WildWords: Sermons from Wildwood Mennonite Church

Boundaries and lines serve a purpose: creating identity, making safe spaces to learn and grow, for protecting the vulnerable and using power appropriately--”elbows up!” And yet, from the beginning, God has always been present and moving beyond the lines we draw for ourselves and others. As we follow the biblical story, we can hear the voice of God constantly whispering "wider!"

What are you worth? In our world, so much of our value--how we see others and ourselves--is dependent on what we produce and contribute. Those who earn and build and create and help are valued and those who are seen as needing support and taking up resources are treated as problems to be fixed. What's behind that way of seeing the world? And is there a better way, not just for those with disability but for all of us?

The bible contains perspectives and language that both uplifts and, unfortunately, marginalizes people with disability. How do we change the narrative and create welcoming, inclusive spaces in the church? As the Beloved Community, we are called to recover these safe spaces, bring people back into belonging, and journey with those who are struggling to fit into a world that ignores or silences them.

What instructs you when you pray for others, particularly persons with disabilities? Could Jesus' words to Bartemaeus be a model for us? Audrey Mierau Bechtel shared our 5 Minute Focus on this brunch Sunday.

This sermon marks the beginning of our spring series, "The Whole Body: Towards Deeper Inclusion for All of Us" on disability and accessibility in the church. For this first Sunday, we were pleased to have Steve Grove as our guest speaker. Steve works as the manager of Camp Easter Seal, and he reflects on his work at the camp and as a pastor, drawing our attention to the story in John 9 and reminding us of our inherent worth with Ephesians 2:10 - "For you are God's masterpiece..."

This Resurrection Sunday, we're invited to the empty tomb to see and share the good news that Jesus is alive. We remember and honour the scars and wounds that we bear, and we remember that we bear the scarred image of the selfless Divine. In today's troubled and hurting world, what is the good news? How do we participate in the joy of liberation and live lives of selfless love?

The first Palm Sunday was a festive day of cheers, songs, and... tears? Even before the cries of "Hosanna" give way to the betrayals and trials of Holy Week, Jesus is defying the expectations of friends and foes alike. Why did everyone seem to miss what Jesus was doing and saying in these final days of his life? Do we see and hear any better or do our own expectations get in the way of seeing things clearly?

This Sunday we welcomed Dwight Eisler and his friend Lynal Ernest.From Dwight:Our lent season has the theme “Christ Collides” and this week it is “Christ collides with Our Blinders”. I think in some way we all struggle with seeing people as people at times. The scripture passages we read (Luke 18:31-19:10) talks about that. I want to focus on the process of getting to know the person we think is the “other”. I have gotten to know Lynal over the past three years in our community and we have had conversations that have been a wonderful learning experience for both of us. I have discovered that Lynal is a First Nations drummer, singer, travels extensively, and has begun to be a voice of sharing about First Nations at many gatherings. The process has deeply affected me, and I would like others to know about someone's struggles and successes, so the “other” becomes a friend. I hope you find something engaging in this conversation with Lynal.

This week's parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16) is uncomfortable! A harsh condemnation, complete with angels, hellfire and "a great gulf fixed" between the two. Are the wealthy really doomed to a fate of torment? Should I be worried about my own selfish tendencies? Another disorienting week of Lent 2025... join us in the underworld, if you dare!

This Sunday we got to view the Parables of the Lost Things in Luke 15:1-32 from three different perspectives. WMC'ers Kristen Harder, Marc Blain and Phyllis Goertz each shared a reflection on all or a portion of the scripture passage.

We often assume that as followers of Jesus, we are called not to condemn, but our passage from Luke 13 complicates that. Jesus refuses to condemn people who are suffering as "sinners" deserving of their fate, but he also has harsh words for political and religious leaders who abuse their power. So Jesus calls us not to condemn or dehumanize people, but we do have to stand up against violent actions. Peacebuilder Lisa Schirch speaks of this as "two-handed peacebuilding," where one hand is held up to "stop" the violence but the other is held out as an invitation to remain in relationship and humanize the other. Susanne Guenther Loewen was our speaker this week.

This season of Lent brings the series theme "Christ Collides." Apparently our encounters with the stories of Jesus are meant to leave us disturbed and disoriented, if not bruised and shaken. Ouch! Why would anyone sign up for that?Listen to "Collision Course" from Joe Heikman drawn from Luke 10:25-42.

In Luke 9, Jesus takes three of his friends up a mountain for a dazzling display of glory: the Transfiguration. In the midst of their ministry and on the journey towards Jerusalem, they're offered a glimpse of what is to come. How do these mountain top moments shape us as we walk through the messiness of this world? Are we open to transformation in the thin places where we meet God?

This Sunday's service featured a “coffee shop conversation” between Lisi and Joe reflecting on Luke 6:27-38, the second part of Jesus' Sermon on the Plain. "Love your enemies...turn the other cheek... be merciful as God is merciful...etc." Does Jesus really mean for us to do all of that stuff? How can we possibly live up to those ideals? Join the conversation!

How do we respond to those who feel unworthy? How do we work at reframing the messages that have us believe we are not enough? How do we, like Jesus, call each other forward into hope, healing and worthiness? We were pleased to have our own Heather Peters (MCC SK Peacebuilding Coordinator) provide our 5-Minute Focus on this Brunch Sunday. In closing Heather invited us to listen to and watch When God Imagined Me by Alana Levandoski and to pray for people who are experiencing feelings of unworthiness – whether through systems, cultural narratives or relationships.

Luke 2 tells the story of Anna and Simeon, two elderly folks who interrupt baby Jesus' first trip to the Temple with their joyful proclamations. What is this simple story doing as the final story of Jesus' early days in Luke's gospel? Why do these old "prophets" matter and what could we learn from them about identity, hope and blessing?

In Luke 4, Jesus begins his public ministry with an "inaugural" sermon in his hometown of Nazareth. His message, coming straight from the prophet Isaiah, bears a challenging word for his first audience and for us. In these challenging times, we ask ourselves: can we live out the radical message of the gospel, and what are we willing to endure and give up?

We were pleased to have our friends Cheryl Woelk and Scott Kim visiting this Sunday. Scott and Cheryl are Mennonite Church Canada Liaison Workers in South Korea. They shared with us their experiences working for peace as Mennonite Christians in Korea.

"You want a new world? Great. Get real still and let the old world die." The promise (or threat?) of a whole new world is in the air all around us these days--politically, economically, ecologically and personally. How do we navigate the bumpy waters of change--longed for or forced upon us--in ways that lead to health and growth? And what does this have to do with Jesus' baptism?

Epiphany is the season after Christmas in which we celebrate the incarnation of the Divine, the revelation of God in the person of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 2:1-12, we follow the journey of the "Magi" from the east to Bethlehem, learning that God works in unexpected ways and gifts come in unexpected places.

With the prophet Isaiah, we imagine the world as it could be and full of life - flowers and rivers in the desert, and a Sacred Path back home. Jesus offers the same prophetic imagination to see the world differently. This transformation is slow but sure work, and we are invited to take part. As we wrap up this Advent season, we pray that hope and peace and joy and love flourish in us and transform the world around us.

Advent is a season of peace and love and harmony, as envisioned by the prophet Isaiah's poetry about wolves and lambs resting together, toddlers playing with vipers, vegetarian lions, etc. That sounds lovely (if a little boring), but... here in the real world, conflict and destruction persist, to put it lightly. Why do we care about an ancient, idealistic vision of peace? And how might we practice this vision within ourselves and our communities?

On this first Sunday of Advent, we ponder what it means to have hope along with Mary through the lens of The Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). This song offers a word of hope for a waiting and oppressed people, and invites us to "go and do likewise" and join God in bringing hope to our hurting world.

On Eternity Sunday, the last Sunday of the traditional church calendar, at Wildwood we take time to name and grieve for our losses in the past year. This year's snow storm meant that only a few of us met at the church building while most others joined online. This solemn service raises big questions for many of us, especially about death, resurrection and the afterlife. What is the basis for the Christian hope that not even death can separate us from the love of God? How do we know that, in the end, everything is going to be okay?

This week we were excited to have Wyndham Thiessen ( Executive Director/Community Leader) and Alecia Thompson join us from L'Arche Saskatoon. They talked about building community and referenced some scripture texts that are particularly relevant to them in this context. We have chosen L'Arche Saskatoon to be our Annual Community Partner this year and look forward to connecting and building community over the coming months.

The prayer that Jesus taught us, or the Lord's prayer, outlines a vision for the kin-dom of God on earth. This Peace Sunday, as we are surrounded by narratives of war, scarcity, and fear, how can we rewrite the stories? How can we reimagine the ancient vision of shalom (peace) and make it make sense for our world today? Note: Song recording Your Peace Will Make Us One by Audrey Assad has been removed due to copyright.

This Sunday Andy Arthur, MCC Thrift Coordinator for SK and AB shared with us about a recent MCC Learning Tour to Uganda that he and Lisi participated in.

The Beloved Community, sometimes called the Kingdom of God, is political. How do we share life together, as followers of Jesus and children of God? How can we practice politics in ways that limit our self-interest in order to lift up those with the greatest needs?

The Beloved Community is one vision for creating a “truly brotherly society” (Martin Luther King, Jr.), a call for solidarity and harmony between all people. For followers of the way of Jesus, an important dimension of this call is the spiritual. The prayer of Ephesians 3:14-21 is an encouragement for the church to orient ourselves to the “Infinite Being,” and to be rooted and grounded in love as we sow the seeds of God's kin-dom on earth.

This Sunday Len Rempel, Executive Minister of Mennonite Church Saskatchewan joined us for our Service of Installation for our new co-pastor Lisi Schröttner. Len connected the stories of Jonah, Andrew and Mary Magdalene and spoke to us about their different calls and different responses to those calls from God.

Matthew 25 contains a verse that may be familiar to many, and is used to promote the work of nonprofits and politicians the world over: "Just as you did to the least of these, my brothers, you did it to me" (NRSV). Jesus is inviting us to reflect on where we saw him in the least of those around us. From the hungry to the thirsty to the stranger, do we recognize Jesus? Are we paying attention? How do we embrace a world in need of the love of God?

What do jewelry, land titles and pottery have to do with peace? Dwight Eisler was our speaker this week.

"Consider the fig tree," Jesus says in Mark 13. As sure as the greening tree signals the coming of summer, the end of the world is both immanent and unavoidable. How do we prepare for these endings, large and small? And what hopeful note is hidden in the image of the fig tree that is also renewed in its time?

What does belonging look like? It seems to be a bit of a moving target these days, especially in faith communities. We were pleased to have Tristan Norton join us to share about belonging in the context of the Parable of the Prodigal Son in his sermon "The Journey Home: Rediscovering Community and Connection in God's Love."

"But can you tell us, exactly, who is our neighbour?" This question prompted Jesus to tell the now-famous Parable of the Good Samaritan. A neighbour responds to the needs right in front of them. We know that one. But as Jesus didn't actually answer the question, it's up to us to work out who is our neighbour, right now?

“One day, a farmer went out sowing seed…” The Parable of the Seeds and the Soils (Matthew 13) is a familiar one. Jesus describes different conditions under which people receive God's Message as four different types of soil. Obviously, we are meant to be like the “good soil” that produces the best harvest—or is Jesus up to something entirely different? What if the outcome isn't nearly as important as the pursuit of growth, wherever you happen to be planted?

Nature is wild. Many of us miss that, hiding out in our climate-controlled homes and carefully manicured gardens... And yet, the wildness of life is ultimately unavoidable. Wilderness finds us, ready or not. As we continue our "Wild Church" series, how might engaging with the natural world help to prepare us to hear from God in the all-natural fullness of our own lives?

This Sunday we had Lisi Schrottner share with us. In Deuteronomy 30, we've reached a point of transition and choice for the people of God. Following their wilderness wandering and giving of the Law, the Israelites are about to enter the "Promised Land". They are invited to heed the instruction they've just been given, and thus choose life. The way of wisdom, as we learn, is accessible to us, is a journey that involves discernment, and is the way that leads to life. What does this journey look like for us today?

Anabaptism began in Europe in the 1500s in small, often intentionally isolated, agricultural communities for the better part of four centuries. In the past 100-150 years, Anabaptism has experienced major changes: shifting its center from Europe to North America and then to the global South, becoming increasingly modernized, and culturally and theologically diverse. What are some stories of growth and movement that brought Mennonites to the Canadian prairies and continue to give life to our particular flavour of Wildwood Mennonite?

What does it mean to be part of the global Anabaptist body? Jesus spoke of being a vine to which we are connected (John 15:1-17). The Anabaptist branches of this vine are varied yet we remain one. We have siblings in the faith in Ethiopia, Thailand, Kenya, and the Philippines. Our stories are intertwined and sometimes it gets messy but we remain connected through the vine that is Jesus. Our guest speaker this morning was Len Rempel, Mennonite Church Saskatchewan Executive Minister.

"From their innermost being will flow rivers of living water," Jesus said. This "River of Life" flows within and all around us, the way of shalom. In the baptism ritual, we name and celebrate this living water. And in the communion ritual, we practice living this way of shalom, each in our part of the Body of Christ. Come on in, the water is fine!

The Mennonite tradition claims two rituals as central to our practice: baptism and communion. While other denominations claim these (and others) as sacramental--the essential means by which God's grace is given--we hold them as “merely” symbols--pointing to the more significant transformation in progress beyond these practices. Does that make them less valuable, and if so, why bother? These and other rituals are markers that remind us that the whole journey is sacred and we all belong as part of God's shalom. Our service began with a video clip "Super Hero Identity" (https://www.instagram.com/p/C66o4jCrJEh/) followed by these words from Joe.

When we follow Jesus, we see him building bridges and tearing down walls between communities, offering forgiveness and mercy rather than judgment, standing with “the least of these” in service and solidarity. and choosing sacrificial love as the way to peace. As Mennonites, reconciliation--right relationships with one another and all of Creation--is the center of our work.

What do lotus flowers, butterflies and honey bees have in common? Following our Sunday Brunch on this last Sunday of the month, Peter Lippmann shared with us some thoughts on patience drawn from Psalm 37:3-7 and Philippians 4:8.

We were excited to work with Amanda Dodge, Program Director with MCC SK, to have a guest speaker from India join us this Sunday live via Zoom, as part of MCC's "Climate Action for Peace" campaign. Our speaker, Pabrita Paramanya, is an MCC staffer working in development and agriculture. Pabrita's presentation covered identification of regions in eastern Indian where he works with MCC & partners, discussion of climate change adaptation and mitigation work there, and stories of affected people/families. The presentation was followed by an opportunity for a Q&A period.

How are we meant to read the Bible? Anabaptists take the Bible seriously as a guide for faith and life. Of course, that's the claim of most every Christian church--so what makes an Anabaptist perspective different? Our tradition claims faithfulness to a simple, straightforward understanding of Scripture, to an interpretation guided by community, and to Jesus as the embodiment of the Word of God. What does that mean to you?

Following our Sunday Brunch on this last Sunday of the month, Kari Thronberg shared with us some thoughts on self-esteem drawn from Psalm 139.

Jesus is the center of our faith. While our ways of living this out are many, Mennonites are followers of Jesus. We study his teachings, we follow his example, and we keep him at the center of our theology. This plays out in different ways in different settings, but this relationship with Jesus holds us together and is the basis for our shared values moving forward. What's your particular flavour of Jesus? And what is this squirrel doing in here?

An Anabaptist faith is rooted in the story of a particular place and time: the “radical reformation” of 16th century Western Europe. As political and religious shifts raced across the region, a small community of religious radicals challenged the state-sanctioned Christian hierarchies and formed their own churches based around a simple reading of Scripture, the non-violent Way of Jesus, and adult baptism. In spite of intense persecution, the movement spread and the religious denominations they began, including Mennonites, have carried on for 500 years in communities around the globe.

Our sermon this Sunday was a video recording of the message given by Mennonite Church Canada executive minister Doug Klassen at the recent MC Sask delegate sessions. Doug joins ancient religious leader Nicodemus in wrestling with how the identity of Jesus changes everything and shares some of his vision for the future of the church.

We come to Easter Sunday expecting a happy ending, as we should, with Jesus having risen from the grave! However, the gospel of Mark leaves readers with an entirely different vibe: overwhelming fear. Why is that? And how is this story of fear still good news?