well, i’ve never been a part of a blog before – not for travelling, for politics, or for random thoughts – but this one was too tempting to pass up…
i am a canadian mennonite living in ontario. i grew up in winnipeg manitoba – probably the closest one could get to a mennonite geneva. my grandfather was a missionary, my father is the executive director for the canadian conference of mennonite brethren churches, i went to a mennonite high school, college… well, you get the idea. borscht courses through my veins.
and yet my experience with the mennonites has been tumultuous. my home church in winnipeg was as evangelical as most of the other non-denoms (similar to how matt t described his situation in his opening post). it was unclear to most in the congregation what it was about this church that made it different from others. i moved to the usa to start graduate studies – a master’s in theology – and attended a mennonite church of a different sort. i was able to see how mennonites could be different. however, when i brought some of these ideas and opinions back home, i was met with hostility (including being black-balled from the mb canadian periodical. the senior editor there wants nothing to do with me – i guess that’s what makes this blog so attractive: everyone gets the floor).
currently i am having problems attending church. there is only one menno church in my city and it is neither young nor radical. i am doing a phd in religion and politics, so i like to think through the significance of mennonite practices in a politically hostile world (even canada is in afghanistan). i hope to contribute and be intrigued with conversations via yar
joe
Welcome. So where are you studying. I am ex-pat Manitoban now residing in Ontario as well. I am currently pastoring in New Hamburg. All the best.
welcome joe. i hope you are as nourished by most of the posts as i have been. we’re going on 2 years now.
I welcome you as well.
I had kinda the same situation as you, but in the Evangelical church, not the MBs. My solution, ultimately, was to start a group that held the ideals I saw Jesus having, and then joining the Mennonite church as a congregation with a different voice.
A lone voice is never heard. An organized group can at least get a whisper out.
And don’t forget to pray for your MBs. They need God’s voice among them.
Steve K