Cloud of Witnesses

Cloud of Witnesses

CCS Principal Maylanne Maybee writes:

Ann Naylor tells me that part of life at CCS is we keep fooling ourselves into thinking that once large events are over – like the Annual Service of Celebration or the 120th Anniversary – things will settle down to “normal” and we won’t feel quite so overwhelmed.

Not so. The demands on time and creativity don’t stop! One big event is immediately followed by the next and we keep on keeping on.

In the three weeks since the start of the Anniversary gathering, life at CCS has continued apace. I couldn’t believe that I was scheduled the Monday after the big weekend to lead a half day session with our Social Ministry students on “Marginalization, Privilege and Power”. And that there were student interviews scheduled for the rest of the week shortly after 8 AM! And that on the following Saturday Ted and I were leading a full day of reflection on the Environment and Creation.

But – that is the business that we’re in! We teach and learn and help people prepare for diaconal ministry. It’s good to keep that as a priority!

Still, there were lots of moments of fun. Last Monday the members of the 120th Anniversary Planning Team had a “Thank You Bee” – writing notes to those who contributed to the success of the weekend. In many cases, thanks to the wizardry of Charlotte Caron and Gwenna Moss, we were able to enclose photographs from the event of the person being thanked. In other cases, we enclosed a generic group picture with a “wish you were here” message. It was efficient and fun!

Then this Monday, the same planning team met again, this time in a restaurant to celebrate our accomplishments. And to go through our check list of follow up tasks – have we returned the chairs? Put Dorcas the Deaconess to rest? Counted our pennies? Reported to our funders?

There’s always more to do. But the Spirit invites us to pause and celebrate and give thanks, especially for the cloud of witnesses who surround us and give us life. In this season of All Saints, we do indeed pause and celebrate and give thanks– for the communion of the “big S” Saints who went before us, the “small s” saints who walk with us, and the saints-yet-to-be who with whom we learn and grow.

The 120th local planning committee, in their coats of many colours.