Well, this Happy Monday comes right on the heels of our beautiful blessing service yesterday. What a heart-filling, tear-duct-emptying, waterproof-mascara-experiment experience for me! For many years, I’ve used a phrase I heard many years ago (I think from Rev. Helen Street), which is: “cry more, pee less” and if that slightly irreverent thought is true, it may be a long while before I need a restroom!
On a more serious note, what a beautiful opportunity it was for both Kenn and myself to individually recognize and thank so many people who have meant so much to us over time. It was a true gift to both of us. We were also grateful to personally hand out our traditional holiday gift boxes, each containing a candle for each person to carry the flame of this Centre and this teaching forward. Thank you, Rev. Corinne, for all you did to make it happen. Thanks to Irene Kowalchuk for making the boxes, and thanks to Dr. Kenn for personally assembling them.
While mentioning Rev. Corinne, I want to reiterate what I shared yesterday at service for those of you who might have missed it. I’ve had a couple of people ask me why Rev. Corinne isn’t moving into either the Senior Minister or the Interim Minister position here at CSLK. Corinne has been clear from the beginning that she sees herself as Assistant Minister to our Centre as a bridge (I also see her as a ‘heart’) from Kenn and I as Senior Ministers, through to whomever may be our next Senior Minister. She let me know from the beginning that she didn’t feel it was her path to fill that position, or that of the Interim Minister. I’m happy for the chance to clear that up; be assured tha I asked her (more than once) if it was something she felt called to. We are so blessed to have her as that clear heart midwifing us into the next iteration of our Centre.
Also yesterday, I was so delighted, proud and happy to formally announce our Interim Minister, Rev. Karin Wilson. Interim Ministry is a very special calling for ministers with experience as Senior Ministers (Rev. Karin was the founder of the CSL Yaletown in Vancouver) who take additional training in leading a community through times of transition from one Senior Minister to another. Rev. Karin was previously Interim Minister at the Centre in Edmonton. Her job is to hospice Kenn and I out (not sure I like that term at all!) and to midwife in the next Senior Minister.
Having Rev. Karin come in (I believe the plan is for her to be here in Kelowna in person, two Sundays a month) feels very fortuitous to me in terms of legacy, because she was a student of Kenn’s and mine. She took all her classes here from her very first Science of Mind course, all the way through graduating from ministerial training with us in 2008. There are few greater kudos you could give teachers than to have their student carrying the torch forward. My teacher, Dr. Tom Costa, used to say: our legacy strengthens as it’s carried forward through our students. Rev. Karin will be joining me in person on Sunday, January 1st at Studio 9 for Releasing into the New, our annual New Year’s release and intention-setting service, which will be my last service. I hope you can be there, whether in person or watching the livestream.
I also hope you can join us next Sunday for our annual Celebration of Light holiday service. It’ll be a morning service this year starting 10:30 am at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. I know Neal Klassen has been at work creating a wonderful festive time for us all. Sista B & the Boyz will be doing music for us and we’re very blessed to have, as has been our tradition for many years, Dr. Kenn offering the seasonal message. This may well be his last official talk for at least this iteration of things.
We are also very happy that we can invite all of you to bring finger food goodies that we can share during our time of fellowship after the service. Sharing an abundance of holiday treats is a tradition our community has enjoyed together very much over the years.
I hope to see many of you next Sunday!
Love,
Dr. Deb
If you missed yesterday’s service, titled Honouring Community, Blessing All and Belonging, you can watch the replay and other past services on the CSLK YouTube channel.
MIND-FULL MOMENT
“Indeed, it is as important to learn how to receive a blessing as it is to be willing to give one.”
— Joel Osteen
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