November 9, 2020 Volume 24 Number 23 New hymnal will be ‘part of the fabric of our lives’ pg. 4 INSIDE Feast of metaphors served at ‘Table talk’ conference 14 Friendships that go ‘a little deeper’ 17 Focus on Books & Resources 20-29 PM40063104 R09613 2 Canadian Mennonite November 9, 2020 editorial articles have addressed personal spiritu- ality, peace, justice, service, Mennonite Good conversations identity, pastoral ministry, the Bible and more. Virginia A. Hostetler This magazine takes inspiration from Executive Editor Hebrews 10 for building up the church: “Let us hold fast to the confession of our flurry of online of conversation. hope without wavering, for he who has comments on a As we at CM try to foster dialogue, we promised is faithful. And let us consider A recent sexual don’t always get things right. Sometimes how to provoke one another to love and misconduct story, an we miss bringing potential partners good deeds . encouraging one another email from a reader into the conversation, or we allow the . .” (Hebrews 10:23-25). Our guiding despairing of having meaningful discourse to get off track. For that, we values include seeking and speaking the dialogue through letters to the maga- apologize and we resolve to do better. truth in love; opening hearts and minds zine, and my congregation’s first online What does good conversation look to discern God’s will; and maintain- business meeting—these got me like? Think of a time you’ve spent chat- ing strong relationships and mutual pondering how we, in the church ting with friends, maybe sipping a hot accountability. community, struggle to have good drink together at a table, lounging in A recent guest in the podcast, “On conversations. lawn chairs around a campfire, or walk- Being,” was Arlie Russell Hochschild, Part of Canadian Mennonite’s mission ing together outdoors. You gave each author of the acclaimed book, Strangers statement reads: “foster dialogue on other the gift of your attention, sharing in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourn- issues facing Mennonites in Canada as in the give-and-take of facts, opinions ing on the American Right. As a sociol- it shares the good news of Jesus Christ and feelings. You asked thoughtful ogist of emotion, Hochschild seeks to from an Anabaptist perspective.” The questions; you listened. You each tried listen to and understand attitudes of CM team strives toward that goal in a not to make assumptions, but if you did people quite different from hers. She variety of ways through our print pages, misunderstand each other, you worked stresses the importance of “emotional website content and social media posts. to get the conversation back on track. intelligence,” the ability to look beyond Yet, there are times when it feels like An unspoken rule was that you would the issues being debated to the feelings a good conversation is hard to find. A not attack or shame each other. Some- and stories behind them. (To listen to reader misunderstands what the writer times you and your companions agreed the interview, visit onbeing.org/pro- intended. Someone reacts in anger to to disagree, with your relationship still grams/arlie-hochschild-the-deep-sto- the tone of a Facebook post. In web intact. ries-of-our-time/.) comments, people talk past each other Can these practices work in our Hochschild says that, when we get cu- and hurl unkind remarks at those they communication within the church, even rious about a person who thinks differ- disagree with. We’re tempted to focus with people we don’t know personally ently, and we make ourselves available on winning arguments or even on si- or who live at great geographical and for conversation, we can gain insight lencing each other. ideological distances? into their deeper story and into their Things are complicated when most of There’s plenty for us to talk about. present reality. Then together we can us can’t share the same space for face- CM’s articles and reflections offer look for common ground and possible to-face conversation. Living in a time glimpses of Mennonite disciples seeking ways to move forward. of pandemic upheaval, we may be extra to be faithful in their own neighbour- Maybe we in the church need to sensitive to criticism or, as a pastor hoods. In this issue alone you’ll find imagine ourselves as old friends sitting recently remarked, “It’s like we’ve all lost articles on the nature of the church, the around the campfire holding a cup of a layer of skin.” creativity of writers and song compilers, hot chocolate. We could call on the best Many of us are finding that the and about meaningful relationships. practices of in-person real-life friends computer screen doesn’t really cut it for There are stories of people facing engaging in life-giving dialogue. Can we in-depth sharing. And some of us don’t personal challenges and a report of have that kind of conversation? l even have the technology for that kind pain caused by misused power. Recent Printed in Canada Award-winning member ISSN 1480-042X Canadian Mennonite Vol. 24 No. 23 3 contents November 9, 2020 / Vol. 24, No. 23 ABOUT THE COVER: New hymnal will be Voices Together includes close to a thousand hymns and worship ‘part of the fabric of resources that were chosen from a body of work more than 10 our lives’ 4 times that number. Read about the efforts—and fun—of those Aaron Epp profiles who curated the new worship resource. members of the Menno- PHOTO COURTESY OF MENNOMEDIA nite Worship and Song Committee, whose task it Does the church have varicose veins? 15 was to bring the new Senior writer Will Braun reflects on his Saturday spent on Zoom at Voices Together hymnal MC Canada’s ‘Table talk’ conference and offers suggestions as to what project to fruition. might get him to take part in another one. Credentials terminated for theologian- academic-pastor 18 MC Eastern Canada terminates the credentials of John D. Rempel for ministerial sexual misconduct and ministerial conduct relating to Regular features: his time at Conrad Grebel University College as chaplain, residence For discussion 7 Readers write 8 Milestones 9 director and adjunct professor. A moment from yesterday 10 ServiceLinks 28 Online NOW! 29 Calendar 31 Classifieds 31 Social media is distracting and can be harmful 20 Barb Draper, CM’s Books & Resources editor, reviews Reconnect: Expert, doubt thyself William Loewen 10 Spiritual Restoration from Digital Distracton, whose premise maintains that indiscriminate use of social media is not good for people. Two ‘rough’ men and a gravel hauler Ed Olfert 11 ‘How can I keep from singing?’ 32 See all of me Randolph Haluza-Delay 12 During the COVID-19 pandemic, students at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate have given up singing for drumming instead. God as our inheritance Joshua Penfold 13 490 Dutton Drive, Unit C5, Waterloo, ON, N2L 6H7 Canadian Mennonite Staff Publisher, Tobi Thiessen, [email protected] Phone: 519-884-3810 Toll-free: 1-800-378-2524 Fax: 519-884-3331 Executive Editor, Virginia A. Hostetler, [email protected] Website: canadianmennonite.org Managing Editor, Ross W. Muir, [email protected] Facebook.com/Canadian.Mennonite @CanMenno Online Media Manager, Aaron Epp, [email protected] Editorial Assistant, Barb Draper, [email protected] Please send all material to be considered for publication to Graphic Designer, Betty Avery, [email protected] General submission address: [email protected] Circulation/Finance, Lisa Jacky, [email protected] Readers Write: [email protected] Advertising Manager, D. Michael Hostetler, [email protected], Milestones announcements: [email protected] toll-free voice mail: 1-800-378-2524 ext. 224 Calendar announcements: [email protected] Senior Writer, Will Braun, [email protected] publications mail agreement no. 40063104 registration no. 09613 B.C. Correspondent, Amy Rinner Waddell, [email protected] return undeliverable items to: Canadian Mennonite, Alberta Correspondent, Joanne De Jong, [email protected] 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 November 9, 2020 Focus on Books & Resources Feature New hymnal will be ‘part of the fabric of our lives’ Voices Together committee members reflect on the fruit of their labour By Aaron Epp Online Media Manager t’s the result of an idea proposed over a decade ago on the committee would probably attest.” and the culmination of more than four years of intense work. It includes close to a thousand ‘It was a no-brainer’ hymns and worship resources that were chosen Anneli Loepp Thiessen recalls the excitement she felt from a body of work more than 10 times that when MennoMedia started advertising that it was Inumber. It represents the efforts of hundreds of Menno- looking for committee members. The 25-year-old, who nites from across Canada and the United States.