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CMU Community Celebrates at Fall Festival 2015

Reunions, Concerts, Alumni Awards, and Donor Recognition Highlights of Annual Event

Although it’s only been five months since she graduated from Canadian Mennonite University, Amber Neufeld was eager to return to campus for Fall Festival.

Neufeld performed at the festival’s MPK folk concert, shopped at the farmers market, and attended the opening program. She hopes to attend more CMU events in the future because of the impact the university has had on her life.

“Not only did CMU teach me valuable things that are the foundation for my faith and education, it gave me some amazing people that I’m honoured to be friends,” Neufeld said.

More than 500 people gathered at CMU for Fall Festival this past weekend (Sept. 25-26).

President Cheryl Pauls addresses those gather for the Opening Program
CMU President Cheryl Pauls addresses those gathered for the Fall Festival 2015’s opening program

Celebrated at the end of each September, Fall Festival features opportunities for students, alumni, friends, donors, and community members to connect, learn, play, and celebrate with the CMU community.

In addition to the folk music festival and farmers market, the weekend included class reunions, community meals, a Manitoba Cycling Association-sanctioned bicycle race, MCAC basketball games, and a tour of Marpeck Commons, the new building on campus that houses a library, a bookstore/resource centre, learning commons, and a café.

The weekend kicked off on Friday, Sept. 25 with a Face2Face community discussion exploring oil dependency.

After a full day of activity on a warm and windy Saturday (Sept. 26), Fall Festival wrapped up with CMU’s annual opening program, a time of worship to celebrate the start of a new school year.

For the first time ever, the opening program was held in Marpeck Commons, which opened at the end of November 2014.

Delivering a message based on CMU’s chapel theme for 2015-16, Behold the Beauty of the Lord (Psalm 27:4), CMU President Cheryl Pauls spoke of the ways in which beauty and inquiry work together.

Meditating on the popular phrase, “Leave it better than you found it,” Pauls talked about how that mentality has captured people’s imaginations as they work amidst the complex, strained matters of today, such as economic disparity, climate change, food security, human sexuality, and reconciliation with First Nation, Métis, and Inuit peoples.

“I’ve little doubt that the call ‘Better than we found it’ nurtures our commitments to these and many more hurting peoples and places,” Pauls said.

“I’ve also little doubt that the mission entrusted to this university requires action and reflection—action and reflection that’s animated by bending towards beauty. That is, through postures of prayer in the courage and humility of inquiry and awe, ever seeking of God clear, compelling ways forward with matters and relationships that confound and trouble us. And also, perhaps more importantly, by ever releasing and offering to God the very best of our persuasions and of all we think we now grasp.”

The opening program included the presentation of the 2015 Distinguished Alumni Awards, which annually recognize alumni who, through their lives, embody CMU’s values and mission of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society.

Pauls presented the awards to Larry Plenert, an Olympian-turned-lawyer who has worked for the past eight years as an adjudicator of claims of serious abuse by former students of Indian Residential Schools; Cheryl Woelk, an educator and peace worker; Gerry Dyck, a businessman who has made significant contributions in the field of international development; and Arno and Lena Fast, a couple who have spent the past 46 years ministering at a church in Winnipeg’s North End.

DonorArt
Winnipeg artists Richard Finney (right) and Ray Dirks (left) with their art piece, which acknowledges those who donated to the construction of Marpeck Commons

Later in the program, Pauls noted that $12 million of the $14.4 million needed to pay for Marpeck Commons has been raised so far.

She unveiled a donor recognition wall, which features an art piece commemorating people who contribute money to the project.

Created by Winnipeg artists Richard Finney and Ray Dirks, the piece is made up of brushed metal and glass.

The glass features an etching of a tree made up of phrases from CMU’s mission statement.

The lower portions of the piece feature a laser cutting of the names of donors who contributed to the project, with room to add the names of future donors.

“It’s a field of names,” Pauls explained. “Each individual is a kernel, a kernel that matters and is vital to the actual, ongoing life of this place. As a collective, this field of names draws out the best of what is made possible through the learning, the conversation, the sharing together in this place.”

Vice President External Terry Schellenberg noted that Fall Festival is an important community builder for CMU.

“Once again, Fall Festival opened CMU to alumni, friends, and the broader community,” Schellenberg said.

“We were moved by a significant Face2Face conversation; inspired by stories of ministry, restorative justice, business, and peacemaking from five alumni award recipients; gratified by the generosity of CMU’s support community as we unveiled a beautiful donor wall in Marpeck Commons; and celebrated and blessed the start of a new academic year.”

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over 800 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program. 

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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Event focusing on oil dependency kicks off 2015-16 discussion series at CMU

Oil industry consultant, economist, and filmmaker featured on panel

Oil dependency is the focus of Canadian Mennonite University’s (CMU) first Face2Face discussion of 2015-16.

Face2Face.Sept2015Titled “When Oil Dependency is Not Black and White: Contradictions and Possibilities,” the event happens Friday, September 25 at 7:00 PM in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave.). Admission is free, and everyone is welcome to attend.

Face2Face is a series of conversations with CMU faculty, designed to engage the community on a wide variety of current events and issues at the intersection of faith and life.

From cell phones to clothing, and from wind turbines to automobiles, we are embedded in an oil dependent world. The September 25 discussion will explore questions such as: How do we respond to the complex realities of oil dependency in our lives? What choices lie before governments, industry, and before each of us as individuals? What kind of ethical framework can guide and assist us?

Moderated by David Balzer, Assistant Professor of Communications and Media, the event will feature three panelists:

Marlene Janzen – Engineer, owner of Eclipse Geomatics and Engineering LTD; focused on conceptual development studies, front end engineering, and preliminary estimates for remote onshore and arctic offshore oil and gas opportunities.

James Magnus-Johnston – CMU Instructor of Political Studies and Economics; research interests in ecological resilience, principally through the application of “steady-state” economic policies and carbon reduction strategies.

Michael Tyas – Managing editor of One River News; graduated from the University of Manitoba with an honours degree in environmental studies; a professional videographer and video trainer; produced the feature length documentary One River, Many Relations in Fort Chipewyan, AB to tell the stories of people living downstream from oil sands resource extraction.

Balzer says the goal is to have a conversation that draws out some of the complexities surrounding the topic of oil.

“To have someone who’s an oil industry consultant with a deep concern for creation, together with an economist and a documentary filmmaker, feels like it will create a very interesting conversation with some expertise people don’t always have available to them when they’re discussing these issues,” he says.

Magnus-Johnston says he wanted to be a part of the event because he believes everyone is personally responsible when it comes to fossil fuel use.

“Often we want someone to take responsibility for climate change, so we vilify fossil fuel companies or those working in the fossil fuel industry, but when you dig a little deeper, we all are, in fact, contributing to the problem,” Magnus-Johnston says. “So, solutions are not so simple.”

Balzer points out that rather than just being a presentation by the three panelists, the event is meant to be a conversation that includes audience members.

With any luck, the conversation will produce new insights.

“We’re hoping we don’t end up getting caught in a positional debate, but rather that we listen to the panelists, hear what they’re saying, and perhaps look for the creative way forward that may not be present to any of us right now,” Balzer says.

The discussion will be followed at 8:30 PM by an informal reception.

The evening marks the start of CMU’s Fall Festival, a high energy weekend that features opportunities to connect, learn, play, and celebrate with the CMU Community. For more information about Fall Festival, visit www.cmu.ca/fallfest.

“When Oil Dependency is Not Black and White: Contradictions and Possibilities” is the first of four Face2Face events CMU will host during the 2015-16 school year. For details, visit www.cmu.ca/face2face.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over 800 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program. 

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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Making Worship Services Sound Good Goal of Workshop

Sounds Good! II for those involved in worship technology such as sound, visuals and lighting in their congregation  

The Bible says that God calls pastors, teachers, apostles and evangelists. But what about sound technicians, or those who work on visuals or lighting?

These days, with almost every church dependent on technology for worship services, it’s a new and necessary calling.

And yet most people who operate a sound board or do the visuals at churches are volunteers who get little in the way of training or assistance. Where can they go to improve their skills?

SoundsGood_One place is Sounds Good! II, a workshop for those who work with worship technology such as sound, visuals, and lighting.

The workshop, which takes place October 3, 2015 at Eastview Community Church, 3500 DeVries in northeast Winnipeg, is for those important people nobody notices unless something goes wrong, says workshop organizer Christine Longhurst.

“These days, most of us couldn’t imagine a church service without technology,” she says.

But unlike pastors, worship leaders and musicians who can choose from many training opportunities, “it’s more difficult to find resources for those who work with technology,” she says. “Sounds Good! II is an attempt to help fill that gap.”

During the workshop, which runs from 9:15 AM to 3:30 PM, participants will have a chance to learn from people with skills in the areas of sound, lighting and visuals, and have a chance to interact with others involved in worship technology.

“The workshops will allow lots of room for discussion and collaboration,” says Longhurst, adding that “there will be something for everyone—from those just starting out to those who have been working in worship technology for a long time.”

The event is being organized by re:Worship, and is sponsored by Canadian Mennonite University, Mennonite Brethren Churches of Manitoba, Sound Art, CHVN/Golden West, Boge-Boge, CommonWord, and Eastview Community Church.

Sounds Good! II is a follow-up to Sounds Good! I, held last March at Fort Garry MB Church. Attended by over 70 church sound techs, the response was overwhelmingly positive, Longhurst says.

“Sounds Good! II will be larger and more comprehensive, with multiple workshop streams for both novice and experienced technicians.”

Cost for the workshop is $50 per person, or $40 per person for three or more people from the same congregation. Students are $15 and there is a $200 cap per congregation.

For more information, visit www.cmu.ca/resourcingthechurch, or email Christine Longhurst at reworship.events@gmail.com. To register, contact Cori Braun at Canadian Mennonite University: cbraun@cmu.ca or 204-487-3300.

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Conference at CMU leads to formation of peace and conflict studies association

Emerging issues in peace and conflict studies, and the formation of a peace and conflict studies association in Canada, were the key topics covered at the first annual Canadian Peace and Conflict Studies Conference.

http://www.cmu.ca/canadianpeacestudies/Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) hosted the inaugural conference June 18-20.

More than 70 academics, students, and conflict resolution practitioners from across Canada gathered for a series of keynote addresses, panel discussions, and workshop sessions.

Conflict resolution academics and practitioners don’t often meet together, says Wendy Kroeker, one of the event’s organizers.

“Our vision was to bring those two groups together and talk about how we want to contribute to the Canadian and international context in what our fields can offer or assist with,” says Kroeker, who teaches Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies at CMU.

“Often we do things individually, so we were wanting a stronger voice to emerge for the national context. This conference was to initiate that space for folks around the country interested in these issues, to decide what kind of group, what kind of organization, we’d like to form going forward.”

Kroeker says that she and her fellow organizers wanted to include a variety of voices in the dialogues at the conference.

“We had a broad spectrum of people and we wanted to open up an invitational space,” Kroeker says. “We want to stretch the boundaries of the field to be accessible, provocative, and inclusive.”

The impetus for the conference was sparked in May 2014 during a meeting of academics from the field of peace and conflict studies at Saint Paul University in Ottawa.

The assembled group began inquiring if creating a Canadian peace and conflict studies association would be of interest.

A steering committee was formed and the first conference was organized.

On Friday, June 18, those assembled at CMU made the decision to put together an association in Canada for peace and conflict studies.

An interim board has been put together, with Dr. Timothy Donais, Associate Professor for Global Studies at Wilfrid Laurier University, serving as interim coordinator. The board’s first meeting is scheduled for September.

In addition to the historic agreement, the conference included a keynote address by Dr. Christopher Marshall, Professor of Restorative Justice at Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand. During his address, Marshall explored current trends in restorative justice theory and practice.

Dr. Jessica Senehi, Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Manitoba, and Dr. Jean-François Rioux, Associate Professor in Conflict Studies at Saint Paul University, also delivered keynote addresses.

Meanwhile, Dr. Dean Peachey, Executive Director of the University of Winnipeg’s Global College, and Ruth Taronno, an International Development Studies instructor and Director of Practicum and Alumni Relations at Menno Simons College, kicked off the conference with a roundtable discussion exploring field/practicum placements in peace and conflict studies.

Anglophone and francophone academics from throughout western Canada and southern Ontario presented papers during the three-day conference, which also included a visit to the brand new Canadian Museum for Human Rights.

Kroeker says she is pleased with how the conference went.

She and her fellow organizers wanted to allow for the possibility of relationship-building, and planned an academic conference that left plenty of time and space for registrants to mingle and speak with one another during breaks and mealtimes.

“Our focus was to get some cross-fertilization going, and people said we did accomplish that,” Kroeker says.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over about 900 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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CMU to host reading by acclaimed author, university professor

David Waltner-Toews to read from The Origin of Feces

Canadian Mennonite University is pleased to host a reading by acclaimed author Dr. David Waltner-Toews.

Waltner-Toews will read from his most recent book, The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us About Evolution, Ecology, and a Sustainable Society at 4:00 PM on Saturday, May 30 in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave.). All are welcome to attend. Admission is free. <event poster>

2015-05-19 - Origin of Feces
Dr. David Walter-Toews will read from his book The Origin of Feces: What Excrement Tells Us About Evolution, Ecology, and a Sustainable Society at 4:00 PM on May 30 at CMU’s Marpeck Commons

An entertaining and enlightening exploration of why waste matters, The Origin of Feces is a cultural history that explores an often ignored subject matter and makes a compelling argument for a deeper understanding of human and animal waste.

Approaching the subject from a variety of perspectives—evolutionary, ecological, and cultural—the book shows how integral excrement is to biodiversity, agriculture, public health, food production and distribution, and global ecosystems.

Upon its release in 2013, The Origin of Feces won the silver medal at the Independent Publishers Book Awards and was shortlisted in the Canadian Science Writers Association’s Best Adult Science Book category.

John Brubacher, Assistant Professor of Biology at CMU, is looking forward to Waltner-Toews’ visit.

“David is always entertaining and thought-provoking in equal measure,” Brubacher says, adding that Waltner-Toews’ work fits in with a variety of different program areas at CMU. “He combines the humanities, sciences, and social sciences in a really delightful way.”

Based in Kitchener, ON, Waltner-Toews is a veterinarian, epidemiologist, scientist, and popular author.

He is the author or coauthor of 17 books of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and recipes, including The Chickens Fight Back: Pandemic Panics and Deadly Diseases That Jump from Animals to People (Greystone Books, 2007) and Food, Sex and Salmonella: Why Our Food Is Making Us Sick (Greystone Books, 2008).

A University Professor Emeritus at University of Guelph, Waltner-Toews was founding president of Veterinarians Without Borders and of the Network for Ecosystem Sustainability and Health, and a founding member of Communities of Practice for Ecosystem Approaches to Health in Canada.

He is the recipient of the inaugural award for contributions to ecosystem approaches to health from The International Association for Ecology and Health.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over about 900 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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Canadian Mennonite University Celebrates Class of 2015

Eighty-seven degrees, two certificates awarded during university’s annual commencement exercises

When Joseph Kiranto moved from Kenya to study at Canadian Mennonite University, he wasn’t sure what he wanted to major in. Each class he attended piqued his interest.

“Before long, the list of what I wanted to do became unrealistic for me,” Kiranto said. “I wouldn’t have known what to do with myself if it were not for the help of… the faculty and staff.”

IMG_9380
Joseph Kiranto, CMU’s Class of 2015 Valedictorian

Kiranto told the story during his valedictory address at CMU’s graduation service, held on Sunday afternoon, April 26 at Immanuel Pentecostal Church. Kiranto (BA, Four-Year, Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies) was one of 89 students who graduated.

Referencing the Class of 2015’s graduation verse, James 3:17-18, Kiranto encouraged his fellow graduates to do the best they can in spite of the obstacles they might face.

“Here at CMU we have been challenged, we have been encouraged, we have been empowered, and we have been motivated,” Kiranto said. “I will do the best I can. Will you?”

It was an inspiring message delivered toward the end of a weekend filled with reflection, laughter, and tears as graduates and families enjoyed stories, songs, presentations, and meals along with CMU faculty, staff, and current students.

The graduation service culminated with CMU President Dr. Cheryl Pauls conferring 78 undergraduate degrees, nine Master of Arts degrees, and two graduate certificates in Christian Studies.

“With credentials, we honour the credibility of the tangible skills, transferable competencies, vibrant imaginations, and responsive hearts of the graduands,” Pauls said. “We also profess trust in their capacity and commitment to be agents of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society.”

CMU President Cheryl Pauls (centre) with President Medal winners Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe (left) and Michael Wiebe (right)
CMU President Cheryl Pauls (centre) with President Medal winners Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe (left) and Michael Wiebe (right)

Pauls awarded President’s Medals to Mike Wiebe (BA, Four-Year, Communications and Media) and Rebecca Klassen-Wiebe (BMus, Concentration: Performance – Collaborative Piano) in recognition of their qualities of scholarship, leadership, and service.

Earlier in the service, Rev. Dr. Hippolyto Tshimanga, a theologian and missiologist who works as the director of Mennonite Church Canada’s Africa, Europe, and Latin America Ministry, delivered the graduation address.

Tshimanga challenged graduates to face the obstacles they encounter with bravery.

“Believe in your God-given potential, believe in the education that you have received, and keep on moving,” Tshimanga said. “What you should have is unshakeable, unshakeable belief in what you are able to accomplish. Have the courage to act on your belief.”

At With Gratitude, a CMU graduation weekend event at which class members share their experiences through spoken word or musical performance, Clare Schellenberg (BA, Four-Year, Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies) reflected on her time at CMU, which included an independent study course that involved hiking the Camino de Santiago, an 800-kilometre pilgrimage route in Spain.

Schellenberg said that her time at CMU altered her understanding of peace and justice, and highlighted for her the importance of relationships in navigating the conflicts people face.

“I am leaving with an imagination to reach out to those I fear, to touch the heart of complexity, to imagine beyond what is seen, to risk vulnerability one step at a time, and to open my mind and heart as big as an ocean,” Schellenberg said.

IMG_9204
CMU’s class of 2015

Speaking at the same event, Kathy McCamis (Master of Arts, Theological Studies) reflected on how the costs of doing a graduate degree seemed high when she resigned from her position as a youth pastor to pursue full-time ministry studies at CMU.

McCamis, who was one of four graduates who earned their MA from CMU in affiliation with Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary, also realized she was studying for her MA at a time when many people question the value of a seminary education.

McCamis does not regret her decision, though.

“I graduate having been formed as a person who is growing in my ability to love God and to love my neighbour, as well as to love myself,” she said.

“That to me is the greatest gift of seminary education, and that is worth infinitely more to me than any of the costs that I’ve incurred along the way.”

The Graduation Service and With Gratitude presentation were part of a number of events that occurred during graduation weekend, including a gala dinner on Friday, April 24, Spring Concert on Saturday, April 25, and Baccalaureate Service the morning of April 26.

The entire 2015 graduation service is available for viewing on CMU’s Youtube channel. (link)

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences, and social sciences, as well as graduate degrees in theology, ministry, peacebuilding and collaborative development, and an MBA. CMU has over about 900 full-time equivalent students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury and Menno Simons College campuses and in its Outtatown certificate program.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:
Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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Menno Simons College hosts insight mediation workshop

Addressing the complexity of conflict

The workshop “Practicing Insight Mediation: Helping Conflicting Parties Make Wise Decisions” will be led by Dr. Cheryl Picard, professor emeritus at Carleton University and principle of Cheryl Picard & Associates.

The workshop will take place May 6-8, 2015 at MSC and will be available for university credit or professional development.

Insights Workshop PosterInsight mediation is a style of conflict intervention that was developed as a result of collaboration between two Canadian scholars, Dr. Picard, Carleton University and Dr. Kenneth Melchin, Saint Paul University. They extensively studied successful mediation practice and applied ideas from Bernard Lonergan’s theory of insight to develop the insight approach to conflict resolution and mediation.

The insight approach addresses the complexity of conflict, including the role of emotion and the importance of values, through the integration of theories of social action with micro communication skills and conflict resolution strategies.

Participants in this workshop will be encouraged to re-think traditional ideas about conflict and conflict intervention as they are introduced to the idea that conflict resolution involves the production of new understandings that help conflicting parties identify and understand the threat experiences and defense responses that create and sustain conflict.

Emphasis will be placed on the development of skills to de-escalate threat narratives through the mediation dialogue as this can change problematic patterns of interaction and enable parties to find ways to either resolve their differences or to live more peacefully with them.

Dr. Picard is an educator, mediator, and conflict coach specializing in interpersonal, workplace, and community-based conflict for over 35 years. Dr. Picard brings a relational ideology to her teaching and conflict resolution practice, which means she views people as connected to each other through complex webs of relationships, patterns of interaction, and meaning-making.

For more information or to register visit www.mscollege.ca.

About Menno Simons College
Menno Simons College (MSC), a part of Canadian Mennonite University and affiliated with the University of Winnipeg, has been offering programs in International Development Studies (IDS) and Conflict Resolution Studies (CRS) since 1989. MSC fosters a vibrant undergraduate learning community in its newly renovated facility at 520 Portage Avenue. It offers 3-year and 4-year majors and a minor in IDS and CRS, an honours program in IDS, and an extensive practicum program. MSC has over 1,000 students and hundreds of alumni working in the development and conflict resolution sectors in Manitoba, Canada, and internationally.

For additional information, please contact:

Joel Marion
Menno Simons College
204.953.3844
jo.marion@uwinnipeg.ca

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Muslim scholar to speak at Canadian Mennonite University

Canadian Mennonite University

Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali of Qom, Iran to deliver lecture titled, “Characteristics of Shi’a Islam”

Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali, Founding Director of the International Institute for Islamic Studies (IIIS) in Qom, Iran, will give a lecture titled, “Characteristics of Shi’a Islam: An Overview,” at 7:00 PM on Friday, March 13 in the Laudamus Auditorium (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.).

Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali, Founding Director of the International Institute for Islamic Studies in Qom, Iran, will give a lecture at CMU on March 13.
Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali, Founding Director of the International Institute for Islamic Studies in Qom, Iran, will give a lecture at CMU on March 13.

“It is exciting to have Dr. Shomali at CMU for the fourth time in as many years,” says Dr. Harry Huebner, Director of International and Inter-Faith Theological Initiatives at CMU. “He is a man of deep faith, an effective teacher, and an engaging storyteller. It is especially important in today’s climate to hear Islam explained by a scholar from within the faith.”

Shomali is a graduate of the Islamic Seminaries of Qom, and also holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degrees in Western Philosophy from the University of Tehran. He earned his PhD from the University of Manchester and wrote his doctoral thesis on ethical relativism.

Dr. Harry Huebner of CMU (left) and Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali of the International Institute for Islamic Studies (middle) speak during a 2014 visit in Qom, Iran.
Dr. Harry Huebner of CMU (left) and Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali of the International Institute for Islamic Studies (middle) speak during a 2014 visit in Qom, Iran.

In addition to his work with the IIIS, Shomali is the Director of London’s Islamic Centre of England.

CMU is hosting Shomali as well as seven of his graduate students from Qom from Sunday, March 8 until Wednesday, March 18. During this time, CMU faculty will teach the students an intensive course in Christian Systematic Theology.

It will be the third time since 2011 that CMU has hosted Muslim students from Iran.

“Dr. Shomali believes it is important for his students to be trained in, and understand, other monotheistic faiths,” Huebner says. “He also believes it’s important for his students to be exposed to Western culture and Western societal dynamics.”

Dr. Harry Huebner of CMU (second from left) and Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali of the International Institute for Islamic Studies (third from left) participate in an interfaith dialogue in Qom, Iran last year.
Dr. Harry Huebner of CMU (second from left) and Dr. Mohammad Ali Shomali of the International Institute for Islamic Studies (third from left) participate in an interfaith dialogue in Qom, Iran last year.

The visit stems from a series of dialogues that began in 2002 that bring together Shi’a Muslim scholars from Iran and Mennonite scholars from Canada and the U.S. The goal of these dialogues is to improve understanding between Muslims and Christians.

Last May, four professors and six students from CMU travelled to Qom for the sixth dialogue. Afterward, the students spent 14 days in the cities of Isfahan, Shiraz, and Tehran. They travelled to significant sites to learn more about Iran’s history, people, beliefs, and culture.

The trip, as well as the Muslim students’ upcoming visit, was made possible in part by a grant Huebner received from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada.

Huebner says he is looking forward to hosting Shomali and the students.

“These are students that will be the future clerics, professors, and Shi’a Islam leaders in Iran,” Huebner says. “For us to be in dialogue with them, and learn to relate to them as friends, is extremely significant for the future.”

Huebner adds that Iranian society is driven by intellectual pursuit and thus places a high value on academics, which makes possible a special relationship between universities.

He is excited to see what members of the CMU community can learn from these visitors.

“We need to remember that there is another world of scholarship out there,” Huebner says. “Our awareness and openness to that is important.”

He adds that Islam is often misunderstood in the mainstream media, and Muslim-Christian dialogues and exchanges like this help create better relationships.

“The news doesn’t give us a good understanding of what Islam is,” Huebner says. “Getting to know people from Iran is one way of cutting across that.”

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences and social sciences, and graduate degrees in Theology and Ministry. CMU has over 1,600 students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury campus and in its Menno Simons College and Outtatown programs.

For information about CMU, visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:

Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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Upcoming lecture to explore the animal kingdom in Canadian Mennonite history

Dr. Royden Loewen to deliver 2015 John and Margaret Friesen Lecture at CMU

The 2015 edition of the John and Margaret Friesen Lectures at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) will explore how Mennonites have imagined the animal kingdom over the last 150 years.

Dr. Royden Loewen, Chair in Mennonite Studies and Professor of History at the University of Winnipeg, will give a lecture titled, “‘Come Watch This Spider’: Animals, Mennonites, and the Modern World,” at 7:00 PM on Tuesday, March 17 in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave.).

ComeWatchThisSpiderThe lecture will focus on the ethical dimensions of animal-human relations among Canadian Mennonites. Often overlooked, their rich literary traditions are filled with references to inter-species relationships. Their diaries, memoirs, and novels suggest a relationship that changed significantly over time.

“There is simply a deeper respect that humans had for animals in the pre-industrial times of the late 19th and early 20th centuries,” Loewen says. “It’s not that humans were not dominant over animals… but that dominance was expressed in a different way.”

That fundamental respect during pre-industrial times was followed by an objectification and commodification of the animal during the mid to late 20th century as Mennonites embraced the ‘modern’ world.

By the turn of the 20th century, some writers from the edges of Mennonite society began to confront the very idea of animal subjugation.

Loewen hopes that those who attend the lecture are challenged to recover a basic respect that people once had for animals.

He also hopes that by learning about animals in the history of Canadian Mennonites, a greater understanding of the nature of the modern world can be achieved.

Ultimately, to study animal-human relations is to study human history more fully.

“A generation ago, Mennonite historians began writing ordinary people into the narrative – not just bishops and (other leaders),” Loewen says. “We did that to write a more inclusive history, so in the name of a more just and inclusive history, we also need to understand the creatures of the earth.”

Dr. Paul Doerksen, Associate Professor of Theology and Anabaptist Studies at CMU, says Loewen’s reputation as a world-class scholar made him an obvious choice to deliver the 2015 John and Margaret Friesen Lecture.

“Nobody’s better at social history than Roy,” Doerksen says, adding that as a Mennonite university, it is important for CMU to host Mennonite scholars of Loewen’s calibre.

“We have to have people like Roy here to help us learn and see issues in new ways,” Doerksen says.

In his capacity at the University of Winnipeg, Loewen is the editor of the Journal of Mennonite Studies and also serves as series editor of the “Ethnicity and Culture History Series” at University of Manitoba Press.

Loewen has authored or co-authored seven books covering a variety of aspects of Mennonite history. Over the years, he has been a research fellow and visiting scholar at academic institutions around the world.

He and his wife, Mary Anne, currently live in Steinbach, MB, where they are members of Steinbach Mennonite Church. They have three adult children: Rebecca, Meg, and Sasha. Loewen and his son operate a small grain farm near Steinbach.

The John and Margaret Friesen Lectures in Anabaptist/Mennonite Studies are co-sponsored by CMU, the Mennonite Heritage Centre, and the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies.

At the lecture, selected works by Manitoba artist Lynda Toews will be on display. These works are from “A Place in the Kingdom: Paintings and Stories Celebrating Farm Animals,” an exhibit the Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery is hosting from March 13, 2015 to June 20, 2015.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences and social sciences, and graduate degrees in Theology and Ministry. CMU has over 1,600 students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury campus and in its Menno Simons College and Outtatown programs.

For information about CMU, visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:

Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2

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Events News Releases

CMU Opera Workshop class presents The Merry Wives of Windsor

‘Light, entertaining’ production the culmination of seven months of hard work

Canadian Mennonite University’s Opera and Musical Theatre Workshop is proud to present The Merry Wives of Windsor.

Directed by David Klassen, the production will run for four shows: Thursday, March 5 through Saturday, March 7 at 7:30 PM, and Sunday, March 8 at 2:30 PM. The performances take place in the Laudamus Auditorium (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.). Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students, and available at CMU’s main reception desk or at the door. Reserve by calling 204-487-3300.

MerryWivesofWindsorWritten by the German composer Otto Nicolai, The Merry Wives of Windsor is a three-act opera based on William Shakespeare’s comedic play.

After receiving identical love-letters from the repugnant Sir John Falstaff, Mrs. Alice Ford and Mrs. Meg Page play along with Falstaff’s love affairs in order to expose and humiliate him.

While all this scheming is going on, the beautiful Anne Page has fallen for the handsome Fenton, but Dr. Cajus, a quick-tempered doctor, and Slender, a brown-nosing coward, fight for Anne’s favour, while she finds both of them loathsome.

Somehow Anne has to get her happy ending with Fenton, even though Mr. Page promises Slender his daughter’s hand in marriage, and Mrs. Page desires Dr. Cajus to marry her daughter.

“The story is light and entertaining, and the characters are extremely colourful,” says Klassen, Instructor of Music at CMU. “It’s a production that will be entertaining for nearly all age groups.”

The four performances are the culmination of seven months of hard work for the more than 25 students enrolled in Klassen’s Opera Workshop course.

The course gives students an understanding of how much energy and effort it takes to communicate when performing operatic works, and students learn how to work as part of an ensemble.

Klassen says the course is made accessible to students of all levels, and adds that this cast is one of the strongest he’s ever worked with at CMU.

“My hope for this production is that students will walk away from the experience knowing that they have been held to the highest standard possible, and that they have created for themselves one of the most memorable experiences of their lives,” Klassen says.

He adds that as a professional himself, he remembers every show he’s ever been a part of.

“The cast becomes a family, and even within a university like CMU where community is a great focus, they build even stronger relationships through the preparation of something of this magnitude,” Klassen says.

“I hope that my guidance inspires, and that they take what they’ve learned with them into every musical endeavour in the community, staged or not—the understanding that these relationships are meaningful, and that the hard work is more rewarding than they could imagine.”

Opera Workshop students mount a full-scale production every second year. Past productions have included The Mikado, a comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, and Die Fledermaus, a German operetta by Johann Strauss II.

In the years in between, students present scenes from a variety of different works.

About CMU
A Christian university in the Anabaptist tradition, CMU’s Shaftesbury campus offers undergraduate degrees in arts, business, humanities, music, sciences and social sciences, and graduate degrees in Theology and Ministry. CMU has over 1,600 students, including those enrolled in degree programs at the Shaftesbury campus and in its Menno Simons College and Outtatown programs.

For information about CMU, visit www.cmu.ca.

For additional information, please contact:

Kevin Kilbrei, Director of Communications & Marketing
kkilbrei@cmu.ca; 204.487.3300 Ext. 621
Canadian Mennonite University
500 Shaftesbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB  R3P 2N2