Images from Ages and Stages 2026
From May 20 to 27, 2026, eight Diaconal Ministries students and three CCS staff members (Alcris, Janet, and Scott) gathered online for the Ages & Stages learning circle, exploring faith formation and ministry with people at various places in their life journeys from childhood to elderhood. The course has included some deep dives into theory – developmental theory, theories of faith development, generational theory – as well as a lot of sharing of practical advice and experience about ministry with children, with youth, with adults, and with seniors. Students took responsibility for researching a planning a couple of sessions, particularly focused on youth and how to integrate generations so that people of different ages in church can minister to and learn from one another.
“It’s been really interesting looking at people at all these different places in their lives and to think about how to be with them in ministry, but also to remember that everyone is unique and different,” says CCS student Vanessa Benoit.
Along the way we had a few special guests drop by to share their perspectives: Ken DeLisle and Muriel Kenyon reflecting on their experiences as seniors in the church, Jan Steckley talking about her work on transformational leadership for the common good, Bill Millar reflecting on cultural and intercultural aspects of faith formation with adults, and Stan McKay (via pre-recorded video) discussing Cree perspectives on the circle of life. On Tuesday the 26th we popped in (via Zoom) on the Emmanuel College event honouring Marion Pope, to listen to CCS grad Hyerim Park and Rev. Grace Eunkyung reflecting on “Women of the Rainbow: Leadership, Ministry, and Hope,” which provided a good launching place for our conversations in the learning circle about diaconal pedagogy with CCS’s Marcie Gibson.
For some of the participants this was their first learning circle at CCS. For others it is their last circle before going into the Integrating Year next fall. Everyone brought insightful questions and enthusiastic engagement over the week of full days online together. “Despite being so long on Zoom, I’ve really enjoyed being engaged in the circle and connecting with one another,” says CCS student Nikki Nel.
