A Cross The Pews. This Issue THANK YOU KNOX! Knox Waterloo

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1 Issue 1 January 2014 Knox Waterloo ~ The church with a smile! A Cross The Pews Knox Waterloo This Issue P. 2 & 3 Ministers Messages P. 4 & 5 Christian Education Update P. 6 Passages & News P. 7 P.C.C Events: Youth in Mission Women s Gathering P. 8 & 9 Fair Trade Products Teaching/Leading Event P.10 Wednesdays at Knox ~ W@K Speakers schedule P.11 January Calendar of Events P.12 Knox Photo Gallery February s A Cross the Pews articles, announcements, & photos can be sent to Sue Senior at: acrossthepews@gmail.com by 6pm on Tuesday January 21 THANK YOU KNOX! Thank you to the congregation for all your support of this very meaningful fundraiser for our youth and the community! The Global Partners Committee delivered your White Gift donations to St. Monica House and Marillac Place the week before Christmas. The gifts you gave made Christmas celebrations very special for the children and their moms! Thank you for your support! Assembly lines of Junior High Youth and some helpful adults created 275 cookies and brownies in a jar this year. Thanks to their hard work and the congregational support, over 200 children in Waterloo region received Christmas gifts. This fundraiser creates a hands-on experience for the Junior High youth. It is a lot of fun to fill the jars to raise the funds, but the real magic happens when the youth carefully select toys for the Tree of Angels. Photo: Vaughn Sauve

2 Minister s Message: Brooke Ashfield This year promises to be a year of continued celebration. Our 125 th year started with a glorious weekend in November with Dr. Rodger Nishioka from Columbia Seminary in Atlanta. The Saturday workshop, the Anniversary banquet with Jazz and worship afterwards, and the Sunday morning gala with lunch and ice cream will long be remembered as inspiring, enlightening and affirming. Rodger s expertise in 21 st century congregational life offered us fresh challenges and ways to communicate this wonderful gospel that we share. We will continue to expand ministry to our student population who surround us here in uptown Waterloo. The third year of our Wednesdays@Knox lunch ministry is setting new attendance records and continues to develop a deepening sense of community. Our worship services continue to welcome new worshippers each week. We are truly blessed by the vitality of all of our mission and ministry activities. I am inspired each Sunday in worship. Yes, I am inspired by our worship, but I also look out the window and see the condominium towers under construction and feel that we have fresh growth ahead of us. These towers remind us why we built a new facility here in the centre of one of Canada s most vital cities. New residents will seek out our congregation to worship, and by God s grace, we want to offer a home where spiritual growth, intellectual integrity, and inspiring community will build upon the strong congregation that we already are. Our vision of inclusiveness and welcoming hospitality will continue to evolve. The year 2014 is another anniversary milestone for Knox. It was in 1864 that the first Presbyterians gathered together to form a community. They were small in number and did not have the resources to have both worship and Sunday school each Sunday. Our spiritual forbearers chose wisely to invest first in the Sunday school. For 24 years there was an afternoon education program for children before the community was strong enough to build a church facility and begin weekly worship in Thus, 2014 marks the 150 th Anniversary of our Sunday school. I mention this because this is part of our heritage and is our story. This is part of what makes Knox tick. This is why we will always put children first in ministry and mission. This is why we are so passionate in supporting our youth on regular mission trips. This is why we invest so heavily in our children s and youth ministries. This is part of our DNA. This is why we continue to be so vital and active when many congregations are experiencing decline. It is not optional to offer excellence in all we do. Our Lord has provided everything for us, and we respond gratefully and generously to this grace bestowed upon us. We will continue to respond generously and graciously as we look at our ministry of stewardship in We will conclude our 125 th anniversary year in October with the visit of Dr. Diana Butler Bass as our speaker for the weekend of October 4 th - 5 th. Saturday will include a workshop open to all and on Sunday Diana will preach at our regular worship service. Diana is a Facebook friend of Linda after they met at an educational event several years ago. She is an outstanding scholar of the 21 st century church with a focus on the history of Christianity, particularly as we experience the pervasiveness of secular culture. She is a leading voice in Progressive Christianity and is widely regarded as a guru of Christian practice and renewal. I am excited by her upcoming visit. We will learn new lessons. I want to wish all of our community the blessings for our new year together. COMPASSIONATE ENGAGED INCLUSIVE 2 JOYFUL PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL

3 Minister s Message: Linda Ashfield Once again our Advent and Christmas Season has been one of joy and great celebration. Before we get into the whirlwind of our winter activities, I want to take the time to thank everyone who did so much to contribute to the worship, the fellowship and the fun of the holiday season. Our Christmas bazaar, the Children s Pageant, the Sounds of Christmas were all successful and so well received. Our choir s Lessons and Carols and the wonderful music provided by so many for our Longest Night and Christmas Eve services was outstanding. Many thanks also to Barb Prysnuk, our Longest Night speaker and to the pastoral care committee who hosted the reception afterwards. I was delighted that the Global Partners Committee did such a great job in providing Alternative Christmas Gift suggestions as well as running the White Gift program again. The LOGOS Junior High support of the angel tree was another wonderful community project as well as the Senior High s babysitting night to raise money for Winnipeg Inner City Missions. I am grateful to our tech teams who work so hard at providing outstanding audio and visuals to our worship services. And again thank you to the congregation for volunteering to set up our trees, nativity, decorate, greet, usher and help throughout the season. Truly, we couldn t do this without you. It is our hope and prayer that the worship services and the ministry offered touched the hearts of those who heard once again the incredible story of the incarnation God with us! Epiphany is a season that begins with the celebration of the coming of the wise men who journeyed by following a start to find Jesus. It is as season that focuses on learning, on bringing light into the darkness, of growth, of mission and sharing the good news with the world. Some events this month such as the Teaching/Leading workshop at St. Andrew s Kitchener and our Community Outreach Sunday on January 26 th sponsored each year by the Knox Global Partners Committee will follow on these Epiphany themes. Looking ahead, you may want to note that Sunday February 2 nd will be an Intergenerational Worship Service with grades 3 and up in church for Communion. Our winter Manna Day at Crieff Hills will be February 27 th with the Rev. Hugh Donnelly as our speaker. We are thrilled that a long-time dream of the uptown Waterloo Churches getting together to sponsor a Family Day event is finally happening this year on Monday February 17 th. This spring (May 30 th June 2 nd ) the 140 th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada is meeting at Laurier University. As we are the closest Presbyterian Church, I have been asked to convene the Presbytery Committee that looks after local arrangements. This will include opening worship at St. Andrew s Kitchener, a Sunday night banquet, transportation and hospitality. I hope that many Knox members will be able to help. Finally a welcome to our new editor Sue Senior and my sincere thanks to Hannah Carter for her work these past two years in creating the new newsletter format as well as contributing great photos and a lot of new ideas over these couple of years. Come in, come in, New Year with sparkling winter day. Your promise calls us here to celebrate and pray, through January s open door to stride with hopeful step once more. A very Happy New Year to one and all. The calendar of Christ will mark the seasons turn; his story claim our trust; his love be ours to learn. For the entire world, for young and old, we pray a year of peace unfold. (PCC Hymn Book 808) COMPASSIONATE ENGAGED INCLUSIVE 3 JOYFUL PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL

4 Christian Education Update: Laura VanderVleuten Upward Sports Basketball The season finished in December with a Celebration evening for the players and their families. Congratulations to all the players and coaches for another successful season. We were happy to have two varsity players join us for the evening from the Laurier Golden Hawks women s basketball team. Photo: Vaughn Sauve Registrations have started for Upward Ball Hockey. The season begins on Tuesday Jan 14, 6-8pm for kids in Grades 1-6. Photo: Hannah Carter You can register on line at: Family Day: Movie & Supper Event! You are invited to a free family movie at the Princess Cinema and chili supper to follow. Four Uptown Waterloo Churches ~ Knox, Erb St. Mennonite, WK United Mennonite, and First United ~ are hosting this community event. The movie starts in Cinema One at 2pm and a chili supper will follow at 4:30pm at Knox (after the movie) on Mon. Feb. 17 th. Tickets for the movie will be available from the church office; the chili supper is sponsored by the youth from all four churches. There is no charge for this event, but you will need to get tickets for the movie in advance; and a free will offering will be gratefully accepted at the chili supper. Plan to join us for some family fun, fellowship and food in February! C.E. Update continued page 5 COMPASSIONATE ENGAGED INCLUSIVE 4 JOYFUL PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL

5 Canada Youth: July 7-12/14 Brock University in St Catharines. Youth, young adults and youth leaders, gather together throughout the week for soul-satisfying worship, recreation, small group discussions, workshops, faith exploration and joyful celebration. Check out or click image above for more information. Theme: Face to Face There are three tracks for youth, young adults and adults to participate in: Youth Track: Youth who have completed grade 9 and up to age 19, gather together to meet new friends, to tell their stories, to be cherished and challenged in their Christian faith, to create a new community, to celebrate their unique place in The Presbyterian Church in Canada. Discipleship Track: Young adults (graduated from high school to 25) will form into a close community where they will explore a deeper relationship in Jesus Christ. This track will encourage discovery conversations about vocation, discipleship, spiritual practices and community connections. Youth Ministry Training Track: Youth leaders (ages 18+) will get re-charged with great plenary sessions, interactive workshops, dynamic panel discussions, and the opportunity to swap youth ministry ideas with colleagues from across the country. This is a rare chance to replenish the spirit, rejuvenate energy, and refine youth ministry programs. The Youth Ministry Training Track Speaker this year is Mark DeVries from Nashville, Tennessee. Please speak to Rev. Linda or Laura Vander Vleuten if you are interested. Community Connection Sundays are an opportunity on the last Sunday of each month for the children in Sunday school to worship in a large group and learn about our neighbours and the needs in our community. The Sunday school children have expanded their vision beyond supporting our immediate community to begin making some more international connections. The children reviewed the Gifts of Hope catalogue and agreed to make a donation for a Farm Load of Animals. The gift of farm animals divvied up between families in a community will help feed children and generate income to pay for housing, health care and education. This initiative was selected partially because the funds donated will be matched with a donation by a government, foundation or organizational partner, giving more children the gift of hope. The Sunday school continues to support World Vision, making a donation each year to sponsor a child in Malawi. We received notice that our Hope Child, Mercy Kapira s community has transitioned into being self-sufficient and they are ready to develop their community on their own. We will be introducing our new foster child, Yamikani to the Knox Sunday school in February. COMPASSIONATE ENGAGED INCLUSIVE 5 JOYFUL PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL

6 Passages In Remembrance: Our condolences to Fred Worton whose wife Ruth passed away on December 19 th, Thinking Of You: Andrew Hare and Naomi Ibbitson. Anne Edgar Our thoughts and prayers are with Ruth Song and family. Ruth s dad had a stroke just before Christmas and is in St. Joseph s hospital, Toronto. He is out of critical condition and is improving, but still a long way to go. BAPTISMS: Congratulations to Nick Lawler and Caitlin Cull on the baptism of their son Callum David Lawler-Cull on December 8 th, Knox Community News: Mary Catherine McNinch-Pazzano produced and will be performing in Influences & Inspirations: The Great Songs of Jazz with Tim Louis and Mike Grace at the Registry Theatre on Saturday January 25-8pm. A new chapter for Group D! In the New Year, Group D will be joining forces with Group C. Group D has had an amazing history at Knox. These wonderful women have studied the Bible, contributed to Women's Missionary Society, fundraised and provided fellowship and wisdom to each other, as well as to other members of the congregation for over 50 years. Many women contributed to Group D over its history including the following members from the roster 35 years ago: Elsie Baird, Eleanor Beynon, Ruth Dullien, Marj Hallman, Rose Hemphill, Dorothy Henderson, Anna Jones, Esther McDonald, Barbara McLean, Cathy Murray, Mary Maw, Marcia Hermich, Molly Playford and Kay Thurston. In more recent years Lila Beach, Grace Dengis, Dianne Hildred, Patti Jackson, Eleanor Larter, and Eula Mae Myers have added their wisdom to Group D. We have also had many visitors over the years who added a great deal to our meetings. Stay tuned for our new name!! We meet the first Tuesday of the month in the lounge. New members are welcome. For more information contact Ellen Yessis. Submitted by Patti Jackson COMPASSIONATE ENGAGED INCLUSIVE 6 JOYFUL PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL

7 YOUTH IN MISSION Over the years, Knox has sponsored many young adults to participate in mission trips under the auspices of Youth in Mission. There are two international trips scheduled for Eastern Europe (Hungary/Ukraine) Dates: May 6-21, 2014 Age: Cost: $2,500 Application Deadline: January 31, 2014 I Love Taiwan Dates: June/July 2014 (3 weeks, specific dates to be determined) Age: Cost: $2,500 Application Deadline: March 31, 2014 If you are interested in either of these mission trips, please speak to Rev. Linda. There is Presbytery money to help defray the costs of the trip to Taiwan and some bursary support for either trip from Knox. Information and applications are available at: PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN S GATHERING The 2014 National Gathering for Women is being held May 16-19, 2014 at the Sheraton Parkway Toronto North Hotel and Convention Centre. Women at all stages of their lives can benefit from attending the Gathering. Come prepared to grow and interact with a diverse group of women who share the desire to pray, learn, play, and celebrate together. The theme is Burst Forth with keynote speaker Dr. Samantha Nutt. Plenary Speaker is - Kim Phuc Phan Thi; Praise Leader John Bell; Global Speaker Nora Carmi; Gathering Host Karen Horst and Preachers Jean Morris, Emily Bisset, Kristine O Brien, and Linda Park. Please speak to Rev. Linda or go to the website for more information. COMPASSIONATE ENGAGED INCLUSIVE 7 JOYFUL PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL

8 Fair Trade Coffee, Tea and Chocolate During coffee hour on Sundays, the Global Partners Committee provides delicious fair trade items at very competitive prices. We want to support farmers who grow sustainable crops to help them earn a living wage. Our hope is that we become more educated about the whole process of coffee, tea, and chocolate production and appreciate what it takes to provide the food and drink that we consume. Come and see us! TLC ~Teacher/Leader Courses St. Andrew s Presbyterian Church, Kitchener Saturday January 25 th from 9-2:45pm The fee is $20.00 including lunch. Registration deadline has been extended beyond the original date. Form is available at: The Plenary Speaker is Tori Smit, Synod Education Consultant (and former member here at Knox). Tori will be speaking on Eight Trends Challenging the Church Today. People really haven't changed, but our world is changing rapidly around us, and those changes are challenging the church of today to respond both faithfully and intentionally into tomorrow. How do we respond to the growing focus on spirituality that surrounds us? What do the changing needs and concerns of families mean to worship, mission and education? What does recent brain research tell us about faith formation and learning styles? These, and other changes are worthy of our attention as we are challenged to respond and grow in faith and in relationship with our communities and our world. There are many workshops to choose from with leaders such as: Rev. Dr. John Peter Smith, Congregational Development consultant for our Synod; Rev. Jennifer Sokolowski, Teacher/Leader Courses Coordinator; The Rev. Reuben St. Louis, and Rev. J. Mark Lewis. TLC continued page 9 COMPASSIONATE ENGAGED INCLUSIVE 8 JOYFUL PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL

9 TLC ~TEACHER/LEADER COURSES ST. ANDREW S ~ January 25, 2014 Registrants need to select workshops A,B,C or D for 11:30-12:30 and workshops E, F, G or H from 1:45-2:30 Morning Workshops A: How to Say WELCOME! From the time children enter the church until they leave, they should feel welcome. How can you get everyone in the congregation involved in welcoming children B: Congregational Hospitality Hospitality matters, not just for angels but for all who enter our churches. Most of us assume our churches are hospitable, but are they? Come and find out how your congregation might become a more hospitable community. C: Talking about death, the crucifixion and the resurrection with children The seasons of Lent and Easter challenge us to talk about death and dying with children when we would rather avoid it all together. It is not easy to explain the crucifixion; how and why Jesus died, or the resurrection; what happened and what it means. In this workshop we will discuss and discover age appropriate ways of responding to questions about death and resurrection. D: Presbymergent What possibilities does the future hold for the Presbyterian Church in Canada? Find out what the Emergent Church Movement is and how its hybrid form (Presbymergent) could offer some insight into our future as Presbyterians in Canada. Afternoon Workshops: E: Nurturing Faith at Home Research shows the primary influence on a child s faith is the family. This workshop will share ways congregations can encourage families to establish at home rituals, prayers and meaningful moments. Learn about seasonal publications, reading materials and worship resources especially designed for families. F: Appreciative Inquiry Appreciative Inquiry was developed by David Cooperrider and Suresh Srivastva as an approach to organizational change. An organization which attempts to appreciate what is best in itself will discover more and more what is good about itself. G: Healthy Habits for Healthy Churches There are healthy growing Presbyterian churches out there. Come and see some of the things they are doing to reach their communities. Church health and growth does not happen by accident and some of it is simpler than you might think. H: Taming Dragons and Chairing meetings well! Have you ever been in a committee meeting where one person, by virtue of their strident and forceful personality, dominates, manipulates and monopolizes every conversation? Have you ever been frustrated because one forceful person holds a whole congregation ransom by their constant objections to every progressive suggestion? If so, then you have experienced TYRANNY and you know how painful and hurtful it is in a community. Please register by calling St. Andrew s Church , or by ing Catherine Hertel herupp@rogers.com or check online: COMPASSIONATE ENGAGED INCLUSIVE 9 JOYFUL PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL

10 ~Wednesdays At Knox~ Happy New Year! We at are very excited about our plans for this season! If you're available on a Wednesday over the lunch hour, we invite you to join us for coffee time and fellowship starting at 11:30, followed by devotions and lunch for $5. Bring your own lunch if you prefer, at no cost, and we'll provide beverages and dessert. We adjourn at 1:00. Photo: Sue Senior For regularly updated information, see the bulletin and newsletter, the website and the bulletin board by the lounge. If you need a ride, phone Ellen McIntosh, , or e- mail: emcintosh1130@rogers.com Jan. 15 th Ruth Heeg will speak from her experience as a linguist and Bible Translator, on the topic God Speaks My Language Too. Ruth works for the Canadian Bible Society, facilitating translation into First Nations languages. Ruth says, We take our Bible for granted, but many Christians around the world do not have the Bible in their language. Ruth will talk about Bible translation in Canada and around the world. Her experience includes having lived for eleven years in native villages in north-west Quebec, translating the New Testament into the Algonquin language, published in She travels widely, consulting with Bible translation teams for Canadian First Nations languages, and editing for publication. Jan. 22 nd François Paré, University Research Professor in the Department of French Studies, UW, will introduce Lake Erie and Southwestern Ontario at the time of French Exploration. Long before the Loyalist and Mennonite settlers, French travellers and missionaries visited the Lower Great Lakes, saving diaries and sending letters home. Their accounts of extraordinary lands then inhabited by indigenous people upon which later settlers would build towns and cities, include encounters with the Huron, Seneca and Algonquin communities as early as At that time Fr. Jean de Brebeuf also described the customs and beliefs of his hosts on the shores of Georgian Bay. In 1679, Rene de Galinee, a 20-year old cartographer, gave the very first written descriptions of our Grand River Valley. François will surprise us with insights of our own local history. (Please note that this date had formerly been booked for Part 2 of the Romania Tour report, which has now been re-scheduled for February 19.) Jan. 29 th Grant Birks will give his Part Two: Middle East tour presentation. In his talk last year, Grant left us wanting more about his trip, and we promised another program scheduled for this subject of continuing interest. Feb. 5 th Catherine Fife: Women in Politics a different approach? Elected in the fall of 2012, Catherine is the MPP for Kitchener-Waterloo and an active adherent at Knox. Do women bring a different approach to politics? Why are there not more women actively involved? (24% of MPs and 27% of MPPs are women.) Catherine will share some personal reflections as well as her hope that we will see a diversity of voices in our elected bodies that more accurately reflect the community. Feb. 12 th A Valentine's Day Lunch, with special music and delicious offerings. Mary-Catherine McNinch-Pazzano will sing love songs and jazz favourites. Mary-Catherine became a Music Scholar at Knox in 2006, and sang for us throughout her university years. She has sung jazz professionally for four years, including appearances at the Waterloo Up-town Jazz Festival and the Registry Theater, and she will return to the Jazz Room on February 14th for a special Valentine's Day performance. Tickets for this luncheon ($10 per person) will be available at W@K and at the Welcome Desk starting Jan.22 nd (full luncheon menu will be posted too). Feb. 19 th Touring Transylvania - Part II of the Adult Mission Trip to Romania. Quaint villages and historic Hungarian Reformed Churches will be featured, showing some results of Brian Johnston s work in Romania. COMPASSIONATE ENGAGED INCLUSIVE 10 JOYFUL PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL

11 January 2014 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 1. New Year s Day 2 3 AA 8pm 4 5 Worship 10:00am Food for Thought 6:30pm 12 Worship 10:00am Food for Thought 6:30pm 19 Worship 10:00am *RHM 2pm Food for Thought 6:30pm 26 Worship 10:00am Food for Thought 6:30pm Concert: Rainbow Chorus of Waterloo- Wellington 2pm 6 Council Meeting 7:30pm 7 Knox Quilters 10am Group C/D 2pm Praise Band 7:00-8:30pm Epiphany Knox Quilters10am Praise Band 7:00-8:30pm Circle of Care 7:30 Upward Ball Hockey 6pm Knox Quilters 10am Praise Band 7:00-8:30pm Upward Ball Hockey 6pm *RHM 10am February 2014 S M T W T F S Knox Quilters 10am Praise Band 7:00-8:30pm Session 7:30pm Upward Ball Hockey 6pm 8 Logos C mtee 10am 15 W@K 11:30am *RHM 10:30pm 22 W@K 11:30am Book Club 1:30pm Knox Stampers 7pm 29 W@K 11:30am 9 Fitness & Fellowship 9:45am Logos 4:30 Chancel Choir 7:45-9:00pm 16 Fitness & Fellowship 9:45am Logos 4:30 Chancel Choir 7:45-9:00pm 23 Fitness & Fellowship 9:45am Logos 4:30 Chancel Choir 7:45-9:00pm 30 Fitness & Fellowship 9:45am *RHM 9:30pm Logos 4:30 Chancel Choir 7:45-9:00pm 10 *RHM 2pm AA 8pm 17 AA 8pm 24 *RHM 10:45am AA 8pm 31 AA 8pm Youth In Mission (East Europe) Application Deadline *RHM - Retirement Home Ministry Friday, January 10-2:00 p.m. Beechwood Manor Wednesday, January 15-10:30 a.m. Lanark Heights Wednesday, January 15-10:30 a.m. Pinehaven Sunday, January 19-2:00 p.m. Bankside Tuesday, January 28-10:00 a.m. Terrace on the Square Friday, January 24-10:45 a.m. Waterloo Heights Thursday, January 30-9:30 a.m. Parkwood Manor TLC Event: St. Andrew s 9 2:45pm Great Songs of Jazz (M-C) Registry Theatre 8pm COMPASSIONATE ENGAGED INCLUSIVE 11 JOYFUL PROGRESSIVE SPIRITUAL

12 Lessons and Carols December at Knox Children s Pageant Candle Lighting Longest Night W@K Luncheon & Sing-along Christmas Eve January 2014 ~ A Cross the Pews 12 Photos courtesy of Hannah Carter, Shirley Carter and Sue Senior