Category: News

Five Oaks – Happy 60th

CCS isn’t the only theological centre with an anniverary this year.  Five Oaks Centre is celebrating its 60th!  And to mark the occasion they’ve published o book of memories, “Seasons …

LDM New Westminster

LDM New Westminster

Again, I was privileged to facilitate the Leadership Development Module from June 4-16. This time I was co-leading with recent CCS graduate, Kimiko Karpoff. Ten very engaged students expressed deep appreciation for this powerful learning experience. At each LDM, I am struck by the rich mix of the CCS approach to education.
We invest a lot of time building community and developing a sense of trust. We are “big” on teaming, respecting differences, and honouring diversity. Self-awareness grows in this relational setting where many experience a sense of safety to share themselves at a deep level.
We offer experiential learning with lots of creativity and “hands on” learning. The model incorporates a participatory action and contemplative reflection, prayerfulness and playfulness.
We tend to start with an affirmative stance; each participant is seen as a worthwhile and valuable child of God. Students are not empty vessels waiting to be filled, but adults with gifts and talents, experiences and backgrounds that form and shape who they are. That being said we also devote much time to evaluation; every time we turn around an opportunity to share feedback is extended.
The hallmark of your pedagogy is transformative integration. People are changed in the process of learning about themselves, working with others and the journey of faith. We strive to hold together heart and head, theory and practice, mind and spirit, the personal and the political, being and doing.
Ted Dodd

June LDM Wraps Up

The two-week June 2012 Leadership Development Module in New Westminster, BC ended yesterday.  All reports indicate that it was a spirit-filled time of reflection and growth (and hard work and …

Don’t forget the Anniversary

Registrations are still coming in for CCS’s 120th Anniversary celebration this fall.  And if you have any memorabilia from CCS or its United Church and Anglican forerunners, let Marc know.

Congratulations to CCS Commissionands

Congratulation to all the CCS grads who have been commissioned to diaconal ministry in the United Church this last month: Alice Hanson, Vicki McPhee, Tracy Robertson, and Debbie Springer in …

Theology Students Issue Statement of Solidarity with Quebec Protesters

Students of Emmanuel College, a seminary of the University of Toronto, have written a Letter of Solidarity with those in Quebec and elsewhere who invite us to imagine a different approach to …

Ted Dodd and Ann Naylor co-recipients of Davidson Award for Excellence in Theological Education

The Centre for Christian Studies is pleased to announce that Ann Naylor and Ted Dodd, program staff at CCS, have been named as the 2012 recipients of the prestigous Davidson …

New CCS Brochure

Check out the new brochure!  Contact Marc at mdesrosiers@ccsonline.ca if you want to order some copies.

Summer Tapestry

The new edition of Tapestry – the Centre for Christian Studies’ newsletter is out.  If you receive it by mail, it’s on its way.  You can find it in glorious …

Nostalgia Wanted

Are there any deaconess uniforms out there? Any graduation certificates? CCS is looking for material to add to its history files and archival collection. The 120th Anniversary celebrations provide an …

Welcome back, Marc

Our Development and Community Relations staffperson, Marc Desrosiers, was on sick leave for a few weeks in early May, which meant no regular “Common Threads” update emailed out to our …

SMART board covers

 At the beginning of this year we installed two SMART boards at CCS.  (If you’ve never seen one, a SMART board is like a large touch-sensitive computer monitor that you …

Work Bee – May 12

Expecting to be in Winnipeg on Saturday, May 12th?  Feel free to join us at Woodsworth House for a work bee. Fresh air!  Lending a hand sprucing up the exterior …

All About You – Irene Rainey

Irene Rainey is a diaconal minister, she has been on the CCS Central Council, and was a guest at the recent Pastoral Care Learning Circle.  Irene says…  “ I recently …

From the Principal – Celebrating Diakonia

Christ is risen! Alleluia! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! As a student in England in the mid seventies, I lived in an ecumenical Christian community run by the Russian Orthodox …