Church Matters

In 2016-17, both Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA have passed resolutions seeking to build peace in Palestine and Israel.

To help understand the tensions in Palestine and Israel, we invited Jonathan Kuttab, a Mennonite and a leading human rights lawyer in Israel and Palestine, to talk about the situation. Born in West Jerusalem, his family moved to the United States after the Six Day War in 1967. After practicing with a Wall Street law firm for several years, he returned home to co-found the Palestinian Center for the Study of Nonviolence, Al-Haq (lawyers and others who assist with human rights issues), and the Mandela Institute for Political Prisoners, and has served with Mennonite Central Committee in Palestine. Mr. Kuttab reflects on the history of war in the region, Christian Zionism, present day dynamics - and the possibility that Mennonite peace practices have something to contribute in easing and ending the long standing tensions in this conflicted region of the world.

This episode concludes 10 years of the Church Matters program. Thank you to everyone - listeners, interview guests, Grant Klassen - faithful sound engineer audio quality control manager - GoldenWest Radio for airing each episode, and Bryan Moyer Suderman for gifting us the free use of his "Sending Song" as our signature music that closed each episode. - Dan Dyck, host

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Even as the Halo Project estimates the contribution of churches in Canada in the billions of dollars, traditional expressions of church across society are in decline. Regular attendance at a worship service is now defined as 1 or 2 times/month. Traditional volunteerism in churches is fading quickly, and so are donations. Some churches and denominations are re-organizing themselves accordingly. Others are in denial, and some are playing a wait and see game. In the middle are those who are re-inventing themselves. Young people are yearning for and creating alternative expressions of faith and worship, while elders mourn lost traditions. How do we hold things together in such times? Listen in on a conversation with Willard Metzger, Vice President of the Canadian Council of Churches and Executive Director of Mennonite Church Canada as he shares what he's hearing from the young and the old in his visits to churches.

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Although the Christian church in China is not structured along the lines of denominations as it is in North America, there is a group of pastors and Christians who have embraced Mennonite theology and values. One of those pastors, Pastor Paul (pseudonym), recently visited Mennonite churches and service agencies in Canada to learn more about the Mennonite tradition of service to others. Pastor Paul shares how he came to faith in Christ, his impressions of the Mennonite church here, and some insightful thoughts on increasing restrictions on Christian church activity in China. Translating for Pastor Paul is Jeanette Hanson, a Mennonite Church Canada Witness worker who has been working with the Chinese Church in China since 1992, through Mennonite Partners in China.

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Ginny Hostetler grew up in Brazil, was a mission worker in Israel, and speaks six languages. An early passion for communication had her busy with the student newspaper when she attended Eastern Mennonite University. As the new editor of Canadian Mennonite, Ginny shares about the joys and challenges of communicating to a diverse, faith-based audience in the 21st century.

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Palmer Becker is a speaker, pastor, church planter, missionary, author, and educator. His latest book, Anabaptist Essentials: Ten signs of a unique Christian faith, has just been released. Jesus, community, and reconciliation are key values of Anabaptist belief. Anabaptist spirituality is an increasingly flavourable and attractive addition to the potluck spread of Christian faith traditions, says, Becker. Palmer is also the author of What Is an Anabaptist Christian?, now published in 20 languages.

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Christian Peacemaker Teams, founded by Mennonites, has flourished into an ecumenical network seeking to undo oppression of all kinds. Using non-violent means, CPT standings up for oppressed, suppressed, and marginalized people places like Palestine, Colombia, Iraqi Kurdistan, and Indigenous peoples in Canada. However, not all Christians are equally comfortable with the highly political work sometimes required. Some view CPT's work as an undesirable kind of political interference, while others view it as necessary action. Sarah Thompson shares her insights about the politics of Jesus and the gospels.

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Kathleen Vitt and Henry Neufeld will walk hundreds of kilometers in support of Indigenous rights in Canada. It's their way of engaging with the 2015 concluding report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), which issued a series of call to actions for the churches. One of those calls to action is to support the UN's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). The Pilgrimage for Indigenous Rights is an effort to raise awareness of UNDRIP and why it's important for the Christian settler community. "Pilgrims" will walk 600 km from Kitchener-Waterloo to Ottawa, Ontario, meeting with various people from a variety of Christian expression along the way for learning and conversation. Hear Kathleen and Henry reveal their motivations for walking.

For details, see the Pilgrimage for Indigenous Rights website.

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"If we feel like we have to get the rules right before we can love each other, we're never going to get there," says Marcus Rempel, author of Life at the End of Us vs. Them. We live in a time of deep partisanship, clashing cultures of all kinds, and fractured relationships with each other. No sooner has a group aligned with a particular cause, than it splinters as individuals face off against each other on other disagreements. To continue on this path as a society will lead to chaos. Rempel offers both a stark warning and extends a helping hand to those grasping for a way out.

Listen to either the 15 min radio broadcast or complete 29 min podcast.

Available from popular Podcast providers.

"If we feel like we have to get the rules right before we can love each other, we're never going to get there," says Marcus Rempel, author of Life at the End of Us vs. Them. We live in a time of deep partisanship, clashing cultures of all kinds, and fractured relationships with each other. No sooner has a group aligned with a particular cause, than it splinters as individuals face off against each other on other disagreements. To continue on this path as a society will lead to chaos. Rempel offers both a stark warning and extends a helping hand to those grasping for a way out.

Listen to either the 15 min radio broadcast or complete 29 min podcast.

Available from popular Podcast providers.

Jesus puts his words into action as he responds to the request of the Jewish elders to heal the centurion's servant and then is moved with compassion to raise to life a widow's son. What do you request of Jesus? Do you believe he has compassion for you? Terry Zimmerly, pastor of Home Street Mennonite Church in Winnipeg, asks us to respond to the influx of refugees with the compassion of Christ. This episode is best experienced by reading Luke 7:1-17 in advance.

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