“We don’t practise peace because it always works, but because we are called to be faithful to Christ’s way.”
Scott Brubaker-Zehr, pastor of Rockway Mennonite Church in Kitchener, Ont., made this statement in response to speakers at the “Pastoring people of peace in a country at war” seminar held on Sept. 26, 2015, at Conrad Grebel University College.
One-hundred-and-fifteen cyclists braved the rainy weather on Sept. 19, 2015, and brought in nearly a million dollars to support Syrian refugees now living in Lebanon.
An Olympian-turned-lawyer, an English language educator, a businessman with a passion for international development, and a couple who have ministered for more than 45 years in Winnipeg’s North End are the recipients of Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) 2015 Blazer Distinguished Alumni Awards.
Jeff Horst in the echosims’ former offices in Kitchener, Ont. Waterloo Region is now touted as the second-largest new-media centre in North America. (Photo by Dave Rogalsky)
At 26, Jeff Horst already has five years of entrepreneurial experience behind him.
Residents of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, are venturing out into the streets again, with talks between conflicting groups underway. The promise of peace once again holds out hope. (Mennonite Church Canada file photo by Deborah Froese)
A coup d’état in Burkina Faso brought the lead-up to democratic elections to a halt for a week filled with fear and shooting in the streets.
The Global Anabaptist Profile consultation group surveyed 24 church conferences of Mennonite World Conference concerning their demographics, beliefs, and practices. (Goshen College photo)
César Montenegro leads a meeting at the July 2015 consultation of the Global Anabaptist Profile group. (Goshen College photo)
Sociological surveys may be uncommon evangelistic tools, but Damien Pelende of the Democratic Republic of Congo testified that the Global Anabaptist Profile survey had drawn new people into his church.
Geralde Reesor-Grooters
This list is based on the workshop, “How Can Church be Autism-Friendly?” led by Geralde Reesor-Grooters. The workshop was held on July 24, 2015 at the Mennonite World Conference assembly in Harrisburg, Pa.
With several other delegates, Chris Brnjas (center back row), Mennonite Church Canada’s delegate to Global Youth Summit 2015, shared reflections of the event during one of the closing sessions. (Mennonite Church Canada photo)
Chris Brnjas felt a deep kinship with fellow delegates to the Global Youth Summit (GYS) held in Pennsylvania July 17-19, 2015. In a report following the event he wrote, “We were separated by language, ethnicity, and even theological differences. And yet, we felt like family. One American delegate commented during the delegate sessions that he felt like he was ‘amongst my people.’”
The presidents of Eastern Mennonite University (EMU) and Goshen College (GC) announced their voluntary withdrawals from the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) today.
Abdel el-Razek, his wife and their youngest daughter stand in the Jordanian countryside, where they have managed to put up their tent. Back home in Syria, el-Razek was a car salesman. Now he works for minimal wages at various labouring jobs. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Foodgrains Bank)
Fatima and her brother Muhammed were forced from their home in Syria when violence overtook their town. They now live in a chicken barn in Lebanon. The farmer who owned the barn found it more profitable to rent out his shed to Syrian refugees rather than continue raising chickens. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Foodgrains Bank)
Not long after a heart-wrenching photo of a refugee toddler lying lifeless on a Turkish beach hit the news, phones at Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Canada began ringing off their hooks. People were calling to find out how they could help refugees fleeing violence in Iraq and Syria.
Vernon Leis
Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC) has received an allegation of sexual and ethical misconduct against a former credentialed pastor, the late Vernon Leis. “It is a painful recognition of human sin and failure,” says an August 31 news release from MCEC. “In the midst of this challenging and painful situation, MCEC will do its best to walk alongside all those who are impacted.”
Nearly 500 years ago, the Anabaptist movement centred on rediscovering Jesus and applying what he taught to all aspects of life. The Mennonite World Conference assembly, held in July 2015 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S., was an opportunity for followers of that tradition to focus on what binds them together. The theme of the assembly was “Walking with God.”
Youth help build a Mennonite Disaster Service house at Mennonite World Conference assembly. A new bursary will help youth who have volunteered with MDS pay for their studies. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman for Meetinghouse)
A new bursary will make it possible for students who volunteer with Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS) to receive financial help for their higher education.
Canadian students can now earn a Master of Divinity at AMBS without moving to the campus in Indiana. (AMBS photo)
Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) has received long-awaited approval for students from Canada to study in the seminary’s distance program, Master of Divinity Connect.
Canadian Darnell Barkman took part in the 2015 Canadian School of Peacebuilding, along with 85 students from around the world, representing various faiths and identity groups. (CMU photo)
When Darnell Barkman found out he would be home in Canada during the Canadian School of Peacebuilding (CSOP), he had to enrol. Barkman was one of 84 students from around the world who gathered at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) June 15-26, 2015, for two weeks of courses for peacebuilders from all faiths, countries, and identity groups.
More than 100 Anabaptist educators attended a global education conference July 16-19, 2015, just before Mennonite World Conference assembly. The summit, held at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, attracted educators and leaders from 13 countries around the world.
A group of five singers from Kenya sang at the Thursday evening worship service. Of the choir of 30, only these five received visas to come to the U. S. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman for Meetinghouse)
Due to visa complications, some women from Africa were absent from a gathering of MWC women theologians who came from various continents. In solidarity with their missing sisters, the group at PA 2015 decided to send a panel of artwork to the women who were not able to get visas to the U.S. They were invited to sign the back of the artwork. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman for Meetinghouse)
Applying for a visa to enter the U.S. was serious business for many internationals hoping to attend PA 2015, the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) assembly held in Harrisburg, July 21-26, 2015.
MWC organizers report that 75 percent of the applicants who applied for a visa to attend the assembly were successful.
From left, Emmanuel of India, Khanyisani Ngwenya of Zimbabwe, and Tim Hochstetler pack green beans into cans in Mennonite Central Committee’s mobile canner at the Mennonite World Conference assembly, held July 21 to 16, 2015. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman for Meetinghouse)
Mennonite Central Committee’s mobile meat canner went vegan for the Mennonite World Conference assembly, switching for one week from pork, beef and turkey to green beans.
Slipping out a back door into a parking lot, attendees donned hairnets, a few beard nets and plastic gloves to volunteer packing and labeling the 23-ounce cans.
Volunteers helped build two prefabricated houses for Mennonite Disaster Service at PA 2015. MDS staff were on hand every afternoon to guide volunteers in constructing the floors and walls for houses destined for families who lost their homes in natural disasters. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman)
Pounding nails may be the last activity one might expect at an international church convention, but for many at the Mennonite World Conference’s PA 2015, it was a perfect fit.
The Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pa., hosted the events of PA 2015, the 16th Mennonite World Conference assembly. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman)
Dining areas at PA 2015 had collection areas and volunteers to encourage diners to compost as much as possible. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman)
Would the attendees of Pennsylvania 2015 accept “an occasional farm smell” in their meeting space? That’s just one of the many questions Howard Good, national coordinator of PA 2015, asked as he and his team evaluated the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., as a potential location for the next Mennonite World Conference assembly.
Enjoying the international connections at the first ever Anabaptist World Cup. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman)
Two-hundred and sixty-nine individuals played in the Anabaptist World Cup in Logan Park in Dillsburg, Pa. This was the first soccer tournament for Mennonite World Conference and took place during its 16th assembly, held in Harrisburg, Pa., July 21 to July 2016, 2015.
For my “First thoughts” see here.
Bruxy Cavey, the keynote speaker at the Saturday evening service, challenged listeners to go beyond the “ethics of a rock” in their love for other people. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman, for Meetinghouse)
Outgoing MWC president Danisa Ndlovu prays for the new president Nelson Kraybill and his wife Ellen, while members of the MWC executive committee surround them. The new vice-president, Rebecca Osiro, stands beside Ellen. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman, for Meetinghouse)
Nelson Kraybill addressed the assembly as the new president of Mennonite World Conference. “My prayer is that before the watching world we will get on with the work of reconciliation in this world,” he said. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman, for Meetinghouse)
The Mennonite Children’s Choir brought enthusiastic music to the Saturday evening worship service of Mennonite World Conference Assembly. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman, for Meetinghouse)
Love for neighbour is absolutely central to the gospel, speaker Bruxy Cavey said in the final mass worship service of Pennsylvania 2015, July 25, 2015. This service saw the passing of a symbolic shepherd’s staff from Mennonite World Conference president Danisa Ndlovu to incoming president Nelson Kraybill.
Hippolyto Tshimanga reminded listeners at Mennonite World Conference Assembly: “There is no such thing as a church without mission; mission is the DNA of the church.” And yet, he wondered if some Mennonites are “allergic” to evangelism. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman, for Meetinghouse)
Young Anabaptists Rodrigo Pedroza (left) and Marc Pasques (centre), with the help of translator Andres Prins, challenged listeners to match beliefs with concrete actions. “As we wait for our Lord to fulfill his kingdom, it is our task to continue healing, reconciling and transforming,” said Pedroza. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman, for Meetinghouse)
During the Saturday morning worship, the 18-member international music ensemble led the assembly in music from North America. The previous days featured music from Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman)
Energy was still high in the penultimate mass session of PA 2015, July 25, 2015, and speakers issued sharp challenges to Anabaptists, calling for a more active and evangelistic discipleship.
The July 24 evening service concluded with a communion service led by Janet Plenert, MWC vice president, J. Nelson Kraybill, MWC president elect, and Danisa Ndlovu, MWC president. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman, for Meetinghouse)
Wieteke van der Molen, a pastor from the Netherlands, told the story of Jacob and his struggle between his own desires and the life of the community. “To keep some sense of autonomy within community is like constantly wrestling with man and God and, most of all, yourself,” she said. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman, for Meetinghouse)
Volunteer usher Gay Kauffman serves communion during the Friday evening service at Mennonite World Conference assembly. She and her husband Ed came to PA 2015 from Calgary, Alberta, where Ed is pastor of First Mennonite Church. (Photo by Dale D. Gehman, for Meetinghouse)
Each person is never alone. They must live in community. Yet each also craves independence and autonomy.
Citing Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis 32, Wieteke van der Molen told Mennonite World Conference assembly attendees July 24 that since the interests of the group will always collide with those of the individual, each person must wrestle with friction and frustration.
