MCEC PRAYERS
MCEC ANNOUNCEMENTS
ONLINE PUBLICATIONS
CANADIAN MENNONITE CM This Week – current release
MENNONITE WORLD CONFERENCE MWC INFO – January 2025 and includes MWC year in review report
WOOLWICH COUNSELLING CENTRE Upcoming Courses
MENNONITE DISASTER SERVICE
The 2024 MDS Canada Annual Report to Churches is available. Please click here.
Attention youth leaders: An MDS Summer Youth Project will take place at Crowsnest Lake Bible Camp in Alberta this July. More details will be available in the coming weeks. To express interest on behalf of your youth group, fill out the wait list form at mds.org/summer-youth-program/
MDS invites volunteers to help rebuild a flooded home in Constance Bay (near Ottawa, ON). Sign up for a week, beginning in March, to help rebuild a house along the Ottawa River. Contact Clara Flores at cflores@mds.org or 1 (866) 261-1274 for more information and to sign up.
FITNESS FOR YOUR AGING BRAIN
Space is at WNMC for additional participants and drop-ins. See: Better With Fitness – Exercise Programs for Your Body and Brain Email: fitnessforyouragingbrain@gmail.com
CHRISTIANS TOGETHER WATERLOO REGION
Dear Friends: On behalf of the Steering Committee of Christians Together Waterloo Region, I wish you blessings abundant in this new year of God’s grace. As we pray for world peace and a compassionate and wise response to many climate disasters, we also pray that justice will roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream (Amos 5:24). We invite you to join us in these prayers.
As you may know, the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity is almost upon us (January 18-25). Many years we have had local services and events. As far as we can tell, there is nothing planned this year in the churches and parishes of Waterloo Region. Steering Committee member Sandy Milne, however, invites us to an online celebration taking place in her daughter Margaret’s parish, St. Andrew’s Cathedral in Victoria, British Columbia. At this service, Christians from across Vancouver Island will gather to reflect on and celebrate their common faith. The service takes place this coming Sunday, January 19, beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Here is the link. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0fsyZDAbTA
If you wish to explore further the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in Canada, full information and resources are posted at https://www.weekofprayer.ca/week-of-prayer-for-christian-unity-in-canada/
At the beginning of February, our sister organization, Interfaith Grand River, invites us to join in their celebration of World Interfaith Harmony Week on Wednesday, February 5, at 6:45 p.m. Although this event also will be online, it will be participatory. The presenter is Brian Carwana, Executive Director of Encounter World Religions, a Canadian organization that aims to increase religious literacy. Brian, who has a Ph.D in religion from the University of Toronto, will help attendees consider the Western lens through which we view world religions.
This presentation will take place on Zoom, and will provide time for small group discussion. This event will end with a Q&A, concluding at 8:30 p.m. Although this seminar is free, registration is required. Click here to register, and then place a note in your personal calendar for February 5 at 6:45 p.m.
Thank you for your proclamation of the gospel in Waterloo Region and beyond, making faith visible through your ministry and mission. Yours in Christ, James (The Rev. James F. Brown) Chair, Steering Committee, Christians Together Waterloo Region
MENNO SINGERS FAMILY OF CHOIRS
Sunday, January 26, 7pm – Join choristers and instrumentalists for a 3-Choirs Mid-Winter Hymn Sing at Waterloo North Mennonite Church, hosted by the Inter-Mennonite Children’s Choir, Menno Singers and the newly-formed Menno Youth Ensemble. A variety of selections from the Voices Together hymnal and ample room for requests will be sure to warm your mid-winter spirits as we raise our voices in song. Admission is by donation.
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
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, February 27 – March 1, 2025. Tickets can be purchased by visiting www.rockway.ca/events. Our cast and crew looks forward to welcoming you and your family into Wonka’s world of Pure Imagination!
RCM turns 80! Join us on Friday, February 14, 2025 for our special 80th Anniversary Chapel with guest speakers Ray Boehm ‘84 and Mary Groh ‘49, followed by our Tea & Pastry Reception. That evening, celebrate the school you love with the people you love at our annual Soup Supper Fundraiser (featuring SIX scrumptious soups) and cheer on your favourites at the Alumni Sports Challenge. To RSVP and pre-purchase your soup or to learn more about Founders’ Day, visit: rockway.ca/events
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.
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
Silver Lake Mennonite Camp Winter and Spring Retreats registration now open. Go to slmc.ca/retreats for more info. Coming up soon:
Women’s Retreat (Jan 31-Feb 2) – Come, experience the beauty of camp in winter. Be nourished by the relaxed pace, good food and meaningful conversation. Play in the snow, breathe deeply in yoga, cross country ski, go on a snowshoe hike through the woods. Reflection time led by Wendy Janzen.
Summer Camp: Registration for overnight camp and day camp opens February 1 at 8am. Outtrip registration is already open – sign up before Jan 30 to get $100 off! Visit slmc.ca/summer-camp to have a look at the 2025 schedule.
GREAT WINTER WARM-UP WITH MCC
Dear Friends: It’s that cozy time of year again – time for the Great Winter Warm-Up (GWW) with MCC! We’re so excited to invite you back to this special event, where together we make comforters to share warmth and love with people around the world. Each comforter knotted during GWW becomes a lifeline for someone facing the hardships of disaster or conflict. Last year alone, thanks to kind and dedicated people like you, MCC sent over 53,000 comforters to places like Ukraine, Malawi, and Zambia. Each one offered not only warmth but a heartfelt reminder that they are not forgotten. This year, we’d love to see churches and comforter-knotting groups join in by holding or attending comforter-knotting blitzes in January and February. Whether you’re a comforter-knotting pro or new to it, there’s a place for you to join in! There are two wonderful ways to participate this year:
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- Host your own comforter-knotting blitz: If your church or group is planning an event, we’d love to know! We’d be thrilled to send someone to visit and support you. You can email me to share your plans. And please do snap some photos or videos of your gathering! We’d love to feature them on our social media to inspire others.
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- Join us at the Material Resource (MR) Centre in New Hamburg: On January 25, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, come by for a day of comforter-knotting, laughter, and warm drinks! Knotters of all levels are welcome. You’ll also get a chance to tour the material resources warehouse, and if you’re traveling from out of town, consider making a day of it by checking out the local quilt shops or grabbing lunch at a nearby café. We’d love to give you some recommendations!
Every comforter you help create is more than just fabric and thread – it’s a gift of God’s love to someone in need. Our goal is to make as many comforters as possible during this year’s Great Winter Warm-Up, so let’s come together and spread the warmth! More information at https://mcc.org/events/great-winter-warm-comforter-knotting-blitz With joy and gratitude, Stephen
Stephen Roy, Church and Community Relations Associate. (519) 745-8458 ext 236 / (226) 978-6124 https://mcc.org/resources/churches
NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT WILLOWGROVE AND FRASER LAKE CAMP
Willowgrove, a leading day and overnight recreational, educational and land-based provider of services for children and youth in natural settings, is pleased to announce that a new Executive Director has been appointed to its executive leadership team. “We are incredibly excited to have Taras Rohatyn step into the role of Executive Director,” said Dave Burkholder, Chair of the Board of Directors. “Taras brings immense expertise and a wealth of experience which we believe will significantly contribute to the continued success of Willowgrove and its programs.” Taras has a broad and varied employment background which includes both banking (Scotiabank) and commercial credit (Roynat), the provincial government (WSIB Crown Corporation), and numerous not-for-profit charities (children’s programming, physical disabilities, Alzheimer’s, seniors and primary health care). He is a Director of the Ukrainian Credit Union Ltd., and is the Secretary of their Audit Committee. He was also the Recipient of the Ontario Medical Society’s Community Service Award in 2002 and is a Paul Harris Fellow with Rotary International. Taras also has an extensive history of involvement in the Ukrainian Canadian community both locally and nationally.
Taras has an Honours Bachelor of Arts in History (minor in English) from Sudbury’s Laurentian University, and an Honours Bachelor of Commerce and Business Administration from the University of Windsor.
Taras is married, has 2 adult children, one grandson and a granddaughter.
Taras officially started his role on January 6, 2025. The entire Willowgrove team looks forward to working under his leadership and is confident that he will guide the organization towards a brighter future.
Willowgrove is a not-for-profit charitable organization known for its focus on community building and children’s outdoor experiences. In 1955, Fraser Lake Camp, a 273 acre lakefront oasis in Bancroft Ontario, was started and continues to provide inclusive overnight authentic camping experiences. Since 1968, Willowgrove Farm, Day Camp, Field Trips, and Nature School in Stouffville Ontario, has offered outdoor education, and recreational day programs from its 100-acre, working farm. Both location programs are geared to children from JK to Grade 12.
For further information, please contact Dave Burkholder, Chair of the Board of Directors at chair@willowgrove.ca or visit www.willowgrove.ca.
CANADIAN MENNONITE UNIVERSITY
2025 John and Margaret Friesen Lecture Series – A two-part lecture series titled, “Anabaptist Peace Witness – Historical Significance and Today’s Mission,” with Dr. Astrid von Schlachta, Head of the Mennonite Research Center and lecturer at the University of Regensburg, takes place on Thursday, January 23 at 11:00 AM and 7:00 PM CST at CMU. Visit cmu.ca/friesenlectures for more information and livestream feeds.
CMU Discover Day – Join us for the full day or the afternoon of January 31 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! Visit cmu.ca/experience for more information and to register.
Discover Music Day – Prospective music and music therapy students are invited to learn more about studying music at CMU with a full day campus visit on February 7. Visit cmu.ca/experience for more information and to register.
Social Justice Fair – The 19th annual social justice fair hosted by Menno Simons College is on Wednesday, February 5 between 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM at Marpeck Commons. Take the opportunity to interact with community organizations, learn what they do, and find ways to be involved! Visit media.cmu.ca/events for more information.
CMU Employment Opportunities – CMU invites inquiries and applications for a full-time Assistant Professor of Biology position. Other opportunities include a full-time Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications and a Sessional Instructor in social work. Visit cmu.ca/employment 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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