Letters to the editor

Mennonite Brethren Herald welcomes your letters on issues relevant to the Mennonite Brethren Church, especially in response to material published in the Herald. Please keep your letters courteous, brief and about one subject only. We will edit letters for length and clarity. We will not publish letters sent anonymously, although we may withhold names from publication at the request of the letter writer and at our discretion. Publication is also subject to space limitations. Because the Letters column is a free forum for discussion, it should be understood that letters represent the position of the letter writer, not necessarily the position of the Herald or the Mennonite Brethren Church. Send letters to: Letters, MB Herald 1310 Taylor Ave. Winnipeg, Man.  R3M 3Z6 or send via e-mail. (Please ensure that your postal address is included in your e-mail correspondence.)

A work of art

Re: Art and imagination (June 30). I was moved by the beautiful work in this issue. The Herald has always been a helpful magazine to the MB family, but now increasingly is becoming a work of art and beauty as well.

Wally Schmidt,
Port Rowan, Ont.

The Spirit’s illumination

Re: Art and imagination (June 30). The emphasis on artistic communication in this issue had an aura of exploration beyond the oft-consuming objective of establishing a doctrinal position with a dogmatic bent. Communication via the Holy Spirit is similar, in that it fills a void left by words. It leads to the gift of faith.

It was interesting that James Toews (Intersection) advocated the need to recognize that the gospel message is unchanging and an antidote to the unsettling challenges of life. While Toews’ emphasis anchors Christian religion, it de-emphasizes hearing the Spirit whereby the perception of an unchanging God constantly evolves. The Spirit facilitates experiencing God much beyond the knowing of him.

Just as artists illuminate the soul of what is heard and seen, so the unchanging gospel reverberates with relevance as there is entry by God’s Spirit.

Jake Janzen,
Abbotsford, B.C.

Living simply

Re: Gathering 2006. I was very impressed by the Urban Plunge in Calgary, but I doubt many will be called to move to east Vancouver or other inner city. We might have done well to discuss how to live incarnationally in the suburbs in an affluent society, “living simply so others can simply live.”

Perhaps it begins with little things, such as being content with the beverages provided for delegates at the convention, instead of needing to frequent Starbucks or Tim Hortons. Little acts of self-denial add up to a big difference.

The convention was blessed with a spirit of unity on big issues, openness to hearing from God, and being shaken awake from our lethargy. Now we need to act on what God has told us.

Elfrieda Dick,
Calgary, Alta.

More green tips

Re: Living green (June 9). Here is another challenge for those who really want to live green and be Christian stewards of God’s creation: live without debt, and avoid shopping as a pastime. There is such an over-abundance of clothing in North America that many thrift stores will not accept used (or even new) clothing because they just can’t get rid of it. Ditto many other things, as witnessed by the plethora of yard and garage sales where innumerable useless items are displayed.

Also, consider planting a tree on your lot. Many studies have proven that trees have incredible benefits, not the least of which are safer neighbourhoods, healthier families, and a cleaner environment.

Shop locally and purchase your food from producers within 100 kilometres of where you live. Canadian foodstuff travels an average of 2,000 km, which is not acceptable, nor environmentally sustainable.

Live in a house with a maximum of 100 square metres on the main floor. This saves a lot of building materials and, if built per “green” guidelines, is much cheaper to heat, clean, and maintain.

Finally, don’t own a motor home, trailer, or other recreational vehicle, such as an ATV or personal watercraft. Use a tent, stay in a motel, or rent. It’s cheaper, easier, and more environmentally friendly.

Fred Marshall,
Midway, B.C.

Can we read it?

Re: “Marginalia” (Question of Faith, June 9). Ever page through a magazine and, reading merrily along, come across, almost ineluctably, . . . a voyeuristic tingle . . . a quasi-historical frisson . . . a dilettantish researcher’s rush? The first thing you think is, “What kind of silly . . . ?” You seek the answer in a world of interpretations kaleidoscoping outward and you wonder, “Who is this person?” He pleads to be small, humble, like lampreys and curlicues. And finally, to be read.

And my question is: how can we read what we cannot pronounce?

Henry Rempel,
Zimbabwe, Africa

Distinctives

Reading the excellent set of pamphlets [published by the Board of Faith and Life] explaining Mennonite Brethren distinctives, I wonder if we may be too modest in sharing some of these truths. Anabaptists reintroduced separation of church and state. This Christian truth was picked up by almost all Christians, at least in theory. Our very name indicates the step of applying baptism to believers only, a practice that has also become widely accepted.

Is the view that followers of Jesus don’t practice violence a Mennonite/Quaker distinctive, or is it a Christian distinctive? Do we hold this view because we are Mennonites or because we find it in the gospel? Our understanding on this point has profound implications.

David Esau,
Caceres, Spain

Starting something new

Re “Ending an era” (Gathering News Report, Aug. 11). I would like to address some questions raised following the announcement of the discontinuation of the National Youth Conference (NYC).

How was the decision made? In early 2006, we consulted youth pastors and leaders, and reviewed the records and evaluations of past NYC events. A decision was reached in June regarding NYC’s future and was communicated at Gathering 2006.

What are the main reasons for ending NYC? Youth ministry has shifted towards service and mission-focused youth ministry. We want to encourage this direction. This often places churches in the situation of participating in NYC or doing a youth mission trip. Many churches are choosing the mission trip, substituting NYC with cheaper regional and interdenominational youth events. Also, NYC was costly for the conference and expensive for churches to participate in. We felt this was poor stewardship.

What is replacing NYC? Youth leaders are asking for an event targeted towards student leaders from grade 11 to university age, who are ready to be challenged in the areas of action-oriented leadership and evangelism. There is also a desire for the event to be more frequent than NYC’s three-year cycle.

The Canadian conference and MBMSI are partnering to launch an equipping event for the development and mobilization of new leaders in global and national ministry. Details will be announced this fall.

Is there a de-emphasis on youth ministry in our conference? The short answer is no. Our staff is focused on leadership development, particularly among emerging leaders – youth pastors and students in high school and college.

Please see the Banff/NYC celebration video and add your thoughts to the NYC memories blog.

John Neufeld, Coach for Emerging Leaders,
Canadian Conference of MB Churches,
Winnipeg, Man.

Letter to Canada’s prime minister and minister for foreign affairs

Mennonite Central Committee sent letters to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and President George Bush, expressing concern about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Middle East and urging them to use their influence to negotiate an end to the violence. Donald Peters, executive director of MCC Canada, wrote the Canadian prime minister as well as the minister for foreign affairs, Peter Mackay, on July 26, as follows:

Dear Sirs,

We feel compelled to write to you about the very tragic developments in the Middle East.

We have a considerable history in the region. Our organization started working with the Palestinian people in 1949. We also have programs in Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Iran. This longstanding involvement with the people has nurtured certain convictions which, in the present context, we would express as follows:

One conviction is that the enormous destruction that Israel is inflicting in Lebanon and in Gaza will not contribute to peace. Certainly, attacks on Israel from Hamas and Hezbollah must stop but we do not accept that Israel’s drastic actions are the only way to accomplish this, nor do we believe that these actions will, in fact, give Israel security in the longer term. On the contrary, the resentment and anger will deepen. Eventually these will resurface, perhaps in even more deadly forms. Surely the international community can do better than to give Israel a “green light” for such overwhelmingly destructive actions. Canada has a respected role in the international community. We urge you to do your utmost to seek alternative ways of promoting security for all peoples in the region.

A second conviction is that the Palestinian/Israeli conflict must be addressed in a way that is fair, equitable, and in keeping with international law. Canada’s longstanding official policy of seeking a two-state solution on the basis of the pre-1967 borders, together with a recognition of the rights of the refugees, may still be the best way of accomplishing this. To a large extent this policy was embodied in the 1993 Oslo Accords which so raised the hopes of many Palestinians. Unfortunately, developments in subsequent years have deviated far from that plan. A major reason, though not the only one, lies in Israel’s construction of settlements, by-pass roads, and “the wall,” as well as its diversion of Palestinian water resources, and some of its many other controls. These have made ordinary social and economic life of the once proud and accomplished Palestinian people extremely difficult. In Gaza, Israel’s recent actions have left the people in a desperate situation. These developments make it urgent that all parties be called back to the internationally supported approach which has long been the basis of Canada’s official policy.

We believe these convictions represent essential principles if there is to be a movement towards peace and security. The reliance on overwhelming military force must be rejected. The current tragedy in Iraq is one more sign that such an approach rarely fulfills the claims of its erstwhile proponents. The dynamics of the world are such that for people to gain their own security they must also seek that of their neighbours.

We urge you to incorporate these concerns in your response to current developments which are so destructive, not only of physical infrastructure and human lives, but also of the hope and good will that is needed if there is ever to be a new day in the region.