BC Field Placement Orientations

BC Field Placement Orientations

Ted writes:

Recently, I was visiting field placement sites in British Columbia. Two new students will be entering the Social Ministry Year for 2012-2013.

l to r Mark Green, Betty Ann Dempsey, Don Evans, Martin Brokenleg, Ruth Macintosh-janet-gray.

In Victoria, Don Evans will be splitting his field time between Our Place Society (where he is the Executive Director) and Together Against Poverty Society. His learning facilitator will be Martin Brokenleg (honorary priest assistant at Christ Cathedral) and his mentor Mark Green (diaconal minister at Cadboro Bay United Church and CCS grad from 1986). Those present for the orientation, from his local committee, were Janet Gray (from First Metropolitan United Church), Ruth MacIntosh (Family Life Minister at Christ Cathedral who took the CCS Leadership Development Module and Social Ministry Year in 2009-2010), and Betty Ann Dempsey (diaconal minister at St. Aiden’s United Church and CCS grad from 2009).

l to r Brenda Miller (diaconal mentor), Morgan Ryder (social ministry year student), Marianne Dekker (learning facilitator)

In Northern BC, Morgan Ryder will be working with Huston Community Services. Her mentor is Brenda Miller (diaconal minister in Vanderhoof and CCS grad of 2009) and her learning facilitator is Marianne Drekker (staff at Huston Community Services).

I was deeply impressed by the clarity of the students’ learning goals and rich opportunity for learning and growth that are represented in these field sites. The volunteers demonstrated a profound engagement in the student’s preparation for ministry offering nurturing support and appropriate challenge.

l to r Don Evans, Beth Walker, Barbara Hansen, Leanne Benoit, Betty Ann Dempsey

While in Victoria, it was a bonus to visit with other current students in other stages of their program and some recent graduates. Thank you to Barbara Hansen for opening her home for this pot luck celebration. I also got to worship at Knox Metropolitan in Victoria. At this time I had the chance to visit with Allan Saunders (celebrating 35 years of ordained ministry and a 60th birthday), Megumi Matsuo Saunders (who was at CCS in the 1970s), Barbara Johnston (UCTS 1952), and Joyce McKay Thomson (UCTS 1957). I feel honoured to be connected across the country to this rich history. I am really looking forward to the 120th anniversary celebrations in October to deepen these connections.