Announcements – 26 March 2025
Worship…10:00 AM– 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
Annual Congregational Meeting … April 6 during the worship service. The report will be available in print this Sunday and it was emailed last week.
Embracing Lent – How are you observing Lent?
How can we pray, fast, and give in meaningful ways this season? Here are some ideas to consider – remember, you don’t need to do everything to make a difference doing something…
- Don’t buy anything that you don’t really need
- Attend the 1pm Monday Study Group at Knox
- Give away 40 things in 40 days – not just your junk!
- Give up gossip or Facebook or excess sugar or whatever is a vice for you
- Exercise daily to take care of the body God gave you
- Say 3 kind things to 3 people daily – be intentional
- Read and reflect on scripture or a devotional text throughout Lent
— Laura
Lent Study … More people gather for worship than for any other ministry of the church. We gather for worship because we are God’s people. We pray – we receive forgiveness – we speak and listen – we give thanks and bring our concerns – baptize – sing – eat and drink – we are blessed and sent into the world. Worship is something we do together. But why? And why do we use the forms we do? Come on Mondays 1:00 – 2:15 pm during Lent (March 10 – April 14) to explore these questions and more. Please sign up to get resources from the Knox office or Laura.
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 … Yvonne Fowler and her family as they grieve Richard’s death, Arlene (Laura & Steve’s sister-in-law), Ina, David, Neil, and Pat & family
- Those within the Knox community of faith who are suffering at this time… Nan and Gordon, Elizabeth, Keith, Arlene, andToa.
- 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.
March Celebrations
01 Mar Robbie Smith
02 Mar Steve Sturgess
05 Mar Gordon Zorn
09 Mar Peter + Connie Dunwoody
20 Mar Tristan Sturgess
22 Mar Mary Dimech
22 Mar Dorothy Wong + Yin Man Lam
23 Mar Bruce Ure
28 Mar Ena VandermaleApril Celebrations
03 April April Watt
07 April Kevin Chaval
10 April Doug Guille
14 April Jim Reekie
New Treasurer . . . We are looking for someone to take on the role of treasurer after the annual meeting in early April as April Watt is resigning from this position. We are immensely grateful for her attentive and thoughtful service as our treasurer for the past five years, especially during the challenging time of the pandemic. Please talk to April, Fiona or Laura if you are willing to consider this urgent need.
Inclusive Christians … Thank you to everyone who has prepared food for these meals in the past and those who have volunteered for 2025. You are all welcome to attend any Wednesday at 5pm. Please uphold in prayer students exploring and nurturing their faith. Thank you for continuing to support students and Inclusive Christians on campus in this way.
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.
Dear neighbours in Christ,
Please join us at St Philip Oak Bay for a candlelit service of song, silence, prayer and contemplation, in the style of the Taizé Community, on the 4th Thursdays of the month at 7pm: 27 March. The event series is on our website.
Monday, March 31 is Transgender Day of Visibility. We pray for the safety and well-being of transgender and gender non-conforming people and give thanks for their gifts and perspectives.
The following are tips (from GLAAD) that can be used as you move toward becoming a better ally to transgender people. Of course, this list is not exhaustive and cannot include all the “right” things to do or say because often there is no one “right” answer to every situation you might encounter.
When you become an ally of transgender people, your actions will help change the culture, making society a better, safer place for transgender people and for all people (trans or not) who do not conform to conventional gender expectations.
- You can’t tell if someone is transgender just by looking.
- Don’t make assumptions about a transgender person’s sexual orientation.
- If you don’t know what pronouns to use, listen first.
- Don’t ask a transgender person what their “real name” is.
- Understand the differences between “coming out” as lesbian, gay, or bisexual and “coming out” as transgender.
- Be careful about confidentiality, disclosure, and “outing.”
- Respect the terminology a transgender person uses to describe their identity.
- Be patient with a person who is questioning or exploring their gender identity.
- Understand there is no “right” or “wrong” way to transition, and that it is different for every person.
- Don’t ask about a transgender person’s genitals, surgical status, or sex life.
- Avoid backhanded compliments and “helpful” tips.
- Challenge anti-transgender remarks or jokes in public spaces, including LGB spaces.
- Support all-gender public restrooms.
- Help make your company or group truly trans-inclusive.
- At meetings and events, set an inclusive tone.
- Listen to transgender people.
- Learn that transgender people are not new.
- Know your own limits as an ally.
The Moving Trans History Forward conference is a biennial, international, interdisciplinary, and intergenerational conference presented by UVic’s Chair in Transgender Studies.
The 2025 edition of the conference will be offered in a hybrid format, taking place both in person at the University of Victoria’s NEW Conference Centre, Sŋéqə ʔéʔləŋ (Sngequ House), and online March 27–30, 2025 (#MTHF25).
Join community activists, academics, artists, and allies from around the globe for the sixth Moving Trans History Forward conference, among the largest of its kind. Share your voice and your history. Learn from others. Grow together. Make history!
The Moving Trans History Forward conferences are not just for scholars, or just for community people. MTHF conferences are a unique blend that create opportunities for cross-fertilization among members of the general public, students and faculty, artists, activists, Trans+ people, family members, allies, and service providers. These conferences address both our history and the crucial issues that impact us today and into the future—locally, nationally, and globally.
During the month of April, Knox is pleased to be hosting Greater Victoria Performing Arts Festival events! Check out their website to learn more!
You are invited to join us for a dramatic reading of ‘The Way of the Cross’ at St. Barnabas Church Hall on Friday, April 4 at 7pm. Donations are gratefully received.
Knox Book Club … New attendees are always welcome! Here is a list of books and dates for 2025. The next meeting is Saturday, April 12 at 1pm at Laura’s home. Please read “Knowing What We Know” by Simon Winchester.
VIP Women’s Retreat … at Camp Imadene on Fri/Sat/Sun, April 25 – 27. Contact [email protected] with questions. More details are available HERE!
ELECTION DAY POLLING STATION: From 7 am to 7pm on Monday, April 28th, is election day polling in Knox’s Hall.
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!
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].
🐰HOP INTO SPRING:
Sunday, March 30, 2025 – Mission Moment
19-year-old Evidence Mhango is in her final year of secondary school in Malawi. She has endured numerous challenges to reach this milestone, including walking 15 km daily. Despite the long distance and societal pressures to abandon her studies, Evidence remains determined to finish school. The PWS&D-supported Every Youth Empowered project has played a crucial role in motivating Evidence to work harder. Joining the in-school club introduced and led by project volunteers, she discovered a passion for quiz competitions and gained the confidence to participate in interschool contests. The competitions enhanced her critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, boosted her academic performance and gave her self-assurance. Evidence shares, “My dream is to become a university lecturer, and nobody will take that away from me.”
Wednesday, March 26 We pray for congregations and missions receiving grants this spring, that their programs and initiatives will share the love of Christ in their communities.
Thursday, March 27 We pray for Elders and volunteers who faithfully serve at the eight PCC Indigenous Ministries.
Friday, March 28 We pray for those in the Order of Diaconal Ministries who are called to serve the church in the areas of Christian education, pastoral care and social ministries.
Saturday, March 29 We pray for the Committee on Church Doctrine as it discerns how the church demonstrates the love of God in Christ to those who have chosen medical assistance in dying and to their families.
Sunday, March 30 (4th Sunday in Lent) Dear God, help us to order our lives in faithful obedience to you so that we may come to know our weaknesses and appreciate your grace at work in our lives.
Monday, March 31 (Transgender Day of Visibility) We pray for the safety and well-being of transgender and gender non-conforming people and give thanks for their gifts and perspectives.
Tuesday, April 1 We pray for the Moderator-elect of the 2025 General Assembly, and give thanks to the Committee to Advise with the Moderator who supported the Rev. Dr. Pat Dutcher-Walls during her year as Moderator.
Wednesday, April 2 We pray for The Sharing Ministry, the regional ministry serving congregations in the Presbytery of the Northwest, and for the Rev. Mark Chiang, its minister.
Thursday, April 3 We pray for God’s blessings on projects being carried out by each of the eight Indigenous ministries supported by the PCC. These include an outdoor memorial project at Mistawasis, a garden project at Winnipeg Inner City Missions and a documentary project at Hummingbird Ministries.
Friday, April 4 We give thanks for the Rev. Dr. Paul McLean’s many years of faithful service working with Bible translation teams in Taiwan and pray for God’s continued blessing in his retirement.
We pray for Knox College students as they complete the academic year, for clarity and insight as they write their final papers and prepare for their summer commitments.
Beyond the Cuts: the Humanitarian Impact
By Stephanie Chunoo for PWS&D
As Christians, our work to end hunger and poverty is rooted in the belief that it is God’s desire for no person to go hungry and that we are called to act with compassion for the most marginalized in the world. God has provided enough for all. The church, through PWS&D, has been working to eradicate poverty globally for over 75 years. Recent funding cuts for international aid around the world are raising significant concerns and creating setbacks in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Learn More: Read the statements made by the General Assembly on international assistance. ACT Alliance has released a statement on cuts to aid. Cooperation Canada, a network of over 100 Canadian international development agencies, has spoken on cuts to international aid. Watch the “What does international aid look like?” video from Canadian Foodgrains Bank.