August 2, 2023 Announcements

Get to Know You Gathering  Mark your calendars. Thursday, August 10 – 6:00pm at Trinity Presbyterian Church. Gather with Knox, Trinity, Knox-Sooke, Chinese and St. Andrew’s members for pizza, salad, and conversation. Renew acquaintances. Meet other Presbyterians you may not have previously met!  All are welcome to attend this gathering – just let Laura or Shannon know so enough food will be available.

Knox Book Club… The next meeting is at Knox on August 12 at 1pm. We are reading Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng. It won Amazon’s book of the year award in 2014 and was a New York Times Notable Book of 2014.

Holidays Shannon will be away on summer holidays from August 12 to the 27th.  She will not be answering her phone or email during this time – please direct all Knox inquiries to Laura, and St. Andrew’s inquiries to Jerry Verwey, the session clerk.  There will be no Knox weekly email during this time.  Laura will send out the announcements as she is able to.

Spiritual Spotlight Meal Knox is providing lunch at Our Place on Monday, August 21. Our Place are extremely grateful to the congregation at Knox for their generous support. Thank you to everyone who continues to provide regular givings through the offering plate, PAR, and e-transfers. Because you share your abundance, we are able to help those in need as part of our ministry at Knox.

Camp VIP information… Information about our church camping opportunities has been emailed and is posted in the hallway. Let Anne Krauss know if you have questions.

MID WEEK CAMPING – Presbytery Camps

Location and Dates –

Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park – June 5-9 (self-campsite registration – BC provincial parks)

French Beach Provincial Park – July 6-10 – $140.00 weekend

Rathtrevor Provincial Park – July 31 – August 7 – $250.00 week

(Group campsite fees for 2 adults and 2 children)

For enquiry Contact Camp VIP Communicator [email protected]

Early Bird Notice – mark your calendars! Vancouver Island Presbytery Women’s Retreat – April 26-28, 2024. First Women’s Retreat since COVID. Camp Imadene, Mesachie Lake. Watch for more details in the coming months. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet and fellowship with other women from our sister congregations on Vancouver Island.

Sunday, August 6, 2023 – Mission Moment

In Malawi, Alifonsina Banda, a 26-year-old mother, took part in vocational skills training through the PWS&D-supported Every Girl Empowered project. Despite the long-standing perception in her community that electronics courses are not for girls, Alifonsina challenged herself and enrolled in the electronics course. Since completing the class, she has repaired phones, installed satellite dishes, and worked as an electrician, earning a sustainable income from her business. “After the course, I had the most wonderful festive season in my life. I may not be able to remember how much money I made, but I had a client almost every day,” she shares. In the future, Alifonsina plans to open an electronics shop to sell spare parts and is thankful that the Every Girl Empowered project has given her a lifelong opportunity to improve the financial opportunities for herself and her family.

Sunday, August 6 (Anniversary of the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima) We remember the victims of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan and we pray for a world without nuclear weapons.

Monday, August 7 We give thanks for the Presbyterian Church Archives as they celebrate their 50th Anniversary, continuing to ensure that the documentary evidence of the life and work of the church is preserved and accessible to all.

Tuesday, August 8 We give thanks for those who have been appointed by the 2023 General Assembly to serve on its standing committees. Grant them creativity and wisdom as they prepare to serve in the coming year.

Wednesday, August 9 (International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples) We pray that the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is upheld in all places so that all Indigenous peoples around the world may thrive.

Thursday, August 10 We give thanks for the contributions of temporary migrant agricultural workers in Canada. We pray that decision makers will enact policies that better protect the rights of all migrant workers and members of their families and develop fair pathways to Canadian citizenship.

Friday, August 11 We pray for theological students discerning a call, may the Lord of the Harvest send forth labourers.

Saturday, August 12 We pray for Saskatoon Native Circle Ministry and the people it serves through prayer, counselling, food, clothing and a weekly worship Circle.

Social Action Spotlight – Systemic Economic Inequality     August 2023

Poverty in Canada and across the globe continues to seriously impact the lives and well-being of many. According to Statistics Canada’s most recent data, 7.4% of Canadians lived in poverty in 2021, which was up from 6.4% in 2020. The causes of poverty are complex, but a major factor is systemic economic inequality. Economic inequality is easy to spot, given the growing gap between people with wealth and people experiencing poverty. Speaking about systemic economic inequality names that there are social and economic structures creating and contributing to that growing gap. Not everyone starts at the same economic baseline. Racism, misogyny, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and other social ills erect barriers to economic security. Add in that wealth is more easily created when you already have wealth to draw on—as economic inequality compounds generationally—and it becomes very clear that our economic systems are not set up to foster equality. Too often our narratives about poverty blame those who are struggling, rather than looking at the systems that reinforce inequality, racism and economic vulnerability. Stop-gap measures like charity or temporary programs to help people “get back on their feet” may provide some relief but don’t address the underlying structural problems. To break the cycle, structural change aimed at creating a more level economic baseline is needed.