Enrichment Day for SWM

Below you will find the poster advertising the upcoming SWM Enrichment Day taking place on Saturday, April 27.  Our area/provincial women's organizations host spring and fall events to which all women are invited.  If you've never attended these informative and inspirational days I encourage you to do so.  You'll learn more about your provincial and national women's organizations, be inspired by the speaker and meet some wonderful women.

Enrichment Day for WMCEC

Below you will find the poster advertising the upcoming WMCEC Enrichment Day happening on April 20.  Our area/provincial women's organizations host spring and fall events to which all women are invited.  Posters from other areas will be added to the blog in the next few days.  If you've never attended these informative and inspirational days I encourage you to do so.  You'll learn more about your provincial and national women's organizations, be inspired by the speaker and meet some wonderful women.

Women walking together in faith - March 2013 - "Gardening delights over generations"

Every second month, MW Canada is responsible for a page in the Canadian Mennonite under the heading "Women Walking Together in Faith".  A list of recent articles appeared in a previous post.    The most recent article was in the March 18 issue and was titled "Gardening delights over generations", written by Liz Koop, President of MW Canada.

Hopefully spring has already arrived in your area.  I'm looking forward to working in my garden soon.

My niece and nephew, Katie and Elijah, are willing helpers!

Echinacea, petunias, coral bells, rock roses and iris 

MW Canada embraces social media

A news release from Mennonite Church Canada - April 4, 2013

Winnipeg, MB — Mennonite Women Canada’s leadership launched a Facebook augmented communications strategy when they met in Winnipeg for Mennonite Church Canada’s Spring Leadership Assembly, March 7-9.

They are already active bloggers (http://mennowomencanada.blogspot.ca/) and produce a regular e-newsletter. Area Church reps are developing email databases to grow connections with women from across the country.

“A lot of women do not know that a national women’s organization of the church exists,” says Liz Koop, President. “We hope to become more visible.”  The group will also continue communicating through traditional media. They unfurled a collection of new banners, large and small, featuring 1 Peter 4:10, a verse that describes Mennonite Women Canada ministry: “As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

Mennonite Women Canada nurture life in Christ by sharing their gifts, supporting one another and serving in ministry “across the street and around the world.” The group raises funds to support Mennonite Church Canada international ministry work, operates a spiritual growth assistance fund, and helps young adults explore matters of faith through Radical Journey.

Although finding volunteers to represent each of the five Area Churches has been a challenge in recent years, Koop says,” I’m really happy to report that this is the first time since 2008 we have a full complement of representatives.” Elsie Wiebe representing Mennonite Church Manitoba recently joined the team. 

From left to right: Waltrude Gortzen (MCBC rep); Liz Koop (President); Myrna Sawatzky (MC Sask rep.); Linda Wiens (MCEC rep.); Kate Janzen (MCA rep); Elsie Wiebe (MCM rep); and Lois Mierau (Secretary-Treasurer). The banner was designed by Mennonite Church Canada staffer, Megan Kamei, as part of a package of new communications tools for MWC. Photo by Deborah Froese.

Easter Congregational Prayer

God of the bright and morning star,

God of the rising sun,

God of the darkness banished,

we praise and worship you!

For empty tombs:  thank you!

For disciples running with good news:  thank you!

For your presence, alive, powerful, resurrected:  thank you!

We celebrate your victory over death,

over all the powers that would defeat us.

Help us to grasp resurrection;

to understand its power,

to see its force at work in our world,

overturning evil empires,

changing the hatred within us,

moving the world slowly, forcefully,

bending us towards love and truth.

On this day of great gladness

Empower us to be your ambassadors,

proclaiming good news.

Good news in our kitchens and living rooms,

good news in the offices and workshops

good news in the fields and factories.

Help us to be that good news,

walking softly on this good earth

caring gently for all people,

living hopefully into your kingdom.

Today we think of all who are grieving,

and for the sick and dying,

for places in the world that are torn by war and bloodshed.

In this world of broken hopes and dreams

We catch sight of your kingdom come,

in the person of Jesus Christ,

who lives and reigns in us forever.  Amen.

Copyright Carol Penner

www.leadinginworship.com

Join the Tour! - Elsie Rempel - "Please Pass the Faith"

Naomi Unger recently interviewed Elsie Rempel, Formation Consultant for Mennonite Church Canada.  Elsie holds a master degree in theology with a focus on Mennonites, children and communion, an education degree, has taught primary school in a Christian setting for 40 years, and is a grandparent of four youngsters.  Her new book PleasePass the Faith: The Art of Spiritual Grandparenting is a treasure trove of practical ideas and tips for grandparents wanting to pass on their faith to their grandchildren.  (from the MennoniteChurch Canada Resource Centre)

Naomi:   Tell us a bit about your work as Formation Consultant for Mennonite Church Canada.  What are some of the highlights and challenges of your work?

Elsie:  First of all, I should include a word about my current ministry title. I have worked with Mennonite Church Canada since 2002 under several titles. I began as Director of Christian Education and Nurture. After some years we sought a shortening of the title and thought that Christian Nurture captured the essence of my ministry. When my work was reduced to half time and ministry with and for seniors was added, we felt that the term Consultant reflected the more limited role, and Formation reflected the whole life journey of Christians as they are being formed by Christ. Such a formation consultant, one who helps Christ take form in others, is what I strive to be and do as I gather, develop, and share on a wide variety of faith forming topics for our denomination and beyond.

The greatest highlights of my work are:

     ~ Hearing that resources we have produced or promoted have had a positive faith forming impact in our congregations, or in people’s personal lives. I’ve experienced this numerous times with my book, Please Pass the Faith and it has been deeply rewarding. Writing the book  was a particularly intensive and extensive project, so it’s good to know it’s been worth it.     

     ~ Meeting with dedicated and gifted church leaders in Canadian writing teams to prepare worship resources for Leader magazine.  We immerse ourselves diligently in the seasonal scripture texts and our contexts for faithfulness, but it always feels like we’re on a spiritual mountaintop as we arrive at new themes and worship outlines.    

Naomi:  Over the years, you have written and edited numerous resources for children, such as Lent and Advent family devotions, Lectionary-based children's stories, and Vacation Bible School curricula. You've helped shape; you’ve introduced, and worked with Sunday School curricula. What motivated you to write resources for children of the church?

Elsie:  Whenever I work with children directly, I am inspired by their child faith and their insights into living God’s way. They are eager for stories and messages that help them name and claim God’s role in our individual and corporate lives. On the other hand, our current society exposes children to many competing sources of identity formation, many of which can dim their sense of being created in God’s image to be joyful and loving members of God’s bigger family. This combination of opportunity and need, plus my immense enjoyment of children, motivate my ministry of producing and promoting good resources for the church’s children.

Naomi:   Alongside of writing for children, you’ve also provided christian nurture workshops, and written, and edited faith forming resources for adults, such as Prayer Journeys with Children, Many Gifts: Calling and Growing Congregational Leaders,  Leader Worship Resources, and Special Sunday worship resources. How do you navigate writing for children and adults?

Elsie:  The distance is short between writing for children and writing for adults so that they can work more effectively with children. Because I think like an adult it is easier to shift from writing for children to writing for adults, than the other way around, especially on the topic of children which has been my core focus.  However, I also live, work and worship regularly with adults, so working with other adults to create worship resources is stimulating and enjoyable. Because my theological studies focused on children’s faith nurture I sometimes need to do extra background reading.  For instance, as I accepted the mandate to work on ministry with and for seniors, I did a lot of extra reading and interviewed older seniors to add insight to the experience I was gaining as a young senior.  

Naomi:  Your recent book, Please Pass the Faith: The Art of Spiritual Grandparenting, is a very helpful tool for older adults in encouraging/guiding children and youth in their faith journey. But in a delightful flip, the book also tells how children and youth can shape the faith of their elders.  Please say a bit about this intergenerational flow of faith that goes both directions. How can older people be open to learning from their grandchildren?

Elsie:  Wherever we are on the journey of life and faith, God has a place for us. By spending a good chunk of my professional career working with children, and now enjoying being a hands-on Omi, I’ve experienced how much we can learn from and be blessed by children.  That intergenerational flow of faith was natural for many people through most of church history. About 50 years ago,  we began to specialize and develop age-specific curricula. During that time, the church lost many of the blessings of  intergenerational learning, even as children and youth received age appropriate content.  Now, we need to relearn how to worship and follow Jesus as an intergenerational family again.  To do so will involve learning to enjoy and accept children, their child faith, and their child behaviour as unique reflections of the image of God.

Please Pass the Faith: The Art of Spiritual Grandparenting is available from Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre.  For more information on the author or to follow her blog, please visit http://elsiehannahruth.wordpress.com/

Executive Meetings

The executive of MW Canada spent three days (March 7-9) meeting at CMU in Winnipeg. Pictured above (starting at left) are Waltrude Gortzen (BC rep), Liz Koop (President), Myrna Sawatzky (SK rep), Kate Janzen (AB rep), Lois Mierau (Secretary/Treasurer), Elsie Wiebe (MB rep) and Linda Wiens (ON rep).  It was a great time getting to know each other better and learning more  about the work of women's ministry across Canada.  Our meetings were filled with the acceptance of minutes and financial statements, updates and decisions about the projects we support, proposed changes which affect our annual meetings and what the coming year holds for us.  It was a great time for visiting as well, and we all enjoyed the delicious coffee breaks and meals!  Thanks to Coreena and Megan (MC Canada staff) for their organizational skills, support and encouragement!

Our 61st Annual Report Book includes minutes, financial reports, updates on our projects, a proposed Opportunities for Giving schedule and reports by the area churches. It will be available mid-April through your provincial representative who will distribute them to the churches and women's groups in your area.  We are also planning to make the Report Book available on our web site and will link to it from our blog.   

For the next two weeks, our Communications Committee (Waltrude Gortzen, Naomi Unger, Barb Draper and Liz Koop) will be busy working on the next issue of 'Connections'.  I'll also try to post a few more times before the Spring Enrichment Days coming up.  Look for the 'Upcoming Events' post which will feature posters from each area.

May each of you experience God's richest blessings as you participate in His ministry wherever you are!