Fall Gathering Materials

Stories of Courageous Imagination

How and where is God inspiring courageous imagination? How is God moving and leading in ways that maybe would not have happened had Covid-19 not happened?

Creative Youth Ministry - Rebecca Penner, Bethany Mennonite Church
Leadership Adjustments - Kendall Jongejan Harder, North Leamington United Mennonite Church
Opportunities of Witness - Jonathan Abrham, Shalom Worship and Healing Centre

New Congregations

Grace New Life Mennonite Church
MDM Joliette
Soul House
Warden Underground

Installations

Leah Reesor-Keller, Executive Minister
Fanosie Legesse, Intercultural Minister Minister

Stories of Creative Imagination

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Creative Youth Ministry - Courageous Imagination

Courageous Imagination at Bethany Mennonite Church. Spend time with Rebecca Penner, youth pastor. Here how she has found creative ways to create community, even when socially distanced.

Over the last seven and a half months there really hasn’t been any normal. How do we turn this into as positive of a thing as it can be? I think for youth it’s more a story of learning to not only survive but also find ways to thrive in the middle of all the chaos. What matters is that we’re still just finding ways to be a community with each other. - Rebecca Penner

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Leadership Adjustments - Courageous Imagination

Hear of the baptism in Leamington as Kendall Jongejan Harder reflects how Covid-19 has changed many things about pastoring but yet the essentials remain the same. He reminds us that God is with us.

For the baptism I said the words and had their three family members pouring the water. It was one of those moments in COVID that have been somewhat rare where there’s just joy in worship in a way that has been hard during this time I think. COVID has impacted everything about being a pastor. Everything is different and at the same time, in the essentials, nothing is different. I am still a pastor, God is still walking this journey with us and leading us, we are still followers of Christ. - Kendall Jongejan Harder

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Opportunities of Witness - Courageous Imagination

Discover ministry at Shalom Worship and Healing Centre in Kitchener with Pastor Jonathan Abrham as they move their baptism into the park as an opportunity to be a light in the world.

We were seeking an opportunity to shine the light without preaching or speaking and because we baptized in the park, many people got the opportunity to ask us: Who are you? and Why are you doing this? We actually found it as an opportunity to tell the story of Jesus Christ – extend the peace of peace in the park. God is giving us a time of reflection, a time of thinking, a time of prayer. But while we pray and think we need to realize that God’s power is with us. We want to break through this time of COVID and face the new normal with Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit. - Pastor Jonathan Abrham

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New Congregations 2020

Leaders with a vision at Warden Underground

Jun 30th, 2020

Leaders with a vision at Warden Underground

Warden Underground meet together regularly as church. Primarily focused on young adults and youth, they find unique ways of pouring God’s love on the neighbourhood around them. Jordan Thoms and Jon Folkeringa lead the group who meet at the Warden Woods Community Centre. Warden Underground officially became an MCEC congregation with provisional membership in April 2020.

You can reach them to welcome them at Warden Underground – Connect City, Pastor Jordan Thoms, jordan@connectministries.org.

Then Sings My Soul House

Jun 30th, 2020

Then Sings My Soul House

The 10 — 20 people who call Soul House home are people who love Jesus. “People came because of their love for God and desire for a community. God welcomes all and it’s a safe place,” says Judith. “That’s how Soul House launched. I offered people a safe place to talk about and unpack faith. I invited them to my home.” Soul House became an MCEC congregation with provisional membership in April 2020.

You can reach them to welcome them at Soul House Church – Connect City, Pastor Judith McCartney, judithmccartney777@gmail.com.

No Longer Alone - MDM Joliette

Jun 30th, 2020

No Longer Alone - MDM Joliette

“There is a new church in Joliette that is joining MCEC,” says Pastor Victor Mubikalo. “We don’t want to be independent. We want to be part of a family.” MDM Joliette became an MCEC congregation with provisional membership in April 2020.

You can reach them to welcome them at Mennonite Disciples Mission Joliette, Pastor Sylvestre Ban Goun, Pastor Victor Mubikalo and Pastor Steven Muruho, victor-sadi@hotmail.com.

Amazing Grace at Grace New Life Mennonite Church

Jun 30th, 2020

Amazing Grace at Grace New Life Mennonite Church

Grace New Life is a congregation of approximately 45 people who meet in the heart of Hamilton. “Grace New Life Mennonite Church is very much different from what it was before we joined MCEC,” says Pastor Sririsack Saythavy. “We are getting stronger under the umbrella of MCEC. The leadership is strong and membership is strong. It is very good.” Grace New Life Mennonite Church joined MCEC in 2012 as an emerging congregation, now known as provisional membership. This April they officially became a full member congregation in the MCEC community of congregations.

You can reach them to welcome them at Grace New Life Mennonite Church, Pastor Sririsack Saythavy, saythavyz@yahoo.ca

Installation of Leah Reesor-Keller, MCEC Executive Minister

"We are the people of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. We are not here to be an institution; we are a spiritual movement together, seeking to follow Jesus in life and put our faith into action. We are a movement that builds up communities of healing and hope, sharing God’s love out in a hurting world. I’m passionate about building this movement with you, seeking to discern and follow God’s leading among us."

See Leah's Reflections

Installation of Fanosie Legesse, MCEC Intercultural Mission Minister

"It is a time of being the light as our church is becoming a church that embraces diversity, nurtures belonging and also takes advantage of giftings of every nation, tribe and language.

I am delighted to be your Intercultural Mission Minister and I promise to unpack what is intercultural, what is missional, and what is a minister in this position."

View Fanosie's Reflections