Category: JoinMen

  • Have I mattered? Can I still?

    Have I mattered? Can I still?

    These questions drew men together in a retreat on generativity in later life.

    This Mennonite Men gathering for men in the second half of life was held at The Hermitage retreat center in southern Michigan on November 1-2. John Kotre, Ph.D., author of Make It Count, Outliving the Self, and the PBS series Seasons of Life, led the retreat based on his work as Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Michigan—Dearborn.

    John observed that ‘There’s a creativity that lies between the generations, touching everything from genes to values. We are not mere conduits to the future, blindly passing legacies through. We shape what comes to us, and we have an obligation to shape it well.’ This is the task of generativity— as mature adults to shape what we leave after us for the next generation.

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  • Not because they were male

    Not because they were male

    Don Neufeld shared his reflections on the themes of masculinity and Anabaptism at a “Probing the potential for peace” discussion series held at Grace Mennonite Church in St. Catharines on May 3.

    His insights came from years of experience working for House of Friendship in Kitchener, Family and Children’s Services in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and for almost a decade as a private-practice therapist in St. Catharines. He was recently appointed coordinator of Mennonite Men in Canada. Read more.


  • Strong and tough: Reflections on Masculinity from Africa

    ‘Strong’ and ‘tough.’ Males across many cultures often identify these common traits to describe ‘real men.’

    In our North American retreats on healthy masculinity as we examine the so-called ‘man box’ of dominate masculinity, ‘strong’ and ‘tough’ are heard repeatedly. These same words were used at recent men’s retreats I led in South Africa and Tanzania.

    How are we to understand that ‘strong’ and ‘tough’ are so frequently used to describe what ‘real men’ are like?

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  • How Then Shall We Live?

    How Then Shall We Live?

    ​A Week-long Wilderness Adventure

    Taos, New Mexico, September 8-15, 2018


    Mennonite Men had its first week-long immersion experience in the wilderness of New Mexico to address the question, “How then shall we live?”

    This was led by Todd Wynward, wilderness educator and Mennonite minister for creation care, and author of Rewilding the Way: Break Free to Follow an Untamed God.

    In response to an open invitation from Mennonite Men, ten men from across the country came together for this wilderness adventure to explore how to live as followers of Jesus in a world where our lifestyles impact people and the planet.


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  • Men at Camp Friedenswald Explore Healthy Masculinity

    ​Healthy masculinity was the topic explored by 27 men who met In October 2018 at Camp Friedenswald, Cassopolis, Michigan. Among various issues related to being men, the men considered how to meet five human needs. Read the entire article.

  • Healthy Masculinity Retreat at Hidden Acres

    Does Canadian culture form healthier men?

    ‘Be a man.’ This is what many males hear. But what does this mean? It’s often meant to tell boys and men to not cry or feel, but to be tough and in control.

    Believing that healthy masculinity means something much more and better than this, about twenty men met at Hidden Acres Mennonite Camp in June for the retreat Healthy Masculinity: On Being a Man.

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