The Power of Mentors
Mentors are a significant part of the Diaconal Ministries program at the Centre for Christian Studies. Diaconal identity is not something you learn by reading. (Although there’s lots of good stuff to read!) It is something you learn through relationship, by talking and reflecting with those who have walked a diaconal path before you, by experiencing diaconal community.
Students in our diploma and certificate programs meet with a mentor on a regular basis. The mentor helps the student to reflect on their experience, to draw out learnings, to make theological connections, and to develop a diaconal perspective and analysis. Mentors and students form a relationship of support and encouragement, but also challenge.
For the most part these are one-on-one relationships.
Last week CCS mentors Kathy Douglas and Kathy Toivanen organized an online gathering for students and mentors, an opportunity for a group to reflect together on the diaconal journey. Caryn Douglas lead an opening worship. Irene Rainey, Joan Tuchlinsky, and Kathy Toivanen shared stories of the unique paths that brought them into the diaconal community. In small groups, mentors and students alike discussed their sense of ministry identity.
It was a wonderful opportunity for one-to-one relationships to become one-to-one-to-one-to-one-to-one….! Thank you Kathy and Kathy for taking the initiative to draw the people together.
Recent Comments