Announcements – 05 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
Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead one hour or you’ll miss the worship service!
2024 Tax Receipts … 2024 Charitable donation tax receipts were issued over the weekend and were sent either by email or Canada Post. If you have not received your tax receipt by the end of the week or if there are any errors or omissions, please contact April at [email protected].
2024 Tax Receipts – part 2 … Due to the postal strike that occurred late in 2024, the Department of Finance announced the federal government’s intention to amend the Income Tax Act to extend the deadline for making charitable donations eligible for tax support in the 2024 tax year. The CRA has confirmed that it will proceed with administering the 2024 deadline extension for charitable donations. This means that if you wish to apply donations you made in January and February of this year (2025) to your 2024 tax return you may do so. Please contact April as soon as possible at [email protected] for your Jan/Feb 2025 tax receipt. If you use the Jan/Feb 2025 tax receipt, then you will receive a Mar-Dec 2025 tax receipt at the end of the year. If not, then your tax receipt at the end of 2025 will be for the entire year.
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.
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, Neil, and Pat & family
- Those within the Knox community of faith who are suffering at this time… 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.
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 Vandermale
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.
LGBTQI2+ Inclusion 101 Webinar … Thursday, March 6, 2025 1:00-2:00 p.m. (Eastern). As ministries in The Presbyterian Church in Canada continue to adapt to decisions the denomination has made about marriage, ordination and LGBTQI2+ inclusion, this webinar is intended to explore ways to define inclusion and how congregations can take steps to become more inclusive of LGBTQI2+ people and their families. The presentation will be followed by a time for questions and answers. Hosted by Carragh Erhardt, Program Coordinator, Sexuality and Inclusion at the PCC.
Knox Book Club … New attendees are always welcome! Here is a list of books and dates for 2025. The next meeting is Saturday, March 8 at 1pm in the vestry. Please read “The Measure” by Nikki Erlick
Steve Bell Concert … March 9 @ 7:00pm – 9:00pm at Lambrick Park Church, 1780 Feltham Road, Victoria, BC. An evening of story and song, featuring music from Steve’s latest album, “The Glad Surprise”, as well as Steve Bell classics and favourites. Tickets available here.
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.
Community Dinners … Gather in the Knox Church kitchen to prepare a meal and eat together. Please sign up so we can plan to have plenty of food ([email protected]). Sunday, March 16 – Baked Potatoes with toppings + Rainbow Rice Krispie Treats.
International Women’s Day
Join us on March 8 – International Women’s Day, as we celebrate the incredible achievements of women and girls around the world!
This year’s International Women’s Day theme is “For ALL women and girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” This theme serves as a reminder that progress for women and girls must always be inclusive and embrace diversity;whether we are advocating for education or strengthening marginalized communities’ voices, our shared efforts must ensure no one is left behind, regardless of background.
At PWS&D, we believe that regardless of race, ability and class, every woman and girl deserves to have rights, access to health care, education and opportunities. PWS&D is committed to a world where every woman and girl has rights and is empowered. Through our projects:
In Guatemala, PWS&D works with partners to support Indigenous women as they fight prejudices about their abilities. Through workshops and solidarity formed through community groups, women learn greater self-esteem and strengthen their voices at the institutional level.
With our partner in India, PWS&D supports outreach to women and girls to provide them with the tools they need to access appropriate health care, address issues of gender, empowerment and sexual and reproductive rights, and address child marriage.
In Malawi, PWS&D provides scholarships for girls to attend Neno Girls’ Secondary School. These scholarships enable girls to stay in school and access a quality education. According to the United Nations, every additional year of school a girl attains increases her eventual wages by 10-20%. Education encourages girls to marry later and make informed choices about how many children to have, increasing opportunities for gender equity to be realized.
In Pakistan, PWS&D is supporting a project aimed at improving girls’ access to education; this initiative incentivizes school enrollment and retention by providing nutritious meals in regions heavily impacted by food insecurity. The project also engages communities and local leaders to highlight the critical importance of girls’ education and its impact on families and societies.
Discover how PWS&D is bringing this year’s theme to life and turning it into action.
Meet Esmy in Malawi.
Read about Sapna in Paksitan.
Learn about Lilawati in India.
As we continue to work towards an equitable world, we must remember progress for one must also mean progress for all. —by Stephanie Chunoo
Hope Blooms on Pandora … Sat, March. 22, 2025 – Save the Date!
As the cherry blossoms bloom on Pandora, join Our Place for a hope-filled spring brunch in support of Pathways off Pandora. Sponsorships Available. Please contact [email protected] to learn more today.
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.
VIP Women’s Retreat … at Camp Imadene on Fri/Sat/Sun, April 25 – 27. Contact [email protected] with questions. More details will be available HERE soon!
Guatemala Learning Tour 2025
Good morning PWS&D Champions,
Information is available at WeRespond.ca/Guatemala-2025.
Applications are due as soon as possible, using the application form I have attached to this email. Let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you,
Emma Goldstein (Clarke)
Communications Assistant (Public Engagement)
Presbyterian World Service & Development (PWS&D)
416-441-1111 or 1-800-619-7301 x245
WeRespond.ca
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, March 9, 2025 – Mission Moment
Did you know that gifts to Presbyterians Sharing provide the foundation for what we do together as the PCC? Through our gifts, we provide funding for ministries with vulnerable people and appeal to governments to take action and prioritize funding to protect our planet, stop racism and discrimination, eliminate poverty and more. We equip leaders through theological colleges, conferences and webinars. Coaches and mentors walk alongside congregations as they seek out new directions. Grants help launch new faith communities and renew established ones. We work with international partners to share the good news of Christ. We speak up for children’s rights and the protection of refugees, asylum seekers, migrant workers and their families. We provide spaces for Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to walk together on a journey of healing and reconciliation. Together, we are working to build a church where all are welcome.
Wednesday, March 5 (Ash Wednesday) Loving God, you hate nothing you have made, and your grace knows no bounds. You created us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you. Create in us clean hearts and turn us around to follow you more nearly.
Thursday, March 6 We give thanks for the ongoing work of the Committee on Church Doctrine and for new resources, including an updated liturgical preamble for use in ordination services.
Friday, March 7 (World Day of Prayer) We pray for the World Day of Prayer services that will be held across Canada in PCC churches.
Saturday, March 8 (International Women’s Day) We celebrate in prayer Indigenous women in Guatemala who are improving their lives and building sustainable livelihoods with PWS&D’s support.
Sunday, March 9 (1st Sunday in Lent) We pray that we may know the Spirit’s blessing blowing in us and through us, so that we may live out what is required of us: to seek justice, love kindness and walk humbly with God.
Monday, March 10 We pray for all the military chaplains who bring guidance and support to our troops and their families at home and abroad.
Tuesday, March 11 We give thanks for all those who have left bequests to the church to help continue Christ’s ministry in the world after their death.
Wednesday, March 12 We pray for Presbyterian certified candidates at Vancouver School of Theology preparing for ordained ministry and supported in their studies by St. Andrew’s Hall.
Thursday, March 13 We pray for international students at the Presbyterian Colleges who are far from family and friends. We pray that they sense God’s presence in a special way during times of grief and sadness.
Friday, March 14 We pray for the Rev. Dr. Ary Fernández Albán in his first year as Rector of Seminario Evangélico de Teología in Matanzas, Cuba.
Saturday, March 15 We pray that the staff and faculty at Knox College will find joy in their work.
Fundraising Concert … Help sponsor a Syrian-Palestinian refugee family by attending a fundraising concert on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at 7 pm at Christ Church Cathedral (Entrance from Quadra St.) Admission by Donation – doubled with matching funds!
A Multi-Faith Collaboration of Congregation Emanu-El, Christ Church Cathedral and the Muslim Community. Enjoy an evening of peace and solidarity, Arabic, Celtic & Jewish Music. Featuring Sari Alesh (violin) and Dave Conway (guitar) Kvell’s Angels Klezmer Band. Middle Eastern Delicacies served during intermission.
Sari Alesh (violin) and Dave Conway (guitar)
Sari Alesh, a classically trained violinist from Damascus, toured internationally with the Syrian National Symphony Orchestra before settling in Canada in 2016. He has since performed at the Canadian Embassy in Geneva and the United Nations Global Conference on Human Rights.
Dave Conway, a seasoned musician and songwriter, has spent decades teaching and performing across B.C. The duo has been playing together since 2016, blending diverse cultural influences into their unique sound.
Kvell’s Angels Klezmer Band
Formed in 2022, Kvell’s Angels celebrates the rich tradition of Eastern European Jewish klezmer music. Their repertoire includes rare pieces from the Kiselgof-Makonovetsky Digital Manuscript Project—forgotten klezmer tunes rediscovered in a Kyiv library basement. The band features Julia Herzog (flute), Laura Rosenberg (concertina), Rick Kool (bass), Nejama Ferstman (guitar), and Lucy Nerenberg (mandolin).
Refugee Sponsorship Project
R. is a Syrian-Palestinian widow currently living with her two teenage daughters as refugees in a “third country” where they are very vulnerable and at risk.
The family has recently been accepted by ICA (the Inter-Cultural Association here in Victoria) for sponsorship through our committee. We have the support and resources of both Congregation Emanu-El and Christ Church Cathedral to help us to offer tax-deductible donations etc. Due to the recent changes in the federal immigration situation, we were fortunate to be given this opportunity.
We only have till the end of March to raise the initial $30,000 in funds required to submit a completed sponsorship application to the IRCC in this short window.
Our Sponsorship Team includes Muslims, Christians, and Jews and we welcome participants from any background to join us in this “big tent” effort. Please follow the instructions below to donate to R. and her family’s sponsorship. All donations will go towards refugee settlement costs.
Donations through Congregation Emanu-El
This link will take you to the synagogue’s donations page and to the account for R’s family. Cheques can also be written to “Congregation Emanu-El” with “Refugee Sponsorship CE25” in the notes section.
Donations through Christ Church Cathedral:
- Cheques made out to Christ Church Cathedral with ‘Refugee Support’ in the memo line.
- Credit card transactions can be made at the office (930 Burdett Ave, Victoria). Please ensure that Refugee Support is mentioned to the person completing the transaction so the funds are appropriately booked.
- E-transfer at [email protected]. In the memo box type in Refugee Support.
Please contact us via: [email protected] if you have any questions. Your generosity brings hope to the family, and we deeply appreciate your support.
– The Sponsorship Team