Bridge Building

What I learned from my visit with a Kurdish family

Nov 28th, 2023

What I learned from my visit with a Kurdish family

God has given us the intelligence of wisdom in Christ to grapple with stories and histories and to see as clearly as Jesus did what oppression and displacement and dispossession and exclusion look like. Our refusal to live into this wisdom is perhaps the greatest sin of our time. Jesus models for us and invites us to believe the stories of the vulnerable, the dispossessed, the displaced, the excluded. And in that belief of story, we will find ways to heal and reunite all of humanity – in the spirit of Christ. That is our calling.

I pray every day that God will give me the wisdom to listen to stories and histories with trust and compassion – so that I, like Jesus, can contribute to healing back into community.

Reflection on Keys

Nov 14th, 2023

Reflection on Keys

In Matthew 16:19, we read "I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." This is a story about keys.

Help Me be Teachable Today

Nov 1st, 2023

Help Me be Teachable Today

As we listen to the truth expressed by our children and elders and everybody in between, may we contribute in ways that allow for all those whose dreams and stories have been snuffed out to reclaim what we all long for as believers in One God.

Sep 12th, 2023

Reflections on Bridge Building Summer 2023

As I continue to explore the contexts of diversity our Mennonite Church Alberta community is being called into, I keep bumping into questions of “my theology.” The basic question I ask myself is: is my theology Jesus-centered AND non-oppressive?

More Bridge Building Events

On August 15 Bridge Building Facilitator Suzanne Gross and Ruth Bergen Braun were invited to prepare Edmonton Mennonites for participation in a Powwow that was to take place Saturday, August 19. As a result, ten Edmonton Mennonites and friends attended the Poundmaker's Lodge Annual Powwow to enjoy this intergenerational celebration of Indigenous culture. With some teaching in advance, they were able to notice details and better appreciate the solemn pride and joy of a Powwow.

Then, on Saturday, August 26, the Holyrood Community League hosted a ceremony to remember the signing of Treaty 6, on August 23, 1876. The Anglican diocese was instrumental in organizing this ceremony, and invited the Edmonton Mennonite community, but specifically Holyrood Mennonite to participate. After a smudge opening, 17 Holyrood congregants -- as settlers -- contributed what we agreed was a "song smudge" inviting us to set good intentions through our eyes, ears, and heart, similar to what a smudge invites us to do. The words of the hymn are: "Open my eyes Lord, help me to see your face; Open my ears Lord, help me to hear your voice; Open my heart Lord, help me to love like you." And the verse invites us into a new reality "where we'll see God's face in places we've never known." A drummer shared a bit of his story, bannock was distributed, and then we learned Indigenous games together. Throughout this event, we were reminding each other that we are all Treaty people.

Click HERE for a slideshow of these events. Background music, an Intertribal song, used with permission from the drum and song group, Blackfoot Confederacy.

A Pilgrimage to Lac Ste. Anne

Aug 2nd, 2023

A Pilgrimage to Lac Ste. Anne

Let us join in the prayer posted by the statue of Ste Anne: May Christ bless our families and communities, may He give strength to those who struggle, and may he welcome home those who are not with us anymore. Amen.

Apr 10th, 2023

Woundedness and our collective healing through sharing of gifts, talents and histories

Let us come together to share gifts and talents as cultural and human equals.

Let us celebrate family ties AND creates new family ties through curiosity about and love of histories different from our own.

And let us learn from each other for the goal of multiplying creativity for the sake of our shared future – to the glory God our Creator!

Feb 15th, 2023

Why do we celebrate communion with “wine” instead of soup?

As a follow-up activity to our most recent ACWAB (A Common Word Alberta) Interfaith dialogue, I suggested we, as Christians and Muslims show up at a Community Pipe Ceremony and Round Dance organized by Bent Arrow in Edmonton. Six Mennonites answered the call, and Salwa and her grandsons from the Muslim community. Salwa commented on how “warm and hopeful” the ceremony felt. Tim Wiebe-Neufeld and I were observing the communion-feel especially of the feast that followed the Pipe Ceremony.

God’s work in our “Footnotes”

Feb 6th, 2023

God’s work in our “Footnotes”

I wonder how many footnote stories exist in our local communities that could contribute to our collective narratives pointing us toward the arc of justice. How might we spotlight these footnote stories to shed light on both the injustices missing from the narratives we construct about each other, as well as the surprising ways God works through these footnotes to bring hope and new imagination to how we see our stories.

Musings on Interculturalism

Dec 12th, 2022

Musings on Interculturalism

Music is but one aspect of creating an intercultural community. But since music plays such an essential role in our collective worship, it is perhaps the most important when it comes to planning worship together.

Nov 16th, 2022

Drawing the Circle Bigger: Update from Bridge Building

“Our theme for the dialogue today is ‘Drawing the Circle Bigger’. We are asking our speakers to help us understand how our call into dialogue as Muslims and Christians also calls us to broaden the dialogue further. In particular, the way that Christians and Muslims living in this land we call Canada each have a responsibility to pursue right relations with the First Peoples in whose traditional territories we live."

Oct 11th, 2022

Minding the Gap: Weaving the Net -- together!

As we work in intercultural and interfaith spaces, when we notice words and names, and when we use these words and names, we are honoring each other in ways that God then uses to strengthen Myo Wahkohtowin --- Good Relations.

Suzanne Gross has been hired as MCA’s new Bridge Building Facilitator. This half-time position will resource MCA congregations and staff in building interfaith and cross-cultural relationships in their ministry contexts, while representing MCA in other interfaith ventures.
The Bridge Building Facilitator is the next phase in the interfaith ministry that began with Donna Entz and her 10 years of relationship-building work with Muslims, particularly in North Edmonton. After Donna’s retirement in June of 2021 Suzanne served in an interim role as a new vision for this role was developed. This vision expands the focus to congregations across Alberta and builds off established relationships between Muslims and Christians to be a resource for these and other interfaith and intercultural interactions.

The Bridge Building Facilitator will collaborate with MCA congregations and MCA Staff to:
•           Explore existing intercultural/interfaith relationships and opportunities;
•           Expand intercultural/interfaith understanding and deepen relationships;
•           Develop intercultural/interfaith intentionality in our worship, invitations, and activities;
•           Capture and share stories to inspire others.

Suzanne began her role on September 19, and is looking forward to connecting with congregations and individuals as she lives into this new vision.

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to join the MC Alberta team. I am very excited to be part of creating the next chapter of intercultural and interfaith relationship-building in Alberta. As I begin my first week, I wonder how God's spirit will move in the midst of our diverse and complex communities to bring us closer together as a human family across culture and faith traditions. I look forward to our journey together on this!!

Suzanne Gross, Bridge Building Facilitator, Mennonite Church Alberta

Mind the Gap: Reflecting on interfaith issues

Imagine Living in a Country...

May 24th, 2022

Imagine Living in a Country...

Imagine living in a country where at any given moment, you could drive an hour in any direction and experience a whole different landscape, culture, and social/political context. That was my experience, along with my husband, during our recent 14 days* in Palestine Israel – a small country with contrasts on so many levels.

Joy, Abundance -- and Cookies!

May 4th, 2022

Joy, Abundance -- and Cookies!

When my friend Azkaa contacted me about the possibility of an interfaith community Iftar in the heart of downtown Edmonton, where Mennonites would contribute "Mennonite Cookies" to the community kitchen event to prepare food for 300 people, I hesitated briefly.

Passover, Holy Week, and Ramadan

Apr 12th, 2022

Passover, Holy Week, and Ramadan

This week is a great convergence of the three Abrahamic faiths:

This week, Jews around the world will be preparing their homes and synagogues for Pesach or Passover, culminating in the Passover Seder on Friday night
This week, Christians around the world using the Julian calendar will be concluding their 40 days of Lent, moving through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and culminating on Easter morning
This week, Muslims will continue their 28-day fast during the holy month of Ramadan. Each day of fasting ends at sundown with a celebratory Iftar, or breaking of the fast, bringing family and friends together. Ramadan culminates with an Eid – Eid al fitr, which, this year will be May 1.

Mar 23rd, 2022

Combatting Misconceptions about each other through the Arts

In the trailer to “I am a Mennonite,” Winnipeg documentary filmmaker Paul Plett states that he is exploring “how we fit in.” When the question “who are your people?” was posed to me recently, I answered, “Well, the only people I have the knowledge to explain, and sometimes defend are the Mennonites. And the only people I have the right to sometimes apologize for are – Mennonites!” With this answer, I guess I am happily not always fitting in!

Interfaith work brings different peoples together – peoples who have a group identity made up of individuals! Group identity lends itself to artistic exploration through complex and thorny social issues and humour, which often speaks to cultural values. And when we dig deep enough, may in turn reflect our faith and theology.

Faith Spaces – Safe Spaces

Feb 14th, 2022

Faith Spaces – Safe Spaces

"How can we be more visible in anti-racist discussions that happen at the community/municipal levels? Might we benefit from an acknowledgement of the sin of entrenched racism?"

How do we not only talk about the “corrosive and toxic traits of racism,” – racism experienced especially by black hijabed women in our Edmonton community? – “but also take [meaningful] action?” asks Ust. Khallid Yassmin. Two days prior was World Hijab Day, bringing into focus the fear for safety experienced by many women who choose the outward symbol of modesty. This larger question undergirded the whole webinar called “Faith Spaces – Safe Spaces” presented on February 5, 2022 and organized by members of the Anglican Archdiocese and the Islamic Family Social Services Association Green Room Program.

Love is Never Carried Alone

Dec 22nd, 2021

Love is Never Carried Alone

I am sitting in the warm-up room at Al Rashid Mosque, volunteering to welcome anyone in need of food and company. Al Rashid is one of the partners with the City of Edmonton that offers emergency shelter during cold spells. When I learned they were in need of volunteers, I offered to take a shift.

Nov 17th, 2021

Our 2021 Calling to Remember to Work for Peace

“What are you doing?” asked a young man on a bicycle as 20 of us were quietly beginning our Annual Peace Walk through Edmonton’s Churchill Square on the dark, crisp evening of November 11, 2021. “We are praying for peace on Remembrance Day” was our answer. The young man continued breaking into our silence, “My Great-grandmother put up a Tipi in Churchill Square in 1969 as a protest. Check it out on Google!” He remained far away, so dialogue was not possible, and we were not able to put together the story at the time. We resumed our walk to McDougall United Church where we would be reflecting together on State-Sanctioned violence in our communities in our world through the lenses of 5 different faith traditions: Jewish, Muslim, Quaker, Buddhist and Mennonite-Christian.

Hospitality, Dialogue, Peacebuilding and Witness – a framework for building mutual relationships

Over the last two months, fifteen participants from Mennonite church communities across Alberta met on Saturday mornings to explore.the “Peacemakers Confessing Christ International” , discussion series. This is an initiative rooted in the work of David Shenk, Jonathan Bornman, and Peter Sensenig.

Participants were invited to share the impact of this series on their understanding of the value and importance of dialogue, but more importantly, how dialogue ultimately enriches our own faith understanding, even as we learn about and celebrate the best of each others’ faith traditions.