WHAT'S HAPPENING AT THE CHESTER RONNING CENTRE
A Note from the Director
Greetings!
I have mixed feelings entering January. There’s resolve for self-improvement but there's always anxiety about the year's unknowns. Resolutions can feel like a vain attempt to make life better when the world is both literally and figuratively on fire. That’s why our goal is to bring together personal development and shared growth. Self-care and conversation go hand-in-hand as the heart of good community building. In this spirit of renewal and commitment to both individual and public life, we are excited to share updates on staffing and upcoming events at the Centre.
We are excited to welcome Naomi Pattison-Williams to the Ronning Centre team! Naomi will be conducting a research project exploring the connection between spirituality and the grasslands. At the same time, we would like to congratulate our current postdoctoral fellow, Shelisa Klassen, on accepting a position as Assistant Professor at the University of Regina. Shelisa will be wrapping up her time with us in June, and we are thrilled for her as she embarks on this exciting new chapter in her career.
We are particularly thrilled to announce our upcoming program, Storytelling as Ritual, in honour of Black History Month. This event promises to be an enriching and thought-provoking experience that highlights the power of storytelling in shaping and preserving diverse narratives and histories. We invite you to join us on February 12th.
I chatted with journalist Ian Brown who wanted to talk about the importance of dialogue. He wrote an opinion piece for the Globe and Mail that includes parts of our conversation. I also get to have a conversation with two dear friends and colleagues, Willow White and Paul Gareau. You can join us as we talk about the importance of visiting.
We would also like to extend a special thank you to FIKA Coffeehouse for graciously hosting last month's Philosopher Cafe. We are already looking forward to the next edition of the Philosopher Cafe in February, where we will once again come together to explore new ideas and engage in enriching conversations.
We’re going for another year of insightful exchanges, deepened connections, and impactful conversations. Wherever you find inspiration and a renewed sense of purpose, here's to a year full of determination and connection!
Sincerely,
Joseph R. Wiebe
Director, Chester Ronning Centre
Associate Professor of Religion and Ecology Faculty Website
Upcoming Events
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Spilling Tea: Métis and Mennonite Conversations on Making Good Relations Jan 29 | 12 p.m. MST Mayer Family Community Hall, Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Camrose, AB & ONLINE |
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Philosopher's Café series “Tell We Have Faces”: Walking with Hindu Friends Feb 6 | 1:30 p.m. MST FIKA Coffeehouse, 4803 48 St, Camrose, AB |
Storytelling as Ritual- Faith, Ancestral Ways of Knowing, & Systems Change
Feb 12 | 6 p.m. MST
Mayer Family Community Hall, Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Camrose, AB & ONLINE
Ivan Coyote: Playlist
Mar 4 | 7:30 p.m. MST
Cargill Theatre, Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Camrose, AB
In Songs & Words, This is: Jully Black
Mar 11 | 7:00 p.m. MST
Cargill Theatre, Lougheed Performing Arts Centre, Camrose, AB
In The News
The world would be a better place if we talked to strangers
Opinion Article by Ian Brown
Globe and Mail
“The experience of elation you get after a good conversation is an experience of the divine –an experience of insight about yourself in the presence of another that makes you feel good.” - Joseph R. Wiebe
Settling It Ourselves: what hockey fights and vigilante justice say about us.
By Joseph R. Wiebe
"Violence often becomes acceptable when the systems meant to uphold fairness and justice fail. In hockey, this plays out in fights, celebrated as acts of schoolyard justice. In society, it takes the form of vigilantes like Luigi Mangione"
On Our Bookshelf
Radicals & Reformers
Since 2025 is the 500th anniversary of the Radical Reformation,
check out Radicals & Reformers, A Survey of Global Anabaptist History.
By Troy Osborne and David R. Swartz
READ MORE →
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