Canadians feeling 'blindsided' by MPN/Third Way media merger
By Dick Benner, editor/publisher of Canadian Mennonite. Reprinted with permission.

Coming down off the mountaintop of excitement about a proposed merger of Mennonite Publishing Network and Third Way Media, members of Mennonite Church Canada's Formation Council looked the issues squarely in the eye of dislocation for persons losing their jobs, feeling blindsided about the decision and grieving about the possibility of losing its office in Waterloo, Ontario. Also uncertain was the financial viability going forward ...

Read more ...

MMA, Mennonite Financial are now Everence
As of Nov. 1, Mennonite Mutual Aid and Mennonite Financial Federal Credit Union are now officially Everence.

According to Judy Martin Godshalk, public relations manager, the organization has also revised its description of the organization: Everence helps individuals, organizations and congregations integrate finances with faith through a national team of advisors and representatives ...

Read more ...

Conference installs first minister of women
From Southeast Mennonite Conference

Doris Diener was installed as the first Southeast Mennonite Conference minister of Mennonite women on Oct. 16. Marco Guete, SMC conference minister, led the installation during the annual Fall Inspiration Day at Ashton Community Fellowship, Sarasota, Fla. ...

Marco Guete (with microphone) installs Doris Diener (at his left) as the conference's first minister of women. Photo provided.

Read more ...

College Corner: Volunteers essential to seminary
By Mary E. Klassen of AMBS

"We could not run the Church Leadership Center without volunteers," says Jewel Gingerich Longenecker, Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary associate dean for leadership education. "We can do so much more programming with the help of volunteers."

The AMBS, Elkhart, Ind., volunteer program, now nine years old, involves several full-time volunteers and a large number of others who either come to campus regularly through the year, or who come from a distance for one week up to several months ...

Read more ...

Lowell and Ruth Detweiler, from Akron, Pa., serve as full-time volunteers at Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminary. Photo by Peter Ringenberg.

Tim's blog: Almost live blog: Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Chicago

I just got back from the satellite Rally to Restory Sanity and/or Fear here in Chicago. I've been reading the confused articles leading up to the rally. Is it all about irony? Is it about moderation? Is it about progressive politics? Is this the millennial generation's Woodstock?

After spending half an hour wondering around the edges of the rally here in Grant Park, it's clear that those in attendance weren't sure either.

Read more ...