Women’s Chorus Celebrates 30 Years of Ministry

July 7th
Women’s Chorus Celebrates 30 Years of Ministry

Sixty-five singers came together at Bethel Mennonite Church on May 9 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Faith and Life Women’s Chorus. The 35 current choristers and 30 alumni were joined by the four conductors the choir has had in its three decades of ministry within Mennonite Church Manitoba.

The agenda for the event was simple: sing together. Each conductor—Shirley Bestvater, Arlene Kroeker, Millie Hildebrand, and Janet Brenneman (see image)—worked with the choir on a piece they had chosen from their era. The choir then recorded the pieces for archival purposes. A coffee break partway through the rehearsal, plus a dinner catered by the church, provided plenty of opportunity to reminisce.

“I loved that so many of the alumni came back for an afternoon of singing,” says Janet, current conductor of the Women’s Chorus. “There was no pressure for performance; it was simply a time set aside for doing what the FLWC does best—singing and learning together.”

Theresa Klassen, co-chair of the choir executive, adds, “I have been fortunate to sing under all four of the conductors of this choir, and singing for each of them again reminded me of what I loved about each conductor’s individual style and gifts.”

The Women’s Chorus was created in 1996 after a group of women, led by Wilma Poetker, proposed to MCM leadership that a women’s choir should be created to run parallel to the longstanding Male Choir. The choir’s first performance took place on June 14, 1996, in an outdoor tent at the Forks in Winnipeg for a Mennonite Central Committee relief sale.

Highlights for the choir since its inception include three tours, most notably a European tour in 2013, and the many visits to MCM churches and personal care homes. “It’s good for congregations to see that their members are active in the work of the church outside of Sunday mornings,” says Janet. “I also see this as bringing together the community of congregations that’s spread across our province.”

The relationships formed within the choir are also noteworthy. “Sometimes the greatest moments happen when we are not singing,” says Theresa. “The personal sharing and the uplifting of each other is one of the things that makes the FLWC so special. To be a part of a group of women who truly love and care for each other is so enriching to my life, and I believe that is what keeps all of us coming back.”

Thinking back to the day of celebration, Janet says, “As I heard reflections from current and past singers throughout the day, and as I witnessed the joy on each other’s faces as we sang together and visited over coffee and a delicious meal, it was so clear to me that the FLWC serves a broader purpose to demonstrate love and care for each other as sisters in Christ’s church.”

If you are interested in joining either the Women’s Chorus or our Male Choir for the 2026-27 season, contact the MCM office. If you are interested in supporting financially this unique and important ministry of our regional church, see www.mennochurch.mb.ca/giving.

Annual Symposium Draws Indigenous Theological Voices Together

July 14th
Annual Symposium Draws Indigenous Theological Voices Together

Mennonite Church Manitoba Director of Mission Engagement, Melanie Neufeld, and Mennonite Church Canada’s Indigenous Relations Coordinator, Jonathan Neufeld, (photo includes Lucia Eitzen, from the BC Indigenous Relations Task Group) joined participants from around the world in early June for the annual NAIITS Symposium. The symposium was held this year on the campus of Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, June 4-6, with the theme, “Being a Good Ancestor.”

NAIITS, a division of Indigenous Pathways, encourages Indigenous communities in the development and articulation of Indigenous perspectives on theology and practice. NAIITS works in partnership with other academic institutions to offer masters and doctoral programs, and the organization hosts this annual symposium to bring together Indigenous theological voices around a particular theme.

“The range of Indigenous voices on biblical and theological questions that NAIITS gathers from around the world is unparalleled,” says Jonathan. “Beyond Turtle Island we heard voices from regions such as Australia, New Zealand, Bolivia, Taiwan, and the Philippines.”

“The Indigenous experience of faith—so profound, rooted and grounded in tradition—is inspiring to me,” says Melanie. “I am in awe with all the work they are doing and the connections they are making to their heritage.”

The personal connections made by Melanie and Jonathan at the symposium will have a significant impact on their work in their respective roles, as well as the work of the Mennonite Coalition for Indigenous Solidarity here in Manitoba and that of other working groups across MC Canada.

“It is something to go all the way to Nova Scotia in order to meet people from Manitoba,” Jonathan says. “NAIITS Symposiums are that kind of gathering—that alternative space that brings together folks living and working in a variety of spaces, but have a shared interest in Indigenous theological voices. This is growing our regional networks in a good way.”

Melanie notes the importance of MCM and MC Canada participation in these kinds of events. “We are committed to reconciliation as a church,” she says. “These events provide an opportunity for our transformation as we learn from Indigenous people of faith.”

“Where else can we bear witness to a global Indigenous ecumenical gathering, which lifts up new and emerging Indigenous biblical and theological work?” Jonathan adds. “NAIITS celebrates the perspective of Indigenous voices that do not have to leave Indigeneity at the door in order to be valid, but stands on the truth that Creator was revealed in Indigenous traditions before Christianity arrived on their shores.”

Let’s continue to pray and work for reconciliation with Indigenous people and communities. If you want some practical ideas for how you can do that in your church, contact Melanie at the MCM office. If you’d like to support this important work financially, see www.mennochurch.mb.ca/giving.