Volume 14, Number 22
‘Healing and hope’ from a distance
Heidi Wagler, a registered nurse, and her husband Brian were all set to travel to Haiti with a medical team in February when the devastating earthquake there threw a wrench into their plans. With the increased need and danger, Brian, who is not a medical professional (but works for Mennonite Savings and Credit Union), was not allowed to travel there because of the emergency.
Musician becomes shepherd
John Bell, a leader in the Iona Community and a major contributor to the Wild Goose Resource Group, often notes that Christians need to leave the safety of their favourite psalms and allow the difficult words and emotions of other texts to minister to and through them.
Last ordained aeltester remembered
Dueck
The passing of Henry Dueck has left a gap in the greater Mennonite community of Leamington, Ont., where he lived and served for many years. His health began to steadily decline about a year-and-a-half ago and he died of congestive heart failure at 79 years of age.
Peace activist strives for integrity in his life and witness
Jake Buhler of Osler Mennonite Church, Sask., stands beside a sign he erected on his land boldly declaring 'To Remember is to Work for Peace'
Jake Buhler is a man with a different pair of glasses. They reflect a steely determination to pursue peace and help others do the same. “Peace is the lens through which we see everything,” he says.
Lack of quorum puts budget decisions on hold
MC Manitoba board members Dave Wiebe, Dan Horne and Justin Zacharias listen as delegates share concerns about the budget and about how the area church can communicate more clearly with its member congregations.
“Do we want to keep on doing what we are used to doing or do we want to think in new ways?”
Formation Council recommends approval of MPN/Third Way merger
More than a week after meeting with Mennonite Publishing Network (MPN) and Third Way Media reps to discuss a proposed merger of the two organizations, Mennonite Church Canada’s Formation Council has agreed to recommend to the denomination’s General Board that the merger be ratified.
Above the Underground best kept secret in Abbotsford
Above the Underground associate Pam Thompson, left, and manager Darlene Davy welcome shoppers to their trendy thrift store—‘the best kept secret in Abbotsford.’
For a little clothing store, Above the Underground is making a big impact on the lives of people in Abbotsford. And if Darlene Davy, the store’s manager, has her way, many more people will know about it.
“I always say Above the Underground is Abbotsford’s best kept secret, but I’d like to change that,” she says with a smile.
Our gifts can disclose avenues of hope
Every year at this time I feel some anxiety. I’m talking about Christmas and it has to do with shopping. Well, to be exact, my anxiety has to do with “not” shopping.
For almost a decade I’ve been one of the organizers of a little campaign with the delightful name of, get ready for it: Buy Nothing Christmas.
The wrong question
The silly season will soon arrive when you will hear, “What do you want for Christmas?” Endlessly creative lists of desires will follow. Others will go all high-horse and not ask for anything, while silently hoping you can read minds.
What’s really worthy of our fretting?
I don’t think clearly when I’m anxious. I need to be reminded to slow down and breath deeply. Doing so creates the space wherein I can regain a sense of clarity, so that whatever decisions I make are helpful and life-giving.
For discussion
1. How many trees are planted annually in your community? Are they part of a community initiative? Who plants and waters them? How important is it to plant more trees?
2. In what situations would you cut down a tree in your yard? What are the advantages and disadvantages to having lots of trees in your neighbourhood? When might a tree be legitimately “in the way”?
Where are our churches headed?
What will the typical Mennonite Church Canada congregation look like in three years?
