Mennonites and Memories – Two Free Talks!

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Fire, earthquake, flood—Mennonites are often among the first to help victims. But who are the Mennonites?
They’re a Christian denomination started in the 1500s as a radical wing of the Protestant Reformation. From the beginning Mennonite teachings included separation of church and state, baptism of believing adults (not babies), discipleship, not bearing arms, and working for peace.

Over the years Mennonites developed a unique way of life characterized by thrift, simplicity, practicality, trust in God, and cooking tasty meals from whatever foods they had on hand.
To learn more about Mennonites’ beliefs, folkways, recipes, and journey through time, come and join Elma (Martens) Schemenauer for

A WHIRLWIND TOUR OF MENNONITE HISTORY. Tuesday May 17, 6:30 pm-8:30 pm, Abbotsford Community Library, 33355 Bevan Ave at Ware St. Please phone 604-853-1753 (ext 2) to register for this free event.

Elma is a first-generation daughter of Russian Mennonite immigrants whose stories inspired her 1940s-era novel CONSIDER THE SUNFLOWERS. She grew up in Saskatchewan about halfway between Saskatoon and Regina. Elma worked in publishing in Toronto for many years and is the author of 76 published books, many of them about history and community life. For more information, please see http://elmams.wix.com/elma or http://elmams.wix.com/sflwrs .

Elma will also speak on the topic REMEMBERING THE PAST ENRICHES THE PRESENT: Wednesday May 18, 10:30 am-11:30 am, The Reach Gallery Museum, 32388 Veterans Way near Abbotsford City Hall.

This talk is about preserving and sharing memories, whether they\’re our own or those of relatives, friends, and acquaintances. Attendees will explore reasons why remembering the past enriches our lives. For example, it helps us appreciate what we have today, gives us a greater sense of identity, and draws people from different cultures together. Attendees will also consider ways of preserving and sharing memories, for example, through photographs, visual art, storytelling, recipes, biography, memoir, and poetry. The talk includes practical tips on writing about the past.

Contact:
Elma Schemenauer
448 Monarch Place
Kamloops, BC
V2E 2B2
250 374-1750
elmams@shaw.ca