Holy Week and Easter Blessing for Congregations from Staff of MC Canada
Resurrection Greetings from the staff of Mennonite Church Canada to the sibling congregations of Mennonite Church Canada! Over the next week in worship, our congregations will journey through palms and parades, to the cross, and gaze amazed upon the empty tomb. May our congregations experience the renewal of resurrection life, heeding Christ’s call and example to radical and sacrificial love made manifest in all our relations. Praying with you all in this season, with the words of Joanna Harader (2012), from Voices Together #896.
God of the foolish cross,
you are not the savior we expect.
Your power does not look like the power
we want our God to demonstrate.
Your wisdom makes no sense to us.
We are happy to join the crowd,
waving branches,
but not so sure we want to follow you
into the temple courts
into the upper room
into the garden of Gethsemane
to the foot of the cross.
Forgive our false assumptions.
Clarify our clouded vision.
Free us to relax into the foolishness
Of your love and grace.
Amen
Christ has Risen!
Christ has Risen indeed!
International Witness |
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Prayer Requests Mennonites in Burkina Faso ask us to pray for them as they discern how best to work for peace and discern how to care for the approx. 1.5 million displaced people in their country. Violence from terrorist groups that have taken over regions of the country has disrupted many lives. Pray for the Mennonite Community of the Congo (CMCo) as the church prepares conference assemblies to elect conference leaders. Pray for good discernment and wisdom as leaders are chosen. Learn more about these churches and their ministries https://www.mennonitechurch.ca/AIMM |
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The third production in the Mennonite World Conference Transmission film series has been released. The 2022 instalment focuses on focusing on creation care in Latin America. Donations in support of film series are invited at https://www.mennonitechurch.ca/transmission-films. Watch the series at CommonWord via https://www.commonword.ca/go/3304 |
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Indigenous Relations |
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Climate Action |
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Be It Resolved: Now free! An important reference volume of our commitments to Indigenous justice and decolonization. May it inspire us to live out our commitments! https://www.commonword.ca/go/2142 |
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Anabaptism at 500 MennoMedia invites us to embrace the hope and possibility created by the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism. Register your Bible study group to participate in the Anabaptist Community Bible by April 1, 2023 - https://anabaptismat500.com/ |
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The Peace Table: Coming Summer 2023! Pre-Order now and save 25% [IMAGE] A new comprehensive storybook Bible from MennoMedia, perfect for families, Sunday School (connects directly with Shine curriculum), congregational Milestone Ministries. CommonWord is MennoMedia’s exclusive retailer for this title in Canada – https://www.commonword.ca/go/3344. |
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Custodians: New Documentary In this new documentary, tipi rings, sacred circles, even petroglyphs near Herschel, SK, raise important questions of land-sharing, the conservation of ancient intellectual and spiritual heritage, and respectful Indigenous-settler collaboration - https://www.commonword.ca/go/3338. |
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Honest Conversations for Men of Faith A practical handbook to help individuals and groups engage in honest conversations on what matters most for men with a focus on following Jesus, forming community, and building peace - https://www.commonword.ca/go/3342. |
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Holy Week Resources |
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Palm Sunday: https://www.commonword.ca/go/2226 |
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Maundy Thursday: https://www.commonword.ca/go/2227 |
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Good Friday: https://www.commonword.ca/go/2228 | |
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Holy Saturday: https://www.commonword.ca/go/2229 | |
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Full Lent Resource Collection |
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All our resources for the Lenten season – from Ash Wednesday through Holy Week, including Together in Worship items – https://www.commonword.ca/go/2213 |
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Easter Resources |
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All our resources for the Easter season – from Easter Sunday through Pentecost - https://www.commonword.ca/go/2231 |
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Published on Mar 15, 2023
You can receive these biweekly updates from Mennonite Church Canada through your regional church newsletter. Sign up on your regional church website.
Indigenous Relations |
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Prayer Request: Pray for MC Sask and MCC Sask who are partnering with the New Leaf Network to present ‘Bridging Us’ on April 1 in Saskatoon. Pray that attendees will be inspired by how local residents are working to achieve greater connection in their communities and churches on their reconciliation journey. https://www.newleafnetwork.ca/events/bridgingus |
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International Witness |
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Myanmar / MC Canada conversation (March 22, 2023, 10 a.m. EST; 8:30 pm Myanmar) There’s still time to register for this Zoom conversation between Myanmar Ministry Partners and MC Canada. Amos Chin, President, Bible Missionary Church (Mennonite), Jehu Lian, Pastor, Chin Christian Church and Mennonite Church Canada. Tune in for news on the current political climate, updates on leadership development and peace theology training, and the needs of this emerging Anabaptist network of congregations. A chat session will present opportunities for questions. Register for the Zoom link. |
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Vietnam Update: Kevin Barkowsky and Garry Janzen (MCBC), and Jeanette Hanson (Mennonite Church Canada), recently returned from a Conference and Learning Tour of the congregations of the Evangelical Mennonite Church Vietnam. A highlight video can be seen at https://youtu.be/Kn4jPpTtr3s |
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Ethiopia Update: Recorded video of a conversation between President Desalegn Abebe, Meserete Kristos Church in Ethiopia and Doug Klassen, Executive Minister, Mennonite Church Canada in Winnipeg is now available. Discover the history, strategies and challenges of MKC around social justice and evangelism, leadership training, culture of call and partnership. Video link: https://mcec.ca/article/22182-video-church-to-church-conversation-mkc-and-mc-canada |
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The third production in the Mennonite World Conference Transmission film series has been released. The 2022 instalment focuses on focusing on creation care in Latin America. Donations in support of film series are invited at https://www.mennonitechurch.ca/transmission-films. Watch the series at CommonWord via https://www.commonword.ca/go/3304 |
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Climate Action |
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Prayer Request and Invitation: |
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Prayer Request Pray this week with leaders across the Anabaptist family of faith as they discern how to work at the intersection of climate action and peacebuilding. |
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Anabaptism at 500 MennoMedia invites us to embrace the hope and possibility created by the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism. Only 100 more study groups are needed to reach reach the goal of 500 groups in the Anabaptist Community Bible by April 1, 2023 - https://anabaptismat500.com/.
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Four dramatic monologues by April Yamasaki - https://www.commonword.ca/go/3332 |
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Coming Summer 2023! Pre-Order now and save 25% A new comprehensive storybook Bible from MennoMedia, perfect for families, Sunday School (connects directly with Shine curriculum), congregational Milestone Ministries. CommonWord is MennoMedia’s exclusive retailer for this title in Canada – https://www.commonword.ca/go/3344. |
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New Documentary In this new documentary, tipi rings, sacred circles, even petroglyphs near Herschel, SK, raise important questions of land-sharing, the conservation of ancient intellectual and spiritual heritage, and respectful Indigenous-settler collaboration - https://www.commonword.ca/go/3338. |
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Honest Conversations for Men of Faith A practical handbook to help individuals and groups engage in honest conversations on what matters most for men with a focus on following Jesus, forming community, and building peace - https://www.commonword.ca/go/3342. |
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Holy Week Resources |
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Palm Sunday: https://www.commonword.ca/go/2226 |
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Maundy Thursday: https://www.commonword.ca/go/2227 |
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Good Friday: https://www.commonword.ca/go/2228 | |
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Holy Saturday: https://www.commonword.ca/go/2229 | |
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Full Lent Resource Collection |
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All our resources for the Lenten season – from Ash Wednesday through Holy Week, including Together in Worship items – https://www.commonword.ca/go/2213 |
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Easter Resources |
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All our resources for the Easter season – from Easter Sunday through Pentecost - https://www.commonword.ca/go/2231 |
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Vacation Bible School Curriculum from MennoMedia |
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Interactive VBS where children learn that everyone can make a difference in the world - https://shinecurriculum.com/vacation-bible-school/ |
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