October 31, 2011 Volume 15 Number 21

EMU honours Nobel laureatepg. 21 inside Unwrapping sexuality 4 On using Scripture to discern sexual issues 6 Letters to my sister 12 Can ‘free’ speech be ‘hate’ speech? 21 Students advocate for the sexually marginalized 34 2 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

Editorial With this issue, we are attempting to model this new framework for discus- sion. Keith Graber Miller’s feature, A reasoned discussion “Unwrapping sexuality,” on page 4, provides context, presenting readers with Dick Benner a broad view of the subject, not just the Editor/Publisher aspects that have tended to bog us down. Keep in mind that this was originally an nough already.” I can already • Second, it is time we reframe the debate address to university students who are hear groans of despair as with new guidelines of discourse, a time the members of our faith community “Ewe, once again, open up the to covenant together that we will choose most wanting a thoughtful discussion, conversation about sexuality in all of its our words carefully, without judgment not a duel of warring factions. We owe manifestations. In a search of our data- and rancour, to take a broad and thought- them no less. base, our managing editor, Ross W. ful look at the subject and not con- The first of a three-part series of Muir, discovered that this pub- fine it to the flash points of homo- “Letters to my Sister,” page 12, is a more lication and its predecessor, the sexuality and same-sex marriage, intimate discussion between accom- Mennonite Reporter, have carried a to deconstruct the old framework plished 80-year-old twins who, with their total of 232 articles on the sub- of using inclusion/exclusion of lifetime of experience, find themselves on ject, ranging from sexual abuse, church members as a dividing line opposite sides of the homosexual issue, child sex tourism, same and safe within our faith community. but who respect each other and carry on sex, to sex offenders, sex change, sexual In simple, straightforward terms, we, a thoughtful debate in letters. abstinence, sexual misconduct and sexual with Brian McLaren in his new book, We hope this gives clear guidance for boundaries. The list goes on. A New Kind of Christianity, ask the those of you who will surely respond Will we ever get enough? And what is question: “Can we find a way to address with your own reflections. In that regard, the point of again launching into these human sexuality without fighting about let me clearly state what will—and will controversial waters where no one wins, it? . . . Can we move beyond paralyzing not—make the letters column or online no one seems to change his or her mind, polarization into constructive dialogue postings of this publication: where the two sides accuse the other of about the whole range of challenges we • Only those who add some new insight unfaithfulness, of being misguided—or face regarding human sexuality?” or information to the subject will be wrong—all the while proof-texting the McLaren includes sexuality in a line-up considered. We will not rehash old argu- Bible to win the argument? of 10 major issues the church has to ad- ments and well-known talking points It is my sense, as one of the denomina- dress if it is to listen to the Spirit mov- used in the old frame of this ongoing tional gatekeepers, that while wearisome ing across denominations and around conversation, or countenance judgmental and probably troublesome, as a steward the world, along with understanding language either of individuals or organ- of one of our public forums, we must the Bible as narrative and its authority ized groups. continue this conversation, albeit with in our lives, violence, a new look at the • Resist the temptation to use proof- new guidelines, for two reasons: teachings of Jesus and what the church texting of the biblical narrative to • First, as Mennonite Church Canada has done with them, pluralism and support any of your points. To quote continues its Being a Faithful Church eschatology. McLaren again: “In a time when reli- discernment process, the issue of sexual- None of these issues can be trivialized gious extremists constantly use sacred ity is one of the primary components. I or swept under the rug simply because texts to justify violence, many of us feel must clarify, however, that MC Canada we can’t agree on them. They are the a moral obligation to question the ways officials are hesitant to open this topic up nerve centre of our faith, the life-blood the Bible has been used in the past to at this time; they did not request, or even to our survival as a church. Therefore, we defend the indefensible and promote the encourage, our bringing it to the fore. must engage, not dodge. unacceptable.”

About the cover: Circulation: Please contact Lisa Jacky toll-free at Leymah Gbowee of Liberia is the first Eastern Mennonite University gradu- 1-800-378-2524 ext. 221 or by e-mail at office@ ate to win a Nobel Peace Prize in the school’s 94-year history. She won for canadianmennonite.org for subscriptions and ad- her work in bringing an end to her country’s civil war in 2003. See story on dress changes. Subscriptions can also be ordered at page 21. our web site. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Photo: Michael Angelo, Wonderland Periodical Fund for our publishing activities. ISSN 1480-042X PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40063104 REGISTRATION NO. 09613 Unwrapping sexuality 4 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE ITEMS TO CANADIAN MENNONITE contentsGoshen College professor Keith Graber Miller believes that ‘some- 490 DUTTON DRIVE, UNIT C5 where between demonization of sex and the “sexual revolution,” there is WATERLOO ON N2L 6H7 a middle way . . . a higher way.’ Phone: 519-884-3810 Toll-free: 1-800-378-2524 Fax: 519-884-3331 Web site: canadianmennonite.org Engaging with new media 16 Please send all material to be considered for publication to: Geoff Vanderkooy of PeaceWorks Technology Solutions provides General submission address: [email protected] tips to pastors and church leaders on how to manage their ministries in Readers Write: [email protected] the age of social media. Milestones announcements: [email protected] EMU honours Nobel laureate 21 Obituaries: Lisa Metzger, [email protected] On Oct. 16, Eastern Mennonite University welcomed back Calendar announcements: [email protected] Leymah Material can also be sent “Attn: Submissions/Readers Write/Milestones/Obituaries/ Gbowee of Liberia, a 2007 graduate, in light of her winning the 2011 Calendar” by postal mail or fax to our head office. Nobel Peace Prize for her work in bringing the civil war in her homeland Reprint requests: [email protected] to an end in 2003.. Mission statement: To educate, inspire, inform, and foster dialogue on issues facing Speaking to people through music 24 Mennonite Church Canada as it shares the good news of Jesus Christ from an Carol Ann Weaver says she always knew that music Anabaptist perspective. We do this through a regular publication and other media, would play a major role in her career and her life. In our working with our church partners. continuing ‘Mennos at work’ series, the Conrad Grebel Guiding values: University College prof says that music is still her passion. Hebrews 10:23-25 • Accuracy, fairness, balance • Editorial freedom • Focus on Books & Resources 25-32 Seeking and speaking the truth in love • Open hearts and minds in discerning God’s will • Russ Eanes, the new executive director of MennoMedia, writes of Covenantal relationships and mutual accountability the technological challenges of publishing in the 21st century. Plus, Area churches and MC Canada financially support 44 percent ofC anadian reviews of Imperialist Canada, Worship & Mission After Christendom and Mennonite’s annual budget. Captivity; Will Braun’s take on ‘The Bible and the billionaire’; and our Board of Directors (by appointing body): fall books and resources list. MC Canada: Ed Janzen, Les Klassen Hamm, Joon Hyoung Park, Doreen Martens; Students advocate for the sexually marginalized 34 MC B.C.: ; MC Alberta: ; Linda Matties James Moyer National correspondent Rachel Bergen profiles students atC anadian MC Saskatchewan: Joe Neufeld; MC Manitoba: Al Friesen; Mennonite University and Westgate Mennonite Collegiate who have MC Eastern Canada: Tim Reimer; CMPS: Carl DeGurse, Margaret Ewen Peters, Tobi Thiessen established gay-straight alliances at their schools. Board Chair: Tobi Thiessen, [email protected], 416-622-7850 Regular features: Head Office Staff: For discussion 7 Readers write 8 Obituaries 11 Dick Benner, Editor/Publisher, [email protected] Milestones 13 Pontius’ Puddle 14 Yellow Pages 33 Ross W. Muir, Managing Editor, [email protected] Barb Draper, Editorial Assistant, [email protected] Calendar 38 Classifieds 38 Dan Johnson, Graphic Designer, [email protected] A reasoned discussion 2 Lisa Jacky, Circulation/Finance, [email protected] Emily Loewen, Young Voices Editor, [email protected] Dick Benner Whose story do we tell? 8 Advertising Manager: Lisa Metzger, [email protected], toll-free voice mail: 1-800-378-2524 ext. 224 Conrad Stoesz Correspondents: As you wish 9 Rachel Bergen, National Correspondent, [email protected], 204-885- Melissa Miller 2565 ext. 259; Amy Dueckman, B.C. Correspondent, [email protected], Navigating through the ‘decision decade’ 10 604-854-3735; Donita Wiebe-Neufeld, Alberta Correspondent, [email protected], 780-436-3431; Karin Fehderau, Saskatchewan Harold Penner Correspondent, [email protected], 306-933-4209; Evelyn Rempel Petkau, Manitoba Correspondent, [email protected], Online NOW! 204-745-2208; Dave Rogalsky, Eastern Canada Correspondent, ec@ canadianmennonite.org, 519-579-7258. at canadianmennonite.org

Award-winning Goshen College professor murdered at home: member of the Sheldon C. Good, Mennonite Weekly Review Canadian Church Press Somewhere between demonization of sex and the ‘sexual revolution,’ there is a middle way . . . a higher way.

By Keith Graber Miller

fter more than two decades of being married, birthing and adopting children, and annually teaching two college sexuality courses, I have come to the not-terribly-startling conclusion that I’m rather fond of sex. I delight in talk- ing about sexuality, engaging sexually with my spouse, reading about sexuality, and walking alongside students as they come to grips with their own sexual identities, Unwrapping sexuality

passions and convictions. The full-union, fully I begin here because Christians have only recently emerged from a somewhat anti-sexual period in church vulnerable orgasmic history in which the words “sex” and “sin” have been so embrace is a moment closely united in Christian thinking that many of the faithful regard them as synonymous. out of time, embodied This sex-negativity has deep roots, origins that begin and yet transcendent, with several early church scholars who saw humans as divided beings consisting of a spiritual part that was sacred and sufficiently good (the mind or soul) and a physical part (the body) precious that ideally it that was bad. Such dualism also went hand in glove with the denigration of women, who were seen as more bod- should be kept within ily because they became pregnant, lactated, menstru- committed relationships. ated, and otherwise needed to be more aware of their bodily nature. During the Patristic Period and early Middle Ages, Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 5

sexuality increasingly was perceived as exploitation of each other, on the other. the desires, drives and sexual realities problematic. This is especially clear in Perhaps what we ought to call for, then, that we do. Jesus knew what it was like, the requirements prescribed for various is a countercultural way of living, not like in other words, to be subject to the same sins in the late Medieval English peni- the sexually repressive way of previous sexual desires that we are, and he empa- tentials. The penitentials prescribe 10 decades, but one with an open, positive thizes with those desires. years of penance for coitus interruptus view towards sexuality—and a clear wit- Unlike painters before them, and lifelong penance for oral sex. But the ness against the abuses of this remarkable Renaissance artists frequently depicted same guidelines require only seven years gift of God. I want to very tentatively the baby Jesus with his genitalia exposed, of penance for premeditated murder. propose some of what this redemptive and occasionally depicted the loincloth- Hmm—something seems amiss. sexual counterculture—a way to both covered adult Jesus in a state of sexual Yet our sacred text is filled with sto- love sexuality and live faithfully—might arousal. The apparent point of painting ries about sexuality. Occasionally, when look like: Jesus in this way with his genitalia visible people are trying to ban books from pub- was to evidence that Jesus’ chastity was lic classrooms, someone reminds school 1. We need to talk openly and real, and his struggles were similar to officials how much sex is in the Bible: directly about sexuality in our ours: It would be no great virtue to be foreplay, adulterous affairs, polygamy, homes and churches. chaste unless one was a vigorous sexual sexy descriptions of lovers’ bodies, When I speak with teenagers and young being. It also was intended to indicate heterosexual and homosexual rapes, sex- adults, I often ask where they learned the that Jesus was born without sin and, even ual frolicking and concern about sacred most about sexuality. Not surprisingly, more to the point, without the shame we temple sex in the surrounding culture. churches consistently come in dead last sometimes feel for our genitalia. from among various possible sources. That spirit of shame has led the church An intertwining of sexuality When I speak with high-school youths, through the ages to condemn the prac- and spirituality I now cart along a list of possible sexual tice of “self-pleasuring” as sinful, in line In more than just biblical ways, our behaviours ranging between holding with its overall sex-negative approach. spirituality and sexuality are deeply hands and genital-genital sexual inter- Masturbation is one of the most common intertwined. Theologically speaking, course, and ask them to reflect on the sexual experiences across the spectrums human sexuality is “most fundamentally moral significance of them. A common of age, culture, partnered and single life the divine invitation to find our destinies refrain is, “I wish I had seen this list sev- situations, and genders. For many of the not in loneliness but in deep connec- eral years ago.” young people I come across in various tion,” write James B. Nelson and Sandra We know after a couple of decades of religious settings, the church’s attitude of P. Longfellow. That yearning for connec- “just saying no” and “true love waits” that strict condemnation does more to alienate tion is expressed not just genitally, but true love doesn’t wait very long. The aver- them from the church’s teaching than it with our whole selves, with intellectual age chastity pledger delays the onset of does to deter them from self-gratification. and emotional passion. We need other genital-genital sexual intercourse by only Finding pleasure in our own God-given people, and are drawn to them, just as we 18 months. By the time they hit college, bodies can be good, I believe, as long as are drawn to God. less than 40 percent of “true love waiters” it is shorn from undue lust. It’s not for For the church, the recent recognition are still waiting, and half of those waiting everyone, and if it draws someone away that sexuality and spirituality are inter- students already have engaged in oral- from God, then for God’s sake, don’t do twined, and that the biblical text is not genital intercourse. it. But we ought to release the strangle- afraid to talk openly about sexuality, has In our churches we need to help hold of guilt formerly associated with the been life-giving. But while these insights younger people and each other say “yes” practice of self-pleasuring. have been a breath of fresh air, some- to some shared bodily interactions. And times they also have encouraged a certain we need to help each other not only just 3. To love sexuality and live naiveté or excessive optimism about our say no, but understand why “no” or “not faithfully, we need to keep in sexual selves. yet” are appropriate, life-giving responses mind the “sexuality big picture.” Somewhere between the earlier to some other options we encounter Sexuality is, of course, far more than demonization of sexuality and our cur- along our sexual journeys. what we do with our genitalia. It’s about rent movement towards celebrating our full body-selves, about love and con- something passing itself off as “sexual 2. We need to recognize how em- nection, attachment and friendship, and freedom” must be a healthy balance, a bodied our lives are, and we need relating in its many forms. middle way . . . no, a higher way. That to embrace the fundamental My fear is that over the last 30 years higher, redemptive way must be in- goodness of that embodiment. most of us in the church have focused too formed by both the positive affirmation The fundamental tenet of incarnational much on homosexuality, distracting our- of sexuality as God’s good gift, on the Christian faith is that God became flesh selves from other pressing sexual realities. one hand, and our capacity for the sexual and dwelt among us, fully experiencing In the church, of course, we hold a range 6 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

On using Scripture to discern sexual issues Delegates affirm leadership of BFC 3 process by General Board Story and Photo by Dan Dyck Mennonite Church Canada Winnipeg, Man.

elegates to the 2011 Mennonite Church Canada as- Dsembly responded to the Being a Faithful Church Naomi Unger, standing, leads a small group dis- (BFC) 3 process with more than 750 recorded comments cussion on the BFC 3 process at this summer’s MC being turned in from the 800 adults and youths who Canada assembly in Waterloo, Ont. attended the event. The BFC process, introduced at the assembly in Spirit. Saskatoon, Sask., in 2009, is a tool developed to help Delegates cautioned leadership to avoid creating congregations, area churches and the national church divisions, noting that there are already disagreements discern matters of faith and practice in response to dif- between generations and congregations on matters re- ficult issues. The process is of particular importance garding non-heterosexuals. when disagreement makes consensus difficult. BFC 3, Later this fall, the General Board will make available in particular, addresses the scope of human sexuality, a tool for congregations to share how they already use including homosexuality. Scripture for discernment on difficult matters. The tool The 750 comments have been categorized along the- will be made available in preparation for Assembly 2012 matic lines. The top two comments demonstrate wide in Vancouver, B.C. affirmation for the process under the leadership of the MC Canada moderator Andrew Reesor-McDowell General Board, and a commitment to Scripture study. said, “All congregations are encouraged to participate Near the bottom of the list, respondents asked for help in the Being a Faithful Church process. You can expect to define the criteria needed for weighing Scripture, and to deepen your understanding of Scripture, enrich your a desire to live out the proclamation that the unity of the faith and strengthen your commitment to the one whom church is not humanity’s doing, but a gift of the Holy we call Lord.”

of perspectives on same-sex sexuality. But acceptance and accessibility of overtly pervasively about unequal power rela- my sense is that our contemporary prob- demeaning sexual material: pornography. tionships between men and women. Porn lem with sexual vulgarization has very Although it seems impossible, in the chips away at our sexual wholeness. little to do with same-sex sexuality. I’m not U.S. we now have more adult sex shops We also should be aware of the cor- convinced that traditional marriage—and than McDonald’s restaurants. Americans rosive nature of the “soft-core” ex- even the sacred authority of the biblical now spend around $13.3 billion a year on ploitation of sexuality in advertising and text—are unduly endangered by gay and adult entertainment, more than we spend Hollywood—especially the way women lesbian people loving each other and attending professional sporting events. are objectified to sell products or draw committing themselves to each other. All With more than 200 million people in the viewers. Because it is so pervasive, it’s people are much more under threat by U.S. now hooked up to the Internet, online easy to overlook, and tacitly accept, this infidelity, too-early sexual engagement, porn is booming. That’s due largely to its destructive aspect of our culture. promiscuity, sexual objectification, sexual anonymity, affordability and accessibility. exploitation and sexual violence. We need to commit ourselves to not 5. We cannot assume that all participating in the pervasive purveyance that passes for sexual freedom 4. We need to become thoughtful of pornography. What is wrong about actually is. critics of exploitative sexual im- most pornography is not that it shows As a college professor, I sometimes ages in our culture. naked bodies—some of our finest art worry about the relatively new phenom- One of the biggest cultural changes in depicts bodies in the buff—but that the enon on university campuses of “hook- the United States over the last 30 years sexuality it depicts is casual, meaning- ing up,” casual acquaintances engaging has been the widespread, increasing less, often violent and degrading, and in one-time sexual encounters with no Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 7

plans to even talk afterwards. 6. Finally, we need to recognize and single people. At one university, about 80 percent that what we really yearn for While Jesus’ primary concerns were of both male and female students said in life is intimacy, rather than not on narrowly defined sex and sexual- they have hooked up, a process they the stimulation of genital nerve ity, he was committed to the formation of said routinely involved “petting below endings. deep, meaningful and intimate relation- the waist, oral sex or intercourse.” Such Genital sexual intercourse is more than ships. Jesus himself found it essential hook-ups usually occurred after consum- such stimulation, of course. And don’t get to surround himself with a group of ing alcohol, and, on average, students me wrong: Within appropriate contexts friends, whom we now call disciples. accumulated about 11 hook-up partners and relationships, I’m all for stimulating According to the biblical text, these af- in their college careers. genital nerve endings as part of sexual ex- firming relationships with men and with Some young adults defend this practice pression. But I’m more concerned about women were a fundamental part of who by noting that they always practise “safe intimacy. Jesus was, a glimpse into his mission and sex” in their hook-ups. This is perhaps Too often, we have equated “being message. one of the most egregious misnomers intimate” with sexual intercourse, but May we strive for such intimacy in of the postmodern period. As ethicists that really empties intimacy of its deep- our lives—with others and with God. Patricia Beattie Jung and Shannon Jung est meaning. If sexual intimacy happens And from this beginning may we create write, purportedly “safe” sex “does noth- for us at all, to be life-giving it needs to a faithful, redemptive sexual counter- ing to protect partners from the boredom be preceded by emotional, aesthetic, culture. l of mechanical sex; from the hurt, betrayal spiritual and intellectual intimacy. And and jealously that frequently accom- although an intimate relationship might Keith Graber Miller, for- pany promiscuity; or from the grief and include sexual relating, “sexual inter- merly a congregational depression that accompany a broken course is only one small, nonessential pastor and campus heart.” There’s no condom for that, no part of true intimacy in a world that often minister, prophylactic strong enough to contain acts as though it is the only thing,” wrote teaches in the Bible and such brokenness. the late physician, Willard Krabill. “We Religion Department at In I Corinthians 5-7, Paul speaks need to be loved, to be understood, to be Goshen (Ind.) College, against incest, sexual perversions and accepted and to be cared about. and is actively involved adultery, reminding his hearers that “the “We need to be taken seriously, to have at Assembly Mennonite Church. He is body is not meant for immorality, but our thoughts and feelings respected and the author or editor of four books, and for the Lord, and the Lord for the body” held in confidence, and to be trusted.” We has chapters in a dozen other edited col- (I Corinthians 6:13). Because in genital need to know our companions will be lections. While on sabbatical this year, interactions, “the two shall become one there for us when we really need them. he is working on two books, one on a fl e s h ,” Paul condemns joining oneself with That sort of intimacy can be embraced by Mennonite theology of vocation, and one a prostitute. young and old, gay and straight, married on sexuality and religion. Of all places, a similar view is articu- lated by one of the characters in Tom Cruise’s film,Vanilla Sky. Cruise has a fling with a shapely young woman with ΛΛFor discussion whom he is never very serious. She 1. Keith Graber Miller says that until recently the Christian church has been negative pursues him throughout the film, finally towards sexuality and reluctant to talk about it. Is this true of your experience? What cornering him and declaring, “Don’t you are the consequences of not talking openly about sexuality? Do the people in your know that when you sleep with someone, church still find it difficult to talk openly about sexuality? your body makes a promise whether you do or not?” 2. Do you agree with Miller that infidelity, too-early sexual engagement, promiscuity, Sex is not dirty and disgusting. If that sexual objectification, sexual exploitation and sexual violence are more of a threat to were so, it wouldn’t make sense to save our churches than same-sex sexuality? What makes these things so harmful? What it for those we love. Instead, I believe has changed in our society that makes them more pervasive? with Paul that something significant— 3. Willard Krabill says that true intimacy is about being loved, understood, accepted something mystical—happens when two and cared about. How are these deep desires related to our sexuality? How much is bodies come together. The full-union, promiscuity connected to the search for love? fully vulnerable orgasmic embrace is a moment out of time, embodied and yet 4. How can we work at encouraging healthy sexuality in our congregations? What do transcendent, sacred and sufficiently pre- we need to teach our children? How can we speak out against a “hooking-up” culture? cious that ideally it should be kept within What would a faithful, redemptive sexual counterculture look like? committed relationships. 8 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

Viewpoints EE Readers say YES to Jets’ logo ΛΛReaders write For the most part, I appreciate the content of Canadian Mennonite and how it links me to We welcome your comments and publish most letters sent Mennonites across Canada and the wider Mennonite by subscribers intended for publication. This section is community worldwide. However, the Oct. 3 issue has largely an open forum for the sharing of views. Letters are prompted me to write a response because of annoy- the opinion of the writer only—publication does not mean ance, and perhaps even some disgust, over the cover endorsement by the magazine or the church. Keep letters page and corresponding content. My first thought to 400 words or less and address issues rather than indi- upon seeing this issue was, “Seriously? This was what a viduals. We do not countenance rancour or animosity. national church magazine is choosing to focus on?” Personal attacks are inappropriate and will not see the I am not an avid hockey fan, so perhaps all the light of print. Please send letters to be considered for publi- hockey hype of the Jets’ return to Winnipeg is lost on cation to [email protected] or by postal mail me. But the cover smacks of sensationalism and the or fax, marked “Attn: Readers Write” (our address is on corresponding articles are not making any kind of page 3). Letters should include the author’s contact infor- strong statement towards . . . well, anything, really. mation and mailing address. Letters are edited for length, To be honest, after reading them I think I’m more style and adherence to editorial guidelines. Preference will likely to go out and buy Jets’ merchandise than I was be given to letters from MC Canada congregants. before. I don’t believe Don Cherry or his opinionated mouth had a whole lot to do with the graphic design of

From Our Leaders transitions from historical reflection to the current situation, imploring people Whose story do we tell? to follow in the footsteps of their ances- tors: “Therefore, since we are surrounded Conrad Stoesz by such a great cloud of witnesses . . . let us run with perseverance the race marked he adage, “those who do not to accept a life lesson that no out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus . . . he remember their history are amount of instruction on my endured the cross, scorning its shame . . . Tdoomed to repeat it,” ac- part could impose. so that you will not grow weary and lose knowledges the benefits of looking Just as my son was able to h e a r t .” back in time. Historical reflection learn and grow by hearing about Stories shared from within our own not only keeps us from repeating an event from my past, we need faith community hold exceptional au- mistakes, it encourages and guides us to learn and grow from stories within our thority by providing examples of God’s towards right ways of living and acting. faith community. Hearing about others’ continuing work in the world. They Take my son, for example. Regardless experiences can help us avoid mistakes, connect listeners with faithful living in a of how many times I asked him to hold but it can also help us to repeat some new and refreshing way. Where are our my hand when we crossed the street, he of the “God moments” in our collective congregational historians, our story tell- resisted. Finally, in a moment of frus- lives. ers, our heroes? tration, I shared a story from my own Consider Hebrews 11. The writer seeks What stories will we as the church tell childhood about a trip with my family to to inspire and encourage a persecuted and remember? What are our faith- the ice cream store. As soon as we parked fledging church. To do this, the author forming examples of living the Jesus way? the car, one of my brothers flew out and refers to men and women in the “faith hall Do we share them openly and freely, or across the street towards the vendor, of fame,” people who were not perfect but do we succumb to the increasing bom- ignoring my mother’s request to take her at one point embodied faith through their bardment of stories circulated by popular hand. Breaks squealed. An oncoming car actions. Their stories had been told and culture that do not always uphold biblical hit my brother and my brother hit the retold through so many generations that principles? pavement. He was rushed to the hospi- the mere mention of their names—Abra- Whose stories do we tell to shape our tal, but thankfully he suffered no serious ham, Sarah, Moses, David, Gideon, Barak, beliefs and our actions? injury. Samson, Rahab and Jephthah—sparked Bingo. My son’s eyes grew large. That vivid accounts of faith. Conrad Stoesz is the Mennonite Heritage story resonated with him. It enabled him In the next chapter, the author Centre archivist. Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 9

this jersey. The Mennonites I know who are hockey fans will David Driedger’s article made some good points in cheer for whichever hockey team they want to for regards to the logo being a marketable product. When their own personal reasons. Should we care to dissect it comes right down to it, the Jets’ logo is graphically every symbol on athletic wear today, it might be better striking and ties in with several elements of Winnipeg to think about the other symbols in sports teams that culture—the team’s history and the city’s history with stereotype the native American populations in North the RCAF—and is more patriotic than most Canadian America, or how hockey condones so much violence teams’ symbols. It makes logical sense on many fronts in the first place. that this choice of logo and symbol is one that was I am disappointed that hockey was seen as a front- carefully thought out. page priority amid some of the much more worthwhile

Family Ties

As you wish Jesus was looking for some time alone, a break from his demanding life of teach- Melissa Miller ing, healing and debating. Instead, he meets a woman who wants him to cast n The Princess Bride, a 1987 comedy 3. When they determine that the other out a demon from her daughter. Jesus film, the haughty princess takes great person cares much more strongly about initially resists, drawing a line between Ipleasure in giving orders to her farm- the outcome than they do. himself and the woman, who is Gentile, hand. He readily complies, often with the 4. When they feel insufficient power to telling her that his work is for the Jews, slightest of smiles on his face—perhaps lobby for their goals or are unwilling to not “the dogs.” The mother persists, ac- even a smirk—and the words, “As you block the other person. tually taking Jesus’ language and flipping wish.” The princess eventually realizes 5. Because of limited time or energy. it to pursue her cause, saying, “Even the that her servant’s accommodation is All five conflict responses have more little puppies get crumbs.” For whatever a declaration of his love for her, a love or less appropriate times to be employed. reason, Jesus relents, and moves from which she returns. After many adven- Accommodation can be inappropriate or initially denying her request to accom- tures, the loving couple share a great and ineffective when it is used habitually and modating her, almost saying, “Okay, you passionate kiss sealing a happily-ever- leads to resentment and low self-esteem. win! The demon has left your daughter.” after-ending. (Like the person who walks away from In the example of the accommodating “As you wish” are the words of an “ac- such encounters muttering, “If I just had farmhand, his strategy was quite success- commodator.” Conflict-resolution teach- any backbone, I’d stand up for myself!”) ful. He not only “kept the peace” with his ers speak of five possible responses to It is also not useful for harmonizers princess, but he also had the satisfaction conflict, which vary in terms of accommodating the other People who accommodate want their relationships person’s goals and pursuing one’s own goals. People who to be harmonious, to sing like a well-tuned choir. accommodate put a high pri- ority on the other person’s agenda, while to accommodate when the other person of pleasing her. And he advanced his simultaneously setting aside their own sincerely wants to develop a mutually hopes of securing her heart, and becom- goals. Sometimes such people are called satisfying solution, but they are not will- ing her equal in love. Accommodation “harmonizers” because they like peace ing to hang in with the process of naming has its time and place, but long-term and happiness. their hopes and interests while listening relationships cannot be healthy and bal- They may choose this response: with equal care to the hopes and interests anced when based on the acquiescence of 1. Because, at the time, getting what of their partner. one party to the other. they want is less important than keeping Each of the five conflict styles can be the relationship calm. They want their seen in the life of Jesus. To hear Jesus Melissa Miller ([email protected]) lives relationships to be harmonious, to sing accommodating, we turn to Mark 7:24- in Winnipeg, Man., where she works as a like a well-tuned choir. 29, which is the story of his conflict and pastor and counsellor. Her family ties in- 2. When they don’t have strong feel- conversation with the Syro-Phoenician clude that of daughter, sister, wife, mother ings about the matter under discussion. woman. The story begins by noting that and friend. 10 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

content regarding education in this edition. choose its name and logo. Surely you could have found Sheralyn Friesen, Winnipeg, Man. better articles to use, instead of wasting the space. Go, Jets. Finally an attractive Canadian Mennonite Paul Klassen, Hanover, Ont. cover! Go, Jets! Thomas Wiebe, London, Ont. EE In praise of Don Cherry I enjoy reading your magazine and find most articles to be excellent. However, I found your cover I have a different view of Don Cherry than Dan and first two articles of the Oct. 3 issue criticizing the Swartzentruber (“Should Mennos cheer for fighter logo of the Winnipeg Jets to be out of line. This is a Jets?”, Oct. 3, page 4). National Hockey League team and has every right to In October 2010, after 64 very healthy and happy

God, Money and Me

careful, they may find they have escalated their lifestyle expenses and reduced the Navigating through the available savings for funding that lifestyle. The result may be a sudden drop in lifestyle shortly after retirement because they have depleted their resources too ‘decision decade’ quickly and the lifestyle they had planned By Harold Penner to enjoy is no longer available to them. Those who speak about the “decision s people move closer to the For most Canadians, the five years decade” suggest that the more prudent magic age of 65 that society has from age 60 to 65 are typically the years option for pre-retirees is to take a pre- Adeemed the age of retirement, of greatest disposable income. These are emptive look at their available finances they may find themselves wondering if the years of highest income combined with a view to maintaining the lifestyle they are ready for the transition. with paid-off mortgages and their chil- they had throughout their lives and They may question whether they have dren having moved out of their homes, budgeting their retirement spending to set aside enough money for retirement allowing them a greater sense of free- match their expected lifestyle. If those re- and what their expenses may be as they dom, both financial and social. They will serves are not very high, they may choose transition into retirement mode. They have the time and money to get out with to transition to a new work arrange- listen to, and read reports about, the fi- friends, and to travel or explore other in- ment that allows them to retain a smaller nancial requirements of retirement, listen terests they would not have participated income stream while still providing some to stories of those who retired ahead of in earlier. This can be a helpful opportu- time for flexible lifestyle choices. With them, and worry about what their days nity to test different options to determine a little planning, retirees can experience may be like or how their retirement will what they would like to do with their faithful joyful living throughout their lives. compare to the commercials portraying coming retirement freedom. leisure retirement living on a southern beach or golf course. Some refer to the five They may question whether they have set aside years prior to and the five enough money for retirement and what their expenses years immediately following retirement as the “decision may be as they transition into retirement mode. decade.” They suggest people focus beyond savings rates and invest- However, it is helpful to heed a caution Harold Penner is a stewardship con- ment returns to another factor which as well. The money they spend in the sultant at the Winnipeg, Man., office of may have a greater impact on their ability five years preceding and immediately the Mennonite Foundation of Canada to enjoy a positive retirement. That fac- following retirement is not going towards (MFC). For stewardship education and tor is the lifestyle adjustments people their retirement savings, which means estate and charitable gift planning, may make leading up to the golden they will not have it available to produce contact your nearest MFC office or visit handshake. earnings on which to live. If they are not MennoFoundation.ca. Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 11

loo, Ont. The Mennonite community played an important years, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. role in Freda’s life as she offered consummate hospitality At the same time, a hockey teammate of mine ap- wherever she lived. She graduated from Goshen College proached Don Cherry, who was signing autographs with a B.A. in German in 1990, after taking courses at seven after the finals of theBattle of the Blades TV show. different colleges and universities, among them Conrad He told Cherry that he had Grebel University College, Waterloo. Her intellectual cu- a hockey playing buddy riosity never waned and as a versatile reader she enjoyed The most who had just been given the discussing many topics. She assisted in editing a number news that his hockey play- important thing of Calvin’s books and was editor of The Redekop Book, an ing days were over. He then extensive pictorial genealogy of the Redekop clan. She was he sent was a autographed a program to also editor for the genealogy in A Pellman Family History. In be given to me with a very picture of himself addition to her sons and husband, Freda leaves two grand- encouraging note. children, Sallie and Katarina. She is survived by six siblings: and his dog Blue. In early January I received four brothers—Hubert (and Mildred), and Charles (and a huge package in the mail Anna Mae) Pellman, Harrisonburg; Richard (and Betty) of from CBC Radio Canada. Lancaster, Pa; William (and Ruth) of Leola, Pa; and two sis- Upon opening, I found T-shirts, videos and many pic- ters—Ferne Pellman, Lancaster; and Miriam (and Wilbur) tures. I was overwhelmed. Not only did he send these Maust, Waterloo. A sister, Ellen Hartman, preceded her in things, but each one was autographed by him person- death. She enjoyed retirement life and was a participating ally with a different encouraging get-well message. member of Park View Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, in The most important thing he sent was a picture the last 20 years. of himself and his dog Blue. On the back were these words: “Dear Art, I have carried this medal for years. Howard Stanley Schmitt I want you to have it. God bless and trust in the Lord.” Oct. 19, 1933 - Sept. 15, 2011 On the medal is an image of an angel about the size of a quarter. I was an emotional wreck after reading that. On Sept. 15, 2011, beloved pastor, hus- Many of his other sayings referenced trust in the Lord. band, father, brother, uncle and friend, I am not a Toronto Maple Leaf fan and was not a Howard S. Schmitt, was called home to great Cherry fan before this. However, I now listen to heaven due to an automobile accident. Born in Waterloo his rants from a different point of view. I do not care County, Ont., on Oct. 19, 1933, to Delton and Beulah We- for his militaristic stance, but as our former associate ber Schmitt, Howard married D. Jean West at Brantford, pastor once said, “We are all zebras. Sometimes we Ont., on May 20, 1960. Together, they were proud parents have white stripes, sometimes we have black ones.” of Valerie and husband Gary Jones, Plain City, Ohio, and We are told that our hearts are the size of our fist. I Jeffrey Schmitt and his partner Michael Petrilli,C ambridge think Don Cherry’s is as big as a basketball. Mass. Surviving are two sisters, Dorothy (Ralph) Shantz, Art Wiens, Virgil, Ont. Baden, Ont., and Betty Martin, Bayfield, Ont., and sister- in-law Florence West. Beloved uncle to Kerry, Lori, Jason, David, Murray, Dayle and their spouses and children. Preceded in death by brothers-in-law Bill Martin and Jim ΛΛObituaries West. Howard graduated from Toronto Bible College in Freda Redekop 1963, and pastored numerous congregations through- July 7, 1930 - Aug. 8, 2011 out his over 50-year pastoral ministry. These congrega- tions included: Wanner Mennonite Church, Cambridge, Freda Pellman Redekop, born in Rich- Ont.; Calvary Church, Ayr, Ont.; South Union Mennonite field, Pa., died at her home in Harrison- Church, West Liberty, Ohio; Bayshore Mennonite Church, burg, Va, on Aug. 8, 2011, at the age of Sarasota Fla.; Sharon Mennonite Church, Plain City, Ohio. 81. Her three sons, William, Benjamin and Frederick, and Following his retirement in 2004, Howard continued to her husband, Calvin, were with her at her death. Before her do what he did best, by serving Oak Grove Mennonite marriage, for a time Freda lived in Amsterdam, where she Church in West Liberty as transitional pastor. Most re- worked with Menno Travel Service, then returned to the cently, Howard was the part-time pastor at South Union U.S. to open an office inN ewton, Kan., in the mid-’50s. She Mennonite Church, West Liberty. A service of celebration learned to know Calvin where he was teaching at Hesston occurred on Sept. 24 at South Union Mennonite Church, College. After marriage they together lived in a number of West Liberty, with interment at South Union Cemetery. locations: Chicago, Ill.; Chihauhua, Mexico; Richmond and The family would appreciate donations to CCM Canada, Goshen, Ind.; Chaco, Paraguay; Hillsboro, Kan.; and Water- honouring Pastor Howard. 12 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

photo by Dick Benner Viewpoint Letters to my sister

With this issue, we begin a three-part series of back-and-forth letters between two elderly twin sisters, Faith Elaine Linton and Joyce Gladwell, on the topic of homosexu- ality. Elaine, who is preparing to give a seminar on the subject, begins, to which Joyce responds. Joyce and Elaine were born in 1931 in Jamaica. They were educated at St. Joyce Gladwell, left, listens to her twin Hilda’s, an Anglican boarding school for girls. Both studied at the University College, sister, Elaine Linton, discuss her views London, England. Joyce and her husband Graham emigrated to Canada in 1969. They on sexuality while Joyce’s husband, are members of Waterloo North Mennonite Church, Waterloo, Ont., and are the par- Graham, looks on. ents of Malcolm Gladwell, the best-selling author of such books as Blink and Tipping Point. Elaine, married to Ivon Linton, returned to Runaway, Jamaica, to teach, and you say matters. You cannot afford to after retirement she had a full lay ministry. She was awarded an honorary doctorate appear to reinforce false attitudes and from the Caribbean Graduate School of Theology in 2000. Both Joyce and Elaine have harmful behaviour towards gays. As children and grandchildren. Joyce’s autobiographical Brown Face Big Master was pub- Graham [Joyce’s husband] points out, lished by InterVarsity Press in 1969 and republished by MacMillan in 2004. Elaine’s it would be unwise to take sides at this What the Preacher Forgot to Tell Me: Identity and Gospel in Jamaica was published point in time. Our understanding of by Castle Quay Books in 2009. homosexuality is a work in progress. It is still something of a mystery; the debate Brief introduction of responsible for the fact that even within is unresolved. You don’t want to speak Elaine’s argument the universal church so many are open to too soon out of insufficient understand- When we look at what God has to say the idea of homosexuality. We have not ing, and then later have to change your about humankind as male and female, we been sufficiently grounded in the truths position. Wait for the light. gain a much clearer perspective on the so clearly established in these chapters. Our understanding of homosexuality issue of homosexuality. The resounding is evolving, just as our thinking about validation and affirmation of the male- Elaine, my dear twin: the seven days of creation evolved with female composition of humankind and We got the copy of your seminar talk—all Darwin, just as our approach to slavery of the image of God leaves no room for 15 pages of it. evolved with Wilberforce, just as the role even the thought of a same-sex union, It’s a pity we live so far apart that we of women in society and in the church although that does not mean we neglect can’t get together for a good discussion. has been changing over the last 40 years. the issue or that we ignore those who see It was amusing as I read your talk I Therefore, remove yourself from this things differently from us. could hear the language of Dr. Martyn debate in case you do more harm than Genesis 2:24-25 tell us, “Therefore a Lloyd Jones’ sermons, and the Bible read- good. If you are asked for your opinion, man leaves his father and his mother and ings we listened to in the Inter-Varsity bow out, say that you don’t know enough cleaves to his wife and they become one Christian Union. Here we are, almost 80, about it. fl e s h .” This statement emphasizes the pri- and we still resonate with the patterns of Homosexuality is being studied by macy of the marriage relationship, which thinking and speaking that we picked up researchers in biology on the develop- is the first relationship God created, and in our 20s. ment of sex and gender in the fetus. No which is the most significant compared I like what you have written. It is an clear conclusions have been reached. The with every other human relationship. excellent presentation, as I would expect, question is: What causes homosexual It is a total union—physical, emotional, since you have been working on these behaviour to arise in nature? intellectual, moral and spiritual—for the ideas for years. However, I must beg you Some time ago this question was being Creator assigned the male-female union to make one sacrifice: Please leave out asked: Is there a gene for homosexual- in order to manifest his image, his like- your section on homosexuality. ity? That question seems to have been ness in human form (a comprehensive First of all, consider the violence dropped, or perhaps it is still being image of God in humans). As such, it against gays that happens in differ- pursued without clear results. The ques- becomes the metaphor used in Scripture ent parts of the world. Remember the tion then becomes: If it is not located in a for the future consummation of the murder of that young gay man we used gene, does it come about as a congenital union between Christ Jesus and his bride, to know. It would be very unwise to say condition, as a result of what happens to the church. anything that might feed into that toxic the fetus during pregnancy or in the birth I believe, however, that our neglect reaction. process? of Genesis 1 and 2 is in large measure Also, in your Christian circles, what We do know that all human fetuses Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 13

Our understanding of homosexuality is complicating factor, there is the question evolving, just as our thinking about the seven of whether sexual orientation is distrib- uted across the population on a continu- days of creation evolved with Darwin . . . . ous line from homosexuality to hetero- sexuality, with people in between the begin development in the womb as fe- that they have this sexual preference. The endpoints who are open to both kinds of males, and the process of differentiation people I talked with didn’t choose to be sexual activity. There you are. This is not into males involves a number of small that way. If there are heterosexual people a matter for simplistic pronouncements. biochemical changes over time. This was who wake up one morning and decide Enough for now. Our grandchildren will explained to me by a friend working in casually to try the homosexual lifestyle, be here any moment. biology. In her lab, they were following I haven’t met or heard from them. I do Love, Joyce up the idea that homosexual preferences know that the opposite happens, that may arise when this sequence of changes some people who find they have a homo- My dear Joyce: is cut short, or disrupted, in some way. sexual preference will conceal it and try Thank you for your frank but affirming You can see how the researchers are to integrate as heterosexuals, to the point letter. I must confess I did not find it easy thinking. They start with the assumption of marrying and raising a family. These to accept your suggestion that I omit the that homosexual orientation is a given in marriages don’t always work, and can be paragraph on homosexuality from my some people’s lives, just as heterosexual painful for the partners. presentation. After a struggle, I found attraction comes naturally to others. For heterosexuals to choose the grace to recognize that you had valuable That’s where I start, too. homosexual lifestyle without a compel- information and insights on a subject that I came to understand that by listening ling sexual attraction to their own gender, is, as you point out, still something of a to the stories of gay persons as I trained seems to me to be a strange choice to mystery, and much more complicated to be a marriage and family therapist, and make, especially given the disadvantages than many of us realize. Let’s talk some later in counselling sessions with gays. and the suffering of gays in society. more. People discover as they are growing up Then, just to throw in another Love, Elaine

ΛΛMilestones Births/Adoptions Kumuki—Shalddi Patrice Ismail (b. Oct. 10, 2011), to Meriem Mohamed and Patrice Kumuki, Ottawa Bergen—Eli Daniel Steinmann (b. Sept. 23, 2011), to Jeremy Mennonite, Ont. Bergen and Rebecca Steinmann, Stirling Avenue Mennonite, Metzger—Blaine Gerald (b. Aug. 12, 2011), to Matt and Kitchener, Ont. Beth Metzger, Listowel Mennonite, Ont. Bergen—twins Benjamin and Matthew (b. Sept. 14, Niessen—Vanessa Grace (b. June 12, 2011), to Arnold and 2011), to Stephen and Angeline Bergen, Niagara United Gisela Niessen, SpringfieldH eights Mennonite, Winnipeg, Mennonite, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont. Man. Ellison—Reese Ann (b. July 22, 2011), to Mike and Kayleen Schroeder—Kyah Heleene (b. Aug. 6, 2011), to Tim and Ellison, Listowel Mennonite, Ont. Nicole Schroeder, SpringfieldH eights Mennonite, Winnipeg, Enns—twins Gabriel Caiden and Rafael Braiden (b. July Man. 8, 2011), to Alfried and Viola Enns, SpringfieldH eights Unrau—Tobias Matteo (b. July 10, 2011), to Tillmann and Mennonite, Winnipeg, Man. Annella Unrau, SpringfieldH eights Mennonite, Winnipeg, Falk—Rachel Brianne (b. Oct. 8, 2011), to Trevor and Man. Stephanie Falk, Bethany Mennonite, Virgil, Ont. Garland—Hannah Leigh (b. Sept. 24, 2011), to Nathan and Baptisms Angela Garland, Listowel Mennonite, Ont. Janzen—Elliot Margaret (b. April 28, 2011), to Nathan and Celena Haskins, Joel Kipfer—Brussels Mennonite, Ont., Marla Janzen, Zoar Mennonite, Langham, Sask. July 10, 2011. Kehler—Dayana (b. Aug. 3, 2011), to Reinhold and Louvani Emily Brubaker-Zehr, Laura Martin—Rockway Kehler, SpringfieldH eights Mennonite, Winnipeg, Man. Mennonite, Kitchener, Ont., June 12, 2011. Kleinschmidt—Ella Mary (b. Aug. 15, 2011), to Anna Courtney Giesbrecht, Mathilde Reimer—Springfield (Friesen) and Paul Kleinschmidt, Waterloo North Heights Mennonite, Winnipeg, Man., June 12, 2011. Mennonite, Waterloo, Ont. Kuepfer—Cameron Edward (b. Aug. 28, 2011), to Jeff and Sandra Kuepfer, Listowel Mennonite, Ont. 14 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

Marriages Deaths Buhler/Dyck—Henry Buhler and Katie Dyck (First Bergen—June Susan, 47 (b. June 28, 1964; d. Sept. 19, 2011), Mennonite, Edmonton, Alta.), in Seven Persons, Alta., Sept. First Mennonite, Calgary, Alta. 17, 2011. Boshart—Delton, 94 (b. Nov. 19, 1916; d. Oct. 7, 2011), Clemmer/Johnstone—Sid Clemmer (Listowel Mennonite, Steinmann Mennonite, Baden, Ont. Ont.) and Anne Johnstone, at New Beginnings Fellowship, Braun—Jacob, 87 (d. June 10, 2011), Springfield Heights Fort Francis, Ont., Aug. 6. Mennonite, Winnipeg, Man. Cressman/Ruppel—Jason Cressman (Listowel Mennonite, Buehler—Melvin, 80 (b. Jan. 31, 1931; d. Aug. 21, 2011), Ont.) and Erin Ruppel, Listowel, Ont., Aug. 6, 2011. Listowel Mennonite, Ont. Daum/Lichti—Melissa Daum and Jason Lichti, at Tavistock Doell—Dora, 89 (b. June 7, 1922; d. Sept. 24, 2011), Winkler Mennonite, Ont., Sept. 10, 2011. Bergthaler Mennonite, Man. Freeden/Patkau—Brenden Freeden and Ashley Patkau Dyck—Helene, 92 (d. July 24, 2011), Springfield Heights (Hanley Mennonite, Sask.), at Mount Royal Mennonite, Mennonite, Winnipeg, Man. Saskatoon, Sask., July 30, 2011. Fast—John, 85 (b. Oct. 24, 1925; d. Sept. 11, 2011), Goertz/Schmidtke—Melinda Goertz (Waterloo- Waterloo-Kitchener United Mennonite, Waterloo, Ont. Kitchener United Mennonite, Waterloo, Ont.) and Ryan Friesen—Erna, 91 (d. July 3, 2011), SpringfieldH eights Schmidtke, at Waterloo-Kitchener United Mennonite, Aug. Mennonite, Winnipeg, Man. 27, 2011. Hoogmood—Cornelia Catharina (Corrie), 81 (b. July 26, Huberts/O’Connell—Brian Huberts and Jennifer 1930; d. Sept. 6, 2011), First Mennonite, Kelowna, B.C. O’Connell, Listowel Mennonite, Ont., July 16, 2011. Lichti—Nelda (nee Schwartzentruber), 87 (b. Dec. 8, 1923; Janzen/Norquay—Nancy Janzen and Mike Norquay, d. Oct. 8, 2011), Tavistock Mennonite, Ont. SpringfieldH eights Mennonite, Winnipeg, Man., Sept. 10, Pauls—Adam, 7 (b. Nov. 10, 2003; d. Sept. 9, 2011), Winkler 2011. Bergthaler Mennonite, Man. Janzen/Richardson—Adrienne Janzen (Niagara United Perrault—Norman, 80 (b. Sept. 28, 1930; d. Aug. 20, 2011), Mennonite, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.) and Scott Stirling Avenue Mennonite, Kitchener, Ont. Richardson, in a private ceremony, July 10, 2011. Schmidt—Myrtle (nee Webber), 86 (b. July 15, 1924; d. July Menary/Woolner—Betty Menary and Ian Woolner 10, 2011), Poole Mennonite, Milverton, Ont. (Mannheim Mennonite, Petersburg, Ont.), at Mannheim Warkentin—Jeffrey Paul, 32 (b.O ct. 27, 1978; d. Sept. 24, Mennonite, Aug. 27, 2011. 2011), Springridge Mennonite, Pincher Creek, Alta. Thwaites/van der Zalm—Nelson Thwaites (Niagara Canadian Mennonite welcomes Milestones United Mennonite, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.) and Jennifer announcements within four months of the event. van der Zalm, at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Oct. 1, 2011. Please send Milestones announcements by e-mail to Tissen/Vis—Elysia Tissen (Niagara United Mennonite, [email protected], including the Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.) and Jay Vis, at Niagara-on-the- congregation name and location. When sending death Lake, Sept. 24, 2011. notices, please include birth date and last name at birth if available. Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 15

Life in the Postmodern Shift

Faith beyond belief • Why has Christian faith been reduced to a list of tenets we need to believe in? By Troy Watson • How did believing the “right” things become the measuring stick of authentic o is atheism is a decision to trust Christian faith? still work- God, to trust what the When Jesus talks about Judgment Day “Sing for you?” totality of Jesus reveals in the gospels, he never refers to our I playfully asked my about God, and to pat- beliefs. Instead, he focuses on the kind friend Harry, a phil- tern your life after Jesus of life we’ve lived. (Did you judge others? osophy professor at the with the help of the Holy Did you feed the poor?) University of Waterloo. Spirit. This is what the In one of his sermons, Tony Campolo He sat back in his Christian faith is about humorously quipped, “I seriously doubt chair with a quizzical in a nutshell, to me.” if St. Peter is going to be waiting at the look on his face. “It’s Harry finished his Pearly Gates with a clipboard asking us funny you should ask glass of Irish stout and to complete a doctrinal survey before we that. Trudeau’s fu- stood up. “This has been enter heaven. ‘Okay, virgin birth. Strongly neral really affected good,” he said. “I still agree? Agree? Unsure? Disagree? me. He was one of my don’t know if I believe in Strongly Disagree?’ ” political heroes and God, but thanks for the Campolo doesn’t discredit the value it finally struck me how important his different perspective.” of beliefs, and neither do I. We just don’t faith was to him. I have always struggled “Can I throw one more thought at think they define faith. Harvard theolo- to understand how so many of the most you?” I said before he left. “French gian Harvey Cox defines faith as a deep- brilliant thinkers throughout history philosopher Simone Weil said, ‘If we love seated confidence and trust, whereas be- were Christian. How can these geniuses God, even though we think he doesn’t liefs are more like opinions. He suggests with IQs much higher than mine believe exist, God will make his existence mani- that the church is currently transitioning this stuff? Lately, . . . I have actually found fest.’ I would encourage you to let your into a new era where faith and belief will myself contemplating Christian faith.” He looked down as if he had confessed some Harvard theologian Harvey Cox defines faith as a deep- dark and shameful secret. seated confidence and trust, whereas beliefs are more “My problem is all the doctrine.” He scowled a little as he spit the “D” word like opinions. He suggests that the church is currently out of his mouth. “If I were to become transitioning into a new era where faith and belief will a Christian, would I need to believe in things like . . . the ascension of Jesus, for no longer be two different words for the same thing. example?” I took a deep breath and thought about doubt be part of your faith, Harry, not no longer be two different words for the how to respond. This was not a conver- something preventing you from it.” same thing. sation I was expecting. I said, “German This conversation took place more Anabaptists have always emphasized theologian Paul Tillich said, ‘Doubt is not than 10 years ago. I’ve lost touch with faith as a path of practices to be lived the opposite of faith; it is one element Harry, but have had many similar conver- out, more than a set of beliefs to be of faith.’ Spanish philosopher Miguel de sations with other people since then. I am adhered to. This Anabaptist perspective Unamuno said, “Faith which does not astounded at the number of individuals rekindled my faith and I’m sure it will do doubt is dead faith.’ I think doubt and I meet who are compelled by the life and the same for others. Yet I wonder how questions are just as important to faith as teachings of Jesus, who feel a profound much credence we give to the notion that beliefs are, Harry.” connection with him and want to follow doubt and questioning are as essential “So I can just pick and choose which his way of love and peace, but can’t bring to faith as belief. I wonder how many of doctrines I believe and which ones I themselves to buy into all the Christian us still have an expectation that doubts don’t?” he asked sceptically. doctrine. Many of these people are opting and questions should arrive at the “right” “You can pick which beliefs you want out of church and Christianity because beliefs eventually. l to question and struggle with, yes,” I told they don’t believe the “right” things. him. “But that is not the primary decision This has raised two important ques- Troy Watson is pastor of Quest Christian here. The choice to become a Christian tions for me: Community, St. Catharines, Ont. 16 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

God at work in the Church a few families left and the growth stalled. A high of 36 members was reached in 1995. Pastor Peter Nickel served the congrega- tion from 1990 until his retirement in 1996, Engaging with new media although he continued to minister and of- By Dave Rogalsky ficiate at church events, culminating in the Eastern Canada Correspondent baptism of three young people on June 5 of Waterloo, Ont. this year. When Erik Meriau, a part-time pastor, retired a few years later, the congre- eoff Vanderkooy of PeaceWorks does the congregation have permission to gation functioned with reduced program- GTechnology Solutions, Waterloo, post photos of individuals, or to include ming, relying on a number of guest and lay spoke to a group of mostly pastors and information such as the health status of a speakers. church administrators at a Mennonite member or a member’s relative in a prayer Both sadness and celebration were evi- Church Eastern Canada-sponsored sem- concern? What would employers or insur- dent at the closing service. inar on social media last month at Conrad ance companies do with such information? Ardyth Harder, a young adult from Grebel University College. Vanderkooy suggested churches need to Camrose, said, “It is a loss. It [was] a time Also connected by telephone and have both a privacy policy and someone to mourn. It’s not like we’re not going to Internet links to four satellite loca- who constantly checks out what the con- see each other again [but] we are mourning tions, Vanderkooy, a member of Erb St. gregation is doing, to ensure that the policy an institution. All of us cried at one point Mennonite Church, Waterloo, refused to is adhered to. during the service.” give specific solutions to congregations or • Like any tool, the Internet has both pluses Harder greatly values growing up in the individuals, and instead focused on the and minuses. On the plus side, it gets a mes- close-knit congregation, and credits its broader topics of how social media could sage out to more people more quickly. On small size for helping her develop leader- be either a help or hindrance to congrega- the minus side, it takes time to keep web- ship skills. “Church was a place where we tions, pastors and individuals. His advice sites, blogs and Facebook pages up to date. felt we all had something in common, had included: Vanderkooy advised pastors and con- something to contribute, and we were all • Youth have given up on e-mail. Contact gregations that they need to act online as important,” she said. them through Facebook. they would anywhere else. There are some The small number of leaders meant that • Professional clergy should have two conversations that should be carried out children and young people were given im- Facebook accounts: one for their job and face to face, rather than through e-mails portant roles. “I started worship-leading another for their personal lives. or Facebook posts, or even over the phone. when I was 12,” Harder said. • Everything on the Internet is stored Since everything online is potentially pub- In a history written for the closing serv- somewhere permanently. lic, he suggested that anything posted or ice, Lauber also mentioned the valuable • A congregation needs to think about who written should stay positive, as negative intergenerational exchange. “The thing that can access what on its web page. If bulletins items can be quickly disseminated and has most amazed me about the Camrose or newsletters can be accessed by anyone, misunderstood. l Mennonite Fellowship since its founding is the mutual respect and friendship that runs across all ages,” Lauber wrote. “Young people have been treated as friends by old folks. Camrose Fellowship closes On the other hand, seniors like myself have By Donita Wiebe-Neufeld never felt like old fogies in conversations and Alberta Correspondent social interaction with young people.” Although Camrose Mennonite is for- n a moving service on June 26, Camrose society and received charitable status. The mally closed, its legacy carries forward IMennonite Fellowship, Alta., celebrated congregation was granted membership in in its people as they bring their unique 32 years of ministry and then gently closed both the Conference of Mennonites of small-group experiences of vibrant faith its doors. Alberta and the Northwest Conference and community into new worship spaces. The congregation began forming in 1979 of Mennonites. In 2000, the congregation The church will continue to strengthen when conversations between Camrose withdrew from the Northwest Conference members of the larger Mennonite church Lutheran College professors Murray over disagreements in discipline for con- through a congregational ministry schol- Lauber and Ed Friesen resulted in regular gregations, as reported in the April 17, arship set up with Canadian Mennonite gatherings of Camrose area Mennonites in 2000, issue of Canadian Mennonite. University, Winnipeg, Man. l the Lauber home. In November 1980, the The congregation experienced slow but fellowship of 16 charter members and their steady growth in the first half of its life. With files from Arlene Davies-Fuhr. children was incorporated as a religious After a leadership crisis in the late 1980s, Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 17

Women discover the ΛΛBriefly noted Corn maze proves popular ‘business of everyday life’ The Youth Farm Bible Camp, one of Story and Photo by Amy Dueckman three Mennonite Church Saskatchewan B.C. Correspondent camps, had a successful summer in Hope, B.C. more ways than one. More than 400 campers passed through the grounds omen who attended the annual “Who do you help through your work?” during the camping season, and lots WMennonite Church B.C. women’s she asked. “Sometimes we answer ‘no one,’ more came through the corn maze fall retreat at Camp Squeah spent the but of course we do. Empowering others for some family fun. The camp has al- weekend hearing about work, seeing the sometimes doesn’t look like we think it ready realized profits of $30,000 from results of the work of others, and manag- d o e s .” a three-hectare corn maze, petting zoo ing to get away from their own work back In a session on the seemingly ideal “do- and climbing wall. “The petting zoo and home. ing it all” woman of Proverbs 31, Ewert corn maze are the big attraction,” says The themes of “The business of everyday talked about the five traits demonstrated Mark Wurtz, camp director, with about life” and “What makes a woman of hon- by the woman that any woman can strive 3,500 visitors so far. “We’re expecting our?” overarched the weekend, with Ann- for: integrity, industriousness, inclusive- to hit 5,000 [people] in the next few Michele Ewert of Mennonite Economic ness, being influential and having her own weeks.” A fall supper fundraiser on Oct. Development Associates (MEDA) as key- identity. 4 also brought in more than $10,000 for note speaker. Ewert affirmed that women Throughout the weekend, Mennonite the Bible camp, the only one that hosts have always worked but have not always women with their own home-based busi- special needs adults. Wurtz dreams been paid, and have not always been val- nesses exhibited their wares and talked of being able to give these campers a ued for the unpaid work of care in the about finding fulfillment through the work winter camping experience. Until now, home and with volunteer organizations. they do. that hasn’t been possible, but with the She encouraged women to embrace their Belinda Rempel of Vancouver, who addition of a large used church build- work, whatever form it takes. designs one-of-a-kind jewellery through ing now on the property, the camp can Belinda’s Creations, said of her products, begin to move towards making that “It’s about someone feeling beautiful. It’s dream a reality. about the art. It’s not about the money.” —By Karin Fehderau Eleonore Isaak of Elly’s Studio of Cake Design in Chilliwack takes delight in de- Photo by anna rehan signing and creating mouth-watering ed- ible creations for special occasions and teaching others the craft she has learned. “This is freedom,” Isaak said. “It almost feels sinful that I enjoy it so much. God . . . has given me this gift and love for the art.” Kelly Ens of Abbotsford recently redis- covered her love for photography and now operates Blue Melon Photography. “I love pausing time for people through photo- graphs, catching a laugh, a look, a moment of life,” she said. And in a gesture of generosity, Mennonite women of B.C. were able to help others. Donated silent auction items raised $813 for a bursary to subsidize future attendees, and a first-ever live auction netted $868 to help women around the world start a busi- Eleonore Isaak, right, tells Mary ness with loans from MEDA. l One of more than 3,500 visitors to Goertzen about her home-based cake- Youth Farm Bible Camp’s corn maze decorating business at the MC B.C. so far this season. women’s fall retreat at Camp Squeah. 18 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

New Church Staff

For Warkentin, the central role of leader- ship is to keep MC Manitoba Christ- centred. “Keeping Jesus as the focal point of the lens, through which we interpret faith, relationships, community and our place in society, is the role of leadership here,” he says. “The challenge in leadership is to stick your neck out and at the same time remain humble,” he says. “In certain areas, there is a place for the conference [area church] to give leadership and in other areas that role belongs to the congregation. . . . I back away from giving leadership when it comes to addressing some of the issues like poverty, militarism, consumerism and environmental protection. On those kinds of issues, leadership needs to come at the local level. What is so often lacking is hon- esty because we are not willing to see the Ken Warkentin has been sitting in the executive director’s chair of Mennonite connections between our own lifestyles Church Manitoba for eight months now. He swivels that chair comfortably from and the issues.” the desk to a table where he invites people into conversation, or to his guitar that is always within arm’s reach. ΛΛNew appointment ‘Different from being a pastor’ Miller named to MennoMedia board MC Manitoba executive director reflects on the role of leadership Melissa Miller, pastor of Springstein, Mennonite Story and Photo by Evelyn Rempel Petkau Church, Man., and a colum- Manitoba Correspondent nist for Canadian Mennonite, Winnipeg, Man. has been named to the newly Miller formed MennoMedia board en Warkentin has been sitting in the shifting focus from missions abroad to of directors by Mennonite Church Kthe executive director’s chair of more local engagement. “We need to find Canada’s Formation Council. Miller, Mennonite Church Manitoba for eight creative ways of making Jesus a very real who holds a master of divinity degree months now. He swivels that chair com- presence in local communities,” he says. from Associated Mennonite Biblical fortably from the desk to a table where he Chiara House is one example of how MC Seminary and a master of science de- invites people into conversation, or to his Manitoba is facilitating ministries at a local gree in psychology from the University guitar that is always within arm’s reach. level. A mission of Little Flowers, a new of Waterloo, Ont., also works part-time “It’s very different from being a pastor,” church plant in one of Winnipeg’s inner as a counsellor at Recovery of Hope says Warkentin, who has served in pastor- city neighbourhoods, Chiara House was in Winnipeg, Man. She has written al roles almost continuously since 1981. formerly an apartment building; it is now the Family Ties column for Canadian “Here, there is more distance from the in the process of being renovated into af- Mennonite for the past nine years. people. In church, you are much closer to fordable residences that will provide a sup- She joins two other Canadians on the the itchy spots. Here, you are often guess- portive Christian environment for people board—Joan Pries of Kitchener, Ont., ing where the itchy spots are.” in transition, including new immigrants and Dan Jack of Calgary, Alta., treas- The New Directions document, which and refugees, or those struggling with pov- urer—as the Canadian contingent on was prepared by the MC Manitoba board erty or mental illness. “It is very exciting,” the eight-member binational board. Her and staff through a discernment process says Warkentin of the partnership of busi- appointment awaits ratification by MC with congregations, and then presented ness people within MC Manitoba, Little Canada’s General Board in December. at the 2010 delegate gathering, attracted Flowers Church and Eden Health Care —By Dick Benner Warkentin to the position. He took note of Services. Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 19

New Church Staff

A real challenge that Warkentin hopes with it? Is it fulfilling our vision and mis- MC Manitoba can help congregations ad- sion values the way we are running it?” dress is keeping youths connected to the Warkentin sees exciting possibilities for church. “I see a lot of young people not building connections in his new role. “I love finding their spiritual nurture in congre- the idea of connecting,” he says. “If I, in this gational expression,” he says. position, can make meaningful connec- Camping ministry is another area “we tions, particularly in the denominational are grappling with,” he acknowledges. “Is it sense, I would feel I have been faithful.” l sustainable? Are we doing the right things ‘We do that together’ Introducing MC Alberta’s new area church minister

Story and Photo by Donita Wiebe-Neufeld Alberta Correspondent Didsbury, Alta. Dan Graber, the new MC Alberta area church minister, practises servant sked about his vision for beginning While the support and development of leadership, helping with dishes after Awork as Mennonite Church Alberta’s strong pastors is important to Graber, it a general council meeting at Bergthal new area church minister, Dan Graber is clear that his bias is for developing and Church, near Didsbury, on Oct. 1. laughs. “None so far,” he says. “I get asked supporting whole leadership teams in that question often in interviews. [It’s congregations. Graber will establish a residence in about] bringing my gifts, biases and com- The Alberta area church minister is a Calgary while maintaining his home base petencies, and matching them to what the three-quarter-time position. Currently, in Regina. The dual job and residence situa- people want to do. . . . I’m waiting to get Graber also serves quarter-time at Grace tion is familiar territory to Graber. “[I] have to know Alberta. It’s never a personal vi- Mennonite Church, Regina, Sask., where worked at two churches at a time before. sion, anyway, in doing church. We do that he shares the pastorate with Rose, his I’m used to it,” he says. “There is a lot that together.” wife. can be done [from] anywhere now.” l Graber officially began in his role on Oct. 1, attending an MC Alberta general council meeting at Bergthal Church near Didsbury. He brings a wealth of pastoral ΛΛBriefly noted experience to his position. Interim MC Manitoba Camping Ministries director appointed In the 1980s, the Grabers were church planters in Brazil under the Commission WINNIPEG, MAN.—Justin Zacharias has been appointed as director on Overseas Mission of the former of Mennonite Church Manitoba’s Camping Ministries. This interim General Conference Mennonite Church. half-time position, that began on Aug. 8, will focus on the development From the 1990s till the present, Graber has of a long-range camping strategy, including a new governance struc- worked in 10 different congregations as an ture. Zacharias will also give oversight to Camps with Meaning (CwM), intentional interim pastor. Working with the ongoing camping ministry of MC Manitoba. He will be commuting churches in conflicted situations, Graber from his home in Winkler to the MC Manitoba office in Winnipeg one says, is “more than resolving the issues; it day a week and will do the rest of his work either at home or at one of Zacharias is working toward church health.” the three CwM campsites. He also hopes to be in many MC Manitoba Passionate about what makes for healthy churches on Sunday mornings reporting on camp ministry. Zacharias’s background congregations, Graber emphasizes the includes pastoral ministry, mission work, camping ministry and marketing. His key importance of healthy lay leaders. education includes biblical studies, commerce and environmental studies. He is “It’s fascinating to me that we believe in passionate about sharing his faith in Jesus, and he sees the camping programs as a priesthood of all believers, and put so opportunities for the broader church to share faith, love children and adults, and much emphasis on pastors,” he says, add- train leadership. His dedication to MC Manitoba and Camping Ministries has been ing, “Long-term success [of a congrega- evident over the years he served on the MC Manitoba board. tion] relies on the spiritual, emotional and —MC Manitoba relational health of the lay leadership.” 20 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

New Church Staff

He has acted as a First Nations worldview and cross-cultural facilitator and trainer ‘Putting the moccasin to various churches, para-church organ- izations, universities, school districts and where the mouth is’ non-profit societies. Among McDonald’s goals in this po- MC B.C. hires new indigenous relations coordinator sition is to assist MC B.C. develop an understanding of the First Nations world- By Amy Dueckman view, in order to build meaningful, long- B.C. Correspondent term and healthy relationships to indige- Abbotsford, B.C. nous neighbours. He hopes to develop a hub of resources to what is happening r a n d e r M c D o n a l d o f schools of years past. in the province with regard to Native BChilliwack, a member of “As a Cree First Nations Ministries and to encourage others to get the Cree First Nation, has begun cross-cultural consultant and involved. work three days a week with lay pastor, I am really excited McDonald sees many values common Mennonite Church B.C. as in- about the opportunity,” says to the First Nations community and the digenous relations coordinator. McDonald. “To have a de- Mennonite tradition, among them shared McDonald is carrying forward nomination interested in hir- wealth in family, knowledge and goods; the work of Steve Heinrichs, who ing a First Nations staff, I knew provision and service to others; and the previously worked with Native would send a positive message idea of servanthood through Christ. Ministries in B.C. This is part of McDonald to our people.” “This is important work and one which an ongoing effort by MC B.C. to McDonald has worked and would go far to show our native people that build relationships with aboriginal people lived in the Sto:lo Nation area of the Fraser MC B.C. means business when it comes and to encourage bridgebuilding as a way Valley for 20 years and has worked in the to working out their faith with fear and of modelling Anabaptist traditions in heal- areas of social work, residential school sur- trembling, and also ‘putting the moccasin ing and reconciliation, particularly in the vivors program, youth counselling, therapy, where the mouth is,’ ” says McDonald. l area of the fallout from the residential church lay ministry and music ministry.

ΛΛNew staff search ΛΛNew staff CBC looking for Church engagement minister hired by national, area churches new president KITCHENER, ONT.—Mennonite Church Canada and MC Eastern ABBOTSFORD, B.C.—Columbia Bible Canada have jointly appointed Brent Charette as church engage- College president Ron Penner has ment minister representing both the national and area church bod- asked the board of directors to initi- ies. Charette’s appointment results from some deep questioning by ate the search for a new president for church leaders: What do we do about declining support of the wider the college. Penner, who is 66, has been church? They determined that the church simply needs to be more with CBC for 14 years, the last five as intentional about asking for support. Charette’s task will be to ask president. In his letter to the board, he individuals and families to support their congregation to a greater Charette stated that his finish date will remain degree financially, and to encourage an increase in the amount that flexible according to the pace of the suc- congregations and individuals give to the wider church. Despite a steady increase cession process. During his tenure as in weekly giving from individuals and families to their local congregations, wider president, Penner oversaw the rebuild- church ministries like pastoral training, church planting, and faith formation events ing of the administrative team, the im- for youths and young adults, have experienced declining support. But Charette, with plementation of a new integrated college his newly minted title, anticipates that this will change. “The people I have spoken software suite and new website, as well with since I started in September have answered the call,” he says. “Quite frankly, as the construction of a debt-free $3.5 they were unaware that the wider church . . . [was] in such need. They are willing to million men’s residence due for com- support the church directly with their own cheques, but are also willing to encourage pletion later this fall. At its September their congregation to give more as well.” Charette can be reached at the MC Eastern meeting, the board appointed a search Canada office by e-mailing [email protected]. committee to begin the process. —MC Canada/MC Eastern Canada —Columbia Bible College Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 21

God at work in the World Security Network Africa with a fellow SPI Lapp was killed when his team was re- alumna, Thelma Ekiyor of Nigeria. In her turning from a difficult mission to bring Cover Story memoir, Mighty Be Our Powers, Gbowee health care to a rural mountainous region discloses additional EMU connections that of Afghanistan. EMU influenced her work, including CJP profes- EMU awarded its annual Distinguished sors Hizkias Assefa, John Paul Lederach Service Award to Lapp, the first time the and Howard Zehr. university has ever given an alumni award honours At the same ceremony, CMU also hon- posthumously. Lapp’s parents, Marvin and oured the late Glen Lapp, a Mennonite Mary Lapp of Lancaster, Pa., and other Central Committee volunteer killed in family members accepted the award on Nobel Afghanistan last year with nine others on his behalf. l laureate an international assistance mission team. Eastern Mennonite University Harrisonburg, Va. Can ‘free’ speech eymah Gbowee of Liberia, a recent re- Lcipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, was be ‘hate’ speech? honoured for her devotion to peace and relief of suffering on Oct. 16 at Eastern EFC addresses Supreme Court on what has been called Mennonite University (EMU). the most important ‘free-speech’ case in two decades “From the moment I was announced as one of the core recipients of the Noble TheE vangelical Fellowship of Canada Peace Prize, every night and morning Ottawa, Ont. I say my prayers [and] I ask, ‘Lord, keep me humble,’ ” said Gbowee, a 2007 EMU ranted permission to present oral expression. It is that decision that has been graduate who earned a master’s degree in Garguments by the Supreme Court of appealed to the Supreme Court of Canada conflict transformation. “By being hum- Canada in the Saskatchewan Human Rights by the Saskatchewan Human Rights ble, I hope to touch more lives and can Commission v. William Whatcott case, the Commission. be an example for the next generation of Evangelical Fellowship of Canada—whose “If the Supreme Court of Canada rules peacebuilders.” membership includes Mennonite Church that one cannot act in a non-harmful Gbowee gave talks to public audiences Canada—on Oct. 12 argued “that the way in public dialogue, inspired by one’s five times over the weekend. She is the first Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms religious beliefs, then one does not have Nobel Prize winner in EMU’s 94-year his- guarantees the right to freedom of religion, religious freedom—but only freedom to tory. Gbowee led a women’s movement conscience and expression to all Canadians, believe—and what kind of right is that?” that was instrumental in ending 14 years and that the right to debate moral issues, wondered Faye Sonier, EFC legal counsel, of civil war in Liberia in 2003. She is co- whatever they may be, is foundational to before the Oct. 12 court date. “The courts founder and executive director of Women, a true and vibrant democracy,” said Don have made it clear that religious freedom Peace and Security Network Africa. Hutchinson, EFC vice-president and gen- includes the right to speak about our be- Following the end of the civil war, eral legal counsel. liefs, to share our beliefs and to practise Gbowee came to EMU in 2004 for four In 2001 and 2002, Whatcott distributed our beliefs. This, therefore, includes the classes in the Summer Peacebuilding flyers to neighbourhoods in Saskatoon right to speak freely about them.” Institute (SPI) and then returned to the and Regina. Vehement in tone and lan- “While we don’t necessarily condone Center of Justice and Peacebuilding (CJP) guage against homosexuality, the fly- the language Mr. Whatcott used, we do in 2005 to participate in a round-table dis- ers offended some individuals, who firmly believe that every Canadian should cussion of strategies for trauma awareness filed complaints with the Saskatchewan be, and feel, at liberty to share their beliefs and resilience. Human Rights Commission. At the tribu- and participate in the democratic process In a press conference at the beginning nal, the flyers were found to contravene the from a faith-inspired perspective,” said of the weekend, Gbowee credited EMU Saskatchewan Human Rights Code and to Hutchinson. “Canada is a multicultural, with helping her to heal from the trauma promote hatred. multi-faith society. To shut out the expres- she had experienced, and with developing The present case is the result of multiple sion and beliefs of one perspective is to dic- an understanding of the roots of violent appeals of that decision, most recently be- tate who can and who cannot participate in conflict from a worldwide perspective. fore the Saskatchewan Court of Appeal peaceful public policy dialogue. It is simply She cofounded Women, Peace and that found the flyers to be acceptable free undemocratic.” l 22 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

than assisting them to use illegal drugs. An insight into Insite Bai acknowledged that she has won- dered if it is immoral for her to help addicts By Henry Neufeld inject drugs. “Am I enabling them?” she Special to Canadian Mennonite asked, then answered her own question: Vancouver, B.C. “Showing love does not equal enabling people.” work at Insite, Vancouver’s super- never had a death due to an overdose. Since She admitted she looked at Insite’s cli- “Ivised injection site for IV [intra- the clinic opened, the number of deaths ents with condescension when she started venous] drug users. It’s where I choose due to overdoses in that area of Vancouver working there. Then, she said, “I realized to work as a nurse . . . and as a Christian,” has decreased by 35 percent. In 2010, more I was like them. We are all sinners, we are said Meera Bai, a recent theology student than 12,000 people used the facility to in- all addicted to sin. My care for people at at Regent College at a public presentation ject illegal drugs. Insite was the best I could do as a sinner,” at the college on Oct. 5. Proponents say the clinic keeps people she said, calling the centre ”a secular insti- Regent College theologian John from transmitting infectious diseases; tution where love is redemptive.” Stackhouse and Bai spoke about the work encourages people to receive healthcare Bai then described an addict wildly try- at Insite, the only clinic in North America and addiction treatment; and reduces ing to jab a needle into his neck. “I had to that provides a safe place for addicts to in- the number of injections taking place on prove I actually cared,” she said. ject illegal drugs. Insite provides no drugs; Vancouver’s streets. She concluded that, “Insite offers not clients bring their own illicit drugs and are Critics, on the other hand, say that it only harm reduction, but the greater gifts provided with clean injection equipment, does not solve the drug problem, since of recognition, compassion, stability, safety including syringes, cookers, filters, water many users commit crimes to raise money and hope. It offers love to people not well and tourniquets. It also provides health to buy their illegal drugs. Treatment of loved by Canadian society—or by most care and counselling for addicts. addicts is what is needed, they say, rather Canadian churches.” l Stackhouse said that Insite makes a bad situation as good as it can be. “It’s a ter- Photo by Dave Rogalsky rible thing to have, but we have to have it,” he said. “It’s a bad and good thing to do.” Sometimes society has to do bad things to accomplish God’s purposes, said Stackhouse, pointing out that God annihi- lated whole towns in biblical times. “Killing Christ was an evil thing, but the right thing to do,” he said, since it filled God’s greater purpose of salvation. Insite opened in Vancouver’s notorious Downtown East Side in 2003 with a special exemption from the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for scientific and research purposes. The federal government had re- fused to extend Insite’s exemption under the Act and Insite faced possible closure. However, in a recent unanimous decision, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled that Ottawa’s attempt to close Insite was arbi- trary and undermined the health benefits Ten Thousand Villages(TTV) storyteller Doug Dirks, left, visits with TTV Insite provided. The court said that Insite CEO Don Epp and Ingrid Heinrichs Pauls, TTV education and media coordinator, furthered the goals of promoting public at the kick-off of the organization’s 65th anniversary weekend on Sept. 29 at health and safety. Those at the presentation were told Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ont. Dirks told stories of producers that research shows that when addicts use in India and Bangladesh as part of a national celebration of the 65 years of fair Insite’s services, it results in a reduction in trade since Edna Byler bought Guatemalan handiwork for $10, sold it for $100 overdose fatalities and the transmission of back home in the U.S., and sent the money back to Guatemala. The event was blood-borne diseases and infections, and co-sponsored by Grebel’s Peace And Conflict Studies Department. an improvement of public order. Insite has Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 23

Photo courtesy of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank facilitate this, MC Saskatchewan has been informing its congregations about upcom- ing events that inform and teach, and those that bring both sides together. One of these events, the Stony Knoll gathering held on Aug. 23, was a com- memoration of the original Treaty 6 sign- ing. The first Stony Knoll event was held in 2006 as a cooperative effort between the Mennonite, Lutheran and Young Chippewayan communities. At that time, representatives from both the Mennonite and Lutheran groups signed a memo- Members of Petitcodiac Mennonite Church, N.B., make apple sauce, which they are randum of understanding to support the selling at local markets to raise funds for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Young Chippewayan First Nation’s effort to gain compensation for its land that had been taken away from their forebears and given to Mennonite settlers in the late Apple sales aid hungry 1800s. By Emily Cain This year, several groups merged togeth- Canadian Foodgrains Bank er to participate in the event. Petitcodiac, N.B. “There was an interesting blend of people there,” said Leonard Doell, Mennonite ow many apples do you need to make Everyone could be involved, from older to Central Committee (MCC) Saskatchewan Hmore than 150 litres of apple sauce? younger.” staff member, who attended along with “I’m not sure how many [kilograms] of others from the organization. A group of apples we picked, but it seemed like a lot,” Young Chippewayan men also came, as did says Gordon Driedger, pastor of Petitcodiac supportive MC Saskatchewan members. A Mennonite Church. Walking traditional aboriginal feast was served at Driedger and members of the church lunch and a sausage-and-bun Mennonite picked the apples and made sauce in meal wrapped up the day at supper. August to raise money for Canadian the path “We need to keep nurturing this con- Foodgrains Bank. The sauce is being sold versation. It doesn’t happen on its own,” at local markets in the province. MC Saskatchewan proactive said Chief Ben Weenie of the Young “We made the sauce with the August in efforts to engage First Chippewayan First Nation. apples—apples that ripen early and tend Nation issues, people Wilmer Froese, a farmer and former pas- to be softer than the apples that ripen later tor of Laird Mennonite Church, situated in the fall,” he says. By Karin Fehderau close by, owns land in the area. He believes Church members will pick apples that Saskatchewan Correspondent there has been a positive start to the pro- ripen later in the fall and use them to make cess of helping the First Nation community cider—also to be sold in local markets. get compensation for the land. “If we re- The idea for the project originated hen Mennonite Church spect one another, we can work this thing with David Bunnett, a certified organic WSaskatchewan delegates met for out,” he said. farmer. Earlier this year, Bunnett and their annual sessions this past March, “Their grievance is with the government,” his wife Sandra rented land to grow hay, they were introduced to a new initiative Froese noted. While MC Saskatchewan has not knowing there were about 80 apple put forward by the area church execu- agreed to help raise money to aid the pro- trees on the property. After a visit to the tive. In order to prepare for the next Truth cess, Froese pointed out that, “you have to church by Alden Crain, who represents the and Reconciliation session taking place in get the support of a large part of the com- Foodgrains Bank in the province, Bunnett Saskatchewan in 2012, moderator Renata munity” to make an impact. suggested the idea of growing and selling Klassen suggested that the area church For her part, Klassen felt very positive apples. The church enthusiastically agreed could spend the next year becoming more about the day. “First Nations people are to do it. familiar with, and knowledgeable about, very friendly and outgoing,” she said. . . . The project has been a lot of fun, but First Nation issues within the province. Each one of these [events] is a step in a also a lot of work, says Driedger. But, he Thus began the journey called “Walking longer journey.” l adds, “it’s a great congregational project. the Path to Truth and Reconciliation.” To 24 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

Photo by Lyle Friesen God at work in Us Speaking to people through music By Dave Rogalsky Mennos at work Eastern Canada Correspondent

“I never had a question. There was never an alternative. I kind of envied the people who had to figure out what they had to do in their careers and lives. Me, it was clear as a bolt of lightning. It was the one thing I knew I had to follow and I was passionate about music. I remember my first passions since before I knew how to explain them, before I went to school.”

arol Ann Weaver is passionate still, a “learned elite” to understand it, she says. Cteaching, studying, composing and She finds it relatively easy to write abstract Carol Ann Weaver composes Kgalagadi performing as associate professor of music music, but accessible compositions are Calls in Durban, South Africa, this at Conrad Grebel University College, more difficult. spring. Waterloo, Ont. Music, she says, “needs to make a Growing up in Harrisonburg, Va., difference, speak to people.” It is “ulti- the piece was “incredibly well received by Weaver began studying piano at age sev- mately a communication,” rather than the players, the conductor [David Plylar] en. Soon she was writing music and pro- “just [to] make yourself happy.” This atti- and the people who had come to listen.” ducing musical shows at school. Winning tude is influenced by being a performer, The piece, Kgalagadi Calls, “follows a a piano competition as a first-year student she believes. typical day in the desert, beginning with at Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), “What lasts is what touches people,” the gradual rising of the sun and calling of Lancaster, Pa., suggested to her that she Weaver says, listing architecture, art, music the early morning birds,” Weaver explains. needed to go where she would be more and writing as examples. “I want to be true Later, the Cape turtle doves, transcribed as challenged. to that myself.” accurately as possible by Weaver, create a At Indiana University, Bloomington, She has moved into world music for her major portion of the music. perhaps the largest and best music school compositions and performance, especially “The grief of the mother wildebeest who in world, according to Weaver, she went African, where music is often not thought loses her new-born calf is expressed by a to learn, saying, “I never thought I’d win of as a singular form of expression. “Some solo oboe, while the precise, careful, bril- a competition there. . . . There were huge languages don’t have a word for music dis- liant stalking of cheetah brothers Dozy and opportunities,” she says, noting that in a crete from dance, event, performance,” she Leadboy is played by twin bassoons,” she class on Baroque music there was a live notes. “Like in jazz, pop [and] traditional says. orchestra of students playing, instead of African music, people begin moving to the And as night settles in, the calming chor- music on tape. She completed her bach- beat; each song its own rhythm.” us of barking geckos—vaguely resembling elor’s and master’s degrees there. While on sabbatical earlier this year, the mesmerizing sound of crickets—fills Weaver taught at EMU for four years, and Weaver spent time in the Kgalagadi (for- the soundscape, presented by pizzicato another four years at Mennonite Brethren merly “Kalahari”) Transfrontier Park, strings. Bible College (now part of Canadian in western South Africa, her “favourite “This desert is never entirely quiet, yet its Mennonite University), Winnipeg, Man., place in the world.” The “desert,” she says, stillness resonates throughout the piece,” before returning to Bloomington to com- “began calling to me in oboes, pizzicato Weaver says. plete a doctorate. strings, frolicking bassoons, and horns. Back in Canada, Weaver is working at She has been teaching music at Grebel . . . Melodies would occur to me, which a recording of her compostion Paraguay since 1985. seemed to rise up from the very soil. . . . Primeval, while looking forward to a po- Although she has a classical music back- An orchestra piece was being born.” tential Sounds in the Land III conference ground, Weaver infuses her compositions She was told that if she could finish in 2013. “I see life as ever changing and with different rhythmic combinations the composition in three weeks, it could not a fixture,” she says. “The music can be and textures. In the last 10 years, she has be given a “reading”—a rehearsal-like trusted, the disappointments and challen- been working at music that is “accessible,” performance—by the KwaZulu Natal ges of life can be accepted as teaching tools rather than just “abstract,” which requires Philharmonic Orchestra. She did, and says in one’s life.” l Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 25

Focus on Books & Resources faith in their particular context. I feel privileged to collaborate with Viewpoint others in leading MennoMedia in our new beginning. We are a group of people with passion, experience and vision. We have melded together staff with many A new publishing day years of experience and wisdom, with a By Russ Eanes new, younger generation full of enthusi- asm and fresh energy. We recognize the MennoMedia many challenges of faith, economics and technology in a rapidly changing culture rom today’s news: dissimilar, nationalities—Canada and the and media environment. May we be • Book sales in the U.S. are down 9 U.S—and serve people of various ethnici- responsive and relevant witnesses in our Fpercent. ties and cultural backgrounds. society while creating the resources you • Amazon reported that sales of e-books Whatever the background, for mem- need to help you live faithfully. exceeded paper copies in the previous 12 bers of Mennonite Church Canada and MennoMedia publishes books through months. MC U.S.A., we are your company, your its Herald Press imprint; hosts the online • Apple exceeded all expectations by sell- ministry. You own us and we are account- Third Way Café; produces curriculum, ing more than nine million tablets. able to you. We serve the church both periodicals and hymnals through Faith • Smart phones will soon outsell PCs. in its Anabaptist witness and spiritual & Life Resources; produces Shaping It’s a daunting, challenging and scary formation at a time when the need for Family Radio; creates award-winning TV time to be in the media business today. both is great and the risks of being in documentaries through Third Way Media; Advances in technology have brought both media and ministry are great. and collaborates with Brethren Press to additional challenges: information Rather than shrink from the challenges produce the Gather ’Round curriculum. l overload, electronic addictions, short- I’ve mentioned, we at MennoMedia want ened attention spans. Through social and to embrace them and recognize an even Russ Eanes is the new executive director of interactive media, everyone is now in the greater and more hopeful opportunity. MennoMedia. information and content creation busi- As Anabaptists and Mennonites, we find ness, and many expect that the content ourselves at a unique moment in his- we now consume and create should be tory, when there is a renewed interest in, free, or nearly so. and hunger for, the unique values that Combine all that with a decline in both our tradition brings: peace, community, denominational loyalty and in church simplicity and a desire to follow Jesus in Inspiring New Books! attendance, and you might also say it’s the totality of life. We have the opportun- equally challenging today to be a ministry ity to share these values with our culture and agency of a church denomination. and, indeed, with the whole world. Consider, then, MennoMedia, the Recently, a church leader encouraged newly merged entity created July 1 from me, and all of us at the new company, to Mennonite Publishing Network and take risks—an encouragement I appreci- David’s Trip to Paraguay/Davids Reise Third Way Media. We are facing all of ated because the new organization we in das Land der vielen Farben Miriam Rudolph | 32 pages these challenges. have formed via merger is in itself a big English and German We are a non-profit multimedia com- risk. When I read the Scriptures and study ISBN 978-0-920718-91-9 | $22.00 pany owned by the Mennonite churches church history, I find much that is risky, On the Zwieback Trail in Canada and the U.S. We bring together and so I find us in good company. With Lisa Weaver, Julie Kaufmann, Judith the experience of more than a century in the support and faith of our two de- Rempel-Smucker | 72 pages publishing—from print media to elec- nominations, and with a vision tempered ISBN 978-0-920718-92-6 | $25.00 tronic media, including radio and film—in by humility, we shall strive to create a top- Desert Spirituality and curriculum, periodicals and the Internet. notch media ministry/agency that brings Cultural Resistance To some, we are a church ministry; to an Anabaptist witness to the world. Belden C. Lane others, an institutional agency. Our con- Combining print, electronic, online, 72 pages stituents range from conservative to lib- broadcast and digital capabilities, we can ISBN 978-0-920718-90-2 $14.00 eral, with worship styles from traditional now produce content across a whole spec- to contemporary, from folks in plain trum of new and emerging platforms. Our For more information visit dress to folks with tattoos and piercings. goal is for our constituents to see what we We represent two distinct, although not produce as being relevant to their life and www.cmu.ca/cmupress 26 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

Book Review they stand a better chance of improving their domestic quality of life. But, according to Gordon, the real- ity is that more affluent nations have Capitalism under an opened up isolated or marginalized nations, profiting from extracting their natural resources or exploiting their imperialistic logic cheap labour. Gordon cites the expansion Imperialist Canada. of Canadian-based mining companies in By Todd Gordon. Arbeiter Ring Publishing, 2010. South America and Canadian clothing Reviewed by David Driedger manufacturers in Haiti as examples. In contrast to public claims by neo- odd Gordon’s its implications. Economic liberal advocates, Gordon cites studies Imperialist Canada growth means the material ac- showing that poverty is growing fastest in Tis not theology, nor cumulation of funds, property countries that opened themselves up to is it written for or about and products that are made wealthy trading partners. These imper- the church. And while possible by an imperialistic ial economic practices inevitably bring Mennonites are nowhere logic of expansion to create ecological instability, social unrest and mentioned within its pages, advantages for the wealthy at military enforcement. the content of this book the cost of the poor. Gordon Gordon covers a complex array of issues should be of great interest to spends the bulk of his book related to Canada’s domestic and foreign Canadian Mennonites. demonstrating how Canada is practices. If contemporary capitalism is This work is an attempt directly, and often independ- inherently violent, it needs to be rejected, to demonstrate that Canada ently, involved in these sorts and the Mennonite church must wrestle operates under an imperialist logic and of practices. with how it responds. A peace theol- practice. Popular caricatures of Canada First, Gordon looks at the historical ogy with any integrity must explore and show a peacekeeping nation or a sort of trajectory of Canada’s relationship to First understand the economic structures that benign moral compass for our southern Nations people, then at Canada’s global vi- weigh so heavily on so many. Imperialist neighbours at best, or their obedient sion and the implications of the global lib- Canada offers itself as an important dia- lackeys at worst, but Gordon argues that eralization of southern economies, often logue partner in that process. l these caricatures exist simply because referred to as neo-liberalism. The claim the United States overshadows the role of of neo-liberalism is that if smaller, more David Driedger is associate pastor at First Canada, not because Canada functions impoverished economies can come on Mennonite Church, Winnipeg, Man., and under a qualitatively different structure. board as international trading “partners,” a Canadian Mennonite blogger. While the era of direct colonial control over nations by Europeans is largely over, Gordon argues that the logic of imper- ialism that fuelled colonialism remains ΛΛBriefly noted intact. Citing David McNally, imperialism New edition of Simply in Season released is described as “a system of global in- equalities and domination—embodied in Many Mennonites—and others—are buying locally produced regimes of property, military powers and foods that are in season and eating more healthily, thanks to a global institutions—through which wealth cookbook first published in 2005. The Herald Press book isSimply is drained from the labour and resources in Season, which has already sold more than 120,000 copies. The of people in the Global South to the sys- book was updated this fall for the third time, incorporating new tematic advantage of capital in the North.” statistics, notes and sources. “A contemporary, progressive cook- Imperialism is framed predominantly book like this needs to be kept up to date,” says Josh Byler, as- as an economic issue and, more specific- sistant editorial manager at MennoMedia, the publisher of the ally, a capitalist issue. book, which is part of the World Community Cookbook series. Gordon declares that, “just like the Simply in Season is published under the Herald Press imprint, in other major capitalist powers, Canadian cooperation with Mennonite Central Committee. The cookbook’s authors believe capital is driven by a logic of expan- that their recipes, stories and information not only promote good eating, but also sion.” The phrase, “economic growth,” honour the environment and local and global producers of food. is so deeply embedded in our cultural —Herald Press lexicon that we don’t stop to think about Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 27

Focus on Books & Resources Viewpoint wise. No translation of the Bible would condone that. Nonetheless, I’m not ready to say, like Maureen Girkin did in 2008, The Bible and when she was the chief executive officer of Zondervan, that “News Corp is a won- derful media giant.” Nor do I think the Bible should be the billionaire treated as a business opportunity. We By Will Braun should be able to read about “the least of these” without paying dues to the greatest. illionaire media titan seller list. He has long been aware Perhaps Murdoch is just a gifted busi- Rupert Murdoch has of the Zondervan-Murdoch nessman who enables the distribution Bmade headlines over connection. of important materials. Perhaps writers the phone-hacking scandal I admire Claiborne, partly be- like Claiborne are redeeming something that forced him to shut down cause he lives out his faith in the in need of redemption, or subverting it. his British tabloid, News of the “abandoned corners of empire.” Perhaps I overstate the link between News World. But few people know His particular corner is the im- of the World and Zondervan. It’s just that I that News Corp, the company Murdoch poverished Kensington neighbourhood believe there should be no link at all. Bald heads, also owns Zondervan, the world’s of Philadelphia, Pa. Given his relation to greed has no place in Bible publishing. leading Bible publisher. “empire,” I wanted to know why he chose Christianity does not require the help News Corp, which took in $32.7 billion a News Corp company as his publisher. of an unscrupulous media empire. The last year, also owns Fox TV, The Wall “I want to have the broadest reader- “good news” will be just fine without Street Journal, 20th Century Fox and ship possible,” Claiborne says by phone, News Corp. dozens of other media outlets. It acquired “I don’t want to be someone who just Part of me would love to see readers Zondervan in 1988. speaks to the choir.” He says smaller and writers humbly decline any partici- Based in Grand Rapids, Mich., publishers have their advantages, but the pation in the big Bible business. But a Zondervan sells more than 500 versions books he has written for them cost “two Bible boycott feels odd. My colleague of the Bible. And although you may not or three times” what they would have if Aiden Enns, who once cut the Zondervan own the Precious Princess Bible, Camo Zondervan had published them. label out of the spine of his Bible in Bible (imagine “Holy Bible” on a cam- Claiborne says the key is to “protect protest, suggests that every time we buy ouflage cover), or the Stock Car Racing the integrity of the message.” If he is a Zondervan product we should pay a 10 Bible, you probably have a Zondervan Bible in your house. Mine is a plain old Given his relation to ‘empire,’ I wanted to New International Version (NIV). know why [author Shane Claiborne] chose The NIV remains a top seller; more than 300 million copies have been a News Corp company as his publisher. sold worldwide. That’s good news for Murdoch because Zondervan owns the convinced the medium won’t change the percent tithe or “sin tax” to a charity. exclusive North American print rights message, he will work with organizations Personally, I don’t want a penny of to the NIV. Zondervan also publishes despite not “[agreeing] with all of their my money going to fuel the News Corp books by Christian authors like Rick approaches or decisions.” empire. Fortunately for me, the last time Warren, Tim LaHaye, Jim Wallis, Eugene But even if the message is protected, I crossed paths with Shane Claiborne Peterson, Brian McLaren and Shane his work helps enrich a rather well- he gave me a copy of the most recent Claiborne. maintained corner of empire. He feels Zondervan publication he collabor- What are we to make of the mix of bil- “conflicted” about this. “I don’t think that ated on, Common Prayer: A Liturgy for lionaire tycoonery, dingy tabloid dealings the world exists in 100 percent pure and Ordinary Radicals. I offered him warm and the Holy Word of God? What are 100 percent impure options,” he says, thanks—it’s a great book—then said with we to make of the fact that every time we believing there is good and bad in each of a smirk, “This way none of my money buy a Zondervan product we fuel a media us. “We are called to work on the log in needs to go to Zondervan.” l conglomerate that appears to care more our own eye, and I’m sure as heck trying about profit than integrity? to work on the compromises that I make Will Braun attends Hope Mennonite I asked Shane Claiborne. His books, so that those are minimal when it comes Church, Winnipeg, Man. A version of this Jesus for President (co-written with Chris to integrity.” article first appeared on Braun’s ‘Holy Haw) and The Irresistible Revolution, are He makes a good point. Demonizing Moly’ blog on the Geez magazine website No. 3 and No. 4 on Zondervan’s top- Rupert Murdoch or Zondervan is not (geezmagazine.org). 28 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

Fall 2011 Listing of Books & Side by Side: A Memoir of Parents, Anna Enns and Hein- Resources rich M. Epp. Linda Theology, spirituality Epp Sawatzky. Privately published, 2010, 185 pages, 1,2,3 John, Believers Church Bible Com- M. Stiffney.H erald Press, 2011, hardcover. mentary. J. E. McDermond. Herald Press, 290 pages. This hardcover book with pho- 2011, 344 pages. As well as examining how the boards of tos and maps tells the story of the Enns and This is the 24th volume of the Believers faith-based organizations can strengthen Epp families who emigrated from the Cauca- Church Bible Commentary series. their faith dimension, this book provides a sus, Russia, to the Canadian Prairies in 1924. variety of meditations that would work well Heinrich was the leading minister at the Lena, Ecclesial Repentance: The in a boardroom setting. Man., and West Abbotsford Mennonite, B.C. Churches Confront Their churches. They were the parents of Frank H. Sinful Pasts. Jeremy M. To See History Doxologically: History and Epp, first editor ofThe Canadian Mennonite. Bergen. T&T Clark Interna- Holiness in John Howard Yoder’s Ecclesi- tional, New York, N.Y., 2011, ology. J. Alexander Sider. Wm. B. Eerdmans Other Books 338 pages. Publishing, 2011, 237 pages. Bergen explores public This adaptation of the author’s doctoral The ‘Ideal’ Couple: The Shadow Side of a apologies made by dissertation examines some of the ideas of Marriage. Marilyn J. Minter Wolgemuth and churches in various countries, asking many John Howard Yoder. Sider is assistant profes- J. Carl Wolgemuth. Dreamseeker Books (Cas- questions about how and why churches sor of religion at Bluffton University. cadia Publishing House), 2011, 128 pages. repent. Bergen teaches religious studies at Although the Wolgemuths’ lengthy Conrad Grebel University College. Third Way Allegiance: Christian Witness marriage may have appeared ideal, Carl’s at- in the Shadow of Religious Empire. Tripp traction to men made it difficult and painful. God’s Healing Strategy: An Introduction to York. Cascadia Publishing House, 2011, 123 The authors candidly describe the pain and the Bible’s Main Themes, Revised Edition. pages. sorrow they dealt with as they struggled to Ted Grimsrud. Cascadia Publishing House, York asks some hard questions about the remain faithful to God’s call. 2011, 190 pages. practice, politics and worship expressions of Grimsrud, a professor of theology at Christianity in North America. The 18 short A Large Harmonium. Sue Sorensen. Coteau Eastern Mennonite University, has revised his chapters include discussion questions that Books, Regina, Sask., 2011, 220 pages. overview of the Bible story. He shows how could be used for an adult education elective This novel, written by a professor of English the Old and New Testaments relate to each or small group study. at Canadian Mennonite University, is set in other, and how God’s purpose is about love Winnipeg, Man. It explores the struggles of and healing. History modern-day family life from the perspective of a mother who teaches at a university. Overcoming Violence in Asia: The Role of History and Mission the Church in Seeking Cultures of Peace. in Europe: Continuing A Life Fully Lived: Lov- Donald Eugene Miller, Gerard Guiton and the Conversation. Mary ing Hildegard. Helmut Paulus S. Widjaja. Cascadia Publishing House, Raber and Peter F. Penner, Lemke. Privately pub- 2011, 293 pages. eds. Neufeld Verlag and lished, 2010, 428 pages. The essays from this collection are from Institute of Mennonite Hildegard and her a conference of Quakers, Mennonites and Studies, 2011, 420 pages, husband emigrated to Church of the Brethren that met in Solo, distributed by Herald Canada in 1955, settling Indonesia, in 2007, and represent some voices Press. in B.C. Her biography is of peace theology from Asia. The confer- The writers who contributed essays to this the story of a professional ence was part of the Decade to Overcome collection are friends and colleagues of Wal- Mennonite woman who raises her family and Violence. ter Sawatsky. The subject matter is primarily explores her self-image in the second half of Mennonites of the 20th century. A few arti- the 20th century. Setting the Agenda: Meditations for the cles are written in German and Russian, and Organization’s Soul. Edgar Stoesz and Rick many deal with the former Soviet Union. Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 29

Focus on Books & Resources Meditations by Peter B. and his daughter This Crowded Night and Other Stories. L. Marie. L. Marie Enns, ed. Guardian Books, Elrena Evans. Dreamseeker Books (Cascadia Belleville, Ont., 2010, 550 pages. Publishing House), 2011, 222 pages. We have a great Many of these meditations were written The short stories in this collection are set by Peter B. Friesen and published in a weekly in Bible times and are told from the perspec- selection of books column in Meadow Lake, Sask. These short tive of women. Familiar stories from the New devotionals reflect on special days and sea- Testament have been given a creative twist. → Worship Resources sons, and various aspects of Christian life. → Iona/Wild Goose Publ. Resources Choice Children’s books Mennonite Girl. Mary Ediger. Bryler Publica- → tions Inc., Chester, N.S., 2011, 262 pages. After We’re Gone: A → Pastoral counselling Using creative non-fiction, the story of Christian Perspective on Theology the early years of Welcome Inn in Hamilton, Estate and Life Planning → Ont., is told from the perspective of a child. for Families that Include a We special order & mail out. Ediger’s family moved from rural Oklahoma Dependent Member with A selection available online through: to Hamilton in 1966 to establish a Mennon- a Disability. Duane Ruth- mennonitechurch.ca/resourcecentre/ ite mission in the city. Heffelbower. Mennonite Browse/1488 Publishing Network, 2011, Mennonite Girls Can Cook. Lovella Schel- 80 pages. lenberg, Anneliese Friesen, Judy Wiebe, Betty Reimer, Bev Klassen, Charlotte Penner, Ellen Supportive Care in the Congregation: Bookstore Bayles, Julie Klassen, Kathy McLellan, Marg Providing a Congregational Network of 600 Shaftesbury Blvd. | Winnipeg, MB Bartel. Herald Press, 2011, 208 pages. Care for Persons with Significant Disabili- email [email protected] The recipes in this hardcover collection ties. Dean Preheim-Bartel, Aldred Neufeldt, phone 204.487.3300 come with many colour illustrations and some Paul Leichty and Christine Guth. Mennonite toll-free 877.231.4570 have step-by-step photos to enhance the Publishing Network, 2011, 120 pages. instructions. Many of the recipes reflect the contributors’ Russian Mennonite heritage. Wonderfully Made: Women, Faith and Self-Care. Terri J. Plank Brenneman. Faith & A Table of Sharing: Mennonite Central Life Resources, 2011, 71 pages. Committee and the Expanding Networks The 13 short chapters of this booklet are of Mennonite Identity. Alain Epp Weaver, designed to be used by women’s groups or ed. Cascadia Publishing House and Herald individuals as meditations or Bible studies. Press, 2011, 435 pages. Women are encouraged to reflect on how to One stop shopping for The variety of essays in this collection care for themselves so that they can also care One stop shopping for Mennonite authors explore many aspects of Mennonite Central for others. Mennonite authors Committee, including its history, its relation- StuartPeter J.Murray Rahn ship with Mennonite World Conference Youth Ministry at a TheAmong Naked the Anabaptist Ashes and its broad grassroots support, as well as Crossroads: Tending to HeraldPandora Press Press questions raised through the New Wineskins the Faith Formation of John D. Rempel consultation. Several writers are Canadian. Mennonite Youth. Andy Maureen Epp, Carol ann JörgWeaver, Maler’s Kunstbuch et al. Brubacher Kaethler and Pandora Press Teatime in Mogadishu: Bob Yoder, eds. Herald Sound in the Lands Pandora Press Press and the Institute of J. Nelson Kraybill My Journey as a Peace Apocalypse and Allegiance Ambassador in the Mennonite Studies, 2011, JeremyBrazos M. Press Bergen World of Islam. Ahmed 155 pages. Ecclesial Repentance Ali Haili, as told to David The essays in this collection provide insight A. JamesContinuum Reimer, et al. W. Shenk. Herald Press, into the challenges of ministering to today’s On Spirituality Pandora Press 2011, 140 pages. youth. They probe deep questions about Doris Janzen Longacre Born and raised as a how to help youth develop a personal, sin- GeraldLiving More W. Schlabach With Less Muslim in Somalia, Haili cere and meaningful faith. Unlearning30th Anniversary Protestantism Edition became a Christian and studied at Mennon- BrazosHerald Press ite schools in the U.S. He returned to Somalia —Compiled by Barb Draper, www.pandorapress.com in the 1980s and spent many years there and Books & Resources Editor in Kenya working at peacemaking. 1-866-696-1678 30 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

Book Review story or meta-narrative has decreased precipitously, and the influence of the church in society has shrunk. Join God in During most of the Christendom per- iod, mission was seen as unnecessary—as all within the empire were Christians—so the church focused on worship and God’s mission pastoral care. What missions there were Worship & Mission After Christendom. focused not on the West, but on the non- By Allan and Eleanor Kreider. Herald Press, 2011. Christian countries in the global South Reviewed by Dave Rogalsky and East. But now, with much of western society n Worship & Mission Theodosius I’s edict making no longer Christian, the church’s task has After Christendom, Allan Christianity the only legal returned to a needed balance between Iand Eleanor Kreider religion in the fourth century, mission and worship, according to the paint the picture of what and it became a seamless Kreiders. After Christendom, the church society is becoming now that socio-religious monolith needs to worship together, remembering Christendom is collapsing. when the sixth-century the “big story” of God at work in the Bible Stuart Murray, in the Emperor Justinian I’s edict and Christian history, and telling the many forward to a series on post- made baptism mandatory in little stories of God at work in the daily Christendom (of which the the Roman empire. and weekly lives of Christians. Christians Kreiders’ book is a part), This monolith exerted al- need to gather to encourage each other states, “Christendom was a most complete control in the with the hope that God is at work and historical era, a geographical West until the 20th century, has a goal for the created order, including region, a political arrangement, a sacral when the continuance of wars among humanity: the reconciliation of all things. culture and an ideology.” so-called Christian nations raised doubts Remembering this, and knowing that Most historians and sociologists agree in the minds of many about the value of God has always been self-limiting, work- that Christendom began with the Roman such a political-religious partnership. As ing through and with human beings, Emperor Constantine I’s decision to the Kreiders ably point out, since then Christians join God in the mission God is legalize Christianity in 312. It was set on church attendance and membership have carrying out. This mission is the content a trajectory of dominance by Emperor plummeted, knowledge of the Christian of their worship. This worship, whose purpose is not evangelism, reconnects Christians to this mission on both grand and intimate scales. ΛΛBriefly noted With the mindset of being part of God’s Porcupine’s missing quills teach life lesson mission, Christians incarnate God’s hope in their many cultures, all the while living A picture book about a porcupine who learns how to as God’s agents of reconciliation, and as deal with losing her precious quills is the latest release pilgrims hoping for God’s kingdom. from Herald Press. The 40-page book by author and Filled with practical ideas for preach- illustrator Aaron Ratzlaff of central Kansas is titled sim- ing, testimony, liturgy, rituals and ply Quills. Porcupine is sad and embarrassed when her engagement with their communities quills start to fall out. She believes no one can love a por- and culture, Worship & Mission After cupine without quills. Then her friend Giraffe stops by Christendom offers Christians a tool kit with a special gift and a message of acceptance. The book to pull out to use in their corner of post- was inspired by Ratzlaff’s wife Audrey, who suffers from Christendom to worship the God who alopecia areata, an auto-immune disorder that causes desires the reconciliation of all things hair loss. “Many circumstances leave us feeling alone, embarrassed and unlovable,” and invite others into spaces to worship says Ratzlaff. “Thankfully, God gives us friends and family who love us uncondition- in outsider-friendly ways. In this way, ally, whether we are bald, hairy or in between.” Ratzlaff’s first illustrating job was for non-Christians can find themselves in a With, the former Mennonite youth magazine. After graduating from Bethany College, safe place where they can ask Christians Lindsborg, Kan., Ratzlaff worked at a public library, where, surrounded by children’s about God and God’s story. l literature, he began to apply his talent to picture books. T —Herald Press Dave Rogalsky is the Eastern Canada cor- respondent for Canadian Mennonite. Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 31

Focus on Books & Resources Book Review Nothing good comes of violence Captivity: 118 Days in Iraq and the Struggle for a World Without War. By James Loney. Knopf Canada. Reviewed by Will Braun down at his kidnapper’s neck. “It would be so easy,” he writes. “I chase these fter a meeting at the Umm al-Qura birthday Jesus.” thoughts away . . . breathe deeply and mosque, which is ringed by four But captivity was no interfaith tea surround Junior with God’s light.” Aminarets shaped like Scud mis- party. “Each minute was a lash,” Loney Loney writes not only about his con- siles, James Loney and his three Christian writes of the grim ordeal. He recounts suming rage towards the kidnappers, but Peacemaker Teams (CPT) colleagues were hearing sounds of torture from else- also his regular irritation with his follow driving along a lonely Baghdad road back where in the house where they were held. captives, who were handcuffed together to their apartment when a white sedan And during one videotaping session, a nearly 24 hours a day. stopped their van. Four kidnappers with four-year-old boy—the son of a captor— The ultimate paradox is that three of AK-47 rifles rushed out. picks up a loaded, unattended pistol and, the pacifist hostages were freed by British In the next months, execution dead- with a cold smile, pretends to shoot the commandos. American Tom Fox, who lines and occasional video clips of the hostages. When the captors notice, they had been separated from the others ear- hostages, which aired on the Al Jazeera laugh and fawn over the boy. lier, was murdered before the rescue. network and around the globe, were the “Junior” regularly asks Loney for back Not only was Loney “freed by the very only glimpses the world got behind the massages. This brings out the best and institution he condemned,” but those grainy veil to see where the captives lived. worst in Loney, who recounts looking first sweet moments of freedom were Loney’s book Captivity lifts that veil. In the fall of 2005, Loney left his Toronto, Ont., home for Iraq, risking his life again—he had previously served with CPT in Iraq and elsewhere—and ultim- Music from Third Way Media ately enduring 118 days of hunger, terror and tedium in a quest to be a Christian The Mennonite Hour Collection presence in violence-torn Iraq. Classic Hymns Speak to Your Soul But Captivity is not about heroic cour- age or the triumph of good over evil. It is For Christmas, why not select a few CDs for your a journey into the “belly of paradox,” to family and friends? Choose from 16 albums of use a Daniel Berrigan phrase that starts classic a cappella music from the former the book. Loney’s story is one of paradox Mennonite Hour program, digitally remastered upon contradiction upon irony, one in from archival recordings. which good and evil perform a disturb- ing, often surprising, dance. For more information on each CD, including a list www.store.ThirdWayMedia.org. On Day 1, one of the captors shows of songs, go to the hostages a picture of his four small $14.89 Quantity discounts available. children shot by American soldiers at a checkpoint. “I see their face every night,” 800-631-6535 Loney says with anguish. “I can’t sleep.” Waterloo, ON office The captives learn the children’s names Third Way is the media producer of MennoMedia. and express sympathy. The enemy, it turns out, is also a victim. The enemy is even an interfaith envoy. At Christmas, the mujahedeen (Muslim freedom fighters engaged in jihad) cap- tor brings the CPTers “cake for happy 32 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

Focus on Books & Resources

tainted by the sight of one of his ex- captors cuffed and blindfolded, as he had been. Rather than true liberation, all that occurred was a reversal of roles. That’s Loney’s point: Nothing good comes of violence. War is a shell game of shift- ing hatreds, enmities and justifications. Liberation requires not the courage to fight evil, but to enter the belly of para- dox, where humility and shared human- ity can bring reconciliation. l

A version of this review first appeared in the United Church Observer.

ΛΛBriefly noted More-With-Less Cookbook updated Thousands of Mennonites have Revised DVD of grown up with the And When They Shall Ask tasty recipes and progressive ideas Now with of the More-With- 45 minutes of 'bonus features' ! Less Cookbook. and Canzona CD's Thousands more Hallelujah! schöner Morgen beyond Mennonite Lasst die Herzen immer fröhlich circles bought the Stille Nacht New Release book as well, lead - available at: ing to the startling phenomenon of available at: those who became Mennonite because Mennonite Media Society Canzona of a cookbook. First published by Herald David Dueck Henry Engbrecht Press in 1976, More-With-Less, is now Executive Director Artistic Director second on the list of all-time best-sellers 152 Hawthorne Ave 44 Southmoor Road for Herald Press, with some 740,000 cop- Winnipeg MB R2G 0G9 Winnipeg MB R2J 2P4 ies sold. This summer, Herald Press re- Telephone 1-877-339-4110 Telephone 204-261-9595 leased its third edition of the book. The www.mennonitemediasociety.com www.canzonachoir.com introductory chapters by the late author, email: [email protected] email: [email protected] Doris Janzen Longacre, have been edited and at the following BOOKSTORES: and revised for today’s cooks. Statistics and nutritional information have been updated to reflect current American and Canadian eating habits, health issues and diet guidelines. But the message of the book has changed little from the one that Longacre promoted 35 years ago. In many ways, she was ahead of her time in advocating for people to eat more whole grains, vegetables and fruit, with less meat, saturated fat and sugars. —Herald Press Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 33

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young voices Students advocate for the sexually marginalized Story by Rachel Bergen young National Correspondent Photovoices courtesy of Ben Borne ife is difficult, especially for those who alliance will discuss homophobia, sexuality Ldon’t fit in with the norm or who are in the church and what people have no- considered minorities. ticed about sexuality in school, Enns says. The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) queer (LGBTQ) community is struggling students Ben Borne, Krista Loewen and with being misunderstood, often times by Craig Friesen established a sexuality dia- Christians. Therefore, some students from logue group last year to fulfill the need for the Mennonite community have taken it on-campus support and discussion. CMU upon themselves to provide support and Safe Space is a place for gay and straight care for LGBTQ individuals through gay- CMU students to learn, dialogue and edu- straight alliances or discussion groups. cate others. Friesen and Borne also work These groups don’t necessarily reflect the with a group of LGBTQ students who current theology or beliefs of the institu- need private, anonymous support as they tions, although they do reflect a need for struggle with questions of sexuality. understanding and support. “It’s important for young adults to talk For Rebekah Enns, a Grade 11 stu- about sexuality, to ask questions and to Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) students Ben Craig Friesen, Krista Loewen and Ben Borne, Krista Loewen and Craig Friesen established Borne began CMU Safe Space as a place a sexuality dialogue group last year to fulfill the for gay and straight CMU students to learn, dialogue and educate others. need for on-campus support and discussion.

dent at Westgate Mennonite Collegiate, explore the possible answers together,” Winnipeg, Man., who recently came out Borne says. “This will help them prepare as a lesbian, being a member of Winnipeg’s themselves for the long road ahead.” Bethel Mennonite Church and a member In this way, he says that young adults will of the LGBTQ community allows her to be better informed about issues of sexual- understand both sides of the situation. She ity, they will get to know themselves better, recently established an alliance that was to and they will hopefully see facets of God begin taking place near the end of October. that have not yet been discovered. The reason, she says, is to help people real- Because both Borne and Enns attend ize that LGBTQ issues aren’t “out there and faith-based educational institutes, they be- scary, but real.” lieve that it is important to address issues Enns’s student-run alliance has approxi- of sexuality and faith. mately 10 people planning on attending “Especially because [my school] is in the the once-a-month meetings that will take faith community, I find it very important place over lunch hour. It will be very open, to have people accept one another,” Enns with people able to come and go as they says. please to contribute to the discussion. The Borne has noticed an increase in interest Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 35

and support for CMU Safe Space on cam- community website, they “celebrate the pus. “We have a 40-person e-mail mailing many ways in which Goshen College is be- list, and it’s still growing,” he says. coming a place where students can be open So far, neither Enns’s alliance nor CMU about their sexual identity and affirmed for Safe Space have experienced very much who they are.” However, they lament that opposition. this is not extended to college faculty. “I haven’t really had any [negative feed- This is why some Goshen College alumni back] yet,” Borne says. “Only one person and students established Open Letter this in the past shared that they were uncom- spring. Open Letter is an online petition fortable with CMU Safe Space being an- that asks Goshen to consider hiring openly nounced over CMU e-mail.” LGBTQ faculty who are in committed re- For Enns, fellow students that she has lationships, and to allow them to be open spoken to have been supportive, although about their sexual identity, thereby becom- she hasn’t widely discussed the alliance she ing role models for LGBTQ students. Open is organizing. “I’m expecting that there will Letter currently has 273 student signatures be negative feedback,” she says, “but I’ve and 99 alumni signatures. It also has fac- got high hopes for the group.” Enns’s real ulty and staff support. hope is that her school will not seem like a “We wish for Goshen College to become scary place for those who are “in the closet” a place that actively seeks the contributions sexually but who want to come out. of openly gay [LGBTQ] faculty, accepting Across the border, gay-straight alli- them as valued and integral parts of this ances and discussion groups are active in diverse community of passionate learners,” Mennonite schools as well. the letter says. l According to a Goshen (Ind.) College Young Mennonites ride for refuge Across the country youths and young adults cycle to raise money for MCC programming

Story and Photos by Emily Loewen Young Voices Editor Markham, Ont.

he grey sky has the look of impending 70 percent will go to Mennonite Central Train, and 50-kilometre-per-hour winds Committee (MCC) Ontario programs. whip around the Markham (Ont.) Mission Organized by International Teams Church parking lot. Instead of sleeping at Canada and Blue Sea Philanthropy, the 9 a.m. on a Saturday morning—or at least Ride for Refuge includes events across playing video games in pyjamas—seven Canada and the U.S. The ride raises funds youths mount their bicycles on Oct. 15 and to support refugees, people who are prepare to cycle 25 km in support of refu- homeless or victims of human trafficking, gees and others seeking shelter. among others, and allows partner agen- As part of Toronto United Mennonite cies like MCC to raise funds for their own Emily Dueck, left, visits with Sylvie Church’s team in the Ride for Refuge, programs. In Ontario, the money will and Madeleine Wichert before the ride Magdalene Klassen, Alexandra Neufeldt, support MCC progams for Low German begins. Jerrom Ogen Rwot, Derek Schmucker, Isaac newcomers, restorative justice and refugee Thiessen, Madeleine Wichert and Sylvie sponsorship, among others, MCC Ontario Wichert contributed to the team’s fund- program director Wendy Adema wrote in raising—more than $3,800 in total. Of that, an e-mail. 36 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

For 27-year-old Emily Dueck, raising Klassen. Wichert had straightforward money for MCC motivated her to join her reasons for riding: “Because I like biking, church’s team. Dueck works with Lazarus because it was a youth event and because Rising, an MCC Ontario program that re- it’s a good cause.” sponds to homelessness and marginaliza- The youths and young adults from the tion in Toronto, and she wanted to help Toronto church were only a handful of the raise money for that work. Dueck feels that young people participating in rides across ‘I thought, well refugees don’t get to choose when they’re coming, so why should I get to choose the conditions I’m biking in.’ (Tracy Andrews) Isaac Thiessen and Alexandra Neufeldt wait in the parking lot for the ride to getting young people involved in activities the country, however. Michael Wiens, 23, start. like the Ride for Refuge is important. “We rode in the Leamington, Ont., event on need young people to care about the world Sept. 24. Despite a broken chain, which and larger issues,” she said. left him riding the whole 29 km in one Encouraging youths to care about broad- gear, Wiens found it relaxing. “Just being er issues is one reason Jonathan Slater, pas- in the midst of God’s creation was a big tor of youth ministries at Toronto United highlight,” he said. Mennonite, helped them to get their bikes For Kaytee Edwards, who organized a to Markham. Events like this demonstrate team in the Saskatoon, Sask., ride, events that “participating in fundraising is part of like this help young people learn more what people who are in the church, and who about MCC. Although her team only had are followers of Christ, do,” Slater said. one youth attend, Edwards, 26, noticed In Ontario, MCC far surpassed its goal that there were lots of other young people of raising $25,000, bringing in more than at the event, and she hopes to draw out $41,000 through the Ride for Refuge. more next year. Slater also wanted the youths to take part Riding in cold, windy weather also serves in an event that helped build relationships as a reminder of the struggles refugees and with adults in the church and, of course, homeless people face. That thought helped have fun, although he mused that “the motivate Tracy Andrews, 26, of Listowel youth would have preferred an afternoon Mennonite Church, Ont. “I know this . . . start time.” sounds cheesy,” said Andrews, who rode Even with the chilly weather and the in the Waterloo ride, “but lots of times I early morning schedule, fun was a big thought, well refugees don’t get to choose draw, according to 17-year-old Madeleine when they’re coming, so why should I get to Wichert and 16-year-old Magdalene choose the conditions I’m biking in.” l

The Ride for Refuge team from Toronto United Mennonite Church meets in Markham, Ont., before the ride . Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 37

Viewpoint A basis of hope By Maria Krause Mennonite Central Committee Ottawa

ttending lectures—like the one the International Court of Justice. In delivered by Douglas Roche 1996, Judge Christopher Weeramantry, Aon “A future without nuclear who was at that time vice-president of weapons” at the University of Ottawa— the court, stated: “The use or threat of helps make interns like myself at the use of nuclear weapons is illegal in any Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) circumstances whatsoever.” Ottawa Office more effective advocates The court has declared it an obliga- for peace and justice within the political tion of all states to conclude negotia- realm and with the general public. tions on nuclear weapons and a global Roche, a former member of parliament non-proliferation treaty, a call that was and senator, has spent a large part of his recently echoed by Ban Ki-Moon, the UN public career working on issues of peace secretary general. and human security, acting both as the The treaty states that signatories must Canadian ambassador for disarmament do everything in their power to prevent and the chair of the UN’s Disarmament the spread and use of nuclear weapons. Committee in 1988. But further treaty negotiations have He began his lecture by describing been successfully blocked by the U.S. some of the effects of nuclear weapons, and Russia, both of which hold perma- citing the horrific destruction of nent seats on the Security Council. The Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, at the reasons being given by these states are end of World War II. He described how that nuclear weapons offer an “extended radiation produced by the maintenance deterrence” to future wars, and that and use of these weapons hurts future the world is not ready for negotiations generations and contributes to climate around nuclear disarmament. change, which, in turn, causes and inten- However, two-thirds of all states are sifies conflict over scarce resources. calling for such negotiations. Canada In addition to these environmental and joined this majority last year. Its reso- human costs, Roche noted the exorbitant lution came in the wake of a letter monetary costs of nuclear weapons. He Parliament received from 536 officers of said that the world spends more than $1 the Order of Canada, including Roche, trillion every decade on nuclear weapons calling for the government to take a lead creation, maintenance and security. He role in these negotiations. compared this with the relatively meagre So, while the U.S. and Russia continue $15 billion spent by the UN on all of its to drag their heels on treaty negotiations, humanitarian operations. Roche remains cautiously optimistic. This large discrepancy raises questions He points to the increasing number of over what the global human security states each year that are voting in favour agenda is and where its priorities lie. of nuclear negotiations, and to a new It suggests that, while advocates claim generation of youths that is rejecting the nuclear weapons are essential for human arguments made in favour of nuclear stability and security, the motivations weapons. “The tide is turning,” says are, instead, based on profit, according to Roche. “There is a new social movement” Roche. that is calling for nuclear disarmament, In his case against nuclear weapons, and this new movement forms a “basis of Roche also mentioned their illegality. He hope” for the future. l pointed out that they have been declared illegal by the highest court in the world, 38 Canadian Mennonite October 31, 2011

concert, at 7:30 p.m. Westgate Mennonite Collegiate, Nov. 18: Spirituality and aging lecture ΛΛCalendar Dec. 18: RJC choir Christmas concert, Winnipeg. at Conrad Grebel University College, British Columbia at RJC, at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 5: Westgate Mennonite Collegiate Waterloo. Speaker: Dr. Steven Sandage. Christmas concert, at Westminster Topic: “The role of forgiveness in Dec. 3,4: Advent vespers with Manitoba United Church, Winnipeg, at 7 p.m. psychological and spiritual well-being Adendmusik Choir; (3) Emmanuel Dec. 10,11: Faith and Life Choirs in late life.” For more information, or to Nov. 17: Westgate Mennonite Free Reformed Church, Abbotsford; (4) present their Christmas concerts; (10) register, e-mail [email protected]. Collegiate Evening of the Arts, at Knox United Church, Vancouver. Both at SpringfieldH eights Mennonite Nov. 19: Christmas bazaar and bake Westgate, Winnipeg, at 7 p.m. events at 8 p.m. Offering for Menno Church, Winnipeg, at 7 p.m.; (11) at sale at Nithview Community, New Nov. 26-27: Christmas at CMU, Simons Centre. Grace Mennonite Church, Steinbach, Hamburg, from 2 to 4 p.m. Sponsored featuring choirs, instrumental at 3 p.m. by the Nithview Auxiliary. ensembles and storytellers. Saskatchewan Nov. 19, 20: The SoliD eo Singers, Nov. 27: Winnipeg First Mennonite Ontario under the direction of Paul Dueck Nov. 19: RJC corporation meeting, and Church Choir presents Beethoven’s and Nancy Dyck, celebrates its 10th fundraising and appreciation banquet. Mass in C Major, at the church, at 7 Nov. 6: Opening of a show of paintings anniversary with a fall concert, “Joy for Nov. 20,21: RJC Christmas musical p.m. and drawings by Annemarie Rogalsky the Journey.” (19) Faith Mennonite review and theatre presentation. Nov. 28: Westgate Mennonite of Wilmot Mennonite Church, New Church, Leamington, at 8 p.m.; (20) Dec. 11: RJC choir concert at Knox Collegiate annual general meeting, at Hamburg, at the Kuntz Gallery in UMEI, Leamington, at 3 p.m. For more United Church, Saskatoon, at 7:30 p.m. Westgate, Winnipeg, at 7 p.m. the Erb and Good Funeral Home, information, call 519-326-7448. Dec. 17: Buncha’ Guys Christmas Dec. 1-3: Senior high drama at Waterloo; from 4 to 6 p.m. The show Nov. 19: Handicraft sale at Fairview will continue until Jan. 6. Centre, Cambridge, from 9 a.m. to 2 Nov. 6: MC Eastern Canada and p.m. Featuring Santa’s Sweet Shop, fresh Term Deposit Special Rockway Mennonite Collegiate present baking, tea room, jams and jellies, and a Make a DifferenceD ay (formerly * used book sale. For more information, Junior Youth Breakaway), at Rockway, .60% call 519-653-5719. 60 month term Kitchener, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Nov. 21: MennoHomes’ 10th *Rate subject to change Nov. 12: MCC Ontario annual 2Available until November 30th anniversary celebration and annual conference, at Knox Presbyterian general meeting, at Elmira Mennonite Church, Toronto, Ont. Church, at 7:30 p.m. Celebrate 10 years, Nov. 13: Menno Singers is leading 100 units and $10 million of affordable a hymn sing at Elmira Mennonite housing. Church, at 7 p.m. Song leader: Mark Diller-Harder. To ensure timely publication of Nov. 15-19: Ten Thousand Villages sale upcoming events, please send at the Old Town Hall, Aylmer; (15,16) Calendar announcements eight 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; (17-18) 11 a.m. to 7 weeks in advance of the event p.m.; (19) 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more date by e-mail to calendar@ information, call 519-765-3020. canadianmennonite.org. ΛΛClassifieds Travel Visit Europe the Mennonite Way! Mennonite Heritage Tours 2012: 10-18 day Hotel Tours fo- cussing on Mennonite heritage in Holland, Germany, Poland, Pick Belgium and Switzerland. www. investments mennoniteheritagetours.eu that bear fruit Employment Opportunities local | secure | trusted CURRICULUM WRITERS The Gather ’Round curriculum, produced by MennoMedia and Brethren Press, is ac- cepting applications to write for Preschool, Primary, Middler, Multi-age, Junior Youth or Youth age groups for 2013-14. Writers produce well-written, age-appropriate www.mscu.com and engaging material for teacher’s guides, student books 1.888.672.6728 and resource packs. All writers will attend an orientation March 19-23, 2012, in Chicago, Ill. See Job Opportunities at A Mennonite financial cooperative serving communities of faith across Ontario www.gatherround.org. Application deadline: Jan. 9, 2012. Canadian Mennonite Vol. 15 No. 21 39

VIETNAMESE CHURCH PLANTER A group of Vietnamese Mennonites in Saskatoon is seeking a Vietnamese pastor to plant a church in this city. Qualified appli- cants will demonstrate a passion for Jesus Christ and a desire CAREER OPPORTUNITY to reach out to the Vietnamese community with the Gospel. Fluency in both written and spoken Vietnamese and English Conflict Resolution is required. This is a full-time position starting in January 2012. at Menno Simons College More information and a detailed job description can be ob- Full Time | Tenure-Track tained from: Pleasant Hill Mennonite Church, 111 Witney Ave. Social Sciences North Saskatoon, SK S7L 3M1 or 306-382-6585. Direct resumes at Canadian Mennonite University and inquiries to Pastor Chau Dang at [email protected]. Full Time | Tenure-Track

Review of applications will begin December 15, 2011 ASSOCIATE PASTOR and will continue until the position is filled. Rank will PEACE MENNONITE CHURCH commensurate with qualifications and experience. RICHMOND, BC www.cmu.ca/employment.html Peace Mennonite Church invites applications for the full-time 204.487.3300 position of Associate Pastor. [email protected] This position places major focus on youth ministry and family ministries, along with a minor focus on general congregational ministry. ACCOUNTANT Applicants should have a relevant degree in Christian ministry, Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) an understanding of contemporary Anabaptist theology, and is a church-based relief, development an interest and ability to relate to young people. and peace organization with inter- Please send resumes either by mail to: The Search Committee, national and local programs that seeks to demonstrate God’s Peace Mennonite Church, 11571 Daniels Rd., Richmond, BC love by serving among people suffering from poverty, conflict V6X 1M7, or by e-mail to [email protected]. and natural disasters. MCC B.C. has approximately 100 work- ers, over 2,000 volunteers and an operating budget of approxi- mately $10 million. The Finance and Business Manager for MCC B.C. reports to the Executive Director and is responsible for PASTORAL OPPORTUNITIES planning, organizing, reporting and directing all accounting OPORTUNIDADES PASTORALES functions, including the supervision of accounting staff and ensuring compliance with MCC policies, government regula- First Mennonite Church / Primera Iglesia Menonita tions and generally accepted accounting principles. This po- Kitchener, Ont. sition is also responsible for administrative functions, including In 2013, our multicultural congregation will celebrate 200 the management of office equipment, information systems, years of witness in our community. We currently offer week- buildings, insurance and administrative staff. This is a full-time ly services in English on Sunday morning and in Spanish on position based in Abbotsford. Saturday evening. Following the past two years of spiritual MCC workers share a personal commitment to Christian faith, reflection and discussion, our 284 members are looking active church participation and nonviolent peacemaking. forward to the future with renewed focus and enthusiasm for Other qualifications for this position include: support for the God’s leading. We anticipate a three-person pastoral team mission of MCC, familiarity with MCC and our supporting (2.5 FTE), committed to an Anabaptist theology and practice, churches, certification in a professional accounting association will guide us in the coming years in the following roles: preferred, 5 years of related experience in a management role, • Lead pastor (1 FTE) knowledge and experience related to the not-for-profit chari- • Hispanic ministry pastor (.75 FTE, bilingual in Spanish & table sector, proficiency working with computer systems and English) accounting software, experience with policy development, • Worship planning and music pastor (.5 FTE for Sunday service) ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment, • Youth ministry (.25 FTE) and strong inter-personal and administrative skills. We invite applications for these roles and are open to various Please send a cover letter and resume to: combinations of gifts. To explore these opportunities further, Attention: Marie Reimer, HR Director (confidential) additional information and detailed job descriptions for each MCC BC, Box 2038, 31414 Marshall Rd., Abbotsford, BC V2T 3T8 position can be found at http://www.firstmennonitekitchener.ca. Or by fax: 1-604-850-8734 or by e-mail: [email protected] Inquiries and letters of intent may be sent to the Pastoral Search Interviews will continue until a qualified candidate is found. Committee at [email protected]. Check www.mcc.org/bc for more information on MCC and a Interested candidates will be processed through: detailed job posting on this and other positions. Mennonite Church Eastern Canada 4489 King St. E. Kitchener, ON N2P 2G2 Tel: 519.650.3806/800.206.9356 Upcoming Advertising Dates Fax: 519.650.3947 E-mail: [email protected] Issue Date Ads Due The Search Committee will begin reviewing applications in Nov. 28 nov. 15 January 2012. / El Comité de Búsqueda iniciará la revisión de las solicitudes a partir de enero del 2012. Focus on Mission & Service Harvest have what we have.” “We’re trying to do something to help those who don’t said Drenth, who chaired the organizing committee. of all the great things we’ve been given in the area,” travel as far as Japan for processing. “It’s a celebration bought the remainder of the some crop, of which will an additional $15,000. Local buyers and processors auctioned for $1,000 each and donated back, raising your field.” of theyouin crops sow fruits with the first Harvest 23:16: in Exodus rooted circled back to their motivation for ofit, which was continuallymade event sureorganizers The the five to watch; 11 minutes 43 seconds later, it was all over. up dust and excitement among the crowd gathered combinesHunger started rolling at exactly 1:30 p.m., stirring quarter-million dollars. One-hundred-and-twenty than realized their goal, as the finaltally totalled a Koetsier, Randy Drenth and John Tollenaar—more ers—Richard Van Donkersgoed, Peter Rastorfer, Mike The- fivefarm Foodgrains for the Bank. Canadian harvest 65 hectares of soybeans and to raise $200,000 day was to set a world record for the fastest time to take part in the Harvest for Hunger. The goal of the between Listowel and Monkton, Ont., on Oct. 5 to Thousands of people flocked to the Tollenaar farm

Many of the first bags of soybeans were P hoto by C ountry Aerial P “Celebrate the Festival of hotography