A Menno Minute
with Arlyn Friesen Epp
Director CommonWord Bookstore & Resource Centre
Mennonite Church Canada Staff
Written by June Miller
What is the difference between CommonWord & MennoMedia?
In the Mennonite world we have a lot of terms and acronymns we throw
around. Sometimes it is hard for those entrenched in the Menno world to
sort out, much less those who are newer. In a recent email, a church
admin asked "what is the difference between CommonWord &
MennoMedia?" (To be honest, before I took this job as Communications
Coordinator, I didn't know what CommonWord was.) I had an answer, but
thought this would be a good opportunity to hear from Arlin Friesen Epp,
Director of CommonWord and Mennonite Church Canada staff.
CommonWord is a physical store located on the campus of Canadian
Mennonite University (CMU) and serves both CMU and Mennonite Church
Canada. CommonWord is also an online store, library, and resource
centre. Did you know that you can borrow a book from CommonWord for
free? Postage is paid both ways.
Back to the question, what is the difference between CommonWord & MennoMedia? Here is how Arlin concisely and clearly explains.
"
Put simply:
(1) MennoMedia is Mennonite Church Canada’s
publisher and CommonWord is our
retailer and resource centre.
(2) MennoMedia produces Anabaptist resources and CommonWord disseminates
many of them to individuals and congregations within Canada.
This is a close partnership between publisher and retailer and is in
place to serve our common constituency after significant structural
transitions.
Put more completely:
(1)
MennoMedia publishes
periodicals and curriculum (under its name, MennoMedia) and
trade books (under its imprint, Herald Press).
(2)
MennoMedia offers Canadians its
periodicals and curriculum via its new website
www.mennomedia.ca or 1-800-245-7894.
(3)
CommonWord retails (and provides for loan)
all Herald Press titles at
www.commonword.ca or 1-877-846-1593.
(4)
Pre-orders of special publications, like
Voices Together hymnal, are handled by
MennoMedia. After its publication next fall,
CommonWord will have copies for sale (and loan).
So:
(1) Renewing your
Leader subscription? Contact
MennoMedia.
(2) Ordering
Shine curriculum? Contact
MennoMedia.
(3)
Pre-ordering Voices Together? Contact
MennoMedia.
(4)
Buying a book to read or study from Herald Press? Contact
CommonWord.
(5)
Borrowing a Herald Press book to preview? Contact
CommonWord.
Of course, you are always free to contact either partner. We are both
prepared to answer your questions or direct you to the right source of
information. We are here to link you to Anabaptist resources that will
help nurture faith."
