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“Be Not Afraid” Common Christian Witness in a Culture of Fear The 2004 Canadian Summer Ecumenical Institute An Experience of Dialogue planned by Winnipeg churches and sponsored by the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism with our keynote speaker: Tom Yoder Neufeld Professor of Peace & Conflict Studies Conrad Grebel University College Waterloo, ON

5:00 p.m. Sunday May 9 – Noon Wednesday May 12, 2004

Canadian Mennonite University
Winnipeg, MB

• To register, please use our online Registration form
• Online information:
     • agenda
     • brochure & registration form [PDF]
     • poster (please post in your church) [PDF]
     • a letter sent to churches [PDF]
• Registration fees:
     • $250 – Resident
     • $150 – Commuter (Sunday to Wednesday)
     • $55 - Commuter (Monday or Tuesday)
     • $40 - Commuter (Wednesday)
     • Evening Sessions – Donations welcome
• For further information email or phone: (204) 284-1147

Be Not Afraid

We live our lives in a culture of fear: fear of losing our jobs, fear of family breakup, fear of illness, fear of terrorism, fear of exploring the lightness and darkness of our inner selves.

We are called as Christians and as churches to witness to Christ and his words to us: "Be not afraid." How do we do that? What do we hold in common? How do we witness together?

The Summer Ecumenical Insitute will help us explore these questions. It will also challenge us to ask ourselves just how 'common' it is for us to recognise that what we hold is actually common to us all.

Who is Tom Yoder Neufeld?

"Tom Yoder Neufeld graduated with a BA (Hons.) in History from the University of Manitoba (1970), and both a Master of Divinity (1973) and a Doctor of Theology in New Testament (1989) from Harvard Divinity School. His areas of research and teaching are Jesus, Paul, and issues of peace in the Bible. His published research has focused on the understanding of God as warrior and its relationship to notions of salvation and judgment ('Put on the Armour of God!' The Divine Warrior from Isaiah to Ephesians, Sheffield Academic Press, 1997), the Letter to the Ephesians (Ephesians, Believers Church Bible Commentary; Herald Press, 2002), and on biblical peace theology (numerous journal articles). Yoder Neufeld teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses. In 2002 he was the recipient of the University of Waterloo's Distinguished Teacher Award. Having been a pastor as well as hospital and prison chaplain, Yoder Neufeld teaches and preaches extensively in congregational and conference settings." [from the Conrad Grebel website]

Books & articles by Tom Yoder Neufeld

• 'Put on the Armour of God!' The Divine Warrior from Isaiah to Ephesians. (Sheffield Academic Press, 1997).
• Resistance and Nonresistance: The Two Legs of a Biblical Peace Stance
• "Letter to the Ephesians" in Ephesians, Believers Church Bible Commentary. (Herald Press, 2002).
• "Response to John Kampen's The Mennonite Challenge of Particularism and Universalism: A Liberation Perspective".
• "Response to: Is God Nonviolent? A Mennonite Symposium", Denver, Colorado, November 2001.

Other presenters

• Dr. Gordon McDermid (plenary session on Culture & Sociology of Fear) is Dean of Theology at the University of Winnipeg.
• Dr. Helmut Harder (plenary session on Catholic-Mennonite Dialogue) is professor emeritus at Canadian Mennonite University and co-chair of the International Catholic -Mennonite dialogue.
• Rev. Luis Melo, s.m. (plenary session on Catholic-Mennonite Dialogue) is director of ecumenical affairs for the Archdiocese of St-Boniface, lecturer at St. Paul's College, University of Manitoba, and a member of the Anglican-Roman Catholic Dialogue in Canada.
• Rev. Dr. Iain Luke (plenary session on Ecclesiology of Common Mission) is director of the Institute for Anglican Ministry at St. John's College, University of Manitoba.
• Rev. Jamie Howison (St. Benedict's Table) is an Anglican priest exploring new ways of forming church.
• Ecumenism in Action workshops
      • Sister Anne Keffer, director of the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism
     • Wanda Yamamoto & staff of "Welcome Place", the 2nd largest (per capita) refugee settlement program in Canada.
     • Jarem Sawatsky, lecturer in Conflict Resolution at Menno Simons College and Canadian Mennonite University.
     • members of Kairos in Manitoba
     • others to be announced

What is the Summer Ecumenical Institute?

This 3 day annual program of ecumenical education and networking is an opportunity for training and continuing education in the area of current ecumenical events, documents, dialogues, and projects both international and local. Each year there will be a component of formation for those newly arrived in ecumenism, a component of networking and sharing news and views from across Canada, and a component of continuing education. It will be hosted by various communities across the prairies, in liaison with the Prairie Centre for Ecumenism.

The SEI is open to participants from across Canada and around the world. The Summer Ecumenical Institute is attended by ecumenical officers, church leaders, and lay people concerned about ecumenical issues. The Institute explores a variety of themes related to contemporary church life. Each theme is explored in such a way as to seek insights into the nature and practice of Christian unity.

Who is planning the SEI in 2004?

A local planning committee has been established in Winnipeg to develop the program, receive registrations, and take responsibility for local arrangements.

Where will the SEI be held in 2005?

Saskatoon will be hosting the Summer Ecumenical Institute in 2005. The topic will explore the many varieties of collaborative & shared ministries. For further information, please contact the .