Mennonite Women Canada

2012-01-27T17:43:00.004-05:00

Sister Care: Equipping Women for Caring Ministry, Mennonite Women USA, 2011.

How can congregations provide better care for women's needs?

Mennonite Women USA has prepared this 4-session manual to address issues of identity, self-care, compassionate listening, loss and grief - for women/caregivers in the church. Four units, with reflection and action options, and an extensive appendix, offer women's groups an important manual for discussion and discovery. Based on the "Sister Care" seminar, this manual can also be used separately to move your group closer to God and to each other as you extend "care" to the women in your church and community.

Borrow free
from Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

Assitance Recipient - Alicia Good

2012-01-18T19:22:00.005-05:00

Dear Mennonite Women Canada,

In thanks for your support of my education, I would like to share with you a brief update on my progress this past semester.

This fall my courses were God and Abuse, which was taught by Mennonite pastor Carol Penner and offered through Toronto Mennonite Theological Centre, Greek, Basics of Preaching, and Theological Integration. I am also halfway through a 10 hour a week pastoral internship at Toronto United Mennonite Church. I did well in my courses this semester, although it was a busy time. I have not yet received my final marks but I am fairly confident that I have maintained my A- average.

I particularly enjoyed having opportunities to preach and to lead worship twice in my congregation this semester. My sermons seemed to be well received by my congregation. I also participated in Worship Committee, Missions and Service Committee, MCEC gatherings, and the Christmas Eve Service planning committee. Pastor Marilyn Zehr’s mentorship has been exceptionally valuable in helping me to grow more confident in my sense of call to ministry. I have also appreciated her guidance in learning about how to juggle many different responsibilities as a parent, a student, and an intern. I am looking forward to a 40 hour a week internship this summer in another Mennonite congregation, in which I hope to learn more about pastoral care, preaching, and other aspects of ministry in a congregation.

My daughter has been adjusting very well to Junior Kindergarten. She has learned to count by 2s to 100 and how to sound out small words, the first steps to reading. She loves school and has made many friends at her afternoon playschool as well. My husband has been quite involved volunteering as the assistant treasurer at her playschool. My family also celebrated the return of my parents this fall; they moved from Alberta to Guelph in November. I am thankful that my daughter will have more opportunities to spend time with her grandparents.

This semester I will continue with Greek, as well as taking courses in Postmodernity, and a theology course called Image of God. I am particularly excited about taking a course called Bread, Wine and Water with respected professor Dr. Joseph Mangina which explores different denominational perspectives on Sacramental theology, including readings from John Howard Yoder. I am considering writing my thesis next year on Anabaptist understandings of the Lord’s Supper and how the Supper forms a particular kind of community.

Thank you again for your support of my studies. I have been blessed by this affirmation of the Church as I prepare for ministry.

Shalom, Alicia Good

For SPGA Fund application form contact Liz Koop - Mennonite Women Canada president at koopfarms@becon.org

Prayer for a New Year

2012-01-04T21:06:00.000-05:00

God, a new year brings a sense of freshness, of possibilities for the future and of discoveries yet to be made. As we look forward to stepping into the days ahead, we trust that you will guide us into the good purposes you have planned for our lives. We ask you for an extra measure of courage, strength, optimism and faith to meet every challenge along the way. Thank-you for your guidance and lead us into each new day with open hearts and minds. Amen

Adapted from My Personal Daily Prayer Book, Publications International 2003

2011-12-12T22:11:00.000-05:00

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.

For Older Children: Simply in Season Children's Cookbook

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.

For Adults: Mennonite Girls Can Cook

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!

2011-12-01T13:35:00.000-05:00

Women of MCEC “Celebrating Women”

On October 20^th, 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

The Business of Everyday Life

2011-11-24T00:09:00.010-05:00

Retreat Planning Committee with our Retreat Speaker and Entertainer.

This year's MCBC Women’s Retreat was a wonderful event, filled with laughter, fabulous food, (including a chocolate fountain on Friday night) visiting with old and new friends and learning about being a “Woman of Honour”. As in all previous years, we have our retreat at Camp Squeah/Squeah Retreat Center.

Upon arrival for the retreat weekend, each woman receives a goody bag with some appropriate theme based goodies. This was started 3 years ago and the women love these special treats.

Western style decor!

An all female Worship Team from Living Hope Christian Fellowship
led us in some wonderful singing before each session. Photo by Kelly Ens

Above: Ann-Michele Ewert

Our weekend speaker, Ann-Michele Ewert, came to us via M.E.D.A. (Mennonite Economic Development Association) . She spoke about the Proverbs 31 woman and drew parallels between the women in the Bible and today’s women. How, even in Bible times, women had businesses that helped support their families and sometimes, sustained whole villages; the same way many women still do today. She herself is involved in a business called Jolica. Their motto -- "Changing Lives Through Conscious Commerce and Giving Back" was an excellent fit for this year's retreat.

We invited women with home-based businesses to come and join us for the weekend and gave them the opportunity to show us what they do, tell us why they do it and what or who inspired them to start a home business. Eleven women responded to our invitation and participated by showing us their products and hopefully also inspired the other weekend participants to maybe start a business of their own.

Retreat Planning Committee with our Saturday morning surprise guests - 5 of the Mennonite Girls Can Cook blog and cookbook authors.

Saturday morning 5 of the “Mennonite Girls Can Cook” blog and cookbook authors came for a book signing. The 60 books that “House of James” had provided for this purpose were scooped up in a flash! Fortunately, we had anticipated this and had prepared stickers to be signed that could then be pasted into a book purchased after the retreat.

Saturday afternoon there was time to enjoy nature at it's best and the more adventurous group went for a hike!

Having reached their goal --- a picture to remember the hike!
Both hiking photos by Kelly Ens

Eleanore Isaak

While others preferred an easier activity! A cupcake decorating workshop with Eleanore Balzer Isaak, owner of “Elly’s Studio of Cake Design”, in Chilliwack, came and taught the class on how to assemble a puppy dog cupcake.

Some yummy puppy dog cupcakes!

Saturday night was Cowboy night, in honour of our Special Guest, and a group photo was taken to remember the occasion.

2011 Group Photo by Kelly Ens

Doris Daley - photo by Kelly Ens

Doris Daley, cowboy poet from Calgary, AB was our evening entertainer and women had so much fun listening to her as she told us stories and recited her poetry. You wonder how she would connect to our weekend theme? Well, writing and reciting poetry is her "home-based" business!

This was followed by a live auction with the proceeds going to M.E.D.A. who will assist us with providing loans to women in Third World countries and help them to start a business which will allow them to feed their families and to send their children to school.

When all was said and done, we had raised $922.00 for this purpose! We are so thankful for everyone’s enthusiastic participation.

Statistically, we improved our attendance by 7 women this year with Saturday having the best attendance. We also caught the attention of a number of younger women and hope to build on that for next year. In total we had 101 registered participants this year.

We are already looking forward to next year, Oct. 12 – 14 when our speaker will be Jackie Ayer – Family Counsellor (and the pastor’s wife) from Crossroads Community Church in Chilliwack. Our theme for next year will be geared towards “Self-Image” and we hope that many of you will plan to attend. Please put the retreat on you long-term schedule and we will see you at Squeah next fall!

Until next year! Photo by Kelly Ens

2011-11-19T15:23:00.000-05:00

2011 Saskatchewan Women in Mission Fall Retreat

by Ruby Harder

“Spiritual Growth and Learning” was the theme of the Annual Women’s Retreat sponsored by the Saskatchewan Women in Mission on October 14 - 15. Seventy women attended. It was an inspirational time held in the beautiful Shekinah Retreat Centre.

Friday’s session began with a delicious banquet followed by entertainment by the Chris and Louise Friesen family singing and playing their instruments.

Rose Graber, pastor at Grace Mennonite Church in Regina, was the guest speaker. Her meditations were based on the book, “The Cup of our Life” by Joyce Rupp. Each woman brought a cup to the retreat to be a symbol of her life.

In her first meditation, Graber reflected on the empty cup. God dwells in us and pours transforming love into our lives. Her second meditation was on the broken cup. We experience pain but without pain we do not grow. We also experience joy and hope through prayer and God’s word.

Optional activities included a book discussion on “Home” by Marilynne Robinson late Friday evening and stretching exercises before breakfast on Saturday morning. There were opportunities for the women to walk in the beautiful autumn setting, visit, relax, have a mini-pedicure, purchase Ten Thousand Villages items, or view the exhibits of pieced blankets and homemade belts.

The closing session on Saturday was led by the members of the executive and programme committee. They focused on the cup of compassion and the cup of blessing. Meditation on the cup of memory became a meaningful communion service to end the afternoon.

2011-11-15T19:21:00.000-05:00

4 Grandmas 4U --- Our Farewell Thoughts

One important lesson we’ve learned is that the life we live is in constant change. We change in our spiritual, physical, and emotional way and of course we change in things we do or can do.

The 4 Grandmas (Donna Driedger, Hedie Harder, Marlene Froese and Elva Epp) worked together over the course of 9 years and prepared and catered meals out of the Saskatchewan MCC Kitchen for many and various individuals and groups. Along with the meal preparation, we had a wonderful time sharing our lives – the joys, the sorrows, the laughter and the tears. Then the business “Made Just For You” closed and our times together came to an end until Erna Neufeldt, President of Women In Mission, invited us to write for the new blog just started. The 4 of us agreed and once again we shared times together, many of those around the lunch table.

During those times we had wonderful moments of memories as we revisited our history of family food and meals our mothers prepared. Together we wrote our blogs and once again shared our lives.

We knew, this spring, that changes had entered our lives as the physical needs were very different. So now, we bid farewell to all of the readers of this blog and move into a new phase of life.

All we ask of you is to remember how special food is. Jesus told many stories and parables around meals and our best relationships are built around the table where we can prepare the food to feed the body and share in that “food” that feeds the soul.

God Bless all of you as you cook, serve and love. Thank you for sharing in our lives.

Farewell from, Donna Driedger, Hedie Harder, Marlene Froese and Elva Epp

2011-10-17T12:23:00.005-04:00

Mennonite Girls Can Cook, Herald Press, 2011.

Mennonite Girls Can Cook is a blog about recipes, hospitality, relationships, encouragement and helping the hungry—and now it's a book, too!

Like the blog, Mennonite Girls Can Cook—the book—is 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.

Borrow (free) or Purchase this title
from Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

2011-08-25T17:40:00.002-04:00

Wonderfully Made: Women, Faith and Self-Care, by Terri Plank Brenneman, Faith and Life Resources, 2011.

This year's Mennonite Women Canada Bible Study.

To offer good and healthy care to others, we need to nurture and replenish ourselves, our primary resource," writes Terri J. Plank Brenneman in her preface to this Bible study. Wonderfully Made provides careful study that validates the importance of personal wholeness. As the author shares wisdom learned from her journey with infertility, readers will connect their own life experiences with sound scriptural and psychological principles helpful in self-care.

Wonderfully Made, commissioned by Mennonite Women USA and Mennonite Women Canada, is a beautifully written gift for women's gatherings, Sunday school classes, retreats, or individual reading and inspiration.

Borrow this title free
from Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

2011-07-22T19:21:00.000-04:00

Erna Neufeldt welcomes incoming
President, Liz Koop

Greetings to you!

As the new President of Mennonite Women Canada, I thank-you for checking out our blog and I encourage you to leave a comment.

The 59^th Annual Meeting and Luncheon was held on Friday July 8 during the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly sessions at University of Waterloo in Waterloo, Ontario. Bev Suderman Gladwell of Kitchener shared a devotional on “Celebrating Connections” with the 150 women who attended. The business consisted of accepting past minutes and annual reports with Lois Mierau, our Secretary-Treasurer presenting our “Opportunities for Giving”. President Erna Neufeldt gave her final report, having served in that position for 6 years. She welcomed Liz Koop (myself) in her new role as President with a candle ceremony. If you are interested in more details please read the full report in the next Canadian Mennonite written by Barb Draper.

MW Canada’s Communications Committee was formally organized in January 2011 and is currently working on the second issue of our newsletter called “Connections” due out on September 15. (See side bar for link to newsletter.)

During the next few months I am planning to update this blog, so if things don’t look the same or certain items are missing the next time you check, please be understanding and patient. Feel free to comment on the progress!

Wishing you all a wonderful summer!

"Celebrating Connections" - an interactive devotional

Fasting & Feasting - The Jesus Diet

2011-05-30T22:53:00.021-04:00

It's been a month since BC had it's Inspirational Day.

Saturday, April 30th greeted us with beautiful and warm sunshine.

Some of the Japanese Cherry trees on the streets around Sher brooke Mennonite Church were still loaded with blossoms.

We started the morning with a short Memorial Service, remembering our 27 sisters that went to meet their Lord & Saviour since last year's Inspirational Day.

A rose in memory of each loved one!

Our song leaders: Rachel Cornelsen and Charlotte Froese

After a special musical tribute by our two song leaders, we moved on to a short business session where we approved the following items:

1. - a new logo for MCBC Women's Ministry

2. - a new fund raising venture with the ONEbean Coffee Company
3. - a renewed commitment including $$$ to Mennonite Women Canada

We also informed the ladies that MCBC Women's Ministry now has a Facebook page which is slowly gathering a few friends.

We asked the women if they had received a copy of NEW Mennonite Women Canada "Connections" issues and by far the majority had actually received a copy and those that didn't got it in the Program Booklet for the Inspirational Day. The response to the new layout and all the stories in the issue were very favorable and encouraging.

We took a nice long lunch break which allowed time for lots of visiting and even a walk around the neighbourhood.

The meal was healthy and delicious but left the women waiting for more..... in particular, dessert or "Platz" even though there was a wonderful fruit centerpiece on each table that was actually meant to be our dessert! Are wondering what else was on the menu? ...well, let me tell you!
Remember the title? "The Jesus Diet"? ---- prepared was a menu of foods that Jesus could possibly have eaten during his time on our broken planet.

A delicious lentil soup and pittas filled with a seafood (tuna) salad was the main course. There was an assortment of nuts and olives and, of course, the fruit platters.

Our beautiful dessert platters!

After lunch everyone reconvened in the sanctuary where the afternoon Worship Service began with an explanation about our yummy meal and everyone could hear the "ahhaaa" and a few schuckes from the audience.

Suddenly things made sense! Such fun!!!

We then proceeded with the program as outlined --- songs, verbal and visual presentations and an offering.

Above are two special music treats -
on the left - 3 generations of the
Pavez family from
First United Spanish Mennonite Church, Vancouver ---
and on the right 2 young Schroeder sisters from
Sherbrooke Mennonite Church singing
"I love Jesus better than Ice-Cream" Pizza or Borscht.

Our three speakers from left to right -

Pastor Ingrid Schultz, Dr. Helen Eng and Katrina Goertzen

Our special guests, each an expert in their own field, taught us about how to take care of ourselves.

Nutritional Wellness - our first speaker Katrina Goertzen (Nutritionist) instructed us about the value of good nutrition, clean and unclean foods - including a very appropriate PowerPoint presentation.

Physical Wellness - Dr. Helen Eng (General Practitioner) spoke on the importance of our physical well being, the "dos and don'ts" when traveling abroad and yes... the need to exercise!

Spiritual Wellness - Pastor Ingrid Schultz from First United Mennonite Church concluded our afternoon sessions with a short meditation based on Psalm 34:8-10 and Luke 5:33-35.

After the offering, our fall retreat at Camp Squeah was introduced and each woman received a retreat registration brochure which can also be found online here. The afternoon program concluded with an invitation to next year's Inspirational Day which will take place on Saturday, May 5th at Bethel Mennonite Church.

We hope that our event was a blessing to those that attended and are grateful that through our humble offering we can also bless 3 additional ministries; Camp Squeah, the MCC Refugee Food Bank and the Samuelito Day Care Centre in Bolivia.

Ohhh .... and the "Platz" and coffee?
Yes, we still enjoyed them before going home! ! !

*******************

Note: When the program was done and the women were still mingling, a mother and daughter walked up to me and informed me that they were visitors from Bolivia. They wanted to let me how much it meant to them that MCBC Women's Ministry and the Sherbrooke Planning Committee had decided to support the Samuelito Day Care Centre. Apparently, both of them , as well as, a number of other women in attendance were quite familiar with the Centre.

God works in mysterious ways! To Him be the Glory!

A Mothers’ Day Litany

2011-05-08T21:09:00.006-04:00

Voice 1: Like a mother eagle teaching her young to fly, You push us to stretch our wings and risk falling. Yet You do not abandon us but lift us up, protecting us from evil.

All voices: We thank You protecting God.

Voice 2: Like a mother bear, furious when her cubs are in danger, You bring justice on those who oppress the young.

All voices: We thank You, compassionate God.

Voice 3: Your Spirit comforts us as one whom a mother comforts.

All voices: We thank You, nurturing God.

Voice 4: Holy Spirit, You are everywhere, the Lord and Giver of life. We praise You for the gift of mothers, through whom You give us life.

All voices: We thank You for their willingness to nurture life, for their trust in You to guide them through the labour of childbirth, the uncertainties of youth, the letting go of young adulthood.

Voice 1: We thank You for all those women, who did not give us birth, but through whom You give us abundant life.

All voices: We thank You for school teachers, aunts, grandmothers, sisters, pastors, elders, Sunday School teachers, supervisors, and friends who share wisdom.

Voice 2: We ask Your tender mercies on all those whose mothers now sing with the heavenly chorus, for those whose tears are not yet dry.

All voices: Grant them Your peace, which passes understanding.

Voice 3: We ask Your comforting presence on those mothers who have buried sons and daughters.

All voices: Grant them the grace to trust their loved ones to Your never-ending care.

Voice 4: We pray for those who are alienated from their mothers by harsh words, distance, misunderstanding.

All voices: Grant them Your grace to forgive and to love again.

Voice 1: We pray for mothers whose children have met a violent death.

All voices: Deliver them from anguish.

Voice 2: We pray for mothers who work but cannot earn enough to feed, clothe and educate their children.

All voices: Wake us to our responsibility for common welfare.

Voice 3: We pray for mothers who are dying of AIDS and other diseases for which we know no cure.

All voices: Raise up among us caregivers for their children and expand our compassion.

Voice 4: We pray for mothers who are guardians for grandchildren whose parents are unable or unwilling to care for them.

All voices: Grant them courage and strength and patience for the living of each day.

Voice 1: We pray for mothers whose children face limitations of intelligence, emotional, or physical ability.

Voice 2: Deliver them from hovering; grant them wisdom to encourage each child’s full potential with You.

All voices: We thank you, oh God, for those who have committed themselves to us:

Voice 3: for those who have been there in our times of trouble and heartache to encourage and support us,

Voice 4: and in times of joy and celebration to share that joy, and give it even more meaning and worth.

All voices: We thank you, oh God, for all those who have been prepared to grow with us, learning the meaning of commitment and faith as they lived it out each day, so that faith became an exciting shared experience in deepening understanding of the world and of ourselves.

2011-05-05T09:48:00.004-04:00

This month I'm highlighting something different -
not one resource but MANY!

Why not bring the Resource Centre to you -
in one of the following ways:

Cheaper by the Dozen program. Borrow 12 books - on a variety of themes and topics - and peruse them for an extended 6-week loan period. A great way to browse before you buy!

Displays. Borrow 20 books - on a specific theme/topic for a women's meeting, day retreat or weekend conference. We'll help tailor the display to meet your occasion.

Invite staff. Our Mennonite Church Canada staff are available to speak on a variety of topics. Various international workers are on North American itineration. Check our Speakers' Bureau.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

A TRADITIONAL FOOD FOR GOOD FRIDAY

2011-04-28T20:24:00.004-04:00

An Easter celebration that stands out in my memory did not take place on Easter Sunday but rather Good Friday. It was April 1963. Our second daughter, Evelyn was born on April 8 of that year. We went to my Mom and Dad’s to commemorate Good Friday. All my siblings, their spouses and children were there. We were so proud to show off our new baby girl! It was beautiful outside, everyone was in shirtsleeves and the kids had a great time looking for their Easter goodies hidden around the farmyard. Life was good - we had our third child and were very happy for our little family.

A traditional food for us on Good Friday and Easter was a chilled dried fruit compote which is delicious with potato salad. The pluma moos recipe follows.

PLUMA MOOS (dried fruit compote)
4 quarts water
4 cups dried fruit (raisins, apples, prunes, apricots and peaches)
1 small pkg. cherry jello
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 tbsp cornstarch mixed with cold water

Cook until fruit is tender. Add sugar and cornstarch mix and cook for a few minutes. Remove from heat and add the cherry jello. Cool, then add canned cherries. I also add canned peaches before serving (optional).

When we were kids we would go to my Grandma and Grandpa Koop and they would have Kliesse (homemade noodles) to put into the Pluma Moos. It was not my favourite but some liked it a lot.

KLIESSE
1 cup water
1 egg
pinch of salt
Add flour to make firm dough.

Roll out fairly thin. Let rest for 15 minutes. Sprinkle flour on rolled dough, cut 1 inch strips. Pile strips 4 layers high. Cut into noodle size. Boil and cool. Use in Pluma Moos if you like.

HEDIE HARDER

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EASTER AND A SPECIAL FOOD

2011-04-26T13:31:00.003-04:00

Easter in my childhood, in my parenting and even now as a Grandmother is one of the greatest celebrations of my life. The beauty of the season is part of its delight; snow melting, sun shining with warmth, blue sky with fluffy clouds, call of birds returned and a renewed earth waiting to produce new life.

In the church community it was the celebration of new life given us by the death and resurrection of our Lord. Singing the Easter morning songs of Alleluia were some of the best rejoices of that day. In German, we sang Rollt ab den Stein, Jesus Lebt. At Rosthern Junior College, a Mennonite residential high school, we sang In Joseph’s Lovely Garden. It was so liberating and such spiritual glory.

Around the Easter family table, in the food preparation and the jolly Easter hunt, “eggs” were in great demand. My Grandmother talked of needing 100 dozen eggs -- it could have been true because almost every food that was prepared needed eggs and also coloured eggs were hidden for every child; sometimes as many as their age.

The recipe I want to share is one more of the life-giving, cholesterol filled treats.

COTTAGE CHEES SPREAD FOR PASKA (Glums Paska)

Sauce: 1 cup sour cream
1 cup sweet cream
1 cup butter or margarine
8 egg yolks
3 1/2 cups sugar

Bring this to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly as it scorches easily. Remove from heat, cover and let cool.

Then using 3 pounds of dry curd cottage cheese and the cool sauce the spread is made.
1. Using a blender, put in 3/4 cup of sauce and 1 cup of cottage cheese. Blend but do not puree. It must mix but retain some texture of the cottage cheese. Pour into a bowl. Repeat until sauce and cottage cheese are used and you have 2 bowls of blended mixture

In one bowl add 1 tsp of vanilla, and mix. In other bowl add 1 tsp grated orange peel and 1/3 cup chopped dates. Mix.

2. Get 2 j-cloths and place into a colander that is placed into a large bowl that will collect extra liquid. Into each j-cloth pour one kind of mixture. Cover and secure in cloth. Place a plate over top and set a heavy item on top to press out the liquid. Leave 2 - 3 days.

3. Just before Easter, take solid-like mixture out of cloth and put into container ready to serve and spread on the Easter Bread Paska. Yummy, healthy and special!

MARLENE FROESE

EASTER BREAD/PASKA

2011-04-23T08:53:00.005-04:00

Paska was introduced to us by our Mother who immigrated from Russia in 1926 with my Grandmother and 2 Aunts.

Mom remembered the Easter bread she had learned to love while living in Russia and introduced this tradition to our family. My Father did not know of paska, as his Mother baked “kringle”, an 8-figured iced roll.

Paska was usually baked in large tins from juice or other things, resulting in the shape of large mushrooms. Often we looked for tins of different sizes so we could make more unique shapes. Some paska were also made into loaves.

The paska were covered with a soft white icing, usually almond flavoured, and then sprinkled with small candy of all colours, called sprinkles. Because the icing was so “yummy”, we tried to cover the entire paska with it, which made it rather difficult to handle and slice. Eventually, Mother decided to shape the paska into buns, therefore covering them entirely with this icing. This was definitely easier.

We remember the smell of paska baking, the lemon and almond aromas very well. Several years ago when we moved to a different home, we did not have an oven for awhile and it was close to Easter. Our son-in-law invited me to their home to bake the paska. He had not grown up knowing about paska, but had become very fond of it.

All eyes of our 7 grandchildren shine when they see the decorated buns at Easter time. Yes, it is “yummy” paska, and the following recipe is the one my Mother used. Most paska are shaped as buns at our home; however I use some tins and line them with parchment paper. This way the paska come out of the tins very well.

PASKA
8 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup cream, heated
1/2 cup milk, heated
1/2 cup soft butter
1 cup warm water
1/2 tsp salt 2 rounded tbsp fast-rising yeast
1 tsp vanilla 1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp lemon extract grated rind of 1 lemon
10 - 11 cups flour

Beat eggs and add sugar. Heat milk and the cream, add butter. Add all 3 items to egg mixture.
Add warm water, salt, vanilla, almond and lemon flavourings, lemon rind and mix well. Mix yeast with a cup of flour and gradually add enough flour to knead into a soft dough. Let dough rise until about double in size (it rises well in a slightly warm oven). Knead down and let rise again. Make into buns or put into well-greased, or lined tins. Bake at 325, until the buns are brown, about 20 minutes -- tins will need about 45 minutes. Ice with a regular icing with added almond flavouring and decorate with sprinkles. Enjoy!

ELVA EPP

How Deep the Father's Love for Us

2011-04-22T13:59:00.013-04:00

This morning I attended our church's Good Friday Communion Service. It was a very moving service and one of the songs we sang was particularly poignant for me. I have sung it before but today it seemed to be the perfect song to sing. I have copied the words below and pray that by sharing it with you, you will receive a blessing this Easter weekend.

How deep the Father's love for us, how vast beyond all measure,

That he should give His only Son to make a wretch His treasure.

How great the pain of searing loss; the Father turns His face away,

As wounds which mar the Chosen One bring many sons to glory.

Behold the man upon a cross, my sin upon His shoulder;

Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.

It was my sin that held Him there until it was accomplished;

His dying breath has brought me life—I know that it is finished.

I will not boast in anything, no gifts, no power, no wisdom;

But I will boast in Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection.

Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer,

But this I know with all my heart: His wounds have paid my ransom.

UPCOMING EVENTS

2011-04-13T16:15:00.005-04:00

Women of MCEC Spring Enrichment Day

Maple View Mennonite Church, Wellesley, ON
Saturday, April 16, 2011, 9:45 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Theme: LEAPING OUT IN FAITH
Speaker: Susan Allison-Jones

SK Women in Mission Enrichment Day

Tiefengrund Mennonite Church, Laird, SK
Saturday, April 30, 2011, 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Theme: GOD’S GIFT THROUGH HEALTH ISSUES
Personal stories by Mryna Sawatsky, Mary Krause, Tena Siemens

MCBC Women’s Ministry Inspirational Day

Sherbrooke Mennonite Church, Vancouver, BC
Saturday, April 30, 2011, 10:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Theme: FASTING & FEASTING, THE JESUS DIET
Speakers: Ingrid Schultz, Dr. Helen Eng, Katrina Goertzen

2011-04-07T20:47:00.009-04:00

Introducing MW Canada's NEW Communications Committee: On January 27 four women met with President, Erna Neufeldt, via a conference call to talk about how this new committe would work. Our mandate is to help MW Canada by communicating information to you via a redesigned newsletter, this blog and our website.

Our hope is to provide a place where we, as Mennonite women from across Canada, can talk about what we believe, how we are living what we believe and what values we aspire to. We want this to be a place where we nurture and encourage each other through the telling of stories and sharing of information. We welcome submissions and encourage you to send us your stories and comments.

The first issue of our newsletter "Connections" is now available at our web site and is is being sent out to churches via MC Canada's Equipping Package. It will also be available at your area Enrichment/Inspirational Day.

Members of the committee are: Waltrude Gortzen - Waltrude@shaw.ca Naomi Unger - dnunger@sasktel.net Barbara Draper - rbdraper@golden.net Liz Koop - koopfarms@becon.org

Ideas for Dinner Leftovers from 4 Grandmas4U

2011-03-29T13:43:00.005-04:00

Food Leftovers: Dilemma or Delight

Once more we are placing containers with leftovers from the supper we just ate into the fridge. What will I do with these tomorrow? I might just wait for a few days and then they will possibly not look good and I can throw them out without feeling guilty. Or, as part of the senior world, I could go for lunch with a friend and suggest that my husband (I’m still lucky to have one) could eat the leftovers for lunch and that would be that. But, I put them in the fridge with the possibility of eating them sometime.

We who grew up in the forties, fifties and sixties experienced the need to save every leftover. Some of our (the 4 Grandmas’) parents lived through hard times in Russia before coming to Canada in the 1920’s. In the difficult 30’s that followed our parents tried to be good stewards as well as frugal.

Using leftovers can be a creative, innovative experience. Trying to get the “makeover” word into a food reality and do it so no one can recognize that they had this food before.

I have 2 recipes that I want to share with you. The first recipe is a new dish using leftover fish.

Catch of the Day in Alfredo White

To make the sauce, brown 1-2 tbsp butter and garlic. Whisk in 3 tbsp flour and add 1 cup chicken broth, whisk and boil. Make sure it is smooth and thickened. Add 1 cup or more of whipping cream, salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmering boil. Add chunks of fish, peas and carrots, corn, or other vegetables from fridge or frozen. Serve over pasta or rice. Add raw vegetables or a salad. Just like that, a new yummy dinner.

Ham Biscuit Bake

Cut leftover ham into chunks. Boil 2 cups mixed vegetables in salt water, drain. Mix a can each of cream of potatoe and mushroom soup with 1 cup milk, add to the vegetables and ham. Place in a casserole dish and bake at 375 degrees until it bubbles. Mix a batch of baking powder biscuits, space them on top and bake until browned. Serve with a vegetable plate or green salad and you have a complete dinner on the table. Surprise!

Marlene Froese

Leftovers, leftovers, so many leftovers
What to do - toss a few or make a meal
Now that’s a deal!

Beef Stew

Cut leftover roast beef into cubes, add onion, garlic, peppers, carrots, corn, peas, etc. Add beef gravy with mushroom soup and also leftover cubed potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Make a salad, biscuits and voilà, a meal.

Hedie Harder

2011-03-28T10:06:00.002-04:00

Seek Peace and Pursue It: Women, Faith and Family Care by Elizabeth Soto Albrecht, Faith and Life Resources, 2010.

The annual Bible Study created by Mennonite Women Canada (together with Mennonite Women USA), ideal for women's gatherings, Sunday School classes, retreats or individual reading.

Christian families are not automatically peaceful ones, as Elizabeth Soto Albrecht writes in her preface to this Bible study guide. They must work toward that goal with God's help, following biblical examples and applying Jesus' teachings.

Through 12 sessions, Seek Peace & Pursue It examines topics such as parenting with love, gender and relationships, roots of violence in the family, and nurturing for peace. A closing worship service celebrates becoming families of peace.

Borrow or Purchase this title

from Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

2011-03-20T20:44:00.009-04:00

Prayer for Japan - March 18, 2010
The stories and images of the devastating crisis in Japan are at times beyond comprehension and words. Carol Penner, pastor of The First Mennonite Church in Vineland, ON offers the prayer below for use in our congregations, providing specific words of care and petition for the many persons affected. If you wish to access additional prayers and worship resources that Carol has written check out her blog at http://www.leadinginworship.com/.

Prayer for Japan

Carol Penner, The First Mennonite Church, Vineland

http://www.leadinginworship.com/

God of Hope,

in this time of tumult we lay before you the country of Japan.

With their land still trembling,

they try to comprehend devastation too broad in its scope:

people killed and missing,

homes and towns and cities demolished,

the sea sweeping through with yet more destruction.

Our prayers are for the people of Japan:

Holy Comforter, bring your peace.

We are acutely aware of all who need rescue:

those trapped in buildings and remote areas,

those without food or clean water or shelter,

the injured, the terrified, the anguished.

Give strength and stamina to rescuers.

Give strength and compassion to medical staff.

Give strength and clear vision to leaders who mobilize relief.

Our prayers are for the people of Japan:

Holy Comforter, bring your peace.

A country stretched to its limits

and yet now the fear of nuclear disaster looms.

God of infinite mercy, stop this from happening!

This country, of all countries, has suffered enough

and knows the terrible consequences of radiation.

Help the authorities to make careful decisions in the coming days.

Give them strength and courage as they man their posts.

Our prayers are for the people of Japan:

Holy Comforter, bring your peace.

In this time of crisis for a country that is suffering deeply,

we pray for the Christian church in Japan and all people of faith

that they will be a calm presence

providing hope and help in such a time as this.

Aid those from around the world who are mobilizing support

so that their efforts can be effective and timely.

Give us open hands and hearts to help the people of Japan.

Thank you for being the Holy Comforter, who brings us peace.

2011-03-16T10:29:00.005-04:00

Called and Shaped by Jesus: 2011 At-Home Lent Devotional booklet and children's colouring pages by Elsie Rempel, Mennonite Church Canada, 2011.

Even though Lent has started, it's not too late to introduce Chris and Selah to your family. Join these two friends as they embark on the adventure of responding to God's call. Adapting and simplifying prayers and themes from Winter 2010/11 Leader magazine, this booklet offers family activities that take you right through Holy Week.

New this year: colouring pages suitable for younger children.

Download this title free

from Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

Ruby Harder on Burkina Faso Tour

2011-02-22T16:17:00.006-05:00

Check out http://www.burkinamenno.blogspot.com/ and see a picture of Ruby Harder and husband Edgar on a learning tour to Burkina Faso. Ruby is the President of Saskatchewan Women in Mission.

A connection to Burkina Faso for Mennonite Women Canada is that we help support Anna Garber Kampoare through the Pennies and Prayer Inheritance Fund. Anne works as a linguist in Burkina.

EFFICIENT YEAST BAKING

2011-02-21T16:31:00.005-05:00

One kind of dough results in fritters and 2 varieties of buns!
Baking bread and buns was something my mother did. Saturday was baking day and the evening meal often consisted of fresh baked bread or buns, cooked eggs, rice cooked with milk, served with cinnamon and sugar.

If there was no bread for the noon meal and the bread dough was rising, my mother in law would take a piece of the rising dough, flatten it, and cut it into small squares. These she deep fried as fritters to complement the lunch soup.

When I mix a double batch of dinner buns I use a small portion of the dough to make Chelsea buns (sticky cinnamon buns). I roll out a piece of the bun dough to approximately 9 x 12 inches, spread soft butter on it, add brown sugar, and sprinkle with cinnamon. I roll it up, squeeze the edges together and cut into 1 to 2 inch wide rolls.

These are placed in a greased baking pan that has a little soft butter/margarine and brown sugar in it. Let rise till double in bulk. Bake like the buns then turn upside down on a rack so the syrup from the bottom of the pan will run over the hot buns. My mother in law would pour cream over the buns just before they went into the oven. This would make then really gooey and special.

Dinner Buns
1 pkg. yeast softened in 1/2 cup of water
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup warm water
1 tsp salt
2 cups warm milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
6 cups flour
Beat together the egg, warm water, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, milk
Add softened yeast to egg mixture. Gradually add flour to make a soft dough. Let rise until double in size, punch down, let rise again and form the buns. Place on pans and let rise again. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes.

ELVA EPP

2011-02-10T20:25:00.018-05:00

Love Yourself This February!

By: Donita Wiebe-Neufeld

It’s a cruel irony that the annual deluge of chocolate hearts comes hard on the lazy February heels of broken resolutions. All those good intentions are smothered in rich chocolaty layers of guilt and next year’s promises.

This year, however, I’m eating pure, guilt-free chocolate. I kept last year’s promise. I got into shape and in October 2010, did a triathlon with two friends. It might be fun to gloat a bit, but I can’t do that. It is not as daunting or impressive as it might sound. All 3 of us are busy 40 something moms with careers and an interesting collection of flat feet, bunions, extra pounds, and assorted other challenges. We don’t look like the athletes you might picture beside the word ‘triathlon’. Our goal was a “civilized triathlon”. We wanted to go the distance without hurting ourselves or competing. In that spirit, we set up our own day, place, and distances and trained according to our separate schedules. When the day came, we swam 750 m, biked 20 km, and ran 5 km. We all finished with smiles on our faces.

Reflecting on what it took to get in shape, I remember difficulties that could have been stoppers for me. Sore feet, a bad ankle, back pain, and laziness were real, but to my surprise, my biggest obstacle was simple guilt. Time set aside for swims, runs, and biking felt self-indulgent. I worried I was stealing time from family, my work as a pastor, and even from cleaning the house. The fee for swimming twice a week added up, and I second-guessed the worth of my goal. I wondered if my priorities were skewed, if I was selfish.

Some things have happened, however, that have eliminated my guilt complex. The first was 6 months into training. I was swimming twice a week, running once, and biking whenever my destination was close enough. I started to feel good. My hip, achy since I got thrown from a horse in 1997, stopped hurting. My back and knees felt better than they had for years. I was sleeping well and I had lots of energy. The second thing occurred recently, when snow threatened to bury Edmonton. Our neighbours needed help, and I enjoyed the physical work. Even on days when I shoveled for 3 hours, I had no sore muscles.

All that shoveling and feeling good was an epiphany for me. I was there for my neighbours because I had spent time on myself. The same principle applies as I look forward to the next 40 plus years of life. When I take care of myself, I am prepared to take care of others. I’m happier and more effective in my work. In fact, I’m starting to see fitness as an unselfish long term investment in my family, my church, and my community.

This Valentine’s day, I’m going to love myself a little and go for a swim. The chocolate always tastes better minus the guilt.

2011-02-09T18:05:00.003-05:00

Take our Moments and our Days: An Anabaptist Prayer Book: Volume 2 - Advent-Pentecost by Arthur Paul Boers, et al., Herald Press, 2010.

This second volume covers the high seasons of the Christian year (Advent through Pentecost). Its distinctive Anabaptist flavour is evident in the predominance of Jesus' voice, space for communal reflection on Scripture, and the choices of Bible readings - it offers a way of prayer that lets the voice of Jesus pervade the whole day.

The prayer services are designed for use by small groups or families, although they are suitable for individuals as well.

Published in collaboration with the Institute of Mennonite Studies at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana.

Borrow this title free
from Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

Haiti Earthquake - One Year Later

2011-01-10T21:27:00.007-05:00

One year ago disaster struck Haiti. A friend of mine, Donna Thiessen, was on the road in Port au Prince when the earthquake struck. She was one of the speakers at the Fall Enrichment Day of Mennonite Women of Eastern Canada on October 26, 2010 and shared her story with the women who attended. If you would like to read about her experience please click here.

Immediately following the January 12, 2010 earthquake, donations totaling $14.1 million began to pour in for Mennonite Central Committee's disaster response. In addition, within the next month, MCC distributed material resources, such as relief kits, comforters and canned meat valued to $3.1 million. If you would like to read more about how these funds are being allocated please check out the MCC web site.

In an effort to encourage continued commitment to a healthy and hopeful future for Haiti, a benefit concert featuring Kevin Coates and The Interesting People is being held at Floradale Mennonite Church (22 Florapine Rd. Floradale, ON) on January 29 starting at 7:30 pm. No admission. A free will offering will be taken in support of MCC's long term capacity building in rural Haiti.

2011-01-07T10:47:00.003-05:00

2011 Season of Prayer: Faith and Hope in the Face of Changing Times by Dan Epp-Tiessen, Mennonite Church Canada, 2010.

Our annual five-session study/worship resource; this year with the following themes:

In the Face of Change: If we as Christians are rooted in our story, remain God-centered, sort out our loyalties, and live as a covenant people, then we can confidently face changing times.

Bless the LORD, O My Soul: One of the most important things we as a church do in any time and place is to offer our joyous and heartfelt praise to God.

Nurturing a Spirit of Resistance: As God’s people, we owe our primary allegiance to God. Therefore, in changing times we are called to nurture a discerning spirit of resistance to the world.

Living between Reality and Hope: Our calling is to live between acceptance of some of the painful realities of life, and the hope we have that with God new things are possible.

Nothing Can Separate Us . . . : No matter what crises we face either individually or collectively, the Bible assures us that there is nothing in all of creation that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Download this title free

from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

Recipe for a Wonderful New Year

2011-01-02T20:06:00.004-05:00

Take 12 whole months.
Clean them thoroughly of all bitterness, hate, and jealousy.
Make them just as fresh and clean as possible.
Now cut each month into 28, 30 or 31 parts,
but don't make up the whole batch at once.
Prepare it one day at a time out of these ingredients:
Mix well into each day one part of faith,
one part of patience, one part of courage, and one part of work.

Add to each day one part of hope, faithfulness, generosity, and kindness.
Blend with one part prayer, one part meditation, and one good deed.
Season the whole with a dash of good spirits, a sprinkle of fun, a pinch of play,
and a cupful of good humour.
Pour all of this into a vessel of love.
Cook thoroughly over radiant joy, garnish with a smile,
and serve with quietness, unselfishness, and cheerfulness.
Enjoy!!!

Author Unknown

LITANY FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE*

2010-12-08T11:44:00.012-05:00

Leader: O God, the heavens are yours and the earth is yours. All our life belongs to you.
Congregation: Make us messengers of peace and justice.
Leader: May your kingdom come and your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Congregation: Make us messengers of peace and justice.
Leader: May all injustice, violence and oppression give way to fairness, mercy and good will.
Congregation: Make us messengers of peace and justice.
Leader: Teach us to use the manifold resources of the earth so that none may waste and none may want.
Congregation: Make us messengers of peace and justice.
Leader: In all our labours, may cooperation triumph over conflict; may all people find their reward in work that serves the good of all.
Congregation: Make us messengers of peace and justice.
Leader: Keep alive the holy fire within the hearts of all who dare to be the voices of unwelcome wisdom. Make us willing to hear hard demands.
Congregation: Make us messengers of peace and justice.
Leader: Fill us with a passion for righteousness and a zeal to serve where there is need. Fill us with a purpose that is holy and right and just. Help us to love the noblest and best.
All: Make us messengers of peace and justice.
All: Unto you, O God be all might and majesty, dominion and power, both now and evermore. Amen.

This litany was used in Vineland United Mennonite Church on 2nd Advent Sunday, December 5, 2010.

*Adapted from Lift Up Your Hearts by Walter Russell Bowie (copyright renewal ©1984 by Mrs. Jean B. Evans, Mrs. Elizabeth Chapman, and Mrs. Walter Russell Bowie, Jr.; used by permission of the publisher, Abingdon Press. From Words for Worship; used by permission of Herald Press.

2010-12-06T15:09:00.003-05:00

Night Visions: Searching the Shadows of Advent and Christmas, by Jan Richardson, United Church Press, 1998.

A devotional guide for pilgrims awaiting the birth of hope. Leads spiritual travelers on a journey through the Christmas season, ushering quiet moments of introspection into a time that is often rushed and hurried.

Also check Jan's blog, "The Painted Prayerbook" here.

Borrow or purchase this title

from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

DEEP FRIED DELIGHTS

2010-11-29T15:54:00.000-05:00

In the 21st century, in the time of NO trans fats, in the years of cholesterol scares, staying thin, and being just so aware of everything we consume, we 4 Grandmas decided we would invite you into the realm of deep fried yummies.

In my home growing up, deep fried foods had seasonal pleasure. On cool rainy summer days we were often given soup and fritters -- apple or plum. It was a great treat.

On a hot summer day supper might be rollkuchen (fried dough) and watermelon. It was a refreshing meal and to this day it is an Mennonite Central Committee Relief Sale highlight and young and old line up for this favourite treat.

Whenever we were having large groups over or church picnics, someone would make
doughnuts and/or bismarks and feed the whole crowd. My sister-in-law Herta made delicious bismarks and as a young girl I would walk over when she was preparing them and truly “pig out”. About 2 years ago at our church retreat we made doughnuts and deep fried them in a large cauldron outdoors on a cool October evening, and we all “pigged out”. On New Year Eve day our Mom made New Years Cookies or Porzelky. I think every Russian Mennonite family made them. We ate them on the eve and also on New Years Day.

Deep frying was not considered a problem as long as you continued to work hard. Today, November 20, 2010, 4 Grandmas and their spouses are treating themselves to an evening of deep fried delights. Our oldest daughter, who is very food alert asked if we would have a defibrillator available and I said, “No, just a plate of fruit for dessert” which we did.

BISMARKS (Recipe of Herta Koop and Helen Unrau)

1 tbsp yeast in 1/2 cup warm water with 1 tsp sugar dissolved
2 cups scalded milk, then add 1/2 cup shortening. Cool.

4 egg yolks and 1 whole egg 1 tsp orange rind
1/2 cup sugar 2 tsp lemon rind
1 tsp salt 2 tsp vanilla
6 cups flour

Beat eggs and sugar, mix all ingredients, add yeast when cool.
Leave to sit in warm place to rise.
Knead down and roll 1/2 inch thick and cut into shapes, either round or rectangle, let rise and deep fry in oil.
Ice (confectioners sugar mixed with cream and some vanilla) and sprinkle with nuts or sprinkles.
If you can figure out how to insert jam, please let us know.

ROLLKUCHEN (Deep fried dough)

1 cup whipping cream 2 cups flour
2 eggs 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into mixing bowl, make a well, add other ingredients. Mix well and if dough is too soft, add a bit more flour. Roll out quite thin on a floured board and cut into rectangles, make a slit in centre and pull the one end through. Deep fry in oil and eat with watermelon, icing sugar or syrup. Yummy on a hot summer day or any time really.

MARLENE FROESE

DOUGHNUTS AND SPUDNUTS

2010-11-29T14:58:00.003-05:00

Did you know we didn’t have Robins or Tim Horton shops in Grandma’s time? Yet doughnuts, spudnuts and other fritters were very much a part of special family times. They were frozen in large quantities for big family events such as birthdays, anniversaries, or even harvest suppers as great desserts.
Doughnut making was a special event which lasted several hours as you mixed the large batch of yeast dough, let it rise, and then cut it into shapes. We did not have the fancy doughnut cutters of today, but used a round object like a tumbler, and then needed a thimble or something small and round to make the holes. Just like the timbits of today, the holes were so much fun for the children to eat. They were usually rolled in sugar.
Once the doughnuts were cut they needed to rise until double in size, so every counter and table seemed to be covered with doughnuts as we never made less than 6 dozen. Finally, they were glazed, or dipped in sugar, or covered with icing. They continue to be a real treat.

RAISED YEAST DOUGHNUTS

2 1/2 cups warm water 2 cups warm milk
1/2 cup butter 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs, well beaten 1 tsp salt
2 tbsp yeast 8-9 cups flour

Beat eggs and add water, milk, softened butter, sugar, and salt. Mix the yeast with 1 cup of flour and mix into egg mixture. Add remaining flour and knead to make a soft dough. Let rise, roll 1/2 inch thick and cut with doughnut cutter, placing doughnuts on a lightly floured pan to rise again. Fry in hot oil.

SPUDNUTS

2 tbsp yeast 1 tsp nutmeg
2 cups warm milk 2 large eggs - well beaten
1 tsp salt 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine 1 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 cup warm water

Beat eggs and add water, milk, nutmeg, soft margarine or butter, salt, sugar and mashed potatoes.
Mix well. Add yeast to 1 cup of flour and add to mixture. Gradually add the rest of the flour to make a soft dough. Let rise until double in size. Roll 1/2 inch thick, cut into small rectangular shapes. Let rise again. Fry in hot oil.
Coat with sugar. glaze or icing.

ELVA EPP

PORTZELKY (New Year's Fritters)

2010-11-29T14:50:00.002-05:00

After the excitement of Christmas - the concerts, the gatherings and the presents, our family life would sort of settle down to normal routine. There was time in the cold winter weather to invite guests to visit and play table - board games. Mom would usually make the Portzelky on the day before New Years. It was usually a family project and we only made them at New Years. They were special. Mom’s kitchen was small, but the 5 of us children would gather round the kitchen table and would “help” mix the batter -- then we would wait with anticipation for the dough to rise and then the excitement of frying the fritters. We were cautioned to not go too near the pot on the stove which had the hot oil/fat in it. When Mom fried the first few we were excited to “taste” them. We had a little bowl of sugar on the table and then dunked our fritteer in for each bite. Mmm - good. I can still taste that first fritter!

In my husband’s family Portzelky were also only made at New Years. In his family they had a low german poem that they would say. It went like this:

“Ek sach yoon Schursteen rookin (I saw your chimney smoke)
Ek wist vull vowat yee moakin (I knew well what you were making)
Scheine Nee Yoat koake (Delicious New Year fritters)
Yave wee mee une dahn shtoh ek schtell (Give me one I’ll stand still)
Yave yee mee twi dahn fang ek own tow gohnen (Give me 2 I’ll start walking)
Yave mee drei en feiah touglick (If you give me three and four together
Dahn vensch ek yoo dowt Himmelrick I’ll wish you the riches of Heaven)

MOM'S PORTZELKY

1 tsp sugar 1 tsp salt
1/2 cup warm water 1 Tbsp butter
1 pkg dry yeast 4 eggs, beaten
3 cups water 2 - 4 cups raisins, as desired
3 cups milk Flour
1/2 cup sugar

Dissolve 1 tsp. sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. Sprinkle 1 package dry yeast on water and let stand 10 minutes. Add water, milk, sugar, salt, butter, eggs and raisins. Stir in enough flour to make a fairly thick batter. Let rise until double in bulk. Drop by spoonfuls in hot, deep oil and fry until golden brown.

Over the years we have learned so much about nutrition and “what’s good for us”. We know deep fried food is not the most healthy - but I tend to think that moderation is a good way to go. Perhaps Portzelky once a year are O.K.!!

DONNA DRIEDGER

MORE DEEP FRIED DELIGHTS

2010-11-29T14:43:00.007-05:00

MEAT PERISHKY

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp lard
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup cream
1 egg

Meat Filling:
1 onion minced
1/2 lb ground beef
1 cup mashed potatoes
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste

Sift dry ingredients, rub in lard, add slightly beaten egg, milk and cream. If dough is too soft add a bit more flour. For filling, sauté onion, add ground beef, simmer until browned. (You can also use leftover ground roast). Mix with mashed potatoes, salt and pepper. Roll out dough. Cut in rounds and fill with meat mixture. Deep fry in hot vegetable oil until golden brown. Can also be baked in 400 degrees oven for 25 minutes. We like them with soup and Rogers Golden Syrup.

FRITTERS

2 cups flour 1 cup milk
3 tsp baking powder 1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar 2 tbsp melted butter
1 tsp salt 4 large apples
2 eggs

Combine all ingredients (except apples and oil) in mixer bowl. Beat on low speed until blended. Pare and core apples and cut into small pieces. When oil is hot put apples into batter and with a spoon transfer some of the apple mixture into the hot oil. Fry on one side till brown, then turn over and brown the other side. Test the first one to make sure the apples are soft and the batter is all baked through. Serve with hot syrup or sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon. Other fruits like fresh plums or cherries may also be used.

Being a farmer’s wife, I had to take many meals out to the field where my husband was working. I remember one summer evening I made a pot of soup and a batch of apple fritters to take out to the field. I had three children, so it meant getting them all ready and keeping the soup hot. I packed everything plus blankets and a tablecloth too. With plates, bowls and cutlery (no napkins), sugar for the fritters and buttered bread for the soup, we were off. We went on the prairie highway (unlike the highways of today), but we arrived without mishap. It put a smile on my husband’s face because this was his favourite food. What a great time we had.

HEDIE HARDER

An Unexpected Hour

2010-11-22T18:36:00.003-05:00

Each year Mennonite Church Canada publishes Advent at Home, a worship book designed to encourage family worship during the Christmas season. Check out the 2010/2011 edition titled "An Unexpected Hour" and "commit the subversive act of slowing down and doing less this advent season". Click here to borrow, purchase or download Advent at Home 2010 - An Unexpected Hour.

"Haiti: Building in Hope"

2010-11-17T17:23:00.005-05:00

WMCEC Fall Enrichment Day – October 23, 2010

123 women from across Ontario gathered at Bethany Mennonite Church in Virgil to hear speakers on the theme “Haiti: Building in Hope”. Donna Thiessen shared in the morning her first-hand experience during the Haiti earthquake with Leah Reesor and Luke Keller updating us in the afternoon on what MCC has been and continues to do to help in the recovery. Click here for Leah's blog on Haiti related themes.

The Niagara Bethany Hand Bell Choir which has a long history of supporting children in Haiti provided special music under the direction of Tracey Frena.

Using Luke 10:25-37 as her text, Carol Penner, pastor at The First Mennonite Church in Vineland challenged us to ask ourselves “Who is my sister?”

A special treat was hearing musician Heidi Wagler’s story of how she has been able to continue to have hope even though she has experienced pain and hurt in her life. She was led to produce a CD entitled “Healing and Hope for the Nations” the proceeds of which are directed to MCC for its ongoing work in Haiti.

Brian Bauman, MCEC Missions Minister, affirmed the women of MCEC who have consistently support projects of MCEC as well as projects in their own communities.

The business session was chaired by WMCEC’s new coordinator, Pattie Ollies and included a report from Erna Neufeldt, Mennonite Women Canada’s president and reports from WMCEC's personnel and programme committees.

Comments that I heard that day included the following:
***It was a great day!
***Donna’s presentation and video were well done and her thankfulness for God’s safety and protection was very evident.
***I thought the program on Saturday was just fantastic!
***The historical, social and economic context given by Leah was very helpful in understanding the culture of the Haitian people.

If you are interested in more details please leave a comment and I will gladly provide more information. A more detailed report has also been submitted to the Canadian Mennonite.

2010-10-26T17:43:00.003-04:00

Let the Children Come: Preparing Faith Communities to End Child Abuse and Neglect, by Jeanette Harder, Herald Press, 2010.

Are children safe at your church?

What precautions have you taken to ensure they won't be abused?

Do you know how to recognize the signs of child abuse and neglect?

What should you do if you suspect a child in your church or neighborhood is being abused or neglected?

If you aren't sure how to answer those questions, you need Let the Children Come, a new book from Herald Press that helps churches and church-related ministries learn how to keep children safe and strengthen families.

In the context of the Bible and faith, Let the Children Come helps Christians learn about their role in ending child abuse and neglect in all communities: church, home, extended family, neighborhood, school, work. Each chapter contains real-life stories, discussion questions and action items; the appendix includes prayers, readings and exercises for use in adult education.

Borrow or purchase this title

from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

WHEN WE DIDN'T HAVE THE INTER-NET

2010-10-21T17:23:00.001-04:00

Irene Klassen, Calgary, Alberta recently discovered this blog and the Mennonite Women Canada website. Following are Irene’s comments that remind us how technology has changed how we do certain aspects of communication now. She says:

I went to the website, (hadn't paid much attention to it earlier), and was really impressed! WOW! How Women in Mission (former name) has evolved! Several name changes, and styles of leadership, to going inter-net.

From the early days:
- When reports and literature was sent by snail mail.
- When Mrs Pauls was president here in Alberta, she would take advantage of the Menno Bible Institute events. (Mr Pauls was Principal of the Bible School) In the spring when parents came to pick up their children after School Closing, she would send Women in Mission information with the parents to hand deliver to all the local Women's groups at Pincher Creek, Rosemary, Tofield etc. and of course they would pass them along to the local women's president. In the fall when students arrived it was the same. Saved much on postage.

- When cc really meant carbon copy, and letters were laboriously carbon copied, even by hand. Then later came the Hectograph - that was when Frieda Peters was president.

- When meetings and minutes were in German.

- When long-distance phone calls were rare.

- When Missions meant supporting overseas missionaries.

- When women made knit and rolled bandages, and quilted at meetings. Women always had a pair of needles and a bandage in process in their purse.

- When a minister, male of course, was present to give the closing benediction, and often even the opening, at meetings.

- Women in Mission reports were just sent to the Alberta Conference to be included in the Report book. I think I was the first one to actually present the report at the conference, and after that it was taken for granted.

Ah well.... there I go ... pondering. Now I can follow everything that goes on in Mennonite Women Canada on the inter-net. Just go to www.

Irene Klassen
Calgary, Alberta

Opportunites for Giving (2011)

2010-09-17T10:53:00.008-04:00

At the annual meeting of Mennonite Women Canada, held this past July in Calgary, a new international project was chosen as one of our 'opportunities for giving'. The Samuelito Day Care Centre in Santa Cruz, Bolivia opened its doors in 2006 to provide a much needed service and also to reach out to the families in one of the city's poorest neighbourhoods. The director is Juneth Vargas, who is an energetic mother of two and a committed Christian dedicated to her work. She oversees a staff of 8 who care for 74 children and give instruction in the areas of health, nutrition, education and faith.

Please click on 'Opportunities for Giving' above to read more about this project. Updates about this project will be posted as they become available.

2010-09-16T17:55:00.005-04:00

Faith and Hope in the Midst of Changing Times by Dan Epp-Tiessen, Mennonite Church Canada, 2010.

Chapters/Themes of this five-week Season of Prayer package (for personal reading, small group study, prayer meetings, worship):

In the Face of Change: If we as Christians are rooted in our story, remain God-centered, sort out our loyalties, and live as a covenant people, then we can confidently face changing times.

Bless the LORD, O My Soul: One of the most important things we as a church do in any time and place is to offer our joyous and heartfelt praise to God.

Nurturing a Spirit of Resistance: As God’s people, we owe our primary allegiance to God. Therefore, in changing times we are called to nurture a discerning spirit of resistance to the world.

Living between Reality and Hope: Our calling is to live between acceptance of some of the painful realities of life, and the hope we have that with God new things are possible.

Nothing Can Separate Us . . . : No matter what crises we face either individually or collectively, the Bible assures us that there is nothing in all of creation that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

Download this title free

from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

MORNING HAS BROKEN....

2010-09-15T14:25:00.002-04:00

"Early morning" photo taken by Lois Siemens near Superb, Saskatchewan.

Schools & Peace Education

2010-09-11T14:55:00.002-04:00

I recently wrote the following in response to a friend's question "What is it about the school that helps promote peace education efforts in your context?" I've been working with peace education in South Korea and now in Harrisonburg, Virginia while I attend Eastern Mennonite University (EMU). My response reflects my connections of my study and experience. Statistics show that most of the public school teachers in North America are women. What if women would start to pull some of these ideas into their work? How would that influence the educational systems in which children are shaped?

The peace education contexts that I’ve experience include alternative schools in Korea, a peacebuilding education organization, the Intensive English Program (IEP) at Eastern Mennonite University, public schools in a suburb of Seoul, and an English language institute in downtown Seoul. They are all very different schools, and very different contexts, however, they have several points in common.

One point of commonality is that they all have staff and faculty committed to the value of peacebuilding. Whether the commitment is for faith reasons or because people know clearly the cost of “not-peace,” each person in the organization has a personal interest and awareness of peace as a value and way of life.

Second, in all contexts teachers have a sense of ownership and belonging. There is both freedom to develop courses and classes from their own ideas, and also accountability to other educators in community. There is both flexibility and support for the educators.

Third, each of these contexts is a “learning community” in that the communities are willing, able, and eager to change and grow, and to learn more about education and peacebuilding. None of them has a sense of “we’ve arrived” or “we have the answer.” Instead they all continuously seek to provide better education and to be more peaceful.

Also, “Peace” is not just content in each of these contexts. Along with personal commitment, there is communal commitment to practicing what is taught – finding creative ways to deal with conflict that resolves issues and nurtures relationships, transforming conflict into opportunity. Perhaps there is a lower level of fear of conflict in these organizations? That may or may not be true, but something in the context suggests that these communities face conflict intentionally, knowing that it will provide opportunities for personal and communal learning.

A final point in common is abundant sharing that goes on among educators. In all cases there is either co-teaching, or at least a lot of honest dialogue about ideas in the classroom. Teachers are definitely NOT isolated.

The question that automatically arises for me, then, is how to get to this point? IEP and the public schools outside Seoul are two from this list that are transformed schools rather than new schools. It seems easier to start something new with a group of committed people, but it’s not impossible to change an existing educational organization. At IEP several recent changes from an organizational perspective, including a change in leadership, may have had something to do with it. In the suburb public schools there was an initiating point of change – a “window of opportunity” – plus a supporting organization and a small group of committed parents and teachers.

For peace education to work in schools, I think systemic change is needed, and this doesn’t happen all at once. It’s cultural, structural, and personal transformation. This is definitely not linear, but complex and multi-faceted. It takes ongoing commitment, vision, and “trial-and-error.”

THE JOY OF DISCOVERING KINDRED SPIRITS

2010-08-19T15:38:00.003-04:00

BY REBECCA JANZEN
In 2008 and 2009 I participated in a program called Serving and Learning Together, SALT, a one-year service and learning experience for young adults of the Mennonite Central Committee, MCC (www.mcc.org/salt); my blog from that time is available at www.blogs.mcc.org/salt/rebeccaj1/. Over the course of eleven months, I lived in Managua, Nicaragua, and volunteered at the Batahola Norte Cultural Centre (www.friendsofbatahola.org). Thanks to the program, I learned about Nicaraguan culture by living with a host family, attending a Nicaraguan church and interacting with my Nicaraguan coworkers.
After my year of service and learning ended, I began studying in Toronto and when my first year of a PhD program ended in May, I decided to see some friends I had in Argentina and Uruguay, and while I was there, see where my grandparents worked and where my mom was born in Paraguay, and since I was in the region, return to Nicaragua.
I did a little bit of everything. I saw impressive infrastructural developments, like the slaughterhouse and milk factory in the Menno colony in Paraguay and the Itaipú dam between Brazil and Paraguay and natural wonders, like the Iguazú Falls and the Quebrada de Humahuaca. Better still, in the Quebrada de Cafayate I went for a long bike ride where I felt like stopping to take pictures every few minutes. Most importantly I was able to meet interesting people, and in this way was able to see the beauty of my new surroundings because I was not convinced that my way was better.
By emphasizing relationship-building, especially in church-related contexts, I was able to better understand other people’s hopes, dreams and daily realities. At CEMTA, a Mennonite Conference School of Theology and Music, for example, I learned that all students everywhere procrastinate, and in Paraguay, drinking maté together makes it more fun. In Buenos Aires, the Floresta Mennonite Church invited me into its community, and I realized that all Mennonites are connected, both through faith, the Mennonite game and a commitment to peace and justice. As I return to life in Toronto, I hope to continue to seek out and develop these kinds of connections.

We're back ! ! !

2010-08-17T02:00:00.002-04:00

Thought that it might be of interest, especially to the BC readers, that on July 1^st, 2010, after an absence of 3 years, a NEW name and under the umbrella of Mennonite Church BC, MCBC Women's Ministry was welcomed back into full membership by Erna Neufeldt; president of Mennonite Women Canada.

We are looking forward to re-establish the good working relationship that was always present between Mennonite Women Canada and the women in BC.

2010-08-16T10:35:00.003-04:00

A Mennonite Woman: Exploring Spiritual Life and Identity by Dawn Ruth Nelson, Cascadia Publishing House, 2010.

A Mennonite Woman, part narrative, part theology, part spiritual memoir, Dawn Ruth Nelson asks us to wake up to what is shaping us spiritually as contemporary Christians in North American culture. Discover why Mennonites have been drinking deeply from contemplative spiritual formation wells in the last 30 years. Experience the story of twentieth-century Mennonite agrarian spirituality through the lens of one woman’s life and one seminary.

Borrow this title from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

Welcome Patty!

2010-08-12T15:47:00.002-04:00

In May of this year Patty Ollies joined the Executive as the Coordinator of Women of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada.

Welcome Patty!

Photo by Ruth Jantzi

Welcome, Liz and Lois!

2010-08-12T14:18:00.005-04:00

July 1 at our Annual Meeting we elected two women to leadership positions in Mennonite Women Canada. Liz Koop, Vineland, ON as President-elect and Lois Mierau, Langham, SK as Secretary-Treasurer.

WELCOME, Liz and Lois!

Left to right: Erna Neufeldt, Lois Mierau, Liz Koop
Photo by Waltrude Gortzen

RHUBARB CRISP

2010-06-16T16:21:00.004-04:00

3 cups chopped rhubarb (approx.)
1/2 cup sugar (could be more or less depending on the sweetness desired)
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup soft butter or margarine

Layer rhubarb with sugar and lemon juice into an 8” or 9” round or square pan.
Combine oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Add butter or margarine and mix until texture is like crumbs.
Sprinkle over rhubarb and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes, until slightly brown and some rhubarb juices rise to the top of the dessert.
Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

Most Grandmas that grew up on a Saskatchewan farm know all about the fruit called rhubarb. It was used for desserts such as pies, cakes, platz, etc. and every farm had rhubarb plants. Rhubarb needs more sugar in the recipes than most fruits because of its tartness. Actually rhubarb is one of the few perennial vegetables, however, we use it as a fruit.

This Rhubarb Crisp Dessert is a real favourite of my granddaughter’s, although it was never made by my Mother.

Elva Epp

2010-06-11T11:04:00.004-04:00

Saving the Seasons: How to Can, Freeze, or Dry Almost Anything by Mary Clemens Meyer, Susanna Meyer, Herald Press, 2010.

You can’t get much closer to the source of your food than canning or preserving it yourself, and Saving the Seasons shows you how through clear instructions and step-by-step pictures. Loaded with helpful tips, charts and user-friendly recipes for beginners and experts alike, you will enjoy the season’s bounty all year long!

Borrow this title from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

Rhubarb Juice

2010-06-10T16:25:00.001-04:00

After the long winter one of the first perennial plants to show its head is the hardy rhubarb. The best time to pick rhubarb is early in the season before it forms its seed tufts.

One of the things I like to make is Rhubarb Juice. This recipe is quite tart and not too sweet. It works very well when used with ginger ale or when mixed into a punch with orange juice, lemon juice and ginger ale.

Rhubarb Juice
Wash and cut rhubarb, cover with water and boil until soft.
Strain through a colander and then through a fine sieve or bag.
Take 12 cups of juice add 1 cup sugar (scant) and 1 pkg raspberry jello. Mix well.
Bring to a boil and boil for 12 minutes. Pour into jars and seal.
Enjoy. This is my Mom’s recipe - our family liked the juice quite well.

Donna Driedger

Rhubarb

2010-06-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

If you decide to travel the province of Saskatchewan looking for old homesteads you can see rhubarb plants that identify many places where pioneers settled as early as 1900.

The settlers always defined their homestead with a border of poplar trees, lilacs, caraganas and an odd apple tree. Somewhere in the corner was usually a rhubarb plant. To this day, the buildings have all disappeared but the growth of trees and rhubarb are still intact and the homestead is thereby identified.

We wondered how pioneers transported the root of the plant from the homeland and how long plants like that last. The pioneers recognized that rhubarb had a diversity of uses and provided vitamins that helped family health.

4 Grandmas 4 U

Rhubarb Cake

2010-06-09T16:46:00.004-04:00

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups rhubarb, chopped fine
2 cups flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt

Topping:
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Cream brown sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Alternately stir in flour, soda and buttermilk. When mixture is mixed, fold in chopped rhubarb. Add the topping. Bake in 9x13” pan for 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

This recipe was passed on to me by Anita Froese. A great coffee cake.

Marlene Froese

Rhubarb Platz

2010-06-09T16:23:00.004-04:00

Base: Crumbs:
1/2 cup margarine 1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups flour 1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder 1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup half milk, half cream

Blend margarine, flour, baking powder and salt till crumbly. Add milk and cream mixture. Blend to make a soft, slightly sticky dough. Do not overmix as it will toughen dough.

Roll out on well floured board to fit 10x15” cookie sheet. Place fruit mixture of choice to cover base. Top with crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until nicely browned.

Fruit: Rhubarb - 4 cups finely chopped rhubarb, 1 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tbsp tapioca or cornstarch.

Enjoy the platz delight.

Hedie Harder

BLANKETS FOR HAITI

2010-06-01T13:37:00.003-04:00

The Women in Mission at Grace Mennonite Church, Steinbach, Man., have been putting together blankets for Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) for many years. The local MCC Thrift Store and people from the church donate quilt tops, fabric for the backing and used sheets etc. for the filler. Peter Dick, a retired school teacher, has taken up sewing as his retirement project and he sews most of our blanket tops.
For the month of January, Mel Letkeman, our pastor, used James 2:14-17 as his theme for Sunday morning worship. When the earthquake struck in Haiti on January 12, he challenged the congregation to make blankets for Haiti. Schedules were set up and different groups came to the church and tied the blankets. The Junior and Senior youth groups, Sunday School classes, small groups and many individuals all came and got involved. There was usually food, much laughter and many sore fingers.
At the end of each evening, the completed blankets were carried up to the sanctuary and artfully arranged by Elsie Kroeker and Vi Kreutzer, forming a beautiful colourful backdrop on the podium at the front of the church. Within three weeks, about 100 different individuals helped to complete 110 blankets!
The blankets have been taken to MCC and we miss them. However, for those who helped complete this project, it is satisfying to know that these blankets are keeping many people warm and that we at Grace Mennonite had the opportunity to sew and laugh with each other.

Written by Irene Rempel
Photo by Elsie Kroeker

ONE HUNDRED AND TWO WITH SO MUCH TO DO

2010-05-19T10:36:00.006-04:00

For the past 102 years the women of Erb Street Mennonite Church have met regularly to sew, cook, can, bake, make funeral sandwiches (the best in Waterloo Region !) bake pies; quilt for the Relief Sale, knot, patch, raise funds... and they are still meeting monthly and still completing many of those tasks.

You might ask: Why wasn’t the 100th year recognized? When you finish reading this, you’ll see why. The women were too busy quilting and knotting their way through those years! This year they managed to pause, and on Tuesday, April 20, Erb Street Mennonite Church women celebrated the beginning of the group whose name was the Waterloo Charity Circle. In Erb Street’s history book, titled Path of a People: Erb Street Mennonite Church 1851 - 2001, Karl Kessler devoted 11 pages to the then 93-year-old women’s organization, starting on page 67: “And Still Do More”: Women of Action. He wrote that “The church work of Ontario Mennonite women has a history of reaching back further than 1908, but that year does mark the beginning of organized women’s work in the officially recognized program of the church.”

For a few hours on that celebratory Tuesday afternoon, comforters were knotted, a quilt was stitched, and stories were told. “Great God the Giver of all good” was sung and – amid much chatter and laughter – a delicious comfort-food supper was enjoyed: scalloped potatoes with sausage, jellied salad, mixed vegetables, and angel food cake with lemon sauce for dessert.

Grace Schweitzer, president of the Erb Street WMCEC, hosted the evening’s program of readings and hymn singing, led by song-leader Ruth Jantzi, with some historical trivia added. Readers Jean Fretz, Elsie Shantz, Carolyn Morris and Lucille Weber gave glimpses of the women’s mission work, meetings; items sewn, embroidered, knotted and quilted; social committee meals cooked, relief sale pies baked. Mary Snider Martin, Lynn Jewitt Keller, Merlyn Snider Martin and Grace Martin Schweitzer sang “Somebody” from Junior Hymns, and “When we walk with the Lord” (“Trust and obey”).

Marion Roes

Go to http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/mwc/daily.htm for the rest of this article.

Photos by Marion Roes

2010-05-05T11:13:00.003-04:00

Created Equal: Women and Men in the Image of God by Linda Gehman Peachey, Mennonite Central Committee, 2009.

This 36-page booklet provides a biblical understanding of equality between women and men. It responds to frequently asked questions such as how to understand creation, the fall and some of Paul's writings. It also includes questions for further reflection and discussion, and a list of additional resources.

Borrow this title from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE

2010-04-21T16:58:00.002-04:00

Restorative justice is an approach to justice where offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions, "to repair the harm they've done” and build healthy relationships which leads to reintegration into a community. It moves the focus of seeing crime as one committed against the state to one in which the crime is harmful to individuals, families and community. Its goal is not one of punishment, but of restoration of relationship for the victim, the offender and the community.

As women and mothers, we can be models in restorative justice in how we love, care and teach our children, how we assist them to take responsibility, how we live the gospel of love for our families, the stranger, our enemies and ourselves. Jesus called us friends. He leveled relationships. He saw the value of each and every one of us. He asked us to love all. Restorative justice is based on these core values.

There are many opportunities to volunteer in the programs and services in which restorative practice is basic to the service. Mennonite Central Committee and faith groups often are looking for volunteers to become friends, to visit, to love and restore to community the alienated, forgotten or strangers. Often it is in these loving acts, the victim or the offender finds support to turn their life around. It is a most rewarding service. I am often humbled by the love shown to me by those who I often misjudge as having little to offer. As I love I am loved in return.

For more information you can search Restorative justice through one of the internet search sites, or contact Canadian Mennonite University or Mennonite Central Committee offices in your province.

To read the complete article go to http://www.menonnitechurch.ca/mwc/resources.htm

Florence Driedger
Regina, Saskatchewan
April 2010

LOVE IS A WAY OF LIFE

2010-04-16T08:38:00.004-04:00

Love is a way of life, not a rule. Its focus is on relationship – relationship to God, to others and to oneself. The question is “do I love God, the other or myself?” not “have I broken a rule or a law?” Paul suggests there is no law against love or the qualities growing out of love such as kindness, peace, joy, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22)

Living this life of love as Disciples of Christ is our calling as women, mothers, sisters, grandmothers and all who call ourselves Christians. It is this life of love which calls all to reject violence and evil in our lives, families, communities and society.

So the troublesome question arises when violence occurs in our lives, families and communities which also include our congregations. How do we respond to victims and those who use violence? What is the practical application of love in all spheres of our life?

There are many resources to draw on, whether you are a victim, a friend, or one who is dealing with violent tendencies in your own behavior. More will be said about this at the end of this article.

For the rest of this article by Florence Driedger, Regina, Saskatchewan please go to
http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/mwc/PaJ/htm

2010-04-07T16:46:00.004-04:00

Elisabeth of Berlin: When the World is on Fire, do you Follow your Friends, your Fuehrer, or your God? DVD, Vital Visions, 2008.

When Elisabeth Schmitz died in 1977, only seven persons attended her funeral. But this forgotten woman, a student of the greatest theologians and scholars of twentieth century Europe, was one of the only voices of resistance to the Nazis in the church.

This groundbreaking film was created especially for the 70th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Nazi's "Night of Broken Glass," which many mark as the beginning of the Holocaust. After witnessing the violence of this program against Germany's Jews, Elisabeth Schmitz knew that life could no longer continue normally: her Christian faith compelled her to put her own life at risk in order to live on behalf of others.

Her most important writing was a twenty-four page memorandum that described, in detail, hardships endured by Jews across Germany. It was written to church leadership in order to urge them to take action. Because writing something like this was illegal in those days, she wrote it anonymously. Although it was well-known after the war was over, an archivist attributed it's authorship to someone else. Elisabeth Schmitz was forgotten until her handwritten draft was discovered in a dusty church basement in her hometown.

Home Use Only.

Borrow this title from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

ALLELUIA!

2010-04-04T08:13:00.000-04:00

CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

Celebrating Good Friday

2010-04-02T15:35:00.002-04:00

The idea of ‘celebrating’ Good Friday seems a contradiction. On Good Friday, after all, we Christians remember the suffering of Jesus the Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death by crucifixion. What is to celebrate?

Yet, the idea of celebrating is quite appropriate. One definition of ‘celebrate’ is ‘to honor especially by solemn ceremonies or by refraining from ordinary business.’ To celebrate Good Friday, then, is ‘to honor’ the suffering, the Passion, of Jesus on behalf of sinful humankind. His resurrection on Easter morning is the culmination of this Holy Week.

Oh love, how deep, how broad
(attributed to Thomas à Kempis, 15th c.)

Oh love, how deep, how broad, how high! It fills the heart with ecstasy,
that God, the Son of God, should take
our mortal form for mortals’ sake.

For us he was baptized and bore his holy fast, and hungered sore.
For us temptation sharp he knew,
For us the tempter overthrew.

For us he prayed, for us he taught, for us his daily works he wrought
By words and signs and actions thus
Still seeking not himself, but us.

For us to wicked hands betrayed, scourged, mocked, in purple robe arrayed
He bore the shameful cross and death,
For us at length gave up his breath.

Eternal glory to our God for love so deep, so high, so broad;
The Trinity whom we adore
For ever and forevermore.

Photo by Aldred Neufeldt

Stretch Your Budget With Soups from '4 Grandmas 4U'

2010-03-29T13:15:00.006-04:00

Mother would call, “Come for dinner” and that meant the noon meal or we may have heard “Soups On”.

In the days of our mothers, soup made a great noon meal -- a big bowl of soup, hearty home made bread and probably fresh pie.

Soups were a wholesome meal of vegetables and meat. Some soups were made for medicinal purposes and some used the garden vegetables. Meat frequently came from soup bones, fresh or canned. This provided the family a full meal deal; heart-warming and wholesome.

We have some of our favourites -- easy, cheap and hearty.

Chicken Noodle Soup - a necessary medicinal
Use leftover chicken pieces or chicken breast. Cover meat with water, parsley root and 1 star aniseed. Boil until done, approximately 1 hour. Cut chicken breasts into serving pieces. Add soup base mix and water to taste, bring to a boil. Find homemade-like egg noodles and boil separately. Drain and rinse. Add to soup. Bring to almost boil. Add parsley greens, salt and pepper to taste.
Find the family, especially the sick.
Marlene Froese

Green Bean Soup
1 smoked ham bone (with meat). Farmer Sausage can also be used
Cover meat with water and boil. Add water to keep covered.
Add: 2 cups green beans
1 potatoe - diced
1 small onion - diced
salt and pepper to taste
spray of summer savory
Cook until vegetables are done. Remove savory and ham bone when done.
Donna Driedger

Vegetable Chowder
2 cups diced potatoe
2 cups cut cauliflower
1 cup chopped onion
3 cups water
1 Oxo beef or vegetable cube
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp oregano
1 - 28 oz can tomatoes

Sauce
3 tbsp margarine
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp dry mustard
2 cups milk
salt and pepper
1 tbsp parsley
1/4 tsp basil

Boil vegetables until tender but still slightly firm. Add sauce to soup and heat until hot but do not boil. (It may curdle if boiled because of milk).
Hedie Harder

Beef Borscht

Beef soup bone with some meat, or stewing beef cut into small pieces
1 small head of cabbage - shredded
1 chopped onion
2 medium carrots- chopped
1 green pepper - chopped
5 medium potatoes - chopped
19 oz canned tomatoes - chopped
10 oz can tomato soup
Parsley roots or dried parsley
2 bay leaves
Dill to taste

Cover beef soup bones with cold salted water. Add chopped onion and bring to boil and simmer until the meat is cooked. The broth may be strained and the meat added to the soup.
Add vegetables and continue to simmer until cooked. Add tomatoes and tomato soup and spices.
Salt and pepper to taste. Simmer soup.

Serve with fresh brown bread, biscuits, or rollkuchen (fried dough) Enjoy!
Elva Epp

Hungarian Hamburger

1/2 pound ground beef, extra lean
1 onion, small, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 clove garlic, large, minced
4 cups hot water
2 cubes beef bouillon
24 ounces tomatoe juice
1 carrot, small, diced
1 cup potatoes, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup cabbage, shredded
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp basil, dried
1 tbsp paprika
3/4 cup pasta, uncooked, small size
1/2 cup sour cream

in a large saucepot, brown hamburger with onion and bell pepper. Add garlic and cook 2 minutes longer. Add water, tomatoe juice and all remaining ingredients (except pasta and sour cream) and cook until vegetables are tender, but not mushy, approximately 30 minutes. Add pasta during the last 5 to 10 minutes.
Yield: 8 servings
Marlene Froese

Most soups freeze well, so make a bigger pot and use at a later time.

Days of Celebration for Women, April/May 2010

2010-03-26T11:30:00.005-04:00

EASTERN CANADA
Bolivian Mennonite Women – A Vision for the Future
Women of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada Enrichment Day
Saturday April 17, 2010
Leamington United Mennonite Church
78 Oak Street
Leamington, ON
Speaker: Liz Koop, St. Catherines, ON
Coffee and muffins at 10:00 am
Registration of $22 (includes lunch) to Florence Jantzi, 14 Nightingale Cres., Elmira, ON
Contact: Shirley Redekop at shirley@cyg.net

ALBERTA
Be Salt and Light to the World
Alberta Women in Mission Enrichment Days
April 30 – May 1, 2010
Lethbridge Mennonite Church
4303-3rd Avenue South
Lethbridge, Alberta
Speaker: Janet Plenert, Executive Secretary, Mennonite Church Canada Witness Council
Contact: Ev Buhr at pebuhr@telus.net or office@edmonton1st.Mennonitechurch.ab.ca

BRITISH COLUMBIA
Garbed in God’s Grace
Mennonite Church British Columbia Women’s Ministry
Saturday May 1, 2010
Emmanuel Mennonite Church
3471 Clearbrook Road
Clearbrook, BC
Speaker: Jeanette Hanson, Mennonite Church Canada Witness worker in China
Cost: $10. Registration at 1:00 pm, dinner at 5:15 pm
Contact: Waltrude Gortzen at waltrude@shaw.ca

Capturing the Wonder

2010-03-22T18:17:00.003-04:00

My son and I have gone for a drive to experience the morning’s winter wonderland. At our first stop the sun suddenly appears, turning the already beautiful scene into one of astonishing wonder that takes our breath away: trees robed in blinding white hoar frost; each blade of grass coated in purest rime, the sun turning each frozen droplet into a dazzling, colourful, prism. Diamonds of joy sparkle at our feet and all around us, purifying our spirits, refreshing our souls.

This moment must be shared. Somehow we have to capture this incredible beauty. Will my basic camera be up to the task? Perhaps not, but surely my son’s state of the art photo equipment will gather up these glorious, muticoloured, glinting rainbows. Sometimes his photos actually intensify the wonder of the original scene.

Not this time. The pictures are lovely; delicately rime-covered trees, bushes, and grass, backed by blue sky. But where are the sparkling, dancing colours? Where is the sensational aura and spiritual wonder?

I can only conclude that neither words nor pictures are adequate to express some things. They can only be captured by experience. Description falls flat – and may not even be believed without photographic proof.

Isn’t God’s love like that? It is easy to talk about, but must be experienced to be understood, even minimally. How could Jesus choose to resolutely walk to Jerusalem, when he knew with near certainty that death awaited him there? How could he allow himself to be nailed to the cross, when he had more than “ten thousand angels” at his command (Mt.26:53)? How can I explain to someone else what it feels like to be wrapped in God’s love?

There are no photos, and description won’t do it. My only hope of coming close to communicating this great gift is to practice it; to allow God’s love to flow through me in demonstrating caring to someone who is in pain; to someone who feels unloved; to someone who has hurt me.

Come with me to experience the awe of God’s creation. Come with me to know the wonder of God’s love.

Doreen Neufeld
Calgary, Alberta
Photo by Doreen Neufeld

Mennonite Women Canada Executive

2010-03-10T17:22:00.004-05:00

Current members of Mennonite Women Canada executive are left to right Ruth Jantzi, Secretary Treasurer, Erna Neufeldt, President, Evelyn Buhr, President, Alberta Women in Mission, Ruby Harder, President, Saskatchewan Women in Mission, Shirley Redekop, Coordinator, Women of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada and Waltrude Gortzen, Women's Ministry Representative, Mennonite Church British Columbia.

2010-02-25T13:15:00.003-05:00

Women's Resources for Loan

Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter, Orbis Books, 2003.

From the world's best-loved spiritual writers (CS Lewis, Philip Yancey, Frederick Buechner, Madeline L'Engle, Dorothy Day, Kathleen Norris, Henri Nouwen, and more), an unparalleled gathering of reflections for Lent. Contains selections grouped around such themes as temptation, crucifixion, resurrection, and new life.

Borrow this title from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue here.

Borrow other Lenten devotionals here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

"Vigil for Bolivian Mennonite rape victimes - the least we could do"

2010-02-19T15:10:00.010-05:00

On a personal level, when I first heard the news last summer about the horrific “gang rapes” of Bolivian Mennonite women and girls which had happened (and may still be happening) on Manitoba Colony, and others too, I was very disturbed by it and my heart went out to the victims, perhaps especially because I knew from personal experience within our extended family, that sexual abuse can have devastating long-term effects not only on the victims but on the family as a whole especially if there is denial from the perpetrator which there usually is.

Even so, despite the fact that this Colony bears our provincial name, indicating that there are "family roots/connections" with Mennonites here, it all seemed very far away and I didn't know the victims or perpetrators personally, so I didn't allow myself to get too emotionally involved with this until early October when I received a "plea" from long-time friend & former MCC co-worker, Abe Warkentin expressing his deep concern over the "deafening silence" in the Mennonite constituency re these horrific rapes which he felt were desperate cries for help.

His hope was that a women's group or several individuals would adopt this as their cause and somehow raise awareness, compassion and concern within Canadian Mennonite churches for these sisters and brothers of ours who are experiencing such trauma so that longer term programming related to these and other social problems which have plagued some of the colonies for quite a long time, would begin.

So, after agreeing that something needed to be done to break the silence surrounding this very painful and sensitive story, I contacted my friend, Dora Dueck, interim editor of the Mennonite Brethren Herald last year--who was also very concerned about this issue and was already planning to do an article on the theme based on Mennonite Brethren Faith & Life Network team reports.

After that, the three of us began brainstorming on how we could get the word out.

Among other things, Dora & I encouraged Abe to go ahead with his plans to meet with and discuss his (and our) concerns with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) Canada leadership people, followed by his brief letter re this to Mennonite editors which appeared in most of the Mennonite periodicals.

By mid-December, in the midst of reading The Magnificat with its emphasis on God's love for the "lowly and hungry ones", we came to the understanding that the very least we could do was to organize a vigil to be held early in 2010, to pray for and express solidarity for the Bolivian women and girls and the whole community who are suffering so grievously.
And thankfully, the planning group (which now included several other volunteers) met on January 6 which "just happened" to be on the day of Epiphany, offering us that hope-filled lectionary text from Isaiah 60:1-5a as a sort of opening blessing:

"Arise, shine, your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For darkness shall cover the earth and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will appear over you ... Lift up your eyes and look around: ... your sons shall come from afar and your daughters shall be carried on their nurses arms. Then you shall see and be radiant; your heart shall thrill and rejoice."

To conclude, the aim of the vigil, which happened on Sunday evening, February 7, was to show love and compassion for, and solidarity with, the abused Mennonite women and girls from Bolivia. It was an opportunity to pray for healing, justice and hope not only for them but also for women and girls everywhere, even in our own midst, who have suffered abuse, and/or are still experiencing it. My personal prayer is that somehow, this event will help to make the world a little safer and better for everyone, including my three young grand-daughters who are just beginning their life journeys.

$3000 was raised for a women's shelter being built by the Evangelical Free Church of Canada Mission in Bolivia.

Leona Dueck Penner
Winnipeg, Manitoba

To read more about this event go to http://doradueck.wordpress.com/2010/02/08/evening-of-prayer/#comments or
http://www.mennoweekly.org/2010/2/15/service-laments-rapes-bolivia/

2010-02-09T18:12:00.005-05:00

New from the Resource Centre!

Get your winter toque here - and promote peace!

A limited quantity of liveforpeace.org toques are available to anyone planning to commit an act of peace by wearing the toque in public. All you have to do is wear the toque in public and then reflect on the experience and any reactions you received under the 1,000 Acts of Peace blog topic at www.liveforpeace.org.

The first toque is FREE (shipping extra); additional toques are just $5.00/each. Contact the Resource Centre.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

Memoirs of Katie Funk Wiebe

2010-02-09T15:06:00.009-05:00

Katie Funk Wiebe, author, Mennonite feminist, Professor Emeritus of English at Tabor College, Hillsboro, Kansas, mother, grandmother and mentor. Her writings are for all women and men interested in being creative and contributing individuals in all stages of adulthood. As a person she is of particular interest to Mennonite Women Canada for her unflagging pursuit of encouraging women to use their gifts in the ministries of the church. In articulate, insightful and inspired writing she tells of her struggles and victories. She is the author of many books, the latest being her memoirs. This is a review of those memoirs.

The Storekeeper’s Daughter, in 17 chapters covers the first 18 years of her life living with her family in Blaine Lake, Saskatchewan. It is a wonderful read of a young girl’s experiences growing up in a small town on the prairies.

You Never Gave Me a Name has 4 parts plus a Photo Album. Part I covers her time at Mennonite Brethren Bible College (MBBC) in Winnipeg, her marriage, all their moves so husband Walter could have work teaching, the beginning of Katie’s writing, and the death of Walter after only 15 years of marriage. Part II tells of her experience going to work to provide for herself and her 4 children. In Part III we learn how her
experiences broaden her faith, more opportunities to write come her way, she discovers the women’s movement outside of the church, and she becomes very involved in this movement. Part IV is about growing old and includes much wisdom on this topic.

The cover of The Storekeeper’s Daughter has a picture of Katie as a child. Her feet are solidly planted. One gets the feeling that she will hold her ground in life, and she does – as one learns from reading these 2 books.

To read this review go to http://www.mennonitechurch.ca/mwc/stories.htm

Grandma's Kitchen - Yeast Baking

2010-01-30T19:26:00.004-05:00

Zwieback (double buns)

5 cups milk, scalded
1 lb. butter
5 tsp salt
1 tbsp yeast, dissolved in 1 cup water and 1 tsp sugar
10-12 cups flour

Put first 4 ingredients into a large bowl. Add yeast and flour to make a stiff batter. Add more flour to make smooth soft dough. Knead well. Cover and let rise till double. Form into small buns and place a smaller bun on top, using your forefinger, attach to the bun underneath. Let rise until double in size. Bake at 350 - 375 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes until nicely browned.
Hedie Harder

* * * * * * * *

Crunchy Farmhouse Bread

1 1/4 cups warm water
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tbsp oil
2 1/2 tbsp honey
1 1/4 cups white flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup bran
3 tbsp Sunny Boy cereal
3 tbsp flax
2 tsp yeast

Add other seeds as you like. Wonderful hearty bread -- works well in a bread maker.
Donna Driedger

Cinnamon Buns

4 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup soft butter or margarine
1/2 cup warm water
1 cup warm milk
1 pkg. yeast
1 tsp salt
5 - 6 cups flour

Beat eggs and add sugar, butter, warm water, warm milk and salt. Add 1 cup flour and mix. Add fast rising yeast to another cup of flour and add to mixture. Continue to add flour and when stiff enough knead into a soft dough. Let rise in a warm place for 20 - 25 minutes.

Punch down and let rise again until approx. double in size. Divide dough into 2 parts. Roll out one piece and spread with 2 tbsp melted margarine or butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar and sprinkle with cinnamon. Roll up and cut into approximately 18 buns. Place on greased pan. Repeat with 2nd part. Let rise until double in size for 20 - 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Elva Epp

* * * * * * * *

Buns

4 cups warm water
1 1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup water
2 tbsp yeast

Combine these ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes. Add 4 well beaten eggs and 1/2 cup oil. Add 9 - 10 cups flour, white/brown. Knead. Let rise 2 hours, punch down and make into buns. Let rise 1 hour. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
Marlene Froese

Grandma's Kitchen: A Bakery for Leavened and Unleavened Bread

2010-01-29T15:16:00.005-05:00

The aroma filled the kitchen, then permeated the whole house when Grandma had bake day and it was almost always on Saturday. Yeast baking was very popular as it produced fresh buns, bread, sweet buns or platz base for Sunday “Faspa”. Working with yeast was an art and also biblical as it was referred to as leavened bread. It was important to know how to treat leavened bread dough with tenderness and gentleness. The concept of leaven is quoted in 3 verses: Matthew 13:33, 1 Corinthians 5:7 and Galatians 5:9; A little leaven leavens the whole mass; It is compared to spiritual renewal and growing. A powerful comparison to Christ, the leaven in us.
The unleavened bread is also compared to the biblical concept of Christ’s body. He sacrificed for us.

It was unleavened bread that was used in the early communion service. I share with you the story of our mother who was given the responsibility of making “brötchen”.

In our church community, when I was a child, there was one Bishop and one deacon. Twice a year they traveled to four congregations to deliver and serve communion. Our dad, Henry Koop was the deacon and his wife. my mother, was to prepare the communion bread. So on Saturday afternoon it was time to make the bread.

A clean apron was put on, a prayer was said, the dough prepared (no yeast) and then the dough rolled out. The edges of the baking pan had a dough border so that the individual mini breads would not touch the pan. With a thimble, top cut out, mini individual breads were pressed out, laid carefully along the edge of the dough on the pan and pushed into a neat row with a large wooden depressor. Approximately 100 mini breads were made and baked. When cooled, they were wrapped in a clean, white cloth and boxed. It was important that everything was kept clean. Leftover bread was burned because the bread was blessed by the church and that made it “holy” bread, to be taken only by baptized believers.

Leavened or unleavened bread is a beautiful aroma in any kitchen. Grandmas were anxious to pass on the art.

Watch for 4 recipes for baking with yeast. Enjoy.

Marlene Froese

4 Grandmas 4 U

2010-01-29T15:06:00.003-05:00

Are you interested in learning more about baking, cooking and managing your kitchen? Four grandmothers from Saskatchewan are happy to share on a regular basis on this blog their considerable knowledge of baking, cooking and managing of households. In December these 4 grandmas each posted a favorite, traditional cookie recipe that their family prepares and enjoys during the Christmas season.

This month they will be sharing recipes for baking with yeast. I am thinking, from the way they have typed up these recipes, that they are assuming the reader knows something about baking with yeast! That may not be the case, in which, I invite you to feel free to ask questions by clicking on “comments” and posting your questions there.

In alphabetical order the grandmas are:

ELVA EPP, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
DONNA DRIEDGER, Osler, Saskatchewan
MARLENE FROESE, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
HEDIE HARDER, Hanley, Saskatchewan

Haiti Relief: Blankets, Sheets and Relief Kits

2010-01-24T15:38:00.003-05:00

Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) is undertaking a multimillion-dollar, multiyear response to the earthquake that struck Haiti Jan. 12. You can help through prayer for the people of Haiti and by donating to MCC's Haiti Earthquake appeal. In addition, MCC is asking for donations of 20,000 relief kits, 10,000 heavy comforters and 10,000 sheets for shipment now through Feb. 28. Donate online at donate.mcc.org/project/haiti-earthquake, by cheque to the MCC office nearest you, or by phone toll free: 1-800-313-6226. More details regarding instructions for donating relief kits, comforters and sheets is available at mcc.org/kits or by contacting your nearest MCC office.

Haiti Earthquake

2010-01-15T14:25:00.007-05:00

Please continue your generous prayers and contributions for the people of Haiti. Mennonite Central Committee is committed to a long term rebuilding response and welcomes your support. Donations for "Haiti Earthquake" can be made online at mcc.org, by phoning 519 745 8458, or cheques can be mailed to 50 Kent Ave., Kitchener ONTARIO N2G 3R1(designated to "Haiti Earthquake")

- From 50 years of working in Haiti, MCC has deep friendships and strong partnership. This both intensifies our grief, and strengthens our capacity to respond.

- While we do not intend to be the first to arrive, we are often one of the last to leave. Our focus is on medium term and long term rebuilding and capacity development.

- We are eligible to apply to the CIDA matching funds arrangement for our Haiti response.

- Our initial response is providing water purification units and our full Disaster evaluation team has begun our long term plan.

In peace.

From Mennonite Central Committee - Ontario

Come and See

2010-01-08T16:03:00.003-05:00

Christmas is over. The tree has come down; the gifts put away (or returned); the cookies eaten.

And yet, Christmas accompanies us into the New Year. The season of Epiphany – between January 6 and the beginning of Lent – is the time in the church calendar for the implications of Jesus’ birth to be made known. It’s a time for us to notice the gifts of healing and hope which God has given to us and our world in Jesus. But my question is: how do we do this?

The Gospel writer John gives us a clue. In this gospel, Jesus’ first question is: “What are you looking for?” His first invitation is: “Come and see.” Both the question and the invitation are spoken a couple days after Jesus’ baptism, to would-be disciples. Intrigued by Jesus, they follow for a day and then a week and then three years and then a lifetime.

As they walk with Jesus through towns and vineyards, in desert heat and the cool of mountain springs, they see the familiar landscape of their lives with new eyes. The longer they follow Jesus, the more they see.

We too are invited by Jesus to “come and see” - to glimpse the familiar territory of our lives with new eyes. As we do so, we see God’s dream for our world. We live more and more deeply into the mystery of Jesus’ incarnation – in this world, right here, right now. We become agents of God’s healing in ways both everyday and amazing.

Christmas isn’t over. It’s only just begun….

Sue Steiner,
Kitchener/Waterloo, ON

2010-01-06T13:09:00.005-05:00

Women's Resources for Loan

Now It Springs Up: Spiritual Insights for Everyday by Carol Duerksen, Michele Hershberger, Laurie Oswald Robinson, Willowspring Downs, 2007.

Three women have teamed together to offer fresh engaging reflections on daily scripture readings that follow the rhythms of the Christian year. In addition to thought-provoking biblical meditations, each day's entry includes an invitation to prayer and to action.

Each day's meditation begins with scripture. Then drawing upon the best of biblical scholarship and their own close reading of the text, the writers open up the passages in a section titled 'pondering on the way.' Following the scripture reading and meditation is a section titled 'praying and walking in the world,' giving questions and ideas to think about to apply it to our lives today as well as prayer suggestions. Some of the day's readings were written specifically for children and families in mind and are indicated as thus.

Borrow this title from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

"Tiny Tim" Cookies

2009-12-30T17:01:00.004-05:00

I first tasted one of these “Tiny Tim” cookies at the home of friends of ours in Regina, Saskatchewan in 1965 and I have been making them ever since. The tasty mix of spices with currents, mixed fruit, and nuts is delicious. Of course, there is also the aroma when baking. The wonderful smell of spices spreads throughout our home. Part of the tradition for me is put on a favorite Christmas CD while mixing and baking.

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1/3 tsp nutmeg
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1 cup sifted flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup cream (sour or sweet)
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup currents
1 cup nuts
1 cup glazed mixed fruit

Cream butter and sugar. Add unbeaten eggs, beating well after each addition. Add flour sifted with soda, salt and all the spices. Mix well and add cream. Add currents, raisins, glazed fruits and nuts. Drop by spoonful on greased cookie sheet allowing room for spreading. Bake at 350 degrees for 18 minutes. Remove from oven and brush with glaze.

Glaze

1 and 1/2 cups icing sugar
1 tbsp soft butter
1/4 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
2 and 1/2 tbsp hot milk

Beat until creamy. Half recipe of glaze is enough.

Enjoy.

Erna Neufeldt,
Toronto, Ontario

MERRY CHRISTMAS

2009-12-25T09:14:00.005-05:00

For to us a child is born….
Isaiah 9:6

Fleischperischki (meat pastries)

2009-12-19T15:57:00.008-05:00

It is interesting how traditions begin in a family. One Christmas Eve many years ago when our children were small, I decided to make these meat pastries and freeze them for an easy Christmas Eve supper after the church service. Together with a fruit salad, dill pickles, and carrot sticks they provided us with some nourishment before we brought out the cookies and candies. Our children loved them with ketchup “dip” and insisted that was the only way to eat them. (We still argue about whether a ketchup bottle belongs on a nicely decorated table, so now we put ketchup into a beautiful little bowl for that special Christmas celebration!)
Together, with listening to Heinrich Schutz’ Weihnachts Historie, a German cantata telling the story of Jesus’ birth, these Perishki form one of our most treasured Christmas traditions. However, our children have also asked for these for those other special occasions such as at the rehearsal dinner for their wedding. They make great finger food for potlucks as well.

Fleischperischki (meat pastries)

Pastry:
I tbsp. yeast (let stand in a cup water for 10 minutes)
2 eggs
1 cup butter or margarine
Flour

Mix as for buns, to make a soft dough. Chill.
Roll out and cut circles using a large round cookie cutter. Fill with the mixture below, pinching the edges together to form a half circle.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Filling:
1 pkg. onion soup mix (dry)
1 cup boiling water
2 cups left over roast beef or hamburger fried.
1 cup mashed potatoes

Lydia Neufeld Harder,
Toronto, Ontario

Mom's Cream Cookies

2009-12-17T17:23:00.004-05:00

I am a grandmother of 2 wonderful boys. I am also a farmer’s wife and a retired teacher.

It always warms my heart when my grandson’s come into my kitchen and exclaim about what they can smell - or see - or taste! I love the query, “Grandma, when are we going to bake cookies?” That always takes me back to my childhood. My mom set aside a special time - especially at Christmas time to do “the baking”. There were the traditional things - Christmas Fruit Cake, Peppernuts, Shortbread, Chocolate Brownies and several kinds of cookies. My favourite cookie was and still is the Cream Cookie.

Here is my Mom’s recipe. Eating this raw cookie dough was the best treat. Mmmm!

Mom’s Cream Cookies

3 eggs
2 cups white sugar
2 cups sour cream
4 cups flour (scant)
4 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Mix and chill. Roll out on lightly floured board. Cut into favourite shapes.
Bake at 350 until bottom is light brown.
Ice with vanilla icing and sprinkle with coconut.

Even writing out Mom’s recipe evokes wonderful nostalgic emotions for me!

Donna (Lobe) Driedger,
Osler, Saskatchewan

Egg-White Puffs (Schaum Kuchen)

2009-12-14T16:27:00.004-05:00

As three friends and I sat and reflected on Christmas and our childhood days we all agreed that even though our parents were not financially well off, Christmas was about providing well. The kitchens had sweet aromas, tables were laden with many varieties of cookies on many days. They then filled tins to store all these cookies in a cold porch or summer kitchen. The cookies were ready now for Christmas, for family and guests. We also all remembered our fathers bringing home 100 pound bags of peanuts, crates of oranges and apples and old traditional candies purchased at “Candy Epp” in Saskatoon or “Riedigers” in Winnipeg. These orders supplied church, schools and homes. Giving and having enough was not stifled. Our memories brought us to how God always saw fit to supply and we were blessed.

I am a grandmother to 7 grandkids and love to prepare meals for my family. I prefer to do the meal and leave the dessert for someone else, but favourites are always fun.

I retired from teaching in 2000 and started a food serving business, “Made Just For You”.
I provided meals to many people and served Wednesday lunches at Mennonite Central Committee Sask. Donna, Elva, Hedie and I worked together at different times over a period of 8 years and became very fond of providing food.

Together, we 4 Grandma’s are experiencing the joy of sharing these recipes with you, the reader.

Enjoy our thoughts as well.

Egg-White Puffs (Schaum Kuchen)

4 egg whites, beaten
2 cups sugar
3 tbsp cocoa
Mix cocoa in egg white and sugar mixture.
Bake at 325 on parchment lined cookie sheet.
They rise, separate and are puffy and dried.

Marlene (Koop) Froese,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Peppernuts (Pfeffer nuesse)

2009-12-11T15:10:00.003-05:00

I am a grandmother to 7 fantastic children ages 3 to 17. They all enjoy home baking, be it bread, cinnamon buns, monster cookies and especially at this time of the year, peppernuts (pfeffer nuesse). As soon as the first snow falls (and this could be as early as October) one grandson is sure to call and remind me that it is time for the peppernuts to be baked.

This is my mother Tina Regier’s recipe. She would bake enough peppernuts to fill large flour sacks, and then hide these from my brothers. Thus we would still have peppernuts for Christmas.

Being a great granddaughter of Peter Regier who was a member of the group that planned the very first Canadian Mennonite Conference of Canada, I feel it is a privilege to be part of the Mennonite women’s organization in Canada, if only through this blog.

Ingredients

2 cups syrup (Rogers Golden)
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup melted butter or margarine
2 large eggs
1 tsp soda in 1/2 cup sour milk
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp star aniseed
Approximately 6 1/2 cups flour

Heat syrup and add sugar and melted margarine and spices.
Cool and add eggs, soda in sour milk (you can add a little vinegar to regular milk).
Add flour gradually.
Cover and refrigerate.
Make long rolls of dough, chill and cut into peppernuts.
Bake at 350 for approximately 10 minutes, until brown.
For harder, crunchier peppernuts, bake slightly longer.

Elva (Regier) Epp
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

Brown Peroschki

2009-12-05T16:24:00.005-05:00

Hi! I’m a grandma of 5 grandsons and 5 granddaughters. The oldest is in his second year at University of Saskatchewan and the youngest two in Grade 1. We have great get-togethers when they all come to our home in Hanley, Saskatchewan. Christmas is particularly special.

In preparation for Christmas I love baking, and Brown Peroschki are the first cookies I make. Here is the recipe. I hope you will try them and enjoy them as we do. Merry Christmas.

Ingredients
2 cups syrup
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup lard and 1 cup butter-soften
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup cocoa
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp star anise
1 tsp salt
1 cup milk
2 eggs
8 - 10 cups flour or whatever is needed
to make a soft dough

Chill overnight (easier to work if cold). Roll dough to 1/8” thickness. Cut with 3 inch round cutter. Put a dollop of tart jam, Not Jelly, (I use gooseberry jam) in center of cookie dough. Fold in half, pinch edge into arc. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes till done. When cool, ice with white icing. They are scrumptious!

Makes 10 - 13 dozen.

Other jam options: raspberry, damson plums.

Hedie (Koop) Harder
Hanley, Saskatchewan

2009-11-24T15:24:00.003-05:00

Women's Resources for Loan

Affluenza Interrupted: Stories of Hope from the Suburbs by Doreen and Hugo Neufeld, Millrise Publishing, 2009.

A collection of personal stories, gleaned from the authors' experiences and learnings in the suburbs of Canadian cities.

Along the way there have been interruptions: affirmations about good use of resources, and confrontations about negative suburban values we have adopted.

The authors' hope is that the reader will find their own story in these pages.

Borrow this title from the MC Canada Resource Centre online catalogue here.

Questions or suggestions?

Please contact the Resource Centre
or check our loan policy.

Loaned books are sent anywhere in Canada - free of charge - both ways!

We'll profile a new title at this blog every month

Alma Elias, Quilter

2009-11-16T15:40:00.005-05:00

INTERVIEW WITH ALMA ELIAS
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
How did you come to have an interest in quilting?

I loved fabrics and I wanted to make a memory quilt for my son.

My mother was an inspiration. She sewed out of necessity but she was always creative. She sewed most of my clothes including dresses with three tiered skirts and puffed sleeves. My sisters and I felt special in our Sunday best. Mom had an artistic eye and she adored beautiful fabrics. I can still see her caressing bolts of fabric in Friesen's Dept. Store.

When I got married I was a student so out of necessity I too learned to sew. I found I enjoyed making my own clothes and also adding a personal touch to curtains and wool comforter coverings.

When my first son was 6 years old I wanted to make a memory quilt for his bed so my very first quilt was made of his fabric crayon drawings on squares that alternated with checked squares. I still have it. It's still precious.

Why did you choose to do "Easter Sunday"?

I love the watercolor technique. I enrolled in a class and started to prepare my more than 200 two-inch squares of different fabrics. Our assignment was to make a 13 by 15 two-inch square block. But I had this picture in my mind that wouldn't go away. I pictured a cross on a floral background with glowing light radiating behind it. And it was big. I saw it hanging in the front of our church. So I approached our pastor saying I had an idea for a quilt for Easter Sunday. Would he be open to using it as an aid to worship? I received a definite yes. So I kept on working. Now I really should have made that 13 by 15 2-inch square block because I did a lot of ripping and substituting. Watercolor technique looks much easier than it really is. One 2-inch square turned one-quarter turn can interrupt the flow of line or color. When it was completed, there were 2000 2-inch squares behind and around the cross and it was ready for Easter Sunday 2000.

For the complete interview click on Mennonite Women Canada under links and go to Visual Art.

Photo by John Elias

2009-11-12T12:36:00.005-05:00

Thank-you!

On behalf of the Task Force commissioned by Mennonite Women Canada, I would like to thank all those who completed our recent survey both on-line and on paper. We received over 1000 responses and are meeting in Calgary on November 14 & 15 to analyze the results and work on our recommendations to the executive. We feel encouraged by the responses and also daunted by the task ahead of us. We ask for your continued interest and your prayers as we discern the future direction of women's ministry under the umbrella of Mennonite Church Canada.

Mennonite Women in Canadian History: Birth, Food and War

2009-11-06T15:56:00.003-05:00

The John and Margaret Friesen Lectures at Canadian Mennonite University, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

2009: November 17 & 18: Mennonite Women in Canadian History: Birth, Food and War by lecturer Marlene Epp of Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ontario.

November 17-7:30pm Making Things Right: Midwives and Healers
November 18-10:30am Feeding Five Thousand: Cooks and Canners
November 18-7:30pm Standing as Men: Victims and Survivors
Laudamus Auditorium, North Shaftesbury Campus, Free Admission

Women in the Mennonite past were often cultural carriers, playing pivotal roles in maintaining custums, traditions, beliefs and manners of thought that were central to being Mennonite, however defined in specific times and spaces. These lectures will explore three realms of activity - childbirth, foodways, and wartime experience - that demonstrate the ways in which women reflected, defined and also undid notions of what it meant to be Mennonite in the Canadian past.

Canadian Mennonite University News Release

A Refuge

2009-10-30T13:44:00.011-04:00

Psalm 23 from the Bible

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;
he restores my soul.
He leads me in right paths for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,
I fear no evil;
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff - they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.