Posted on

Closed for a breather!

The office will be closed on Friday, April 27.

We’re taking the day off!

We’ve graduated the grads, celebrated the Companion of the Centre and gathered in learning communities to engage and learn about Relationships and Right Relations. The Central Council has met face-to-face and diaconal ministers from across Canada have congregated in Winnipeg for a bi-annual gathering.

We’ve just completed what we like to call “the week of everything” although this year it was more like 2 weeks!  We’ve laughed and cried and learned and connected and gathered and feasted and celebrated. And now we’re going to take a day off.

The office will be closed on Friday, April 27.
Catch us back here next week!

Posted on

Heartbeat of healing

This is one of a series of reflections about Courageous Risking, the 2018 gathering of DUCC (Diakonia of the United Church of Canada). 

My diaconal ministry classmates and I were invited to join the DUCC conference outings on April 18th. Diaconal ministers and students from across the country spiraled out into Winnipeg, visiting sites about Truth and Reconciliation, social enterprise, Indigenous art, community ministries, corrections and justice, ally-ship, and courageous risking through art making.

At the Winnipeg Art Gallery exhibit Insurgence/Resurgence I was drawn to Ejinda-pushit, the stretched caribou hide that formed a huge drum amplified by a speaker. This piece was created by Tsēma Igharas, interdisciplinary artist and member of the Tāłtān First Nation.
Continue reading “Heartbeat of healing”

Posted on

5 minutes to bust myths at 1JustCity

This is one of a series of reflections about the 2018 gathering of DUCC (Diakonia of the United Church of Canada). 

As a visitor to one of the four sites of 1JustCity, I was given an opportunity to spin their “roulette wheel of risk”. The risk that came up for me is the white one in this photograph….it challenged me to: Build a new relationship. Spend 5 minutes getting to know someone at a place like 1JustCity.

Fortunately for me, my opportunity to risk had already happened – I had just spent 30 minutes in conversation with a volunteer at 1JustCity – an open, honest and unassuming 40-ish man named Brent. We chatted about his job as a volunteer at the West Broadway Community Ministry (WBCM is one of 1JustCity’s 4 sites). During that conversation, Brent described daily life at the centre, and daily life for Brent. Like the roulette wheel, Brent over-turned many common myths about folks who find themselves in need of the services and support of agencies like WBCM.
Continue reading “5 minutes to bust myths at 1JustCity”

Posted on

Courageous Risking at DUCC Gathering 2018

This is one of a series of reflections about the 2018 gathering of DUCC (Diakonia of the United Church of Canada). 

The Diaconal story begins with the radical image of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples, and includes the examples of courageous risk-taking of Jesus overturning the tables of the money changers, dining with the marginalized, and healing the outcasts. Jesus pushes us to think outside the box. His message is always to find another way, a better way.

What does it mean to actively engage in courageous risking? Most of us don’t recognize when we are doing it. What one person calls risky is not necessarily what another person would call risk taking.

Continue reading “Courageous Risking at DUCC Gathering 2018”

Posted on

The week of EVERYTHING!

A week in pictures.

This has been the week of everything at the Centre for Christian Studies.

Integration Year students gathered at Woodsworth House on Monday, April 9, for their final learning circle. On the 11th, students participating in the Relationship learning circle began the first of back-to-back circles, meeting just down the street at St. Peter’s Lutheran church. The Central Council met for their annual face-to-face meeting from the 12th to the 14th. On the weekend we celebrated new grads and this year’s Companion of the Centre, first at the Celebration Banquet and then at the Service of Celebration.

Also, this year the Diakonia of the United Church of Canada (DUCC) met in Winnipeg from April 17th to 20th and the Right Relations learning circle will gather from the 19th to the 26th.

It’s been a full week!

Click on a gallery to scroll through the photos.

Integration Year 

Marcie Gibson (staff), Tif McNaughton, Melanie Ihmaels, Anita Rowland, Catherine Underhill

Continue reading “The week of EVERYTHING!”

Posted on

Ontario gov’t excludes diaconal ministers from officiating at weddings

This letter was sent to DUCC members in Ontario.

Earlier this month the Coordinating Committee became aware of a change in practice of issuing licenses to marry by the Ontario government’s Marriage Office, Office of the Registrar General. Effective immediately the Marriage Office is issuing licenses to marry to ordained clergy only. The Marriage Office is not granting licenses to anyone who has not specifically been “ordained”, which includes candidates for ministry who are in student supply appointments, DLMs (recognized) and Diaconal Minsters (commissioned). Those people who currently have licenses to marry can continue to perform marriages.

Myself and our DUCC staff person, Eric Tusz-King have been in contact with Jenny Stephens, the Team Leader Policies and Programs for Ministry Personnel, who informed us that the Executive Secretary of Hamilton Conference, Peter Hartmans, is taking lead of responding to the Ontario government and is seeking advice from legal counsel. He has agreed to keep Eric and myself in the communications loop.
Continue reading “Ontario gov’t excludes diaconal ministers from officiating at weddings”

Posted on

Community across the country – CCS annual meeting

CCS is big on community.  As a national school we are very intentional about keeping connected and evolving technology has helped with this. Over the years, advancements in conference calling improved the annual meeting as people called in from across the country.  It was still a challenge as connections were often poor and hearing who was speaking was sometimes difficult.

This year’s annual meeting on March 8 saw a big leap as newer technology allowed many people to gather through video conferencing. Folks in Winnipeg congregated at Woodsworth House joined by people on video from coast to coast along with a few by phone.

 

Screen shot of Zoom video conferencing.

Continue reading “Community across the country – CCS annual meeting”

Posted on

Congratulate our 2018 Grads and Companion

On April 14 and 15, we will be celebrating this year’s graduating class and Companion of the Centre!

The Celebration Banquet will be on Saturday, April 14 at St. George’s Anglican Church at 5 p.m. If you’d like to attend, or to sponsor a student to attend, contact the office at office@ccsonline.ca.

The Annual Service of Celebration will be Sunday, April 15 at 2 p.m. at the Thomson Funeral Home, 669 Broadway in Winnipeg. All are welcome!

Please offer your congratulations in the comments section.

Graduates Catherine Underhill, Tif McNaughton, Anita Rowland and Melanie Ihmels.

Cathy will be commissioned April 29th with the Bay of Quinte Conference into a pastoral charge located in a farming community. She is also honoured to graduate with a BTS in Diaconal Ministry from St. Stephen’s College.  She says, “As a green gal, I am rooted in contemporary social movements through my long standing love of gardening.  For any of you who are gardeners, activists and educators who transform the system by planting seeds, tending the plants and peeling back the hard-edged concrete, my hope is that together we bring about a more beautiful and just world.”
Continue reading “Congratulate our 2018 Grads and Companion”

Posted on

Experience this for yourself! – a Deacon’s reflection

Sharon Dunlop is a Deacon at St. James’ Anglican Church in Kingston. She attended Learning on Purpose in 2016.

My ministry area is in corrections, restorative justice and victims – an area I have been passionate about for most of my life.

In the spring of 2016 I was encouraged to attend the June “Learning on Purpose” leadership development training program in Toronto offered by the Centre for Christian Studies (CCS). At the time, I knew little about CCS in general and this program in particular, so I did some research and was impressed by what I found! On a very warm day in mid-June I drove to Toronto to embark on this new adventure.

The training program was held in the Friends House (Quaker), a beautiful century old Georgian mansion surrounded by colourful gardens. Friends House contains many quaint and quiet rooms to gather in for team meetings and project planning.

The program itself was quite full and a little overwhelming at first glance. We met for six days, Sunday was a day of rest and then we met for six more days. The participants were from the United and Anglican Churches, which provided ample opportunity to learn more about our faith traditions – the similarities and the differences.
Continue reading “Experience this for yourself! – a Deacon’s reflection”

Posted on

2017 Annual Report

Welcome to the Centre for Christian Studies’ 2017 annual report.  Feel free to share it widely.

CCS Annual Report 2017

If you’d like to discuss CCS’s work over the last year and its plans for the future, feel free to join us at the Annual General Meeting, Thursday, March 8th (6:00pm CST).  Contact Cheryl at office@ccsonline.ca or 204-783-4490 to register and receive meeting documents (agenda, nominations table, financial statements, etc.)

 

Posted on

Hamilton DUCC annual overnight winter retreat

By Linda Clark

Each winter, the diaconal folk of Hamilton Conference gather for an overnight retreat, held at Crieff Hills Retreat Centre in the House of the Prophet. We have been doing this for several years now; I have records going back to 2009 in my computer, but I suspect it was even before that. Our main purpose is Sabbath time. In some years, we have done a bit of DUCC work, but overall, it is time to just be. As folks arrive sporadically on a Thursday morning, the coffee table begins to get piles of snacks for sharing, until there is no more room. Coffee and tea is made. During this gathering time, we spend time doing what we each want or need; some knit, others colour. We talk about our lives in general terms, and do a more formal check-in usually starting over or after lunch, for a couple hours. Then we take a break to go outside, or nap, or whatever. Of course throughout this time, we are munching on the wonderful snacks. Then we continue check-in over dinner. Continue reading “Hamilton DUCC annual overnight winter retreat”

Posted on

Learning on Purpose focusses purpose

There is no actual typical. That is as true for CCS students as it is for the rest of the world.  CCS’s signature leadership program, Learning on Purpose, attracts a wide-range of students ~ diaconal, lay, ordained, Anglican, United. There are often students from the Sandy Saulteaux Spiritual Centre and other theological schools, various denominations and occasionally other countries and faith groups.

We recently spoke to four students who might be considered atypical, about their experience taking CCS’s signature leadership program, Learning on Purpose. Two are ordained ministers in the United Church and two are lay ministers in the Anglican Church. As an added point of interest, they are two couples. All of them live in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Min Goo Kang is the minister at Fort Garry United Church. Ha Na Park is the minister at Immanuel United Church. Stacy Stanley Young is a self-employed book-keeper and volunteer treasurer at St. Paul’s Anglican Fort Garry. Evan Young works for the city of Winnipeg and is a liturgical lay leader at St. Paul’s. Min Goo and Stacy attended the LoP in August 2016. Ha Na and Evan attended in August 2017. Continue reading “Learning on Purpose focusses purpose”

Posted on

Join the Circle

CCS grad Kathy Douglas will be taking a learning circle this spring as continuing ed.

“Since graduation I have searched for con-ed that offers the depth and breadth of content as well as the educational style CCS gave me.”

Kathy Douglas has been employed and active in ministry since 2008.  She is a graduate of the Centre for Christian Studies.  She is a vocational mentor for a couple of the Centre’s current students.  And this spring she is thinking about being a student in the social justice learning circle on Right Relations.

“I am so excited to be able to ‘tap’ into a circle again.  I have longed for it,” says Kathy.

Continue reading “Join the Circle”

Posted on

Courage – worshiping with the Tragically Hip

Courage - a Tragically Hip liturgy

On a cold November night in East Gwillimbury, armed with a live band, two projectors and about 100 glowsticks, 40 people gathered at Sharon Hope United Church to sing, dance and pray along with songs by Gord Downie and The Tragically Hip.  Our theme was Courage, and the many forms it takes in our daily lives.  Each song was paired with a reading from scripture or by contemporary writers.  During the liturgy, we examined the lyrics of “Grace, Too” through the lens of Ruth and Boaz on the threshing floor.  “Nautical Disaster” was paired with multimedia highlighting the refugee crisis in the Middle East.  We sat with the horror and grief of the Residential School system with a reading of “When We Were Alone” by David Robertson and singing “The Stranger” from Secret Path.  

Courage: A Tragically Hip Liturgy was the second in new series of Rock Liturgies hosted by Living Presence Ministry.  Our third,The Frost is All Over, explored the Advent and Christmas story through the work of Canadian folk singer/songwriters.  With these services, we are working though how to treat popular music as hymnody during worship.  What else do these songs have to offer us when intentionally placed within a worship context?  We heard from many of those present that simply having the lyrics projected helped the words they’ve been listening to for years sink in deeper.
Continue reading “Courage – worshiping with the Tragically Hip”

Posted on

Two weeks to transform your life!

Intense. Spiritually enriching. Faithfilled. Expanding. World-opening. Learning on Purpose: Changing Leadership for a Changing World is two weeks of focussed leadership training, in community, intended to help leaders to dig deep and expand outward.

The next Learning on Purpose will be offered June 11 – 23, 2018 in Victoria, B.C., at Christ Church Cathedral, a short walk from the Parliament region. Continue reading “Two weeks to transform your life!”