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Before arriving in Winnipeg just over a month ago, I lived in cities in Ontario, the UK, and, briefly, the American Midwest. What links these distant places to Winnipeg is how important their rivers are to the social life of the city. Guelph, Ontario, has the Speed River; London has

A man in his late twenties sits across from the woman whose house he entered to steal articles that he could sell in order to buy the drugs he desperately needed to feed his habit. He listens as she tells him about the impact his actions had on her family,

Jesus came to bring good news to the poor. That is one of the reasons the Church calls people to be deacons, who will help us find and be among those who are poor of body and spirit. Churches of the Orthodox, Catholic, Reform and Evangelical traditions all have some

Religion and psychiatry have a long and complex relationship, not always a positive one. However, in recent years there has been an increase of interest in, and openness to, spirituality in mental health care. When mental illness enters the picture, spiritual well-being suffers. The person may feel alienated from, or

“I’m only 19, but my mind is old, and when things get for real, my warm heart turns cold.” I heard these words at 1:00 a.m. on a Saturday night while sitting at home attempting to read my notes from psychology. These are the words of Prodigy (one half of

A Meditation for the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi Who brings rain to a land “where no one lives, on the desert, which is empty of human life”? (Job 38:25–26). God poses the question to a beleaguered Job and it is a striking one. Why indeed does God

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People is a fairly short document, only consisting of 46 articles. However, some might find it difficult to read: “[it] sounds like Western legalese and it’s somewhat technical,” says Steve Heinrichs, Director of Indigenous Relations for Mennonite Church Canada. “The words

I heard about the Companions program at the Sisterhood of St. John the Divine in the bulletin at saint benedict’s table, the Anglican church I was attending while working toward a degree at the Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg. Though intuition compelled me to apply, I spent a self-allotted two

Recently, I took part in the Pilgrimage for Indigenous Rights, organized by Mennonite Church Canada and Christian Peacemaker Teams ‒ Indigenous Peoples’ Solidarity Project. Between April 22 and May 14, 30-60 people from diverse ages, stories, and backgrounds participated in this 600km walk. The majority of the walkers identified as

June’s magazine for National Aboriginal History Month focuses on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It also includes a list of recommended books on Indigenous issues and a first-hand account of the Companions on an Ancient Path program offered by the Sisterhood of St. John the

When I was a child, I had no artistic ability, so I never followed any of those inclinations. However, in a mid-career evaluation course, I realized that I was doing nothing with my creative drives. I decided to dabble in oils and had a few satisfying results, but for a

I’ve been depressed for almost 13 years. I have what the The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders calls Persistent Depressive Disorder (PDD), or Dysthymia. Basically, I’m always sad. The symptoms that “qualify” someone for a Major Depressive Disorder need to be present for at least two weeks. In

House Blend Ministries celebrated its 10th birthday in February with cake, coffee, and community storytelling. This milestone means a lot of different things to me, but one thing it signifies is that, for 10 years, I’ve been a part of a community that has been learning about hospitality, by practising

According to St. Benedict, guests, “who are never lacking in the monastery” are “to be received as Christ” for Christ said, “as long as you did it to one of these least, you did it to me.” The sculpture located in the St. Benedict’s Retreat Centre foyer, “Christa,” is a

May’s issue tackles the topic of Christ-like Hospitality. We look at communities that focus on low-income housing, making safer spaces in our churches for people with mental health issues, and dismantling harmful attitudes towards refugees. And, check out the work of our Feature Artist, Bob Webster. Click here to read

At the age of 30, I left behind my career, my lifestyle, my church family, and various relationships, to take up another way of life. I felt a call within: a keen desire to deepen my relationship with God. I wanted to be alone with the Alone, and to do

Below are four contemplative practices with step-by-step instructions on how to follow them. If you’d like to start your own practice, but aren’t sure how, try each option and see which one works best for you. Meditation Daily meditation can quiet the mind, relieve stress, lower blood pressure, and help

One of my favourite quotations about contemplative prayer is from Christian Meditation: The Gethsemani Talks by John Main, a Benedictine monk who began to teach about Christian Meditation about 40 years ago. “Meditative prayer is not an intellectual exercise in which we reflect about theological positions. In meditation we are