Images from Health, Pain, & Trauma 2025
Students spent a week learning about spiritual care for those who suffer.
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Images from Fall 2025 Integration Circle
The fall IY circle was small but powerful.
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A Room Full of Mentors
CCS students in Ontario joined a meeting of diaconal folks from three regions.
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Bear Clan Patrol: community people working with community people
by Kimiko Karpoff It’s Friday evening. An eclectic group of people gathers at Silver Spire United Church. They are preparing to spend the next several hours together roaming the streets of St. Catharines. This is not a parade, not a street party. This is Bear Clan Patrol. Karen Orlandi is both a minister with Silver…
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Walking together – Integration Year 2019/2020
A peek at the 2019/2020 Integration Year circle, gathered in Winnipeg September 16 – 21. “In integration year, all the pieces are coming together in a supportive way that allows me to let go of the ideas and thoughts I used to cling to desperately and rest in an incredible lightness of being. ” ~Karen…
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Cloud source
A reflection for CCS Sunday, November 3, 2019 When I imagine the Cloud of Witnesses, I often think of it in terms of those who went before me and are spiritually keeping watch on us now. This can be both comforting and disconcerting. It’s the disconcert that I feel more often, as if I’m being…
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Expanding diaconal sacramental theology
by Michelle Owens When I was at the DOTAC gathering in Vancouver this week (Diakonia of the Americas and Caribbean), we celebrated communion together. With one of the Deaconesses of the Wesleyan Methodist Order presiding, we celebrated with gluten free bread and grape juice – the familiar ritual intentionally opening space so that the divine…
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Changes to sacrament licensing for UCCan diaconal ministers
by Debra Kigar As member (and later Chair) of the Permanent Committee – Ministry and Employment Policies and Services (PC-MEPS) for the past several years, I have been intimately involved in the work that lead to this policy change. It seems to me that it would be helpful for all diaconal ministers to understand how…
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“In a good way”
Learning at Sandy Saulteaux Spiritual Centreby Kim McNaughton “In a good way” is a phrase Elder Rev. Bernice Saulteaux used during prayer and teaching at the Christology learning circle in April. I am a 4th-year student in the diaconal ministry program at The Centre for Christian Studies (CCS); in September I will be entering the Integration (and…
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Minister for the little people
Where are they now? Lori Crocker ~ CCS Grad ~ 1980 Lori Crocker was born in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Growing up she was involved in Sunday School, children’s choir, Explorers, CGIT, youth group and Sherbrooke Lake United Church Camp in Franey Corner. She remembers loving the music and the musical, Jesus Christ Superstar. Lori got a…
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Follow Me: Annual Service of Celebration 2019
At our Annual Service of Celebration graduates of the CCS Diploma in Diaconal Ministries reflected on Jesus’ call to “Follow me.” A full sanctuary of friends, family, and special guests at St. Mary’s Road United Church in Winnipeg honoured graduates Keith Hall, Tammy Bleue, Lynn McGrath and Marion Martin, along with the 2019 Companion of…
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She recognized curiosity in me…”
Judy Astley (UCC 1990) came to the Centre for Christian Studies as a spiritual seeker. She says, “Katherine Edmonstone (UCC 1986), the diaconal minister at my church in Kitchener, recognized that curiosity in me and suggested I check out CCS. I decided to study for my own interest, with no particular end in mind.” It…
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My Visit to the Methodist Diaconal Order of the UK
While in London I was able to visit with Karen McBride, Warden of the Methodist Diaconal Order of the UK, and Ruth Richey, Vice Warden. Karen invited me to visit her and Ruth at their office in central London. The Methodist Church House occupies a large, old, brown brick office building but the diaconal order…
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Celebrate with us
as we honour the 2019 Graduates and Companion of the Centre The Annual Service of Celebration weekend is one of the busiest times at CCS! Spring learning circles for Theme Year students overlap with Integrating Year learning circles. Central Council volunteers, who meet by conference call throughout the year, converge on Winnipeg for a three-day…
