Native Ministry Partnerships (Canada)

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Steve Heinrichs
Director, Native Ministry

Overview

Understanding, acceptance, and respect between Christians from very different cultural backgrounds are essential to God’s call for the church. Partnerships open the door for building new relationships. Please pray that Native and non-Native Mennonite Church Canada congregations will find opportunities to reach out to each other as neighbours in order to build bridges of understanding and respect. Pray that the Mennonite Church “scattered” will also feel encouraged to see their existing daily involvements with Native people as opportunities for learning, sharing, relationship-building, growth, and breaking down the walls that too often separate us.

Thank God for the Native Ministry congregations (Living Word Church of Cross Lake and Riverton Fellowship Circle) that have joined Mennonite Church Manitoba and Mennonite Church Canada, and for the ministry circles that have formed among Native and non-Native Mennonite congregations. Pray that there will be long-term growth and stability for all Native congregations. Ask God that Native churches will be able to acquire the tools that help them develop vibrant congregations, witnessing to their communities and beyond. Pray that together, we can move beyond the mistrust and shame of the past and truly earn the right to share God’s message of love and salvation.

Intotemak

Intotemak (“my friends”) is a quarterly newsletter highlighting the lives and events of Native people and their communities, as well as interaction between Native and non-Native peoples in North America. The cost of publication is $15.00 per year per household. Contact the Native Ministry office to be added to the mailing list. We welcome articles and photos about relationship-building, events of interest, and issues that help us learn more about each other as “friends.” Pray that Intotemak will bring more Native and non-Native people together as it seeks wider national exposure.

Jubilee Fund

The Jubilee Fund is a project of Mennonite Church Canada and Mennonite Central Committee Canada that attempts to address in a small way the imbalance of wealth and power between people of Indigenous (First Nations, Metis, Inuit) descent and Canada’s settler population.

The Jubilee Fund comes out of a desire to pursue justice and eliminate oppression.  The biblical “Year of Jubilee”, as described in Leviticus 25, was a celebration that God commanded the Israelites to fulfill every 50 years.  It was a time for the land that was sold within the previous 50 years to revert back to its previous ownership, and any person enslaved within that 50 years would be freed.  People would return to their family property and clan.  As a result, no one would be placed in a permanent state of poverty, enslavement, landlessness or disconnection from their family...read more

Native Ministry Resources

Native Ministry related resources are available at the Resource Centre - Native Ministries

Reaching Up to God our Creator Resource

Ministry Circles

Ministry Circles, comprised of and led by volunteers, have been created to bring together Native and non-Native congregations and ministries for mutual support and learning. Pray that the present circles will grow and that new circles will start up across the country providing additional opportunities for relating and worshipping together.

• Cross Lake Ministry Circle
• Manigotagan Ministry Circle
• Matheson Island/Pine Dock Ministry Circle
• Pauingassi/Little Grand Rapids Ministry Circle
• Riverton Ministry Circle
• Saskatchewan Native Ministry
• Alberta Native Ministry
• British Columbia Native Ministry

Celebration Stories

• Celebrating the Church Family
• Manitoba, Canada: God Opens Doors

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