Frequently Asked Questions

What’s with the name?

People often  ask us “what’s with the name? Do you feel like you’ve been exiled by the church?” Actually, we feel that it is church that is in exile and we want to be pastors in that exile space.There’s this part in the book of Jeremiah where Jeremiah is writing a letter to folks who have been exiled to Babylon. Rather than giving them false hope that the exile will end soon and they will all return home to Jerusalem, Jeremiah tells them that exile is the new normal. “Seek the wellbeing of the city where you are exiled!” We believe that church is called to thrive in exile today.

Do I have to be a young adult to connect with PiE?

We value intergenerational relationship building and we welcome people of all ages to attend most of our gatherings, events and groups. That being said, the focus of our work is with younger adults. Many of the people who connect with PiE are in their 20s and 30s.

Where are you located?

We live and do all our work in Waterloo Region. We have an office space donated by Waterloo-Kitchener United Mennonite Church, but you will also find us at work in coffee shops, libraries and other community spaces.  If you would like to make a time to meet for coffee with one of us, the best way to track us down is by email.

Are you a church?

We are not a church. We seek to facilitate spaces of meaningful of connection, worship and prayer outside of a traditional Sunday morning context. Many of the folks who engage with PiE also connect regularly with a local congregation, while others are in a space of transition and choose not to connect with a congregation at this point in time. 

Are you affiliated with a particular denomination?

Our roots are in the Anabaptist/Mennonite tradition and we continue to have strong points of connection with the Mennonite community. That being said, we are happy to engage with you whatever your background and whatever your spiritual or religious beliefs may be. In our gatherings and groups you will usually find some Mennonites alongside people of diverse denominational backgrounds. One of our board members recently described PiE as “Mennonite-ish”.