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

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

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

Prayer for Japan - March 18, 2010The 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.

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

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

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