Rev. Emma Duncan
Gary Evans, Clerk of session

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Thanksgiving Sunday



It’s Thanksgiving weekend, a special time of the year as we offer our thanks for all the blessings bestowed upon us. It’s also a time of celebration for on Sunday Knox will be celebrating the Lord’s Supper. Rev. Bob Docherty, our interim moderator, will be preaching on Sunday as we come together for this special service.

A special thank you
As clerk of session, I would like to also offer my sincere thanks to three individuals who have now completed their term of office as active elders, and while they are still active in many other ways around the church, they have stepped aside from session duties and regular pastoral visits.

Merri Fergusson, John Gowing and Gord Sherritt all decided not to seek re-election when the most recent election for the Knox session was held, and while we will indeed miss their participation around the session table – for the foreseeable future – we are ever so indebted to all that they brought to their responsibilities over the years.

Knox moved to term eldership four years ago, and while term eldership is for a six-year term, it was decided at that time that some elders would serve for two years, others for four and the rest for six years as the concept phased in toward the six year terms.

Session is actually down in numbers from the Spring as no new nominations were brought forward, but we are thankful that Reg Butt, Roxie Clendening and Patty Kirby, each nominated by session, agreed to serve another term. If all that sounds a bit confusing, just know that session had 22 members as of May 31 and today we stand at 19.

Knox on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/KnoxPresbyterianChurchBurlington
Hopefully most everyone knows that Knox now has a Facebook page, and over time we expect to add various items of interest not only to the Knox congregation, but to the general public as well.

But perhaps I can highlight how a Facebook page can provide great visibility to a church such as Knox by using an illustration from another page. At the present time, I am involved in several other Facebook pages, some of them designed around historic and/or nostalgic photographs.

I put up an old photograph of the Bell Tower Room on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Vintage-Burlington/345338745530110 but I did not provide any details, instead asking viewers to provide their insight. After 24 hours, more than 200 people had viewed that picture; today, 346 people have viewed the picture and 24 have offered comments. That is great exposure for Knox, and will continue to be so for some time. 

That picture is not on the Knox site at the moment, but may well be migrated over there some time in the future, but in the meantime, it can be seen at the above link.

We hear from Victor
As most everyone knows by now, a member of the Knox congregation is now at Presbyterian College in Montreal, immersed in studies at this college as he heeds his call to the ministry.

Victor Vaus spoke to the Knox congregation in the Spring, talking about his calling and his desire to attend Presbyterian College. Session endorsed his application, passing it along to the Presbytery of Hamilton for their consideration. As part of the official process, Victor must now appear before the Presbytery….just one more step on his long road toward ordination.

The letter below is from Victor, bringing the congregation up to date on his life in Montreal, and about his Presbytery appointment.

Dear friends at Knox,
First allow me to thank you for remembering me in your prayers, and for the cards and best wishes that you have so kindly sent.

My first month at Presbyterian College has gone by very quickly. Academically things are fine, and I feel like I am starting to get into the "swing of things" here. The workload is heavy but manageable, and I am being exposed to new ways of looking at things on a regular basis.

Rev. Dr. John Vissers preached a sermon that revolved around Anselm's notion of  "Fides Quaerens Intellectum" - faith seeking understanding -which I particularly enjoyed. The title of the sermon neatly sums up my experience here so far.

Also, the date that I am to appear before Hamilton Presbytery has been set - Saturday Oct 27th. I intend to stay thought Saturday night and worship with you all at Knox on Sunday Oct 28. I will return to Montreal Sunday afternoon.

I wish you all a blessed and happy Thanksgiving, and look forward to seeing you in Burlington very soon.

Yours in Christian fellowship,

Victor