A Weekend of Celebration 2023

The “week of everything” culminated with the Annual Service of Celebration on April 23, 2023. Prior to that, the Integration students arrived for their final learning circle, the Worship learning circle wrapped up their circle, the Right Relations circle arrived, and the CCS Central Council held their face-to-face meeting.

In the Integration circle, Pat Chabluk, Dyanne Marlok, and Jennifer Prince reflected on the practicalities of entering into ministry, and thought about how to build support support networks to sustain them for the long haul.

The Central Council met. For many of them, this was their first time meeting in person. On Thursday night the spent some time getting to know each other before diving into business on Friday and Saturday.

On Saturday morning there was a joint session of the Integration circle, the Right Relations circle, and the Central Council. The first have of the morning was spent hearing about the diaconal profiles that the Integration students had prepared based on their research into inspiring diaconal individuals, living and deceased, as well as the students’ stories of their own sense of call and diaconal identity. The second half of the morning was a fascinating conversation between this year’s Companion of the Centre – Wenh-In Ng – and the Moderator of the United Church of Canada, Carmen Lansdowne, who was a guest in the Right Relations learning circle. Wenh-In and Carmen discussed reconciliation from an intercultural perspective.

On Saturday evening, the CCS community enjoyed a banquet at St. George’s Anglican Church. Pat, Dyanne, and Jennifer received their Diplomas in Diaconal Ministries. Then on Sunday afternoon, at the Annual Service of Celebration, held at St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Fort Garry, they received their graduate pins and diaconal towels. We also had the opportunity to present a towel and pin in-person to Rachel Nadon, who graduated last year in an online ceremony. Gloria Tozek received the Certificate in Social Justice, and Pat, Dyanne, Jennifer, and Gloria all shared a few words about their future plans going forward.

At the Annual Service of Celebration, educator, poet, and intercultural activist Wenh-In Ng was honoured with the Companion of the Centre Award. In her response, Wenh-In shared wisdom for the graduates.

It was indeed a weekend worth celebrating.