Knox Blog
Welcome to the Knox Blog. We use this space to keep you up-to-date with our ministries and leaders, whether it be through news and encouragement or prayer requests and reflections. We hope it helps you stay connected with our community.
August 30, 2010
Update from the Board of Managers - Gym Renovation
You may have noticed renovations beginning in the gym over the past week. The first phase of this work will see the walls prepped for repainting. After the painting is done, a new multi- purpose floor will be installed. The Board has been concerned about the state of the existing hardwood gym floor, which had deteriorated to the point of becoming a safety and liability issue. It is anticipated that the cost of these renovations will be $86,500. Financial considerations delayed this project for several years, but a designated bequest from donors who wish to remain anonymous has covered the expense. We praise God for the generosity of His people!
It is expected that the renovations (prepping, painting, removal of old floor, installation of new floor) will take eight weeks, so that the work will be completed in time for the Missions Conference in October. Your prayerful consideration of the ongoing work of the Board is greatly appreciated.
Greg Summers
Chair
Knox Board of Managers
August 10, 2010
Knox World Missions Spotlight - Donna Dong, Intervarsity Chiristian Fellowship
About Donna Donna became a follower of Jesus as a student at the University of California at Berkeley, where she became involved with the campus Inter-Varsity group. Her grounding in discipleship, evangelism, and missions was so life-changing, that she first joined Inter-Varsity campus staff in 1971. In the course of over 35+ years of Inter-Varsity campus staff work, Donna worked with students and staff on university campuses in Northern California, Hawaii and in Canada. In the 80’s and 90’s, she and Inter-Varsity staff colleague, Geri Rodman, developed a student movement in Northern California and Hawaii that was multicultural, committed to ministry and evangelism, and issued forth in a number of strong Christian leaders, pastors, and missionaries. In 2002, Donna came to Canada to become Inter-Varsity Canada’s first Director of Multicultural/multiethnic Ministries. In her current role, she has broadened Inter-Varsity’s ministry to include more Canadians from Chinese, Korean, Caribbean, South Asian, and Aboriginal/First Nations heritages. She is passionate about Inter-Varsity’s ministry of transforming youth, students, and graduates in all their ethnic diversity into fully committed followers of Jesus Christ. Her current ministry focus includes biblical teaching, intercultural competency training, and missions mobilization through Inter-Varsity’s Urbana 09 Student Missions Conference.
Latest News [On August 4] I leave for my first trip ever to China! I am excited! I am in group of 10 IVCF friends and staff traveling to Beijing, sight-seeing and getting a sense of the great socio-economic, cultural, and spiritual developments taking place. And then, we go on to Hohhot in the Chinese autonomous region of Inner Mongolia, where we will join and participate in the IVCF Global Partnership-China program. I enclose our itinerary, for your prayerful support. Please pray as I present on Mon eve, Aug 9, on “How to Transition to and Succeed in North American Universities.” It will be summer break time, but the entire university is invited to join the 80+ Canadian and Chinese students in the program. I will provide a 20-minute lecture, then 30 minutes of Q&A. I am hopeful for good rapport & one-on-one conversations with students.
Donna recently spoke at our Summer Fellowship series. Listen to it on our Podcasts page.
July 19, 2010
Lessons from Mali
Knox attendee and sound guru Alyssa Bistonath, a regular photographer with World Vision, recently travelled to Mali on assignment. Below is a short meditation on one of her experiences there, underneath her illustrative (and astonishing) photo.
As we drove through the dust-filled air, the sky took on a sepia tone and the clouds sunk into a low April fog. I took note of the bruise that the bumpy road and my camera had formed on my leg. I was in Mali, working as a photographer for World Vision, and the 45-degree heat, rumours of the Icelandic volcano eruption, and a harsh flu made me thankful for a day off.
We were venturing further when, to the right of the car, we noticed a cloud embedded in the ground, a fury of activity right in and among it. Within seconds, we were pulling over, and a balloon of excitement burst in my chest.
I jumped out the back doors and climbed up on top of the jeep, my camera slung over my shoulder. I had never seen anything like it. It was a misty pool left over from a dried-up lake. It was surrounded by hundreds of people, horses carts, and bicycles. “Sunday,” Abdullah, our driver, told us. “Time for fishing.” We learnt that the community waited all year round for the hot season to dry up the lake. Week by week, they communally fished each leftover pool. Planning each time where to meet next; no one disrespecting the others by trying to fish a pool alone. As I walked down the hill and to the shore, I was moved—by the teamwork of families, neighbours, and friends. Everyone knew their role, everyone helped.
More than on any other trip before, I asked God a lot of questions while in Mali—but mostly I wanted him to ask something of me. “What purpose do you have to offer to my community?” I think back to that fishing village, and I wonder how they got to the point where every person, down to the tiny babies collecting minnows at the shore, knew what their responsibilities were. I pray and hope we can learn the same in our growing church community.
–Alyssa Bistonath
June 14, 2010
SpikeBack Against Poverty
On Friday, February 19, a volleyball team representing Knox Church was one of 22 teams participating at an annual fund raising volleyball tournament hosted by Toronto City Mission The 2010 SpikeBack Against Poverty Beach Tournament raised over $20,000 to sponsor 285 inner city children to attend March break and summer day camps. Not only did the Knox Spadina team raise the most money of all teams, they also won the tournament for the second time in three years.
June 7, 2010
New Small Group for Young Adults
Mondays @ 7pm
Ossington & Bloor
Starting June 7
Summer... what better time to bond over the Bible in a beautiful backyard? If you're on the younger side of the UYAM community—say, 18-24yrs—come spend some quality time chatting up scripture this summer. We'll be blazing through Acts and praying for divine inspiration to feed our faith and form our actions as we grow together as a church community. And yes, as Andrew Byrd once sang, “there will be snacks.” For details and directions, contact patricia@knoxtoronto.org.
