 Dear MCA,
Greetings in the name of Christ! We are now well into the New Year of 2019, meaning that a new season of MCA’s Vision 20/20 process is upon us.
Our year-long process of visioning and renewal began early in Fall with a survey of congregational leaders. Phase II took place over a weekend in November during which we explored the challenges facing the church while also recognizing the deep spiritual longing in our world today. Betty Pries of Credence and Co. shared with us the grand narrative of spiritual renewal. When we yearn for renewal—for vitality, for Transformation—a key step is Opening Ourselves to God’s Leading. How might we open ourselves to God in a posture of listening, surrendering our own agenda and ideas so that we may truly hear God’s call for us today? How might we prayerfully listen for the voice of God’s spirit? Read More
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The DeJongs Ethiopian Adventure
 After 4 months of sunshine, we stepped off the plane in Edmonton on January 10th to a bitterly cold day that made us question why we returned from Ethiopia. Our 4-month mission assignment with Eastern Mennonite Missions AND Mennonite Church Canada AND Mennonite Central Committee-Ethiopia was an amazing time that included a warm welcome, warm weather, and warm hugs. . . . Could we, as MCA, be divinely prepared to do something very special in East Africa? I do wonder if God is up to something? read more
pictured below: (left) Members of South Sudanese Mennonite Church ofGambelle.
(right) Pastor Mezgebu of Bethel International Church in Edmonton visits Joanne and Werner during his recent trip to Ethiopia.
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My Worst and Best Experience
of Interfaith Dialogue all in one week
By Donna Entz, Director, North Edmonton Ministry
I experienced the best and the worst of interfaith dialogue all at the same event.
The two sessions were part of the Relevant series held at the University of Alberta January 21-25, 2019. The first night was a Muslim-Christian Dialogue on the topic, “Who is Jesus?” Read More
Left to right below: Alycia Wood, Christian presenter from Atlanta, Georgia; Gila Caine, Jewish Rabbi; Riffat Aziz, Muslim Presenter; Heather Liddell, Moderator. The Relevant Series is sponsored by the Ravi Zacharius group on Christian Apologetics
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The Role of Women in Abrahamic Religions
Submitted by Jacob Froese
On January 24, the Intercultural Dialogue Institute (IDI) hosted a panel discussion entitled "The Role of Women in Abrahamic Religions." Dr. Wes Thiessen, who spoke at both the Calgary and Edmonton dialogues in October, was the moderator for the event. Read More |
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**Annual Reports**
MCA's and Mennonite Church Canada's Annual Report Summaries were sent on Monday January 7. You can also download them here.
MCA 2018 Annual Report for Churches
MC Canada 2018 Annual Report for Churches
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 Mennonite Heritage Archives partners with Refuge 31 Films - "Volendam: Ship of Freedom"
The Mennonite Heritage Archives is partnering with Refuge 31 Films in their production of Volendam: Ship of Freedom. The film will tell the story of Mennonite Refugees who fled Europe after WWII. If you were on the ship during the February 1947 trip to Argentina (or your parent or relative was) and are interested in telling your story, Refuge 31 Films would like to interview you or your relative on camera. We are also interested in still photographs and film footage of the Volendam ship itself from that period, as well as the refugee camps in Germany. Please contact: office@refuge31.com.
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Interfaith Treaty Project - Call for Submission
What gifts do Jewish and Muslim traditions have to help us all live into the spirit and intent of Treaty? What does it mean to be Sikh or Christian and live faithfully in unceded B.C. or the lands of the Dish with One Spoon (a treaty between Anishinaabe, Mississaugas and Haudenosaunee in Ontario)? Mennonite Church Canada and the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba are putting together an exciting new book, Nanabush and Buddha Link Arms: Why Treaties Matter to Religious Communities? If you would like to be a part of this project, or know someone who could contribute, check out the call for pitches here: www.commonword.ca/go/1720.
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Camp Valaqua is looking to purchase a truck this spring. If you would like to contribute, make cheques payable to Mennonite Church Alberta or send an etransfer to treasurer@mennonitechurch.ab.ca. Please designate to Camp's facility upgrade fund. Our mailing address is Box 1839; Pincher Creek, AB T0K 1W0. Please contact Kim Friesen Wiens (friesenwiens@gmail.com) with any questions.
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Dan Epp-Tiessen, Associate Professor of Bible
Portable CMU
February 8-10 @ Trinity Mennonite
Download Flyer here
NOTE: Saturday's session concludes at 4:30pm. Trivia Night begins at 6:30pm at Foothills.
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2019 Trivia Night - February 9
Edmonton vs. Calgary
a Camp Valaqua Fundraiser
Join us in Edmonton @ First Mennonite or in Calgary @ Foothills Mennonite Church on Feb 9th @ 6:30 for Trivia Night, a Camp Valaqua fundraiser. Invite neighbours, friends, and relatives to join. To submit a team of 6-8, or to join a team contact Kevin Stoesz (Calgary) or Kim Friesen Wiens (Edmonton), kbstoesz@gmail.com or friesenwiens@gmail.com, respectively. Admission will be $20 at the door and a donation will also be taken at the event.
NOTE Calgary area: Saturday's session at Trinity on Surviving and Thriving concludes at 4:30pm.
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Annual Delegate Session
Vision 20/20 - Phase III - Discerning God's Call
March 15 - 16
Bergthal Mennonite Church, Didsbury, AB
 Betty Pries, CEO of Credence and Co, will join us again to follow up on the November event and to continue our renewal process. We will come together to share what we have heard during our season of prayer. Where have we felt the nudging of God’s Spirit?
To prepare for Phase III, we have been asked to be in a season of prayer. Betty challenged us in November to take a listening stance and to spend time in contemplative prayer. Documents and resources related to the November event (Phase II) can be accessed here.
Online registration for Phase III (March event) opens February 15. Contact June (communications@mennonitechurch.ab.ca) if you need assistance with resources.
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June 29 - July 1
Saturday afternoon - Monday noon
36035 N Parallel Rd, Abbortsford, BC
Opening Session includes installation of our new Executive Minister, Doug Klassen.
Pre-Gathering Events:
Friday June 28: Leaders Assembly
Saturday am June 29: Business / Delegate Meeting
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Annual Heritage Retreat @ Camp Valaqua
Save the Date! Are you over 50 years old? Gather together with your peers on Wednesday, June 12 at Camp Valaqua for the 2019 Heritage Retreat - created for the 50+ crowd. More details to follow.
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Common Ground Treaty Walk
How might we live into the spirit and intent of our Treaties?
How can we cultivate Indigenous-Settler relationships of mutual understanding and care?
Between May 31 and June 14, 30 Indigenous, unionist and Church walkers will journey 320 kilometres from Edmonton (Treaty 6) to Calgary (Treaty 7). Stopping at a dozen sites to host public "Treaty Talks" (see www.treatytalk.com), the walk seeks to honour the sacred covenants of these lands and the call of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for "sustained, public education and dialogue" on Treaties. Join up along the trail. Stay tuned for more details. Please email Steve Heinrichs (sheinrichs@mennonitechurch.ca), director of Indigenous-Settler Relations, for more details.
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Watch the trailer
Treaty Talk - Sharing the River of Life is a 50 minute teaching tool to better understand our collective responsibility to treaty. The purpose of this video is to build understanding, allyship and bridges for better relationship and work together. This film, through the sharing of a traditional Cree understanding on natural law and treaty, will explore and model how indigenous nations and non-indigenous allies in Canada can come together to transform racism and discrimination at a local and systemic level and to build a future of mutual benefit.
Full Legnth video is available free of charge at www.treatytalk.com
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S H A K E:
Rattled by the Radical
Attention grades 6-12
Join other youth from across Canada.
July 28-Aug1, 2019
Shekinah Summer Camp, SK
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A Tour of Israel/Palestine: A Holy Land for Jews, Christians, and Muslims
A CMU Study Tour
April 26–May 13, 2019
Led by Gerald Gerbrandt, PhD, President Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Bible
During this tour we will:
- Visit important archeological sites and ask how they help us understand the Biblical story.
- Visit traditional pilgrimage sites so as to stimulate reflection on our faith
- Learn about the three major religions in the land (as well as the Samaritans and Druze, two other smaller Abrahamic faiths) through presentations and conversation with representatives of these faiths.
- Learn about the contemporary conflict as we listen to people caught up in it.
For further information contact Gerald at ggerbrandt@cmu.ca, or by phone at 204.487.3300, ext. 667 or visit http://www.cmu.ca/met/
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2019 Calendar
Feb 2 General Council, Bergthal
Feb 8-10 Portable CMU @ Trinity
Feb 9 Trivia Night - Edmonton vs. Calgary
Mar 15-16, MCA Delegate Sessions @ Bergthal
Vision20/20 - Discerning God's Call
Mar 29-31 Missions Consultation - Calgary
Apr 6-7 Joint Council in Calgary
May 13-15 Faith Studies Conference
May 31 - Jun 1 MCC Relief Sale - Coaldale
May 31-Jun14 Common Ground Treaty Walk
Jun 7-9 MCA Women's Retreat @ Sylvan Lake
Jun 12 Annual Heritage Retreat @ Valaqua
Jun 15 Valaqua Hike-a-thon
Jun 16 Valaqua Garden Party
Jun 29 - Jul 1 MC Canada Gathering 2019, Abbotsford BC
"Igniting the Imagination of the Church"
Jul 28-Aug1 Shake: Rattled by the Radical @ Shekinah Camp SK
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 Mike and Cheryl Nimz are focusing their efforts to identify those who will take on regional networking roles throughout the UK and are planning to bring these together in the New Year. Pray along with Mike and Cheryl that the right people are identified to fulfill these regional networking roles.
 Tom and Christine Poovong invite prayer support for their new church plants and continuing to develop income-generation ministry initiatives. “In this New Year of 2019, we will focus on the new church plant in Prathai Korat. Our goal is to invest in new believers’ lives there, working with them to get them out of what I call "poverty spirit”; teaching them about how to live out Anabaptist/Mennonite faith, where Jesus is the center of our faith.”
 Remember Jeanette Hanson as she continues to support and encourage teachers and their families in her role as Assistant Director of MPC (Mennonite Partners in China) and as MC Canada Resource Witness worker for China.
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 A Season of Prayer: We've been asked to pause and listen. What is God asking us to release? What is God asking us to embrace?
Open Our Minds - to really see all that is good and all that is challenging;
Open Our Hearts - to listen to one another with humility;
Open Our Wills - to really be, to surrender ourselves;
Open Our Spirit - to really know deep in our bones that we are loved by God.
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International Witness
 MC Canada collaborates extensively with Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM) for all ministries done in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Together with Mennonite Mission Network, MC Canada funds a literacy project that involves the three major Mennonite denominations in the country. AIMM Executive Coordinator Rod Hollinger-Janzen reports about the program: “It is reaching the vulnerable in these communities, especially women and children, and is attracting participants from outside the churches as well, through literacy classes based in local congregations. To this point, over 260 literacy teachers have been trained to conduct the classes, and over 1,500 students are at work learning to read and write.”
 Bock Ki Kim (Witness worker in South Korea) shares that: “One of my roles for developing Anabaptist-Mennonite Resources is to find good books and translate. I thank God for giving me a passion to do this ministry. About 20 years ago, South Korean Christians could not find a proper Anabaptist book except William Estep's The Anabaptist Story. Now we can find more than 150 Anabaptist works, including Hutterite, Amish, Bruderhof, and Mennonite.”
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www.commonword.ca
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Worship Calendar:
 The season of Lent is rapidly approaching. This season is a time of reflection, fasting and prayer as we prepare for Easter. Whether you’re looking for a family or adult study, a DVD series, or a book of prayers, CommonWord has something for you. Resources can be found at http://www.commonword.ca/go/1451.
 Looking for a new study for a small group, a church or for yourself? CommonWord offers curricula on a wide range of topics. Simply visit our website (http://www.commonword.ca/go/1520), choose a topic that interests you and then choose from the wide range of study material that’s available. Whether you want a study on Paul or parenting, there’s something for you.
 Participating in this six-week experience will take you on a journey of discovery and challenge. As you pray with the scripture texts for Lent, you will be invited to consider how God is present in the gritty or difficult places in life. Each week you will have a Prayer Sheet to guide you. Throughout Lenten Guided Prayer (LGP), we will be practicing contemplative prayer, which invites you to notice how God’s Spirit is moving within your everyday life experiences through listening, pondering and wondering. This is done using the Lectionary readings for Lenten Sundays. Those who choose to participate in a small group will meet with a facilitator and share your prayer experiences. For all the information, or to register, visit http://www.commonword.ca/go/1436.
Buy, Borrow, Download from CommonWord
Free Shipping on borrowed items.
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 MCA now accepts e-transfers at treasurer@mennonitechurch.ab.ca.
Stories, Events, Announcements?
communications@mennonitechurch.ab.ca
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