Windsor Mennonite Fellowship

01/01/2026

For those wondering why we haven't updated our public church page - we've been unable to regain administrative access to our page for unknown reasons. Please visit our website windsormenno.ca or email the church at [email protected] for more information about our church.

Please join our active page at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556109341904

Windsor Mennonite Fellowship is a Jesus-centred community rooted in Anabaptist values.

Visit us Sunday Mornings at 10am

(This is our official page. We are locked out of our other public page)

09/30/2023

WMF Updates for Sunday, Oct 1st, 2023

This weekend Pastor Rielly and Faith are getting married on Saturday, Congratulations! We wish them the best and a great time away on their honeymoon. And since they are gone I (Nate Hope) will be sharing a message and guiding our discussion. For the past while I've felt drawn to speaking about less common topics and also Anabaptist history. This week I was drawn to the theme of conflict within the church. How do we deal with harm within the church? Lots of people have been hurt. What's up with that?! How might the church deal with troubling situations within? Let's talk about it! Hope to see you there!

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 5:1-8, Genesis 50:15-21, Romans 14:1-12, and Matthew 18:21-35

09/23/2023

WMF Updates for Sunday, September 24th 2023

In preparation for this Sunday, I’d like us to listen with open hearts to the voices and stories of LGBTQ+ Christians.

This week, local and national demonstrations have disturbed me deeply. The stories of violence and hatred perpetuated against beloved children of God during these demonstrations, even locally, have stopped me dead in my tracks.

As a tradition guided by the peace teachings of Jesus, and after some reflection and prayer, I’ve decided to change course for this weekend’s gathering. Instead of sharing my own message, I’d rather we learn from Q***r voices of Faith. Together, we will listen to their stories and discern the voice of the Spirit from their instruction.

In case you didn’t catch that, yes (whether naysayers like it or not), the Body of Christ is filled with gifted, brilliant, loving, Spirit-filled people on the LGBTQ+ spectrum.

I’d like to share two video teachings/stories with you, one for viewing now (pre-service) and one for viewing Sunday morning.

Our pre-service video teaching/story is from Dr. Roberto Che Espinoza. Dr. Espinoza is a Non-binary Transgender Q***r Latinx theologian. I personally corresponded with Roberto in June when they became a trans refugee who needed to flee violence and threats of violence while living in their hometown of Nashville.

Watch and listen to Dr. Espinoza here (trigger warning - discussion about sexual and physical abuse): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6LV2KRU40g

The second video (for Sunday morning) is an interview with our familiar friend Padraig O’Tuama about being Gay and Christian in Ireland.

Please consider the following questions for discussion when we gather:

- After listening to Roberto & Padraig, what have you learned about the lived experience of Q***r followers of Jesus?

- Did you learn something new? Did something you already knew sink a bit deeper?

- What can the whole Body of Christ learn from Transgender and Q***r Christians?

See you at 10AM, friends.

Rielly

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(Image: From https://inthistogethernetwork.ca/ designed by q***r, Toronto-based graphic designer Jon Owen, this logo merges the imagery of the dove and the rainbow, creating a single icon of a dove with its wings spread. The wings wrap along the word mark, suggesting a loving embrace and peaceful acceptance. The colours' flow also mimics the embrace of the dove.)

 We envision and work toward a just world where LGBTQ+ people are fully integrated, recognized, respected, and valued in a spirit of mutuality in Anabaptist communities in Canada.

09/16/2023

WMF Update for Sunday, Sept 17th 2023

This weekend, Karen Guenther will be sharing a message with us and guiding our discussion. Below are her reflections and questions for your consideration. Hope to see you there! - Rielly

P.S. A friendly reminder to bring your gently used clothing to church for weekly donations to St. Vincent De Paul.


Theme: Faith Formation

Scripture: Psalm 78:1-4;12-16, Philippians 2:1-13

What is Faith Formation and how is it important and relevant to our lives as part of the Christian church, both globally and locally? Faith Formation is the name that church organizations and universities/seminaries use for Christian Education. Materials for study are produced that speak to the faith journeys of the various age groups: children, youth, adults and families. I would like to look at two Scripture passages that speak to this topic and perhaps give us some examples and insight about how to nurture and sustain faith in our time and place.

Questions to consider for discussion:

What or who have been some significant influences in the formation of your faith?

What are some questions you have grappled with/are grappling with as you continue on this journey?

What are some examples in which we can engage with others to help bring about social change?

09/09/2023

WMF for Sunday, September 10th, 2023

To the lovely people of WMF,

I hope September has been good to you thus far!

Last Sunday, we began a discussion on identity (who am I?), community (who are we?), and purpose (what am I/we doing together?). Since it was Labour Day Weekend, we examined biblical images for ‘work’, its goodness and corruption. Depending on our theology and understanding of work, it can grow or stifle our identity, community, and purpose. Thank you for your insights and wisdom as we wrestled through its nuances together.

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The Sacrament of Friendship

This Sunday, we will discuss what I’d like to call ‘The Sacrament of Friendship.’ In other words, friendship as a means of God’s grace. Working at healthy friendship and understanding the various spheres of friendship is a flowing river of God’s grace in our lives.

Friendship is another part of identity, community, and purpose not often considered. Have you noticed how churches and our modern world don’t write, talk, or think much about friendship? Friendship seems to be something taken for granted, assumed, or dismissed as secondary in the hustle of life.

Despite the scant thought and attention given to the concept of friendship, I would argue it is a profound and central piece of the human experience – operating often behind the scenes. Empires have risen and fallen on friendships. Famous art, literature, and cultural movements are the result of friendships. Societies and communities are formed by friendships – for good or for ill.

The Bible speaks frequently about friendship, too – perhaps we have forgotten the power and ancient wisdom across cultures and times concerning friendship. Irish wisdom teacher John O’Donoghue says the ancient Celts called it the anam cara (“soul friend”). Other Christian communities in history named it after the Latin term custos animae (“guardian of the soul”). The Hebrew Scriptures say friendship is “one who is as your own soul” (Deut 13:6). Of the many descriptions, it is clear that throughout history, humanity has treated friendship as the knitting of souls, a powerful and sacred part of life.

What does friendship mean for you?

As we unpack this together, there are no wrong answers when speaking from your feelings and experience. It may stir up pain (as it does for me), but through our questions and reflections, perhaps the Spirit can give us a healing vision for friendship along the Jesus-way.

See you tomorrow at 10am!

P.S. Remember to bring your gently used or new clothing for donation to St. Vincent De Paul. Please direct any questions to Daniel Edwards ([email protected]).

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Art by Julia Roach “Anam Cara”

09/01/2023

WMF Updates for Sunday, September 3rd, 2023
(requests and service opportunities at the end of this message)

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And like that, September is upon us once again!

I’ve never been able to shake those back-to-school vibes when September rolls around. The mixed feelings of nostalgia, eagerness, anticipation, and nervous energy (the fear I couldn’t work the combination to my hallway locker) still linger when the cool breeze of Fall returns. But this year is slightly different; my back-to-school vibes are focused on the anticipated return of Sunday church services at Windsor Mennonite. We're back!

I’ve missed all of you and our weekly church gatherings; its absence has deepened my fondness for you and our spiritual community. We have something special at WMF, and I am eager to see where the Wild Goose will take us. I know many of you were grateful for our new Summer Sabbath rhythm, and I also know others of you were feeling the absence of your church family. Both are important indicators that validate our life together as a faith community!

With all that being said, this Sunday, September 3rd, at 10AM is our official regathering. I really hope you can make it for our Labour Day Weekend kickoff. It will be good to be together.

I would like to begin this opening service to our new season by charting a general course for our Sunday morning reflections and discussions. If you’ve done any travelling this summer, you know the importance of having directions. We need some kind of path. There will be welcome tangents and side-quests, but I hope we can reflect and grow together in a similar direction.

Along with a Labour Day Weekend message, I'd like to have an opening discussion and debrief about your experience of our church-wide Sabbath in August to catch us up with one another:

What was life-giving in August? (consolation)
What was uncomfortable? (desolation)
Where did you notice or experience the presence of God? (consolation)
Where did you feel an absence of God? (desolation)
Did you learn anything new about yourself, church, and/or rest during this time away from our regular weekly gathering?
What insights, lessons, or new energy are you bringing into the Fall season at WMF, your career, school, or life?

Feel free to pick a few questions (or others!) for reflection and/or sharing during our Sunday discussion. We are a community of mutual learners and discerners; we welcome your voice and your presence.

Anticipating the joy of being together,
Pastor Rielly

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Announcements, Requests for Help, and Opportunities to Serve:

REQUEST for DONATIONS - We’re pleased to announce our September Spectacular clothing drive. Each Sunday in September, we will be accepting slightly used or new clothing donations. Please bring your donations with you to the church on Sunday. We will be donating this clothing to St. Vincent De Paul every week. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions.

REQUEST - We are slowly transitioning to using the new Mennonite hymnal, Voices Together. If you have already purchased Voices Together for personal use, could you bring it with you to church each Sunday? We currently have a limited number of new hymnals, and bringing your own would help keep the rest available for newcomers or anyone who hasn’t purchased one. Thanks in advance for your help. We welcome donations for buying the new church hymnals for everyone’s use (designate your gift to “New Hymnals” in your offering). If you’d like to purchase your own personal hymnal, you can order them through Menno Media at this link: https://www.mennomedia.org/9781513805535/voices-together-pew-edition/

OPPORTUNITIES to SERVE - Several areas in the church need your gifts, time, love, and talents. Please speak with me (Rielly) if you are interested in serving within these areas: Children’s Ministry, Hospitality (Sunday Greeting/Coffee/Potlucks), Church Cleaning/Maintenance, Sunday Transportation, Worship Leadership, or Music. If none of these areas catch your attention but you’d still like to serve, please get in touch with me, and we’ll discern opportunities together. ([email protected])

08/16/2023

BBQ at WMF!

Even though we don't have Sunday morning services during the month of August, we still want to see you!

Would you join us at the church (1709 George Ave) this Saturday August 19th at 1pm for a BBQ lunch?

We’ll be providing a hot dog and sausage lunch. Feel free to bring a dish to share or just come by and enjoy some free food and good company.

Please contact Daniel ([email protected]) if you have any questions.

08/05/2023

Hey Friends! Just a reminder there will be no Sunday morning gathering at the church for the month of August. We encourage you to get together with friends and family to rest and celebrate. The leadership will keep you posted about additional gatherings over the summer.

07/29/2023

WMF for July 30th 2023
Change Theory: Repentance
Isaiah 30:1-18, Luke 3:2-18

Greetings Church Family,

Have you ever considered how ‘change’ happens? How do people change? How do churches change? How do societies change? How does change work? What brings about change? Why is there often a resistance to change, despite change being an inevitable part of life?

It’s important to note, change itself is not a virtue. Change does not necessarily equal improvement. Similar to change, growth isn’t always positive. Afterall, cancer also grows. Growing for the sake of growing isn’t inherently good. Think of our environment: the climate is changing, but not in a way that leads to global flourishing. So it is with all of life – change happens, and it may lead us toward life or death; life or death within creation, relationships, hearts, minds, bodies, churches, and societies.

What I’m interested in exploring this weekend is the nature of change, and how it happens for the sake of life; life with God and one another.

Change itself is not the end game, but it can be (what Jesus calls) ‘the Way’ to particular outcomes. This is why Jesus called himself the Way. The Way of Jesus is a way of changing, growing, and re-forming together in the direction of the life of the Spirit’s healing and liberation. This kind of change makes us participants in God’s presence on earth as it is in heaven.

On Sunday, I’d like to have a conversation about some theories of change and I’d also like to hear from you: How/why do you think people change? What brings about change, both positively and negatively? How do groups of people change? Churches? Institutions? Societies?

I look forward to listening and learning from your questions and reflections during our discussion. See you tomorrow at 10AM!

Rielly

Image: Street Artist, MEEK ‘begging for change

07/21/2023

Hi folks! This Sunday Karen will be sharing a message and guiding our discussion. Below are some of her thoughts and questions to prepare you for Sunday’s service.

The Practice of Peace
Scripture: Psalm 85:8-13; John 14:25-27; Philippians 4:7-9

I would like to explore the area of Pacifism, and more specifically Non-violent Resistance, as it relates to our faith and as a strategy for dealing with conflict in our world. We will look at what constitutes peacebuilding, why is it important and, through a short video and examples, learn how the approach of non-violent resistance can be a tool for change in our daily lives.

Questions to ponder:
Do you think non-violent action is an effective tool to solve conflicts?
Do you have an experience to share in which you were involved?
Do you have suggestions about how one might foster attitudes and actions that lead to peace, between countries, between cultures, between neighbours and family members?

Service time- 10AM
Windsor Mennonite Fellowship- 1709 George Ave.