“As One Who Serves” – CCS Companion of the Centre

“As One Who Serves” – CCS Companion of the Centre

Nominations open!

Who’s your diaconal hero? Who has inspired you with their compassionate care, or their courageous social justice work, or their transformative education?

The Centre for Christian Studies “educates leaders for justice, compassion, and transformation.” Our core values include living a theology of justice; acting in faith, and living out of a spirit of abundance and gratitude. As a school we recognize that what we do here ultimately ripples out into communities, into the world. While students experience their own transformations, it is what each of us does with our lives that ultimately touches others.

Every year, CCS names someone as Companion of the Centre. Companions of the Centre epitomize diakonia and provide inspiration to all of us on how to live into this ministry.

While the people who have been distinguished over the years are fairly diverse, there are 5 traits that they all share:

  • the spirit of diakonia infuses their whole lives
  • they are passionate about the world around them
  • their ministry has touched others profoundly
  • they offer in the spirit of love and service
  • they inspire us
2016 Companion of the Centre honourees Stan McKay and Jim Boyles

The CCS Awards Working Group is now inviting nominations for the 2024 Companion of the Centre Award. Nominations could be any of the following:

  • graduates, who through their life and ministry, have brought distinction and honour to CCS;
  • members of the CCS community (friends, volunteers, former staff and so on) who have made a significant contribution to the work of CCS, or,
  • individuals in the wider community whose whole life and work epitomizes the ideals of CCS.

The honour is awarded at the annual Service of Celebration in April.

Who do you know that epitomizes the ideals of CCS and the life of diakonia? Nominate them today. Nominations are welcome from graduates, students, friends, volunteers and staff. (Download the form: PDF / RTF ). The deadline for nominations is October 30. If you are thinking of nominating someone, please be in contact with Scott Douglas at sdouglas@ccsonline.ca

“I am among you as one who serves.” Luke 22:27

Some Companions of the Centre (back row) Caryn Douglas, Irene Rainey, Sue Taylor, Kathy Toivanen, Eric Tusz-King, (front row) Ken Delisle, Linda Ervin, Dorothy Naylor, Betty Marlin, Lynda Gow
Three companions – Ken DeLisle, Wenh-In Ng, and Caryn Douglas
Companions of the Centre (l-r): Irene Rainey, Linda Ervin, Nancy Ford, Caryn Douglas, Ken Delisle
Companions of the Centre: Caryn Douglas, Charlotte Caron, Dorothy Naylor, Linda Ervin, Barbara Barnett, Ken Delisle, and Irene Rainey