Reflections

Staff reflection from June, 2011: Culture refers to a group or community with whom we share common experiences.  The concept of culture can indicate broad categories such as ethnicity, economics, class, race, or nation.  As well, the idea of culture can be applied, at a more micro level, to organizations like CCS or even sub-groupings…

January and February are report-writing season at CCS, as the various committees get ready for the Annual Meeting.  As the Ted was preparing the staff report he went back to look at the monthly reports we send to Central Council.  In the last year we’ve taken to, besides reporting on day-to-day tasks around the office,…

Maylanne writes: My mother has been sorting family documents and came across something among the papers of my great grandmother Margaret Black: it was a typed resolution, dated circa 1905, perhaps from a Church women’s group, which said in part: UNANIMOUSLY RESOLVED: that as it has been felt to be necessary to organize among friends…

A profile of diaconal minister Mary Ann McFarlane.  In Mary Ann’s words: “ I have been a diaconal minister for over 37 years, having been commissioned by Toronto conference on my birthday in May 1973. I had the privilege of studying in Toronto at The Centre for Christian Studies with classmates such as Marlyne Myles,…

When the song of the angel is stilled when the star in the sky is gone when the kings and princes are home when the shepherds are back with their flocks the work of Christmas begins: To find the lost to heal the broken to feed the hungry to release the prisoner to rebuild the…

Gwenna Moss is a CCS volunteer who has been helping to clean up and organize the files of our former students and graduates.  Here is a story from her about why it sometimes takes longer than you would expect: I think most of you know that I find the files very interesting.  I also find…

“How does it feel to have an award named after you?” asked Deacon Pam Nesbit, President of the newly named  Association of Episcopal Deacons (formerly the North American Association for the Diaconate) while we were sharing an elevator at the recent gathering of the Association of Anglican Deacons in Canada.  Good question.  When I stepped…

Maylanne Maybee reflects on her first weeks as Principal of CCS: It’s now two weeks since I’ve assumed the role of Principal of the Centre for Christian Studies.  My appointment to CCS was announced at the end of April, so I’ve had three months to think about and plan for it.  I spent those three…

It’s now a little over a week since I’ve assumed the role of Principal of the Centre for Christian Studies.  Scott Douglas said the day would come that I won’t be counting anymore!  I’m not quite there yet.  In the month before arriving here, I attended the Celebration of Life of Rhea Whitehead, a dear…

In a recent community update, to advertise the upcoming farewell to Charlotte gathering, Marc posted some bird pictures and invited readers to name the bird (Charlotte is an avid bird-watcher). The winner was Barbara Barnett.  The was a prize (a $25 gift certificate), and also, in Barbara’s words, a price… The price was Marc’s invitation…

In Beth’s words: “ My name is Beth Baskin and I graduated from CCS in Toronto in 1990 as an Anglican with a specialty in Youth Ministry. Of the last 21 years of paid professional lay ministry I have managed to be employed for seven and a bit years within the Anglican Church, twelve within…

We will keep practicing love until we get it right:  Drawn to the round table, living in life-centered diversity of community We will keep celebrating the sacred until we embody it. In authenticity and prayer, an embodiment of Christ, an embodiment of spirituality We will keep calling for justice until it prevails. As a critical…

The Integrating Year Learning Circle starts tomorrow as final year CCS students enter their last two weeks before graduation.  Next week Thursday the Educational Ministry Learning Circle will arrive for two weeks of learning.  That Friday (April 1, no joke) the members of the CCS Central Council will be gathering in Winnipeg for two days…

From Wednesday morning staff worship, February 9, 2011  Background The first recorded person of African heritage to set foot in what would become Canada arrived on our shores some 400 years ago. It is believed that, in 1604, Mathieu Da Costa arrived with the French explorers Pierre Du Gua De Monts and Samuel de Champlain….