Presbyterian Sharing in action

Yesterday was a great day at Knox Church!  Not only did we celebrate Presbyterian Sharing Sunday, we also successfully did our first ever fire drill.  We evacuated the building after singing “We are marching in the Light of God” J and I pronounced the benediction in our parking lot. 

After the service was over, a visitor introduced himself to me.  He is from Miami and it literally just driving through.  I wonder if anyone who was at church noticed the motorcycle with Miami licence plates in the parking lot?  Andrew Hayward Smith is riding from Miami to the Arctic Circle, across Canada to Nova Scotia, and back to Miami for a total of 15,000 miles in 120 days.  Andrew calls this an “interactive fundraising journey” and it is great to meet him and welcome him into our midst if only for a short time.  Andrew is on his way home to Miami, where he will be warmly received by his church, Miami Shores Presbyterian Church. 

Thank you Andrew for worshipping with us and we wish you a safe journey as you do God’s work.  Talk about Presbyterian Sharing in action!

Yours in Christ, Emma.

P.S. Check out his web site - http://www.arcticridefordreams.com/  

Hello, it’s Emma Duncan, the new minister at Knox Burlington and as of today, I will be officially taking over our blog!  A special thanks to Gary Evans, Knox’s Clerk of Session, for moderating this blog since its inception in 2011. 

I will be posting on this blog regularly and it will be a mixed bag of announcements, reflections, and thoughts.  As an avid reader (and former librarian), I will also talk about the books that I have read.  If I am working on a sermon series, I will also post thoughts and observations as I prepare to preach God’s Word.  All in all, this will be way for us to talk about the joys and challenges of serving God in our complex world. 

Yours in Christ, Emma Duncan

This is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Next stop, ordination.

It took only a few minutes for the call process to go through the hands of the Presbytery of Brampton, until Emma was asked whether she would accept the call to Knox, Burlington.
And with a resounding YES, we are now less than three weeks from the time when Emma will be our minister.

As was the case at the Presbytery of Hamilton two weeks ago, Rev. Bob and two representatives from Knox presented the call to the Brampton Presbytery, this time meeting at Trafalgar Presbyterian Church. Once Rev. Bob explained the process to get to this moment in time, Haf Lewis, on behalf of the search committee, and this writer, Gary Evans, as clerk of session, spoke to the call.

And within moments, the call was sustained, the ordination approved, and when Emma was asked to go forward, she was told she had 10 days to weigh her decision, but accepted on the spot.
So now, Emma prepares for her ordination service on July 7 at her home church and then induction on July 14th.

In the meantime, there are two things for the Knox congregation to keep in mind. There is a bus being offered to the ordination service, but we need to know if you are booking a seat by 1 p.m. this Sunday. At the moment, we are somewhat short of the numbers needed, so please sign up by that date if you are planning to take this mode of transportation to Brampton.

The other thing to keep in mind is the induction service that will be held July 14 here at Knox starting at 7 p.m. with a reception in Fellowship Hall after the service.

But for now, let us rejoice that we are now only days from welcoming a new minister to our church.

One more step along the way

While there is still one more approval process as we move towards that day when Emma Duncan will be the minister at Knox, Burlington, Presbytery officials in Hamilton and Brampton are moving ahead quite quickly, putting together the details for the ordination ceremony as well as her induction.

With the Presbytery of Hamilton approving the call on June 11th, we now have word that the Knox contingent will be speaking at the Presbytery of Brampton in favour of the call at 7:15 on June 25th. Interestingly enough, there will be two other calls before Presbytery that night, a rare circumstance to say the least.

But even before the Brampton Presbytery votes on the call, arrangements have been completed for Emma’s ordination service that will be held at 7 p.m. on July 7 at her home church, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Brampton.

It is hoped that a large delegation from Knox will be in attendance that night and to help facilitate the trip, there will be a bus leaving Knox late that afternoon with space for 46 passengers.

If you would like to take the bus, the cost is $10 per person with the money to be given to Kathy Kelly in the church office. Further details about the bus trip will be presented in the days ahead, but in the meantime, if you are interested, please sign the sheet on the bulletin board in the hallway outside the transept.

Then, just one week later, Emma will be inducted as the minister of Knox, Burlington, with the service once again starting at 7 p.m. and on this occasion a large number of people can be expected to attend from St. Andrew’s, Brampton, as well as numerous individuals from throughout the Hamilton Presbytery. Please keep this event in mind, and despite the fact that it is in the midst of the July holiday season, please try to attend this most important event in the life of Knox Church.

As we welcome Emma into our midst on July 14th, we will be saying goodbye to Rev. Bob Docherty on that day as his time as interim moderator will conclude – as he is wont to say – at the stroke of midnight.

Knox has been most fortunate to have Rev. Bob serving as our interim moderator for more than a year, helping to guide us through some difficult waters, all the while with a keen sense of humor. It has been a real pleasure for this writer to have had the opportunity to work closely with Rev. Bob during these many months, seeking advice, clarifying direction, bouncing ideas off his years of wisdom.

He will be missed.

But in the meantime, Rev. Bob will be in the Knox pulpit for two more occasions, on July 7 and July 14 as he concludes his service to Knox and heads back into a well deserved retirement – again.

Clapping for joy...sheer joy!

Clapping?

At Presbytery?

Clapping, where proper decorum is observed!

But clapping indeed was the case at tonight’s meeting of the Hamilton Presbytery when the Knox call to Emma Duncan was sustained by a unanimous vote.

Of course, that bit of breach from decorum was lead by a small group from Knox, so happy that we are now moving on to the next step in the process toward calling Emma as minister of Word and Sacrament.

With 98 per cent voting in favor of issuing a call to Emma, Presbytery approval was a foregone conclusion, except there can always be a snag of one sort or another.
But not on this occasion.

Rev. Bob outlined the steps undertaken as interim moderator to certify the call process, and he was followed by two representatives of Knox, Gary Evans as clerk of session, and Linda Gowing from the search committee, both speaking in support of the call.

And then the all-critical vote, and with unanimous support came the clapping, first by the Knox contingent, followed by other Presbyters.

The call process is a multi-level process, starting with Emma preaching for the call, then the signing of the call, and now, the third step, approval by Presbytery.

There are other steps along the way, but the next one should be no more than a formality, that is the June 25th meeting of the Presbytery of Brampton when Rev. Bob, this writer and one other from the search committee will once again ask Presbytery to sustain the call, but this one will be Emma’s home Presbytery.

So, all being well at Brampton – actually the meeting will be in Oakville – preliminary arrangements are already under way for Emma’s ordination which is scheduled for July 7th at Emma’s home church, St. Andrew’s Brampton. There is every possibility that Knox will charter a bus for the occasion so that there will be large contingent from Knox at the ordination service.

Details will be forthcoming in the days ahead, but tentatively there will be a charge of about $10 for the trip to the ordination service.

And to illustrate how quickly things can move ahead after one Presbytery approves the call is the fact that Emma’s induction at Knox is now tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. on July 14th.

Emma comes calling

This is a very important weekend – and a most exciting one at that – in the life of Knox Church.

Two years without a minister, Knox is now on the verge of calling a new minister, a person who has been heavily involved in her church, a person who had a promising career as a librarian, but one who heard  - and heeded – a call to the ministry.

Emma Duncan recently graduated from Knox College, winning several top awards for her academic prowess. This weekend then marks the next chapter on her journey to the pulpit.

Emma and her family will be at Knox Saturday afternoon from 2 to 4 p.m. for a reception so that members can have an opportunity to meet with her before she preaches for the call on Sunday.

During the last week, elders have been busy contacting members and adherents of Knox Church, urging them to attend the reception, but especially the Sunday service as she preaches for the call.

The response elders have been getting is remarkable. It is expected that there will be a significant turnout on Sunday for the service and for the time after worship to sign for the call. As well, so many of those unable to attend have already endorsed the call – asking elders to sign on their behalf, a system allowed within the Presbyterian Church.

The voting mechanism will be outlined on Sunday, but briefly it means that after the service, everyone will adjourn to Fellowship Hall where elders will oversee the process – not only for members, but adherents as well, with adherents concurring with the call.

As a common denominator, the Presbyterian Church wants to see an 80 per cent approval rate before a call is passed along to Presbytery, so while session hopes that we will be close to that 80 cent figure by the time the last vote is counted, elders will then get on the phone contacting those not in attendance.

Once Knox approves the call, it then goes to the Hamilton Presbytery which will meet on June 11th to consider the call, and then all being well, it’s then on to Emma’s home presbytery, the Presbytery of Brampton which meets later in June.

Finally, with all approvals in place, the Brampton Presbytery will hold an ordination service, at which time Emma becomes the Rev. Emma Duncan. It sounds like quite a process, and indeed it is, with one more important step along the way – the induction service at Knox some time in the summer – the date to be established as all steps fall into place.

But first and foremost is this weekend, and we implore each one of you to come to church on Sunday, to hear Emma preach and to sign the call.

Preaching for the call

It was the news we have been waiting for all these long months; we have a candidate who will preach for the call to Knox Church.

Soon after the search committee recommended a candidate, their recommendation was approved by session and then announced with much enthusiasm by our interim moderator, Rev. Bob Docherty from the pulpit on April 28th.

The candidate is Emma Duncan, who will graduate from Knox College on May 8th. Although a new graduate, Emma shone out from all the other candidates who sent in profiles, so much so that the search committee was unanimous in its choice.

One of her references, the Rev. Dr. Douglas McQuaig from St. Andrew’s, Streetsville, had this to say about Emma: “If I could wave a magic wand I would have Emma replace me here at St. Andrew’s when I retire.”

A solid recommendation if there ever was one.

Emma will be preaching for the call on May 26th, and we urge all members and adherents to be in attendance that day to hear Emma, and to sign the call sheet.

There is also another important date to remember. Emma and her family will be attending a reception at Knox on the afternoon of May 25th, giving everyone a first-hand opportunity to meet with her in an informal setting.

There will be more information in the days ahead as we prepare for this most important time in the life of our church, but in the meantime, please circle these dates on your calendar.

So that everyone has a bit more information about this candidate, a short bio is provided on her road to the ministry.

Emma was born and raised in Brampton, and grew up in the congregation of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in that city. Within this faith community she learned about God and the Bible and as well she met her future husband, Richard, in a youth group.

In this congregation, she served as a ruling elder, chair of the Mission Committee, Presbytery representative, and taught Sunday school.

Emma and Richard have been married for 15 years and they have two daughters, Rachel (13) and Heather (10).

Prior to discerning the call to ministry, Emma worked as a librarian and she ended this career as a branch manager for the Brampton Public Library.

During her studies leading to a Master of Divinity degree, Emma led worship in many congregations in her Presbytery and she firmly believes that through engaging worship and preaching, the stories of the Bible can come alive in meaningful and relevant ways.  Emma is passionate about her faith and she is looking forward to walking with people as they live out their lives and faith.

Emma and Richard both come from very close families and they enjoy spending time with family and friends.  In her spare time, Emma is – no surprise here - an avid reader.

Introducing our new church administrator

Since she has been on the job for a month now, thought it high time that I provided a bit of background on our new church administrator, Kathy Kelly.

Kathy says she moved to Burlington in 1975 from Hamilton, where she was born and raised.

Kathy and her husband Dave have two daughters, Victoria and Meghan, as well as two granddaughters, Alexandra, born in 2009, and Samantha, born last November.

Before joining Knox, Kathy worked for The Hudson’s Bay Company for 12 years in the capacity of sales manager and then in human resources. Prior to that she worked for Eaton’s for 25 years until their demise in 2000.

If you have not already done so, please take the time and drop into the office and introduce yourself so that Kathy can put a face to the names of the Knox family

Holy Week services at Knox

It has been 40 long years, but once again there will be Holy Week services at Knox Church.

Session decided in late fall that it was important that the church be open at this most holy time of the year, and made the decision to hold a Maundy Thursday  (7 p.m.) and a Good Friday (9:30 a.m.) service at the church.

Yes, there have been Holy Week services at Knox during those 40 years, but as part of ecumenical services with Wellington Square, Port Nelson and Burlington Baptist churches, meaning that such services were only held here every four years as it was alternated among the various churches.

This year, our interim moderator, the Rev. Bob Docherty will conduct the Maundy Thursday service that will include Communion as well as the Good Friday service, which is being held earlier than our normal worship service so that anyone who still wants to participate in the ecumenical service can still get over to Wellington Square for the 11 a.m. service.

As clerk of session, it was my responsibility to inform the other clergy of the Knox decision, and the following is part of the letter I received signed by the clergy of the other three churches.

We are saddened by your decision, for your presence will be missed. The people and clergy of Knox have contributed much to the spirit of our gatherings. You have richly blessed us in word, song and presence.

We do want you to know that we are grateful that you were able to join us for almost 40 years. This is, indeed, a record of which we can all be proud. Please express our thanks to the members of Session and to the congregation. We look forward to other opportunities when we might worship and serve together as sisters and brothers in Christ.

May God bless you and keep you, as you move forward, as God’s people at Knox Burlington.

A time to thank Trish
Ten weeks ago, I announced that Trish Redding, would be retiring as church administrator, and that if everything fell into place, she would be leaving by the end of February.

It is now going on toward the end of March and Trish is still with us, but only for a few more days as March 28th marks her last day before she heads into retirement.

Bright, cheerful, bubbly, Trish has provided an invaluable service to Knox Church over the years, first as office assistant and then as church administrator, a position she has held for the past five years.

That earlier blog noted that Trish had decided to step down to do things on a personal level, and by the sounds of things, she will be still busy, but busy in much different ways, indeed doing things she never had the time to do with her current responsibilities.

The congregation has an opportunity to thank Trish and wish her well as she travels down a new pathway as everyone is invited to a time of fellowship Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. in Reception Room A and B.

Communion Sunday

This Sunday is Communion Sunday, changed by a week because of the disruption that was forecast by the Chilly Half Marathon, when access is difficult, and parking near impossible. That being said, there were indeed a good number of people who found a place to park, hitched a ride, walked or took some other form of transportation.

We had tried to make arrangements with the city to reserve parking for Knox, and those efforts proved to be just so, so. The group designated to reserve spots for Knox, unfortunately, were located at the wrong lot - I really think we are capable of looking after our own tiny lot, although some racers did indeed try to park there.

In any case, as I started to write this blog, it was 358:17:08:20 to the start of the next race. Yes, the race committee already has information up about the 2014 race, with a time clock attached, and so we already know that the race is 358 days away.

That, hopefully, gives the congregation lots of time to plan, and already there are some new thoughts as to how Knox can enjoy Sunday worship with thousands of racers and even more spectators on our doorstep.

And so, with Communion moved one week ahead, it also means that each of us must remember that this then is the time when we revert to Daylight Savings Time, and that means moving the clocks ahead.

Rev. Dr. Don Donaghey, recently retired from Knox, Dundas, will be with us again this week for the Communion service.

Victor writes

Dear Friends at Knox,
 I apologize for having been incommunicado the last little while. Mea culpa. It is currently reading week at McGill and I am taking the opportunity to catch up on correspondence.

Everything continues to go well at Presbyterian College; this semester I am particularly enjoying systematic theology (who would have guessed?). Clyde Ervine was in Montreal lecturing during the continuing education week in February and I had the chance to participate as well as catch up with him.

After discussing it with Clyde I have elected to remain a member of Hamilton Presbytery rather than becoming a member of the Presbytery of Montreal. It just feels right to remain where I am.

I will be taking an intensive New Testament Greek course this spring (May and June), and will probably take a July course as well to lighten the load for next year since my summer will be a short one. This will allow me more time next year for involvement in non-academic activities at both Westminster and PC. I also hope to take a summer charge next year for the months of May through August as may be available.

I do foresee being in Toronto towards the end of the summer since the guidance conference at Crieff Hills is normally held late August. Quite some time to go before then I know; still I look forward to seeing you all again.

I wish you all a blessed and happy Easter!

Yours in Christ,

Victor

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3)

Job posting

With Trish Redding planning to retire from her role as church administrator in the near future, the personnel committee is now actively seeking a replacement for this position. The job vacancy has been announced on Sunday mornings, it has been included in the church bulletin, and the details below have been posted on the bulletin board outside the transept.

Church Administrator – 24 hrs. Per week

Responsibilities:
• Provide friendly reception to any visitor to the Knox Office
• Maintains database of Church membership information
• Co-ordination of Elders Districts
• Orders Offering Envelopes and prepares them for distribution to the congregation and Sunday School
• Prepare Church Bulletins and inserts
• Office duties to include answering phones, filing, ordering  supplies, arranging routine service calls
• Church Building Scheduling –co-ordinate the schedules and events in the church building
• Prepare Annual Report

Job Requirements/Qualifications:

• Must be proficient in the use of computer programs Excel, Outlook, Power Point and Word
• Must be proficient in the use of standard office tools (copy machine, fax machine etc.)
• Process strong administrative skills
• Self-motivated
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to consistently meet deadlines
• Ability to work independently
• Conscious of the need for confidentiality
• Post-Secondary Degree an asset

Please submit your application and resume to the Church Office attention Personnel Committee

Those were the days

During a bit of research recently, I came across a story in the Burlington Gazette from Sept. 6, 1939, at which time Knox had a vacancy in the pulpit, and the call for applications brought in no less than 69 potential candidates.

Some 74 years later, Knox is once again seeking a candidate to fill the pulpit, but unlike the situation experienced in 1939, there is not such a wealth of candidates – at least not 69 to wade through. However, Knox does have some excellent candidates and the search committee is doing its due diligence in seeking out the right person for this church. The search committee has had one meeting in January already, members of the search committee are out listening to a candidate this Sunday, and yet another meeting is scheduled for later this month.

And so, while the vacancy is now approaching two years, progress is being made, but in the meantime, Knox is being well served through able assistance of our interim moderator, Rev. Bob Docherty, as well as excellent pulpit supply, which, for the month of January, will be Marilyn Repchuck.

Defibrillator instruction

Church members are reminded that this Sunday will see yet another instruction session on just how to use the defibrillator which has been donated to the church, and which is situated on the wall across from the elevator.

Capt. Gary Macdonald of the Burlington Fire Department will be in charge of the demonstration that will be held in Fellowship Hall. There is an open invitation for everyone in the church to attend this session, and to learn how to operate this important piece of equipment.

Trish is leaving

For anyone not in church on Jan. 6, the following is the announcement I made concerning our church administrator, Trish Redding.

There has been a familiar face around the church office for a great many years – five years as church administrator, another seven before that as an office assistant.

But after those many years of service, Trish Redding has decided to step down, to do things on a personal level, to follow a new path down life’s highway.

Trish has been a valuable member of the church staff, and as clerk I am saddened that she is leaving, but happy for her as she sets out on this new chapter in her life.

Trish is going to be very flexible in her timetable. She would like to leave by the end of February, and thus see Knox through its annual meeting. If we don’t have any one in place by that date, she will stay on until such time as the administrator’s job is filled.

Ideally, she would like to be in a position where she could train her replacement so that the transition is as smooth as possible.

With that in mind, the Knox personnel committee will be seeking candidates immediately. They will seek out potential candidates from the Knox family during the month of January, and if necessary, the committee will advertise outside of Knox early in February. Notices will be included in the church bulletin, and on the bulletin board in the hallway outside the transept starting Jan. 13th.

We thank Trish for the invaluable service she has provided to this congregation, so often going well beyond her job description to be of service to the Knox family and to others who come through our church doors.

Merry Christmas

The church is all decorated for Christmas Eve with the candles glowing in the stained glass windows, the tree standing in the corner and the Nativity scene gracing the Communion table. It’s a pretty sight, the church being decorated to remind us about the true meaning of Christmas.

Knox Church has already held its lessons and carols service along with the Christmas pageant, and so on Christmas Eve, the congregation will gather along with family and friends as well as visitors for two special services.

Rev. Bob Docherty, the interim moderator at Knox, will be conducting both services, with a family Christmas Eve service scheduled for 7 p.m. following by the Christmas Eve Communion service at 9 p.m.

There will be lots of special music at both of these services including anthems from the choir and of course many of the traditional Christmas hymns.

You are invited to join with us for one or both of these services as we celebrate Christmas at Knox.

We hear from Victor

Dear Friends at Knox,

    Hard to believe the year is almost over; seems to have gone so very quickly. My first semester at Presbyterian College is now complete; finals ended for me on Dec 16th. I believe everything went rather well. Don't wish to say any more until after the results are posted because, as Abraham Lincoln is reputed to have said, "The hen is the wisest of animals - she does not cackle until after the egg is laid"! The winter semester begins on Jan 7th, so I have a couple of weeks to enjoy the holidays with my family.

    Also, as many of you know, when I was last in Burlington at the end of October I appeared before the Student and Colleges Committee of the Presbytery of Hamilton. I am happy to say that all seems to have gone well and the Presbytery has certified me as a candidate for ordained ministry. 

Let me take this opportunity to thank all of you once again for your help and encouragement. I would also like to extend my appreciation to the members of Session for commending me to Presbytery.

    My thoughts and prayers are with you as we begin this holiday season. Allow me to wish you all a Blessed and Merry Christmas and a Joyful New Year! 

In Christ,

Victor

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (Luke 2:11).

Housling cloths

It’s Communion Sunday on Nov. 25th and once again, the church will be using the housling cloths. For anyone who does not know the tradition behind the use of these cloths, check out the Knox Facebook page where there is an explanation. It can be found at www.facebook.com/KnoxPresbyterianChurchBurlington

And just one other note this time around, but a most important item concerns honors which are being bestowed on Cindel White at the University of Western Ontario on Sunday.

Cindel honored
Cindel has two scholarships:  In first year she received the "Gerry Killan Entrance Regis Award" plus she received the continuing scholarship of this award for second year.  She is also now receiving "The Mr. Justice John Kennedy Award for Excellence, 2012-2013.  The award is given to a returning King's University College student with the highest average in five full courses or equivalent in his/her first year program.  She is also receiving the Queen Elizabeth II Achieving for the Top Award.

King's University College is an affiliate college of the University of Western Ontario in London.  She is specializing in Psychology.

Proud parents Sharon and Trevor White will be at Western to help celebrate the occasion which occurs in conjunction with the Feast of Christ the King.

As a congregation we congratulate Cindel on this impressive achievement, and wish her well in her future studies at Western.

Overnight guests

Knox Church will be having a large number of guests Saturday night - overnight guests - so that when the congregation arrives early Sunday morning they may be witness to a great deal of activity.

As a unique outreach program – and in order to accommodate cadets who will be participating in an overnight vigil at the cenotaph prior to Sunday’s Remembrance Day service - session has approved the use of the church facilities for Burlington’s Air Cadets, with Knox being so ideally situated to help in this particular cause.

Deb Settle has already posted information on the Knox Facebook page, but in order for everyone to have an even better understanding about what is happening, I thought that perhaps it would be best to use Deb’s own words about the vigil.

“For many years, starting on 6 p.m. on Nov. 10 until 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, the Air Cadets have held an overnight vigil at the cenotaph at the corner of Brant and Ontario streets. This involves five cadets standing guard at the monument for one hour shifts each.  In the past, officers and volunteers would drive the cadets back and forth from their Squadron in the Mountainside area throughout the night. The remainder of the cadets would be sleeping there.

“Last year the Navy cadets joined the Air Cadets and so were able to use the Iron Duke facilities. This year the three units (Air, Army and Navy) will be involved. The Navy cadets will stay at the Iron Duke and the Air and Army corps will be at Knox. The routine will be the same, but instead of having to drive the cadets they will be able to walk.

“The cadets will arrive at about 5 p.m. at the church with uniforms, sleeping bags, toiletries etc. They will be delegated to a room. A brief service will be held at the cenotaph at 6 p.m. Five cadets will remain on duty and the rest will return to fellowship hall for dinner. My group, the Squadron Sponsorship Committee (SSC), will have a meal prepared.

“During the evening, the off-duty cadets will play board games, watch movies etc. until bed or their turn to be at the cenotaph. The rotation will continue all night and into the morning.

The SSC will provide breakfast in the morning at 8:00 a.m. The cadets will be dressing and preparing to attend the parade that will start at Burlington Central High School at 10:30. and as such will be leaving the church around 9:30.

“There will be about 40 cadets participating in the vigil throughout the night. There will be at least four officers supervising and a few CVs (Civilian Volunteers) as well. The cadets will never be left unattended and will have strict rules to follow.”

While Knox has made its facilities available for the cadets on this special occasion, Deb must be congratulated not only for making this event happen, but for all her involvement with the Air Cadets in Burlington.

Time change

In our last blog, we talked about time with particular reference to the change in clocks going back to Standard Time. But there is another important time change this week as everyone is reminded that the church service will be at 9:30 a.m. for this coming week only, so that those in the congregation wanting to attend the cenotaph service will have sufficient time to walk over to the cenotaph at City Hall.

It’s a matter of time

Time is such an elusive quantity. It just seems that we never have enough of it, ever. We juggle our time, we try to multi task, and we try to stretch out every minute of the day.

As I write this blog I should be elsewhere, but if I’m elsewhere, this blog won’t get done. And this dilemma with time – unfortunately – is not getting any better – for most of us.

Well, perhaps for one day a year it does get better, and that day is tomorrow. And so, for everyone looking to gain even one extra hour of time, you are reminded that the clocks fall back one hour, and so indeed we each have 60 minutes of extra time to enjoy.

While I would really like to have this blog out on a more regular basis, it is time – yes, there’s that word again – that steps in the way. But the blog is part of our communication network with not only those who worship at Knox, but the outside community as well.

And, as I have noted in the past, Knox is a vibrant church, and despite the present pulpit vacancy, many have pulled together to provide strong leadership as the search committee works towards calling a new minister.

 Timely speaking…..

• Speaking of time, everyone is reminded that the church service next Sunday – Remembrance Day – will be at 9:30 a.m. to accommodate those in the congregation who want to attend the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph at 11 a.m.

• While time – in the form of a tight deadline – is tight, every effort is being made to get the next issue of Knox Talks out before the next Communion service, which is scheduled for Nov. 25. That means the deadline is Nov. 11, but there is so much going on during the Christmas season that it is important to have the newsletter into your hands in good time.

• It is now only two weeks until the Holly Wreath Bazaar with groups throughout the church busy making last-minute preparations as time closes in on this major event in the church year. Please consider how you can help in this event, and of course, please mark the date – Nov. 17 – on your calendar.

• And finally – for now – just another reminder about the Knox Church Facebook page. We need people to log onto this page and Like it, please, so that we can chart future items to download. Facebook can be a valuable communication tool, but without 30 Likes, we cannot determine how many people are looking at various items, or, in other words, we can’t gauge interest levels. You can just Google in: Facebook Knox Presbyterian Church Burlington and it will pop up, or the long form is www.facebook.com/knoxpresbyterianchurchburlington

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

Going and coming

It’s Labour Day weekend, the end of summer for many, the start of a new church year, and so, in the next few weeks various activities will be starting up around Knox, starting with Rally Day Sunday on Sept. 9 when courtesy of the board of managers there will be a barbecue after the regular church service.

In the meantime, everyone is reminded that Sunday’s church service reverts back to the normal time, that is 10:30. The earlier church service was done as an experiment this year, something that many other churches do in the summer, as we tried to address not only the heat and humidity, but also to provide a bit of flexibility for Sunday activities.

And the search goes on
As Rev. Bob explained last Sunday, the search process has continued over the summer with the committee still meeting on a regular basis. There was somewhat of a lull after the flurry of early applications, but there has been renewed interest over the summer months as a number of additional applications have been received.

Rev. Bob tries to get copies of all the new applications out to the committee as soon as possible, so that when they do meet, there is the opportunity for good discussion. And, of course, with the internet these days, there is also the opportunity for committee members to gain additional information on any of the candidates…information that will help find the ideal candidate for the Knox pulpit.

And some other pieces,
• We welcome the Rev. Gordon Ford, from Niagara-on-the-Lake as our guest minister this Sunday. Rev. Ford, who was a classmate of Rev. Bob, will in the pulpit for most of September, that is except for Sept. 9 when Rev. Bob will be with us once again for Rally Day.
• The church office hours will return to normal this week, well, almost normal, as Monday is a holiday. But other than that, Trish will be in the office Monday and Fridays, 9 am-12 noon, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 9 am- 3pm.
• The Knox Quilters will be holding a fall rummage sale on Saturday, September 22 with the funds raised by this sale going to the Quilters Malawi Orphan Care project

Summer time hours

It’s not only the calendar that tells us that it is summer time, but also the weather, and as a result Knox Church is making a few changes in the timing for summer services and for the church office.

Starting July 1st, the church service will start 30 minutes earlier, that is at 10 a.m. with the hope that the air and the humidity in the sanctuary will be somewhat better. The change in time is for July and August only, so that for Sept. 2, the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, Knox will revert back to 10:30 a.m.

And with so many people being away, and with far less activities around the church, the office hours are being changed so that Trish, our church administrator, has more opportunity to enjoy the days of summer. Once again, for July and August only, the church office will be open from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, with no afternoon hours.

Pulpit supply

This week we welcome Marilyn Repchuck back into the Knox pulpit as the church has reverted to pulpit supply from interim ministry as part of the process as we advance through the stages of calling a new minister.

Strawberry social

And then, after the service, everyone is invited to participate in the Strawberry Social in Fellowship Hall. There will be a freewill offering, and all monies collected, according to the Congregational LIfe committee, will go toward the operating fund.

Defibrillator

In recent weeks, an anonymous donor provided the church with the funds to secure an Automatic External Defibrillator, which will be located in a highly visible location just outside of the sanctuary.

While the new models are highly automated, and in fact will talk one through the steps once the case is opened, there will be a training session following the church service on July 15, and all are urged to attend as this session will provide some practical information, and as well, will provide an opportunity to ask questions of Gary Macdonald from the Burlington Fire Department.

Repaving

The tree is down and now the parking areas will be paved so that might make for some alterations if you are visiting the church at the end of next week. The tree at the end of the driveway was in extremely poor condition, with the core rotting away at an alarming rate, and while it was hoped that it might be on city property – and removed at the city’s expense – it was just over the line and so the board of mangers had it removed.

That was the first step to renovating the parking areas, with the next step to be done Wednesday, June 27 and Thursday, June 28, when the old pavement will be removed, the grade sloped to take rain water away from the foundation and then both lots will be repaved.

But for those two days, visitors will need to park on the street and enter the church by the James Street door. Trish suggests that if you just need to drop something off, phone ahead and she will meet you so that you can avoid parking.

Search committee

And finally, although it is the summertime, the search committee will not be taking a break.  Now that they have completed the church profile, it can be sent out to those ministers who have expressed an interest in Knox, and in fact, some ministers have already responded with their own profiles.

Moving forward

The first week of June has been a busy time in the life of Knox Church with various meetings taking place to address the vacancy, as well as Knox opening its doors for the Doors Open program.

The fact that the vacancy is being addressed is indicated in that the search committee met again during the week, this time to discuss the church profile, a document that will be sent to ministers who have an interest in applying for the vacancy here at Knox.

A great deal of time goes into preparing this document, as it not only offers candidates an overview of the congregation and the community, but also provides somewhat of a vision, so that the ministerial candidate and the church have the same vision as Knox moves forward.

There is still work to be done on the profile, but Rev. Bob hopes that it can be completed in the next few days, ready for Presbytery’s ministry committee, and ready to be sent out on request to candidates.

As indicated in previous blogs, there is an advertisement in this month’s Presbyterian Record, and the vacancy is also listed on the PCC website. Rev. Bob has contacted all those who have already indicated an interest, explaining that the church is moving along on the process, but was not in a position to send out the profile…just yet.

As much as everyone would like to move the process along as swiftly as possible, the search is a step-by-step process, following procedures as established by the Presbyterian Church in Canada.

One of the next steps to be taken does not affect the search committee directly, but in fact is one of the more important aspects of any call. One year ago, the Knox session had started on the process of purging the roll – a normal occurrence since there are many people who move away, or who have not had any connection with the church for a long, long time.

That action was put on hold during the first stages of the interim ministry, but needs to be addressed now because Presbytery will be looking at the level of support in connection with any minister to be called.

It is a time consuming, difficult responsibility, but an ad hoc committee will be meeting to address this aspect within the next few days, just one more step in filling the vacancy.


Doors Open
It may have been a rainy morning, but when the weather cleared in the afternoon, a large number of people came out to tour Knox as part of the Doors Open program.

Volunteers were stationed in the sanctuary and in the Bell Tower Room to welcome visitors and tell them a bit about the history of the church. There is a new set of brochures prepared for this year’s event, providing a list of church timelines, a history of our stained glass windows, a story about the housling cloths, plus a story on the church history.

Knox is just one of many buildings involved in this year’s Doors Open program which will continue until 4 p.m. on Sunday.

One of the added features this year is the presence of Al Clarkson from the Presbyterian Church Museum who has set up a display in the Bell Tower Room. Al knows his church history, and is eager to talk to members of the congregation about the museum, and church history across the denomination.

Pulpit supply
This Sunday Knox welcomes Marilyn Repchuck to the pulpit as Rev. Bob reverts to his new responsibility of interim moderator. Marilyn will be preaching on a number of occasions during the weeks ahead, although Rev. Bob will be back in the pulpit on Father’s Day. That date is important since it is also the date for the church picnic with a large number of the congregation planning to travel out to Crieff to join with the other three Presbyterian congregations for a joint picnic.

Despite the picnic, sessions decided several months ago to still hold a church service at Knox on the same day as many people are unable to travel to Crieff for the occasion, plus, it’s also important that the church doors be open for any visitors.