Published March 18, 2020

A message for Mennonite Church Canada congregations

Mennonite Church Canada executive minister will record a sermon for churches to use this coming Sunday 

Video will include sermon and worship music, recorded in Winnipeg church 

March 18, 2020 

Mennonite Church Canada leadership recognizes the difficult situations in which many congregations now find themselves as they take measures to limit the spread of COVID-19 in their communities. To meet federal and provincial public health recommendations, it is expected that many of our congregations will not meeting this coming Sunday and for several Sundays afterwards.  

We know that the leadership of many churches across our denomination are working hard to come up with alternative options for worship services. Churches in large cities are choosing to video stream their sermons so congregants can view them at home. In an effort to help congregations that aren’t able to do the same, this week, Mennonite Church Canada will post a sermon preached by Executive Minister Doug Klassen for congregations to view this coming Sunday, March 22, 2020.  

Klassen will preach on John 9, which is the lectionary text for this Sunday. The sermon will be recorded later this week at a church in Winnipeg. Musicians leading worship music will also be recorded. The video will be no longer than an hour. 

“The beauty of John 9 is that while healing happens, other complications are introduced,” says Klassen. “The COVID-19 crisis is immensely complicated, but where is Jesus coming to us in the midst of it all? Let’s explore together.” 

The video is a resource for congregations to use, if they would like, as part of their alternative worship practices. The video will be uploaded to the Mennonite Church Canada YouTube Channel and available through a link on the nationwide homepage: https://www.mennonitechurch.ca. Regional church communicators will e-mail congregations the links once the video is up and ready for viewing. 

If you have questions, please contact your regional church communicator or Katie Doke Sawatzky, Mennonite Church Canada Communications Officer. 

We continue to pray for you congregation’s health and spirits, 

Katie Doke Sawatzky 

Communications Officer 

Mennonite Church Canada 

Mennonite Church Canada updates pandemic web resources 

As schools cancel classes across the country and congregations gauge whether or not to hold services,  Mennonite Church Canada has updated web resources created by the Mennonite Church Canada Pandemic and Response Taskforce during the last flu pandemic in 2009-2010. Go to https://www.mennonitechurch.ca/outbreakresources for information on how to adjust congregational practices before, during and after an outbreak. At this time, Mennonite Church Canada urges every congregation to stay up to date with recommendations from their provincial health authorities on appropriate measures to take for limit the spread of COVID-19. 

Table Talk: Does the church still have legs? 

A Mennonite Church Canada Study Conference  
Thursday, October 22 – Saturday, October 24, 2020  
Steinmann Mennonite Church, Baden, Ont.  

Does your congregation seek renewal? Does it feel as though you are “going through the motions”? Is the church still the answer to corporate discipleship? Why continue to invest in the church when religious structures are buckling under the weight of our time? Why the church when so many people are content to live life without stepping into a sanctuary or being part of a small group?  

Join our nationwide community of faith as we gather around the table in Ontario this fall for Mennonite Church Canada’s inaugural study conference. Together we will lament, listen and learn, moving forward with hope, as we ask these important “Why?” questions. Sara Wenger Shenk, former president of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, will help us to reflect on the scripture text from 1 Peter 2. Mark your calendars; more details will follow. 

International Witness

Increasing threats to pastors and farmers in Colombia 

The Colombian Mennonite Church ask us to pray for peace in Colombia. Although there has been a peace plan signed with the FARC forces (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia), they report an increase in threats and violence against peasant leaders and pastors in some areas. Pray that God’s peace that transforms lives will reign in this region.  

MWC pastor visits prairie provinces and urges prayer over terrorist activity in Burkina Faso 

In the last few weeks Pastor Siaka Troare from Burkina Faso, chair of the Deacons Commission for Mennonite World Conference (MWC), has been speaking in several places in Manitoba and Alberta. He urges us to pray for peace as terrorist groups randomly kill people gathered in churches, mosques and markets. After a visit from the MWC leadership to pray for groups in Burkina Faso, the head of the military said that this cannot be changed by military force but only by prayer that God will transform the hearts and minds of these groups. Pray that God’s power of transformative love will flood this land.  

COVID-19 emergency eases for Witness workers in Asia; self-isolation in Philippines begins 

As the COVID-19 emergency begins to ease for Witness workers in China and South Korea, Dann and Joji Pantoja in Mindanao, Philippines report the beginning of their time of self-isolation. They report on the devastating effects of this pandemic on the poor in the cities. Read their blog post for more information. Pray that God’s healing and hope will flow through us to those around us at this difficult time.