Weekly News

Welcome! Here you will find all the news and events that your congregation will need for the week - MCEC in Prayer, Event Highlights, Coronavirus Update Information, Annoucements. Check out the hot buttons to ministry opportunities and pastoral transitions. Administrative Assistants: make sure to see the Bulletin Cut and Paste below.  Bookmark this page and check back regularly for updates. New items will begin to appear on Monday and the newsletter will come to your inbox on Wednesday.

 

David Martin's Retirement Celebration

David Martin's Retirement Celebration

David Martin's Retirement Celebration

Jun 14th, 2020

David Martin retires this summer after 15 years of ministry as MCEC Executive Minister. Join us on June 14 at 1:00 p.m. to celebrate with him. Register below. You need to register in order to receive the Zoom link.

Email retirement@mcec.ca with your short video or written memories/greetings or photos for David. Please submit by June 5, 2020 to be included.

The video may be too large to email. Please be in contact with Lisa Williams to make other arrangements.

More Information

More MCEC Events

Mennonite Church Canada Live-Stream/Video Worship

From Mennonite Church Eastern Canada

Sunday, June 7, 2020
Link: : https://www.mennonitechurch.ca/worshipservices

Message: “Lighten Up”

Avon Mennonite Church

Scripture: Luke 11:33-36 and Matthew 5:14-16 

Please Join Avon Mennonite Church in Stratford, Ont., this Sunday, June 7, as we reflect on Jesus teachings in Luke 11:33-36 and Matthew 5:14-16. Shane and Angela Wiebe, Cyrille Fopoussi and Mary Anne Musser will lead us in worship. Troy Watson will unpack what Jesus might mean when he says, “You are the light…your eye is the lamp.”

church on lineMCEC Congregational Live-Stream Listing

  1. Pray for our MCEC community of congregations. This week we are praying for The Network Church, Kitchener, ON.

  2. David Martin, MCEC Executive Minister, is retiring this summer and you are invited to the on-line party!! Registration is now open for the on June 14 at 1:00 p.m. celebration. Please register to get the zoom link. Please submit your pre-recorded video greetings/messages to David at retirement@mcec.ca by June 5, 2020. For more information contact Lisa Williams at lwilliams@mcec.ca.

  3. MCEC Call to Prayer for Sunday, June 7, 2020 - MCEC, in solidarity with its sister regions of Mennonite Church Canada, asks all MCEC congregations to set aside a specific time of prayer on Sunday, June 7 to be in intercession for our sisters and brothers of colour in Canada and the USA as we lament the injustice and violence suffered by people of colour. This nationwide call to prayer is a call for the church to boldly stand against racism that rips apart the social fabric of both of our countries. For full text see www.mcec.ca/whats-new. 

  4. Theatre of the Beat presents a three week Audio Drama series of Yellow Bellies. This historical drama highlights the experiences and public response to Mennonite conscientious objectors during World War II. It includes three thirty-minute episodes and a study guide that corresponds to each episode. This all-in-one package is intended for adults and high school youth. It facilitates the kind of community-building discussion that we need and can be used with teleconferencing programs such as Zoom, Skype or Google Meets. Contact Cedric (cedric@theatreofthebeat.ca) to inquire about booking. See http://theatreofthebeat.ca/yellow-bellies for more information. This drama is sponsored by MCEC. A 25% discount is available for MCEC Congregations.


  • Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary
  • Canadian Mennonite University
  • Conrad Grebel University College
  • Kindred Credit Union Church Builder GIC
  • Mennonite Central Committee Book Club Opportunity!
  • Theatre of the Beat Yellow Bellies

Partner Events & Announcements

 

MCEC in Prayer

  • Each week MCEC staff pray for the faith communities within our MCEC community of congregations. We invite you to join us in praying for The Network Church, Kitchener, ON. We encourage you to share this with your congregation via prayer on Sunday morning, worship bulletins and newsletters.

  • MCEC Call to Prayer for Sunday, June 7, 2020 - MCEC, in solidarity with its sister regions of Mennonite Church Canada, asks all MCEC congregations to set aside a specific time of prayer on Sunday, June 7 to be in intercession for our sisters and brothers of colour in Canada and the USA as we lament the injustice and violence suffered by people of colour. This nationwide call to prayer is a call for the church to boldly stand against racism that rips apart the social fabric of both of our countries. Please use the worship and prayer resources in your congregation.

MCEC News

MCEC Call to Prayer for Sunday, June 7, 2020
Jun 4th, 2020

MCEC Call to Prayer for Sunday, June 7, 2020

MCEC, in solidarity with its sister regions of Mennonite Church Canada, asks all MCEC congregations to set aside a specific time of prayer on Sunday, June 7 to be in intercession for our sisters and brothers of colour in Canada and the USA as we lament the injustice and violence suffered by people of colour.

This nationwide call to prayer is a call for the church to boldly stand against racism that rips apart the social fabric of both of our countries. As a church, we speak for a God who made all persons in the image of the Creator’s likeness. We are called to raise our voices and prayers and denounce the evil that racism inflicts upon our fellow human beings.

 

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Mennonite Church Canada donates $50,000 to Mennonite World Conference for COVID-19 relief fund; asks constituents to match or exceed donation
Jun 1st, 2020

Mennonite Church Canada donates $50,000 to Mennonite World Conference for COVID-19 relief fund; asks constituents to match or exceed donation

Mennonite Church Canada is donating $50,000 to the Global Sharing Fund operated by Mennonite World Conference / Congreso Mundial Menonita / Conférence Mennonite Mondiale (MWC) to help MWC-member churches struggling because of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

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Chaplaincy in Long Term Care - Touched by the Loving Hands of Seniors
May 29th, 2020

Chaplaincy in Long Term Care - Touched by the Loving Hands of Seniors

“It’s the best job in the world,” says Bev Suderman Gladwell, recently retired chaplain from Parkwood Mennonite Home. “Where else can you do a walking hymn sing, then share communion with someone who is really fragile, or sit with a family as a loved one experiences end of life?”

Bev Suderman Gladwell was chaplain at Parkwood Mennonite Home for 16 1/2 years. In 2009 she was ordained to special ministry as a chaplain at a service held at Parkwood Mennonite Home. Her home congregation, Waterloo North Mennonite Church, recognized her as a ministering person and requested her ordination from MCEC. Meet Bev, an MCEC pastor...

 

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More News & Stories

Youth Ministry Conversations
June 9, 2020, 4 p.m.

All youth workers, ministers with responsibility for youth, sponsors, mentors, youth personnel:
Spiritual practices and encountering God in virtual spaces. What can the incarnational sharing of God’s love look in this new world? How are you adapting the ways you lead youth in praying and listening to God? How do we invite youth to experience God with technology and without it? Contact mcec@mcec.ca for the link.

Past Conversations:


Pastoral Conversations
Last Meeting until Fall!

Tuesday, June 9, 2020 from 2-3 p.m. EDT

You are invited to join a conversation with colleagues as we explore what God is teaching us in this period of disorientation. In this Pastoral Conversation, we will ask three people to share their perspective on what is starting to sprout and be built in this time of disorientation.

  • Norm Dyck – Mission Minister MCEC - How have the ReLearning Community groups found God inviting a new sense of witness and discipleship in this time of disorientation?
  • Melissa Miller – Transformational Pastor, Pioneer Park Christian Fellowship – How are you finding God “witnessing” to you during this season of disorientation that shapes your ministry and sense of self?
  • Cathrin van Sintern-Dick – Chaplain Leamington Mennonite Home and RMA – How are you discovering new opportunities of witness as you carry your role of chaplain with the elderly who are really trapped in a small personal space?

What is being torn down and built up in your life and ministry?

Contact Ellen Kim for link.

Past Conversation: The "New Normal" - What Comes Next On Line Discussion - Check it out.

Circle of Grace Webinar
June 8, 2020 - 3:30pm to 4:30pm

The Circle of Grace curriculum teaches children and youth how to identify and maintain appropriate physical, emotional, spiritual, and sexual boundaries; recognize when boundary violations are about to occur; and demonstrate how to take action when boundaries are threatened or violated.

In this webinar you will hear from individuals who have delivered Circle of Grace in their church.

This webinar is held in partnership with Mennonite Church Eastern Canada, Mennonite Central Committee Ontario and the Safe Church Ministry of the Christian Reformed Church (CRCNA).


More Information and to Register

The Spirit of MDS Fund (Mennonite Disaster Service)

Helping Canadian Anabaptist-Mennonite congregations respond to COVID-19

Is your congregation responding to COVID-19 needs in your community? Are there more needs than you can handle? Do you need additional financial resources? Mennonite Disaster Service Canada may be able to help through its Spirit of MDS Fund.


More Information and to Apply

Quick Links               Ministry Opportunities     Pastoral Transitions     Guest Speakers

Theatre of the Beat Presents...

Theatre of the Beat presents a three week Audio Drama series of Yellow Bellies. This historical drama highlights the experiences and public response to Mennonite conscientious objectors during World War II.   

The audio drama, Yellow Bellies, creates an important dialogue around the concept of pacifism in our past, present and future. It includes three thirty-minute episodes and a study guide that corresponds to each episode. This all-in-one package is intended for adults and high school youth. It facilitates the kind of community-building discussion that we need and can be used with teleconferencing programs such as Zoom, Skype or Google Meets   

Click here to learn more about the show if you are interested in purchasing the audio drama for your community please email cedric@theatreofthebeat.ca to inquire about booking.

This drama is sponsored by MCEC. A 25% discount is available for MCEC Congregations*

COVID-19 Update

In keeping with government health regulations, MCEC requests that congregations continue to  cancel all in-person worship services and church meetings until further notice. While laws may be different in each province, MCEC recommends that no more than five people assemble to prepare and present taped or streamed services for worship use. Such gatherings should also follow recommended physical distancing and best practices for health and safety. While specific businesses are being allowed to reopen in some provinces, this does not apply to public worship. Please ensure that your congregation continues to observe the appropriate health and safety measures that are required at this time.

 

Mennonite Church Canada Update

Mennonite Church Canada study conference will be virtual one-day event on Oct. 24, 2020  

Join our nationwide community of faith as we gather virtually for "“Table Talk: Does the Church Still have Legs?”, a virtual study conference on the nature and identity of the church and the role of worship. Plenary speakers from Mennonite Church Canada-affiliated universities and colleges will present on themes of ecclesiology and worship. Pre-released and pre-recorded plenaries are planned to allow more time for questions and engagement between speakers and participants. Go to https://www.mennonitechurch.ca/tabletalk2020. 


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International Witness

Witness worker writes paper commemorating 70th anniversary of Korean War 

Bock Ki Kim, Witness worker in South Korea, has been asked by a group of Methodist pastors and scholars to contribute to a book commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Korean War.  They want the perspective of a peace church and the introduction of peace theology.  Please pray for insight and inspiration as Bock Ki meditates and writes on this important topic.   

AIMM asks for prayer amid COVID-19 in Africa 

Mennonite Church Canada ministry partner Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission asks us to pray for our African sisters and brothers as COVID-19 continues to spread. People visit markets to buy food almost daily because most don’t have fridges or other ways to preserve food from day to day. Pray for provision, for protection, for courage and strength during this period of isolation. Pray that hospitals and medical staff provide the best possible care despite the lack of ventilators and other important medical tools.   

Give thanks for connections of Chinese small groups to Mennonite Church 

Join George Veith, Witness worker in China, in prayers of thanksgiving for the good connections small groups in China are making through Chinese colleague Pastor Yin Hongtao from Mennonite Partners in China. These groups describe their study of Anabaptist writing as a “coming home to a faith tradition we didn’t know existed”.  They are excited to be connected to Mennonites worldwide to learn together what it means to be faithful followers of Jesus in the 21st century.


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Indigenous-Settler Relations

Make June a Jubilee! 

June is Indigenous History Month—a time to intentionally reflect on Indigenous-Settler relationships both past and present; a time to grow in right relations with host peoples and the lands in which we live. We encourage everyone to pick up a great book—like Chelsea Vowel’s Indigenous Writes, or Barker and Lowman’s Settler—to learn more about how we can pursue paths of decolonization (see www.commonword.ca/go/1512). To celebrate this time, all proceeds from purchases of ISR resources from CommonWord, like Unsettling the Word and the TRC Trilogy—all proceeds, during the month of June, will go to the Jubilee Fund which supports Indigenous communities who are repairing and renewing relationships with ancestral lands (see www.commonword.ca/go/2042).   

Last chance! Indigenous theological gathering online – June 4-7, 2020  

Want to explore Indigenous and decolonizing theology that’ll help you live into right relations? Next week, the North American Institute for Theological Studies (NAIITS) is meeting by Zoom for its annual symposium, and we would love to see a good number of participants from our regional church bodies join in this amazing learning. We have several scholarships to help cover 1/2 the cost of registration. For more information and a schedule, visit https://naiits.com/sym2020.html#2. Contact Steve Heinrichs if you would like to receive support from Mennonite Church Canada to attend (sheinrichs@mennonitechurch.ca). 

Book a Peacemaking Preacher! 

If your congregation is connecting online, Christian Peacemaker Teams would love to be a part of your virtual gatherings. We have CPTers from around the world available to either give a 10 minute CPT sermon relating peacemaking and faith or a 5 minute highlight on CPT’s ongoing work and how your support has made our work possible. Be inspired by stories of change and and help support collective efforts to transform violence and oppression. To set these up, please email Julie at outreach@cpt.org or visit our website https://www.cpt.org/participate/outreach 

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CommonWord

Worship Calendar: 

May 31                
Pentecost 

Jun 7
Trinity Sunday

Jun 20
World Refugee Day 

Jun 21
National Indigenous Peoples Day 

Jul 30
International Day of Friendship

Aug 6
Hiroshima Day

Pandemic materials for home and congregation   

Including:   


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Ideas and Pandemic Resources
How might we Extend the Peace of Jesus Christ to those around us?

Mennonite Church Canada Pandemic Resources
    CommonWord Bookstore and Resource Centre


The Regional Churches (MCEC, Mennonite Church Manitoba, Mennonite Church Saskatchewan, Mennonite Church Alberta and Mennonite Church British Columbia) are working with Mennonite Church Canada and CommonWord Bookstore and Resource Center to offer you the best pandemic resources. The Mennonite Church Canada page will highlight resources and direct you to CommonWord. CommonWord continues to provide amazing resources to our nationwide community of faith.

 

Youth Ministers, Workers and Sponsors throughout MCEC have gathered some helpful information for those focused on youth ministry during this time of physical distancing.
Please see their resources on our MCEC website.

 

Contact Lisa Williams with your ideas and resources.