Youth Development Committee

Usually when we promote an opportunity to get involved though this blog, we offer info on opportunities with MCC and the broader church.  But as Christians we are often (or perhaps always?) called beyond the confines of our churches (here I mean buildings, though typically when I use the word church I mean people) and church programs to engage people in the communities where we live.  I think that is where the church (people) is at its best...listening to and engaging the community beyond the church (building this time) walls.

All that to introduce an opportunity.  The provincial government is seeking youth and young adults 18-25 years old to participate in a Youth Development Committe.  It looks interesting.  I encourage you to check it out.  It would be good to have some of you who are rooted in the church bring your perspectives to this process.

The "C" Word

Last week Canadians celebrated National Co-op Week and International Credit Union Day (Oct 21). MSCU is also hosting our Fall Member Events over the next few weeks (come on out!) and all of these community activities have led me to think more about my struggle with “ME” versus “WE.”

The Anabaptist community has generally been pretty good at talking about the “WE.”  In our churches and organizations, there’s lots of talk about the “C” word – community. I’ve always felt blessed to be part of a strongly identified Mennonite community. It seems like I can show up to any Mennonite church or event and have some connection with at least half a dozen people.

With Mennonites I don’t know, I have often played the Mennonite Game, which includes listing each other’s parents, relatives, church, friends etc. until a common link is found. I’ve played the Mennonite Game in some pretty remote places: a village in Swaziland; at a concert hall in Germany; and on the Bruce Trail. This has instilled in me the feeling that I’m part of a broad community that is committed to building a world full of God’s love and peace.

It has also reinforced that by doing things together, pooling our resources, and building a common vision, we can achieve more than trying to do things as individuals.

Even with this knowledge, I sometimes find it difficult to engage with community in my daily life. It can be easier to spend time and money on “ME”. As long as I check my Facebook and show up to church, I’m still connected to the community. And in most cases, this seems to be a socially acceptable practice.

I’m happy that I’m invested (both figuratively and literally) in a faith community, yet I have this feeling that I could invest even more in community; that there could be less “ME” and more “WE”.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions!

Myth Perceptions

http://www.mythperceptions.ca/english_home.html

Check out this interesting resource....

"Myth Perceptions is an initiative of the Indigenous Work Program of Mennonite Central Committee Canada.

The goal of Mythperceptions is to dismantle stereotypes, myths and misconceptions that people from the dominant culture tend to believe about Indigenous peoples living within the borders of what is now North America.  Mythperceptions attempts to change views in a way that is engaging, yet gives opportunities to dig deeply into some of the issues facing Indigenous peoples."

A day in Totonicapán

I have been spending some time in Guatemala and El Salvador carrying out an evaluation of the Enlace program by visiting and speaking with communities that we partner with.

Here are some pics from my day in Totonicapán this past week.  Enjoy!

How much time do you spend on facebook?

"A new study of Canadian university students suggests facebook is a magnet for narcissists and people with low self-esteem."

Read more of this interesting Globe and Mail article, Facebook a big hit with narcissists: study.

I don't really use it...  

New MCC shirt

Buy 'em here.  Or you can order through me, allanrm@mennonitecc.on.ca

What would you do with one extra minute?

Call a friend? Take a nap? Down a greasy cheeseburger?

How about spend a minute in a test tube with David Suzuki?!

Check this video out.

It's one thing to suggest we ride our bikes more often, it's another to challenge the very bedrock of our society - growth. Can our insatiable appetites for more really be stopped? Can our population numbers ever stabilize? Does creation even give us a choice? Talk about approaching some taboo subjects. Rock on Suzuki. Rock on.

Mutual Aid with Ben Janzen

Faith and money are very much connected, whether we like it or not. Often we try to avoid making the connections, because thinking about faith and money can lead to some pretty difficult decisions - ones that force us to think about how and how much we spend, give, and save (give and save?)...


And many of the habits that we develop (ones that you and I are developing right now) stick with us for most of our lives. Unless, of course, we are willing to consider some pretty tough questions, and also consider the possibility that we may have to change the way we spend, give, and save. And maybe even where we bank...

About 47 years ago, a group of Waterloo Mennonites got together to explore a response to what they were seeing and feeling in their churches around faith and economics. At the heart of their discussion was the concept of mutual aid, “bearing each other’s burdens”. That led to a discussion about how a faith-based credit union could be an ideal way for church members to support each other, their churches and to conduct financial business in keeping with their faith.

“Why a credit union and not a bank?” you might ask.

Here’s a video (thanks to some credit union friends in Alberta) that shows some of the reasons why:

a Thanksgiving Prayer

We are grateful.
You have given us this day
And have given us this way
to say Thank You.
We thank you for giving us
what we need to be grateful.
We offer back to You
All that we have,
All that we are.

 We ask You

 to take our small thank you

 into Your great act of Thanksgiving;

 You, Lord of the loaves and fishes,

 You who are from God

 with God and for God,

 You in whom it is all

 

Yes and Amen.

 

(Mary Jo Leddy, Radical Gratitude)

"...democracy is not a spectator sport"

MCC's Ottawa Office tracks legislative developments in the Parliament of Canada that directly relate to our priorities, approaches, and values. It does this by documenting government or private member bills that have the potential to impact MCC's domestic or international program partners.

Follow the MCC Ottawa Office Legislation Log.

["Because democracy is not a spectator sport" ~ US presidential election slogan, Democrats (2004)]

Want to learn more about the whole federal parliamentary process?  Click here.

Walking with People in Poverty

Jesus announced his mission: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor…." 

And what is good news for the poor? 

Affordable housing, quality relationships, wages that sustain a dignified life, meaningful community, adequate social assistance, a valued voice in society … and much more. 

In Toronto, Kitchener and Timmins, MCC Ontario responds to poverty by walking alongside marginalized people with compassion and caring.

Thrift dance party

If you are interested in getting involved with MCC consider volunteering at a thrift store.  They have dance parties like this most of the time.  (Watch the video...it is a good way to get your Monday started off right)

Thrift raises millions of dollars for MCC work every year.  By supporting thrift you are helping your neighbour.

For a list of Ontario thrift locations check out http://ontario.mcc.org/thrift.

The Danger of a Single Story

Here are some thoughts taken from a blog post by Matt Madigan.  He is volunteering with MCC's SALT program in South Africa for the year.  Check out his blog.

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The Danger of a Single Story
By Matt Madigan

The week-long orientation [for SALT, IVEP, and YAMEN] in Akron, Pennsylvania back in August proved to be exceedingly valuable and very much prepared me for the year ahead. Not only was it informative of the ins and outs of adjusting to a new culture it was also a great week just to chill out, meet some new people and have a lot of fun! One particularly useful session that struck me was on the danger of a single story.

At home we have this incredibly distorted image of what Africa is like. How can you blame us when the only stories we receive of Africa on the six o’clock news are those of suffering, hunger and violence? Of course there are many places in Africa that are desperate and unsafe but our folly comes when we apply those images to the entire continent. We paint all the nations of Africa with the same brush and fail to see their differences.