Ride for Refuge is on October 5, 2019.This is a fantastic opportunity to support our International Witness Workers and God’s amazing work throughout the world. Join friends and families across Canada to bike or walk and raise financial support for ministry around the world. Form a team today! For more information visit MC Canada’s website.
You are invited to the 7th Annual Christian Muslim Dialogue, Heart of Hospitality.
October 26 at 9:30 am
ACCA Centre
3530, 91 St. in Mill Woods
Edmonton
This is one way to be witnesses of Jesus' love and break down the kinds of stereotypes and discrimination that Jesus refused to accept. Hosted by: A Common Word Alberta (www.acwalberta.ca) in conjunction with MCA's North Edmonton Ministry.
posted 7 Aug 2019, 22:32 by June Miller, MCA Communications
Congratulations Busary Recipients
To encourage student to attend a post-secondary anabaptist institution or program, Mennonite Church Alberta provides up to $8,000 to in annual bursaries. Eight awards were given for 2019-2020 school year. Anne Retzlaff and Claire Dueck, will be attending Columbia Bible College, while the remaining six are attending Canadian Mennonite University.
Pictured below (left to right):
row 1 Cassidy Brown (Bergthal Mennonite), Anne Retzlaff (Foothills Mennonite) row 2 Bryant Neufeldt (Foothills Mennonite), Olivia Neufeldt (Edmonton First Mennonite) row 3 Darian Neufeld (Edmonton First Mennonite), Claire Dueck (Lethbridge Mennonite)
posted 7 Aug 2019, 22:17 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 7 Aug 2019, 22:17
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Global Youth Summit: MCA representative needed
MC Canada's Joint Council is excited to invite your applications for young adult representatives to the Global Youth Summit (GYS) July 2-5, 2021, in Salatiga, Indonesia. The theme of GYS 2021 is Life in the Spirit: Learn, Serve, Worship.
MC Canada is looking for one young adult from each of the five Regional Churches (one of whom will be the official delegate) to represent the Nationwide Church at GYS, and also to attend the Mennonite WorldConference (MWC) Assembly a few days later. The five representatives will all work together on the GYS project that will be assigned to the delegate prior to GYS. They will also travel and attend the MWC Assembly together. They will write a report to MC Canada and their Regional Churches after their travels. MC Canada asks that the person chosen as delegate commit to a three-year term as representative to the network of Young Anabaptists (YABs) after GYS.
As the representative of your Regional Church, Mennonite Church Alberta, the costs of the application to the GYS, MWC, and vaccination and travel costs will be covered through MC Canada, up to $5,000 per person. The age requirement is 18-30 as of July 2, 2021. Applicants must have a valid passport at the time of travel and be members of an affiliated congregation of MC Canada.
For more information and to apply to go http://home.mennonitechurch.ca/GYS2021. To speak with someone about this opportunity, please contact Joint Council member Andrea de Avila (andreadeavila@mymts.net) or your Regional communicator, June Miller (jmiller@mennonitechurch.ab.ca).
We look forward to your application. Thank you for considering this opportunity to represent MC Canada in our global Anabaptist family.
Healthy Ministry Boundaries: Training for Pastors and Congregations
A Mennonite Church Alberta Equipping Day Event for Pastors, Congregational Leaders, and Others involved in Church Ministry Programs
Saturday, October 19, 2019 Trinity Mennonite Church 9am-4pm
Registration Coming Soon!
Healthy relationships are characterized by respectandtrust, and nurtured when all know and agree on the parameters (boundaries) of the relationship. For pastors, chaplains, congregational leaders, and other volunteers, knowing what the appropriate boundaries are for healthy congregational, pastoral, and ministry relationships is an important part of building and maintaining trust.
Boundaries are complex and fluid, and vary depending on cultural, ethnic, geographical/regional and religious realities. In this workshop, we will increase our awareness of the need for healthy and appropriate boundaries in pastoral and congregational relationships; look at guidelines and suggestions for developing appropriate boundaries and self-care strategies; talk about power and vulnerability; and learn from each other’s experiences in these areas.
Sponsored by the Congregational Leadership Committee of MCA.
posted 7 Aug 2019, 22:13 by June Miller, MCA Communications
Prayer of Gratitude for Shake:
By Kirsten Hamm-Epp, Youth Minister MC Sask
“At the beginning of this day, we open ourselves to You.” We began each day at Shake: Rattled by the Radical with these words, inviting God to be present among us, and to shake and rattle us into faithful disciples of the Radical. For the 119 youth and leaders who gathered together July 28- August 1, it was truly an experience of ‘Shekinah’, our location, and also a Hebrew word meaning ‘the presence and glory of God’. We want to express our deep gratitude for each one who attended, travelling from near and far, for all those whose work made the event possible, and a special thank you for all the prayers and support offered up on our behalf. For these things, and much more, let us join together nationwide to say, thanks be to God.
posted 7 Aug 2019, 22:04 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 7 Aug 2019, 22:10
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Shaken!
by June Miller
Filtered by natural light, the room vibrated with the rhythm of the music as instruments and voices merged. 119 youth and sponsors filled the space with excitement and expectation, ready to be shaken. A year of planning culminated to this moment in time. Kirsten Hamm-Epp (MC Saskatchewan) and Kathy Giesbrecht (MC Manitoba) led the planning team. The worship services were woven together like an artisan weaves a basket. Every strand unique yet together creating a masterpiece. The presence of God was in the house.
More than a youth event, Shake: Rattled by the Radical, held at MC Sask’s Shekinah Retreat Centre from July 28 – August 1, was an encounter with God. Morning and evening worship framed the days. Moses Falco, pastor of Sterling Mennonite in Manitoba, shared each morning about the prophet Jeremiah who warned the people to turn around, to stay away from the metaphorical cliff. The prophet was calling God’s people back to the ancient path of God’s wisdom and shalom – where the good way lies. Following daily themes, shalom needs to be restored with Creator and creation, with relationships and reconciliation, and with being hol(e)y and healthy.
A highlight for many included a visit to Stoney Knoll, treaty 6 territory. The land, originally given to the Young Chippewayan band was sold unwittingly to Mennonites and Lutherans. Now the three groups work together to seek restitution for the Young Chippewayans.
posted 7 Aug 2019, 22:01 by June Miller, MCA Communications
Reflections from the Leadership Day at Gathering 2019
by Tim Wiebe-Neufeld, Executive Minister/Church Leadership Minister
Even pastors need prayers. This obvious—but sometimes forgotten—reality stood out for me as I collected my share of prayer notes at the Mennonite Church Canada Leadership Day. So often pastors are called upon to pray for others. At this event pastors and church leaders were invited to share their own prayer needs. After writing prayer requests on sticky notes, participants stuck them up around the meeting area. Soon sections of wall were plastered with red, blue, and yellow notes representing joys, concerns, and personal prayer requests.
As the day moved towards conclusion, the four other Regional Church Leadership Ministers and I collected the sticky notes from the walls. We were entrusted to carry these notes with us for a time, and to prayerfully offer them to God. I ended up with dozens of notes from unnamed pastors and leaders from across the country.
I have had the opportunity to pray through the notes a few times now, and I’m always struck by their variety as well as common themes: joys for creation, church community, and reconciliation; concerns for disruptions to unity and clarity of vision; comfort for fears and anxieties. Some referred to families and personal prayer needs. One drew encouragement from the “deep well” of the faith of our ancestors. One simply read, “Peace and Hope”.
As I once again read through my stack of stickies, I feel deep appreciation for the way we as a nationwide church offer support to each other. I feel honoured to be able to offer my prayers in this way.
posted 10 Jul 2019, 11:18 by June Miller, MCA Communications
Donna Entz, Director of North Edmonton Ministry, had the opportunity to share about relationship building with Muslim people. At Gathering 2019 in Abbotsford, someone from each of the five regions shared a "Firestarter" story, intended to ignite people's imagination for their church.
posted 3 Jul 2019, 20:26 by June Miller, MCA Communications
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updated 3 Jul 2019, 20:26
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Mennonite Women Canada elects to dissolve nationwide ministry Women’s ministries in Regional churches will benefit from distribution of funds
by June Miller; July 1, 2019; Mennonite Church Canada
Abbotsford, BC, June 30, 2019
In an annual meeting of Mennonite Women Canada (MWC), attendees accepted the proposal to dissolve the nationwide ministry by the Fiscal Year End, January 31, 2020. Approval was given to lift any restrictions on funds and to distribute the balance to regional women’s ministries. Financial assets will be distributed by January 31. Mennonite Women Canada hopes the money will support the dreams and visions for present and future women’s ministries.
Mennonite Women Canada affirms the reorganization of the denomination to shift responsibilities and resources, including those for women’s ministries, from the nationwide church level to the regional church level. “As the seasons of our lives have changed, so have the projects of Mennonite Women Canada, says president Shirley Redekop. “It has been a time of growth – of spring and summer – and now, Mennonite Women Canada has moved into its autumn and winter – a quieter season.”
Just as Mennonite Church Canada has downsized and is encouraging regional churches to become a stronger force, Mennonite Women Canada is doing likewise. The Executive team expressestheir gratitude to those who have gone before. “We are thankful for the vision and commitment of women in the past who served their church locally, provincially and nationally. We are also thankful for the support of women’s groups across the country who continue to nurture and minister to others across the street and around the world, accomplishing much more together than they could alone.” [excerpt from April 2019 Connections]
To encourage student to attend a post-secondary anabaptist institution or program, Mennonite Church Alberta provides up to $8,000 to in annual bursaries. Eight awards were given for 2019-2020 school year. Anne Retzlaff and Claire Dueck, will be attending Columbia Bible College, while the remaining six are attending Canadian Mennonite University.
MC Canada's Joint Council is excited to invite your applications for young adult representatives to the Global Youth Summit (GYS) July 2-5, 2021, in Salatiga, Indonesia. The theme of GYS 2021 is Life in the Spirit: Learn, Serve, Worship.
Even pastors need prayers. This obvious—but sometimes forgotten—reality stood out for me as I collected my share of prayer notes at the Mennonite Church Canada Leadership Day. So often pastors are called upon to pray for others. At this event pastors and church leaders were invited to share their own prayer needs. After writing prayer requests on sticky notes, participants stuck them up around the meeting area. Soon sections of wall were plastered with red, blue, and yellow notes representing joys, concerns, and personal prayer requests.
