As I go for my walks each day, it is becoming more and more apparent that the Christmas season, at least for many people, is over…. over just as soon as the presents are opened and the last of the dishes from the Christmas feast are stacked in the dishwasher.
At least that’s the conclusion one gets from seeing the number of Christmas trees placed out on the curb for a collection that is far off in the future.
But according to the Christian church year, we are still in the midst of the Christmas season, a season which started on Dec. 25th and extends to Jan. 5, the twelve days of Christmas.
And so, as a New Year dawns, we are reminded that the church year starts in September, and despite some of the mangled interpretations of a popular song, we indeed are still celebrating Christmas, and will do so for several more days.
Pulpit supply
There have been several pieces of communication recently concerning interim ministry, the search process and the desire of Rev. John Duff to ease back from his responsibilities at Knox. When John was first approached about taking on the interim ministry role at Knox, his contract was for the period from Sept. 1 to Jan. 31, but for the month of January, he will be sharing some of his responsibilities with the Rev. Bob Docherty, retired from St. John’s, Grimsby who will assume pastoral care responsibilities in January while John continues to preach on Sundays.
But saying that, John will not be in the pulpit to start the New Year as he is on vacation, and so for this date we will have as our guest minister, the Rev. Willard Pottinger, who served at Val d'Or, Montreal, Ottawa, and St. Paul's, Hamilton, before retiring from full-time ministry work. In an online bio, he notes that he alternated between teaching and ministry several times to preserve his sanity, teaching English and French at several schools in Ontario, as well as at Zhenjiang, China. Now an avid curler, you can also spot him on a bicycle as he rides around Hamilton Bay twice each week.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Twas the night before Christmas
…and all through Knox Church, all was in preparation for wondrous Christmas services.
Once again this year, Knox will have two Christmas Eve worship services as well as the traditional Sunday morning service on Christmas Day.
Knox Church will have a family service at 7 p.m. with lots of music by the sanctuary choir and a special presentation by the Rockin’ Angels, a delightful group of young singersTwas the night before Christmas
.
The family service will be followed by a special candlelight service which includes the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, starting at 9 p.m.
Then on Sunday, the regular worship service will be held at 10 a.m.
A warm invitation is extended to each and all to worship at Knox, especially during this Christmas season.
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Time does fly
It has been some time – six weeks to be exact – since I have added to the Knox blog, but time has not been on my side, so this is a bit of catch-up so to speak.
Since penning a few words back on Oct. 21, much has been happening around Knox, including another very successful Holly Wreath Bazaar, an impressive Remembrance Day service wherein the children of the Sunday School made wreaths which they placed during the service, an act which obviously gave all those in the church school a deeper understanding of why we observe Remembrance Day.
Quiet time
As Knox continues to move through difficult times following the passing of our minister, the Rev. Mark Hoogsteen, we have been fortunate to have not only the services of Rev. John Duff who is providing stated supply on a regular basis, but also the Rev. Linda Corry who is conducting courses at the church in grief recovery.
Linda also provided the leadership in another interesting program recently, an Advent Quiet Day, which was entitled Keeping in Touch with God. Using the book, Sleeping with Bread: Holding What Gives You Life, it started with prayer followed by a quiet time with God, reflections on Sleeping with Bread and concluded with lunch and worship.
Financial picture
As we get to this time in the church year, the church treasurer, the stewardship coordinator, and the board of managers take a hard look at the operating and mission budgets, with treasurer Rick Craig providing projections on where we as a congregation are likely to stand financially on Dec. 31.
Knox is no different than most churches. It’s always a scramble at year-end.
In 2010, the church received several major gifts in the month of December, gifts that not only allowed Knox to eliminate the carry-over deficit, but allowed us to meet our obligations for Presbyterians Sharing while still allowing for a small surplus to start 2011.
That was great news. In this day and age of budget cuts, we are ever so thankful that Knox lived up to its obligations – not only in the repair and upkeep of this magnificent building, but also to its ministry, both within its walls, but to our neighbours here in Burlington and around the world.
As we come down to the last few days of 2011, we are in much the same situation we faced 365 days ago. Revenue is down – slightly – and so are expenses – slightly – but we need your help to once again end the year on a positive note. We hope to have the 11- month figures very shortly, and that will give us an even better picture of what we need in the short time left until Dec. 31, but in the meantime, everyone is asked to give prayerful consideration to ensuring that Knox again ends the year on a positive financial note.
Communion service
Knox church will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper on Dec. 4, and there will be something a wee bit different with the Communion service this time around as there will be co-celebrants as Rev. John Duff will be joined by Rev. Linda Corry in this special service.
Since penning a few words back on Oct. 21, much has been happening around Knox, including another very successful Holly Wreath Bazaar, an impressive Remembrance Day service wherein the children of the Sunday School made wreaths which they placed during the service, an act which obviously gave all those in the church school a deeper understanding of why we observe Remembrance Day.
Quiet time
As Knox continues to move through difficult times following the passing of our minister, the Rev. Mark Hoogsteen, we have been fortunate to have not only the services of Rev. John Duff who is providing stated supply on a regular basis, but also the Rev. Linda Corry who is conducting courses at the church in grief recovery.
Linda also provided the leadership in another interesting program recently, an Advent Quiet Day, which was entitled Keeping in Touch with God. Using the book, Sleeping with Bread: Holding What Gives You Life, it started with prayer followed by a quiet time with God, reflections on Sleeping with Bread and concluded with lunch and worship.
Financial picture
As we get to this time in the church year, the church treasurer, the stewardship coordinator, and the board of managers take a hard look at the operating and mission budgets, with treasurer Rick Craig providing projections on where we as a congregation are likely to stand financially on Dec. 31.
Knox is no different than most churches. It’s always a scramble at year-end.
In 2010, the church received several major gifts in the month of December, gifts that not only allowed Knox to eliminate the carry-over deficit, but allowed us to meet our obligations for Presbyterians Sharing while still allowing for a small surplus to start 2011.
That was great news. In this day and age of budget cuts, we are ever so thankful that Knox lived up to its obligations – not only in the repair and upkeep of this magnificent building, but also to its ministry, both within its walls, but to our neighbours here in Burlington and around the world.
As we come down to the last few days of 2011, we are in much the same situation we faced 365 days ago. Revenue is down – slightly – and so are expenses – slightly – but we need your help to once again end the year on a positive note. We hope to have the 11- month figures very shortly, and that will give us an even better picture of what we need in the short time left until Dec. 31, but in the meantime, everyone is asked to give prayerful consideration to ensuring that Knox again ends the year on a positive financial note.
Communion service
Knox church will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper on Dec. 4, and there will be something a wee bit different with the Communion service this time around as there will be co-celebrants as Rev. John Duff will be joined by Rev. Linda Corry in this special service.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Induction service
It is a special time in the life of Knox, Burlington, this Sunday as three new elders are being inducted during the morning worship service. I use the term “new” very lightly, however, as all three individuals have served as elders in the past.
Nick Lewis and Carolyn Wilkins have both served on the Knox session in previous years but stepped down when their terms of office ended after Knox implemented term service for elders.
The third individual, Charles Pearson, has a long history of church service in Hamilton where he served as an elder and was clerk of session for a great many years at Centenary Church.
With the induction of these individuals, there are not 22 elders on session, and that has resulted in some changes to the elder districts, changes which were put in place for the elder visits prior to the recent Communion service.
Operation Christmas Shoe Boxes
The children of the Sunday school are once again supporting Operation Christmas Child by filling the shoeboxes which will be sent all around the world to needy children. They will be assembling the boxes Sunday morning so if you have any items please see that they get to the Edrie Elder Room before the church service.
Friday, Oct. 14
Where there's a will
Yes, I know that I said there would not be a Knox blog this week as I am dealing with dial-up internet service up here in the north country. While I sometimes question the speed of my in-office internet service, it’s a real joy when compared to what I am facing this week - 20 minutes plus to retrieve one email message, for instance.
So, that being said, what’s up with this update on the blog?
Actually, it’s quite simple in reality.
It’s raining up here, has been, will be, and yet, here I sit in my car parked outside of a late 1800s railway station that has been converted into an art gallery, which just happens to have WiFi service, a service that extends to the parking lot.
Hence, a way around that dial-up service.
Memorial window
One of the nice things about a blog is that it provides a way to report little things around the church which otherwise would not be reported; they’re perhaps not items for the Sunday bulletin, but indeed they are part of the life in and around Knox.
Such is the case of the scaffolding at the front of the church in recent days. It seems that the framework around the window has been showing decay, such decay that the priceless stain glass window it supports was in so much danger that the still had to be replaced…immediately.
I don’t have my notes with me, but I do know that the window, in addition to being a beautiful piece of art, has a fascinating history, albeit but one that has been clouded with misinformation over the years.
It is known that the money for the window came from Colin Campbell, who lived in Burlington in the late 1800s, although it appears that the money was not originally intended for that purpose, in fact was designated for general welfare within the church.
There are no records available as to how the money - all $600 of it – went to a different cause, but it is understood that the gift of the window resulted in the building of the narthex.
The money was donated in memory of Colin Campbell’s mother, a member of the Knox congregation in the late 1800s, and in fact her name shows up in early church records.
Stories over the years have indicated that Colin Campbell was the lieutenant governor of Manitoba at the time of the donation, but in fact he was attorney general and if memory serves me right, he held the dual role of minister of public works for the Manitoba government around the turn of the century.
Colin Campbell died at a relatively early age, but his wife, the daughter of one of the pioneer doctors from Halton, lived on for several decades and after she died, two truck loads of documents relating to the Campbell and Buck families were donated to the museum in Milton.
The former Pearl Buck was a strong advocate for children’s rights, and her action was instrumental in leading to legislation toward the protection of children, thus making the donation such a treasure trove of historical documentation.
There had been discussion last year about observing the 100th anniversary of the window, but missing documentation means that we are still searching for further detail, perhaps to be found in the records transferred to Milton.
Nick Lewis and Carolyn Wilkins have both served on the Knox session in previous years but stepped down when their terms of office ended after Knox implemented term service for elders.
The third individual, Charles Pearson, has a long history of church service in Hamilton where he served as an elder and was clerk of session for a great many years at Centenary Church.
With the induction of these individuals, there are not 22 elders on session, and that has resulted in some changes to the elder districts, changes which were put in place for the elder visits prior to the recent Communion service.
Operation Christmas Shoe Boxes
The children of the Sunday school are once again supporting Operation Christmas Child by filling the shoeboxes which will be sent all around the world to needy children. They will be assembling the boxes Sunday morning so if you have any items please see that they get to the Edrie Elder Room before the church service.
Friday, Oct. 14
Where there's a will
Yes, I know that I said there would not be a Knox blog this week as I am dealing with dial-up internet service up here in the north country. While I sometimes question the speed of my in-office internet service, it’s a real joy when compared to what I am facing this week - 20 minutes plus to retrieve one email message, for instance.
So, that being said, what’s up with this update on the blog?
Actually, it’s quite simple in reality.
It’s raining up here, has been, will be, and yet, here I sit in my car parked outside of a late 1800s railway station that has been converted into an art gallery, which just happens to have WiFi service, a service that extends to the parking lot.
Hence, a way around that dial-up service.
Memorial window
One of the nice things about a blog is that it provides a way to report little things around the church which otherwise would not be reported; they’re perhaps not items for the Sunday bulletin, but indeed they are part of the life in and around Knox.
Such is the case of the scaffolding at the front of the church in recent days. It seems that the framework around the window has been showing decay, such decay that the priceless stain glass window it supports was in so much danger that the still had to be replaced…immediately.
I don’t have my notes with me, but I do know that the window, in addition to being a beautiful piece of art, has a fascinating history, albeit but one that has been clouded with misinformation over the years.
It is known that the money for the window came from Colin Campbell, who lived in Burlington in the late 1800s, although it appears that the money was not originally intended for that purpose, in fact was designated for general welfare within the church.
There are no records available as to how the money - all $600 of it – went to a different cause, but it is understood that the gift of the window resulted in the building of the narthex.
The money was donated in memory of Colin Campbell’s mother, a member of the Knox congregation in the late 1800s, and in fact her name shows up in early church records.
Stories over the years have indicated that Colin Campbell was the lieutenant governor of Manitoba at the time of the donation, but in fact he was attorney general and if memory serves me right, he held the dual role of minister of public works for the Manitoba government around the turn of the century.
Colin Campbell died at a relatively early age, but his wife, the daughter of one of the pioneer doctors from Halton, lived on for several decades and after she died, two truck loads of documents relating to the Campbell and Buck families were donated to the museum in Milton.
The former Pearl Buck was a strong advocate for children’s rights, and her action was instrumental in leading to legislation toward the protection of children, thus making the donation such a treasure trove of historical documentation.
There had been discussion last year about observing the 100th anniversary of the window, but missing documentation means that we are still searching for further detail, perhaps to be found in the records transferred to Milton.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Thanksgiving Sunday
I had every intention in getting this blog out to you earlier than Saturday afternoon, but such is my time constraints these days that here I am, again, at the last minute.
In any case, many things are happening around Knox these days as we are now well into the fall season, with all the regular activities well under way.
Sunday is a special day in the life of any church, especially at Knox, as we offer thanks for our many blessings as we not only celebrate Thanksgiving Sunday, but gather around the table to celebrate the Lord’s Supper. There are special decorations in the sanctuary, and the fruit and vegetables, donated by members of the congregation, will be donated to the Wesley Urban Ministries after the service.
Harvest Festival
And, in keeping with the harvest theme, tickets will be available on Sunday for the Harvest Festival Dinner sponsored by the Congregational Life committee. The event is scheduled for Oct. 21, with tickets priced at $12 while kids eat free.
Grief recovery seminars
As you well know by now, Rev. Linda Corry is now part of the interim ministry team here at Knox, assisting Rev. John in many different ways including during worship, but her main emphasis is on grief recovery, and in that regard, the first of grief recovery programs will get under way Oct. 13 at 10 o’clock in the morning. This seminar, which is for anyone who has experienced loss of any kind, will be repeated on Oct. 17th at 7 p.m.
Linda will also be conducting a Grief Recovery Outreach Program starting Nov. 3rd and running for 12 sessions, while a special program for adults to help children deal with loss is scheduled to begin Nov. 7th.
There is a display of the various books to be used in the seminars and workshops in Reception Room B, and those interested in attending any of the programs are urged to look them over during coffee on Sunday.
Complete details about these programs and the registration requirements were included with Knox Talks, which was delivered recently by the church elders. If you did not receive the information, please contact Trish at the church office.
Rev. Linda Corry has given leadership in ministry in both the Presbyterian and Anglican Churches in Canada, and has served as a private practice psychotherapist to lay persons and clergy.
Linda is a graduate of Concordia University, Montreal (Bachelor of Arts), McGill University (Bachelor of Theology), and The Presbyterian College at McGill University (Diploma in Ministry). She has studied with The Institute for Life Coach Training, is a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® Certified Practitioner, a Grief Recovery® Specialist licensed by The Grief Recovery Institute, and a member of the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists. She has experience incorporating principles of church leadership, growth and development from the Alban Institute, Bill Easum and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Mission Developer Training in church planting and re-development, among others.
Linda's faith and ministry have roots across denominational lines. With an Anglican mother and United Church father, she grew up in a Presbyterian congregation in a Roman Catholic community and attended a largely Jewish High School. She became the first woman graduate of The Presbyterian College, and served in the Presbyteries of Montreal and West Toronto before entering the Anglican Church to minister in the Diocese of Niagara.
Christian Nurture
With Reg Butt still recovering from recent health issues, the Knox session is most grateful that Janine Jaconelli has agreed to serve as interim chair of the Christian Nurture committee providing a leadership role as we seek to nurture the lives of the young people in our congregation through the church school.
You will also note that in Sunday’s bulletin there is a need for additional Sunday school teachers and if you can help in even a minor way, please contact Deb Settle or Nicola Robertson as soon as possible.
Just so you know
And a final note. It’s just possible that there will not be a blog entry next week; it seems that dial-up internet service, a type of service found in the north country, is not all that conducive to creating blogs – or, one could say it’s just plain frustrating. So, if you are looking for a blog entry, and it’s not there, at least you know the reason.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Communion Sunday
Sunday is World Communion Sunday in churches around the world, but if you haven’t realized it yet, Knox has moved its October Communion service to the following Sunday, that being Thanksgiving Sunday.
One of the main reasons for the shift was the fact that several months ago it was felt that the Run for the Cure, which is being held Sunday morning, might impede people from getting to the church in a timely fashion. Now that the route has been released, it should have not impact on Knox to any great extent, either for traffic congestion or parking around the church, although worshippers heading to church along New Street should be aware of the potential for delays in that the staging area is at Central Park with the event itself getting under way at 10:30 a.m.
Police checks
This announcement was in last week’s bulletin, but it is worth repeating, and repeating.
The Leading with Care Committee is in the process of finalizing police checks. The Session has adopted to be a “Leading with Care” congregation and therefore requires all persons (including staff) working with children, youth, vulnerable adults, seniors and money, to have a police check. Our insurance company requires this process. If you are involved in any of the listed areas, we are asking you to take responsibility and provide the church office with your police check as soon as possible. It is required to be updated every three years. Compliance is mandatory and the Session will be enforcing the policy.
The Committee needs to have this completed by October 24. We will be contacting you if your records are not updated in the church office. Let’s work together ensuring a climate of safety for our children, youth and vulnerable seniors, while keeping us credible and insurable! Please direct your questions to any member of the Leading with Care Committee, Jackie Harrington, Patty Kirby, Janet MacIntyre and Ian MacIntyre.
So that all everyone might have a better understanding of the implications, the following is an excerpt from a letter written by Marsh Canada Insurance, a company which provides insurance coverage to about 290 Presbyterian churches in Canada. The letter was written at a time when the General Assembly was considering adopting the Leading with Care mandate.
“Congregations who fail to implement the church's proposed volunteer screening and training policy may find themselves without insurance to cover abuse claims. The warning comes from Michael Petersen of Marsh Canada Insurance. Petersen said the coverage "is not a warranty" against possible slip-ups or oversights in abuse protocols. He said the possibility exists for a congregation to make a claim and, if found not to be in full compliance with the guidelines, refused compensation.
“The policy insists that congregations screen volunteers and employees using interviews, references and police records checks. It calls for clearly stated definitions of all forms of abuse and a code of conduct for employees and volunteers. Precautionary measures such as windows in classrooms, keeping doors open during counselling sessions, and avoiding one-on-one time between a child and adult must be implemented.”
And finally, a message from Linda Gowing,
To share the blessings of harvest, each Thanksgiving Knox donates our fresh produce from the display to the Wesley Urban Ministries. This year we are giving the congregation an opportunity to participate in this. If you would like to donate hearty fresh fruits and vegetables with a longer shelf life (cauliflower, brussel sprouts, squash, peppers, onions, melons, pears, apples ...etc) we will be collecting them Thanksgiving Sunday. There will baskets and boxes at the front of the church under the display to place them in at the beginning or end of service. If you have any questions talk to Lynda Gowing.
One of the main reasons for the shift was the fact that several months ago it was felt that the Run for the Cure, which is being held Sunday morning, might impede people from getting to the church in a timely fashion. Now that the route has been released, it should have not impact on Knox to any great extent, either for traffic congestion or parking around the church, although worshippers heading to church along New Street should be aware of the potential for delays in that the staging area is at Central Park with the event itself getting under way at 10:30 a.m.
Police checks
This announcement was in last week’s bulletin, but it is worth repeating, and repeating.
The Leading with Care Committee is in the process of finalizing police checks. The Session has adopted to be a “Leading with Care” congregation and therefore requires all persons (including staff) working with children, youth, vulnerable adults, seniors and money, to have a police check. Our insurance company requires this process. If you are involved in any of the listed areas, we are asking you to take responsibility and provide the church office with your police check as soon as possible. It is required to be updated every three years. Compliance is mandatory and the Session will be enforcing the policy.
The Committee needs to have this completed by October 24. We will be contacting you if your records are not updated in the church office. Let’s work together ensuring a climate of safety for our children, youth and vulnerable seniors, while keeping us credible and insurable! Please direct your questions to any member of the Leading with Care Committee, Jackie Harrington, Patty Kirby, Janet MacIntyre and Ian MacIntyre.
So that all everyone might have a better understanding of the implications, the following is an excerpt from a letter written by Marsh Canada Insurance, a company which provides insurance coverage to about 290 Presbyterian churches in Canada. The letter was written at a time when the General Assembly was considering adopting the Leading with Care mandate.
“Congregations who fail to implement the church's proposed volunteer screening and training policy may find themselves without insurance to cover abuse claims. The warning comes from Michael Petersen of Marsh Canada Insurance. Petersen said the coverage "is not a warranty" against possible slip-ups or oversights in abuse protocols. He said the possibility exists for a congregation to make a claim and, if found not to be in full compliance with the guidelines, refused compensation.
“The policy insists that congregations screen volunteers and employees using interviews, references and police records checks. It calls for clearly stated definitions of all forms of abuse and a code of conduct for employees and volunteers. Precautionary measures such as windows in classrooms, keeping doors open during counselling sessions, and avoiding one-on-one time between a child and adult must be implemented.”
And finally, a message from Linda Gowing,
To share the blessings of harvest, each Thanksgiving Knox donates our fresh produce from the display to the Wesley Urban Ministries. This year we are giving the congregation an opportunity to participate in this. If you would like to donate hearty fresh fruits and vegetables with a longer shelf life (cauliflower, brussel sprouts, squash, peppers, onions, melons, pears, apples ...etc) we will be collecting them Thanksgiving Sunday. There will baskets and boxes at the front of the church under the display to place them in at the beginning or end of service. If you have any questions talk to Lynda Gowing.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Rev. Dr. Herb Gale, past moderator
Knox has already had two past moderators preaching from the pulpit in recent weeks, and now, the immediate past moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, the Rev. Dr. Herb Gale will be preaching at Knox Sunday.
It is a distinctive honor for Knox to have so many past moderators preaching at Knox in such a short time frame, with Rev. Dr. Allan McPherson and Ms. Wilma Welsh having been with us during the summer months.
Dr. Gale was well known by Rev. Mark who had indicated on many occasions that he would like to invite the past moderator to Knox once his term as the moderator of the 136th General Assembly was completed, and in fact the invitation was one of the first initiatives taken by Rev. Thomas Kay when he became interim moderator of Knox following Mark’s death.
In addition to being the immediate past moderator, Dr. Gale is the Associate Secretary for Planned Giving in the Life and Mission Agency for the Presbyterian Church in Canada. The national website notes that “Planned Giving is a way of being responsible stewards of the blessings God has entrusted to us”.
Everyone is encouraged to stay for a luncheon following the service in the Fellowship Hall, being served by ladies of the church; which will also give people an informal opportunity to greet our past moderator, and for him to bring us some informal words out of his experience visiting the churches in Canada and overseas during his year as moderator.
As a matter of background, the following is from the Presbyterian Record, when the church publication highlighted each of the nominees for moderator.
Rev. Dr. Herb Gale hails from North Carolina, but headed north to complete his education at the Toronto School of Theology. He ministered for several years in Stouffville and then in Guelph, Ont., alongside his wife, Rev. Dr. Shirley Gale, until she was forced to resign for health reasons.
In 2004, he became associate secretary of Planned Giving, a role that he sees as an extension of his call to strengthen local congregations. He has served on the national worship committee, stewardship advisory committee and planning teams for Stewards by Design conferences since their inception in 1999.
“I’m interested in the next generation, in children and young people, and would like to see a clearer strategy for how to reach that group,” he said. “My master of theology degree was in the area of spirituality, so helping to forge a living faith would be important for me.”
He suggested he would also try to restore hope to congregations and presbyteries that have fallen into a “survival mindset.”
“Many congregations have given up dreaming because they don’t see a future for themselves,” he said. “But I think planned giving can really put wheels under those dreams. It provides a new source of money to do some creative things.”
Prayer requests
The Knox worship committee met recently, and one of their initiatives was to encourage requests for prayer to be phoned in during the week, either directly to Rev. John Duff, or through the church office, for inclusion in the prayers of the people at Sunday worship.
Grief Recovery program
As part of our interim ministry program, the Rev. Linda Corry has planned two dates for a Grief Recovery Seminar: Thursday, October 13 at 10:00 am or Monday, October 17 at 7 pm. This seminar is for everyone who has experienced loss of any kind and for anyone who would like to be more informed about loss and grief in the future. This 2-hour seminar will help deal with issues such as death, divorce, job loss, changes in health and finances. The seminar will also lead to other programs planned including “The Grief Recovery Outreach Program" or "When Children Grieve" and "Spirituality 101". Please contact Linda for more information at www.corrycoach.com and contact the office to register for one of these two seminars.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Rally Sunday
The new church year really gets into high gear this week for as a congregation we have the opportunity to witness the commissioning of the Sunday School teachers and then following the church service there will be a BBQ in the parking lot, all part of the Rally Sunday celebrations.
Everyone is welcome to enjoy this time of fellowship while munching on a hamburgs, hot dogs and other goodies prepared for this yearly event which officially launches the church school year.
Sunday also marks the 10th anniversary of 9/11 and as such there will be a time of remembrance, as well as the singing of a special anniversary hymn, O God, Our Hearts were Shattered.
There is also a special service remembering the victims of terror around the world and honoring emergency services and first responders at MacNab Street Presbyterian Church Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. Rev. Harvey Self, moderator of the 135th General Assembly in 2009, and a former Canadian Forces Chaplain, will be the guest speaker for this occasion.
Sunday’s bulletin is full of announcements of upcoming events as the various groups get back to a regular meeting schedule, with such activities as the Bible Study group scheduled to meet Sept.15 at 2 p.m. in Reception Room B.
And everyone is reminded that the rummage sale is fast approaching, in fact will be held Sept. 17, with donations such as small appliances, kitchen items, linens, clean wearable clothing, toys, puzzles, paperback books, china, glassware, jewellery and small furniture being accepted. The drop off for such items begins Monday, while set up days are Thursday and Friday, when lots of volunteer help is needed.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
A new direction
During the last three months, since the passing of our minister, the Rev. Mark Hoogsteen, the congregation has been blessed with the presence with many outstanding preachers, but as we move into September, the direction has been changed as Knox welcomes Rev. John Duff to the pulpit for a five-month period of stated supply.
The agreement as approved by the Hamilton Presbytery in July indicates that Rev. Duff will provide engaged as stated supply on a one-third time basis, to provide regular pulpit supply and essential pastoral care.
John expects to make maximum use of his time at Knox, and so one will not find him in the office, except for the odd occasion, but he will instead devote his time to the needs of the congregation, providing pastoral care as needed in addition to his preaching responsibilities.
John also says he is also looking forward to participating in the worship service at Heritage Place – perhaps better known as Knox North – where Knox has been participating in monthly worship services for the residents of that retirement home.
If anyone needs to reach John for any reason, including pastoral care visits, you can leave a message with Trish at the church office at 905-333-3013, or at contact him directly in Ancaster:
home telephone: (289) 239-9910
cell phone: (905) 973-5984
e-mail: john.duff105@yahoo.ca
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Blogspot and more
A few days ago when I published the first of the congregational blogs, I noted that it was one of three such blogs I was writing for the church – the others being one for session and a second for the community at large.
The community blog was started just before Christmas, 2010, and was designed to inform the community about Christmas services. It was also to be somewhat temporary as session has been working on the introduction of a church website, a project that was initiated by Rev. Mark.
Rev. Wayne Irwin, a retired United Church minister, has been working on establishing the website through a company called Model T Websites and more news about the website should be forthcoming in the near future.
In the meantime, the Knox blog has had its ups and downs – down for a while, then up for the Easter season, then down again for a short while. Blogs, after all, are time consuming.
But when Rev. Mark passed away, the need for a blog became ever more apparent as large numbers of people were going online to get information about Mark, about Knox, and about our weekly services, and so it has continued on a fairly regular basis.
As the writer and also the administrator for the blog, I am able to get an overview of the usage, and really, it is quite surprising. As Aug. 25, there had been 3,539 page views since its inception, 409 in the last month, and 20 on Wednesday alone. That’s a lot of people looking at Knox Burlington, and so confirms the need to use this form of communication.
There is interesting possibilities woven into the format of this blog, and perhaps in the future they can be developed further. One of the options is for a regular poll, asking readers their views on various church related subjects. Who knows, sometime we might even ask why they log into the Knox blog.
The address for the blog has been listed in the church bulletin on occasion, but for reference, it is: www.knoxburlington.blogspot.com
Communion Sunday
This Sunday, the Rev. Linda Corry will be back in the Knox pulpit as we celebrate the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. As most of the congregation know by now, Rev. Corry has served congregations in both the Presbyterian and Anglican churches and now provides coaching and consulting to clergy and parishioners (corrycoach.com).
Bikes for Malawi
The following information was included in last Sunday’s bulletin, but we pass along this information for those who were perhaps still on holidays and missed this outstanding initiative.
The Quilters at Knox Church with the support of many others within the congregation have been busy this summer with a series of after church events, with ministers serving in Malawi being the recipients of the money raised through these socials.
The group held such events as a Sloppy Joe lunch, Sundae After Sunday, and a Corn
Roast and as a result, a cheque has been sent to purchase three bikes and repair kits for ministers in Malawi in memory of the Rev. Mark. The Quilters are now working on fund raising for the Community Based Orphan Care Centres. Early in the fall, items made from the fabric from Malawi will be available for purchase with proceeds of those sales also going to the orphan centres in memory of Mark
Roast and as a result, a cheque has been sent to purchase three bikes and repair kits for ministers in Malawi in memory of the Rev. Mark. The Quilters are now working on fund raising for the Community Based Orphan Care Centres. Early in the fall, items made from the fabric from Malawi will be available for purchase with proceeds of those sales also going to the orphan centres in memory of Mark
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Why a blog
As a congregation, Knox has been most fortunate with the response from the Presbytery of Hamilton during this sudden vacancy, so that while we grieve the passing of Rev. Mark, the presbytery has stepped in to assure that there is a continuation of the high level of ministry and pastoral care that Knox has experienced in the past.
Rev. Mark was not only the minister of Knox Church, but he was moderator of session, providing leadership in all aspects of church life, so that as a result, various programs and initiatives which were in the planning stages, have been put aside…for the time being.
But with the leadership of our interim moderator, Rev. Thomas Kay of MacNab Street Presbyterian Church in Hamilton, Knox is moving ahead through the summer of interim ministry and with renewed resources for pastoral care and bereavement counselling.
There is a lot happening at Knox, and will be in the months ahead; things which the congregation should know about in a timely fashion.
So, that brings us to this blog.
As clerk of session, I felt it was important to keep the entire congregation as up to date as possible on the current affairs around the church. The blog format is a relatively new way to communicate, and it holds one real advantage: important information can get out to a great number of people…quickly.
You already receive some news in various ways – through the church bulletin, weekly pulpit announcements and Knox Talks. Those are all great resources of information, but if you happen to be away, the bulletin won’t serve it’s purpose, and while Knox Talks provides a lot of information in each issue, it is quarterly, and some information needs to get out now. That being said, there is no doubt that various details contained in the blog will be repeated in Knox Talks so that some items will get maximum coverage.
I already write two blogs for the church – one for the general public, and a second which keeps elders informed about various issues. This one is just for the congregation and the link will be emailed out to an ever growing database, while copies will be made available through the church office for those not on a computer.
And just one more thing. This blog will not be just concentrated on aspects surrounding the vacancy, but will provide timely information about what’s happening at Knox.
Stated supply
While many of you no doubt have heard the details about the interim ministry at Knox which were announced from the pulpit recently, it is important that everyone knows the direction that is being taken as we approach the start of the new church year.
At the June meeting of session, our interim moderator presented session with three options as far as interim ministry is concerned starting in September.
Session was in total agreement as to what direction they wanted to take, and as a result, Rev. Kay presented that option to a special meeting of the presbytery on July 24th, which was approved at that time. The motion as presented to presbytery was as follows:
(a) That the Rev. John Duff be engaged as stated supply at Knox Presbyterian Church, Burlington, on a one-third time basis, to provide regular pulpit supply and essential pastoral care;
(b) That the appointment be for a period of five months, commencing 1 September 2011 and concluding 31 January 2012;
(c) That prior to 31 January 2012, the Session will review the needs of the congregation going forward into the New Year, and make recommendations accordingly;
(d) That the Session of Knox Presbyterian Church, Burlington be given approval to contract with the Rev. Linda Corry to provide bereavement and other pastoral care as agreed to the congregation of Knox, Burlington;
(e) That the appointment be for a period of five months, commencing 1 September 2011 and concluding 31 January 2012.
Session also requested that the Rev. Thomas Kay remain in place as Interim Moderator during the pulpit vacancy and he indicated his willingness to do so, action that was also approved by presbytery.
Rev. John Duff is a retired Presbyterian minister now living in Ancaster and worshipping at MacNab Street Presbyterian Church.
John says that grew up in Burlington but as a child attended MacNab Street Presbyterian Church, where his grandfather, the Rev. Dr. Beverley Ketchen was minister. Later his family became part of the beginnings for Aldershot Presbyterian Church, under the ministry of the Rev. William Black. As a child he remembers that in the summer months his family sometimes attended Knox Church; and he also remember Cub and Scout church parades that brought him to Knox.
His ministry has taken him to Red Deer, Meaford and Thornbury, Toronto, Saskatoon, Ottawa, Nicaragua; and St. John's Newfoundland. He officially retired in 2002, but has done some part-time ministerial assignments from time to time since then.
John has already shown special interest in the Knox congregation. You won’t find his name in the guest book, but he was a visitor in early July, worshipping with the Knox congregation to “get the feel of worship at Knox.”
John emailed me while I was on holidays, and subsequent to that, we had a long telephone conversation concerning his ministry here at Knox. He is on extended holidays out West at the present time, but we will be sitting down soon after he returns to discuss Knox, its ministry, pastoral care, and the needs of the congregation.
As well, further details about bereavement counselling will be announced as they become available.
As well, further details about bereavement counselling will be announced as they become available.
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