April 22, 2026 Announcements

Announcements – 22 April 2026

Worship … at 9:30am.  We hope that you will participate in person.  If you are unwell, please join the live streamed service.  Pastor James is continuing a new sermon series on 1 Peter.

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.

Copies of Pastor James’ commentary on 1 Peter are available in the hallway for $15.

Sunday Coffee Hour … at 10:30am.  Everyone from Knox and Hollydene are welcome to attend a shared social hour in the lounge.

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 …

  • Char Holcroft, who is experiencing some health challenges.
  • Pastor Kathleen Busch, who has experienced a sudden loss in her family

Please let your elder or a member of session know if there are changes to your prayer requests!

Celebrations

        • April 3    April Watt
        • April 7    Kevin Chaval
        • April 10  Doug Guille
    • April 14  Jim Reekie

VIP (Victoria Island Presbytery) Women’s Retreat 2026 … at Camp Imadene, Mesachie Lake, Cowichan this weekend, April 24 – 26, 2026. Join us for a variety of workshops and worship throughout the weekend! Register before March 16 for $230 by filling out THIS FORM. For other information please contact [email protected] or 250-668-3299.

Knox Book Club … New attendees are always welcome! Here is a list of books and dates for 2026.  The next meeting is Saturday May 9 at 1:00pm at Mary’s house.  Please contact Mary for more information.  Please read “The Passion of Artemisia” by Susan Vreeland.

VIP (Victoria Island Presbytery) Summer Camp 2026 … A program of the Presbyterian Church in Canada. This year’s locations and dates are as follows: Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park June 8-12, Rathtrevor Provincial Park July 25 – 30, Rathtrevor Provincial Park July 30 – August 3. For more information go to our website or contact the registrar at [email protected].

Collective 2026 (Aug 12 – 15, 2026 at Brock University) … Collective 2026, an event for youth,young adults, and their leaders.  Register here

VISTA … Free public lectures through the Vancouver Island School of Theology and the Arts (VISTA) are happening on Thursdays in April and May at 7 PM.  Go HERE for more information.

Pipe Organ Event … Piano students are invited to attend a morning with Dr. Mark McDonald and the Wolff organ at Christ Church Cathedral on Saturday, April 25 from 9 AM – 12 PM. Register by April 22 with the Royal Canadian College of Organists HERE.

Speech and Dramatic Arts Highlights Concert 2026 … on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 7:00pm-8:00pm.  Welcome to the Speech and Dramatic Arts Highlights Concert for the Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival!  Experience the magic of live performances as participants from the GrVPAF display their skills in speech and dramatic arts.  Be prepared to be entertained, moved, and inspired by the creativity and passion of these young artists. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to support local talent and enjoy a memorable event!

Tickets are only available at the door: 
Single Admission – $12 adults $8 seniors/students/children
Family Rate – $30 4 admission in the same family
Children 5 and under are free

Tea for Tutu ‘Alice in Wonderland’ … May 5, 6, 7 at 2:00 pm at St. Andrew’s. Reserve your free seats – email [email protected] or phone 250-380-6063. For more information about the program go HERE.

Called & Formed …  Join us Friday and Saturday May 8 and 9 for a conference on theology with Mark Buchanan and Gordon T. Smith through the Vancouver Island School of Theology. Tickets Available Here!

Sunday, April 26, 2026 – Mission Moment

Gerry Kent describes the United Mission to Nepal (UMN) as “an advocate for those who cannot or do not have the opportunity to seek help for themselves.” Since September 2025, Gerry has taken on the three-year volunteer position of Funding Manager in Nepal for the UMN. On the PCC’s Mission Blog web page, he shares the enriching developments facilitated by the UMN in sectors of Nepal. He describes “the hand of God reaching into this area in love, offering healing.” With support from Presbyterians Sharing, Gerry carries out his life-long commitment to serving the people of Nepal in the spirit of Jesus Christ.

Prayer Partnership

Wednesday, April 22 (Earth Day) We pray for the well-being of God’s beloved creation and for earth, land and water defenders, advocates, scientists and decision makers working to protect the ecosystems that sustain all life on Earth.

Thursday, April 23 We pray for farmers in Malawi, Pakistan and Guatemala who are receiving support from PWS&D to improve their harvests and make them resilient to climate change.

Friday, April 24 We pray for the Committee on Education and Reception as it meets on April 24th and 25th, that it might carry out its work with wisdom and grace.

Saturday, April 25 We pray that our hearts may be open to learn from those of different faiths and backgrounds, so that in diversity we may discover deeper truth and love.

Sunday, April 26 (Mission Awareness Sunday) We pray for mission staff Gerry and Lorna Kent & Lora Nafziger and Mitch Rhodes as they serve people in Nepal through the United Mission to Nepal.

Monday, April 27 We pray for those who oversee the daily functions of life at The Presbyterian College, Montreal, including the sometimes-challenging management of an aging building.

Tuesday, April 28 We pray for Knox College students as they complete the 2025/2026 academic year. We ask for clarity and confidence as they write their final papers and prepare for their summer commitments.

Wednesday, April 29 We pray for those who gather each month at the PCC’s Christian Education Exchange online. May these gatherings be full of your Spirit, inspiration, and friendship.

Thursday, April 30 We pray for wisdom and strength for members of the National Indigenous Ministries Council as they work to advise committees and courts of the church about the critical work of truth, healing and reconciliation.

 Friday, May 1 We pray for congregations concerned about finances, that God will provide the resources they need to continue the ministry they are called to do.

Saturday, May 2 We pray for those who are grieving the loss of a relationship, that they will re-learn to trust themselves and others as they move towards healing.

A Journey to Healing in Haiti …

Dona Antoine was afraid when her baby daughter, Doriana, started to show alarming systems—swelling (edema), diarrhea, vomiting and trouble urinating. Doriana’s health deteriorated quickly.

Dona, just 20, lives with her partner, in a modest home they share with seven other people. While the family uses treated water and has access to a latrine, their living conditions remain difficult.

Doriana was born at full-term and Dona received regular prenatal care, as well as postnatal follow-up. Doriana’s health began to decline though when her mother introduced complementary foods at just six weeks, which likely contributed to Doriana’s condition.

Dona first sought help from a traditional healer. When that didn’t work, she took Doriana to several health facilities for treatment, but nothing led to improvement.

Feeling like it was her last resort, Dona followed the advice of a community health worker and brought Doriana to a hospital run by PWS&D’s partner, Zanmi Lasante. Doriana was immediately admitted into the malnutrition treatment program.

For almost a decade, Haiti has experienced an ever-deepening food security crisis, driven by violence related to armed groups, political upheaval and economic crisis. Additionally, the country is extremely vulnerable to the devastating effects of the climate crisis.

Roughly 52 per cent of the population are facing crisis levels of food insecurity, over half of these are children. Malnutrition is currently the leading cause of death for children under five in Haiti.

“Parents can no longer provide care and nutrition to their children as a result of ongoing violence, extreme poverty, and a persistent economic crisis,” said Geeta Narayan, a United Nations representative in Haiti. “Life-saving actions, such as screening children at risk for wasting and stunting, and ensuring malnourished children have access to therapeutic treatment, are needed now to save children’s lives.”

PWS&D, through our partner Zanmi Lasante, is doing just that. By focusing on prevention, screening and free treatment, they are working to reduce avoidable malnutrition deaths and sustainably improve the nutritional status of the most at-risk children.

Doriana was immediately provided with specialized care. She received six days of intensive therapeutic feeding, followed by a transition phase to home care.

Recognizing that access to food remains an issue for many in Haiti, Doriana continued her recovery through follow-up outpatient care, as well as a supplementary nutrition program to ensure a full recovery. Dorian’s mother, Dona, has took part in in-depth educational sessions on keys aspects of maternal and child health, including the principles of a balanced diet for both infants and mothers.

Because of the care she received, Doriana has now fully recovered from her malnutrition. Her story highlights the project’s effectiveness and the importance of timely access to appropriate care for at-risk children.

Given the ongoing food crisis in Haiti, and its devastating effect on children, this project is more essential than ever. To support the project, please click HERE and mark your donation “Haiti malnutrition project.”

* PWS&D support for this project was matched up to 4:1 with funds from Global Affairs Canada through Canadian Foodgrains Bank. PWS&D is a member of the Foodgrains Bank, a partnership of 15 churches and church agencies working together to end global hunger.

Social Action Spotlight:  Environmental Racism and “Free Prior and Informed Consent”

Environmental racism is a term some people may not have heard a lot about. A form of targeted systemic racism, environmental racism names the reality that sites likely to be environmentally contaminated (toxic waste dumps, heavily polluting industries, etc.) are significantly more likely to be placed near Indigenous, Black and other racialized communities or nations. This form of racism also impacts what regulatory safeguards are developed, who decides them or how they are enforced, how quickly local communities are informed if there is a problem and how fast cleanup of dangers like spills happen. The impacts of environmental racism can be deadly and long lasting; one need look no further than the ongoing issues with mercury poisoning from the Dryden Pulp Mill near Grassy Narrows First Nation and Wabaseemoong Independent Nations or the serious health issues from contaminants in the Morvan Road Landfill experienced by residents of the historically Black Nova Scotian community of Shelbourne.

The church’s ongoing work to recognize and address its complicity in colonialism and systemic racism call it to action. Acknowledging the vital importance of Indigenous and treaty rights, the PCC recognizes the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP) as the framework for reconciliation. Article 29 of UNDRIP states that “Indigenous peoples have the right to the conservation and protection of the environment and the productive capacity of their lands…. and States shall take effective measures to ensure that no storage or disposal of hazardous materials shall take place in the lands or territories of Indigenous peoples without their free, prior and informed consent.” The PCC also has a history of advocacy for environmental protections and anti-racism measures dating back decades and Living Faith reminds us that the justice to which God calls us involves changing customs and practices that oppress (8.4.2) as well as concern for the well-being of all of life and creation (2.4.1).

Reflection Questions

  1. If there are environmentally sensitive projects in your region, are discussions and decisions involving them unfolding in a just and equitable way?
  2. Are there “customs and practices that oppress” you can think of that are part of your work or life? How could they be changed?

What can you do?

In June of 2024, legislation was passed to develop a national strategy promoting efforts across Canada to advance environmental justice and to assess, prevent and address environmental racism. The legislation draws on implementing UNDRIP and a national strategy is expected to be published this summer. You can: