July 2012

There are two parts to this story. It starts with Margie, a woman in her mid-30s; outgoing, mother of two, a worship leader in her church (Bakerview MB, Abbotsford, B.C.), and lover of Jesus who believes in reaching out to the unsaved, including people in her bellydancing class

Living Into Community: Cultivating Practices That Sustain Us
Author: Christine D. Pohl
The opportunity to read this book was timely as my church is currently in a process of discerning how to have an impact on the growing immigrant community in the neighbourhood that surrounds our building.

May 12 dawned warm and sunny at Camp Evergreen, Sundre, Alta. – one of the first beautiful days of the year. Leaves were silently unfurling, horses munching new grass, the waters of Fallen Timber Creek gurgling gaily between its banks, when suddenly the peace was broken by a child’s terrified-but-excited shriek and the whirring of trolley wheels against a steel cable: the morning’s first zipline ride kicked off Camp Evergreen Mennonite Brethren Ministries’ first annual general meeting.

Amber-Lee Hamm seems like an ordinary young adult. She’s a university student and part-time children’s ministry coordinator at McIvor Avenue MB Church, Winnipeg, where she’s a member. But Hamm is one of a group of young people who have been transformed into passionate advocates for extending God’s kingdom in every context they inhabit – through participation in MB Mission short-term programs.

It took three impromptu songs to count the ballots and confirm the results, but Anabaptist leaders from around the world elected J. Nelson Kraybill president-elect of Mennonite World Conference at MWC General Council meetings May 20–27.

Mennonite Brethren leaders from more than a dozen countries gathered May 16–19 in Liestal, Switzerland, for the International Community of Mennonite Brethren (ICOMB) annual summit. The 28 ICOMB representatives approved a mission statement: “ICOMB exists to facilitate relationships and ministries which enhance the witness and discipleship of member conferences.”

Jenny Spenst is fascinated by her parents’ stories of life in the Soviet Union.

Bryan Born, professor and director of intercultural studies, has been recommended to succeed Ron Penner as president of Columbia Bible College, Abbotsford, B.C.

Empty Promises: The Truth About You, Your Desires, and the Lies You’re Believing
Author: Pete Wilson
“More shiny blather on idolatry from a mega-church pastor with a two-book publishing contract,” I thought when I looked at Empty Promises by Pete Wilson. I follow Wilson on Twitter, so I’ve never seen him string more than a few words together.

This spring, I visited the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C. There, I discovered an incredible, “living” story of transformation: pristine rows of magenta and cream-coloured tulips; delicate flowering cherry trees; a spectacular sunken garden; 50 gardeners who work year-round – continuously planting, digging, and pruning. The Butchart Gardens is a horticultural wonder!

When Lisa and Corny Giesbrecht moved to Linden, Alta., from Belize in May 2011, they brought nothing but their two children, now five-year-old son Rudy and almost three-year-old Adina. Linden MB Church’s deacons organized furniture donations and brought a Christmas gift – money so they could afford to travel to a family gathering in Grand Prairie, Alta., but Lisa says the greatest help was prayer: “We went through a hard time, finding out our daughter is deaf four months before we came here.”

B.C. supportive housing society wins award – Jean Vanier honoured – Wounaan lands in conflict – Papal honours bestowed on 2 Canadian pioneers – Richard J Mouw retires – Mennonite Church of Congo prepare for anniversary – News for MAX Canada – MDS completes recovery work in New Orleans – Homophobic issue discussed

When I was a child, I thought work was God’s curse on humanity. As I was forced to do my Saturday morning chores, I reflected more than once on how dumb Adam and Eve must have been to take that fruit. Wouldn’t it be better if all I had to do was lie in a hammock and listen to the wind blowing through the trees? I was already looking forward to what life would be like when I turned 65 and could retire.