Web First

From West Bengal to New York

Sumana Basumata is the fifth Mennonite World Conference intern to serve for a year in the Mennonite Central Committee United Nations Office. (MCC photo by Doug Hostetter)

Sumana Basumata dreams of working with an international organization that promotes peace education among children and youth. This year, she is taking a big step toward that goal by serving as the Mennonite World Conference (MWC) intern in the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) United Nations Office, New York City.

Chinese RSV to 'unite Chinese Christians'

The head of the United Bible Societies has praised the newly released Revised Chinese Union Version Bible, which took 27 years to complete, as a uniting point for Chinese Christians around the world.

Islam now part of Germany

Islam is part of a modern, changing Germany, the country's president, Christian Wulff, told the nation in an address on the 20th anniversary of the reunification of the once divided nation.

Let the barn-raising begin

Conrad Grebel University College president Henry Paetkau presented “Barn Raising,” a Peter Goetz print from the Grebel collection, to David Johnston as a farewell gift on behalf of the uWaterloo University Colleges. Johnston is Canada's new Governor-General. Photo by David Perrin

David Johnston began his first day on the job as Governor General by telling Canada about Mennonites, Blackberrys and the students that marked his time back in Waterloo Region.

Thousands of evangelicals crowd Jerusalem

Thousands of evangelical Christians from 100 countries have participated in a 30th "Feast of Tabernacles" event, organized by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, a group strongly supportive of a united Jerusalem under Israel.

Support grows for sand dams

MCC engineeer Jon Viducich kneels in front of a vegetable garden watered by a sand dam constructed by the Christian Council of Mozambique in Phiri-meque, Tete province, Mozambique. The garden was cultivated using conservation agriculture principles. The final stages of the sand dam were completed in

In Mozambique, the use of sand dam technology, introduced by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), is spreading across the country, increasing people’s access to water and catching the interest of government officials.

Conversion: As Scales Falling from the Eyes

The late Jim Reimer, a member at Rockway Mennonite Church since 1975, was a regular preacher and was instrumental in starting a lay preaching team, according to Scott Brubaker-Zehr, pastor. Started as a church plant of First Mennonite 50 years ago, Rockway's active membership is 157.

Introduction

Rabbi warns of 'new intifada'

Hours after a freeze on West Bank Israeli settlement construction expired, bulldozers moved into an area close to Revava, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, with many residents mindful of an earlier reminder that settler activity can be volatile.

Muslims call for religion in school

Bulgarian clergymen and Orthodox believers marched on Sept. 24 to voice their support for the introduction of a mandatory religion course in schools, submitting a petition to that end in Parliament and to the Government.--Photo by Georgi Kozhouharov

The head of Bulgaria's Muslim community has announced his backing for a campaign by the country's Orthodox Church to make religious education compulsory in schools.

The church held a mass march in Bulgaria's capital of Sofia on Sept. 24 in support of its aim as protestors shouted against "60 years of atheism", introduced during the communist era.

UN summit gets mixed grades

Robert J. (Jack) Suderman, recently retired general secretary for Mennonite Church Canada, urged world religious leaders to "stop teaching and justifying violence" in our faith communities, as part of a World Religious Summit this past June. His appeal got into the language of the 8 goals.

Political leaders at the summit acknowledged that progress towards achieving the eight MDGs by 2015 is not where it should be

Publishing/Third Way merge

Ron Rempel, who retires next summer as executive director of MPN after seven years, eliminated a legacy debt of almost $5 million; created a major new Sunday school curriculum, called Gather ‘Round; and brought costs under control through consolidation and downsizing.

Dynamic, innovative, fully-integrated and multi-media—that’s the goal of a new organization to be formed out of an integration of Mennonite Publishing Network (MPN), the publishing ministry of Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada, and Third Way Media, a department of Mennonite Mission Network.

Prayers for peace in Africa

“We pray for Africa, especially for Somalia, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo where violence and suffering are a tragic reality,” was the prayer from Nairobi at an International Day of Prayer for Peace event sponsored by the All-Africa Conference of Churches.

Stop devastation of Jordan River

The European Parliament has expressed concern at devastation to the Jordan River and has called on Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority to "cooperate and rehabilitate" it.

The river holds special importance for Christians due to the Bible saying Jesus was baptised in it.

Still Speedy after all these years

Phil Helmuth, executive director of development at EMU, accepts the keys and title to Margaret Martin Gehman's 1967 Volkswagen Beetle. Photo by Jim Bishop

At age 88, Margaret Martin Gehman of Harrisonburg has lost a little of her trademark drive, largely because she has parted company with a faithful friend.

Church burns near site of Russian tsar's remains

Fire has destroyed one of the main churches at a monastery near where the remains of Russia's Tsar Nicholas II and his family were dumped after they were murdered by Bolshevik revolutionaries in 1918.

Indonesian church leaders call attack on Christians 'barbaric'

Leaders of the Protestant Christian Batak Church, a Lutheran church in Indonesia, have condemned the beatings and stabbings of its pastor and church members in Bekasi, outside the capital Jakarta in West Java, on Sept. 12.

Pope's visit to address skepticism

Pope Benedict XVI is likely to focus on religious freedom during the first official State visit by a pontiff to Britain, where secularism is growing and Christianity declining.

Lao Canadian Evangelical Mennonite to dedicate new facility

Chinda Kommala, pastor of the Lao Canadian Evangelical Mennonite, shows members of the Mennonite Men (now Joint Hands) the new worship centre in Toronto toward which the MM donated $40,000. The presentation was made at a “Join Hands” luncheon meeting held at Assembly this summer in Calgary.

When Chinda Kommala opens the doors next Sunday, Sept. 26, to a newly-renovated 2,000-square foot worship centre, known as Unit 23 in the 70-unit commercial/professional mall on the corner of Westin and Finch, it will be a celebration of mammoth proportions, but not without struggle.

Heaven trumps hell in Canadian poll

-"Hell is a half-filled auditorium," wrote the U.S. poet Robert Frost.

In Canada, it's slightly less full.

According to new poll, a bit more than half of Canadians believe in heaven, but less than a third believe in hell, Religion News Service reports.

MCC sending $700,000 to Pakistan

A father and his ill son consult with a Church World Service (CWS) health team worker in Pakistan. Donations to MCC will help support CWS’ Pakistan flood response. (Photo courtesy Chris Herlinger/CWS)

Following weeks of disruptions, loss and trauma, people in flood-stricken areas of Pakistan are facing enormous challenges as they struggle to rebuild their lives.

“How does a family regain its footing after it loses everything?” asked Donna Fernades and Chris Herlinger, writers for Church World Service (CWS) in a recent report.

India asking for Christian support after riot

Churches in India are asking for support after Christian institutions became the target of violent protests linked to the reported desecration of a copy of the Quran in the United States.

At least 16 people were killed and more than 60 injured in clashes on September 13 with security personnel in India-ruled Kashmir.

Bolivian Mennonites launch addiction/abuse centre

Klaus Rempel represents a seven-member planning committee to develop a 20-bed rehabilitation centre.

As the criminal investigation continues into allegations of gang rape in some Mennonite colonies in Bolivia, many local congregations see a need to reach out to people dealing with addictions, sexual abuse and violence against women.

Pan flutes from Palestine blow peace tunes

A Hiroshima-based group is holding peace concerts featuring music with pan flutes made from Palestinian olive trees cut down by Israel to build a separation wall that juts into Palestinian territories.

U.S. churches asked to reach out to Muslims

In response to the attacks of September 11, 2001, many members of Mennonite and Brethren in Christ congregations reached out to Muslims in their communities to support and encourage them. In the face of ever-increasing anti-Islam sentiment, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) U.S. urges congregations to redouble those efforts.

Goshen Bible prof Shenk dead at 91

Stanley C. Shenk

Goshen College Professor Emeritus of Bible Stanley C. Shenk passed away on Thursday, Sept. 2 at the Greencroft Healthcare Center in Goshen. Shenk, 91, taught Bible at the college from 1965 to 1985.

Web First

Pages