"The last 100 years of nonviolence"

http://ontario.mcc.org/peace

MCC, Advocacy, and Beaver Tails

Want to learn about MCC?  Want to learn more about MCC's work in advocating for changes to our government policy?

Want to skate on the canal in Ottawa and eat beaver tails in minus 20 degree weather with students from across Canada?

Then sign up today for the MCC Ottawa office student seminar "Advocacy and MCC: Loving our neighbour through witness to government."

For more info, visit the Ottawa office website.

I plan to go along.  If you want to carpool from KW or Toronto, please email me after you register.

Internship in Ottawa

A month ago I included some info about MCCs advocacy work in a post called Loving our Neighbour through Witness to Government.

Since I know this type of work interests many of you, I wanted to let you know of an opportunity to get involved...(see the info about internship possibilities below, copied from the MCC Ottawa office website)

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Mennonite Central Committee's Ottawa Office offers three unpaid internship terms each year. The dates for each are flexible and depend on the selected intern’s availability. Both full-time and half-time internships are available.

• Winter/Spring Term (January-April): applications will be reviewed starting November 15
• Summer Term (May-August): applications will be reviewed starting March 1
• Fall Term (September-December): applications will be reviewed starting July 1

The Advocacy Intern is part of a team that provides expertise and assistance for MCC Canada’s advocacy efforts.  For further information and to apply for this position, please contact Marsha Jones with a cover letter and resume.

For those of you in Kitchener-Waterloo...

What are you doing this Thursday?  And the next?  If you have some flexibility with your schedule I would encourage you to read on.  Below are two interesting events that you should to check out:

The first is an invitation from my friend Steve who works with Mennonite Coalition for Refugee Support to a Rally for Refugees on Nov. 4th.  The second, an invitation from my colleague Matthew to an Interfaith Peace Vigil on Nov. 11th.

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.

"...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.