Announcements – 16 April 2025
Holy Week Services
Maundy Thursday – A shared service with members from Knox, Trinity, and St. Andrew’s on Thursday, April 17 at Knox Presbyterian Church at 7:00pm. We hope that you will participate in person. If you are unwell, please join the live streamed service. To access the live streamed service, please go to the Knox’s YouTube channel or click here
Good Friday – A shared service with members from Knox, Trinity, and St. Andrew’s on Friday, April 18 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church at 10:30am. You can find pay parking at Broughton Square Parkade next door to St. Andrew’s, or Broughton Street Parkade by the library. The accessibility entrance is located at 643 Broughton Street, around the corner from the big doors. If you are unable to attend in person, please access the live streamed service HERE.
Easter Sunday – Sunday, April 20 at Knox at 10:00am. We hope that you will participate in person. If you are unwell, please join the live streamed service. To access the live streamed service, please go to the Knox’s YouTube channel or click here. The printed service will be available before Sunday morning.
Laura will be on holiday April 21 – 28. Please welcome the Rev. Grant Wilson who is leading worship on April 27.
Joys & Concerns…may we experience the healing presence of Christ as we uphold one another in prayer – sharing joys and concerns draws us together as a community of faith. Please pray for …
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- Family, friends and colleagues in need … Arlene (Laura & Steve’s sister-in-law), Ina, David, and Neil
- Those within the Knox community of faith who are suffering at this time…
- Margaret Borland, Nan and Gordon, Elizabeth, Keith, Arlene, and Toa.
- Congregations / faith groups in Victoria, Vancouver Island Presbytery, The Presbyterian Church in Canada
- Consider those struggling with chronic illness, recovery from surgery, addiction, personal loss, and any within our circle of care unable to attend worship each week.
- Give thanks for the blessings you enjoy – for relationships, comforts and security – for unexpected or long anticipated pleasures – for the amazing beauty of creation.
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- Please remember to let Laura or Shannon know if there are changes to your prayer requests.
April Celebrations
03 April April Watt
07 April Kevin Chaval
10 April Doug Guille
14 April Jim Reekie
Potato Blitz … As one of our popular outreach projects, we plan on collecting as many kilograms/pounds of Potatoes as we can for ‘Our Place’ each Sunday during the month of May. These donations can be brought to Knox in person. If you would like to make an offering instead you may do so via offering envelope (please mark it as ‘Potato Blitz’), or by an Interac e-transfer using the email address [email protected]. Please speak to Kittie Ure or Lilian Sutherland, if you have any questions.
Successful Aging … The Successful Aging Podcast, hosted by Dr. Bahareh Kardeh, breaks down the science of aging into clear and actionable insights to help you thrive after 60.
During the month of April, Knox is pleased to be hosting Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival events! The Speech Arts Highlight Concert is on Thursday, May 1 at 7:00pm. Concert tickets can be purchased at the door. Family Rate is $30 (4 admission in the same family.) Single Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for seniors/students/children. Children 5 and under are free!
PCC Webinars … Go HERE to register for these webinars, or check out other upcoming webinars!
“Every day is Earth Day” Tuesday, April 23, 2025 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm (Eastern)
Dr. Leora Gansworth will lead a webinar about the unique impact of changes to land and water on the intergenerational lives of Indigenous peoples in Canada.
Making Space: Neurodiversity in the Church April 30, 2025 1:00-2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Creating space in the hearts of others for neurodiverse people is the first step in making any physical changes to a building of worship. Join Allie Atchison, the Director of Children and Family Ministries at New Hope Presbyterian Church, Castle Rock, Colorado (PCUSA) as she shares ways we can make space for the neurodivergent people in our faith communities.
Earth Week Events …
“We are not owners, but stewards of God’s good earth. Concerned with the well-being of all of life, we welcome the truths and insights of all human skill and science about the world and the universe. Our stewardship calls us to explore ways of love and justice in respecting God’s creation and in seeking its responsible use for the common good.” –PCC’s Statement of Christian Belief
Saanich Earth Day Festival
April 19th, 2025 from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
770 Vernon Ave, behind Municipal Hall
Live music, local food trucks, art activities for kids, and vendors with products and information about sustainable living. For more info go to Saanich Earth Day Festival.
Earth Day Park Cleanup
April 26th, 2025 from 4:00 PM – 8:30 PM
Banfield Park, 521 Craigflower Road
A park cleanup, a climate talk with local speakers, and a silent disco. For more info go to Eventbrite.
Earth Day Celebration at Oak Haven Park:
April 26th, 2025 from 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Habitat Acquisition Trust, 661 Burnside Road East
A spring wildflower tour followed by invasive plant species removal from the park.
More info: Habitat Acquisition Trust
This Earth Week remember to:
- Choose sustainable accommodations, activities, shopping and dining
- Bring a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, and shopping bag
- While visiting our parks, beaches, gardens, lakes, and forests, pack out your waste and dispose of it appropriately
- Bike, walk, or paddle when possible
Send your Earth Week pictures to Shannon at [email protected]!
Soap for Hope … Earth Week Repurposing Campaign
Got extra hygiene products? Don’t throw them away! Together we can turn what’s hiding under your sink into hope and dignity for someone in need. Starting on Earth Day, April 22, to May 22 join our Repurposing Campaign and donate new or gently used hygiene products. Your small act can make a big impact—protecting the planet and helping end hygiene poverty in our community.
Donate your extra hygiene products:
New or Unused: deodorants, toothpaste, toothbrushes, incontinence products, (most needed items!) razors, feminine products, and lip balm.
New or Gently Used: shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and body lotion.
Drop off your donations at:
➔ Soap for Hope Canada Warehouse (426B William St.)
➔ Saje Wellness at Mayfair Mall
➔ Canadian Tire at Hillside Mall
➔ Tillicum Centre (lower level at the bottom of the escalator)
There is also a donation bin located at Knox! Shannon will drop off the donations collected at the end of Earth Week.
Every donation helps build a healthier community and a cleaner planet! This campaign is sponsored by Capital Regional District BC. Thank you.
For more information: www.soapforhopecanada.ca
St. Andrew’s Laneway Garden … St. Andrew’s Activity Group is starting a container garden in the laneway to grow vegetables to donate to local food-aid groups. If you are interested in helping set up and plant the garden, we’re starting this week! The Activity Group meets every Thursday in The Gathering Room from 10:30am – 12:30 pm. Everyone is welcome! If you have a “brown thumb” you can still drop by to cheer the gardeners on and socialize!
Zentangle Workshop … On Thursday April 24th from 10:30am – 12:30pm in The Gathering Room for a special Activity Group event! Dorothy Reimer invites you to learn the art of Zentangle – an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. Paper and pencils provided for free, with the small cost of $5 for a Zentangle pen. Please register with the church office or with Dorothy directly.
VIP Women’s Retreat … at Camp Imadene on Fri/Sat/Sun, April 25 – 27. Contact [email protected] with questions. More details are available HERE!
Holocaust Remembrance Day Commemoration … All are welcome to attend the annual remembrance of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), which will take place on Sunday, April 27th, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM, at the Victoria Jewish Cemetery on Cedar Hill Road (south from Hillside Ave.).
This year’s theme is “Survivor Stories from Victoria’s Jewish Cemetery”. We will tell the story of several survivors who came to Victoria and are buried in our historic cemetery. These individuals demonstrated the strength and resilience needed to try and overcome the traumas of their past. The stories of these few individuals can connect us to the memory of the many victims of the Nazi-inspired genocide.
We honour the memory of those that suffered and perished through the Shoah by remembering their stories, and by being aware of the social and political events that made such a catastrophe possible and the resonances of those events today. This is particularly important given the rise of antisemitism in Canada and around the world. We know that for the safety of all people, the lessons of the Shoah and events leading up to that tragedy cannot be forgotten.
The ceremony will also include music from that now-vanished world, music that can both move us and remind us of the flourishing cultures tragically upended by the Shoah. Memorial prayers and reflections can help us to not only reflect on this tragic chapter of history but also help us think about how we can and should act today.
E-mail: [email protected]
https://www.victoriashoahproject.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/victoriashoahproject/
ELECTION DAY POLLING STATION: From 7 am to 7pm on Monday, April 28th, is election day polling in Knox’s Hall.
Justice and Hope for All: A 2025 Federal Election Resource
Canada’s next federal election is scheduled for April 28. Democratic institutions rely on informed citizens’ engagement. This resource contains questions about issues that The Presbyterian Church in Canada has spoken on. Grounded in our understanding that the church’s role in society is to pursue love and justice for all of God’s creation, this resource is intended to support personal reflection, conversation within congregations and advocacy with candidates.
What do we mean by love and justice for all of creation? Through Jesus Christ’s ministry, we understand that love is the way of seeing others as God sees them and is compassion for creation. Love means seeking the best for others. Through Living Faith, we understand justice as standing with our neighbours in their struggle for dignity and respect and demanding the exercise of power for the common good. We affirm that justice opposes prejudice in every form, rejects racism and relates to employment, education, health, rights and responsibilities. We know that God is at work when people recognize the inhumanity of war and work for peace with justice.
You are invited to use these questions as you reflect on how best to respond to God’s call for love and justice in this time and place. While this resource focuses on issues that are national in scope, local issues also have a place in our advocacy with candidates and elected officials. If there is a topic not included in this resource that you would like to learn more about, you may be able to find out more about it on the Social Action Hub.
Download a printable version of the topics and questions here.
Please go Elections Canada for more information on how to vote, where to vote, and to check if you are registered to vote.
Trinity’s Anniversary Celebration … We will be inviting our neighbours to join us as the Presbyterian Church has been active in the Gorge-Tillicum neighbourhood for 111 years. The anniversary for Gorge Presbyterian Church is May 3, 1914 and the three congregations now known as Trinity amalgamated in 1966 (Gorge, Erskin and St. Paul’s). Everyone is invited to celebrate this anniversary Sunday May 4th with a hymn sing from 10:30-11:00am of about 8 to 10 well known and/or preferred hymns, and an opening/closing prayer. Then to gather in the upper hall from 11:00am-12:30pm for a community offering of hot dogs, juice, cake and conversation. Please come and invite friends, family and neighbours!
Knox Book Club … New attendees are always welcome! Here is a list of books and dates for 2025. The next meeting is Saturday, May 10 at 1pm in the vestry. Please read “Project Hail Mary” by Andy Weir.
Pacific Rim Pottery Show … at Knox on Saturday, May 10th from 10 am to 4 pm. Admission is free! You’ll find colourful garden art, rustic wood-fired pieces, elegant ikebana vases, unique items for the kitchen, and of course the humble and not so humble coffee mug. Shoppers, browsers, old friends and new are all welcome. We love to talk about clay and you might even find inspiration for your next pottery class! 100% of door prize proceeds are donated to charity.
Knox Cafe … Mark June 5 on your calendars for the next café!
Wedding Shower … for Ian Sturgess and his fiancée Ivone Adgira on Sunday, June 8, immediately following the service at Knox! A monetary gift is appreciated. Please enclose in a card, with your congratulations, a quip, or a few words of advice about wedded life! We look forward to seeing you.
Camp VIP … This year’s VIP camp dates are as follows: Little Qualicum Falls June 9-13, Goldstream July 3-7, Rathtrevor August 11-18. For more information contact the Camp Registrar at [email protected].
Sunday, April 20, 2025 – Mission Moment
Mengesha Kebede lives with his 10 family members on a small plot of land in Tigray, Ethiopia. During the Tigray conflict, soldiers looted Mengesha’s property, stealing farm tools, clothes and household utensils and destroying his home. This devastating experience left Mengesha traumatized and deeply worried. His concerns were alleviated when he was provided with seeds, farm tools and goats, helping him replace some of the assets lost during the war. Mengesha is grateful for the support he has received from this Canadian Foodgrains Bank project, supported by PWS&D, but he recognizes that the road to fully recovering from the conflict remains long and that continued support is vital.
Prayer Partnership
Wednesday, April 16 (Earth Week Starts) During Earth Week, we give thanks for the gift of water, essential to all life on Earth. We pray all people have access to clean, safe drinking water.
Thursday, April 17 (Maundy Thursday) Give us, O God, a renewed and growing awareness of what it means to live out Christ’s example to love as he loved and to serve as he served.
Friday, April 18 (Good Friday) Merciful God, we praise you for your sacrificial love and pray for all those who have suffered violence, and for reconciliation wherever there is division and conflict.
Saturday, April 19 (Holy Saturday) On this day, Jesus lies in the grave. We trust in the resurrection and in God’s power to stir new life among and within us.
Sunday, April 20 (Easter Sunday) God of new life and of hope, fill us with peace, joy and the desire to be new people and to live in the new life Christ gives, guided by your Spirit.
Monday, April 21 We pray for farmers in Guatemala receiving support from PWS&D to improve their harvests and be resilient to climate change.
Tuesday, April 22 (Earth Day) We pray for those harmed and displaced by pollution, environmental destruction and climate change. We pray for those working to protect vulnerable ecosystems. We ask for guidance as local and global communities address the climate crisis.
Wednesday, April 23 We pray for the congregation of Community Presbyterian Church in Almonte, Ontario as it participates in the New Beginnings Renewal Program to discern God’s will for the future.
Thursday, April 24 We pray for the Committee on Education and Reception as it meets on April 25 and 26, that it may do its work with wisdom and grace.
Friday, April 25 We pray for St. Andrew’s Hall, the Presbyterian Church in Canada college at the University of British Columbia, as it celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.
Saturday, April 26 We pray for members of the Atlantic Mission Society as they plan and hold their spring meetings.
Social Action Spotlight: Taking action for climate justice during Lent, and beyond
At this time of year, many of us are starting to anticipate the return of more daylight, warmer days, getting outside more often and perhaps a break from work or school. At the same time, others are thinking about and preparing for seasonal environmental events that can invoke anxiety, such as storms, flooding, drought, heat warnings, or wildfire events made more severe by climate change.
During the season of Lent, Christians are invited to prepare for Easter by reflecting on the life and teachings of Jesus. Lenten traditions vary, but the practice of “giving something up” during Lent is common for many Christians. Give it up for the Earth! is a campaign organized by the faith-based groups Citizens for Public Justice and For the Love of Creation (of which the PCC is a member). It invites us to make a personal or household pledge to reduce, or “give up,” greenhouse gas emissions and to advocate for greater supports from the federal government to mitigate and cope with the impacts of the climate crisis. During Lent, we can take steps to care for God’s creation.
How can I get involved?
•Participate in the Give it up for the Earth! campaign, found online here: cpj.ca/fortheearth
•Learn more about PWS&D’s response to the climate crisis, and how you can support this work: presbyterian.ca/pwsd/climatejustice
•Learn more about how we can direct climate anxiety toward hope and action by watching the webinar posted on the PCC’s Social Action Hub under “Educational Resources” at presbyterian.ca/justice/social-action/ecological-justice
What can I do after Lent?
Give it up for the Earth! also invites us to support the year-long global ecumenical 2025 Jubilee campaign to cancel unjust development-related debt for low-income countries in the global South. The term Jubilee is from the Book of Leviticus in the Old Testament. It references a year of celebration—a time associated with release from different forms of oppression, including debt.
Why is this needed? For decades, rich countries in the global North have granted loans to low-income countries in the global South for various humanitarian and economic reasons. The terms of these loans have been predatory—favouring the priorities of rich countries with little regard for the interests or priorities of low-income countries, including the ability to address the climate crisis. In 2000, Christians around the world successfully advocated for the cancellation of billions of dollars of unjust debt for low-income countries. However, the systems that created the unjust debt still exist. Your support is needed! More information can be found online at kairoscanada.org/jubilee-2025-canada.
Addressing Anti-Judaism During Lent and Eastertide … Report of the Task Force to The Consultation on Common Texts (CCT): The Task Force on The Consultation of Common Text has produced a document called, “Addressing Anti-Judaism during Lent and Eastertide”. The resource provides additional alternate lectionary readings for Good Friday and the season of Easter. The alternate readings address the reality that references to “the Jews” in the New Testament and the history of the use of some Christian texts have been not only problematic but dangerous and deadly. The document includes ways congregations can acknowledge, address and lament the centuries of history of reading the seasonal texts that have caused or fostered discrimination and violence against Jewish people. Read the document on the worship page, under Resources for the Liturgical Year.