Our latest issue of CONNECTIONS is now available HERE.
Showing posts with label Connections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Connections. Show all posts
Apr 4, 2019
Oct 29, 2018
Apr 6, 2018
Dec 8, 2017
CONNECTIONS DECEMBER 2017
Apr 7, 2017
CONNECTIONS APRIL 2017
The latest issue of our newsletter is ready to be circulated and has just been posted on our website. CHECK IT OUT HERE. Read about our new President and Secretary-Treasurer, as well as updates on our projects and what women across Canada are involved in. If you click on "CONNECTIONS" in the sidebar to the right you can read all of the past issues of our newsletters in case you missed any.
Apr 6, 2016
CONNECTIONS APRIL 2016
Our newsletter “CONNECTIONS" is one way in which we connect with women across Canada. You will find an update of the various projects we support as well as a feature set of articles on a specific theme. Our theme for this issue is Embracing Transitions which is also the theme for our (Annual) Business Meeting sessions at Mennonite Church Canada Assembly in Saskatoon this July.
All of us involved in women’s ministry are facing challenges in our local congregations, in our area churches and in our national church. Let’s continue to work together so that we can still be a meaningful and vital partnering ministry of the church.
The link to CONNECTIONS on the side bar
will take you to all of our past issues.
Oct 7, 2015
CONNECTIONS OCTOBER 2015
Our latest newsletter - CONNECTIONS - is hot off the press!
Connections is published in April and October and is one way in which we connect with women across Canada. You will find an update of the various projects we support as well as a feature set of articles on a specific theme.
This time around we are focussing on the many women and women's groups and who have supported MCC and other local organizations by quilting or knotting comforters. Your efforts have brought much comfort to refugees and others in need around the world. Please feel free to download, print and share with friends.
Connections is published in April and October and is one way in which we connect with women across Canada. You will find an update of the various projects we support as well as a feature set of articles on a specific theme.
This time around we are focussing on the many women and women's groups and who have supported MCC and other local organizations by quilting or knotting comforters. Your efforts have brought much comfort to refugees and others in need around the world. Please feel free to download, print and share with friends.
Apr 10, 2015
CONNECTIONS APRIL 2015
Our latest newsletter - CONNECTIONS - is hot off the press!
Oct 6, 2014
Latest issue of Connections!
Over the past few weeks our Communications Committee has been busy putting together our fall issue of Connections. Each church will receive a copy (both hard and electronic) in the next Equipping Packet sent out by Mennonite Church Canada. We have also sent it out to women on our email distribution list. You can also access it here! This issue features some short bios of our executive (we have a new photo below!) as well as some updates on our projects and business items. I hope you enjoy reading Connections!
Left to right: Elsie Wiebe (Morden, MB), Myrna Sawatzky (Saskatoon, SK), Liz Koop (St. Catharines, ON), Lois Mierau (Langham, SK), Kate Janzen (Calgary, AB), Phyllis Ramer (Zurich, ON), Waltrude Gortzen (Abbotsford, BC)
May 8, 2014
Interviews from CONNECTIONS
As published in our latest newsletter, we have posted the full length interviews of our feature article Women Ministering in Church Music on our web page. Please CLICK HERE to go to our Stories/Profiles/Interviews page. Scroll down to the heading Interviews from Connections and click on the article to read it. If you missed the newsletter you can get to it by clicking on "CONNECTIONS".
Apr 6, 2014
CONNECTIONS is here!
Our latest newsletter is now available. Click here to read updates of our projects, dates of upcoming events, 4 feature interviews from women involved in church music, our contact information and more -- all in one place!
Nov 18, 2013
WEST meets EAST
This report/interview is LONG overdue and I apologize.
With the business of summer followed by the final preparations for our annual retreat weekend, I must confess that I forgot to post the full interview here on our blog.
So... to all of you who read the Mennonite Women Canada "Connections" and came here looking for the whole story .... the reason you didn't find it should now be obvious!
But.... now it's here and I feel much better!
Hope you will enjoy this post and be inspired to participate in your local area Women's Retreat Weekend in the future! God Bless!
********************Interview with the women of
Western
Hmong Mennonite Church
Sunday,
July 21, 2013 at their meeting place – 5:00pm
Hammond United
Church
11391 Dartford Street,
Maple Ridge, V2X 1V6
Present: Cheryl Dyck, Rita Siebert
and Waltrude Gortzen for MCBC Women’s Ministry
And
joining us from the Western Hmong Mennonite Church were:
 |
Left
to right:
Back row: Kay Moua (Assistant
Women’s group leader and our translator),
Seng Yang (Pastor’s wife), Song
Thao, Lee Yang (Leader of Women’s group) Chia Cha
Front row: Song Thao (Elder’s wife) Mee
Lee (Pastor’s mom)
Mee Thao (Mee Lee’s good friend from
Portland, Oregon)
See Her (Visiting friend from Alaska) Yer Vang
|
Rita,
Cheryl & I had been eagerly anticipating our upcoming visit with our dear
Hmong Sisters and in preparation for our visit we sent them some questions to
consider and talk about.
During our drive out to Maple Ridge, BC, the 3 of us were wondering how this visit would proceed. How many women could we expect? Would we intimidate them? Would we be able to communicate?
Well...
once we arrived it only took a few minutes and we wondered no longer!
We were
greeted with hugs, laughter, chatter and smiles!
Introductions
were made all around and we were invited to come in and help ourselves to some refreshments
and then Seng opened our time
together with a prayer in her native Hmong language.
They
were eager to talk and we were eager to listen and learn.
They
had obviously talked about the questions we had sent them and were open and
willing to share.
Below
are their answers to a few of our questions - with ‘minimal’ editing!
1.
When did your people come to Canada and why?
In 1980, the Hmong people came to Canada because of the
Vietnam War. In Canada we live mostly in Ontario and BC.
2.
Our home country and our native language:
We came from Laos and our native language is Hmong.
3.
How did you learn about Mennonite faith?
We learned about the Mennonite faith from the Mennonite
church that had sponsored the First Hmong Mennonite Church community that lives
in Ontario.
4.
Are there Mennonite Christians in your home country?
In our country there are no Mennonite Christians.
5.
Were you allowed to worship freely?
Before the Vietnam War we were free
to worship, but after we were not.
6.
What is the size, age range and makeup of your group of women and what are
some of your activities as a group?
In the Western Hmong Mennonite Church, we have 14 women.
We have meetings or
gatherings 4 times a year, and women’s
group is any ages.
Our Church meets every Tuesday night @ 7:00pm for Bible
Studies and every
Saturday evening we have song and band practice to prepare for Sunday service.
Saturday evening we have song and band practice to prepare for Sunday service.
7.
What encourages you to keep participating in MCBC's Women's Ministry?
To encourage our women's group to participate within MCBC grows
our faith; gives us more experience of praying to God. Also get to know
MCBC women better through fellowship.
8.
What advice do you have for us as a committee to better connect with our Ethnic
sisters?
Make more connections and keep in touch through events and
non-events.
********************
Obviously, we talked about much more than just the questions
we had sent them and I've since learned that these wonderful Christian Sisters
are so committed to attending the annual Fall Women`s Retreat that they go and
pick blueberries during the summer in order to raise funds to help pay for
their retreat participation.
In the hot summer sun, a group of 19, including husbands,
picked over 1600 pounds of blueberries – about 64 buckets full and they raised
$800.00.
 |
In the blueberry
fields: Seng Yang & Kay Moua
|
Other topics we talked about... now that they live in
Canada.... do they still adhere to their ethnic traditions when it comes to
weddings and other life events? They told us that the more ‘Canadian’ young
people prefer to be more modern. Frequently, the traditional Hmong Celebration is
followed by a Western style celebration.
Clothing...
Nowadays,
mostly Western style but on special occasions like our 2012 Fall Women’s Retreat – the finery was out on display.
Left to right: Kay Moua, Kia Xiong and Seng Yang.
Food...
A combination of East and West
A combination of East and West
These ladies are looking to get involved! Their hope is to
participate at this year’s BC MCC Festival September
6 and 7 by providing the masses with their delectable spring-rolls that
they treated us with at the 2013 Spring Inspirational Day.
When the women were done, no spring-rolls were left!
FYI - We are happy to inform you that they did actually participate in the Food Fair at the MCC Festival and their spring-rolls were a huge success!
One last group
picture before going home!
It was a most
enjoyable visit!
Thank you, ladies,
for spending your time with us!
Written by Waltrude
Gortzen
MCBC Women`s Ministry
Rep.
Sep 30, 2013
CONNECTIONS IS HERE AGAIN!
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