Mennonite Central Committee concert rescheduled after smudging controversy
The Mennonite Central Committee has rescheduled a benefit concert that was postponed after a Winnipeg church initially slated to host the event would not let an aboriginal drum group smudge on the property.
The MCC's 50th anniversary benefit concert will now take place April 18 at Knox United Church.
"This is our culminating event and it was a big let-down to have to postpone it. So it's huge for us to be able to now have the event, to have our celebration," Ron Janzen, executive director of the Mennonite Central Committee in Manitoba, told CBC News.
The concert was supposed to be held in November, but officials with the event's original venue, the Immanuel Pentecostal Church, took issue with plans by members of the Buffalo Gals drumming group to have a private smudging ceremony in the church before their performance.
- OPINION | In defence of Immanuel Pentecostal Church's stance on smudging
At the time, Immanuel Pentecostal's lead pastor said smudging "would be in violation of our core values as a Christian assembly."
Janzen said he spent weeks looking for a new venue that would allow smudging.
"It was painful to go through the process of the smudging being disallowed on the site, and so that's something that we are hoping to have good closure on before the whole event is finished," he said.
Janzen said he met with the pastor at Immanuel Pentecostal and they are on good terms.
Former prime minister Joe Clark will still be the concert's keynote speaker. Along with Buffalo Gals, the event will feature the Faith and Life Men’s and Women’s Choirs and the University of Manitoba Women’s Chorus.
Those who have tickets to the postponed concert can call the MCC at (204) 261-6381 to get new tickets.
The remaining tickets will be made available starting Feb. 9.
