Willard Metzger travels extensively and gets to peer into the lives of people and their beliefs on a regular basis. He observes that there is a rapidly growing interest in Anabaptism around the world - and especially here in North America. Increasingly, people of all faiths and no faith are no longer seeing Anabaptism as an aberration of the Reformation, but a place where their minds and souls meet. But are Mennonite and Anabaptist churches prepared? Are we sufficiently grounded in scripture to be able to respond? Have we dropped Bible study and compromised our confidence? Metzger takes 1 Samuel and reveals another time in history when the "word of the Lord was rare."

There are two versions of this podcast:

The short (15 min) radio version will be suitable for all audiences

The longer (20 min) podcast version speaks especially to Mennonite Church Canada's membership and the Being a Faithful Church Process.

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Coyote's New Suit is an Aboriginal tale about a vain Coyote - the Trickster - and his devious and mischievous helper, Raven. Together, they plot to expand Coyote's wardrobe by stealing the coats of other creatures - including the two-legged humans. By turns humourous and insightful, Steve Heinrichs the Director of Native Ministry for Mennonite Church Canada interprets the story for listeners here. Steve says that STORIES of Coyote and Raven can help us see Jesus in new ways - not necessarily as a trickster in the sense of this story, but as one who turned the world on its head with his radical (and mischievious) ways of being in the world, challenging cultural norms of his day.

Coyote's New Suit is best enjoyed in the context of Church Matters Episode 64, The Church and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We recommend listening to both. The story is written by Thomas King, novelist and broadcaster who often writes about North America's First Nations. He is an advocate for First Nations causes. King is of Cherokee and Greek descent. His story is used here with his permission.

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Mennonite Church Canada Executive Director Willard Metzger says that for any church to have integrity in Canada, it must work to heal relationships with its host people and host land. In this episode, guest Steve Heinrichs calls the church to be in solidarity and reconciliation with Canada's host peoples. Steve has been a Pastor in the Carrier territory of northern British Columbia and loves to help congregations grapple not only with the important issues that keep racial communities apart, but invites us all to do so with great hope.

Also listen to the story, Coyote's New Suit.

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Burma - or Myanmar to some - has been much in the news of late. We've heard about an oppressive military ruling regime, poverty, conflict and violent responses to citizen protests, and a government that controls all the broadcast media. What we don't hear about in the mainstream media is the state of the church in Burma. Hear Burmese Christian and church leader John Uk (not his real name) reveal the state of the church in Burma.

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Gerd Bartel is from British Columbia, has been a life long teacher in the school system there - and has shared his passion for the church by serving off and on for over 30 years as a church fundraiser. Most recently, he has retired at the end of 2011 after 12 years of saying thank you on behalf of Mennonite Church Canada, where he was the national church's Western Director of Resource Development since 2000. Gerd shares what he has learned from a decades-long commitment of serving the church in fundraising, and saying, "Thank you."

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If pastors preached to each other, what would they say? Would they exhort each other? Confess their shortcomings? Willard Metzger, Executive Director of Mennonite Church Canada, pondered what it means to be worthy of God's calling, and confessed some of his fears and challenges in his ministry on January 26, 2012, at Pastors' Week, an event hosted by Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana. The event is especially for pastors from Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Church USA.

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This episode is Part 2 of a series that celebrates the 5th birthday of Church Matters. In Part 2, we re-visit the question of if and why the church matters in the world today. In Part 2, we ask the same questions of Willard Metzger, the Executive Director of Mennonite Church Canada, that we asked Robert J. Suderman, General Secretary of Mennonite Church Canada, in 2005. Willard believes the church is compelled to move in some new directions, such as more boldy proclaiming our Christian responsibility for creation care, and healing relationships with our Aboriginal neighbours.

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This episode is Part 1 of a two part series that will celebrate the 5th birthday of Church Matters. For this series we re-visit the question of if and why the church matters in the world today. In Part 1, we re-play an interview with the then General Secretary of Mennonite Church Canada, Robert J. Suderman. In Part 2, we'll ask the same questions of Willard Metzger, the present General Secretary of Mennonite Church Canada (now re-named "Executive Director").

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During Advent, the church re-tells the story of Jesus birth. Indeed, the word Advent means "coming." In the book of Revelation, we read about Jesus "coming again." When God's people first heard about Christ's birth, many were anticipating a new future and relief from oppression. Christians today anticipate God's new future in Jesus' coming - again.

Today, some Christians envision Jesus' return as a destructive, apocalyptic event. Others understand Jesus' return as the revelation of a new creation on earth, in which all things are again made new, where peace will reign eternally. Whichever way you understand the book of Revelation, Willard Metzger reminds us that the end is not ours, but that the end belongs to God. Metzger's message was recorded live at the 2011 Mennonite Church Canada Assembly in Waterloo, Ontario, on July 6.

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Nelson Kraybill is a speaker, pastor, author, and former President of Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. This episode is Part 2 of a sermon heard by participants at the Mennonite Church Canada Assembly 2011 in Waterloo, Ontario. The theme of the Assembly was "Remembering God's Future" and was based on Revelation 21 and 22. Kraybill's take on Revelation offers an alternative to popular interpretations of the Revelation in which the focus is often the apocalyptic destruction of creation.

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