Dec 12, 2011

Are you still looking for that perfect Christmas Gift?
Check out these books at MennoMedia!
For Young Children:  Quills
Porcupine loves her life. She's surrounded by friends who listen to her clever stories, and she has a body full of shiny quills that she brushes each night. But one day Porcupine's quills begin to fall out.  Porcupine's happiness quickly turns to confusion and fear. She believes no one can love a porcupine without quills. Then her friend Giraffe stops by with a special gift and a message of acceptance.
Many circumstances leave us feeling alone, embarrassed, and unlovable. Thankfully, God gives us friends and family who love us unconditionally, whether we are bald, hairy, or somewhere in between.  For children ages 4 to 8.

For Young Children:  Sensing Peace
What does peace smell like? What does it taste like? Feel, sound or look like? Through Sensing Peace, children ages 4 to 7 are encouraged to see what peace looks, sounds, feels, tastes and smells like in their everyday moments—things like laughing, cooking, gardening, singing or sharing ice cream.  Through this encouraging and delightful story, children will realize that peace isn’t something big out there that only adults can know about—they already experience and create peace in meaningful ways each day.
For Older Children:  Plant a Seed of Peace

Forty-three delightfully illustrated stories of peacemakers from today and the past will capture the imagination of children of all ages. They tell of people whose lives point to something beyond themselves--a transforming faith in God. Readers learn how to put their faith into action so they too can grow a better world.




Simply in Season Children's Cookbook will help children make the connection between what they eat, where it comes from, and when it is in season. This colorful and chock-full-of-photos cookbook makes it easy and fun for children to think and cook in season and to center food around the table and give thanks for it.







Like the blog, Mennonite Girls Can Cook—the book—is about more than just recipes. It's about hospitality, versus entertaining; about blessing, versus impressing. It's about taking God's Bounty and co-creating the goodness from God's creation into something that can bless family and friends, and help sustain health and energy.
Click here to read an interview with blog founder Lovella Schellenberg about the origin and goals of Mennonite Girls Can Cook.






For Adults:  The Naked Anabaptist
Anabaptist Christians have been around for almost 500 years. But what does Anabaptism look like when not clothed in Mennonite or Amish traditions? Writing from Great Britain, Stuart Murray peels back the layers to reveal the core components of Anabaptism—and what they mean for faith in his context and ours. It’s a way of following Jesus that challenges, disturbs, and inspires us, summoning us to wholehearted discipleship and worship. Read this book, and catch a vision for living a life of radical faith!

Dec 1, 2011


Women of MCEC “Celebrating Women” 

On October 20th, 175 Women of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada met  at Breslau Mennonite Church  for the first Fall Dinner Meeting of ”Celebrating Women”.  Warm conversation and good food prepared by Dorothy Horton and the volunteers from Breslau Mennonite Church preceded the evening program.  Music was provided by Lifted Voices: Carolyn Burkhardt, Jennifer Jacobi, Nancy Mann, Wendy Priebe, Susan Pries, and Peggy Roth.  Chair of the Personnel Committee, Kathryn Good,  introduced Lisa Blackburn, the new WMCEC treasurer.  Liz Koop, President of Mennonite Women Canada, brought greetings and presented the different ways we could connect with each other and hear about what is happening at the national level.  She also thanked the women for their past support of various projects.
     
A highlight of the evening was the recognition of three women from different eras who were recognized for their contributions in the church, conference, community and beyond, often in ground breaking experiences.  Florence Steinman, president of WMSC 1986-1993,  Kara Carter, WMSC scholarship recipient, on her journey to seminary and pastoring and Hannah Redekop whose initial mission trip to Guatemala at the ripe old age of 14 ignited a passion for active participation in missions.   Their words of challenge and encouragement which included “Do what you are called to do and accept it when it comes your way”, “When God calls you he will equip you”, “Go for it” and “Encourage each other” resonated in our hearts.  Linda Brnjas, who was ordained to the ministry on October 23, lead in a prayer of blessing.  

The guest speaker for the evening, Wanda Wagler-Martin, continued on the theme “Celebrating Friendships of Women” and left us with the challenge to invest in ourselves, treasuring our relationships and opening ourselves up to continuous learning and accepting the challenges we are faced with.


Women honoured for their contribution to women’s ministry and mission in church, community and beyond (left to right):  recipient Hannah Redekop with presenter Kristen Ollies, recipient Kara Carter with presenter Doris Gascho and recipient Florence Steinman with presenter Dorothy Shantz.


Submitted by Phyllis Ramer