and was met by the familiar faces of Executive and staff members. Within seconds the doorbell was dinging and new faces were popping up on everyone’s computer screens.

My Time on Human Resources at MCA

A Menno Minute

by Michael Ediger

I have just completed two terms on the Personnel Committee at Mennonite Church Alberta, and Goodness, how quickly the time has gone by!

When to speak, what to say: a Lenten reflection

A Menno Minute

by Doug Klassen, Executive Minister Mennonite Church Canada

Last weekend’s news regarding L'Arche founder Jean Vanier’s sexual abuse of at least six women had me feeling deeply grieved and angry.

What do you want?

A Menno Minute

by Donna Dinsmore, Intentional Transitional Pastor at Foothills MC

“What do you want?” The tone says it all.

If you're not cheating, you're not trying

A Menno Minute

by Will Loewen, Pastor Trinity Mennonite Church

In 1919, eight baseball players were banned from the major leagues for life because they took bribe money to lose a baseball game on purpose.

People LIke You

A Menno Minute

by Brenda Tiessen-Wiens, Moderator for MCA

One of the common phrases I read in thank-you cards and letters is “people like you.”

Safety and Challenge

A Menno Minute

by Jon Olfert, Director, Camp Valaqua

The clanging sound of a bell being struck and the echo of voices cheering in support drift to me through the forest.  Someone has just mastered a face of the climbing wall and I smile to myself, music to my ears.

Christian-Muslim Dialogue

A Menno Minute

by Donna Entz, Director of North Edmonton Ministry

It is so easy to make assumptions about others. The Muslim-Christian Dialogue forces each of us to realize that we are constantly making assumptions about those not quite like us.

A Closing Conversation

This week’s Menno Minute features a video dialogue  between Donna Entz and Suzanne Gross.

Suzanne interviews Donna about how she understands the Holy Spirit-led seeds that she has been able to plant through her ten years of work in Edmonton, on behalf of Mennonite Church Alberta, and how our Mennonite tradition and community is so very poised to continue this work.

Donna then asks Suzanne what has shaped and inspired her to accept the invitation to be Transition Lead as Donna winds down her work with North Edmonton Ministries.