Place of Meeting December 2014

Place of Meeting

Come to Bethlehem and see ...

How fitting that in recent weeks and as Advent begins we have been given a glimpse of the struggles that still engulf the places where Jesus and his disciples walked –– to reflect on the Exodus of old, the conflicts that turn people’s lives upside-down today, and on our calling to both share our resources and work toward reconciliation and a more just and peaceful world. This month, we look forward to getting a closer glimpse of the setting into which Jesus was born, through our journey through the scriptures of Advent, by placing ourselves in Bethlehem Village, and retelling the story of the birth that would change everything.

Toronto United Mennonite Church

December 2014

Place of Meeting

Scene around TUMC

is the meaning of the Huron word “toronton,” from which our city gets its name. Fittingly, it can also mean “plenty” or “abundance.”

Place of Meeting is also the monthly newsletter of Toronto United Mennonite Church. May you find plenty here to enjoy and ponder. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and not necessarily of the congregation as a whole.

Contributions of all kinds are enthusiastically received, through the mail folder in the lobby or at dmartens@pathcom.com Next deadline Dec. 30, 2014 Have you discovered the allcolour online version of Place of Meeting, complete with live weblinks? Check this month’s issue out here: issuu.com/pomeditor/docs/ pom_dec_2014l You can also request an email subscription to the colour version in PDF form or a monthly link to the current online issue. Please send a request to dmartens@pathcom.com Editor: Doreen Martens

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MCC Lebanon representatives Naomi and Doug Enns reflect on the Advent message of hope in the face on ongoing tragedy and suffering in Syria on Nov. 30; flowers and candles are placed to remember loved ones on Eternity Sunday, Nov. 23; youth lead children’s time on Peace Sunday, Nov. 9.

What was it like at the time of Jesus?

On Dec. 14, TUMC’s sanctuary will be transformed into Bethlehem Village, a humble attempt to re-create a sense of the atmosphere and culture into which Jesus was born. Scripture itself provides only a hint of what ordinary life was like back then, but quite a bit is known, and some of it even replicated at the remarkable Nazareth Village in modern-day Israel. Michele provides us with a little background into the life Jesus knew as a child growing up in Galilee.

By Michele Rizoli

M

ary and Joseph were Palestinian Jews, who lived in a village in Galilee in the first century. They were part of a peasant society, which means that people lived off of what they could produce for themselves (planting, weaving, pottery, carpentry, etc.) and what they were able to trade or sell at the market.

Their communities were close-knit and their houses were clustered together, “partly for security and friendship, and partly to preserve the land for farming.” Most houses had an open courtyard, where the cooking was done in clay pots over an open fire and where the family could take advantage of the weather and the light of day. When it was dark they would use oil lamps or candle that would cast a circle of light. There were smaller rooms for storage and sleeping. The floors were probably packed dirt and ash. The roof was flat and could be used to dry clothes or grain or fruit.

People from the village would do a lot of their work together. Sometimes there was an oven shared by several families, or there might be a common wine press or a mill to grind grain or make olive oil. The village well was a gathering place where people would come to get their water but also to exchange news with their neighbours a few times a day.

If a town was big enough, it would have a synagogue. “In Jesus’ time, synagogues served several purposes: as a courthouse, a gathering place for prayer and the reading of the Torah, a community center for conducting business and celebrations, and a school for children and youth.”

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What was it like at the time of Jesus?

It was a simple, sustainable life, but it was complicated by the fact that they lived under the domination of the Roman Empire, and that meant taxes (on produce, sales taxes, temple taxes, occupational taxes, custom taxes, transit taxes, and many others) and the constant presence of Roman occupiers. The census that Mary and Joseph had to take part in was likely part of this taxation scheme. Rome appointed Jewish leaders in Palestine, and at the time of Jesus it was the family of Herod the Great who ruled on Rome’s behalf.

Herod governed with an iron hand and mercilessly executed anyone who threatened him.

Not surprisingly, in those days there was a lot of dissatisfaction and a lot of political unrest, which often led to violence. This is why Mary sings about the powerful being brought down from their thrones, the lowly being lifted up and the hungry being filled with good things. This is why Jesus’ coming brought with it so much hope for change and liberation.

Sources: The Nazareth Jesus Knew, Nazareth Village, 2006.

Behind Luke’s Gospel: The Roman Empire During the Time of Jesus http://www.patheos.com/blogs/thepangeablog/articles/unpublished-papers/behind-lukes-gospelthe-roman-empire-during-the-time-of-jesus/ Women at the time of the Bible, Miriam Feinberg Vamosh

Thanks to Michele Rizoli and Marilyn Zehr for photos from Israel and Nazareth Village on these pages.

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Your invitation to Bethlehem

By Brad Lepp

T

his year's intergenerational Christmas event invites you to come and be a witness to the birth of our Saviour. When you arrive at between 6:006:30pm on December 14th, the main floor meeting room will be transformed into a Biblical-era marketplace, complete with vendors, an inn, animals, and soldiers to give you a rough time. We are aiming to create an atmospheric experience that allows us all to play a role in our familiar Christmas narrative.

Are we going for historically accurate? No. And we want to be sensitive about not trying to expropriate or treat lightly the cultures and traditions of the peoples from the era or region. We are hoping that enough of the flavour will be present to help us engage our imagination and shift our understanding of what this event was like for those who experienced it.

A modern day view of an ancient landscape in the Holy Land.

How to prepare: Costumes are encouraged but not mandatory. Come a little early if you're going to change at the church. See below for ideas.

Feel free to invite friends and family to come along. Share this article and recommend they come in costume too.

Bring a little money should you wish to buy anything at the market. They don't take plastic.

With the Roman empire occupying vast reaches of the known world, Judaea was a crossroads of diverse cultures coming and going. Feel free to wear traditional dress from any Middle East-North Africa culture you think would fit in. If you would like to prepare something, a simple Google search will turn up a wealth of resources, sewing patterns, and instructional videos on YouTube. With a pretty simple base foundation, there are lots of options to make it unique to fit your tastes.

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Your invitation to Bethlehem Some people may have assigned roles. If not, you may wish to think through a little character preparation in advance. What is your role in this society? How do you feed and clothe yourself? What is your status?

Do you live in Bethlehem, or just visiting for the market or the census? The answers to some of these questions might inform how you interact with others during the evening.

If you have questions or ideas, feel free to email Brad: bradlepp@gmail.com

Other things we need: Please write your name all items, and leave them after church on the 14th.

Baskets Woven Area rugs Large pillows for sitting on Wooden crates

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C.A. DeFehr (1879-1979) A life in three acts: Europe, North America, South America

By Faye Tiessen “Although C.A. DeFehr was perhaps the most successful Mennonite Brethren businessman of his generation, he never lost his capacity to identify with people in many different circumstances. He was a true servant of his people.”

Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopaedia Online gameo.org

B

ill DeFehr related his grandfather’s story in a wellresearched presentation at Heritage Club recently.

Cornelius Abraham DeFehr was born in 1881 in Einlage, Chortiza colony, South Russia, to A.A. DeFehr and Helena (Peters) Defehr. In 1883, the family moved to 500 acres in Petrovka, in the new settlement of Naumenko,where they lived for 16 years. C.A, and his brother Abram attended Banteschevo private school,which had been established by a wealthy, highly educated Russian landowner. The principal introduced the brothers as Germans (Mennonites spoke German in their churches), but he emphasized that they were Russian in that they were more hospitable to their Russian neighbours than some Mennonites. C.A. always admired the Russians for their hospitality.

lished. In 1932, an Edmonton branch was establishedm with Saskatoon, Regina and Calgary following. Sons Abram, Cornelius (1933) and William, Bill’s dad (1934), joined the family business, which grew to the point that in 1965, 24,000 copies were distributed of a 65-page company catalogue. An office car picked up the “bosses” (C.A.’s sons) each morning and evening for transport to the business.

In 1901, C.A. became a believer. He met “meine Liese” (Elizabeth Dyck) in choir and they married in 1903. With his brother-in-law and father-in-law (Wilhelm Isaac Dyck), he opened an implement dealership in Millerowo.

But during the Communist revolution he had to flee in 1919 to the Kuban district. On the way to Kuban, a 12day trip, C.A. was very sick. The doctor accompanying him was taken by the military.

In the 1930s, C.A. at first found things to admire about Adolf Hitler, but when he heard Hitler speak on a trip to Germany in 1937, he decided that admiration was misplaced.

In Kuban, he served as choir conductor, and in 1922 became responsible for Mennonite Relief Committee food distibution during the famine. After attending the last Mennonite Church conference in Moscow, in 1925, C.A. applied to leave Russia, since it was too dangerous to stay. He longed hoped to return, and kept renewing his passport for many years.

In 1947, C.A. made the first of four trips to Paraguay on behalf of MCC. He stayed 11 months and helped with business decisions for the 2,303 post-war Russian Mennonite immigrants arriving from Germany on the ship Volendam. In 1948, as he and Liese travelled in an open railway vehicle, Liese was badly hurt as the vehicle left the rails and overturned.

The family arrived in Gnadenthal, in southern Manitoba, in September. C.A. began selling products imported from Europe. In 1926 the family moved to Winnipeg, where his Standard Importing and Sales Company was estab-

In 1952, C.A. was part of a team of six that returned to South America. He became a founding member of MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates), an organization founded to provide venture cap-

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A life in three acts

Don’t Miss!

Dec. 14 Advent III - Bethlehem Village (evening) Dec. 21 Advent IV C.A. and Elizabeth DeFehr.

Dec. 24 Christmas Eve Candlelight Lessons & Carols Jan. 4 Note: NO TAIZE SERVICE Jan. 18 World Fellowship Sunday Feb. 1 Taize service, 7 p.m.

Feb. 15 MCC focus on Migrants

ital and business expertise to aid development in the Paraguayan colonies and later many other countries. In 1958, C.A. and Liese made their last trip to Paraguay,where they saw the significant progress that had taken place since 1947.

Elizabeth died in 1972, C.A.in 1979.

Here are some of the positions of responsibility he held over a lifetime of service: 1919-1924 Representative and Counsellor for Kuban Mennonite Conscientious Objectors 1922-1925 Kuban-Terek representative of American Mennonite relief 1930-1955 Member and treasurer of M.B.City Mission Board 1930-1956 Member and treasurer of Mary-Martha Home 1938-1952 Member of the Mennonite Collegiate Institute Board 1940-1960 Executive board member of the Canadian Mennonite Board of Colonization 1940-1960 Member of the Mennonite Relief Committee (now MCC) 1944-1960 Treasurer of the Canadian M.B. Conference Board 1945-1960 Founding member of M.B. Collegiate Institute 1945-1966 Member and chair of the board of Christian Press Board 1945-1966 Founding member of M.B. Bible College 1947-1964 Treasurer of Mennonite Central Relief Committee (MCC) 1949-1966 Deacon of Elmwood M.B. Church 1952 Founding member of the MEDA board of directors 1960-1964 Vice chair of the Mennonite Relief and Immigration Council C.A. DeFehr truly was “a servant of his people.”

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Milestones On Nov. 16, we celebrated a joyous child dedication with Joel and Heather Gerber and their son Isaac, and with David and Damaris Schmucker and their son Eli. Below, two significant convocation ceremonies for TUMCers: Pastor Marilyn Zehr was awarded her master’s degree in theology and a diploma in spiritual direction from Regis College, and Courtney Cauthon received her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. Congratulations to all!

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‘We Care’ Weekend

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On November’s ‘We Care’ weekend, adults and kids alike had a chance to do something to aid people displaced by conflict and natural disaster.

Venture Club kids (Saturday) and junior highs (Sunday) helped assemble hygiene kits from supplies donated

by TUMCers. Photos

by Andrew Sloss and Ken Salsman .

‘We Care’ weekend

On Sunday, caring melded with worship as adults and children were invited to quietly come up during the service and put a few stitches into one of two knotted comforters to be donated to MCC. In the afternoon, the GERMS and their parents took part in a refugee simulation exercise in small groups, learning about the challenges of being a refugee, and were riveted as Elizabeth Ajak told her own story of exodus from Sudan.

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Scene around TUMC Greetings!

The peripatetic Peter Haresnape could easily call himself TUMC’s ambassador to the world. He’s always being asked to give greetings to us from the places he visits. So herewith, some hellos from: Hamilton Mennonite Church, which he visited on Oct. 30 for a Peace, Pies and Prophets CPT fundraiser, along with The Commons and Eucharist Church.

Nutana Park Mennonite Church, Saskatoon, which he visited Nov. 8-9, again for Peace, Pies and Prophets and for the Sunday service. “I also visited Ariane Wichert, who sends greetings to the congregation and appreciation to those who have sent her messages.”

North Leamington United Mennonite Church, where he preached Nov. 16 at the invitation of Pastor Alicia Good, formerly of TUMC.

Want to see ‘the world’?

Several TUMCers have expressed interest in attending next July’s Mennonite World Conference assembly in Harrisburg, Pa., and a few have already registered.

For the sake of fellowship, sharing information and logistics like car-pooling, we’d love to know who else is pondering going.

Top: Geisa Roveri leads a band of Israelites on the Exodus through the (plastic) waters of the Red Sea during children’s time on Nov. 16. Above: junior high students read scripture during the Nov. 9 worship service.

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If you have signed up, are planning to go or even just thinking about it at this stage, please let us know. You can send an email to dmartens4@cogeco.ca, or just talk to one of us at church. We’ll put a list together. Thanks!

–– Marie Penner & Doreen Martens

Scene around TUMC

Top: Venture Club kids made punchedtin lanterns for a harvest festival outing at the Alexander-Unger farm back in October. (Thanks to Ken Salsman for photos.) Michele Rizoli metaphorically described an unravelling world during her Peace Sunday sermon on Nov. 9, to be restored by the quiet crochet work of Anita Tiessen. And the TUMC strings accompanied worship and Communion beautifully –– as always –– on Nov. 30, the first Sunday of Advent.

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Joy to the World!

A 47-year TUMC tradition carried on in harmonious style on Nov. 30 as J.D. Penner, following in his late dad’s footsteps, led the annual Advent Carol Sing from a stool while recovering from a car crash.

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