Knox News - Knox United Church

KNOX NEWS
Knox News
November
2014
Diverse in Culture ╬ United in Faith
不 同 文 化
╬
Inside This Edition
共 同 信 念
Look what’s been happening!
2 January 25 Concert
Pastoral Care
Chinese Fellowship Bible Study
3 Rev Rob’s Ramblings
White Gift Sunday
4 Fall Fair Corporate Sponsors
5 A Note from Leigh
Gifts with vision
6 Looking Ahead
Agincourt Garden Club
7 Worship Corner
Christmas Memorial Poinsettias
8 Advent Study
Above: George, Roy, Howard, Peggy, Russ & Rob
Below: Knox Veterans with Rob, Youth, Piper & Trumpeter
A seemingly endless supply of leaves!
Tel: 416-293-4424
Knox United Church
2569 Midland Ave. Agincourt ON M1S 1R3
Fax: 416-293-6128
email: [email protected]
website: www.myknox.ca
Page 1
November 2014
Announcing the 2014/15 Concert Series
The first concert of 2014-15 featured
Moshe Hammer, Joseph
Stuart Laughton with Rebecca
Johnson and Ross
Campbell, vocalist; Jim Clayton, jazz
Inglis will enthrall us at
pianist; Martin Worthy, drummer;
the second concert of
Steve Lucas, bassist; and Vern Dorge,
the season on Sunday,
saxophone & flute. Stuart moved the
January 25 at 8:00 pm
Radio Dial and the musical journey
(note the later start). resonated with everyone who attended. Moshe is a worldThanks Ross for presenting such
renowned violinist and the Artistic
amazing talent for us to enjoy.
Director of The Hammer Band from
violence to violins in Toronto Schools. Moshe has performed several times
at Knox. Joe is the principal cellist of
the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. Last
January, Joe conducted a master class
for violin students in the afternoon and
performed in our sanctuary. Ross has
Pastoral Care
connections with both Moshe and Joe. Ross is a teacher in the Hammer Band
program and attended the Eastman
School of Music with Joe. Ross has
shared in concerts with both Moshe
and Joe. This year, Ross, Moshe and Joe
will share the stage!
The March 8 concert will feature the
Payadora Tango Ensemble. The ensemble includes Rebekah
Wolkstein, Violin; Branko Džinović,
Accordion; Tom King, Piano; Alberto
Munarriz, Double Bass. And May 24 will be Ross and Friends!
Bargain!
by Joanne Rogde
The Pastoral care presentation
“Financial Safety” with PC Gary Gomez
was well received and well attended.
Thank you to everyone who helped and
participated.
At the Shepherd Village service on
Wednesday, November 26, Communion
will be served. Rev. Leigh Olson will be
leading the worship.
Ladies & Men’s golf clubs with bags for
each, including putters, ball retrievers
and cart. Many golf balls too. Complete package: $100
Contact the Nearly New Shop.
The Christmas service is scheduled for
Thursday, December 18 also with Leigh.
This edition
Thanks to everyone who has contributed articles to this
edition of the Knox News. Communication Chair, Manley
James. Editors: Cheryl Amos, Eva Chui, Marg Walker, Design: Tricia Cook. Inquiries about advertising may be directed to
Manley. Please send any suggestions, articles and pictures
to the Communication Committee c/o the church office,
[email protected]
Page 2
KNOX NEWS
Rev Rob’s Ramblings
Rob an
ire!
ph Spitf
Trium
d his ‘68
Jian Ghomeshi!
Isis!
Sexual Harassment!
Sexual Abuse!
Soldier killed in a Hit & Run!
Radicalization!
Soldier shot guarding the National War
Memorial!
Ebola!
“It’s beginning to look a lot like
Christmas!”
Can Christmas really happen in such
a scarred world? A world where
children are forced into slavery and
die of starvation every day? Where
war, famine and poverty appear to
be the norm? Is it possible to even
contemplate a “Merry Christmas”,
not to mention decorating a tree and
planning a literal feast?
Yet into such a world the child of
Bethlehem ‘lay down his sweet head’!
“While we think of Christmas as a
season of light, the truth is, the
birth story of Jesus Christ is filled
with darkness” according to David
Schrock, the pastor of Calvary Baptist
Church (Seymour, IN). In fact the
prophet Isaiah declared that the light
that was coming into the world, came
to a people shrouded in darkness
(9:1-7). Pastor Schrock suggests that
“Gloom, anguish, and contempt were
just some of the adjectives used to
describe this darkness” prevalent in
the world at the time of Jesus birth.
Frederick Handel wrote in one of
our favorite traditions of Christmas,
“Messiah”, “The people that walked in
darkness have seen a great light”.
Can Christmas truly happen and be
celebrated in our 2014 world of gloom,
anguish, and contempt?
It most certainly can! It most
certainly does! Christmas will happen
this year, just as it does every year,
as we wait in Advent expectation of
the coming of the Christ Child, God
with us!
Just you wait and see!
It will happen!
“Come and worship!”
“Worship Christ the new born king!”
Rev Rob Selby
White Gift Sunday
In everything I’ve done, I have
demonstrated to you how necessary
it is to work on behalf of the weak
and not exploit them. You’ll not
likely go wrong here if you keep
remembering that our Master said,
‘You’re far happier giving than
getting.’ Acts 20:35(The Message)
The tradition of White Gift Sunday
began in 1904 in a small Methodist
church in Ohio. The story is told that
a minister’s wife initiated the idea to
solve the problem of inequity of gifts
given at the Sunday school Christmas
party. Instead of focusing on receiving
gifts, the focus shifted to bringing gifts
to Jesus for sharing with people around
the world who did not have much. All
the gifts would come wrapped in plain
white paper, so that no one would
know which was an expensive gift and
which was a more modest one. No
one would feel ashamed of his/her gift
and everyone would share in the joy of
giving to others.
Many churches across several
denominations now have white gift
services, a humble way to reflect on
the love and devotion of the giver and
not the value of the gift. This year’s
White Gift Service at Knox will be on
December 7. The gifts presented will be
donated to ACSA (Agincourt Community
Services Association) as well as to
support any other need identified at
that time. So, please bring along your
White Gift when you join us for worship
on December 7 at 10 am.
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November 2014
Thank you to our Corporate
Sponsors of the Knox Fall Fair
A.K. Comics & Cards
3850 Sheppard Ave E
416-292-0954
Agincourt Autohaus
3450 Sheppard Ave E
416-291-6456
Atlantic Packaging Products Ltd.
111 Progress Ave
416-298-8101
Avis Rent-A-Car
4240 Sheppard Ave E
416-754-2847
Borsalino Dining Lounge
4505 Sheppard Ave E
416-293-4443
Bruno’s Fine Foods
2055 Avenue Rd
416-489-1164
Cedarbrae Auto Service
4015 Sheppard Ave E
416-299-6772
Costco Wholesale
1411 Warden Ave
416-288-0033
Dr. Ian Baron & Associates
125 Village Green Square, Unit 119
905-475-9807
East-Court Ford Lincoln
4700 Sheppard Ave E
416-292-1171
Harshi Furniture
3850 Sheppard Ave E
416-332-1459
Helen Blakey Flowers
3463 Sheppard Ave E
416-291-2117
Page 4
Highland Funeral Home & Cremation
Centre
3280 Sheppard Ave E
416-773-0933
TD Canada Trust
2098 Brimley Rd
416-609-9888
Hogan Chev/Buick/GMC/Corvette Ltd
5000 Sheppard Ave E
416-291-5054
The Brimell Group
5060 Sheppard Ave E
416-292-2241
Hollis Wealth
2075 Kennedy Rd
416-412-8088
The Bulk Food Centre
3850 Sheppard Ave E
416-291-7761
Markham Station Restaurant
5117 Sheppard Ave E
416-299-4141
The International Group
50 Salome Dr
416-293-4151
McCowan Foot Clinic
1711 McCowan Rd, Suite 104
416-299-1508
The Keg Restaurant
60 Estate Dr
416-438-1452
Ogden Funeral Homes
4164 Sheppard Ave E
416-293-5211
Total Wellness Family Chiropractic Clinic
1497 Yonge Street, Suite 204
416-961-9400
Orchid Garden Deli & Grill
3850 Sheppard Ave E
416-292-5199
Vantage Insulation
39 Rivalda Rd
416-746-4513
Redline Automotive Inc.
4736 Sheppard Ave E
416-292-1437
Wendy’s Restaurants of Canada
1460 Kennedy Rd
416-752-8195
Remezzo Italian Bistro
3335 Sheppard Ave E
416-498-8848
Woodside Square Dental & Medical
Offices
1571 Sandhurst Circle, Woodside Sq
416-291-9999
RBC Royal Bank
1571 Sandhurst Circle, Woodside Sq.
416-292-6583
Scarborotown Chrysler
4960 Sheppard Ave
416-298-7600
Scotia Bank
4420 Sheppard Ave E
416-297-2481
KNOX NEWS
A Note from Leigh
by Rev. Leigh Olson
A special Gift for
Christmas
Like the song says…”making a list,
checking it twice,” there’s so much to
do before Christmas. We can make
ourselves dizzy with it all if we aren’t
careful. I already know people who are
consumed with what they will get each
person and will they be able to find a
gift that they will really like.
Studying scripture from one of the
last week’s lectionary, Psalm 78, I
am reminded that there are more
important things than shopping and
wrapping, before Christmas this year.
It speaks about remembering the
mighty acts of God in our lives and
sharing, actually teaching the coming
generations, the good news of God in
our lives. God can take not only the
good times, but also the crisis events
of our lives, helping us use the learning
we have received from them and work
it into God’s plan for us. God has been
with us, is with us and will continually
be working in our lives in the future too. When our world feels unstable, what a
comfort it is to know that the God who
loves us can take even the rough times
and make them work for us. It feels like
a gift.
A beautiful way to share God’s love in
the Advent season is to do home advent
candle lighting on Sunday evenings. As
a child, I looked forward to each candle
lighting, thinking about the surprising
gift of Jesus, God’s son on a cold
winter’s night: small, insignificant at first
glance, but wonderful and powerful for
all in the end. We would light a candle
and do a small reading from scripture
and sing a verse of, “O Come, O Come,
Emmanuel.” Then we would sit down
to eat our supper. The closer we got
to Christmas, the more excited I would
become. God’s gift to us in Jesus was
the gift of Love.
I invite you to share the gift of Love this
year. Let your family and friends know
that it’s not about the size or expense of
the gift under the tree that’s important,
but it’s the love that you share that’s
the real gift.
Gifts with vision
by Jim McAllister, Knox M&S Enthusiast
We all have lots of opportunities to
give to special charities, especially
at Christmas. As members and
adherents of Knox we have some
unique opportunities to support
needy charities through the Mission
and Service of the United Church. Alternative gift giving has become an
increasingly popular way of helping
others as people grow tired of receiving
more and more “stuff” on special
occasions like Christmas, birthdays,
baptisms and anniversaries.
Gifts with Vision offers special
opportunities for giving. One person
we know of uses it as a source for ‘no
gifts please’ invitations. This would be a
great teacher gift for children to bring to
school. Some families even stuff a Gifts
with Vision catalogue in everyone’s
stocking on Christmas morning and
each family member then gets to spend
time deciding which gift they want to
choose. This approach also reduces the
mess and waste of Christmas wrapping,
beats standing in line on Boxing Day
trying to exchange a gift, and is a fun
activity for everyone.
This year’s selection of gifts purchased
through the Mission and Service of
the United Church includes buying
farm animals for women working in
cooperatives in Kenya, building wells
in Nicaragua, and buying books for
Aboriginal language revitalization in BC. Just $10 will help Toronto’s Massey
Centre cover the cost of transportation
for young moms and infants to go
to medical appointments; $15 will
purchase much-needed baby formula
and diapers for infants. Just $20 will
purchase school
supplies in India for
a needy Dalit child
for a school year.
Just $25 will provide Colombia’s
displaced people with food for one child
and one adult for a week.
$100 will provide building materials
to construct a learning centre for
indigenous peoples in a mountainous
region of the Philippines.
The 2014 Gifts with Vision catalogue
provides ideas for alternative gifts
ranging from $10 to $250. Gifts with
Vision can be purchased either online
at http://www.giftswithvision.ca/ or by
phone (1-800-288-7365 or 416-2535456) or by picking up the Gifts with
Vision catalogue in the Knox Church
Narthex and placing an order.
Page 5
November 2014
Looking Ahead
November 29
6 pm
Advent Dinner, CE Auditorium
November 30
12 pm
Advent Study group, Heritage Room
12:15 pm Lunch Bunch, at Remezzo’s
December 2
7:30 pm UCW Unit 1, Heritage Room
December 3
11 am
UCW Unit 2, Christmas Lunch
7:30 pm Prayer & Praise, Sanctuary
December 5
7 pm
Chinese Fellowship Bible Study, Heritage Rm
December 7
12 pm
Sunday School Advent Celebration, Heritage
Room
12 pm
Advent Study Group, CE Parlour
December 14
12 pm
Advent Study Group, Heritage Room
12:30 pm Mandarin Christian Fellowship
December 17
10 am Prayer & Praise @ Joan C’s
December 21
7 pm
Cantata with the combined choirs of Knox
United, Knox Presbyterian & Agincourt Baptist
Churches at Knox Presbyterian, 4156 Sheppard
Ave. E. Cantata: Once Upon a Night by Pepper
Choplin
December 24
6 pm
Family Service
8:30 pm Candlelight Service,
Celebration of Holy Communion
January 2, 2015
7 pm
Chinese Fellowship Bible Study, Heritage Room
January 25, 2015
8 pm
Knox Concert Series: Piano Trio with Moshe
Hammer, Joe Johnson & Ross Inglis
AGINCOURT GARDEN CLUB 60TH ANNIVERSARY PROJECT
by Don Boucher, AGC member since 2002
In the summer of 2014 the overgrown
shrubs were taken out from the
Midland side of the Knox Christian
Education building. In honour of its 60
years of meetings and other activities
in the Knox CE building, the Agincourt
Garden Club took advantage of this
opportunity to donate and create a new
planting.
In September founding member Russ
Gomme designed a plan with several
options. Don Boucher took the plan to
Valleyview Gardens and selected two
Dense Yew, three Mint Julep Juniper,
two Gold Star Potentilla (yellow flowers)
and three French Lace Weigela (two
with red and one with white flowers
and all with variegated foliage). Because
the shrubs are still small, there was
lots of room in the 8x32 foot bed, so
early and mid season spring bulbs were
planted in groups between the shrubs:
Daffodil, Jonquille, Muscari (grape
hyacinth) and Chionodoxa (glory-of-thesnow).
Page 6
There were many long roots to dig out
and Garry Bowers brought a rototiller to
loosen the good, weed growing earth.
Another AGC member, Alex Knox, and
our property committee chairman Nick
Walker joined the crew to tackle the
many roots from the previous shrubs.
As there was too much earth, several
wheelbarrow loads were taken to fill
in holes in the cemetery. Finally, the
planting holes were dug and with some
bags of triple mix and city compost the
shrubs and bulbs were put to bed. In
the spring some transplant fertilizer will
be added.
Planting team of Russ, Alex, Don & Garry
(Nick took the photo)
KNOX NEWS
Worship Corner
by Lynella Reid-James
Advent 2014 at Knox United
Church, Agincourt
Each year, during Advent we take time
to prepare and remember the real
meaning of Christmas – the Coming of
Jesus into the world. There are four
Sundays when we prepare for Advent,
November 30, December 7, 14, and 21.
The Advent Wreath is a circular garland
of evergreen branches representing
eternity. There are four Advent Candles,
three purple and one pink which are lit
each Sunday to remember the meaning
of Christmas: Hope, Peace, Joy, and
Love. On Christmas Eve we light a white
candle to represent Christ who is the
Light of the World.
November 30:
First Sunday of Advent
Memorial Service
Worshippers will be invited to light
Candles of Remembrance in memory of
their loved ones
The Sacrament of Holy Communion
The Hope Advent Candle is lit
December 7:
December 28:
Second Sunday of Advent
First Sunday after Christmas
White Gift Service
Regular Service
Everyone is invited to bring gifts,
including non-perishable food to be
given to ACA for distribution in the
community
Upcoming Services - 2015
The Peace Advent Candle is lit
January 4 - Epiphany
December 14:
January 11 - Mandarin Sunday, Church
School resumes
Third Sunday of Advent
Mandarin Sunday
The Joy Advent Candle is lit
January 25 - Baptism/Membership
February 1 - UCW Sunday - Handbell
Choir
December 21:
February 8 - Mandarin Sunday
Fourth Sunday of Advent
Christmas Service
February 17- Pancake Tuesday/Pre Ash
Wednesday Service
The Love Candle is lit
February 22 - First Sunday in Lent
Christmas Cantata, “Once Upon a
Night” by Pepper Choplin @ 7 pm
Combined choirs - Knox UCC, Knox
Presbyterian and Agincourt Baptist at
Knox Presbyterian Church
March 8 - Daylight Saving Time (DST)
begins
December 24:
Christmas Eve
6 pm
Family Service
8:30 pm Candlelight Service and the
Celebration of Holy Communion
Christmas Memorial Poinsettias 2014
As usual, at this time of the year, the
sanctuary of Knox will be decorated
with poinsettias in memory of relatives
and friends. The names of those
remembered are included in the
Worship Service folder.
This year, there will be flowers in the
sanctuary for two Sundays - December
7 and 14. Poinsettias may be collected
or will be delivered to members of Knox
who are not able to attend church, after
the service on Sunday, December 14,
2014.
If you would like to place a poinsettia
in the sanctuary in memory of relatives
or friends, please complete the form,
inserted in the bulletins on November
16, 23, and 30. The cost of each 6”
poinsettia is $8. Prices for other sizes
are available on request. Please make
cheques payable to KNOX UNITED
CHURCH and place the form on the
offering plate, or bring a cheque or
cash to the Church Office by Sunday,
November 30, 2014 at the latest.
Page 7
November 2014
Knox United Church
2569 Midland Ave. Agincourt ON M1S 1R3
Tel: 416-293-4424 Fax: 416-293-6128
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.myknox.ca
Rev. Rob Selby
Rev. Leigh Olson
Ross Inglis
Jayne Bossert
Richard Wang
Jack Au
Tricia Cook
Lead Minister
Minister of Visitation
Director of Music
Christian Education Coordinator
Chinese Ministry Coordinator
Church Custodian
Church Office Administrator
ext 12
ext 13
ext 16
ext 11
ext 15
ext 0
Sunday Worship & Church School at 10 am
Knox Advent Study 2014
The First Christmas
by Marcus J. Borg & John Dominic Crossan
Sundays following refreshment time:
12 to 1 pm
Please bring something to eat or to share.
Tentative outline for study and discussion
1.
Sunday, November 23
Preface
vii
PART I PARABLE, OVERTURE, AND CONTEXT
I The Stories of the First Christmas
3
2 Parables as Overtures
25
2.
Sunday, November 30
3 The Context of the Christmas Stories 55
PART IIGENEALOGY, CONCEPTION AND BIRTH
4 Genealogy as Destiny
81
3.
Sunday, December 7 (meet in the CE Parlour)
5 An Angel Comes to Mary
99
6 In David’s City of Bethlehem
129
4.
Sunday, December 14 Also Mandarin English Service
PART III LIGHT, FULFILLMENT, AND JOY
7 Light Against the Darkness
171
8 Jesus as the Fulfillment of Prophecy 199
9 Joy to the World
227
Book available for $16
Page 8