KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. A Cross The Pews. Talented Toonies

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1 KNOX PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH A Cross The Pews Issue 5 May 2009 Join the Sunday School and the Stewardship Committee in Talented Toonies On May 10, each child/youth in the Knox Sunday School will be given a toonie and will work with their class to make it grow just like the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30). Just like the faithful servant used the money he was given, the Sunday School will use their enthusiasm and creativity to make the toonies grow. On May 24 during coffee hour at 10 a.m., you will have the opportunity to help the Sunday School with this goal! They will be hosting a Talent Fair where you can help the toonies grow bake sale, craft sale, plant sale, bookmarks and more! The proceeds from this project will go towards the new building project. Side Bar from Reuben: Q: How does God like his steak? A: Well done, good and faithful servant! (Matthew 25:21) Summer Worship starts June 7th We will have one service at 10:00am from June 7th through September 6th. 50 Erb Street West, Waterloo, ON N2L 1T1 Phone knox@golden.net knoxwaterloo.ca Sunday Services at 9:00am and 11:00am Radio Broadcast: Sunday 10:00am CKWR FM 98.5

2 PAGE 2 A CROSS THE PEWS ISSUE 5 Prayer Shawl Ministry Many ladies from Knox continue to knit prayer shawls and pneumonia vests. There will be a dedication of both on Sunday May 10 at both services. A display will be set up in the Church Hall. When we give out a prayer shawl we send with it this message of hope and love. Submitted by Ellen Yessis Over the centuries, shawls have come to symbolize shelter, peace and spiritual sustenance. In this spirit for several years now, Knox women have been knitting and crocheting shawls in a Prayer Shawl Ministry for members and friends of Knox who are in need of comfort. We want to give our recipients a concrete reminder of prayers for them of hope and healing, comfort and love, protection and strength. As the ladies knit or crochet, they offer prayers for the well being of the recipient, whether a new mother, someone in hospital, a person suffering financial setbacks or someone in any other difficult situation. A sample of such a prayer would be: May God s grace be upon this shawl, warming, comforting, enfolding and embracing. May this mantle be a safe haven a sacred place of security and well-being sustaining and embracing in good times as well as difficult ones. May the one who receives this shawl be cradled in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace and wrapped in love. Amen.

3 ISSUE 5 TALENTED TOONIES A CROSS THE PEWS A Note from Christian Education Graduation Kids you ll want to be in church for Grades 6, 8 &12 on Sunday May 10 to get Sunday June 7 at the a toonie and watch it grow 10 am service. Cake before your very eyes! during coffee hour. Based on the Parable of the 10 Talents, the children will turn their $$ into something amazing for the new building project. Talent Fair is Sunday May 24 during coffee hour. That s where all those toonies are going to add up. Bake sale, craft sale, plant sale, bookmarks and more! Come join the fun on the 24 th. Church Picnic is June 21 at Waterloo Park 11am-4pm (enter park off Westmount Rd) Sr High Fundraiser for CY 09. BBQ hotdogs and hamburgers for sale. PAGE 3 Teacher Appreciation is May 31. Come to church that day to say THANKS to your teacher. Vacation Bible School Catch the Spirit *a joint presentation by Knox Waterloo, Erb St Mennonite and Waterloo North Mennonite churches. Jr High Retreat to Cairn Aug 10-14, 9am to noon for Grades 6, 7 & 8 for kids in JK-Gr 8*! June at Erb St. Mennonite Church $80. per person *there is a separate youth program which *See youth board for more information and 131Erb St. W registration forms Registration forms: Register by June 7th includes swimming, service project & sleepover

4 PAGE 4 A CROSS THE PEWS ISSUE 5 Easter Greetings to Knox Church, Waterloo from your friends at Winnipeg Inner City Missions. He is Alive and you're forgiven, heaven's gates are open wide, He is Alive! We had 90 out on Easter Sunday; all of them come at least once a month. Pray for the people of Anishinabe Presbyterian Fellowship in Winnipeg Manitoba. It is humbling to work among these people who are well acquainted with grief and still filled with faith. Peace, Rev Margaret Mullin Executive Director Winnipeg Inner City Missions mullin.mim@shawcable.com New Building Update (From the Knox Redevelopment Committee) Progress continues. The architects near completion of construction documents; the audio-visual consultants have almost completed technical details; the Presbytery s committee of Congregational Affairs has been approached for approvals; and talks continue with the City of Waterloo and the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) for final approvals. Contributions towards the Stewardship Campaign continue to be on track with givings of almost $1 million being collected. However, with weekly donations to Knox s general operating budget dropping significantly, the KRC Finance Team is worried. Approaching a financial institution to negotiate a favourable mortgage for Knox might be tricky with lagging yearly donations. Continue to pray for Knox, our leadership, our committee members, and our congregation as we continue on our exciting path. Members of the KRC are Dave Blake (chair), Brooke Ashfield, Lawrie Carter, Tupper Cawsey, Ron Charie, Kari Feldmann, Connie Graham, Deb Schlichter, and Ken VanderVleuten. Submitted by Connie Graham Our next A Cross The Pews will go out June 7th. Articles are due May 31st. Joan Campbell at joanmhc@rogers.com. Or leave the information in my mailbox outside the church office.

5 ISSUE 5 A CROSS THE PEWS PAGE 5 TERM SERVICE FOR ELDERS at Knox, Waterloo (Submitted by Session) At our April session meeting at Knox, the session voted to institute term service for our elders, beginning this September. Below is a brief rationale of why we did this and a description of what term service would mean. For more complete details, please contact the Church Office for a copy of the Terms of Reference. In 1997, after several years of consultation with sessions and presbyteries, the General Assembly of The Presbyterian Church of Canada changed the law of the Church allowing individual sessions to institute term service for elders. Since that time, over 181 sessions have moved to this model of eldership. In the Presbyterian Church of Canada, elders are ordained for life. Eldership is a calling, not a job. Term service refers to specific terms of active service on the session. We propose a session of fifteen elders initially who will serve for a term of six years. This number is based on the common practice that suggests that governing bodies of fewer, committed leaders are more effective and efficient decision makers. One-third of the session will be elected by the congregation every two years. Elders may stand for re-election at the end of their terms if they wish. The responsibilities of the session remain the same: oversight of all aspects of the life of the congregation. There are several advantages to term service for elders. It provides for new energy and renewal in the leadership of the church. A six-year term on the session is a manageable length of time to learn about and be able to fulfill the role, duties and responsibilities of eldership and the session. As members move on and off session, a large pool of trained, skilled leaders develops within the congregation. This will lead to greater involvement of the membership in decision-making. These advantages are particularly important as Knox moves to a new church building and a new phase in its history. We believe that this model of church leadership should be instituted at Knox Waterloo. We believe that it will better serve the needs of the people of Knox both now and in the future. Of course, there will be a transition period as term service is implemented. As well, issues such as continuity, pastoral care, elections and a role for elders not on session need to be addressed. These terms of reference are subject to change as appropriate, and by decision of Knox Session. Elders who are no longer serving a term on the session will be called Sustaining Elders. As dedicated and involved elders of Knox, they will continue to contribute to many areas of Christian life within our congregation. During the months of April and May, ministers will contact all elders regarding their wishes about staying on session and for how long: two, four or six-year terms. If necessary, an election of additional elders for this transition session will likely be held in June, so that session will be ready for September. As you may have heard, George MacAskill is stepping down as Clerk of Session after many years of service. A celebration and thank-you to George and other elders leaving active service will be held after church on June 28th. To summarize, Knox's Session believes term service for elders, supported by sustaining elders, will provide the necessary balance of continuity and renewal Knox needs. Such leadership is essential as Knox proceeds with its growing ministry to our congregation and the wider community.

6 PAGE 6 A C R O S S T HE P E WS ISSUE 5 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' On Saturday April 4, 12 Knox Sr High youth and 3 adults went to volunteer at the Out of the Cold program at Bethany Evangelical Church in Kitchener. We told them we were coming and they had jobs for us to do; but no one could have prepared us for what was to be a most rewarding experience in brotherly love. Some of us went to the kitchen to help make supper; some of us went to put out mattresses and make up beds; and some of us went to sort through clothing donations that had just come in. Some of the guests had arrived early and they gave us direction about where to put things and what to do next. Everyone worked together in harmony with a common goal in mind ~ to serve one another. So the beds were made, the dinner tables were up, the meal was almost ready to serve ~ now what? I asked one of the kitchen staff. She said, relax, this is the lull before the storm.so to speak. And then the door to the kitchen opened, we all took our places and the line up of hungry men and women started filtering past us. The line was long; face by face walked past us as we asked what they d like on their plates. Some looked us in the eyes, some couldn t bring themselves to ~ but every one of those people who walked past were children of God and in their own ways, were thankful for what they received. I think we were just as thankful to be able to help in such a meaningful way. As we in Sunday school at Knox move through the Easter season toward Pentecost, we are challenged by the curriculum lessons to move out into the world removing barriers and loving one another as Jesus did. We are promised that like the first disciples we will be empowered to do this by the Holy Spirit. Then our lives will be fruitful like pruned vines and like trees planted along river banks. This experience serving at the Out of the Cold program was an excellent example of how we can do just that. Thank you to all the youth who participated and to the adult supervisors who accompanied the group. While Out of the Cold has ended for this year, I look forward to the next opportunity we may have to meet the guests again and offer our support. Submitted by Laura VanderVleuten PASSAGES Deaths Rick Gardner passed away and we send our heartfelt sympathy to Ruth and family. Mike Burns' grandfather passed away. Our condolences to Mike, Debbie and family. Reta Spencer's sister, Ruth, passed away. Our deepest sympathy to Reta.

7 ISSUE 5 A CROSS THE PEWS PAGE 7 Concert at Knox: Beauty of Spring- The Music of Handel and Purcell, May 23 at 8pm Music scholar Mary-Catherine McNinch-Pazzano is starting a small performance group called Musical Muses with fellow voice student Anne Csima. Tickets are $15 and $10 for students and seniors and will be available to buy at the coffee hour beginning May 10. You can also contact in advance for a 20% discount for a group of 20 or more. A portion of the profits earned will be a donation to Knox. Please talk to Mary-Catherine or her at mary-cath@rogers.com for more information. Come out to support Mary-Catherine and to enjoy a program of Baroque music! Geranium Fund Raiser for Canada Youth 09 is coming in May. The Sr High youth who are planning to attend CY09 this summer need your support to help offset the costs of the conference. The geraniums will be on sale during coffee hours starting May 10. Delivery date will be Saturday June 6 or Sunday June 7.

8 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday :00 Trombone Choir 2:00 Fashion Show Communion 12:15 First Sunday 7:30 Church Council 1:15 Group D 2:00 Group C 6:30 Praise Band 7:00 Choir :00 Women s Ensemble 6:30 Praise Band Manna Day at Crieff 7:00 Choir :30 Session 7:00 Choir 8:00 Musical Muses :00 Women s Ensemble 7:00 Knox Stampers 7:00 Choir 7:00 Knox Knitters 31