Tuesday, September 29, 2009
help harvest pumpkins
Anyone, all ages, are welcome to help harvest the pumpkins (see the previous post) on Wednesday September 30th, 4:30pm. Meet at Richard Reesor's farm packing plant located at 11691 Warden ave, just north of 19th. This is part of our congregation's "Growing Project" in support of Canada Foodgrains Bank.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
pumpkins with a purpose
The Rose family is inviting participation in the "Pumpkins for Charity" initiative again this year... read on!
Pumpkins for Charity
WHEN: Saturday October 3rd, 10am-12:30pm…drop by, have a visit with us and take home your beautiful, locally grown pumpkins! If you can’t come to the sale but would like some pumpkins, please call Jen or Ken. We’ll happily deliver!
WHERE: (please e-mail one of the blog co-moderators - see the column on the side of this blog - for this info or for the Rose family's phone number.)
WHY: Everyone loves pumpkins AND all proceeds go to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank; serving hungry people around the world.
Make a difference….pumpkins with a purpose.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Community Mennonite Calendar
New! Above you will find the new Community Mennonite Church Online Calendar. All committees are encouraged to submit the dates of events and meetings for the 2009-2010 year to Bryan M-S or Arnold N-F. This calendar will be updated regularly. Scroll through it and see what is being planned!
Friday, August 7, 2009
Ben to Bangladesh
Today Ben heads off to Bangladesh for his one-year SALT term. We commissioned him last Sunday, as is our custom, saying, among other things, that "We accept your service as an extension of this congregation and pledge our support for your ministry..." and "...our prayers will continually support you while you are absent from us."
Ben has started a blog that he plans to update regularly as a way to communicate with anybody who would like to read about his experiences and reflections over the coming year. You can find the blog here.
Blessings to you, Ben, as you go out from here - know that our prayers are with you!
Ben has started a blog that he plans to update regularly as a way to communicate with anybody who would like to read about his experiences and reflections over the coming year. You can find the blog here.
Blessings to you, Ben, as you go out from here - know that our prayers are with you!
Thursday, June 11, 2009
welcoming new members
What a delight on Pentecost Sunday to welcome Luke, Rachael, Christina, Hazel, Lorne, Greg, Rachel, Jane, and Pep as new members of Community Mennonite Church!
And within a few days, lo and behold, another new arrival...
Thanks be to God!
And within a few days, lo and behold, another new arrival...
Thanks be to God!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
annual gathering of mcec
A few weeks ago was the annual gathering of Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. Click here for a 3 minute video overview of the day...
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
What's For Dinner?
Here's an article by Rachael Gelinas, who moved to Stouffville last year with her husband Luke and young-and-growing family, and who attends Community Mennonite Church... this article was published recently in the Stouffville Free Press...
What's For Dinner?
Thinking about the Ethics of Eating
Many people these days seem to be admirably concerned about issues beyond themselves and their own well-being. People are starting to look in earnest at the big picture when it comes to the economy and the environment. We’re hearing a lot about "green living" in politics and advertising. We’re all questioning the environmental and economical impact of what cars we choose to drive, what vacations we choose to take, and what products we choose to buy. But perhaps something we don’t often think about -- in terms of repercussions larger than personal health -- is the simple question of what we eat. Talk of global economies is often in terms of oil, automobiles, electronics, etc. But the food economy also plays a central role in global economics. We can live without cars and laptops, but we can’t live without food. When Canada’s 33 million people ask themselves “What’s for dinner?” the answer has far-reaching consequences.
As my family and I have struggled with this question, on the practical level of “what’s for dinner tonight”, and on a more theoretical level, we’ve come to realize that we need to ask exactly who we’re supporting by our food choices. Are we supporting local farmers? Struggling third world growers? Or are we choosing to line the pockets of giant corporations?
Although these seem like daunting questions to ask on a daily basis, we’ve found that a couple of guidelines have simplified the issue: Be aware of how far your food has traveled. Eat fresh and local whenever possible. This happens to be both most beneficial to our health and to the environment (and arguably the economy). When buying packaged food, read the list of ingredients. If it’s longer than five items, and/or if the ingredients are unpronounceable and/or unrecognizable, try to leave it out of the cart.
As Stouffvillites, we live in an area wonderfully rich in agricultural history, with plenty of access to farmers’ markets and local Community Supported Agricultural initiatives (or CSAs). Personally, as people of faith, my family and I find that our greatest motivation to eat ethically lies in the biblical command to be good stewards of our bodies and of the earth. As Wendell Berry, writer/farmer and man of faith himself, put it: “The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing, responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”
Recommended reading:
Michael Pollan’s "In Defense of Food" and "The Omnivore’s Dilemma"
Paul Roberts’ "The End of Food"
Wendell Berry’s "The Gift of Good Land"
What's For Dinner?
Thinking about the Ethics of Eating
Many people these days seem to be admirably concerned about issues beyond themselves and their own well-being. People are starting to look in earnest at the big picture when it comes to the economy and the environment. We’re hearing a lot about "green living" in politics and advertising. We’re all questioning the environmental and economical impact of what cars we choose to drive, what vacations we choose to take, and what products we choose to buy. But perhaps something we don’t often think about -- in terms of repercussions larger than personal health -- is the simple question of what we eat. Talk of global economies is often in terms of oil, automobiles, electronics, etc. But the food economy also plays a central role in global economics. We can live without cars and laptops, but we can’t live without food. When Canada’s 33 million people ask themselves “What’s for dinner?” the answer has far-reaching consequences.
As my family and I have struggled with this question, on the practical level of “what’s for dinner tonight”, and on a more theoretical level, we’ve come to realize that we need to ask exactly who we’re supporting by our food choices. Are we supporting local farmers? Struggling third world growers? Or are we choosing to line the pockets of giant corporations?
Although these seem like daunting questions to ask on a daily basis, we’ve found that a couple of guidelines have simplified the issue: Be aware of how far your food has traveled. Eat fresh and local whenever possible. This happens to be both most beneficial to our health and to the environment (and arguably the economy). When buying packaged food, read the list of ingredients. If it’s longer than five items, and/or if the ingredients are unpronounceable and/or unrecognizable, try to leave it out of the cart.
As Stouffvillites, we live in an area wonderfully rich in agricultural history, with plenty of access to farmers’ markets and local Community Supported Agricultural initiatives (or CSAs). Personally, as people of faith, my family and I find that our greatest motivation to eat ethically lies in the biblical command to be good stewards of our bodies and of the earth. As Wendell Berry, writer/farmer and man of faith himself, put it: “The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing, responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”
Recommended reading:
Michael Pollan’s "In Defense of Food" and "The Omnivore’s Dilemma"
Paul Roberts’ "The End of Food"
Wendell Berry’s "The Gift of Good Land"
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