November 19thWho is Linda?
A Menno Minute
Hello Mennonite Church Alberta!
My name is Linda Dickinson, and I’m the new Communications Coordinator for Mennonite Church Alberta. In other words, I’m the new Ruth Bergen Braun - very large shoes to fill!
My name may be familiar to some of you, especially if you were involved in your church’s quilting group, as I served as the Material Resources Coordinator for Mennonite Central Committee Alberta (MCCA) for almost 15 years.
I grew up at First Mennonite Church in Calgary, and have attended Foothills Mennonite for 25+ years.
I love Camp Valaqua - the first time I remember going, I was about 5, and I cried seeing campers laughing at my chaplain dad, who was dressed up as a rodeo clown. It hurt my little heart to see people laughing at my daddy! I later attended as a camper, and so have my kids. My oldest was also on staff for a few summers. It’s a place that inspires peace and comfort in all of us. When we imagine heaven, we think of Camp Valaqua.
I also have very fond memories of Songfest, especially ones held in Edmonton and Rosemary in the early 90s. The Mass Choir was asked to do an encore of Verdi’s “Nabucco - Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves” one of those years. It felt like we were superstars!
Working at and in a community like MCCA where I could live out and continue to examine my faith, felt life-giving to me. I was intrigued by the intersection between my work and faith, and I’m pleased to continue exploring this interest through MCA.
Community, and the longing for it, is a central piece of who I am. Being adopted, I’ve always had a feeling of ‘not quite belonging.’ My Mennonite ‘identity’ has given me something to belong to. However, travels with MCC and visits to Mennonite churches and communities in Haiti, El Salvador, and Guatemala have taught me that Mennonite identity stems from more than just which colony in Russia my ancestors came from. I’ve also had opportunities to travel to Jordan, Palestine/Israel, and Zambia with MCC. Witnessing how people live, build communities, and how women and individuals with disabilities are empowered has also altered my worldview.
Hearing stories is how I’ve learned, and I hope that by sharing people’s stories, others can learn too.
In my free time, I enjoy knitting, sewing, reading, gardening, and running. My latest sewing project was making the shirt that my oldest wore at their wedding. It’s made from my mother’s, my mother-in-law’s, and my wedding dress. It feels like a good omen - to send them into the future with the love of family surrounding them.
I live in Airdrie with my husband, Craig, 2 adult children, a dog, and 2 cats. My oldest is in Edmonton, and as of Nov. 15, I’ll have a child-in-law as well.
My goal is to visit each of the MCA churches by the end of April. Please feel free to say hello! I’m looking forward to meeting you and learning more about the wonderful ways God is at work across our Alberta churches.
L - R: Middle kid, Linda, Craig, Oldest kid, Youngest kid - June 2025
Photo credits: Jessica Evans