For those server and web-gurus, I wonder if we could implement some sort of tracking system that reports the number of players logged in over time (reported every 15-60 minutes, and retained for maybe 2-4 weeks?). We don't need specifics (like WHO was logged in), but just a simply activity chart showing when the most likely time to encounter people will be.
Personally, I most enjoy working closely with 1-3 other people, pooling resources, with each of us focusing on a particular thing (building, farming, automating, etc). It's nice to see the rapid progress this kind of cooperation brings, and things don't get lonely or stale quite as quickly.
I haven't quite found that level of "companionship" on the CC server, but honestly, I haven't spent a great deal of time there to develop those relationships, so I only blame myself. I've made a couple of attempts to start up a farming settlement, but I find a lot more excitement in industrialization and automation - and to my knowledge, the CC server doesn't currently offer a lot of mods that specialize in these areas. I'm a HUGE fan of the Direwolf20 Let's Play series on YouTube - the author provides a professional and family-friendly look into several different mods, and even plays on a multiplayer server with the mod developers - showing how to really harness the power of the items in those mods. Once you get serious about trying out some of the mods in Minecraft, I highly recommend looking at his Let's Play series - it makes for a great tutorial, albeit somewhat fast-paced...
Going back to the "too late" question - you don't necessarily need to join a dedicated server for multiplayer. blsimpson and I ran a "semi-private" multiplayer server for a while (open to anyone, but not necessarily advertised), where we dug into some of the high-tech mods, explored a bit of magic, and had a pretty decent time (until we grew to the point where lag became a problem from all the automation). If you want to branch out and do something that's not necessarily available on the CC server, it's possible to host your own multiplayer server. Keep in mind that the more mods and players you have, the more memory and network resources it takes - plus, the server has to be available on the internet to connect to - and while I've never heard of anyone exploiting a Minecraft server, punching holes in a firewall does open up your system to some extent...
I'm not suggesting that you run off and do your own multiplayer, and completely forego the fellowship on a server - I just wanted to let you know that there are different ways to play multiplayer, so if you can't find the world you're looking for, nothing is stopping you from creating that world yourself. As for finding a population to play with - that's your "problem"

It's fun to do on a short-term basis, but nothing beats the fellowship and longevity of a populated, established, and dedicated server.
Edit: I've joined a few servers run by Christian groups, and I often get them confused. Regardless, it's been a while since I've found a server with the mods I desire AND a consistent and close-knit group of people to play with. I want my cake, and eat it too, I suppose. Perhaps if I made myself more available, I would find what I'm looking for - but that requires time, a commodity I've been severely lacking of late....