Viewpoints

A popular Mennonite plaque that has hung in many homes states: “True evangelical faith cannot lie dormant; it clothes the naked, it feeds the hungry; it comforts the sorrowful; it shelters the destitute; it serves those who harm it; it binds up that which is wounded; it becomes all things to all men.”

A common interaction at our house goes something like this. Person One says (with some heat): “You’re so stubborn!” Person Two then replies (with some indignation): “I am not stubborn. I’m principled. I’m determined. I’m firm and have integrity of opinion.”

South of the border, there was lots of attention again this year around Sept. 11, especially given that it was the 10th anniversary of those terrible events. That it happened to fall on a Sunday made me think of offering a voice of lament, confession and a call for nonviolent peacemaking.

Once again, famine plagues the headlines and swollen bellies afflict the airwaves. The Horn of Africa is hungry. Babies are dying. Statistics are swirling. And the rest of the global village, wired as it is, has pulled up a front-row seat.

Whenever a congregation gathers to look ahead and contemplate its future, you can be sure that questions about the youth will be raised: Where are they? How can we keep them?  We have all likely heard—and possibly have spoken—these concerns in various forms.

Recently I met with an elderly gentleman who had just celebrated his 92nd birthday. In a humorous fashion he noted that he was losing his hearing, losing his eyesight and now he feared he was “losing his marbles.” However, his wit continued to shine throughout our visit.

The gathering of God’s People is critically important for faith from an Anabaptist perspective. For Anabaptists, the community of faith is a unique and critical environment for experiencing the presence of God’s Spirit.

Billionaire media titan Rupert Murdoch has made headlines over the phone hacking scandal that forced him to shut down his British tabloid, News of the World. But few people know that News Corp, the company Murdoch heads, also owns Zondervan, the world's leading Bible publisher.

The Vancouver Canucks’ inability to score and some people’s penchant for blowing things up has caused me to agree with a zealous atheist. “Religion poisons everything,” contends Christopher Hitchens. He may be on to something—at least to the degree “Hockeyanity” has become Canada’s de facto religion.

I’ve been to the dark side, met the people there and survived. Of course, they wore black, had dreadlocks and tattoos, were probably anarchists and drove a bus powered by veggie oil. Oh, they were also Christian.

When I was asked to reflect on the joy of serving the church, the word “joy” stuck in my throat. My thoughts immediately turned to the recent challenging conversations and difficult decisions those of us who serve on the General Board of Mennonite Church Canada had to make this year. Instead of “joy,” words like “pain” and “loss” came to mind.