MCEC PRAYERS
Stephen Reist will be installed at Pioneer Park Christian Fellowship on February 9, 2025. Pray for Stephen and the congregation as they begin their ministry together. To share your encouragement and support with Stephen, you can reach him at stephenreist@ppcf.ca.
Julie Ellison White will be installed at Tavistock Mennonite Church on February 2, 2025. Pray for Julie and the congregation as they begin their ministry together. To share your encouragement and support with Julie, you can reach her at julie@tavistockmennonitechurch.ca.
Please join us in prayer for the people of DR Congo, especially those in the city of Goma. Rebel fighters have entered the city, claiming control, while the Congolese government maintains that key locations remain under their authority. Thousands are fleeing in fear, facing immense hardship without water, internet, or electricity. We also lift up our siblings in MCEC congregations who have deep family ties in and around Goma: Centre Béthésda Mennonite de Québec, Église Bethésda Mennonite de Saint-Hyacinthe (MDM), Église Jésus-Christ Appelle Tous, Goshen Mennonite Church of Ottawa, Mennonite Disciple Church – Joliette, Mennonite Disciples Swahili Church. Many in these communities are anxiously waiting for news of their loved ones as communication remains scarce or non-existent. May God’s peace, protection, and provision be with all those affected.
Continue to pray for Jon Osmond, pastor FreeChurch Toronto, and his family as they grieve the loss of Jon’s father, Reverand Ronald Osmond, who died January 24, 2025. May they find comfort in God’s presence and strength in the love and support of their community during this difficult time.
MCEC ANNOUNCEMENTS
MCEC Prayers for the Earth. You are invited to join in an online prayer for climate justice on the second Thursday of the month, for half an hour beginning at 11:15a.m. Our next prayer time is Thursday, February 13th. To receive a link please contact Herb Sawatzky at pastor@bethanymennonite.ca. Written prayers are also welcome.
Creation Care Book Study. Join the MCEC Creation Care Working Group for a book study of Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World by Katharine Hayhoe. The first meeting will take place on Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. and will run for just over one hour. Subsequent meetings will be held on Thursday evening for five weeks, concluding on March 6, 2025. Sign up here.
Did you know that MCEC has a weekly devotional? Released on every Wednesday on our website and through MCEC Connect, Transformed. Inspired. Called. is a devotional series written by a different MCEC pastor each week. Read this weeks devotion, Imperfect, Yet Beautiful to God by Gary Knarr or sign up for our weekly newsletter MCEC Connect to get the weekly devotional directly to your inbox.
AMBS Pastors & Leaders 2025: Anabaptism at 500: Looking Back, Living Forward: Feb. 17–20 at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. We highlight this as a great opportunity for MCEC pastors. As we celebrate 500 years of Anabaptism, join the conference to examine how the values of the early Anabaptists still resonate today and can guide us into the future! For more information and to register click here.
MCEC Executive Council invites you to join in celebrating Ann L. Schultz, MCEC Intentional Interim Executive Team Leader, as we bid her farewell and honor her two years of ministry at MCEC. Come to 50 Kent from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. At 1:30 there will be a short program, followed by time for fellowship. More details
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS
ANABAPTIST MENNONITE BIBLICAL SEMINARY News: Conference to focus on “Anabaptism at 500: Looking Back, Living Forward” and News & Updates
CANADIAN MENNONITE Through this place – January 2025
MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE bulletin announcements
FITNESS FOR YOUR AGING BRAIN
AN AGING BRAIN NEEDS A REGULAR TUNE-UP! WNMC is hosting Fitness for Your Aging Brain, a unique program to stimulate brain function and memory. This fun and educational class uses physical movement to stimulate cognitive function and improve balance, coordination, strength, and cardiovascular stamina all of which work together to create better cognitive capacity and resilience as you age. Our winter session is taught by Jill Simpson, guest speaker at both the World’s Alzheimer’s 2024 Summit and the 2024 Reversing Alzheimer’s Summit. At the end of a 60-minute body-brain workout, Jill shares the latest research in neuroscience and geriatrics and teaches you how to apply these discoveries to daily life so your body and your brain can be their best at every age.
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- The Winter 2024 Session begins Tuesday, February 11th, 2025, 10:30 to noon at Waterloo North Mennonite Church located at 100 Benjamin Road in Waterloo, near the St Jacob’s Market.
- Want to learn more? Here is the link to Jill’s YouTube channel, where you can try a free online class… https://www.youtube.com/@fitnessforyouragingbrain
- Cost for the 10-week winter series is $80 (20% discount for WNMC congregation members). Drop-in is $10.00 plus a $3.00 equipment rental. (Please note there are no discounts on drop-in fees).
- Online registration form: https://forms.gle/8VVR17pSnVdffR6H6
- For questions, contact Jan Yordy at Waterloo Brain Connections 519-778-9727 or email her at yordy@waterloobrainconnections.com.
BACH VESPERS AFTER EPIPHANY
The Choir and Orchestra of Spiritus Ensemble will perform Bach Cantata 105, Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht mit deinem Knecht and anthems by Ferrant and Stanford, on Sunday, February 9, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, 23 Water Street North, Kitchener. Soloists are Stephanie Vander Meulen, Jennifer Enns Modolo, Chris Fischer, and Bud Wallace; Kenneth Hull conducting. Admission is free; donations gratefully received.
HIDDEN ACRES – FAMILY DAY OPEN HOUSE
On Monday February 17th from 10am-3:30pm Hidden Acres is hosting a free Family Day Open House. Bring your family for a day of indoor and outdoor activities such as crafts, sledding, snowshoeing, pretzel making, games, and more! Bring a bag lunch or purchase a hot lunch for $6/person. Please RSVP to info@hiddenacres.ca. More information at hiddenacres.ca
ROCKWAY MENNONITE COLLEGIATE
Rockway Mennonite Collegiate invites you to join us on the morning of Friday, February 14, 2025 for our special 80th Anniversary Chapel with guest speakers Ray Boehm ‘84 and Mary Groh ‘49. That evening, treat the people you love to a delicious Soup Supper at our Trips Week Fundraiser with family-friendly activities then stay to cheer on your favourite team at the Alumni Sports Challenge. Visit rockway.ca/events to RSVP, pre-purchase your soup and learn more about our celebrations!
Rockway Mennonite Collegiate invites you to their all-school musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Join us February 27 – March 1, 2025. Tickets are $20 adult, $15 child 12 and under and can be purchased at: www.rockway.ca/events. If you are a Jr. Youth Leader, take advantage of our special pricing for youth and chaperones. Email events@rockway.ca for more information.
IN THIS TOGETHER
In This Together presents a webinar series…Faithfully at Variance: Engaging with the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective. Webinar #2 takes place on Sunday February 2, 6pm CT. We will be discussing Queer Relationships to the Confession. Theologian and MCEC Pastor Eliot Chandler Burns will reflect on historical and current impacts of the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective on Queer Mennonites, followed by responses by Anita Fast and Nessa Schattman. For more details and to register, visit inthistogethernetwork.ca/news-and-events If you missed the first webinar, you can check it out here (not required viewing in order to attend Webinar #2!).
WINTER CAMP FOR GROWNUPS WITH PiE AND SLMC
If you are in your 20s or 30s, you are invited to join Pastors in Exile for a fun and relaxing weekend in partnership with Silver Lake Mennonite Camp (SLMC). The retreat runs from the evening of Friday, February 28th until the afternoon of Sunday, March 2nd. This is a “choose your own adventure” weekend where you can participate in lots of outdoor and indoor winter camp activities or spend the weekend reading by the fire. Registration and more information can be found at https://slmc.ca/retreats/retreats/. If you have any questions, feel free to send PiE an email at admin@pastorsinexile.org.
NEW HAMBURG MENNONITE RELIEF SALE
GET A SNEAK PEEK AT THE 2025 RELIEF SALE. The countdown to the 2025 New Hamburg Mennonite Relief Sale officially begins tomorrow (January 28) at 9:30am with the unveiling of the 2025 feature quilt! This year’s stunning feature quilt emerged from frustration and struggle, but the quilter’s perseverance resulted in a unique masterpiece that only such challenges could create. Join us in the lower atrium at 50 Kent Ave, Kitchener or stay tuned to our Facebook page for a livestream beginning at 9:30am. The curtain will be lifted and the highly anticipated 2025 feature quilt will be unveiled!
PROMO DINNER: SAVE THE DATE. Mark your calendar for the annual NHMRS promotion dinner on Monday, April 28 at Calvary United Church in St. Jacobs! Delicious food and delightful entertainment are sure to build your anticipation for this year’s relief sale!
MC CANADA GATHERING
Mark your calendars for the MC Canada Gathering, July 2-5, 2025 here in Kitchener/Waterloo.
This Gathering is shaping up to be an incredible experience with three unique avenues for engagement:
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- Congregational Gathering: Join delegates and congregational representatives for inspiring sessions, worship, and connection.
- Youth Gathering: A vibrant, energetic event designed specifically for youth, hosted on the University of Waterloo campus.
- U30 Young Adult Gathering: Engage with peers through tailored events, including a special post-Gathering celebration at Hidden Acres!
SILVER LAKE MENNONITE CAMP (slmc.ca)
Summer Camp: Set your alarms! Registration for overnight camp and day camp opens this weekend, February 1 at 8am. Visit slmc.ca/summer-camp to have a look at the 2025 schedule and to read important registration tips. Excited to see your kids at Silver Lake this summer!
Winter and Spring Retreats registration now open. Go to slmc.ca/retreats for more info. Coming up soon: Winter Camp for Grown-Ups (Feb 28-Mar 2) – This weekend is for 20 & 30 somethings who want to do camp again! This “choose your own adventure” weekend is the perfect winter escape and is a collaborative project between PiE (Pastors in Exile) and SLMC.
CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY
Xplore – CMU’s Xplore extended education program investigates dimensions of the Christian faith, our world, and life in it—all without assignments or exams! Join one or more in-person or online courses beginning February 18 with topics such as loneliness, Indigenous spirituality and Christian faith, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and more. Churches may consider hosting an Xplore watch party with people from the community. For more information and to register, visit cmu.ca/xplore.
CMU Open House – Prospective students of all ages and their families are invited to drop in and take a campus tour, browse our information booths, and chat with our admissions team on Thursday, February 20 between 6:00–8:00 PM. Visit cmu.ca/openhouse for more information.
CMU Discover Day – Join us for the full day or the afternoon of February 28 to discover what it is like to be a CMU student. Tour the CMU campus, attend a sample lecture, meet professors and current students, and have lunch and treats on us! For more information and to register, visit cmu.ca/discover-days.
The MHC Gallery invites you to their newest exhibit, “The Poetry of Painting,” an exhibition that combines art and poetry and allows viewers to observe the works, read the poems, and be an audience to others’ responses. The exhibition runs until March 22. Visit cmu.ca/gallery for more information.
CONRAD GREBEL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
Start a transformative journey with the Master of Peace and Conflict Studies (MPACS) program at Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo. Connect theory, analysis, reflection, and practice to advance nonviolent peacebuilding and community-led change. Apply by February 1. Discover more at uwaterloo.ca/mpacs or register for an upcoming information session.
Study the Bible, Christian theology, church history, and the practice of ministry in an interdisciplinary and ecumenical setting in the Master of Theological Studies program at Conrad Grebel University College. Full tuition scholarships are available for full-time Canadian students. Apply by February 1. uwaterloo.ca/theological-studies
YOU CAN PROVIDE EMERGENCY RELIEF TODAY
MCC and local partners provide emergency assistance to affected families. Your donations and prayers help bring critical support to these global neighbours. To donate go to mcco.ca/volcano-relief
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