A Tender Touch of Gospel Paradox Remembering the Life of Jean Vanier, Pg
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June 10, 2019 Volume 23 Number 12 A tender touch of gospel paradox Remembering the life of Jean Vanier, pg. 13 INSIDE The gifts of grey hair 4 Layers of faithfulness 11 Focus on Seniors 27-29 PM40063104 R09613 2 Canadian Mennonite June 10, 2019 editorial Between Pure and Mennonite Heritage Week Virginia A. Hostetler Executive Editor n the last week of In the House of Commons discussion, about how we paint people of other May, season 2 of several members gave history lessons on faith traditions. Do we offer them the Othe crime show, our faith ancestors and applauded the same grace as we wish was extended Pure, started airing on the motion. One MP highlighted Menno- to our community? Those of us who Super Channel. The show’s promotional nites as humble, inventive and ready object to the mangled portrayal of Old material shows women in conserva- to help our neighbours. According to Colony Mennonites in Pure should tive Mennonite dress wielding rifles her, we, as a people, make delicious refrain from viewing other people and filling packets with cocaine. Men rollkuchen, have a sense of humour groups in a monochrome light. in overalls, plaid shirts and straw hats and all of us love music. She says of Second, the stories of foibles and intimidate a victim. The show purports us, “They will set their mind to do misdeeds, whether exaggerated or to be “based on true events of the Men- something. Possibly it is a problem not, can serve as a warning that we, nonite mob.” that they themselves need solved. too, are subject to greed, dishonesty That same week, there was discussion They will find that solution.” and downright meanness. We need in the House of Commons about desig- Hurray for those who fit all those to acknowledge, maybe especially to nating the second week of September as designations! But I don’t make roll- outsiders, this side of our identity. Mennonite Heritage Week. Video clips kuchen or fix farm machinery. I do Forget about Mennonite Heritage showed Independent MP Jane Phil- love singing with groups of other Week. But let the high praises that pott speaking in support of M-111, a Mennonites, large and small. But come our way inspire Mennonites of proposal made last February by Con- I’m not known for my sense of all stripes to live up to higher stand- servative MP Ed Fast of Abbotsford, humour, and I’m not always as help- ards, and call us to practise our faith B.C. A self-designated Mennonite, Fast ful and generous as I should be. Why with integrity and transparency. put forth a private member’s motion for paint us all with the same brush? this special recognition of Mennonite There’s no denying that, historic- Digital edition contributions to Canadian society. In ally, our people have made positive This year during our summer slowdown, another clip, Sheri Benson, NDP MP for contributions to life in Canada. But Canadian Mennonite will produce three Saskatoon West, praised Mennonites ask our Indigenous neighbours about digital issues, starting with the July 8 for their work in her province through our legacy on the land their ancestors issue. We will print one issue in July and refugee sponsorship, restorative justice inhabited. Consider how our com- one in August (the 19th), but subscrib- efforts and feeding the hungry. munities today are not always stepping ers are eligible to receive a digital issue When people generalize about Men- up to care for the environment or for by email in two-week intervals. See nonites, we all become saints or we’re all the vulnerable people living near us. more details on page 30 or at drug traffickers. (Oops, a generalization Some of us criticized season 1 of canadianmennonite.org/ of my own!) But we’re a lot more com- Pure for the inaccuracies in its por- subscribe/digital. plicated than those stereotypes. While trayal of our Old Order cousins (“A there are saintly members of our faith, not-so-pure depiction of Mennon- Correction others of us have committed immoral ites,” Feb. 13, 2017). The feeling was When Joel Kroeker made 200 pizza and illegal acts. Most of us don’t fall on that the show disrespected an entire crusts, he was working for the Night either end of that spectrum. Yes, some Mennonite sub-group that would not Oven Bakery in Saskaton, not as Bæker of us wear beards or long dresses, but defend itself. And maybe some of us Kræker. This was unclear in “Sourdough many Mennonites are visually indis- feared that we would be connected spirituality,” May 13, page 22. Canadian tinguishable from their non-Menno with the exotic characters it portrayed. Mennonite regrets the ambiguity. l neighbours. Plus, we succumb to some One thing we can learn from trib- of the same regrettable behaviour. utes and TV shows is to be careful Award-winning member of the Printed in Canada Canadian Church Press ISSN 1480-042X Canadian Mennonite Vol. 23 No. 12 3 contents June 10, 2019 / Vol. 23, No. 12 ABOUT THE COVER: The gifts of Jean Vanier, seated right, and L’Arche members are pictured at the grey hair 4 50th anniversary celebration of L’Arche in 2014. Read Will Braun’s In our Focus on Seniors tribute to the life and ministry of the late Jean Vanier on page 13. feature, Claire Ewert Fisher PHOTO: L’ARCHE INTERNATIONAL reflects on the significance of the matriarch Sarah, Church growth stretches Ethiopian resources 14 who extends her family’s Challenges accompany the joys of growth as tens of thousands of lineage by giving birth to people new to the Meserete Kristos Church swell the African Isaac in her old age. denomination. Rooted in community 16 Nicolien Klassen-Wiebe reports on the celebratory launch of Jubilee Mennonite Church’s Community Roots Resource Centre in Winnipeg. Worshipping across cultures 23 Regular features: Rockway Mennonite Collegiate’s senior choir spends a Sunday service For discussion 6 Readers write 7 Milestones 8 with the Chin Christian Church in Kitchener, Ont. A moment from yesterday 9 ServiceLinks 26 Online NOW! 30 Calendar 31 Classifieds 31 Giving back 24 Former refugee Thang Dinh cites his gratitude to Mennonites in Church relations on so many different levels 9 Sasktoon 40 years ago as a motivator for his generosity today. Janette Thiessen No ‘happy clappy Christians’ for Blake 10 Ed Olfert Layers of faithfulness 11 Carmen Brubacher Canadian Mennonite Staff: Publisher, Tobi Thiessen, [email protected] Executive Editor, Virginia A. Hostetler, [email protected] Phone: 519-884-3810 Toll-free: 1-800-378-2524 Fax: 519-884-3331 Managing Editor, Ross W. Muir, [email protected] Website: canadianmennonite.org Online Media Manager, Aaron Epp, [email protected] Facebook.com/Canadian.Mennonite @CanMenno Contributing Editor, Rachel Bergen, [email protected] Please send all material to be considered for publication to: Editorial Assistant, Barb Draper, [email protected] General submission address: [email protected] Graphic Designer, Betty Avery, [email protected] Readers Write: [email protected] Circulation/Finance, Lisa Jacky, [email protected] Milestones announcements: [email protected] Advertising Manager, D. Michael Hostetler, [email protected], Calendar announcements: [email protected] toll-free voice mail: 1-800-378-2524 ext. 224 publications mail agreement no. 40063104 registration no. 09613 Senior Writer, Will Braun, [email protected] B.C. Correspondent, Amy Rinner Waddell, [email protected] return undeliverable items to: Canadian Mennonite, Alberta Correspondent, Vacant 490 Dutton Drive, Unit C5, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6H7 Saskatchewan Correspondent, Donna Schulz, [email protected] Manitoba Correspondent, Nicolien Klassen-Wiebe, [email protected] Mission statement: To educate, inspire, inform, and foster dialogue on issues Eastern Canada Correspondent, Janet Bauman, [email protected] facing Mennonites in Canada as it shares the good news of Jesus Christ from an Anabaptist perspective. We do this through an independent publication and One-Year Subscription Rates other media, working with our church partners. Canada: $46 + tax (depends on province where subscriber lives) U.S.: $68 International (outside U.S.): $91.10 Published by Canadian Mennonite Publishing Service. Regional churches and MC Canada appoint directors to the board and support 38 percent of Subscriptions/address changes: Canadian Mennonite’s budget. (e-mail) [email protected] Board Chair, Henry Krause, [email protected], 604-888-3192 (phone) 1-800-378-2524 ext. 221 4 Canadian Mennonite June 10, 2019 feature The gifts of grey hair By Claire Ewert Fisher PHOTO © ISTOCK.COM/NINAMALYNA “O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and grey hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to all the generations to come” (Psalm 71:17-18). Canadian Mennonite Vol. 23 No. 12 5 have grey hair; this is where life laughter expresses pure joy, is play- person working for a lottery company. has placed me. I am getting older. ful and filled with delight at the new Through the words of one character I am discovering that there is prospects. God was promising some- called Timber, an accomplished wood still much to learn as I age. There thing new. The future was open. God carver with a particularly bitter attitude are still interesting challenges had promised, and Sarah laughed. I towards life, Wagamese teaches us an Iahead. And I have many companions like to think that she was delighting in important lesson. Speaking of another —the baby boomers, those children the possibilities God had just opened character, Timber says, “I had failed him who were born after the Second up.