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.

 

  1. Pray for our MCEC community of congregations. During the summer we will pray for our local Mennonite Congregations, (name congregations here).

MCEC in Prayer

  • Each week MCEC staff pray for the faith communities within our MCEC community of congregations. We will resume this practice in September. We invite you to join us in praying for your sister MCEC congregations in your geographical area or cluster. If you need a listing of the MCEC congregations in your area, please contact Lisa Williams, Director of Communications.

The "New Normal" - What Comes Next? On Line Discussion.
Follow the conversation with your peers. How are other congregations working through the New Normal? Check out their comments and resources. Most recent resources on Re-Opening our Church Buildings.

This is a moderated conversation.

MCEC News

Generosity Flowers in Kitchener
Aug 7th, 2020

Generosity Flowers in Kitchener

“We saw folks losing work and being forced into quarantine - fourteen days at home without a pay cheque can be devastating,” says Rene, a pastor at First Mennonite Church, Kitchener, ON. They modified their emergency fund protocols so that they could give smaller amounts and more often. However, the fund was quickly depleted, overwhelmed by the needs within the congregation. 

“We put out an invitation to the congregation, to those who were able to help, and we were astonished," says Rene. “It has been wonderful to see the resources of the congregation being connected with the needs of the congregation."

People across MCEC continue to find creative and innovate ways to stay connected during this time of pandemic - covid stories of hope.

Read more

Registration open for Mennonite Church Canada’s virtual study conference
Aug 5th, 2020

Registration open for Mennonite Church Canada’s virtual study conference

Online registration for the October 24 event is available on Mennonite Church Canada website

Registration is now open for “Table Talk: Does the Church still have legs?”, Mennonite Church Canada’s virtual study conference on October 24, 2020.

The registration link is https://www.mennonitechurch.ca/tabletalk2020.

Read more

Community Garden Gives Life in Time of Pandemic
Jul 22nd, 2020

Community Garden Gives Life in Time of Pandemic

Growing from Mississauga Mennonite Fellowship’s experience with ReLearning Community, they began to dream of what a missional community might be in their context. Erik and Natasha, Neil and Chris, Chrissy, Carol, Stephen and Daniel began to plan a community garden. Then Covid-19 hit!

“We had no idea when we started how valuable it would be to have people you can get together with in person! That has been one of the most valuable parts of this whole endeavor," says Stephen.

People across MCEC continue to find creative and innovate ways to stay connected during this time of pandemic - covid stories of hope.

Read more

Mennonite Church Canada Live-Stream/Video Worship

  • From Mennonite Church Manitoba
    Sunday, August 9, 2020
    Link: : https://www.mennonitechurch.ca/worshipservices
    Charleswood Mennonite Church in Winnipeg invites you to join them for a time of worship. The scripture is Matthew 14: 22- 33, in which Jesus walks on the water and beckons Peter to follow him. How is the church being invited to step out of the boat and walk toward Jesus even as a storm of injustice, a pandemic, a climate crisis and uncertainty swirls around us? Please join us as we gather to praise our Lord, who calls out to us to say, "Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid." 

church on lineMCEC Congregational Live-Stream Listing

Mennonite Church Canada Update

  • Table Talk LogoRegistration Open: Table Talk: Does the Church have Legs?
    Mennonite Church Canada Study Conference, October 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. For more information, visit https://www.mennonitechurch.ca/tabletalk2020.  
    Register Today!

  • INTERNATIONAL WITNESS SUNDAY!! - Sunday, October 18, 2020 
    Resources for International Witness Sunday on October 18, 2020, are coming soon! Online resources including: recorded sermons, videos, worship ideas, children’s stories, pictures and information about International Witness to inform and inspire will be made available to your congregation through our website. Ways to give. Ways to learn. Ways to get involved! Questions? Email Jeanette Hanson jhanson@mennonitechurch.ca. 

  • Help match Mennonite Church Canada’s donation to Mennonite World Conference’s COVID-19 relief fund!
    This spring Mennonite Church Canada donated $50,000 to MWC’s Global Church Sharing Fund to help our sister churches around the world who are struggling to meet basic needs due to pandemic-response measures in their countries. Now Mennonite Church Canada is asking its congregations to match this donation so that we collectively raise $100,000. Donations will go through regional churches. Click here for more info.
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International Witness

Anabaptist training for local Chinese congregations 

Pray for George Veith, Witness worker in China, and Chinese colleague Yin Hongtao, as they organize and translate Anabaptist materials for congregations asking for training. Pray that they would produce a program that meets the needs of local believers and built on by local leaders.  Praise God for the opportunity to meet with congregational leaders face to face at the end of July.   

Creative responses to pandemic in Philippines 

Dann and Joji Pantoja, Witness workers in the Philippines, and their organization PeaceBuilders Community, Inc., are creatively meeting the challenges of COVID-19.  Read their blog post for examples of five women working new jobs due to the pandemic. Praise God for seeds of resilience planted in the lives of these families and communities.   

Witness worker leads restorative-circle workshop this month 

Pray for Bock Ki Kim, Witness worker in South Korea, and the Chuncheon Community Peace Center as they work at restorative-circle practices in local families and schools. Pray for the three-day workshop on August 3-6, for training 20 facilitators to help in this work of healing in their communities.

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Indigenous-Settler Relations

Final stages of new book project 

Indigenous-Settler Relations and MCC Canada are collaborating on an exciting new book—Be It Resolved, an anthology of commitments Anabaptists have made to walk in solidarity with Indigenous peoples. We are in the final stages of designing this work that’s intended for small-group and congregational engagement. Please pray for us, that the Spirit would use this resource to encourage and equip our community. 

Persistent Widows Needed for Declaration Legislation 

Jesus reminds us in the parable of the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-1-8), that holy persistence can pay off. Over the last few years we have asked you, time and again, to advocate for legislation that implements the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We are so grateful! And we need you to keep at it. Please raise your voice and let the government know that you care by signing your name to this Mennonite Central Committee Canada letter to the Minister of Justice—see www.tinyurl.com/UNDRIPNOW. 


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CommonWord

Worship Calendar: 

Aug 6
Hiroshima Day

Sept 20
International Peace Sunday  

Sept 30
Orange Shirt Day

Oct 4
World Communion Sunday

Curriculum!

Shine: A dynamic curriculum for age 3 – grade 8. 

Many new features: 

  • New weekly story cards connect the quarter’s stories each week 
  • All of Us retells the biblical story twice – a longer version, closely retold from the Bible, and a shorter version retold with pictures 
  • Emphasis on active participation in God’s work of love and justice 
  • Additional helps and lesson plans that are clean and simple 
  • Allows greater coordination in worship and at home 

 Additional help during COVID-19 

  • Shine At-Home (for parents at home) 
  • Shine Connect (for online teaching) 

Salt and Light 

A new quarterly Anabaptist Bible study that replaces the former Adult Bible Study series 

Includes daily spiritual practice suggestions for each week’s study 

Available in English and Spanish 

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Quick Links               Ministry Opportunities     Pastoral Transitions     Guest Speakers

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.

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