Oct 22, 2014

Tom and Christine Poovong

Mennonite Women Canada supports Mennonite Church Canada workers, Tom and Christine Poovong, in Khon Kaen, Thailand, through their International Ministries Project.   In their October 2014 newsletter Tom and Christine ask for prayer as they strive to build relationships and lead people to become disciples of Christ.  "Pray that the Lord will use us to minister to many people in this community."   
The Poovongs will celebrate the grand opening of Menno Nursery on December 1, 2014.  They write: "It is a ministry to reach out to young family. The ministry includes teaching English, pray for the children, read Bible story to them, and get them ready for preschool.  The Nursery will also help to build relationships with their parents with kindness, love, Joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, and faithfulness. We are planning to take in six children from age 1-3 years old to start with. Christine will be the first to lead this ministry so please pray for her that the Lord will give her strength and wisdom, pray that the Lord will bring local worker. This too is part of what we are doing in Thailand is to teach them to become disciple maker and be able to have their own business and do ministry at the same time. It is called “Income Producing Ministry”. Please pray for our grand opening on December 01/2014."

Their full newsletter is available for you to read on our website at Mennonite Church Canada. 

If you would like to donate to this or any of our other projects you can do that on-line.  Please check out our "Opportunities for Giving".    


Oct 20, 2014

ALONG THE ROAD TO FREEDOM

~  an exhibition of 22 Paintings by Winnipeg artist Ray Dirks
~  a project of the Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery, Winnipeg
In art and words, Along the Road to Freedom tells the dramatic stories of Mennonite women and their families who fled the Soviet Union in the decade after the Russian Revolution and during World War II. Despite the despair, horror and loss each of these families faced, at its core, this exhibit is about love, courage, humility, determination and faith.

Along the Road to Freedom developed out of the desire of the project’s committee members to honour the women responsible for bringing them to Canada. Artworks are sponsored, for the most part, by families. Artist Ray Dirks interviewed sponsoring family members, collected research material and cobbled together memories into images to create the paintings.

After the tour the artworks will be permanently installed in Winnipeg as lasting reminders that we should remember our stories, and pass them on to our children and grandchildren.

This exhibit is on display at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, ON from September 8, 2014 to January 18, 2015.  For more details regarding hours and map to the location visit the website.

Oct 17, 2014

Sister Care in Ontario

This afternoon I was on Facebook and checked out a post by Mennonite Women USA.  I saw this article about the Sister Care Seminar held in Cambridge, ON on October 3-4.  It is written by Martha Smith Good, a retired pastor, who participated in the seminar along with 45 other women from across southern Ontario.  You can read it here.  I hope to track down some photos from the event and will post them as soon as I can.

Hearing from young voices

Check out this video, Mennonite youth, young adults in Church, created by several young adults in Ontario and produced by Jessica Reesor Rempel for the 2014 Mennonite Church Eastern Canada gathering in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It asks "What is the best thing about church?" and "What would make the church  more authentic?"

Jessica, one of our current Spiritual Growth Assistance Fund recipients, is a member at Stirling Avenue Mennonite Church in Kitchener, ON and is studying towards a Master of Divinity degree at Emmanuel College, Toronto School of Theology.

Oct 15, 2014

Reaching out to Youth at Risk

Nathan and Taryn Dirks, of Niagara United Mennonite Church (ON), are Mennonite Church Canada workers in Gabarone, Botswana, where they work with youth at risk. They are also recipients of Mennonite Women Canada's Pennies and Prayer Legacy Fund.  Mennonite Church Canada has partnered with Ride for Refuge, a recreational national bikeathon, to facilitate fund raising the $20,000 needed for this project. Click on Soccer Ministry Project to learn more about their work. The bikeathon took place on October 4.  

Oct 9, 2014

Happy Thanksgiving!


Memorial Donation to PPLF

Melitta Friesen
April 17, 1926 - December 14, 2012

Melitta Friesen was a very gracious woman, whose love and joy during her whole life ran very deep. Her contributions to family, church, music and friends were precious. She treasured life, but never doubted the hope that lay ahead. She was a loving wife and mother, a gifted musician and teacher, and a very loyal friend. Melitta was a dedicated member of Women in Mission in both Manitoba and Alberta for over 60 years. 

In memory of that long membership, the Women in Mission group of First Mennonite Church, Edmonton made a donation to the Pennies and Prayer Inheritance Fund of Mennonite Women Canada. Melitta’s husband David recalls the many times they enjoyed playing piano and violin together. When they did so, he shared that she always wanted to include the hymn “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! … This is my story, this is my song…

We hope that the support for the Pennies and Prayer Inheritance Fund will continue the story of Melitta’s life!


(This memorial donation was briefly mentioned in our latest issue of Connections.  This is the full write-up submitted by Melitta's family.)

Oct 8, 2014

Women walking together in faith - September 2014 - "Ways we warm each other's hearts"

Women Walking Together in Faith
is the name of Mennonite Women Canada's page in the Canadian Mennonite magazine. Our executive members each take a turn writing or finding someone to write.  The most recent article appeared on September 15 and was written by Liz Koop, President of MW Canada. 

  
She writes, "Since 2002, 22 women from across Canada have received financial assistance from our SGAF (Spiritual Growth Assistance Fund). A recent e-mail survey discovered that 15 are currently working in pastoral ministry, serving as lead, assistant, youth, interim or community pastors—12 in Canada and three in the U.S.—and one is a spiritual care director at a rehab and long-term-care facility."  Recipients share expressions of gratitude for financial aid received, as well as the joy and commitment they are experiencing in their ministry.  Click here to read the article.

Oct 7, 2014

SWM Women's Retreat

Here is the poster for the Women's Retreat on October 17 & 18 sponsored by Saskatchewan Women in Mission. "Women's Voices from the Global Church" will feature speakers from other parts of the world, artists with their displays, Ten Thousand Villages items for sale and much more.  It's a wonderful opportunity to fellowship with women from across the province!


MCBC Women's Ministry Retreat

Here is the poster for the upcoming Women's Retreat on October 17-19 sponsored by MCBC Women's Ministry.  I was a guest at their retreat last fall and had an amazing time!  This year's theme is "Unwrap Your Gifts" and they are celebrating Christmas in October.  It should be a lot of fun!

For more information check out this link and this link.

Oct 6, 2014

Latest issue of Connections!

Over the past few weeks our Communications Committee has been busy putting together our fall issue of Connections.  Each church will receive a copy (both hard and electronic) in the next Equipping Packet sent out by Mennonite Church Canada.   We have also sent it out to women on our email distribution list.  You can also access it here!   This issue features some short bios of our executive (we have a new photo below!) as well as some updates on our projects and business items.   I hope you enjoy reading Connections!
Left to right: Elsie Wiebe (Morden, MB), Myrna Sawatzky (Saskatoon, SK), Liz Koop (St. Catharines, ON), Lois Mierau (Langham, SK), Kate Janzen (Calgary, AB), Phyllis Ramer (Zurich, ON), Waltrude Gortzen (Abbotsford, BC)