The Work of Christmas Is Begun

The Work of Christmas Is Begun

When the song of the angel is stilled
when the star in the sky is gone
when the kings and princes are home
when the shepherds are back with their flocks
the work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost
to heal the broken
to feed the hungry
to release the prisoner
to rebuild the nations
to bring peace among the people
to make music in the heart.

Recognized as #87 in Voices United,
and credited to Jim Strathdee

From Principal Maylanne Maybee:

Well, at CCS the work of Christmas has indeed begun, now that a January and a New Year are here. We are blessed with many resources and tools to carry out our work of equipping women and men for ministry so that finding, healing, feeding, setting free, rebuilding, peacemaking and music making can be done by God’s people.

It is you, our Friends, whom we can thank for a good portion of our financial resources (see Marc’s “red letter” report below). We can also thank the United Church of Canada for a generous grant in 2012… and to our Finance Committee for seeking a strong and ethical return on our investment dollars.

We’re blessed, too, with new equipment – two “SMART” boards which were installed just before Christmas, four refurbished computers care of Computers for Schools Manitoba (with a little help from our friend “Mr. Anonymous”), and new econo-enviro-friendly dishwashers and dual flush toilets!

Yet the challenges ahead are daunting: how to attract more students to diaconal ministry; how to strengthen and diversify our program to incorporate a strong continuing education component and something that will work for the Anglican diaconate; how to grow without exhausting our staff and volunteers.

But since when was anyone at CCS intimidated by challenges? Another blessing we can give thanks for is our Anniversary Celebration of a 120 year legacy of continuous education for diaconal ministry – fed by missionaries and deaconesses, the Social Gospel movement, feminists, innovators in adult education, generous philanthropists, determined and feisty students, and even by the benevolence of our respective national churches.

In 2012 I look forward to meeting the challenges ahead, to meeting members of the CCS community across Canada, to remembering and planning , so that together we can carry out the work of Christmas. Happy New Year!