May 4th

My heart is filled with gratitude

Dear MCEC Community of Faith,   

My heart is filled with gratitude for the blessings of this past weekend as over 300 of us gathered in-person and online to worship and work together at the 2022 Annual Church Gathering. We have been on a journey of courageous imagination this past year, exploring who God is calling us to be as the people of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. It is with great joy that we share our newly adopted Identity Statement and Priorities, heartily affirmed by our delegate body on Saturday. You can find the full text of the statements here.   

What does this mean for us as a community of faith? Look for more information coming soon about introducing these new statements, and resources for your congregation. Please pray for MCEC’s Executive Council and staff as we now make concrete plans and set actions to move forward towards living to this new direction in the coming months and years.  

I shared this prayer at the gathering, inspired by our newly adopted identity statement. May God bless us on the next leg of the journey as we live into our new identity and priorities! 

Loving God, Creator who made each one of us sacred in your image,  

We come before you in worship as a diverse community.  

We come with curiosity and openness, to be transformed by your love.  

We come to be welcomed, and to welcome others, at your table of grace.  

You call us to inspired action, living into your Shalom for all creation.  

May we grow in grace, joy and peace as your healing and hope flow to us, and through us, as we seek to join your work in the world.  

Amen.

Photos: Arli Klassen moderating on screen; delegates listening intently; delegates voting in-person and on screen