CMU Media Archive – Page 17 – Archived News from Canadian Mennonite University

CMU Recognizes Graduates with 2015 Distinguished Alumni Awards

Post author By CMU
Post date September 17, 2015

An Olympian-turned-lawyer, an English language educator, a businessman with a passion for international development, and a couple who have ministered for more than 45 years in Winnipeg’s North End are the recipients of Canadian Mennonite University’s (CMU) 2015 Distinguished Alumni Awards.

CMU President Cheryl Pauls is pleased to present the awards to Larry Plenert, Cheryl Woelk, Gerry Dyck, and Arno and Lena Fast on Saturday, September 26.

The Blazer Awards celebrate alumni who, through their lives, embody CMU’s values and mission of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society. The awards are presented to alumni from CMU and its predecessor colleges: Canadian Mennonite Bible College (CMBC) and Mennonite Brethren Bible College (MBBC)/Concord College.

“The story of the character and quality of a university is made true through the lives of its alumni,” Pauls says. “CMU is honoured by the commitments and courage of this year’s Blazer Alumni Award recipients, and excited to see how their stories will inspire the faithfulness of later generations.”

Pauls will present the awards during CMU’s Opening Program at 7:00 PM on Saturday, September 26 in Marpeck Commons (2299 Grant Ave.) as part of CMU’s Fall Festival.

Prior to the Opening Program, the public is invited to meet and interact with Plenert, Woelk, Dyck, and the Fasts during an event at 4:00 PM in CMU’s Laudamus Auditorium (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.). During this hour, each recipient will be introduced, and each will reflect on their personal and professional journeys.

Information about the award recipients:

Larry Plenert CMBC 78)

Lawyer, teacher, coach, musician, Olympic athlete – Larry Plenert (CMBC ’78) has worn many hats. His 6’6” frame and prowess on the volleyball court earned him a spot on Canada’s national volleyball team starting in 1973, which led to competing in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal. After a short stint teaching, Plenert finished his Bachelor of Theology and then moved on to law school. Plenert practiced law in Abbotsford, B.C. for 27 years. Since 2008, he has worked as an adjudicator of claims of serious physical or sexual abuse by former students of Indian Residential Schools. He lives in Fort Langley, B.C.

Cheryl Woelk (CMU ’03)

Peacemaking, language, and education are interests that have continually woven together in the life of Cheryl Woelk (CMU ‘03). From 2002-08, she was a Mennonite Church Canada Witness Worker in Seoul, South Korea where she worked as education coordinator at the Korean Anabaptist Center and head teacher at Connexus, the English language school Woelk and her KAC colleagues founded. After earning a Master of Arts in Education, Woelk and her family moved to Saskatoon, SK. She is currently involved in a variety of projects there, including Language for Peace, which brings together teachers and learners interested in the connection of language, peace, and education from a Mennonite perspective.

Gerry Dyck (MBBC ’82)

Since graduating from MBBC, Gerry Dyck (’82) has fused his interest in business with his interest in international development to make a difference. Dyck is the co-founder and president of Kalora Interiors International, a business that specializes in décor solutions for the home furnishings industry. An offshoot of a multi-national non-profit charity called International Development Enterprises, Kalora was established to match the needs of suppliers from the developing world with the needs of customers in the Western world. Dyck is also involved with the Ontario Board of Church Extension, with a focus on church planting in large urban centres in Ontario. He lives in St. Jacobs, ON.

Arno and Lena Fast (MBBC ‘55)

Last year, Arno and Lena Fast (MBBC ‘55) celebrated their 85^th birthdays, their 60^th wedding anniversary, and 45 years of ministry at Salem Community Bible Church in Winnipeg’s North End. At a time when many are enjoying retirement, the Fasts remain committed to their work at the church. Salem was close to shutting its doors in 1969 when the Fasts began working there. Since then, the congregation has grown into a thriving, multicultural mix of 100 adults and children. Arno is currently mentoring his 32-year-old grandson into the ministry role at the church. “We don’t feel we’ve done anything exceptional,” Arno says. “We just followed the call of God.”

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

Tags Alumni Awards, Arno and Lena Fast, Blazer Awards, Distinguished Alumni, Gerry Dyck, Larry Plenert

General News News Releases

CMU’s 2015 Fall Enrolment Numbers Show Growth

Post author By CMU
Post date September 10, 2015

CMU logo

Preliminary fall enrolment at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) remains steady with a 1.5% enrolment increase in CMU degree programs, in addition to co-delivering a transition program with Peguis First Nation.

Preliminary numbers show 812 fall/winter Full Time Equivalent enrolments in combined Shaftesbury and Menno Simons campus offerings.

Final enrolment numbers will be confirmed in the upcoming weeks as registrations continue to be processed.

For information about CMU visit www.cmu.ca.

Tags enrolment

Events News Releases

Making Worship Services Sound Good Goal of Workshop

Post author By CMU
Post date August 28, 2015

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?

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.

Tags Christine Longhurst, Sounds Good

General News News Releases

Peacebuilding school directors excited about 2016 offerings after successful 2015 session

Post author By CMU
Post date August 17, 2015

When Darnell Barkman found out he would be home in Canada during the Canadian School of Peacebuilding (CSOP), he had to enrol.

Barkman was one of 84 students from around the world who gathered at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) June 15-26 for the school, which offers two weeks of five-day courses for peacebuilders from all faiths, countries, and identity groups.

Darnell Barkman was one of 84 students from around the world who took part in two weeks of CSOP programming for peacebuilders from all faiths, countries, and identity groups.

Originally from Abbotsford, BC, Barkman was in Canada on furlough after spending the past three years living in Manila, Philippines, working as a pastor and peacebuilder. It’s work he feels passionate about, but because the Anabaptist-peace position is a relatively new concept in the Philippines, it’s difficult at times.

“Peacebuilding can be very lonely work,” Barkman says, adding that in addition to learning from world-class instructors, the CSOP was massively energizing because it allowed him to connect with other peacebuilders. “It’s amazing. It’s what we need.”

Creating that sort of environment at the CSOP is key, says Valerie Smith, the school’s co-director.

“There are all kinds of ways to measure success, but to me the most important are how valuable people find their classes, and how engaged they are with their instructors and each other,” Smith says.

“The 2015 courses went very well. The instructors were a good fit, and we once again had a radically diverse student body, which adds to the richness in the classroom and in the CSOP community more generally.”

In addition to Canada and the U.S., the school included students from Nigeria, Somalia, South Africa, Vietnam, Iran, and elsewhere who travelled to Winnipeg to learn, network, and engage in peacebuilding.

Topics covered included women and peacebuilding; youth voices and peace activism; human rights and peace; conflict transformation; indigenous approaches to peace, justice, and friendship; biblical teachings of peace and justice; and peace psychology.

Instructors included Leroy Little Bear, one of the continent’s leaders in the advancement of North American Indian philosophy, and Christopher Marshall, a trained and accredited restorative justice facilitator who teaches at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand.

The 2015 CSOP also included a launch event for Voices of Harmony & Dissent: How Peacebuilders are Changing Their Worlds, a book exploring the stories, theory, and tools of 16 peace leaders, trainers, and activists from around the world.

Each contributor has taught at the CSOP. Smith edited the book with Richard McCutcheon and Jarem Sawatsky.

“All of the essays are written by deeply committed, experienced peacebuilders who are living what they teach,” Smith says, adding that the book was a few years in the making. “It’s really exciting to have it finished and available to the public.”

With the 2015 session over, Smith has turned her attention to the 2016 school. Registration is now open at www.csop.cmu.ca.

As they do every year, Smith and her colleagues have planned courses that feature exceptional instructors who are also strong peacebuilding practitioners.

CSOP always aims to provide a mix of courses that have to do with biblical and theological studies, basic peacebuilding skills, and indigenous issues.

“To be a peace school in this context with integrity, we have to do that,” Smith says.

This past April, CMU announced a new Masters of Arts in Peacebuilding and Collaborative Development, which bridges the fields of peacebuilding-conflict resolution studies and development-transformational justice studies.

Four of the courses the CSOP will offer in 2016 can be taken toward earning that MA.

“We hope that degree will enrich our programming, and that our programming will enrich that degree,” Smith says.

She adds that she is looking forward to next June.

“We’re really excited about the lineup. We’ve got fantastic people coming.”

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.

Tags Canadian School of Peacebuilding, CSOP, peacebuilding, Wendy Kroeker

General News News Releases

MSC Honours its First Distinguished Alumnus Award Recipient

Post author By CMU
Post date July 28, 2015

Menno Simons College is pleased to award the first Distinguished Alumnus Award to Noelle DePape who graduated with a double major in Conflict Resolution Studies and International Development Studies in 2003. The award honours graduates who exemplify the goals and values of Menno Simons College (MSC) in their life and work.

A commitment to bridge building, developing partnerships, and coalition work has been foundational for DePape, whose career has focused on working with immigrants and refugees.

Noelle DePape upon receiving the first Distinguished Alumnus Award to be presented by Menno Simons College

DePape is the Director of Training and Development at the Immigrant and Refugee Committee of Manitoba (IRCOM). The organization “strives to empower newcomer families to integrate into the wider community through affordable transitional housing, programs, and services.”

IRCOM is one organization in a wider network working towards creating safe and inclusive neighbourhoods in Winnipeg’s inner city, says DePape. She manages special projects, which encompasses developing projects to support newcomer families, creating partnerships with other organizations, and securing funding.

“My passion is working in the ‘intersections’,” she says. “In order to address complex social problems with multiple barriers, I believe we need to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders and look outside the box to find innovative and collective solutions.”

IRCOM’s second major housing project is underway as a result of a strong partnership with Manitoba Housing and Community Development. IRCOM Isabel will provide safe and affordable housing for 50-60 immigrant and refugee families and will also offer services and supports as these families adjust to life in Winnipeg.

The Newcomer Education Coalition (NEC) is another partnership that excites DePape, who currently co-chairs NEC with Reuben Garang. Many refugee children and youth have experienced interrupted schooling due to years of displacement and can face challenges when beginning school in Canada. In addition to language barriers, youth are placed in classes that may not correspond to prior learning though they are age-appropriate, and often do not have access to supports they need to succeed. Many newcomer youth feel marginalized in the school system and may not complete their education.

The NEC is comprised of 25 different stakeholders including representatives from schools, community organizations, ethnocultural groups, and individual newcomers who came to Canada as refugees, all of whom want to explore different education models for newcomers.

“We’re looking at creative models and adaptations that can better support these kids so they’ll have a higher chance of success,” says DePape. “We’ve seen that when they’re getting some extra help early on and have culturally proficient mentors, volunteers, or teacher’s assistants working with them, they’re doing a lot better.”

DePape is also passionate about UMOJA, a newcomer-police advisory group that seeks to build trust between police and newcomers in the community. UMOJA is a Swahili word that translates to “unity.” Newcomers who have come from countries experiencing conflict may feel unsafe around those in uniform, explains DePape. UMOJA works to provides opportunities for law enforcement members to become more culturally proficient by learning about newcomers realities and backgrounds. The advisory group hopes to help newcomers grow to feel they can trust the police and draw on police members as community peacekeepers.

Additionally, DePape works with other community change makers and like-minded groups, to provide opportunities for newcomer, indigenous and settler communities to connect through programs like the Youth Peacebuiding Project, the annual Across Cultures event and Open Roads Transformative writing program with Rossbrook House, and through partnerships with the Ka Ni Kanichihk and the Treaty Relations Commission of Manitoba.

“If we want to truly create an inclusive society, we must acknowledge the unique challenges and gifts of the different communities in our city, especially our indigenous peoples, and work together for social change.”

DePape was awarded the Rotary World Peace Fellowship to pursue a Master of International Relations–Peace and Conflict Resolution at the University of Queensland, Australia. She describes it as an incredible program that connected her with a global network of peacebuilders.

She highlights the importance of having communities of support that development and conflict resolution practitioners can vision and work within as they work on pursuing social justice. DePape finds motivation and strength from her co-workers and the newcomers with whom she works.

For those interested in working for positive change, DePape’s encouragement is: “Do what you feel comfortable with, then take one more step, and now you’re in the right place for beginning to change the flow of the status quo toward inclusion and justice.”

“I always encourage people to stretch a little more—stretch your mind, stretch your circles and most importantly speak against oppression, even when your voice shakes.”

Tags Distinguished Alumnus Award, Menno Simons College, MSC, Noelle DePape

Events General News News Releases

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

Post author By CMU
Post date July 27, 2015

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.

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.

Tags Canadian Peacebuilding and Conflict Studies Conference, conflict resolution, conflict studies, Global College, Menno Simons College, MSC, peacebuilding, Wendy Kroeker

Articles Student Profiles

Practicum Experience about Embracing the Moment

Post author By CMU
Post date July 21, 2015

Kathleen McCullough describes her practicum placement as a “home away from home.”

While completing the final year of her BA in Psychology at Canadian Mennonite University (CMU), McCullough volunteered with L’Arche, “an international organization of faith-based communities creating homes and day programs with people who have intellectual disabilities.”

The relational nature of a practicum with a L’Arche house in Winnipeg appealed to McCullough, who describes her placement as not necessarily having specific jobs, but helping to facilitate meeting the residents’ needs.

There are six L’Arche houses in Winnipeg, each with four to five core members, and a certain number of assistants and volunteers.

McCullough helped residents with day-to-day activities such as getting dressed, preparing for bed, or cooking meals. She developed friendships with the L’Arche residents through these activities and others such as games nights, watching movies, and birthday celebrations.

“It was about being with each other and embracing the moments that you have with each other … about being a home with people,” she says.

For McCullough, who describes herself as “big on relationships,” completing a practicum with L’Arche was an excellent choice. It also tied into her future plans—she’ll be pursuing further studies in education and aims to work as an assistant to children with disabilities in schools.

Anticipating this future work, McCullough says her practicum allowed her the opportunity to “figure out how to work with how [the residents] show their disability,” which she describes as a meaningful experience.

McCullough has been interested in psychology and the nature of relationships since high school. The psychology classes she’s taken at CMU focused on social relationships, counselling, and motivational psychology. The skills and tools she gained in the classroom were helpful in her placement, as the L’Arche community is composed of residents from diverse backgrounds.

“There’s so much diversity at L’Arche—different genders, faiths, cultural backgrounds,” she says. “L’Arche accepts everyone which is unique because [the diversity] makes the community at L’Arche so strong.”

For those who are planning their practicum, McCullough recommends choosing a practicum placement that will be meaningful.

“If you pick something that could lead toward your future vocational experience, that’s really important,” she says. “It makes it more enjoyable and you get more out of it.”

Ellen Paulley is a Writer and Social Media Coordinator at Canadian Mennonite University

Each of CMU’s Bachelor of Arts programs includes a practicum component that complements classroom education and allows students to gain hands on experience in their field. Learn more about CMU’s practicum program.

General News News Releases

CMU Announces its 2015 Leadership Scholarship Winners

Post author By CMU
Post date June 22, 2015

CMU is pleased to announce the recipients of its Leadership Scholarships: Naomi Klassen, a graduate of Calvin Christian Collegiate; Allegra Friesen-Epp, a Westgate Mennonite Collegiate graduate; Makoy Penner, a graduate of Dakota Collegiate; all three from Winnipeg; and Jenny Lopez, a Colegio Palermo graduate from Bogota, Colombia.

CMU's 2015 Leadership Scholarship winners: (counter-clockwise from top left) — CMU’s 2015 Leadership Scholarship winners: Naomi Klassen, Allegra Friesen-Epp, Makoy Penner, and Jenny Lopez (counter-clockwise from top left)

Four Leadership Scholarships are offered to students who demonstrate significant leadership ability, academic excellence, personal character, service, and vision. Worth up to $14,000 distributed over four years, the Leadership Scholarship is awarded to recent high school graduates.

“Each year CMU receives outstanding submissions for the Leadership Scholarship making it difficult to choose only four recipients,” says Lois Nickel, Director of Enrolment Services. “These students bring their gifts of leadership to our campus each fall and we are privileged to watch them grow into mature young adults who give back to their communities, churches, and our school.”

Students applying for the Leadership Scholarships are required to provide a resume of their leadership involvement in a variety of areas, along with two letters of recommendation, and an essay reflecting on a leader who inspires them.

Chosen leaders included Jesus, Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and leaders from the recipients’ personal lives.

All four recipients have applied their leadership skills in a variety of settings including in their schools, churches, and as volunteers. They have mentored others, been active in school committees, and served in their churches. Leading by example, nurturing teamwork, and advocating for causes they are passionate about are a few of the many leadership qualities demonstrated by the recipients.

Tags Calvin Christian School, CMU Leadership Scholarship, Westgate Mennonite Collegiate

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Artwork honouring CMU professor’s contribution to Hutterite community unveiled

Post author By CMU
Post date June 11, 2015

Hutterites thank John J. Friesen for teaching numerous courses over 14 years

Canadian Mennonite University President Cheryl Pauls and representatives from southern Manitoba’s Hutterite community unveiled a new artwork honouring a CMU professor last week.

Unveiled on Wednesday, June 3 in CMU’s new library, the artwork was commissioned by the Hutterian Brethren Education Committee in honour of John J. Friesen, Professor Emeritus of History and Theology, for his contribution to the Hutterite community.

Between 2000 and 2014, Friesen taught a number of Old Testament, Anabaptist, and Hutterite history courses to several hundred Hutterite teachers, pastors, and young people from across southern Manitoba, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

A close-up of the painting presented to CMU from — A close-up of the painting by Victor Kleinsasser presented to CMU from the Hutterian Brethern Education Committee.

The painting, created by Victor Kleinsasser of the Crystal Spring Community near Ste. Agathe, MB, depicts a group of Hutterites speaking with Friesen after one of their classes together.

Jesse Hofer, a CMU alumnus and member of the Hutterian Brethren Education Committee, said the painting represents the important relationship that has developed between Mennonites and Hutterites since Friesen taught his first course to Hutterites.

“The artistic contribution is a sign of our commitment to build and grow this relationship into the future,” Hofer said.

In addition to the artwork, the Hutterites made a $10,000 donation in Friesen’s name to help fund Marpeck Commons, the new library, learning commons, and bridge at CMU. Nearly 20 colonies contributed to the donation.

The Hutterian Brethren Education Committee surprised Friesen with the gift November 1, 2014 after he taught his final course with the Hutterites.

Speaking at the unveiling, Friesen thanked the Hutterian community for its generosity and hospitality, as well as the opportunity to teach them for 14 years.

“I learned so much from your communities, and in the process, made many friends,” Friesen said.

He added that ultimately, the event was not about him, but about the Hutterites.

“With the unveiling of this painting, you’re signalling I think publicly that you are continuing to embrace, incarnate, and communicate your rich spiritual heritage of communal living,” Friesen said.

Members of the Hutterian Brethern Education Committee with John J. Friesen (third from left) and CMU President Cheryl Pauls at the June 3 art unveiling.

“In a society that is highly individualist, economically and socially, you provide a successful alternative communal model. In a society that is consumer-oriented, you in many ways conserve resources through sharing and communal ownership. In a society that relegates faith into ever-smaller areas of private life, you’re committed to having faith permeate and shape all areas of your life. To me, this event signals that you do not want your heritage to become a revered relic of the past, but a rich resource for the future.”

CMU President Cheryl Pauls expressed her gratitude to the Hutterian community for its support and noted that at least four Hutterites have studied at CMU in recent years.

“Thanks also for your lives of faithfulness—to God, to one another, to the land, and to ways of discerning God’s word together through time,” Pauls said. “Thanks also for the ways you remember to live generously through time, to share again with one another and for sharing with us.”

Pauls added that Marpeck Commons—the building within which the new CMU library is located—takes its name from Pilgram Marpeck, a 16th century Anabaptist leader who brought together his faith and everyday life through his work as a civil engineer.

“The name of this building signifies through time that the vision here at Canadian Mennonite University extends far beyond us and reaches for something that learns from the community and isn’t about particular individuals in our own time,” Pauls said. “Thanks for the ways the Hutterian community remembers that through time and helps to sharpen the vision of CMU… We look forward to ongoing relationships and conversations with you.”

The Hutterian Brethren originated as the Austrian branch of the Anabaptist movement of the 16th century. Absolute pacifism and community of goods are key practices for the Hutterites, who live in rural communities made up of 50 to 150 people.

CMU’s relationship with the Hutterite community is ongoing. Harry Huebner, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Theology, will teach an introduction to philosophy course to members of the community in southern Manitoba beginning this summer.

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.

Tags CMU President Cheryl Pauls, Hutterian Brethren Education Committee, Hutterites, John J. Friesen

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Diverse new book explores peacebuilding around the world

Post author By CMU
Post date June 10, 2015

CMU to host launch of ‘Voices of Harmony & Dissent’ on Tuesday, June 16

A new book arising from Canadian Mennonite University’s (CMU) Canadian School of Peacebuilding (CSOP) explores the stories, theory, and tools of 16 peace leaders, trainers, and activists from around the world.

Voices of Harmony & Dissent: How Peacebuilders are Changing Their Worlds explores the stories, theory, and tools of 16 peace leaders, trainers, and activists from around the world.

Voices of Harmony & Dissent: How Peacebuilders are Changing Their Worlds was edited by Richard McCutcheon, Jarem Sawatsky, and Valerie Smith. The editors will celebrate the release of the book with a launch event happening Tuesday, June 16 at 7:00 PM in the Great Hall at CMU (500 Shaftesbury Blvd.). The event is free, and all are welcome to attend.

Offering an intriguing mix of styles and perspectives, the peacebuilders included in the book describe how they have used their creativity, compassion, and frustrations to learn how to peacefully engage and transform the world around them.

Each contributor has taught at the CSOP, which offers a selection of five-day courses each June.

Smith, co-director of the CSOP, says the book arose out of a desire to expose people to the amazing instructors who teach at the school.

“We have so many people who are interested in the CSOP, and so many who apply but don’t get a chance to come here for all sorts of reasons, like finances and visas,” Smith says. “We wanted to find a way to serve those people who can’t be here in person.”

Published by CMU Press, Voices of Harmony & Dissent includes contributions from Ovide Mercredi, former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations; Mubarak Awad, a Palestinian-American psychologist; Ouyporn Khuankaew, a Buddhist feminist activist from Thailand; Martin Entz, a professor in the Department of Plant Science at the University of Manitoba; Karen Ridd, Instructor in Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies at CMU; and more.

Through inspiring stories, the book takes readers on a journey of interrelated themes including women and peacebuilding, nonviolent action for social change, restorative justice, indigenous approaches to change, spirituality and creative arts, circle process, food security, mediation, intercultural peacebuilding, and truth and reconciliation.

While the style and topics of the essays are radically diverse, Smith says there are common themes that tie the collection together.

“All of the essays are written by deeply committed, experienced peacebuilders who are living what they teach,” she says.

Valerie Smith, co-director of the Canadian School of Peacebuilding, edited Voices of Harmony & Dissent with former CMU faculty Richard McCutcheon and Jarem Sawatsky.

Smith adds that she is looking forward to the book launch.

“In reading through these essays over and over again, I feel like I’ve learned a little bit about each contributor and what they have offered in their classes at the Canadian School of Peacebuilding,” she says. “That feels like a real gift. I’m excited to share that with the community and hear people’s feedback as they begin to read the book.”

Established in 2009, the CSOP is a learning community of diverse peacebuilders from all faiths, countries, and identity groups who come together to learn, network, and engage in peacebuilding.

Now in its seventh year, the 2015 CSOP courses will take place June 15-19 and June 22-26.

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.

Tags Canadian School of Peacebuilding, CSOP, Jarem Sawatsky, peacebuilding, Val Smith