Knox Presbyterian Church
630 Spadina Ave. M5S 2H4 Toronto, ON, Canada

Friends, we would like to invite you to join a virtual memorial service for David Jeffery. Dave is one of the Knox-supported missionaries. The online memorial service will be taking place on Saturday, April 17th at 10 am (PST) or 1 pm (ET). Please join through the Seven Oaks Alliance Church website: https://www.sevenoaks.org/

Call to action, prompts for prayer, and important resources for forming beloved community. Read more in the weekly. https://bit.ly/2Rozbdi

Friends: He is risen! Have a laugh, raise a glass, belt a song, shout a prayer of thanks our God is alive and so are we! Come celebrate with us. Join us at 11am at https://YouTube.com/knoxtoronto

Friends, with sadness we share of our brother Dave Jeffrey’s passing last Friday after a long struggle with ALS. Dave and his wife Sue have been supported missionaries with Knox for many years. We’d love to invite you to pray with us for the Jeffrey family as they grieve and care for the practical things to attend to in this next season. A little more about Dave and Sue: They joined in the work of Wycliffe Bible Translators in 1985 and went to West Asia two years later. They... spent their first years in a translation project, before shifting to administration: Dave was field director while Susan was finance officer, then group librarian. From 1999 to 2002, they helped establish a training institute that continues to equip nationals for Bible translation work. In September 2002 the Jefferys moved to Chiang Mai, Thailand, where Dave taught in a Christian university and served in administration and Susan served in various capacities at the SIL office. In July 2006 the Jefferys moved to Abbotsford, British Columbia and joined the staff of the Canada Institute of Linguistics (CanIL), Wycliffe Canada’s linguistics training facility on the Trinity Western University campus in Langley. For many years Dave served there as VP for Academic Affairs and course head for two courses. Due to the advance of his ALS, he retired at the end of April, 2020. Sue writes to us: Dave so hoped to be greeted at Heaven’s gates with a ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’ Rejoice with us that he’s celebrating Easter in the presence of his Lord and Saviour from here on in--for eternity! Death has truly lost its sting because of Jesus’ saving work on the cross. We are forgiven because He, the sinless one, paid the price for restoring us, the sin-soaked ones, to right relationship with His Holy Father. For those many of you who emailed Dave over the six and a half years of his ALS and who expressed appreciation for who he was and how he had impacted your lives, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your words of affirmation moved me to tears time and time again as I was reminded of how blessed we have been to share life with him. Read Sue’s full letter to us at http://knoxworldmission.ca

Just in case you missed it this weekend, here's a little pre-update ministry update to start the year. We'd love your prayers this week for our pastoral staff and leaders as they sift through plans for this season. And know we're praying for you, too! https://youtu.be/nST3iL_2i9I

"In a global pandemic: Do not fear, and do not be dismayed. With job loss and rent overdue: Do not fear, and do not be dismayed. When the strong stumble and youth grow tired: Do not fear, and do not be dismayed..." As you enter this weekend, read more from Rev. Nick as he reminds us of scripture's repeated mantra "Do not be afraid." ... https://mailchi.mp/6609f9a4fe33/closer-4724641

Take a moment today to share your well wishes for Phil and family in the digital card! https://www.groupgreeting.com/sign/fa725bf5cfe7429

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam... and the mountains quake with their surging... ... Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The Lord Almighty is with us. Psalm 46:1-3, 6-7 We remember in our prayers today our neighbours to the South and our family around the world in devastating political situations where trust is shattered and the fear of violence overwhelming. Lord have mercy on your people, all the nations, our neighbours and our enemies. Your kingdom come quickly.

The Weekly is out and we would love to introduce you to our new Interim Worship Coordinator: Brandon Davis! https://mailchi.mp/bd77a2e32f60/closer-3925793

The LORD will mediate between peoples and will settle disputes between strong nations far away. They will hammer their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will no longer fight against nation, nor train for war anymore. Micah 4:3 Remembering today all those affected by war and violence. May mourning turn to dancing sooner than we can imagine.

Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2:46-47 In a time of distance and isolation, we need each other more than ever. We encourage you to lean into community at Knox, church familyand to invite others to walk with you as well! What might th...at look like when Sunday services have been online? Connecting with your Knox Village! Knox Villages are a new way of doing faith-community together during this pandemic season. We’ll be organizing ourselves into seven geographic groupings across Toronto of about 50 people each from the Knox Church family. This will enable us to maintain our common identity, mission, vision and practice, while providing a local and COVID-appropriate sized venue to follow Jesus in the city, together. Check out where your Knox Village, and meet your Knox elders through this link: http://ow.ly/4JPq50C13Ko

Grab your morning coffee and find a cozy seat in the sunny sun: Updates for the week are here! http://ow.ly/AMDS50CdVpv

Hello church! Sunday we begin a new sermon series on the Letter of James. Get your mind thinking and your heart warmed up with this little summary of what James, brother of Jesus, has to say to the church. https://bibleproject.com/explore/james/#

Earlier this month, we introduced a new way of doing community together as a church family: our Knox Villages, where you'll get to be connected with those at Knox who live in your corner of Toronto! Each of our elders will be overseeing each Village and helping you get connected. We invite you to read more about our Knox Villages and meet your elders here on our website.

HAPPY 200TH ANNIVERSARY, KNOX! Today is a day we celebrate and reflect together on God's faithfulness to our church family throughout generations. While our physical location has changed, we hope this photoset reminds you: Church is not a building, but rather the peopleas seen through these two snapshots of our Church. Today, in the middle of a pandemic and perfectly situated on Thanksgiving weekend, we take time to remember God’s story at Knox, to refresh our faith by rec...alling God’s good guiding hand. Join us this morning to celebrate at 11:00am online here: https://youtu.be/Xpxrilnjmdg

To remember the past is to see that we are here today by gracethat we have survived is a gift. Frederick Buechner A fitting quote for this Throwback Thursday to Knox's former church building on Queen Street. Did you know that Knox underwent not one but two fires that sparked the need to re-build? God is so faithful in preserving our community throughout generations! Read on to find out more about the first fire. The first building burned down in 1847, which prompted a re...-location to Queen Street where Knox stayed for about 48 years. Today, that Queen Street land is now the Hudson's Bay Company at Queen and Yonge. #Knox200 is upon us very soon, church family. We invite you to join in the special service livestream this upcoming Sunday, October 11, at 11:00ambring Knox friends, both old and new!

Leading up to our special 200th anniversary service livestream this coming Sunday, we're posting snapshots and reflections on Knox's history as a church community! "Christ has been the sure foundation of Knox for 200 years and my prayer would be that his word would continue to be heard from within these walls and to the uttermost parts of the earth." Nancy Howard, a long-time Knox member... Two hundred years ago, in the 1820s, the doors of the Presbyterian Church of York opened to the public on a piece of land donated by Jesse Ketchum at the prompting of his Presbyterian wife, Ann Love. The small building pictured above was the very beginning of our 200-year-old church. Knox's 200th anniversary is upon us very soon, church family! We invite you to join in the special service livestream on Sunday, October 11, at 11:00ambring Knox friends, both old and new.

We might not be in the sanctuary, but it doesn't mean we can't still celebrate together! In case you missed it, we're hosting a special service livestream on October 11 to praise God for Knox's 200th anniversary. Whether Knox has been your home church for a while now or you were called to Knox for a season in your life, we invite you to tune in to our worship livestream on Youtube to celebrate 200 years of history and hope with us. Stay tuned for the link on the front page of our websiteknoxtoronto.org Knox family, share this post to invite others to tune into the celebration!

As today winds down, here's a prayer to reflect on in these uncertain times, written by Kenneth L. Sehested. May you receive any of these gifts of the Spirit when you most need them. "It is good and proper to give thanks to God. And to petition these gifts of the Spirit: Generosity, the secret of wealth.... Reverence, the secret of risk. Trust, the secret of fearlessness. Pardon, the secret of power. Obedience, the secret of freedom. Laughter, the secret of longevity. Rest, the secret of resolve. Humility, the secret of wisdom. Comfort, the secret of boldness. Lament, the secret of hope. Transfigure our lives, O Christ. Beckon us to that day when all shall linger 'neath their own vine and fig tree, and none shall be afraid. Safe, secure from all alarms. Leaning on the everlasting arms." Have a lovely week!

Have you taken time to do Sabbath practices this past week? In case you missed it, Pr. Phil shared an article with practical tips on how you can establish your own Sabbath routine. You can check it out right here: http://ow.ly/hC4F50BBHxn Any tips to share on doing Sabbath? Share them below!

A vital part of following Jesus is growing in our capacity to attend to the voice of Jesus. But, how do we hear it apart from all the noise we hear every day? In a new online fall discipleship series, Pastor Phil will be offering a four-week class exploring biblical foundations and practical ways to open our ears and hearts to the witness of the Spirit in our lives, growing our skills in discerning well. The class will involve online talks that you can view at your own pace... and four weekly evening discussion times during October. Please email [email protected] to register and to access the video talks.

The Big Knox Book Fair was a big success! Thanks to all who placed orderswe're so excited for how these resources will be used to point your families towards Christ. What are you reading these days to grow more in your own walk with God? Share in the comments below!

"And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." Genesis 1:31 Happy weekend, church family! We're so excited to worship with you again this Sundayespecially in-person. If you haven't already heard, we're experimenting with in-person worship gatherings this month. The next one is this Sunday, Sept. 20. Registration is required, so look at the link here: http://ow.ly/zWo850Bv5q1 Note: We will be moving forward with our in-person service on Sunday, following the most up-to-date public health protocols to ensure the utmost safety. We are aware of the most recent provincial restrictions regarding in-person gatherings, which primarily address private gatherings.

Are you depressed? Anxious? Stressed and have no idea how to relax? This is an invite to any and all young adultsstarting Sept. 24, Pr. Jason will be offering a group/course called How to Relax like Jesus in the Age of Anxiety. This thing isn’t just for Jesus followers, it’s for anybody and everybody, all voices and opinions matter here. We’ll be looking at the rhythms of how Jesus kicked his feet up and really relaxed regularly and see how that applies to our lives and thi...s cultural moment. If you're interested in joining this fall's gathering, email Pr. Jason at [email protected]! We're in a season of learning new ways of beingwe invite you to follow & join The Mozaik - knoxtoronto x youngadults, a new Knox young adults gathering built on mutual learning, humility, and learning to listen. We believe every single voice should be included and will ultimately make the conversation much more vibrant and full! No matter your background, beliefs, or story if you’re curious or skeptical in how the rhythms of Jesus might be meaningful in these extremely anxious days, the invite is yours!

It's been six months since we last had an in-person worship gatheringwhich made yesterday's Service of Reflection and Prayer especially sweet. Thanks to everyone involved in making our first in-person Service of Reflection and Prayer go as smoothly as possible. We look forward to seeing you during the next one this upcoming Sunday! Here's the sending prayer of the liturgy from yesterday's gathering to start off your week, church. You are loved. From where we are to wher...e you need us Christ be beside us. From what we are to what you can make of us, Christ be before us. From speaking and hearing to living and being the signs of your kingdom, Christ be beneath us. Through the streets of this world to the gates of heaven Christ be above us. Surround us with your presence, inspire us with your purpose, confirm us in your love. Amen. See more