PM 40063104 R09613 June 13, 2005 Volume 9, Number 12 Can work be redeemed? page 6 Visit with the Hutterites page 25 DeskTop Listening tour reports • “How does this paper help us have identity? There is a he feedback I’ve heard from Mennonites as I’ve longing to know who we are and what we stand for. There is travelled across Canada during the past nine months a fear we are just a bunch of churches.” T on listening tours has been deeply appreciated. I’ve • “You have some wonderfully literate people in Mennonite previously reported on feedback from British Columbia, Church Canada Witness. Convince these people to be Alberta and Ontario. I’ll do the same now for a trip to correspondents. The issues they are facing are very impor- Manitoba at the end of last year. I’ll report on my February tant. It makes me feel connected in a very immediate way 2005 trip to Saskatchewan in our next issue. with mission.” In Manitoba, I met with the Winnipeg pastors cluster, • “It should be reflective of the denomination. The denomi- with MC Manitoba’s board, young adult council and staff. national paper needs to reflect the farmer in Saskatchewan. We also had public gatherings It is not an elitist platform for at Altona Mennonite Church, the fringe groups.” Emmanuel Mennonite Church • “We want this paper to thrive in Winkler and Niverville and do great things for the Mennonite Church (see kingdom.” photo). Here are comments • “I read the letters first to see representative of the overall what people are talking about.” feedback I heard: • “A paper has to speak to the • “How much do we expect Canadian Mennonite to reflect issues because they are there. But when you take the lid off the centre, the core? I value dialogue, but I want to know a boiling pot, make sure you turn down the fire.” where the core is.” • “I was removed from my home church [when I moved from • “I like how Canadian Mennonite expresses the edge of the home to university]. Canadian Mennonite was something church in discernment and dialogue. It’s a part of learning, that connected me to the church. I looked forward to it.” like a family. You don’t agree on everything, but you still talk.” I heard a desire for articles on worship styles, communion, • “I really enjoy biblical studies in Canadian Mennonite.” faith and doctrine, our relationship to government, the (Several people said they used it in Sunday School classes.) Confession of Faith, Mennonite identity, economic justice, • “Is Canadian Mennonite a reflection of diversity or a peace, personal faith stories, stewardship, learning what unifying thing? After a host of 109 opinions, where do we other churches are doing, more on popular culture (espe- come out? There are many roads to Rome, but some are cially music and movies), and more on family life and on better than others, and some don’t get there [at all].” developing healthy family relationships. • “Being Mennonite is not about the name. For young people Thank you to all those who came, who offered comments to stay, it won’t be because of their last name or because of and filled in feedback forms, and to those whose organizing borscht or buns, but because of our theology, how it connects made these gatherings possible. us together and makes us different.” —Tim Miller Dyck Mission statement: Published by Canadian National correspondent: Leona Dueck Penner, Mennonite Publishing Service, Canadian Mennonite Winnipeg. Phone: (204) 888-6781, x178 serves primarily the people and churches of E-mail: [email protected] Mennonite Church Canada and its five area Regional correspondents: conferences. Canadian Mennonite is a bi-weekly Anabaptist/ Mennonite Eastern Canada: Maurice Martin, Phone: (519) 662-1031 periodical which seeks to promote covenantal relationships within the E-mail: [email protected] church (Hebrews 10:23-25). It provides channels for sharing accurate Manitoba: Evelyn Rempel Petkau, Phone/Fax: (204) 745-2208 and fair information, faith profiles, inspirational/educational materials, E-mail: [email protected] news and analysis of issues facing the church. Saskatchewan: Karin Fehderau, Phone: (306) 933-4209 E-mail: [email protected] Head office: 490 Dutton Drive, Unit C5, Waterloo, ON N2L 6H7 Alberta: Donita Wiebe-Neufeld, Phone: (780) 436-3431 800-378-2524 Phone: (519) 884-3810 Toll-free: Fax: (519) 884-3331 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] Editor/Publisher: Tim Miller Dyck Board of directors: British Columbia: Henry Neufeld, John W. Goossen E-mail: [email protected] Alberta: Brenda Tiessen-Wiens, Jan Wilhelm. Saskatchewan: Bernie Staff: Ross W. Muir, managing editor; Lisa Jacky, admin. assistant; Thiessen. Manitoba: Aiden S. Enns, Bernie Wiebe, Paul Krahn. Tim R. Dyck, art director; Barb Draper, editorial assistant. Ontario: Mary Lymburner, Brice Balmer, Ester Neufeldt, Larry Cornies. Advertising: Barbara Burkholder Phone : 800-316-4052 Fax: (519) 884-3331 E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.canadianmennonite.org Postmaster: Send returns to head office. PAP Registration No. 09613. Agreement No. 40063104. We acknowledge the financial assistance of the Government of Canada, through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP), toward mailing costs. Contact head office for subscriptions and address changes. Order form on inside back cover. ISSN 1480-042X 2 Canadian Mennonite June 13, 2005 Volume 9, Number 12 ThisIssue June 13, 2005 4UpClose Volume 9, Number 12 Nighswander ministry 4 Sales skills 5 6 Faith&Life Redeeming work 6 8Arts&Culture Comic super heroes 8 Hymnody history 9 11 InConversation Parents benefit 11 Letters 11 Creative juice 12 Page 8 St. Belinda 13 Page 28 15 WiderChurch MC Canada survey 15 Rwandan stories 20-21 Aboriginal ministry 22 Web site preview 25 LocalChurch Get a preview of the next Page 27 Canadian Mennonite before Visit with the Hutterites 25 it comes in the mail. Windy City Spirit 27 Selections are posted on our Transitions 33 web site at www.canadianmennonite.org on the Thursday before the issue date. So you can check 34 TheChurches out the June 27 issue by Encouragement ministries 35 June 23. 36 ToMorrow Cover: Fresh flowers are still placed in front of skulls displayed at the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, one site of Khmer Rouge atrocities near Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Some 1.7 million Cambodians perished during the reign of the Khmer Rouge from 1975 to 1979. Youth for Peace, an MCC partner organization, now encourages Cambodian students to learn about their history and work for peace, to ensure these horrors are not repeated. MCC photo by Jenna Stoltzfus Canadian Mennonite June 13, 2005 Volume 9, Number 12 3 UpClose Winnipeg Nighswander ministry to continue in South Africa fter a lifelong ministry in Canada, Dan Nighswander, and A his wife Yvonne Snider- Nighswander, will continue their service to the church in South Africa. Nighswander, who recently an- nounced his resignation as general secretary of Mennonite Church Canada, has been appointed by the denomination’s Witness ministry to be an Anabaptist resource and liaison to the African Initiated Churches (AIC) in South Africa. He will also teach Bible, theology and church leadership in a variety of settings. Additionally, Snider-Nighswander expects to k become involved in AIC ministries relating to HIV/AIDS. “Our first choice when I resigned my position was to serve the church in another part of the world,” Photo by Dan Dyc Nighswander says. “I was hoping to Dan Nighswander and Yvonne Snider-Nighswander will begin a new phase of bring together my experiences as a ministry with African Initiated Churches in South Africa. Their term will begin pastor, administrator and teacher.” in August, 2006. Reflecting on his ministry with MC Canada and the coming shift in roles, church overseas, our exposure to the soaking up opportunities to meet Nighswander says, “It has been a global Anabaptist family and my seasoned international workers, privilege to be part of the decisions we experience in ecumenical relations reading up on South Africa, and [MC Canada] have made these recent have all made engagement with the learning about the story of Mennonite years, but I am satisfied to relinquish international church more attractive,” involvement in the AICs they will the responsibilities that go with the Nighswander says. work with. office. This new assignment gives me a Adds Snider-Nighswander, “Explor- Janet Plenert leads the Interna- chance to do some teaching and to be ing the possibility of contributing in tional Ministries program for MC closer to congregational life. I’m an area of fewer resources and work- Canada Witness. She is thrilled to see delighted to continue working with ing alongside people with a different the couple put their gifts and experi- MC Canada. I love this church. I perspective is an exciting and sobering ence to use in South Africa. “Yvonne’s believe in its vision, its values and its prospect.” gifts of hospitality and listening will people.” Their decision did not come without open doors and build relationships,” Nighswander has been a camp considerable reflection and discern- she says. “Dan’s extensive experience director, conference youth pastor, ment. Among things they will miss are in church administration, teaching, pastor, and New Testament lecturer. their children (they have two married ecumenical relationships and Prior to his appointment as general daughters), social circles in Winnipeg, pastoring offer a unique combination secretary, he also served as denomina- the familiarity of their current jobs of gifts crucial to church in South tional minister for Mennonite Church and routines (Snider-Nighswander is Africa.” Canada. currently employed by the Archives of Their term will begin in August The couple has been attracted to Manitoba), and the seasonal snowfalls.