News

To plant or not to plant?

I started doing church planting in 1998. It took a core group for Bible studies, which would eventually turn into a Sunday meeting, and then into a community of believers gathering as much as possible on Sunday mornings. Then came the testing of planters. We were looking for entrepreneurs with a keen sense of God’s call on their lives and who felt ready to answer that call.

Every neighbourhood deserves a Jesus-centred, disciple-making peace presence

I am convinced more so now than ever before that every neighbourhood deserves a Jesus-centred, disciple-making peace presence. I am also convinced of the truth and wisdom of Swiss theologian Emil Brunner, who wrote in 1931, “The Church exists by mission, just as a fire exists by burning. Where there is no mission, there is no Church; and where there is neither Church nor mission, there is no faith.” It is this conviction that keeps pushing me forward as a leader in the church, even as I encounter the roller-coaster ride of church leadership today.

Rebecca Riek and Ly Vang complete AMBS Journey Missional Leadership Development Program

In 2022, Rebecca Riek and Ly Vang completed the Journey Missional Leadership Development Program of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary (AMBS) in Elkhart, Indiana. Congratulations to both Rebecca and Ly who have also served in various MCEC roles.

Providing a Place for Pollinators in Toronto

“I feel like God has entrusted us to take care of creation,” says Sandy Yuen, member of Toronto Chinese Mennonite Church. “Many people care about the environment and these gardens are a way to build relationsips with our neighbours.”

Toronto Chinese Mennonite Church looked at their property to dream of how they could recreate the space around their church. It’s good to get our hands dirty and really experience God’s providence.

Called to Embrace a New Way

Between Clifford and Mildmay in Ontario is a 100-acre farm nestled into the countryside. This time of year, the trees are bursting with their bright fall colours of red, yellow and orange. Here you will find Andre Wiederkehr, his parents and his brother hard at work and farming in a way that may surprise many people.

Andre says, "We’ve built our whole society on wrong assumptions in a lot of ways. I don’t think that the current system in which we as a society function can last. To be loving is to reimagine those life supporting systems we are surrounded with and try to find ways and systems that are healthy and loving in the long term.”

Deeper Faith at UMEI Christian Highschool

“I am here. I am open. God is with us.” These three simple sentences were repeated by students at UMEI Christian High School in Leamington to begin each chapel service during their Deeper Faith Days. Wendy Janzen, MCEC Eco-Minister, works with congregations to empower them in their worship and witness with their communities engaging in the important work of caring for God’s creation.

She spent three days at UMEI doing just that, through three expanded chapel services as well as classroom workshops.