MCEC PRAYERS
Pray for Muriel Bechtel, retired MCEC pastor and former MCEC Conference Minister, and family as they grieve the loss of her husband and their father, Dave Bechtel, who died on October 15, 2024. Dave was a dedicated volunteer in numerous organizations, included Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. Visitation will be held at the Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, 171 King St. S., Waterloo on Thursday, October 17, 2024 from 2-4 and 6-8 pm. The funeral service will take place at Preston Mennonite Church, 791 Concession Road, Cambridge on Friday Oct.18 at 1:00 pm with visitation from 12:00 pm to 12:45 pm at the church. A reception will follow the service in the church hall. A livestream/recording will be made available by clicking the link at the top of the obituary notice. Read Dave’s obituary. Please keep Muriel and her family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
Continue to pray for areas in the world who cry out for peace. We grieve for all who have experienced the horrors of war and violence. May God bring comfort, healing, and justice to those suffering. Lord, have mercy on us and hear our prayers for peace and reconciliation in these troubled regions.
MCEC ANNOUNCEMENTS
Volunteer Opportunity for all ages! The MCEC Creation Care Working Group is making plans for the coming year, and we would love your help! We have set four goals for this year:
1) To host a book club related to creation care/environmental justice themes,
2) To run a social media campaign highlighting what creation care looks like,
3) To create Earth Day worship resource for churches for April 2025, and
4) To amplify ideas and initiatives happening in congregations.
If you are passionate about 1 or all of the above, or if you would like to learn more about our working group and have ideas for how to support and engage MCEC congregations in the work of creation care, please reach out to Jay Reesor and Sara DeWeerd (co-chairs) at creationcare@mcec.ca.
MCEC Intercultural Worship Gathering and Potluck, Saturday, October 26, 2024, 4 – 6 p.m, First Hmong Mennonite Church. We warmly invite everyone to join us for a special time of worship, unity, and celebration, as various congregations come together to honour our diversity in Christ. This year’s speaker: Hruai Tu, Chair of Young Adult Ministry at Chin Christian Church (Kitchener). Potluck follows – bring food to share! More information at mcec.ca/events.
Mennonite Church Canada International Witness Sunday – October 27, 2024, Welcome to the Banquet Table: Sharing in God’s Global Feast. Congregations across Canada are invited to celebrate the relationships and gifts we have and share with our brother and sisters around the globe. Worship resources including prayers, music suggestions and sermon starters are available at mennonitechurch.ca.
MCEC Palestine Israel Networking Group presents Challenge for the Church: Antisemitism, Saturday, November 2, 2024, 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Waterloo North Mennonite Church, 100 Benjamin Rd, Waterloo. How has the Church been antisemitic in the past? How can the Church resist antisemitism today? Join us for a day that calls us to a deeper examination of Mennonite thought and action. We invite churches to join us for this workshop on antisemitism, as well as a companion event March 2025 Challenge for the Church: Islamophobia. Register at mcec.ca/events.
MCEC Financial Update Zoom Call, Wednesday, November 27, 2024, 7-8 p.m., online. Join MCEC for an engaging mid-year financial update and conversation. This online Zoom event offers a unique chance to hear key insights and ask any questions you have about our financial progress.This is a fantastic opportunity for pastors, delegates, treasurers, councils and anyone else interested to be involved and stay informed! Make sure to register your congregational teams and delegates. More information at mcec.ca./events.
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS
ANABAPTIST MENNONITE BIBLICAL SEMINARY NEWS – most recent
MENNONITE CENTRAL COMMITTEE [MCC] Bulletin Announcements – most recent
MENNONITE DISASTER SERVICES [MDS] On the Level Newsletter – October 16, 2024
MESERETE KRISTOS SEMINARY Newsletter – September 2024
LEBANON EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Give now and double the impact of your gift.
With the escalating violence in Lebanon, people’s lives are in danger and the need for basic necessities is great. MCC partners have mobilized in central Lebanon and Beirut to help, providing meals, hygiene items, bedding, health services, hot meals and psychosocial support for children.
Every donation made by Canadians to a Humanitarian Coalition member is matched to a maximum of $3 million until November 3, 2024. MCC participates in the Humanitarian Coalition through our membership in Canadian Foodgrains Bank.
Donate today 888.622.6337 mcc.org/lebanonemergency
MDS CANADA CELEBRATION BANQUET
Friday, October 18, 2024 at 6 pm at Shantz Mennonite Church, 2473 Erbs Rd, Baden, ON. Come hear: Volunteers who served at the North Shuswap, BC project; Kevin King, Executive Director of MDS US; Ross Penner, Executive Director of MDS Canada. Special music. Tickets are free but reservation required. Contact Clara Flores at 1-866-261-1274 or cflores@mds.org
DYING TO KNOW
Supporting someone who is dying or grieving starts with conversation and the right information. What if you could have all of your questions about death, dying and grief answered in a safe space? On Oct 19th you can get started. Dying to Know is a one-day conference hosted in partnership by Hospice Waterloo Region and St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. For more info and to register www.dyingtoknow.ca
ECUMENICAL WORSHIP OPPORTUNITY October 24 & 25, 2024 in Waterloo
Sing the Journey Deep: Gathering, Singing, Learning and Discussion
An ecumenical worship conference featuring special guest and noted composer Mark A. Miller.
Mark A. Miller is a distinguished composer, hymn writer, organist, and educator known for his profound contributions to contemporary worship music. Mark serves as Minister of Music at Christ Church in Summit, New Jersey, lecturer at Yale University’s Institute for Sacred Music, and professor of church music, director of chapel, and composer in residence at Drew University. He will deliver plenary sessions on Thursday and Friday.
Highlights of the Conference:
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- Organ Recital – This free, public performance will be followed by a question and answer session. Mark Miller, who holds a Master of Music in Organ Performance from Juilliard, will play the 3,000-pipe Casavant organ at St. Matthews Lutheran Church at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24. St. Matthews is located at 54 Benton Street in Kitchener.
- Big Sing – The community is invited to participate. The cost is $10 per person. Anyone who likes to sing will enjoy the “Big Sing” from 7:30pm to 9:00pm on Thursday, Oct. 24 at St. Matthews Lutheran Church. Mark Miller will lead participants in several of his compositions, and will turn us into a massed choir. Pre-registration is required for this event. Some spaces may be available at the door.
- Workshops – On Friday afternoon, you have the opportunity to attend two different workshops presented by emerging scholars. Three of the scholars are connected to MCEC!
Workshop 1:
– Anneli Loepp Thiessen – Women’s Voices and the Church’s Song
– Josh Zentner-Barrett – Singing in Place
– Rebekah Ludolph – Expanding Our Stories Through Song
Workshop 2:
– Laura Benjamins – Sing the Journey Deep: Participation or Perfection
– Mykayla Turner – Building Trust Through Song
– Darren Hamilton – So, You Want to Sing Gospel Music? - Inshallah Sing the Journey Deep – This is a public event with a free-will donation. On Friday evening, the conference moves to Trillium Lutheran Church in Waterloo. From 7:30 to 9:00 pm, Inshallah, along with Mark Miller and other guests, will sing and lead songs from their new songbook, Sing the Journey Deep.
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More information, registration details and for tickets for the Big Sing.
You are warmly invited to attend this amazing event, organized by an ecumenical planning team, which includes Mariko Ogasawara and Louise Wideman, from Steinmann Mennonite Church, and Jane Schultz-Janzen, from Shantz Mennonite Church.
HOUSE OF FRIENDSHIP
This year’s Friendship Dinner, House of Friendship’s annual community gathering, puts the spotlight on critical Supportive and Affordable Housing programs! THE JOURNEY HOME…. Home means a lot of things. It means comfort, a safe place to turn to, or a shelter from the storms of life. But what does home mean to someone who hasn’t known that comfort in years? Or for someone who grew up in a home that wasn’t safe? This year, attendees will hear from those who have taken this difficult, arduous journey – and find out how to walk alongside these neighbours, as they find their own journey home. Join us this October to learn more about the impact of your support and be a part of a compassionate Waterloo Region, building a better future. Date: Saturday, October 26, 2024. Time: 5:00pm – 9:00 pm. Details: Three course meal followed by inspiring participant stories and leadership remarks. Location: Marshall Hall, Bingemans Conference Centre (425 Bingemans Centre Drive, Kitchener). Tickets: Single Ticket $125, Table of Eight $875. More info and tickets at www.houseoffriendship.org/friendshipdinner
FUND RAISER CONCERT EVENT
First Mennonite Church invites you to a Fundraising Concert Event at Rockway Mennonite Collegiate on Sunday, October 27th, 2:30 pm. Featuring the music of Menno Valley Sound and Rockway’s own Better Than Nothing, there is sure to be something for everyone to enjoy! Special Guest, Cal Jutzi (Rockway class of ‘72), will add some Mini-Auction excitement too! Admission by donation, so pay what you can (amounts over $20 are receiptable). Proceeds support FMC’s Student Aid Program: Helping our youth attend Rockway. Please visit our FMC Facebook Event Page for more information on the musicians, auction items and more. We’d love to see you there! CLICK HERE FOR POSTER and click here.
BACH VESPERS for St. Michael and All Angel
The Choir and Orchestra of Spiritus Ensemble will perform Bach Cantatas 149 and 50 on Sunday, October 27, 2024 at 4:00 p.m. at the Church of St. John the Evangelist, 23 Water Street North, Kitchener. Soloists are Elizabeth Lepock, Daniel Cabena, Bud Roach, and Rich Hrytzak; Kenneth Hull conducting. Admission is free; donations are gratefully received. Click here for poster.
ABNER MARTIN MUSIC SCHOLARSHIP
The Abner Martin Music Scholarship ($4,000 value last year) is awarded annually by Menno Singers to a student who: 1) will be enrolled in a full-time music major or minor program at the undergraduate or graduate level in 2024-2025); 2) is affiliated with an MCEC congregation; and 3) has demonstrated involvement and proficiency in musical activities in church and community. Application deadline is October 30, 2024. For more information and/or an application form contact The Abner Martin Scholarship Committee at amscholarship@awbecker.ca
P.S. Menno Singers, a choir in Waterloo Region, was founded by Abner Martin in 1955. The scholarship honours Abner’s contributions to Mennonite congregations, and to the wider community through the work of this choir. More than 40 musical scholars have benefitted from this scholarship over the past 42 years. Many of them have gone on to make major contributions to music in our churches, schools and communities.
MENNO SINGERS
Saturday, November 2, 7:30pm (Trillium Lutheran Church, 22 William St, Waterloo): Menno Singers and The Laurier Singers with Artistic Director Brandon Leis join voices to present music for All Souls’ Day – ‘Love, Loss & Eternity.’ Tickets $25, Child/Student $5 at the door or from choir members. CLICK HERE FOR ALL SOULS POSTER
Sunday, November 17, 3pm (St Matthews Lutheran Church, 54 Benton St, Kitchener): Menno Singers hosts its Annual Messiah Sing-Along with soloists and orchestra. Bring a score, sit in parts and join your voices to sing (or come and listen). Admittance by donation. CLICK HERE FOR MESSIAH SING ALONG POSTER
RE-TELLING OUR STORIES: MENNONITE AND INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES IN CONVERSATION
Friday, November 8, 7:00 pm, Erb Street Mennonite Church. Erb Street Mennonite Church invites you to join local author, Leah Reesor-Keller, and Crow Shield Lodge founder, Clarence Cachagee, in conversation about how Mennonites can be part of the journey towards reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, addressing opportunities and challenges, with discussion and Q&A hosted by Bob Nally. Free event with donations welcomed to support Crow Shield Lodge. Copies of Leah’s book, Tending Tomorrow: Courageous Change for People and Planet, will be available for purchase and signing. Refreshments to follow.
IN THIS TOGETHER
…presents a webinar series…Faithfully at Variance: Engaging with the Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective. Webinar #1 takes place on Sunday November 17, 6pm CT. What’s a Confession and how did we get here? Join Karl Koop and Ann Weber Becker for some historical context and storytelling about the writing of the current Confession of Faith shared by MC Canada & MC USA. What about that Article 19 in particular? For more details and to register, visit inthistogethernetwork.ca/news-and-events
HIDDEN ACRES
Hidden Acres new “Learning IN Community” Programs – We believe that people of all abilities have been created to experience community! Our vision for “LINC” is to use its programs as a place of connection and growth for young adults with special needs. If you would like to learn more about our Day Programs or retreats, check our website at https://hiddenacres.ca/programs/linc or email cc@hiddenacres.ca CLICK HERE FOR POSTER
SILVER LAKE MENNONITE CAMP
SLMC Work Weekend – For those who enjoy physical labour! Help out at Silver Lake’s Fall Work Weekend Nov. 1-3. A family-friendly event with free, delicious meals cooked for you. Registration and more info at slmc.ca/retreats.
WOOLWICH COUNSELLING CENTRE PROGRAMS
Upcoming workshops and small group therapy (Nov.): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MddtrStd8gIMco3i2e7TAJW7mxCoVc8A8OikLSxNQxk/edit?usp=sharing All our upcoming programs are available for registration on our website: https://woolwichcounselling.org/upcoming-events/
A MESSAGE FROM CHRISTIANS TOGETHER WATERLOO REGION
In 1944, the Canadian Council of Churches was founded to promote dialogue and sharing among the many Christians denominations in Canada. This national organization inspired a local group of clergy and laity to begin what became the Kitchener-Waterloo Council of Churches in 1962. In 2018, the K-W Council of Churches reorganized to include all the churches and parishes in Waterloo Region to become Christians Together Waterloo Region. Not surprisingly, the aims of CTWR, the K-W Council of Churches, and the Canadian Council of Churches continue to align after all this time. Today, it is on behalf of the 80th Anniversary of the Canadian Council of Churches that I write. Christians in the Region of Waterloo are privileged to have two CCC 80th Anniversary Events held locally on November 6, 2024.
- An all-day in-person learning event (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at Mount Zion Lutheran Church, Waterloo, on
o Christian Unity and Social Justice in Context,
o Young Adults in the Canadian Ecumenical Movement, and
o Ecumenical Engagement at the Intersection of Faith, Life Sciences, and Biotechnology.
You can attend the all-day event in person or via Zoom.
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- An evening service (7 p.m.) entitled Singing Lament and Hope Towards Peace, at First United Church, Waterloo. The music will be led by Andrew Donaldson and Wendy Wyatt Donaldson and a presentation on Climate, Peace, and Security will be given by Cesar Jaramillo, Executive Director of Project Ploughshares.
You will find full information on both events, a link for in-person registration (register by October 30) as well as a link for attending by Zoom on the poster we have attached. I commend both these events to you and invite you to read carefully the exciting list of participants who will gather for the learning event’s panel discussions.
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- A second and unrelated item for your attention is to report on ongoing advocacy among faith-based groups in Waterloo Region on behalf of Kitchener’s Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) and Waterloo’s Sanguen Health Centre. Both facilities anticipate having to close at the end of March 2025 because of a change in direction by the Government of Ontario. To discontinue the intervention component now available through the CTS and Sanguen will result in accidental overdoses and deaths. Discontinuing screening drugs for lethal ingredients will also lead to accidental deaths. Closing down both the CTS and Sanguen will return those who now inject drugs in a safe and monitored environment to unsafe public places. And there will also be the loss of a caring and non-judgmental community of medical professionals dedicated to this saving work.
The church I serve at present has welcomed St. John’s Kitchen and the St. John’s Kitchen Community to our parish hall for five days each week while the St. John’s Kitchen building on Victoria Street is being renovated, enlarged, and repurposed. The St. John’s Kitchen staff, our own parishioners, and the Waterloo Region Police Service support and build this community as it struggles with poverty, hunger, homelessness, mental illness, and addiction to drugs and alcohol. To remove the contribution of the CTS and Sanguen is to remove an essential member of this very necessary team. Please consider ways in which your congregation or parish might advocate for our neighbours in great need.
To inspire your response, we are attaching a letter written in late September by Supportive Housing Advocacy Waterloo Region and a video clip of Churchwarden Simon Guthrie’s delegation to Kitchener City Council, Monday, September 30, 2024. In his presentation, Simon spoke on behalf of the Church of St. John the Evangelist (Anglican), Kitchener. Here is the link.https://www.youtube.com/live/Ugi9_b6C8yM?si=xejiWWitycZu_56h&t=19074
Thank you for your partnership in the Christian community of Waterloo Region. Thank you for your faithfulness to Christ and the gospel. Thank you for your prayers which undergird our common life. Yours in Christ, The Rev. James F. Brown, Chair, Steering Committee, Christians Together Waterloo Region
ROCKWAY MENNONITE COLLEGIATE
CONNECTIONS HOMECOMING NIGHT. Support students of Rockway Mennonite Collegiate by attending our annual Spaghetti Supper School Fundraiser at Connections Homecoming Night on Friday, October 18! NEW this year – you can also support us through our ONLINE AUCTION. Visit rockway.ca/events to pre-purchase your meals (don’t worry, you can still show up that night with cash or cheque if you don’t want to use your credit card) and to read up on all the fun, family-friendly activities and events happening that night.
AGM MEMBERSHIP. Rockway Mennonite Collegiate will host its Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at 7:30 pm on Zoom. Visit Rockway’s AGM webpage to confirm your voting and membership eligibility by November 11. Please email AGM@rockway.ca to RSVP for the Zoom link. All are welcome.
DISCOVER ROCKWAY. Calling all families interested in learning more about Rockway Mennonite Collegiate for their child. We invite you to attend our Discover Rockway information night on Thursday, November 7 from 7 – 9 pm. For more information and to register for this event, visit our Discover Rockway webpage.
PARADE. Rockway ON PARADE! Students of Rockway Mennonite Collegiate invite you to watch their THINK float in the KW Oktoberfest Parade on Monday, October 14. Their display will get you THINKing about single-use plastic.
MORE EVENTS…. Rockway Mennonite Collegiate has many events throughout the year. We are thankful for the support of our churches in getting the message out to you! If you ever want more information about any of our events, visit our new events page: rockway.ca/events There we list the events for the entire school year and specific information about current ones. We look forward to welcoming you to our school this year!
CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY [CMU]
CommonWord Book Launch: The Secret Treaty: A Lost Story of Ojibwe and Mennonite Neighbours – On November 7 at 7:00 PM, Jonathan Dyck and Elder Dave Scott discuss how we can forge a different way of sharing the land. The authors share stories of the West Reserve before Mennonite settlement and first encounters between Ojibwe and latecomers. Join in person at Marpeck Commons or watch the livestream at commonword.ca/go/3972.
J.J. Thiessen Lecture Series: CMU invites you to hear Dr. Bruce Hindmarsh from Regent College, on October 22-23 at 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM on both days in the CMU Chapel. The first lectures will focus on the spiritual life of early evangelicals (1700s) and its relevance today. The second day will include a presentation (with film excerpts) and discussion on “Amazing Grace” with its author, John Newton. All events are free and open to all. More information and recordings available at cmu.ca/jjt. CLICK HERE FOR POSTER
CMU Discover Day: Full- or half-day options available on October 25. Tour the CMU campus, attend a sample lecture, meet professors and current students, ask questions and have lunch and treats on us! Visit cmu.ca/experience for more information and to register.
CONRAD GREBEL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
Eby Lecture: Paint as Protest | Thursday, November 14, 7:30 PM. Reading socio-political experiences through graffiti and street art in conflict-affected societies. Through his field research, Dr. Eric Lepp will engage with graffiti as a spatial and temporal resource in societies undergoing social and political transformation. grebel.ca/eby
Signs of Peace: A Retrospective of Peace Posters | July 2 – October 31, 2024 at the Grebel Gallery. Featuring over 40 posters from organizations and initiatives connected to Grebel, this pop-up exhibit encourages viewers to reflect on the messaging and design work that goes into inspiring peace action. uwaterloo.ca/centre-peace-advancement/grebel-gallery
September 26, 2024: The Mennonite Historical Society of Ontario, along with the Ontario Heritage Trust, will unveil a commemorative plaque to be placed at the site of the Montreal River Alternative Service Camp (just north of Sault Ste. Marie). Canada’s Alternative Service program ran from 1941-1946, with over 10,000 participants, many of them Mennonite. The unveiling will take place at Conrad Grebel University College at 4:00 pm. Then on September 28, the plaque will be installed at the Montreal River site. For more information, please visit the MHSO website at MHSO.org
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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