Our Daily Bread

Van Meegeren and his (forgery) Christ in the Temple, (c) NY Times

Aundajchtihch

Pietist Mennonite practices regarding the daily devotional are as intrinsic to the Russian Mennonite identity as is verenika – in fact, one is surprised to learn that there was a revival of Bible study and devotions in Gnadenfelde under the influence of Eduard Wüst – when had it ended?

    Personal study of the Bible and searching the Scriptures for oneself is an intrinsic aspect of the Anabaptist revolution – the first Adult Baptisms were performed only after intense study of the Scripture.  Schools were started, Bibles translated and preachers sent out to encourage other Christians and non-Christians to discover this direct personal access to Christ’s teachings for themselves.  Even more than pacifists or Adult Baptizers, the term Students of the Bible would most adequately describe the well-spring and radical vision of our Swiss, Flemish and Frisian predecessors.

    No story reveals this truth more strongly than the personal testimony of Menno Simons – the teacher whose leadership helped to preserve and re-organize the early Anabaptist church antecedents of our various conferences and denominations today.

A Short Note from Stouffville, Ont....

Guernsey stamps honoring Major-General Sir Isaac Brock and Shawnee ally, Tecumseh

• May 10, 2012 - 1:18 PM  From YorkRegion.com...

More than Mennonites have heritage of peace

 
Re: Mennonites protest war celebration, May 3.

    We applaud the Mennonite community in protesting the June 16 military parade and fly-by to “celebrate” the War of 1812 in our community.
   This event would have costs, both financial and cultural.
   The War of 1812 was won in Canada because of the First Nations who fought in this war. The Calandra/Harper Conservative government should be ashamed of their current treatment of First Nations. Spend the money on appropriate housing.
    The Calandra/Harper agenda of re-making Canada as a military nation only supports their purchase of fighter planes at an unknown cost and for an unknown need.
    Our reflection on war is personal through two uncles who fought in the war. One left this country as a happy teenager and returned a broken man unable to function in our society for the next 60 years. The other uncle was injured at Vimy Ridge, never talked about it and died at a young age.
    Our community has roots in First Nations, Mennonites and many other peace-loving people. For the Calandra/Harper government to ignore our heritage of peace is wrong. 
   To remember is to work for peace.

Lovanna & Jim Sanders
Stouffville
 

From YorkRegion.com...

More than Mennonites have heritage of peace 

Stouffville Mennonites Protest War Celebration 

Bach, Fusswaschung and the Mandatum

(c) Biblical Art on the WWW.

    Maundy Thursday commemorates the night Jesus prayed in the Garden, was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter and began the Passion.  Holy Thursday is the anniversary of the Last Supper – for our purposes, the night Jesus instituted the rite of Fusswaschung or foot washing by washing the feet of his followers.

    The Roman Catholic Church celebrates the ceremony of Washing of Feet or Mandatum in the following manner “Following Jesus’ example of humble service, the presider and others wash the feet of various members of the assembly.  This act is our response to the ‘mandatum’.  Christ’s instruction in the Gospel to  humbly serve one another,” (Triduum Service Program, 21 Apr 2011).  For us this meant that four of us each staffed a chair and wash basin surrounding the baptismal fount in the central aisle of De Paul’s parish church – where only the day before we had gathered to hear a legendary performance of J. S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion brought to us by internationally renowned Soli Deo Gloria.  While Matthew’s version of the Passion does not in fact include foot washing, it does include the story of the woman and the alabaster jar of perfumed oils: