All of these images do in fact represent a part of the worldwide network of computers that has come to be called the internet. But how many of you think of the Mennonite Brethren Church when the word "internet" is mentioned? If you don't think the two terms belong in the same sentence, then you had better think again, because the Mennonite Brethren definitely have a presence on the internet, and it is expanding rapidly.
Today the most exciting element of the internet is the World Wide Web. The Web allows one to combine words (which have been on computers for years) with pictures, graphics, audio and even video, in order to present information. A "home page" on the Web is thus like an electronic brochure. Any individual or organization who has a computer account with an internet provider can make information available on a home page. Even more importantly, anyone with an internet account and a World Wide Web "browser" (a specially designed computer program) can find and read that information.
One of the first Mennonite Brethren organizations to create a home page was Point Grey Fellowship, a Mennonite Brethren and Conference of Mennonites congregation in Vancouver. Its home page tells people about the congregation, where it is located and when it holds its Sunday morning services.
Since then, several other MB congregations in Canada have also created home pages, including River East MB Church in Winnipeg and Broadway MB Church in Chilliwack, B.C. River East's home page includes the complete text of its weekly bulletin, as well as its monthly newsletter. Members of the congregation who are living elsewhere, such as university students, can keep up with what's happening in their congregation by browsing its home page. One couple has even requested the secretary to stop sending them bulletins every month, since they can now read them on the internet.
Educational institutions have also placed home pages on the internet, including Concord College in Winnipeg and Mennonite Educational Institute in Abbotsford, B.C. Much of Concord College's calendar is available for prospective students to browse, and indications are that people are doing just that. During the month of December, Concord College's home pages recorded just under 600 user visits, with over half coming from the US and others coming from places such as Germany, Singapore and Malaysia.
Last summer, a home page was set up for the Canadian MB Conference. At this point, it is primarily a directory, but plans are under way to add such things as church growth resources, Board of Faith and Life position papers and links to resources provided by other Christian organizations.
The Saskatchewan MB Conference also has a home page, complete with the MB Confession of Faith and information on individual congregations in the province. Other provincial conferences are presently working on their own home pages.
There are also home pages for the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies, the General Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches and Mennonite Brethren Missions/Services. The latter includes a link to an electronic version of its periodical, Witness.
Finally, the Mennonite Brethren Herald also has a home page on the World Wide Web. You can even read all articles, columns, personalia items and letters to the editor on-line.
Other home pages that may be of interest have been set up by Mennonite Central Committee, the Mennonite Information Center, the Canadian Mennonite Encyclopedia (only available on the internet) and the Christian Internet Newsletter (which highlights a number of new Christian sites on the World Wide Web in each issue).
Just three years ago, there were only a dozen sites on the Web. Today there are an estimated four million sites, and they're doubling every six months. While proposed Christian television stations continue to be stymied in their attempts to receive licenses to broadcast in Canada, hundreds of Christian organizations are using the internet, and the Web in particular, as another way to communicate with the world. Richard Thiessen is librarian at Concord College in Winnipeg and also manages the Canadian MB Conference internet sites.
(Did we miss you? The number of Mennonite Brethren internet sites is expanding rapidly. If we missed you, please send information on your site to the Herald and we will publish your address as part of a directory update in a later issue.)