The Oxford Coalition for Social Justice is a small volunteer run group dedicated to addressing multiple issues that negatively impact the life and health of residents in Oxford County, Ontario. It’s not easy taking on large gravel companies who want to carve up the landscape, or challenging a plan to dump garbage in a new…
When I reach Don Evans he’s in a hotel room in Portugal. He’s just woken up from a nap after spending the day touring therapeutic communities for people addicted to drugs and meeting with politicians. Don is the executive director of Our Place in Victoria, BC, and a CCS student. Our Place is a church-supported…
Racism is not an easy thing to talk about with white people, or so I’ve found. When I was bullied all through grade 7, shoved up against lockers and called “Paki,” my caucasian friends just kept walking, as if they’d seen nothing. I was too ashamed to bring it up myself, so we just acted…
Diaconal minister Karen Tjaden reflects on a week at the Sandy Saulteaux Spiritual Centre with Indigenous community leaders and settler allies to reclaim the homebred, the homespoken, the homegrown, and the homemade. Photographs from Michelle Owen’s experience at the Feast for Friends. Centred around the sacred fire, a wonderful community based on an immersion experience…
Program staff David Lappano shares thoughts about two fall learning circles. This October the Centre has offered two learning circles – Ministry as Listening and Grief and Loss. Students were surprised at how much they learned from each other by beginning with sharing a significant sound in their lives. The sound of water lapping under…
Join CCS principal Michelle Owens for an evening with ecumenical and international partners in diaconal ministry. The Central Committee of Diakonia of the Americas and the Caribbean, DOTAC, will be meeting in Vancouver. Along with CCS, they will host an evening gathering on November 9 to celebrate the many and diverse expressions of international and ecumenical…
Meet Pinegrove UC, a medium-sized church in Rosslyn, NW Ontario. Rosslyn used to be a community of farmers, but with Thunder Bay nearby it’s taking on some characteristics of a bedroom community. Pinegrove used to be the thriving community hub, but when I started there 5 years ago it felt more like a rudderless ship….
Above, students in the Ministry as Listening learning circle participate in a mirroring exercise. For the past week, seventeen students have gathered at Woodsworth House to explore Ministry as Listening. Participants include a certificate student, in the ordination stream at the Atlantic School of Theology, a continuing studies student, taking the learning circle for interest,…
Recently retired diaconal minister Allison Halstead shares her May 2017 reflection to the Manitoba North West Ontario Conference. I recently hiked Hadrian’s Wall in northern England. A stone wall made of squared stone 120 km long, 3 m wide, 5-8 m high. There’s not much of it left and some think that’s a shame — we…
Indigenous people and settler people are invited to join the Sandy-Saulteaux Spiritual Centre’s Feast for Friends for a day of learning, listening, sharing and feasting – all in the spirit of reconciliation. A day to meet each other in friendship on the land. All ages welcome.
You are invited to a Reception to meet Michelle Owens as she begins her role as the new Principal at the Centre for Christian Studies. 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Sunday, October 1, 2017 St. Andrew’s College—Lounge 1121 College Drive, Saskatoon
CCS staff person Scott Douglas reports on the first Praxis on-line gatherings. Praxis is a component of the new program structure. The Centre for Christian Studies held its first online gatherings of students in its first Praxis year on September 18th and 20th. “Praxis” is a (kind of) new component in CCS’s diploma and certificate…
When CCS embarked on a program review and redesign in 2015, there was no specific intent to roll out a newly designed program immediately. With the program staff team down following Ann’s medical leave and Maylanne’s retirement meaning a brand new principal, there are enough changes going on, right? But if change is a’happening you…
God calls us to diaconal ministry. The gospel of Jesus invites all to this ministry: to offer compassion and accompaniment, to work for liberation and justice, to act as advocates of creative transformation. * Colleagues, friends, students and graduates gathered on September 13 to covenant with Michelle Owens as she steps into the roll of…
The Integration I Circle has just finished. The four students who are entering their Integration year have headed home; Melanie Ihmels & Tif McNaughton to British Colombia, and Catherine Underhill & Anita Rowland to Ontario. While Winnipeg isn’t exactly half way, there are other great reasons to meet at Woodsworth House!