Ministerial approves Misconduct Policy and Ethics Commitment
During the June 2, 2023, Ministerial meeting, Cameron McKenzie, Board of Leadership and Outreach (BLO) chair reviewed several documents that have been in process for a few years. The Ministerial Misconduct Policy and the Ministerial Ethics Commitment were both approved by the ministerial and are offered as resources to churches and pastors.
Lorne Meisner addresses longevity in ministry
An occupational hazard of ministry is not finishing well, and this was the topic guest speaker Lorne Meisner was asked to address at the Ministerial meeting held on June 2, 2023.
MCC challenges people to donate 10,000 school kits in August
In August, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) challenges people to donate 10,000 school kits—full of school supplies—for 10,000 children around the world. This School Kit Challenge has the extra incentive of a school kit photo contest.
A practical support for Indigenous students
A lot of people wonder exactly what it means to honour truth and reconciliation and also be a follower of Jesus. I think that as followers of Jesus we ought to be the people most concerned with truth and reconciliation.
Review of Deeper than African Soil
Faith Eidse’s memoir is essentially a coming-of-age story, but what makes it unique is the backdrop of growing up in Africa with intermittent periods spent “back home” in Manitoba. Her childhood and teenage years encapsulate experiences seldom faced by children in Canadian culture.
Abundant Springs celebrates 40 years
We’re only about halfway through an eight-hour journey back to our homes. We are sweaty, tired, and wouldn’t be blamed for being a little grumpy. But that’s not the current mood; youth are singing along to music behind me right now. The reason is simple: we were just at Abundant Springs.
EMC appoints new assistant, accountant; DGO resigns
The Personnel Committee is pleased to announce that Betty Ramones has agreed to serve as EMC church leadership assistant and that Beth Reimer has agreed to serve as EMC office accountant.
The state of the church: a Conference Pastor perspective
In spring 2022, Cardus, a Canadian non-partisan think tank, gathered data from nine surveys taken between 2017–2022 in order to get a snapshot of the religious landscape in Canada. In reading the report it is obvious that the events of the past three years have negatively affected the religious landscape in Canada.
Why haven’t people returned to church post-COVID?
COVID is getting smaller and smaller in the rear-view mirror, yet we experience its lingering effects. One effect is that some people haven’t returned to the life of the church. We may have expected a “Great Return of Exiles.” That didn’t happen. Why not?
Walking through deconstruction
There seems to be an increase lately of Christians who are deconstructing their faith and moving on from it. In fact, some reports say that 60 percent of people born in the church deconstruct and lose their faith after high school. But I’m not convinced deconstruction needs to end up there.
Young adults retreat to gain connection
At the beginning of March 2023, a group of 90-plus young adults met together at Red Rock Bible Camp in the Whiteshell region of Manitoba for a weekend of connecting with God and other EMC young adults.
At EMC gatherings, celebration mingles with concern
You may find some aspects of this issue of The Messenger ironic. There are a lot of pictures in this issue of great worship, laughter, hilarious games, meaningful conversations, prayer times and messages and presentations. But you will see that while we celebrate so much that is great, we’re also concerned.
What good does it do to plant one tree?
What good does it do to plant one tree, I asked myself, as I visited with farmers in Mwenezi District, in south central Zimbabwe last September. Everywhere our Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Communications team went, farmers were sure to tell us they planted a tree that year.
New building, new members
Straffordville EMC celebrated its first service in their new building on December 23, 2018, and held a grand opening celebration on June 9, 2019.
In Algeciras, a bountiful harvest awaits
Last summer, driving through the roads of the province of Jaen in the south of Spain I was struck by the number of hills full of olive trees everywhere I turned. The first thought that came to mind was, when is time of harvest?
A handy (and bad) way to win an argument
I occasionally hear myself make this mistake in an argument: When I describe my own view, I describe an ideal, a vision for how we should think and live. But when I describe my opponent’s view, I describe how that view is lived out in real life.
Inquiring minds: a selection of Q&A from the SBC Leadership Conference 2023
SBC Leadership Conference 2023 speakers respond to questions such as, “How do we go about determining the essentials versus the non-essentials? The gospel is to unite us, but how do we define the gospel?“
From shadows to Son rise!
Our special Tenebrae service on the eve of Good Friday was planned and performed by a team of believers in Jesus working together to create an atmosphere of worship and remembrance. They took us step by anguished step through the last week of Jesus’ life during Holy Week.
Aviation ministry in the body of Christ
We walked down the metal steps of the small jet in Tabatinga, Brazil, and were hit by heat and the smell of the rainforest. There was beauty in nature, but the buildings and streets were well-worn and plain.
A coin collection and ‘divine love’
My son recently started a coin collection. My husband, Zach, who has collected coins since he was a little boy spent time explaining to Creedence how to grade his coins. They flipped through a coin reference book. “That one is almost enough to buy a house!” I exclaimed, hearing the value of a tiny piece of metal.